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Furry friend or public pest? Not everyone wants to be pawed by a pug in public. Is the increasing humanisation of pets and the inclusion of them in society the best thing for us all? Watch Insight episode It’s Just A Dog on SBS On Demand.

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I’m constantly judged by dog owners when I tell them I’m not a dog person. They take it as a personal attack on their ‘fur baby’.
I generally lighten up the conversation by saying ‘Don’t be offended, I don’t like cats either — I’m not really an animal person’. These statements appear incomprehensible to most people.
After years of dog owners trying to make me see the canine light, I resorted to lying.

The lie? I was allergic to dogs.
I used this lie to ‘justify’ why I didn’t like them licking my toes, jumping on me and sniffing me.
My first phantom allergy was ‘fur and hair’; but I was soon sniffed out by the witty dog owners with hypo allergenic dogs that didn’t shed.
I then found out that humans can be allergic to dog saliva. This was my golden ticket.

a woman with dark hair worn out in a pink shirt smiles in a close up pic towards camera

Catherine is fearful of dogs while her best friend Sabrina loves them. Source: Supplied

‘I wish my feelings were validated’
I’ve been using the ‘saliva allergy’ excuse for years now; it is my saving grace. No longer do I get entitled responses from owners when they attempt to restrain their dogs around me.
I still am weary around dogs as I find them so unpredictable and feel that not all dog owners have trained theirs to properly respect other people’s boundaries.
I’ve never once tried to convince a dog owner to dislike dogs, but almost every dog owner has tried to persuade me to like dogs.

It’s perfectly okay not to have an emotional bond with animals. I hope my emotions could receive more acknowledgment, as they are genuinely mine.

My best friend Sabrina was the first dog-lover to actually ask me why I didn’t like them.
I told her I wasn’t raised with dogs and had had a few traumatic experiences with them growing up. (This included being chased and seeing my mum being bitten by one and having a large baby German shepherd jump on my back, which left bloody claw marks.)

Sabrina and her daughter Charli are now very accommodating and, with each visit to their house, have slowly trained me to conquer my canine fears.

two women with dark hair smiling holding a toddler between them and holding an ice cream cone

Sabrina and Catherine with Charli when she was a toddler. Source: Supplied

Sabrina:

To me, dogs are more than pets. They are companions, protectors, healers, and silent supporters.
Our golden retriever Molly seems to sense everything — whether I’ve had a tough day or need quiet company. That kind of emotional intuition creates a connection that’s hard to describe but deeply felt.
Our bond is so strong that it’s now a running joke in the house that ‘Mum definitely loves the dog more than Dad’.

While I’d never admit to playing favourites, I have been known to greet the dog first when I walk through the door.

a woman in a cap and woprkout gear bends down smiling with a golden retriever dog on a coastal boardwalk

Sabrina grew up with dogs and has a strong connection with them, including her dog Molly. Source: Supplied

Catherine and golden retrievers on the other hand? Not the best combo.

Years ago, one of Charli’s favourite games was to rile up our puppy to chase and jump on poor Catherine.
But as Molly grew, we began to realise that Catherine wasn’t laughing. She was genuinely frightened due to her childhood experiences.
We agreed as a family that our home needed to be a safe space for everyone.

These days, we like to say we’ve got a ‘Catherine Protocol’ in place whenever she comes to visit.

The ‘Catherine Protocol’

The Catherine Protocol starts with a deep clean: vacuuming dog hair from every corner like we’re on a mission from NASA, shaking out couch covers and putting out mats at every entrance.
Catherine once said that being in our house before we employed the protocol felt like being inside of a giant fur tumbleweed. We couldn’t stop laughing but point taken.
Then we employ diffusers with lavender and eucalyptus essential oils to make everything smell more ‘zen’ and less ‘zoo’.
The three dogs are suited up with cooling vests and harnesses so they’re easier to handle if they get too excited and jumpy.

Treats are always in our pockets. It’s bribery but our reward system is locked and loaded if things get wild.

a young girl hugs a middle aged woman sitting at a kitchen bench with a birthday cake in front of them

Charli and Catherine celebrating a birthday. Source: Supplied

The best part of the Catherine Protocol is that Catherine knows we do it because we love her and want her to feel safe when she’s with us.

It’s a sweet mix of chaos and care. Perhaps, it’s a little over-the-top but it’s funny and it works.
Although Catherine may fib to other dog owners about having a saliva allergy, I’m glad she’s let us in on her little secret.
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