4 ms·

When I was a kid the only horse-drawn vehicle left on the road was the baker's cart. Once my dog came bounding into the house at such speed that he skidded as h

When I was a kid the only horse-drawn vehicle left on the road was the baker's cart. Once my dog came bounding into the house at such speed that he skidded as he rounded the doorway to tell me what he had found. He jumped onto my bed where I was reading a magazine and licked me on the face. I instantly knew what it was.

devnullbrain 1y ago
It can be quite the canine delicacy
lotsofpulp 1y ago
I don’t allow shoes in the house, so the idea of allowing an animal whose bare feet have touched who knows what outside roam around the house and furniture and bedding is interesting to me. But then I read about getting licked by a dog that had just tasted poop (I think that is the implication here)…
- cogman10 1y ago
  If it makes you feel better, horse and cow poop is not like most other animal poop. It's nowhere near as pungent and generally has more of a grassy sort of smell. Fun fact, dried horse/cow poop makes and excellent fire starter. It's loaded with fibers the burn like crazy. [1] [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry_dung_fuel https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry_dung_fuel
  - mc32 1y ago
    I think some people used the dried variety to ward off moskitoes.
  - AdmiralAsshat 1y ago
    > It's nowhere near as pungent and generally has more of a grassy sort of smell. Oh I dispute that! I grew up in a small town that offered horse-drawn carriage rides for the tourists. You could smell that shit for miles.
    - cogman10 1y ago
      I also grew up in a small town and it could be I'm nose blind to it. To me, pig and sheep were the worst smelling farm animals. Everything else, cows, horses, etc were just "meh". There's a smell, but it's not like stepped in dog poop smell. Even driving past cattle feed lots I don't generally notice too much of a bad smell.
      - RajT88 1y ago
        I grew up on the edge of the suburbs (huge city, but one with lots of cornfields on the periphery). Plenty of visits to local farms. This describes where I live now as well, where occasionally horses wander past on the street, and we get to deal with their shit by the street. Cow manure is put on the fields in spring. Yeah, "grassy" is a word for it. But it still smells like shit. Less horrid than dog shit, but it's marginal. As far as dogs being dirty - mine won't eat animal shit, either because she is not interested or because she picks up that we wouldn't like it (surprising, actually, how attuned she is to things we don't like). But she does not care at all about touching her own shit. She'll walk in it, throw it around after pooping when she is scratching the grass.
        cogman10 1y ago
        I will say that spreading cow manure, especially since it's wetted beforehand, does really stink.
      - vee-kay 1y ago
        You all have clearly never smelled cat pee and cat poop. Now that is pungent and nauseating. I like cats, but their pee and poop make me cringe. Studies show that cat urine contains more concentrated urea and ammonia than other pets’ urine, making it especially pungent. High Concentration of Waste: Cat urine is highly concentrated due to their evolution from desert-dwelling ancestors. This adaptation allows them to absorb more water, resulting in urine that contains a higher concentration of waste products. Breakdown of Urea: When cat urine sits in a litter box, bacteria begin to break down urea, a component of urine. This process releases ammonia, which contributes to the strong, unpleasant odor. Presence of Mercaptans: As urine decomposes, it also produces mercaptans, sulfur compounds that emit a skunky smell. This intensifies the overall odor of cat urine over time. Hormonal Influence: Unneutered male cats produce urine with a stronger smell due to hormones used for marking territory. Unspayed females also have potent-smelling urine, especially when in heat.
- hilbert42 1y ago
