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Loving dogs is often treated as a universal trait. Admitting that you actually don’t like them can sometimes make you feel like an anomaly. 

So when one woman confessed that she doesn’t particularly like dogs, she almost braced herself for the backlash. In a TikTok video, a content creator named Maddi confessed that she feels like the odd person out when it comes to her opinion of dogs, compared to how everyone around her constantly obsesses over them. 

Woman admits to feeling ‘sociopathic’ for wishing not liking dogs was more normalized.

“I never said this before on here, and I choose not to talk about it because I know that it’s a very sensitive topic and probably the hottest take ever,” Maddi began in her video. “I don’t wanna pet your dog. In fact, I don’t wanna see a picture of your dog. I don’t wanna hear about your dog. Please keep your dog away from me.”

Maddi explained that she doesn’t really care if it’s the nicest dog in the world that has never bitten a soul before; she’s uninterested. She admitted that she sometimes feels a bit “sociopathic” for her strong dislike of dogs because when other people see photos of a dog or walk past one on the street, they immediately melt into a puddle, whereas she doesn’t at all.

Dog haters are consistently being hated on, Maddi pointed out. It’s mostly because people think they’re just a red flag, and many even go as far as to claim that they can’t trust someone who doesn’t like dogs. “I actually think that you guys are the crazy ones, and I don’t know. I don’t hate dogs. I just dislike them,” Maddi continued. 

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The woman argued that people who like dogs are ‘crazy’ compared to those who dislike them.

Maddi claimed that she found it a bit odd that people are just bringing dogs into their houses, period. And then on top of that, having the dog in their bed is something she just can’t get behind.

It seems that dogs sleeping on the bed is quite common. In an online survey called “Should Dogs Sleep On Your Bed?,” 76% of respondents of the 1,000 people questioned allowed their dog to sleep with them. 

Another issue Maddi shared was that she doesn’t understand how dog owners just let their animals slobber and lick them right on the lips. Then, of course, she said dogs notoriously smell bad. 

Surprisingly, people in the comments were not trying to hunt Maddi down with pitchforks because of her opinion on dogs. Instead, some wholeheartedly agreed and admitted that dogs aren’t necessarily their favorite animals either. 

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Past bad experiences or a lack of any experience as a pet owner can play a role in why some people dislike dogs.

Andrii Iemelianenko | Shutterstock

If you’re a dog person, Maddi’s view can be hard to wrap your head around, but it’s important to look at it from her perspective. Disliking or being disiniterested in pet ownership, in this case, dogs specifically, can be a direct result of past experiences. Imagine a little kid being bitten or scared by a dog. That core memory can impact how you feel about dogs as an adult.

The same goes for kids who grew up in homes without a pet. It’s difficult to understand the bond a dog owner can have with their furry pal if you’ve never experienced it. 

Anthrozoologist John Bradshaw explained, “The pet-keeping habit often runs in families: this was once ascribed to children coming to imitate their parents’ lifestyles when they leave home, but recent research has suggested that it also has a genetic basis. Some people, whatever their upbringing, seem predisposed to seek out the company of animals, others less so.”

He went on to say, “Recent studies have shown that affection for pets goes hand-in-hand with concern for the natural world. It seems that people can be roughly divided into those that feel little affinity for animals or the environment, and those who are predisposed to delight in both, adopting pet-keeping as one of the few available outlets in today’s urbanised society.”

While it may seem that everyone on the planet adores dogs, there are definitely some people who either prefer cats or just prefer not to have pets at all. It could be experience-based or even written in their DNA, but the fact is, it doesn’t mean they’re a “red flag,” it just means they have different preferences. 

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Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.