DEAR ABBY: I am a cat person. I'm not particularly fond of dogs, especially when they jump on you, try to lick you or sit in your lap, etc. This is regardless of the breed or size.
My question is, when visiting someone who has a dog that behaves like this, what should I do? It makes me really uncomfortable, and sometimes I don't even want to visit someone's home if I know I'm going to be slobbered on or have my clothes soiled or damaged by their dogs. -- UNCOMFORTABLE CAT PERSON
DEAR UNCOMFORTABLE: A way to ensure it won't happen would be to talk to the dog owner in advance, explain that it makes you very uncomfortable when animals do this and ask that the dog be kept in another room while you're there. But if you are looking for a guarantee, ask the person you want to visit with to come to your home or to meet you in a pet-free place.