I see this occasionally. A woman comes in with a dog and says, “My dog hates men.”

Some of these owners request to see a female veterinarian. Many times they request that their dog be only be groomed or treated by a female staff member.

I was talking to some other vets and they also see this relatively frequently.

This brings up a couple of questions. Do these dogs really hate men? Or, do these women really hate men? Or both?

Before I go any further, let me introduce myself for those of you that don’t know me. I’m the Irreverent Veterinarian. I speak my mind and give you my honest opinion. I won’t sweet-talk you or sugarcoat the truth. I tell it like it is – to you, the drug companies, the pet product manufacturers, professional breeders and pet owners. Some might say that I’m truthful to a fault. Some of the pet owners, drug companies, pet product manufacturers and breeders who read my columns get really angry. It is hard hearing the truth.

So the question is, do these dogs really hate men? Or do the women hate men?

Interesting question. I’ve worked with a number of vets that have a theory on this.

Recently a woman brought her dog Shadow into the clinic. She went to the desk to check in and asked the technician on duty (Chrissy) whether her dog would be seeing a female or male veterinarian. Chrissy told her that she would be seeing a female vet that day. The owner explained that she was very pleased to hear this because her dog hates men. Chrissy proceeded to take Shadow back for a weigh-in. In the “back” treatment area there were 2 men and 5 women. Shadow loved everyone.

I’ve heard comments from both male and female vets on this subject and both seem to think that it is these women that hate men – not their dogs.

My Final Thoughts on Women with Dogs That Hate Men

I’m sure there are some dogs that do “hate” men. Maybe the only man in their life was abusive. Dogs can associate a person’s size or some other physical detail with prior scary experiences. I once saw a dog that was afraid of people in cowboy hats. Apparently, he had an abusive owner who wore one.

That is one reason that puppies are socialized. It is recommended that a variety of people in all sizes and colors meet the dog and give the dog a good experience.

You know, I’ve never seen a man bring a dog for treatment and say, “Be careful – my dog really hates women.” I wonder…

Also – I rarely see cat owners that think their cats hate men…..

Disclaimer

The Irreverent Vet is a columnist that regularly contributes to PetPlace.com. The goal is to add a balanced and alternative view of some controversial pet issues. As happens with all of us, veterinarians can’t always say what they really think without offending some clients. This commentary allows vets to say what they think and give you, the pet owner, the opportunity to consider another point of view. All opinions are those of the Irreverent Vet and not the views of PetPlace.com and are not endorsed by PetPlace.com.