How can you best accommodate friends and family who are not comfortable with pets?

Answer 1

It varies. when my sisters hubby comes over and looks disdainfully at my dog, I let my dog do what he wants.
When my friend's children first visited and were terrified of my dog, I made him settle and stay still until they were ok with him. Now they all play together.

Answer 2

If you're anything like me then your pets ARE part of your family too. My mother won't come to visit me if my dogs are inside so I simply put them in the laundry for a couple of hours while she's here. But with people staying over-night it's not easy, Do you own a dog crate? These are even good for cat's. I assume you are talking about a dog or a cat? If it's fish or some other creature in a tank I couldn't see a problem. Anyway, Depending on how long they are staying for I would put them in a crate (your animal not the visitors,LOL) for a while, if it's a dog, just give him toilet breaks regularly, make sure he has food and water in there and take him outside for a play to WEAR HIM OUT before returning him to the crate. If it's a cat he will be fine in a crate, just put the litter tray in there, some comfortable bedding, something that smells like you, and a few things to play with and food and water and he should be happy. Pitty your family aren't cmfortable with pets, but some people are just like that hey. Good luck mate

Answer 3

If it's a short visit then the dog and cats are given the run of the rest of the house and garden. I haven't room for over-night guests but when I did they either stayed at a local B&B or accepted the animals. I don't have many friends and only one family member (scared of any GSD) who aren't comfortable with them though so it isn't a problem I face very often.
My pets are MY family!
I refuse to move the fish tanks out of the living room but up to now it's never been a problem. lol

Answer 4

We have to deal with this all the time. We have a small farm but no cattle or sheep, so we have 13 cats, 5 dogs, 8 horses and a rabbit. All the cats were strays and are now very happy and healthy and they don't even sleep in the house, but when our relatives come over, they hate to see the cats around. Even if they're just outside, so basically what we do is put the animals outside when the guests arrive and if they complain about our pets we tell them that if they don't like it, they don't have to come back. It's no skin off our noses. Bit harsh, but you can't have somebody else tell you how to live your life.

Answer 5

Not comfortable with pets in general? How weird and unnatural. I've heard of people who are allergic but never this. Unless we're talking alligator in the bathtub kind of pet, I can see how that might make some people uncomfortable.

If you have company, put your pets in another room while your guests are there. (So long as it is a short visit.) Though it is considered rude to put your host out by having him or her go out of their way to accommodate their guest(s) in a manner that disrupts the hosts home so.

My advice, if they don't like your pets... too bad for them, they are a part of your life and a part of you. If they don't want to be around them, why not meet somewhere on neutral ground?

Answer 6

Don't you always find that animals seem to know when someone doesn't like them? My poodles can sense it and always play up. If they know the person likes them they're as good as gold.
I'm a firm believer in the 'love me love my pet' theory and find it difficult to tollerate people who don't like animals. Generally I find these people to be unlikeable and not worth knowing in the first place.
However, family is a different kettle of fish. You can't pick and choose them, they come with the package so to speak, whether the package is yours or your other half's.
If I have to meet up with them I do it away from the house. If they absolutely HAVE to come to our place then I put the dogs outside if we are indoors or vice versa. If the weather is bad then the dogs have to go to another room, but this is ABSOLUTELY the last resort.
I then make sure the people stay as short a time as possible because you can bet your bottom dollar that I will be suffering their company as much as the dogs are suffering being locked away.

Answer 7

Put the pets in the garden or another room when they visit. They are there to see you, not your pet!

If they are willing, you could offer them the opportunity to learn how to be comfortable around pets by introducing them. If a person doesn't want a pet round them then fair enough we should respect that as responsible pet owners.

Answer 8

My cats are never allowed in the guest bedroom even if guests like them. And pet owners have to allow that some people are not happy with their pets, and say that its perfectly alright to push them off if the pets are too close. If pet owners can't bring themselves to say this then they will have to get used to not having visitors. but if a particular place or chair is the pets chair, warn the visitors about that. I don't have any friends who are cat haters, but friends who are a bit nervous of them I accomodate by letting the guest have precedence over the cats. The cats respond by going off to sleep on my bed.

Answer 9

Its give and take my friend, integrating/socialising your pets a very early age is essential and it must be continued. If we are talking about dogs and cats that needs case by case analysis, dependant on what the dog is and its tendency, if its a bird or maybe a exotic animal then I guess its easier to keep the guest away from them.

You could take a hard line approach that these are your pets, they are part of the family and people must accept them or not come, only problem you may end up with no friends especially if your pets are three pit bulls who are undisciplined.

Answer 10

Thank you for being thoughtful and opened minded, I am
fearful of dogs, especially large dogs, and I know dogs smell that, so makes me more fearful. I have had my share of dogs
in the past. My fear started in my early 40's, having seen and
read of too many serious dog bites. I don't believe in love me
love my dog, No more then I believe in love me love my
cigarettes. (So I refrain) And I see many that do not abide by the leash law, in our state. I do see the beauty in animals.
But I think people should relize not all people are fearless around certain animals, I too ask if I have not been to a person's home with a dog, Do they have a Dog? Then I don't go, even if they choose to put it in another room, I fear some one will let it out. What are your fears of any?? I have a grand daugher that fears bees! as I do dogs, I do not fear bees, Who
goes EEK! at a mouse or spider, a snake? If you do you will know the feeling. Blessing.

Answer 11

Dear Julien,
When we have cats (3) at home, again, we were trying to talk to them not to disturb our guests who is (are) not comfortable with them. And, our guest(s), of course new that we have pet since they come to visit us. Some of them simple says that they cannot visit us at home. OK, we used to meet either at their place or cafes or restaurants etc. But when they visit us at home, this means that they do accept "us" as a family, and we have never limited our pets life at home. Moreover, the pets feel this type of "discomfort frequencies"! That sounds weird but correct, you now better than us, don't you?... If the guests stay over the night, they should be kept their bedroom doors closed...
Yes, one step from me and one step from you... we can settle the mutual understanding and peace in this way... so easy!
Stay in peace!