# Gross or not - Dog drinking from regular fountain at park **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 18, 2010, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gross-or-not-dog-drinking-from-regular-fountain-at-park/547071 "2010-07-18T00:43:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gross-or-not-dog-drinking-from-regular-fountain-at-park/547071/21 "2010-07-18T11:50:59Z")
My first reaction would be somewhere between “ew” and “uh,” but by the time it was my turn to drink I’d’ve realized that it wasn’t a problem – I always let the water run for a few seconds before I drink, in case someone got a little too close to the spout, but otherwise I let my immune system do any work that needs to get done. ---
**Author:** ![Ms\_Boods](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@Ms\_Boods](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms_Boods)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gross-or-not-dog-drinking-from-regular-fountain-at-park/547071/22 "2010-07-18T13:20:04Z")
Considering how disgusting the drinking fountains are at my school, courtesy of the student body, if given the choice, I’d rather tongue-kiss a dog than drink at the fountains. Don’t get me started on how the kids trash the toilets. ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gross-or-not-dog-drinking-from-regular-fountain-at-park/547071/23 "2010-07-18T13:44:04Z")
As far as I know, there are no diseases or viruses that can be transmitted from dogs to humans via saliva. I could be wrong on this, but I can’t think of any. People, on the other hand, are teeming with gross stuff that actually is contagious. I think you’d probably be safer drinking from the dogs-only fountain than the people-only fountain, all things considered. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gross-or-not-dog-drinking-from-regular-fountain-at-park/547071/24 "2010-07-18T13:55:44Z")
Nope, unless they get hair in it. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gross-or-not-dog-drinking-from-regular-fountain-at-park/547071/25 "2010-07-18T15:56:32Z")
Who cares? You people who say it’s gross, do you touch your mouth to the faucet or something? How would your face even come in contact with any part of the fountain? The water shoots out in an arc towards your mouth, you don’t suck on the faucet. ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gross-or-not-dog-drinking-from-regular-fountain-at-park/547071/26 "2010-07-18T16:06:33Z")
The dog’s mouth isn’t on the spigot, so it’s not a big deal. Birds sit (with their filthy birdie feet) and urinate/defecate on public park drinking fountains. Bugs crawl all over them, including down in the spigot, trying to get some water for themselves. A dog drinking from the fountain in the same fashion as a person – mouth not touching any part of the mechanism – is less disgusting to me than people who put their mouth on the spigot. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gross-or-not-dog-drinking-from-regular-fountain-at-park/547071/27 "2010-07-18T16:12:19Z")
The reason for the thread was that I allow my dog to do this, but, for the first time, I had some passer-by complain at me. He said, “You wouldn’t want to drink out of that now.” I ignored him, preferring not to engage and attempt to rationalize with public park creeps… especially creeps with vocal complaints directed at strangers. I thought to myself, “I really wouldn’t mind drinking out of that now because I know the water coming out of the fountain is equally clean before and after my dog took a drink.” ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gross-or-not-dog-drinking-from-regular-fountain-at-park/547071/28 "2010-07-18T17:00:22Z")
> [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](#): > > As long as he’s not touching the fountain head, not gross at all. I find it hard to buy that part, though. Hard to imagine a dog that drinks daintily enough to avoid all contact with the nozzle. Dogs tend to be all over the place with their tongues. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gross-or-not-dog-drinking-from-regular-fountain-at-park/547071/29 "2010-07-18T17:21:49Z")
> [@Spoke](#): > > I find it hard to buy that part, though. Hard to imagine a dog that drinks daintily enough to avoid all contact with the nozzle. Dogs tend to be all over the place with their tongues. My [whippet\*](http://whippet.ru/sob/4.jpg) is quite dainty. He sips delicately from the arcing stream of water. He’s definitely not the slurping, slobbering, gulping type. \*That’s a whippet but not my whippet. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gross-or-not-dog-drinking-from-regular-fountain-at-park/547071/30 "2010-07-18T17:31:49Z")
They all lap on the spigot. Dogowners say they don’t but I would win a bet if I filmed it I go to the park all the time to sit out and read and I see this all the time and I have never once not seen the dog hit the spigot. This is one argument though you can’t win, even with a film dog owners would deny it. This is just another case of people not being taught that others count. Really how hard is it to carry a small plastic dish and fill that dish up with water? It is very easy. So why doesn’t a dog owner do it. Because they don’t care about others. If they did they would do this. There’s nothing you can do about it. To most people their dogs are people not pets 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Tethered\_Kite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a5b964/32.png) [@Tethered\_Kite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tethered_Kite)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gross-or-not-dog-drinking-from-regular-fountain-at-park/547071/31 "2010-07-18T17:38:22Z")
