Visiting dogs

[P3LH]

For research purposes/to settle a discussion.

Do you take your dogs with you when you go to visit people in their homes/do your relatives bring their dogs with them when they visit you at your home? Every time/consistently, sometimes, not at all.

 

[blackcob]

Depends on the dog and the relative - there are combinations where it works and combinations where I wouldn't even consider it.

 

[Jenko109]

Parents, yes.

Anybody else, hard no.

 

[Smitty]

How long is the visit? Hour, day, longer?

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Sometimes. Usually if there are dogs living in the house, we take ours, if they are dog-free houses, we leave ours at home. Dogs that ours know are welcome to visit us.
We did take the 2 Labs that we had at the time to visit aunt in a care home, there were often dogs visiting. The Rottie also went there, she exuded calm.

 

[norolim]

I take my dogs pretty much everywhere but always ask if I can first, if not it's no bother. Likewise people can bring their dogs if visiting me. In either case, the dogs/people have to have met beforehand in a park or similar so we know everyone is happy! If certain dogs/people combinations don't work, then my dogs don't come with me/they don't come to my house with their dogs.

 

[fankino04]

No we didn't take our dogs ( when we had them) to any relatives except the one time we were staying at my dad's as a stop over on the way to Scotland for our holiday. Every relative seems to bring their dog with them if they are coming to ours.

 

[twiggy2]

Maz sometimes comes if we are staying overnight and everyone is OK with it.

 

[wren123]

Only my children and cousin bring their dogs to me and me too their homes.
All the dogs are no trouble.

 

[Moobli]

Depends. One of my sister's brings her dog (and the previous dog) when she stays with me but we go on holiday together every year and so we know our dogs get along. I would take one of my dogs to stay with her but wouldn't take all three. I will take my dogs when I go to see my dad before Christmas but will walk them on the way there and back and leave them in the car while I visit as they are big and boisterous and he is now in his 80s.

 

[CorvusCorax]

My dogs are used to road trips/living out of the van so there's no need for them to come into the house if there are resident dogs or if they're not dog people. My young one is a lunatic and her father doesn't settle in strange houses/hotels so he's happier in the van anyway.
I've only got room for one vehicle and it's a pretty small property so not really suitable for visiting dogs. Was easier at my mother's.

I generally don't feel the need to impose them on others.

 

[Clodagh]

I don’t allow any visiting dogs here. I’ve got 5 and not a huge house. No more needed.
And other peoples dogs are so badly behaved!

 

[AmyMay]

It entirely depends on who I’m visiting. Local friends - always take Daisy. And friends are very welcome to bring their dogs here.

Family - never. We’re all spread out over the country now. None of them have dogs, Daisy hates any car journey longer than an hour, and she’d really hate it.

 

[tda]

No to both, but apparently I'm strange.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Just remembered I've stayed at MurphysMinder's place for a weekend... I doubt our respective dogs knew that the others existed!!

 

[MurphysMinder]

Just remembered I've stayed at MurphysMinder's place for a weekend... I doubt our respective dogs knew that the others existed!!

Was just going to mention this . I did, for my sins , host an AAD bbq a couple of times , not even sure how many dogs were here , and at one point quite a few in the house ! Normally , my daughters whippet is the only frequent overnight visitor, she gets on fine with mine . A friends Gsd is a regular visitor but like CCs guys he is happy in the car . If staying overnight he does come in the house , but not all in together as my Lancashire heelers don’t feel the fact they weigh 7 kg to his 42 kg should stop them trying to put him in his place

 

[marmalade76]

No and no.

 

[blackcob]

The dog I took to those BBQs was about the only 'go anywhere' dog I've ever had from a sociability point of view - the current pair would not be attending. We used to share holiday cottages with a friend and their dog for racing weekends and I don't remember there ever being a cross word between the three.

Small dog is fairly portable and goes most places - we stayed at my dad's earlier this year with a resident dog he'd not previously met - but as CC he's also used to living out of the car so there's always a failsafe if he did decide to be a tit about something. It was 32c on the trip down so he also had to come with me to the loo and the Starbucks queue at the services which I can't imagine doing with anything much bigger.

Large dog lives in the car and comes out when the coast is clear.

 

[P3LH]

Thank you - Interesting responses. I am reassured that I am not alone in the no and no camp.

 

[Boulty]

Generally no… when me & my brother were kids & would stay with our Nan we did take the dog with us so that parents got a break from us all but she also used to look after said dog when we all went away. This was the only relatives house she used to be taken to.

Hooligan is left at home wherever possible. He has the odd trip to Nans house but never to stay over and he occasionally comes in friends houses if we’ve been for a walk together but generally as an unplanned thing & he stays on lead as he’s highly untrustworthy in terms of stealing things!

If I were staying over at someone’s house I would not plan to take him unless he was specifically invited (& even then there would need to be a reason why I’d need to such as everyone else being away)

 

[Clodagh]

I said no and no but Ffee does go to see her Granny. She’s the favourite grandchild.

 

[meleeka]

Mine comes to my parents, but that’s all. They enjoy seeing her. I don’t have any dogs here now, because mine probably wouldn’t be good with visiting dogs.

