A woman has ignited a fiery debate after confessing she lets her dog roam around the kitchen while she’s cooking. Some people are branding it “gross” and “disgusting” to let pets near food prep areas, fearing fur or drool could end up in the meal.
Yet, others can’t see the fuss. She took to Reddit, saying: “Scrolling through Instagram, I came across a post of someone cooking a pie for their dog. The dog was propped up on the countertop, eating crumbs and cleaning the utensils. The dog wasn’t making a mess and wasn’t eating anything the owner didn’t purposefully offer to him. I thought it was super cute; then I read the comments.
“The consensus seemed to be that the post was ‘disgusting’ and ‘gross’. That dogs should never lick any utensils, bowls, or countertops that are meant for humans to use. That this is why you shouldn’t eat at other people’s houses. That dogs should not be allowed in the kitchen, ever.”
The woman recounted on Instagram how her dog snuggles in bed with her and is even allowed to lick leftover food from her utensils, which has led her to re-evaluate her habits after online backlash. She further expressed her surprise, saying: “As someone who sleeps in the same bed with my dog and allows him to lick the leftover peanut butter or Greek yogurt from the spoon after I’m done eating, I was shocked and admittedly now a bit self-conscious that people think I’m disgusting?! All my family and friends are also dog people, so this just isn’t something I’ve ever thought much about. Are those comments the popular opinion?”.
The Blue Cross cautions pet owners to restrict their dogs’ access to the kitchen during meal preparation strictly for safety reasons, stating: “Keep your dog out of the kitchen when you are cooking. Dogs are naturally interested in human activity, and accidental spills of hot fat or oil and boiling water can cause horrific injuries that can leave permanent damage.”
An owner shared their opinion, commenting: “I wouldn’t let my dog on the counter/table. And I don’t let my dog lick utensils (except peanut butter spoons), plates, bowls, etc. But mostly that’s due to not wanting him to think he gets food from my plates. Right now I can set a steak down on my coffee table – at my dog’s head height – and walk away out of sight without fear. I like that I don’t have to worry about it and I’m not messing that bit of training up.”
Another user chimed in: “My dog knows she has to get my permission to eat off of my plate. If we share, I can sit the plate down and walk away, and she’ll still be sitting there waiting for me to get back so we can share. She knows what ‘share’ means. She licks the plate or bowl only if I offer… any other time, I’ll say ‘all gone’ and she walks away.”
A third user shared: “I give my dog food off of my plate but I’ve noticed over time she associates it with me giving her food, not the plate. I never specifically taught her this but I can literally sit the plate on the couch near her, walk away to the kitchen, and come back and she will be waiting for me rather than stealing it because she knows I will give her scraps if she is patient.”