> [@Rushgeekgirl](#): > > I’m sorry it’s just gross. But if I was thirsty I probably wouldn’t be so squicked out I couldn’t splash about some water to rinse off any dog slobber (and of course they do when they’re licking water with their tongues!) and have myself a sip. It kinda grosses me out when my cat walks by and her tail hits my glass. I still drink my tea though. Her tail doesn’t just hit your glass, RushGeekGirl, although she makes it appear so. She is doing it quite deliberately. Heh. Yes, I would be taken aback at a dog drinking out of a water fountain for humans and think many would. But it wouldn’t bother me enough not to drink from it or to make an issue of it. Dogs get thirsty, too. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gross-or-not-dog-drinking-from-regular-fountain-at-park/547071/32 "2010-07-18T17:55:26Z")
It doesn’t affect the water at all. I don’t see why a dog potentially licking the spigot would be grosser than a human doing it. Let the water run for a couple seconds and you’re fine. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gross-or-not-dog-drinking-from-regular-fountain-at-park/547071/33 "2010-07-18T18:02:33Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > I know you’re saying “but his lips aren’t touching any part of the fountain!” but how do _I_ know that you were vigilant about that when I see you sticking your dog’s disgusting face into the fountain? Sorry but no. I vote for gross. Me too. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gross-or-not-dog-drinking-from-regular-fountain-at-park/547071/34 "2010-07-18T18:06:50Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > It doesn’t affect the water at all. I don’t see why a dog potentially licking the spigot would be grosser than a human doing it. Let the water run for a couple seconds and you’re fine. Because humans don’t routinely eat feces? I’m asking, not argueing. . ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gross-or-not-dog-drinking-from-regular-fountain-at-park/547071/35 "2010-07-18T18:07:21Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > I go to the park all the time to sit out and read and I see this all the time and I have never once not seen the dog hit the spigot. This is one argument though you can’t win, even with a film dog owners would deny it. > [@Bearflag70](#): > > I ignored him, preferring not to engage and attempt to rationalize with public park creeps 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gross-or-not-dog-drinking-from-regular-fountain-at-park/547071/36 "2010-07-18T18:11:02Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > Because humans don’t routinely eat feces? I’m asking, not argueing. Birds sit and poop in the bowl. Young kids and drunk boys probably pee all over that thing and put sticks, mud, and junk in the fountainhead all the time. The dog doesn’t touch the fountainhead, and any water dripping off the dog’s mouth goes into the already-dirty bowl and down the drain. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gross-or-not-dog-drinking-from-regular-fountain-at-park/547071/37 "2010-07-18T18:17:53Z")
Right now we’re at 35% thinking it’s gross. Even if that doesn’t constitute a majority, wouldn’t it bother you a little that watering your dog this way would gross out 35% of the public? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gross-or-not-dog-drinking-from-regular-fountain-at-park/547071/38 "2010-07-18T18:31:35Z")
> [@Bearflag70](#): > > The reason for the thread was that I allow my dog to do this, but, for the first time, I had some passer-by complain at me. > > He said, “You wouldn’t want to drink out of that now.” > > I ignored him, preferring not to engage and attempt to rationalize with public park creeps… especially creeps with vocal complaints directed at strangers. > > I thought to myself, “I really wouldn’t mind drinking out of that now because I know the water coming out of the fountain is equally clean before and after my dog took a drink.” You can get portable doggy water bowls – it might actually be easier for your dog to lap the water from the bowl. Just fill it up at the fountain. Eazy-peazy. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gross-or-not-dog-drinking-from-regular-fountain-at-park/547071/39 "2010-07-18T19:10:21Z")
Not particulalry gross. This might be hard to believe, but I’ve actually had a dog lick me right on the face before. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gross-or-not-dog-drinking-from-regular-fountain-at-park/547071/40 "2010-07-18T19:18:18Z")
Well, [some people are a little less squeamish than others I guess](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyf9Q86ixzY&feature=related). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gross-or-not-dog-drinking-from-regular-fountain-at-park/547071.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gross-or-not-dog-drinking-from-regular-fountain-at-park/547071.md?page=3)