 

[FinnishLapphund]

I used to bring all 3 of my Lapphunds anywhere they were welcome, and usually if I'm visiting anyone that will mean that I'm away from home longer than about 4 hours, I either brought them, or I didn't go. However, like for Christmas celebration at my sister's home with her allergic husband, I don't bring them inside without they stay in their dog crate (with added bedding etc adjusted to the outside temperature) on their (ETA = my sister's) patio.
If they're allowed inside I also had the option of that I could put out a large dog blanket on the floor, and tell all 3 they must stay within the blanket.

By the way, it happened that I took 1 of them solo to the vets, but mostly I took all 3, or 2. One time, a relatively new vet who I hadn't met before said something like "Oh my, so many" when she first came into our room, and saw 3 dogs. After she had taken some blood sample or something, she went away to see another patient while waiting for my dog's test result. I of course don't know if it was my vet's other patient I could hear, but I did hear that at least one other patient in another room wasn't happy over being at the vets.
The next time the vet came into our room, she said "I had no idea that it was possible that it could be calmer to be in a room with 3 dogs, than in a room with only 1 dog".

I don't have a large social circle in real life, but it has happened that I've had cat friendly dogs visiting in my home.

 

[JBM]

No
I have big dogs and people try mess up my training if given literally any opportunity

 

[Hackback]

We don't take our 3 visiting. They're all large and muddy, the older one shakes slobber everywhere and the two young ones have a lot of energy. None are used to small children, so even though I've no reason to think they would be a problem I'm not going to test it.

MIL brings her dog, unless OH specifically forbids it, and it always ends in an argument between the dogs, who are all trying to guard their human. He isn't an aggressive dog but he seems to really wind our dogs up. On the other hand son and GF bring their totally daft Lab and there are no issues, other than lab gets over excited and tries to sh*g everything. And charges through electric fence, squeals when he gets a shock then runs round and repeats ... and repeats ...

 

[Spotherisk]

I said no and no but Ffee does go to see her Granny. She’s the favourite grandchild.

And she’s stayed here, when Rew gave her slidey eyes cos he’s scared of girls!

 

[Annette4]

It depends on who and which dogs. They all go to my parents, not every single time but fairly regularly either all together if we're there too or singularly/pairs if I need someone to have them.

2 have visiting rights to see my brother and his family, 1 is in the process of earning his. Whether they come and who comes depends on what we're doing and who my nieces want to see.

Other than that, it depends on the circumstances but rarely do all 5 come but they also all settle well in the van so even if they do come, it doesn't mean they're in the house. My OHs grandad loves them so we'll always take 1 or 2 with us and with visiting friends it varies. We also allow friends with dogs to visit but tend to either not mix the dogs or be selective about who we mix but 2 of mine are reactive so I'm careful in general.

 

[SOS]

Sometimes we take them over to friends and family. We rarely ask, they are normally invited, if they are not invited I’d only ask if it was impossible to leave them at home I.e away for a long period and couldn’t get pet sitter to come let them out.

My mother asks me to bring them over to hers as she enjoys seeing and walking them. Other friends ask us to bring them as we then go on a group walk.

Might be shocking to some but they also sleep over at friends/families if invited for the night! In their crates or designated rooms.

Dogs are welcome at ours and I offer for people to bring them however, they must be 100% with cats as we have a house cat. If they are not they are welcome outside (for BBQs etc) but not inside. It’s the cats house after all!

 

[Birker2020]

My OH's daughter comes round with her dog maybe once or twice a year. She's a very bubbly, barky, boucy dog, she flies into the hallway literally knocking our dog for six, heads for the kitchen where she demolishes Summers left over biscuit in her bowl, runs into the lounge, runs round, cue more excited barking.

Our dog is so overwhelmed she hides under the table or sits up high on our laps as she feels safer. Sometimes shaking.

Every now and then 'E' will stick her nose in Summers face and get a low growl in return. It's a shame as Summer is made to feel so 'unsafe' in her own house. 'E' wouldn't do anything to hurt her but she's just too 'busy' for Summer to cope with.

Summer gets on very well with another dog, a little male dog half her size, and gets on well with an Alsatian bitch too and goes in their house (my partner works there 2 days a week). The bitch is like 'E' and very in her face and barky because she wants to play but she tolerates her better and loves the little male dog as he's not 'all over her' all the time and they will often run off together exploring. He gives her space which is what she needs.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Sometimes we take them over to friends and family. We rarely ask, they are normally invited, if they are not invited I’d only ask if it was impossible to leave them at home I.e away for a long period and couldn’t get pet sitter to come let them out.

My mother asks me to bring them over to hers as she enjoys seeing and walking them. Other friends ask us to bring them as we then go on a group walk.

Might be shocking to some but they also sleep over at friends/families if invited for the night! In their crates or designated rooms.

Dogs are welcome at ours and I offer for people to bring them however, they must be 100% with cats as we have a house cat. If they are not they are welcome outside (for BBQs etc) but not inside. It’s the cats house after all!

Oh mine have slept in crates away from home as well but like I say the oldest one doesn't enjoy it and whines and turns all night. He doesn't do it in the van. The middle one loved his luxury and I've carted an XXL cage around a few hotel rooms in Europe

My old old old old dog spent a few days at my Nan's with me for some reason when I was younger and the first night, found all the tins of cat food we'd carefully hidden in the oven and chewed them all. I slept on the Parker Knoll after that.