  For the record, I was quite horrified—dogs are really dirty (most owners don't seem to know that). I never knowing let them lick me especially my face. The dog was exuberant, it happened so quickly. I've often seen people letting their dogs lick their faces and eat off the table and I reckon they must never have been taught hygiene when young (surely if not at home they'd be taught that at school?). I'd never knowingly eat food they'd prepared.
  - stronglikedan 1y ago
    > dogs are really dirty (most owners don't seem to know that) I'll take getting bit by a dog over getting bit by a human any day of the week. We're much dirtier.
    - IAmBroom 1y ago
      You're focusing on the anti-microbial powers of the saliva, which isn't what most people mean by 'dirty'. Also, it's a myth. https://www.google.com/search?q=is+dog+saliva+cleaner+than+human+saliva&rlz=1C1VDKB_enUS1150US1150&oq=is+dog+saliva+cleaner+than+human+saliva&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOdIBCDg1MzZqMGo3qAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 https://www.google.com/search?q=is+dog+saliva+cleaner+than+h...
    - hilbert42 1y ago
      "I'll take getting bit by a dog over getting bit by a human any day of the week." Nevertheless, a very risky proposition unless you're in a guaranteed rabies-free area or are vaccinated against it.
- nawgz 1y ago
  Sure, the dog is dirty. But our animal bodies evolved to live in the dirt, no? I believe it to be true that babies who grow up with dogs and are exposed to their "dirtiness" actually develop stronger immune systems. Here's the first study I could find on the topic: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889159125000996 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S088915912... Anyways, not to criticize your hygiene, but I find it interesting how human constructs are often not actually that good for humans.
  - lotsofpulp 1y ago
    >But our animal bodies evolved to live in the dirt, no? Evolving while existing on or tolerating dirt is not evolving -to- live in the dirt. It may very well be that some exposure to pathogens is beneficial, and some of that may be conferred by contact with animals (I know daycare does that job for sure), but I will still work to reduce my exposure to it within my home and on my body. If I recall correctly, properly managing waste (human and otherwise) via sewage and plumbing has been a material contributor to decreased morbidity/mortality rates in the developed world.
    - nawgz 1y ago
      Well, I think that it’s obvious on the face of it that managing human sewage instead of throwing it into the streets would be a better alternative, given that our own waste is toxic to us. The claim about “otherwise” should be sourced.
      - lotsofpulp 1y ago
        Am I seriously being asked to source that animal feces can cause disease? https://www.cdc.gov/toxoplasmosis/about/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/toxoplasmosis/about/index.html >Animal to human transmission: accidentally consuming the parasite through contact with cat feces (poop) or contaminated soil that contains Toxoplasma https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/2024/01/e-coli-factory-farms-threatens-americas-leafy-greens https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/2024/01/e-coli-factor... https://www.cdc.gov/toxocariasis/about/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/toxocariasis/about/index.html >Toxocariasis can spread to people through contact with the feces (poop) of dogs and cats with roundworm. Roundworm eggs are carried in animal feces and can get into peoples' mouths through contaminated dirt or unwashed hands. There's a million other avenues if you search "disease from animal feces"
- iancmceachern 1y ago
  Imagine for a second, if you loved something so much, so much that these tiny details didn't matter, not even a micro percentage, because they give you so much value, warmth and meaning to your life. It's a good place to be, if you can get yourself there.

