is kissing dogs utterly disgusting?

[murphy dee]

Aww, it doesn't really bother me. I'll let a dog lick my face. I'll just wash my face later, that's all. Not really too keen on dog tongue getting inside my mouth, though.

[Jorm]

You touch your behind and touch your face. How do dog mouths compare to human fingers?

Admittedly we do (hopefully) wash our hands, but it's a good point nonetheless.

I don't exactly go out of my way to tongue dogs (That would be weird even for me), I tend to go for the top of the head when kissing animals, but hey, some dogs are lickers. *shrug* I'm not about to get totally freaked out and squicked over it. Maybe it's a bit gross, but so are a hell of a lot of things people do and come in contact with. Ever looked up the statistics of how much fecal bacteria is on your toothbrush right now? The world is fully of nasty, potentially dangerous things and I think I've got a lot more important things to worry about than what a dog's tongue might transfer to me. That's like parents who feel like they need to sterilize ever surface of their house so their kids don't come into contact with germs. A little dog spit is good for your immune system!

Or something.

(Edited because a little dog spit is good for your immune system, not goo for your immune system. Which is not to say that it is not in fact also gooey.)

[Skiffy]

Not really too keen on dog tongue getting inside my mouth, though.

I had a big black mongrel once. He always tried to lick everyone's faces. If you sat on the floor with him he could knock you down, and he could be very...forceful.

[Hawkeye]

I draw the line at letting my dog lick my face. I won't go so far as actively kissing the mouth region.

On a related note, one time I saw a lady sharing an ice-cream cone with her dog. I wouldn't do that.

[Vetinari]

You touch your behind and touch your face. How do dog mouths compare to human fingers?

I do wash them in between, and indeed if I have been touching any animal I would also routinely wash my hands before putting them anywhere near my mouth.

As others have said, it isn't going to kill you. It's happened to me loads of times with random dogs and I'm definitely still here. Courtesy of my job I've also had cow shit in my mouth now and then. Just because it doesn't kill you doesn't stop it being revolting!

Actually come to think of it .... maybe you should all be very wary of kissing me as well. Damn!

[March Hare]

Never mind the effects on humans, it's their own choice, but the pet gets it forced upon it. Poor smoochied-over dogs and cats

[Chanel_no5]

Actually come to think of it .... maybe you should all be very wary of kissing me as well. Damn!

Hey, we kiss our dogs and cats (and horses), and now you tell us we should be careful kissing YOU! Come on...!

[TheCakeIsAlive]

I've understood a dog biting you and drawing blood isn't nearly as bad as a human biting you and drawing blood simply because the dogs appear to have less germy mouths or at the very least less dangerously germy mouths for a human (haven't exactly paid too much attention so feel free to correct me if I'm wrong). But no, I'm not exactly eager to let any animal anywhere near my face.

Actually come to think of it .... maybe you should all be very wary of kissing me as well. Damn!

Awww... nah, I think that would be okay.

[Jorm]

Never mind the effects on humans, it's their own choice, but the pet gets it forced upon it. Poor smoochied-over dogs and cats

We don't always have a choice! Like Skiffy said, some dogs are quite forceful in their desire to kiss people

[vote_for_pedro]

Never mind the effects on humans, it's their own choice, but the pet gets it forced upon it. Poor smoochied-over dogs and cats

We don't always have a choice! Like Skiffy said, some dogs are quite forceful in their desire to kiss people

Oh man, some cats too! Don't laugh, but Fudge gave me a hickey once when he was a kitten. It's not what you think! I swear!

[Jorm]

Never mind the effects on humans, it's their own choice, but the pet gets it forced upon it. Poor smoochied-over dogs and cats

We don't always have a choice! Like Skiffy said, some dogs are quite forceful in their desire to kiss people

Oh man, some cats too! Don't laugh, but Fudge gave me a hickey once when he was a kitten. It's not what you think! I swear!

Not only am I laughing, I'm also pointing.

[Nicole]

Yeah, I'd have to say that besides the Milkbone thing I do with Porter, I never have to force myself upon him! He comes in for the kiss!

[vote_for_pedro]

Not only am I laughing, I'm also pointing.

*pulls your finger*

Just for that, I'm gonna turn him loose on you. Prepare for aggressive kitteh luvins.

[Shay]

You're not alone, I also find the idea revolting. It's not really about the germs, I just find all that slobber and drool to be downright disgusting. I'm sure it wouldn't bother me so much if dogs had much less saliva. I'm a bird person and I have no problem with my birds licking me and stuff because they have very little saliva. In fact years ago I used to let my birds stick their heads inside my mouth, because for whatever reason they really seemed to like cleaning my teeth, but then I had to stop because the vet told me that the bacteria in human mouths could make the birds sick.

[Helter Skelter]

You touch your behind and touch your face. How do dog mouths compare to human fingers?

Well, yeah, but I wash my hands well beforehand! I can't say my dog disinfects her mouth after she eats something revolting and then tries to lick my face.

I know human fingers can be really dirty too. That's why I never touch my face before washing my hands really well (and as an aside this is one of the best ways to avoid getting colds etc, at least in my experience.)

[Nicole]

Here's my thing. If you sign your credit card receipt at the grocery store with their pen, and then touch ANY mucous membrane before either using waterless hand sanitizer or going home to wash your hands, you're pretty much introducing shit - literal shit, like feces - into your system. Grocery store pens have been found to be loaded with Enterococcus. Oh, and pretty much most surfaces you touch in public. Including fresh produce, by the way - that has some of the nastiest human contaminants out there, because people touch everything to see if it's the one they want. And while you may wash YOUR hands, they may not wash theirs.

