Cat or dog licking plates

[lizzie145]

My cats do steal from plates, their bowls go in the dishwasher too

[tspill]

Personally I think this is utterly disgusting.
No reason really as a good washing will sort, but still find it disgusting.

[mandevillepete]

Our dog is trained to not eat off of our plates. She will only eat from her own bowl. We can leave a plate of food on the floor and she won’t touch it. This way when children come round and they have sweets or cake on a plate it is safe from the dog. In the same way if the dog isn’t allowed then it wouldn’t be fair to let the cat eat of a plate so we would never leave it out for her. Personally I don’t like it. I know you say the plate is washed but somehow it just doesn’t seem hygienic. In the same way as I wouldn’t eat off a plate someone had been to the toilet on even if it had been washed (I know this would never happen but just an example). Personal opinion and each to their own but I just think it’s not nice

[Scaramouche]

Yep absolutely! Plate went down nearly every night for our beautiful dog.

Our puppy is too small at the moment, but when he’s a bit older then we’ll go back to our old habit!

[djewkes]

My 2 dogs do have the very occasional lick of a plate, I don’t make a habit of it cos otherwise they’d spend the whole time we’re eating gettting impatient for us to finish so they could lick the plate...
Hygiene wise I’m not too concerned as the plates go straight in the dishwasher...

[EssexSue]

Our dog used to lick the dirty plates in the dishwasher given half the chance!

[Sue]

I don’t find this disgusting but rarely do it with my current dog and never did it with my previous dogs.
Just to say though, that dog saliva is mildly antiseptic and their mouths contain far less bacteria than a human’s. A human bite is likely to cause more problems than a dog bite due to this.

As for face licking - I don’t encourage this but a dog psychologist will tell you that this is pack behaviour, they are asking you to be their friend. It is a trust issue and starts with puppies and their mother’s.
Of course, if they have just been licking their rear ends, it is not something to be desired but I refer to my previous comment about the cleanliness of their mouths generally, compared to ours!

[discoclare]

We don't put our plates down for the cat but her food is served on the same plates we use. They get washed! I don't think there is anything disgusting about communal plates.

[Zomax25]

Everything goes in the dishwasher together. I try and avoid it because I hate her begging for food but she often licks the plates (which have usually been rinsed) in the dishwasher anyway 🙄

[Lell]

Ours often lick the plates, which then go in the dishwasher. Saves rinsing before going in😂