devnullbrain 1y ago

It can be quite the canine delicacy

lotsofpulp 1y ago

I don’t allow shoes in the house, so the idea of allowing an animal whose bare feet have touched who knows what outside roam around the house and furniture and bedding is interesting to me. But then I read about getting licked by a dog that had just tasted poop (I think that is the implication here)…

cogman10 1y ago
If it makes you feel better, horse and cow poop is not like most other animal poop. It's nowhere near as pungent and generally has more of a grassy sort of smell. Fun fact, dried horse/cow poop makes and excellent fire starter. It's loaded with fibers the burn like crazy. [1] [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry_dung_fuel https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry_dung_fuel
- mc32 1y ago
  I think some people used the dried variety to ward off moskitoes.
- AdmiralAsshat 1y ago
  > It's nowhere near as pungent and generally has more of a grassy sort of smell. Oh I dispute that! I grew up in a small town that offered horse-drawn carriage rides for the tourists. You could smell that shit for miles.
  - cogman10 1y ago
    I also grew up in a small town and it could be I'm nose blind to it. To me, pig and sheep were the worst smelling farm animals. Everything else, cows, horses, etc were just "meh". There's a smell, but it's not like stepped in dog poop smell. Even driving past cattle feed lots I don't generally notice too much of a bad smell.
    - RajT88 1y ago
      I grew up on the edge of the suburbs (huge city, but one with lots of cornfields on the periphery). Plenty of visits to local farms. This describes where I live now as well, where occasionally horses wander past on the street, and we get to deal with their shit by the street. Cow manure is put on the fields in spring. Yeah, "grassy" is a word for it. But it still smells like shit. Less horrid than dog shit, but it's marginal. As far as dogs being dirty - mine won't eat animal shit, either because she is not interested or because she picks up that we wouldn't like it (surprising, actually, how attuned she is to things we don't like). But she does not care at all about touching her own shit. She'll walk in it, throw it around after pooping when she is scratching the grass.
      - cogman10 1y ago
        I will say that spreading cow manure, especially since it's wetted beforehand, does really stink.
    - vee-kay 1y ago
      You all have clearly never smelled cat pee and cat poop. Now that is pungent and nauseating. I like cats, but their pee and poop make me cringe. Studies show that cat urine contains more concentrated urea and ammonia than other pets’ urine, making it especially pungent. High Concentration of Waste: Cat urine is highly concentrated due to their evolution from desert-dwelling ancestors. This adaptation allows them to absorb more water, resulting in urine that contains a higher concentration of waste products. Breakdown of Urea: When cat urine sits in a litter box, bacteria begin to break down urea, a component of urine. This process releases ammonia, which contributes to the strong, unpleasant odor. Presence of Mercaptans: As urine decomposes, it also produces mercaptans, sulfur compounds that emit a skunky smell. This intensifies the overall odor of cat urine over time. Hormonal Influence: Unneutered male cats produce urine with a stronger smell due to hormones used for marking territory. Unspayed females also have potent-smelling urine, especially when in heat.
hilbert42 1y ago
For the record, I was quite horrified—dogs are really dirty (most owners don't seem to know that). I never knowing let them lick me especially my face. The dog was exuberant, it happened so quickly. I've often seen people letting their dogs lick their faces and eat off the table and I reckon they must never have been taught hygiene when young (surely if not at home they'd be taught that at school?). I'd never knowingly eat food they'd prepared.
- stronglikedan 1y ago
  > dogs are really dirty (most owners don't seem to know that) I'll take getting bit by a dog over getting bit by a human any day of the week. We're much dirtier.
  - IAmBroom 1y ago
    You're focusing on the anti-microbial powers of the saliva, which isn't what most people mean by 'dirty'. Also, it's a myth. https://www.google.com/search?q=is+dog+saliva+cleaner+than+human+saliva&rlz=1C1VDKB_enUS1150US1150&oq=is+dog+saliva+cleaner+than+human+saliva&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOdIBCDg1MzZqMGo3qAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 https://www.google.com/search?q=is+dog+saliva+cleaner+than+h...
  - hilbert42 1y ago
    "I'll take getting bit by a dog over getting bit by a human any day of the week." Nevertheless, a very risky proposition unless you're in a guaranteed rabies-free area or are vaccinated against it.
nawgz 1y ago
Sure, the dog is dirty. But our animal bodies evolved to live in the dirt, no? I believe it to be true that babies who grow up with dogs and are exposed to their "dirtiness" actually develop stronger immune systems. Here's the first study I could find on the topic: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889159125000996 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S088915912... Anyways, not to criticize your hygiene, but I find it interesting how human constructs are often not actually that good for humans.
- lotsofpulp 1y ago
  >But our animal bodies evolved to live in the dirt, no? Evolving while existing on or tolerating dirt is not evolving -to- live in the dirt. It may very well be that some exposure to pathogens is beneficial, and some of that may be conferred by contact with animals (I know daycare does that job for sure), but I will still work to reduce my exposure to it within my home and on my body. If I recall correctly, properly managing waste (human and otherwise) via sewage and plumbing has been a material contributor to decreased morbidity/mortality rates in the developed world.
  - nawgz 1y ago
    Well, I think that it’s obvious on the face of it that managing human sewage instead of throwing it into the streets would be a better alternative, given that our own waste is toxic to us. The claim about “otherwise” should be sourced.
    - lotsofpulp 1y ago
      Am I seriously being asked to source that animal feces can cause disease? https://www.cdc.gov/toxoplasmosis/about/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/toxoplasmosis/about/index.html >Animal to human transmission: accidentally consuming the parasite through contact with cat feces (poop) or contaminated soil that contains Toxoplasma https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/2024/01/e-coli-factory-farms-threatens-americas-leafy-greens https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/2024/01/e-coli-factor... https://www.cdc.gov/toxocariasis/about/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/toxocariasis/about/index.html >Toxocariasis can spread to people through contact with the feces (poop) of dogs and cats with roundworm. Roundworm eggs are carried in animal feces and can get into peoples' mouths through contaminated dirt or unwashed hands. There's a million other avenues if you search "disease from animal feces"
iancmceachern 1y ago
Imagine for a second, if you loved something so much, so much that these tiny details didn't matter, not even a micro percentage, because they give you so much value, warmth and meaning to your life. It's a good place to be, if you can get yourself there.