Then again, stuff like this just isn't a big deal to me. We're exposed to things in the environment all the time, and for good reason - to build our immune system! I'm the same girl who has no qualms using the bedspread on hotel beds, and I once ate my Flintstones vitamin AFTER it fell onto the floor at the sex offender prison.

*shrugs* As I said above...I'm alive and well. And gross, I guess.

[resolution]

Here's my thing. If you sign your credit card receipt at the grocery store with their pen, and then touch ANY mucous membrane before either using waterless hand sanitizer or going home to wash your hands, you're pretty much introducing shit - literal shit, like feces - into your system. Grocery store pens have been found to be loaded with Enterococcus. Oh, and pretty much most surfaces you touch in public. Including fresh produce, by the way - that has some of the nastiest human contaminants out there, because people touch everything to see if it's the one they want. And while you may wash YOUR hands, they may not wash theirs.

Then again, stuff like this just isn't a big deal to me. We're exposed to things in the environment all the time, and for good reason - to build our immune system! I'm the same girl who has no qualms using the bedspread on hotel beds, and I once ate my Flintstones vitamin AFTER it fell onto the floor at the sex offender prison.

*shrugs* As I said above...I'm alive and well. And gross, I guess.

You still eat Flinstones Vitamins?

[Chanel_no5]

You still eat Flinstones Vitamins?

That struck me as so funny I'm currently laughing my ass off!! OMG I can hardly type!! I'm so sorry, but wow, best comment of the day!

[March Hare]

Here's my thing. If you sign your credit card receipt at the grocery store with their pen, and then touch ANY mucous membrane before either using waterless hand sanitizer or going home to wash your hands, you're pretty much introducing shit - literal shit, like feces - into your system. Grocery store pens have been found to be loaded with Enterococcus. Oh, and pretty much most surfaces you touch in public. Including fresh produce, by the way - that has some of the nastiest human contaminants out there, because people touch everything to see if it's the one they want. And while you may wash YOUR hands, they may not wash theirs.

Then again, stuff like this just isn't a big deal to me. We're exposed to things in the environment all the time, and for good reason - to build our immune system! I'm the same girl who has no qualms using the bedspread on hotel beds, and I once ate my Flintstones vitamin AFTER it fell onto the floor at the sex offender prison.

*shrugs* As I said above...I'm alive and well. And gross, I guess.

You still eat Flinstones Vitamins?

You still don't know how to SPELL Flintstones (Vitamins)?

Dr Nic is right. Plus, dogs probably have a much, much better immune system than humans do. Maybe it IS a good idea to kiss them after all!

[Nicole]

You still eat Flinstones Vitamins?

Hey, Flintstones vitamins are very complete! My doctor takes them also. I look forward to them every morning because they taste so effing good...that means I never forget them!

[kilala]

Dude, I totally kiss my dog on the mouth, and I have for the 9 years I've had him. And I will continue until he leaves me. And sometimes I do this thing that REALLY grosses people out...I hold a Milkbone between my teeth and let Porter take it from me, which sometimes results in him licking my lips. Yep, I do. And go ahead and judge me! I don't even care.

Edited because I originally ended my post by saying, "Because I don't give a shit." Just sounded so harsh. (I mean...I DON'T....but still...)

I do the same thing with my dog..I've even tried to play 'the lady and the tramp spaghetti thing' with him, but he just grabbed the noodle out of my mouth

We taught him to "be easy" when he takes things out of our mouth, and he usually does pretty good. I love my puppy and I don't care either if anyone calls me gross

[Chanel_no5]

My kitty son (yeah, sorry I end up talking about cats instead of dogs, but I don't have a dog...) usually wants to try pretty much everything I eat. If I'm quick enough to put the food in my mouth, he sometimes puts his paw (without claws) in the corner of my mouth, open it and then take whatever I'm chewing. I'm not very fond of this, I'm really not, but at the same time I think it's pretty cute since he's really careful not to hurt me with his claws or anything. If I want to eat alone, I'll have to close the door.

[resolution]

Dude, I totally kiss my dog on the mouth, and I have for the 9 years I've had him. And I will continue until he leaves me. And sometimes I do this thing that REALLY grosses people out...I hold a Milkbone between my teeth and let Porter take it from me, which sometimes results in him licking my lips. Yep, I do. And go ahead and judge me! I don't even care.

Edited because I originally ended my post by saying, "Because I don't give a shit." Just sounded so harsh. (I mean...I DON'T....but still...)

I do the same thing with my dog..I've even tried to play 'the lady and the tramp spaghetti thing' with him, but he just grabbed the noodle out of my mouth

I guess I'm just not a dog person.

[kilala]

Dude, I totally kiss my dog on the mouth, and I have for the 9 years I've had him. And I will continue until he leaves me. And sometimes I do this thing that REALLY grosses people out...I hold a Milkbone between my teeth and let Porter take it from me, which sometimes results in him licking my lips. Yep, I do. And go ahead and judge me! I don't even care.

Edited because I originally ended my post by saying, "Because I don't give a shit." Just sounded so harsh. (I mean...I DON'T....but still...)

I do the same thing with my dog..I've even tried to play 'the lady and the tramp spaghetti thing' with him, but he just grabbed the noodle out of my mouth

I guess I'm just not a dog person.

It's ok not everyone is. I'm a huge animal lover and my pets have always been my children, I get it from my mom.

[Nicole]

I guess I'm just not a dog person.

Well, I think you can be a dog person and not want to kiss them on the mouth. McHotPants loves our dog but he won't let him near his mouth. I always tell him he's mean for that...Porter just wants love, after all.