Do you let your pets eat off your plates, bowls, etc?

[kdonnel]

And this is why I don't like to eat at other people's homes. You have no idea what goes on there.

Do you not eat at restaurants? You have no idea what goes on there either and since they are staffed by people I can assure you that gross things happen. The stories my dad would tell after a 50 year career in food service.

 

[NannyBeBe]

My tiny dogs like to try to lick the dishes as I load the dishwasher, but they can't reach much.
I worry a lot more about the cleanliness of restaurant dishes and flatware than I do my dogs licking my dishes.

 

[disykat]

In theory I agree that the dishes will be sanitized and it's not a big deal. In practice, I'm grossed out by the idea. I never "let" our dog lick the dishes, but if she did, I'd just toss them in the dishwasher.

Same with other things she does. For example, I never "let" her put her butt on my pillow, but I know she does it at times because I've found my pillow knocked askew. I spend a lot of time trying not to remember where her feet have been, where her bottom has touched, what she licked before she licked me, etc.

 

[Welsh_Dragon]

I don’t allow my dog to eat from my plate. He cleans ‘his bits’, sniffs other dog’s ‘bits’ and is particularly partial to cow and horse poo... frozen horse poo seems to be his favourite. I don’t even put dog/cat bowls in the dishwasher with my plates etc. I wash them on a separate cycle.

 

[NYCgrrl]

The more I read your comments, the more I want to hang out with you. We are kindred in so many ways.

My parrots drink from my glasses and then I drink from them, too. They love club soda and San Pellegrino.

My dog occasionally gets a plate to lick before it goes in the dishwasher. It should sanitize everything. Otherwise, would we ever invite people over and not serve things on paper plates with plastic utensils?

 

[BrianL]

I don’t allow my dog to eat from my plate. He cleans ‘his bits’, sniffs other dog’s ‘bits’ and is particularly partial to cow and horse poo... frozen horse poo seems to be his favourite. I don’t even put dog/cat bowls in the dishwasher with my plates etc. I wash them on a separate cycle.

But, why? I am not understanding the thinking that the pet's plates are any dirtier than those humans eat from or that they can't be cleaned properly without a dishwasher or that you don't even mix them. I am honestly trying to understnad this - soap and water will clean the dishes, right?

 

[Farro]

But, why? I am not understanding the thinking that the pet's plates are any dirtier than those humans eat from or that they can't be cleaned properly without a dishwasher or that you don't even mix them. I am honestly trying to understnad this - soap and water will clean the dishes, right?

Our cat dishes go in dishwasher with our dishes. Plus sometimes some of the instruments we use to clean the fish tanks!
I mean, dishwashers get HOT. And also, it's wasteful to run a separate cycle just for pet dishes...

 

[BrianL]

Our cat dishes go in dishwasher with our dishes. Plus sometimes some of the instruments we use to clean the fish tanks!
I mean, dishwashers get HOT. And also, it's wasteful to run a separate cycle just for pet dishes...

But, what about hand-washing the cat dishes? What's the issue? Dish soap and hot water will do fine as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Farro]

But, what about hand-washing the cat dishes? What's the issue? Dish soap and hot water will do fine as far as I'm concerned.

Of course! I was just addressing the part about how the poster runs the pet dishes on a different dishwasher cycle than human dishes.

 

[mousefan73]

My daughters boyfriend was over awhile ago and made a horrible face when he saw the dog licking the dirty dishes in the dishwasher. It was obvious that was something that did not happen in his house.
Growing up I'd put my finished cereal bowl on the floor and our dog would lick it clean. I can see how this would gross many out.. Honestly, we never thought about it.

OT but a friend once stated he found dogs sleeping in beds gross " dogs dont wipe their butts"

 

[BrianL]

Of course! I was just addressing the part about how the poster runs the pet dishes on a different dishwasher cycle than human dishes.

