Do you have an issue with pets performing the dishwasher prewash step?

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I am not really a fan of it. I am assuming the dishwasher would sterilize the dishes more or less, but I am still weirded out by a cat or dog licking the same plates we use.

 

[NYCgrrl]

This thread is chock a block with red flags for dating….

 

[princesscinderella]

My husband will let the dogs lick the plates so they always beg from him at the table. I don't care that they do it, just that they don’t beg from me at the table. All the dishes always go in the dishwasher which sanitizes them anyway.

 

[GoingSince1990]

So long as the leftovers are "dog safe", no problem with this. A dishwasher is going to clean and sanitize every dish so well that there is no scientific basis for worrying about germs etc.

 

[disykat]

Haha I’m not sure that’s any worse than people not washing their hands after going to the bathroom and touching everything around the house - drawer pulls, refrigerator items, light switches, etc.

So that begs the question - do you really think there are people who don't let the dog lick their plates that are okay with people not washing their hands after they go to the bathroom?

As for the original question. No, I don't let the dog lick the plates because it teaches the dog bad habits. I haven't really thought about it in terms of cleanliness because it's never come up.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

Nope. The bunny of the house is not allowed to eat human food unless it's pre-approved by his primary keeper (me). He's a strict vegan with a sensitive tummy. It doesn't stop him from begging though.

 

[Moliphino]

I think it teaches a dog bad manners and begging, so absolutely no. Food tidbits are either tossed on the floor while the dog isn't looking (not right next to the table though, they get tossed elsewhere in the room so he has to "hunt"), or handed well after dinner - either way, so that they aren't directly associating humans eating food with dogs getting scraps.

From a "grossness" standpoint, I don't care. They're about to be cleaned & sanitized.

My dogs know they only get the plates when we're done with them. They generally leave us alone until we get up from the table.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

So that begs the question - do you really think there are people who don't let the dog lick their plates that are okay with people not washing their hands after they go to the bathroom?

I doubt they’re ok with it, but fecal bacteria everywhere in our environments, so, to me, being worried about a plate that a dog licks that’s about to be sterilized seems silly when just working around the home or going shopping could yield much worse to us!

https://www.popsci.com/poop-is-everywhere/

https://www.thehealthy.com/home/germs-toilet-seat/

 

[Skywalker]

We definitely do let them lick the plate! They love it and it causes no harm so why not? They also don't beg/bother us while we're eating. They learned that if they ignore us while we're eating (or do a good job pretending to ignore us lol) they will get the plate. If they approach while we are eating they get nothing. Dogs learn fast!

I remember as a child when my aunt and uncle came to visit, my dad let the dog lick the plates and then pretended that he was going to put them back in the cupboard. My aunt and uncle were not dog people, they looked like they were going to vomit. My dad was super serious guy normally and it was the first time I had ever seen him joke around like that. I guess that's why they bought it