But a lot of people have been insinuating that only a dishwasher will do and that they still never eat off the same dishes even after. I've taken to hand-washing my dishes since I am home all the time and basically just use the same couple of plates every day. That includes the cat plates.

 

[Farro]

But a lot of people have been insinuating that only a dishwasher will do and that they still never eat off the same dishes even after. I've taken to hand-washing my dishes since I am home all the time and basically just use the same couple of plates every day. That includes the cat plates.

Hand-washing is just as good as a dish washer when done with soap and hot water. I would have no qualms about it.

 

[kdonnel]

Based on the comments here I think people would be grossed out to find out I don't wash the dishes/pots/silverware/glasses in the DVC kitchen before using them!

 

[Disneylover99]

Based on the comments here I think people would be grossed out to find out I don't wash the dishes/pots/silverware/glasses in the DVC kitchen before using them!

I wouldn’t even think to do that, unless I noticed something was visibly dirty.

 

[belle032]

I try not to give our dog a ton of people food, but sure, there are many times he gets to clean off the plates after we're done with them. They may slide all the way across the hardwood floor, but they sure do look clean when he's done.

There are so many germs and other dirty things in food, food preparation, restaurants, etc that I'm not super worried about my dog licking a plate clean before cleaning it myself.

 

[CT Yankee]

And this is why I don't like to eat at other people's homes. You have no idea what goes on there. Our kitty has her water fountain, several Rae Dunn food dishes I couldn't resist, plus paper plates. She does not lick our dishes, or eat her own food from them. Just no.

She prefers the Rae Dunn dish which says, "GOOD KITTY," despite being a somewhat disgruntled feline.

I worked with a guy who was one of the biggest germaphobes around. He would keep his desk immaculately clean and would use hand sanitzer frequently throughout the day - even before COVID. I found out that they would let their cat walk around on their kitchen counters. That just made no sense to me. To each his own, I guess.

 

[firefly_ris]

This whole "people food" concept is always interesting to me.... what does everyone think domestic dogs and cats ate before kibble was invented less than 100 years ago...? [eta] I mean yeah, there's certain things that aren't great for them but I don't get why they can't have real food ever. Train them they only get it at their dish.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

This whole "people food" concept is always interesting to me.... what does everyone think domestic dogs and cats ate before kibble was invented less than 100 years ago...? [eta] I mean yeah, there's certain things that aren't great for them but I don't get why they can't have real food ever. Train them they only get it at their dish.

The onions and garlic alone, which are base ingredients in practically everything I cook, mean most of the foods we eat are unsafe for them. Even foods that aren’t toxic can still cause GI issues if those foods aren’t a regular part of their diet. I don’t have some strict policy that they can never ever have a single bite of “people food,” it’s just that I don’t see any good reason to give it so I don’t go out of my way to offer it.

 

[firefly_ris]

The onions and garlic alone, which are base ingredients in practically everything I cook, mean most of the foods we eat are unsafe for them. Even foods that aren’t toxic can still cause GI issues if those foods aren’t a regular part of their diet. I don’t have some strict policy that they can never ever have a single bite of “people food,” it’s just that I don’t see any good reason to give it so I don’t go out of my way to offer it.

Fair enough! The garlic and onions makes sense of course. My dogs were raw dieters (transitioning the current one as well, at least to part time) so I used to get a crap ton of questions about how I could let my dogs eat "people food" like meat. Umm....

 

[elgerber]

My daughters boyfriend was over awhile ago and made a horrible face when he saw the dog licking the dirty dishes in the dishwasher. It was obvious that was something that did not happen in his house.

I figure if I can't trust the dish washer to clean dog spit off the plates I can't trust the dish washer to clean human spit off the plates.

I don't consider the dog licking the dishes in the dishwasher the same as the dog eating off your plate. Our dogs never eat of our plates, or get anything at table. Rarely ever people food. That said, one of them always licks the plates in the dishwasher. We try to get it loaded before she gets a chance, but she is very stealth.