Guest post: “Pregnant women really shouldn’t have dogs”

In today’s guest post I’d like to introduce you to Rosie Zhao. Rosie is an American woman who came to China in 2005. Though only planning to stay for several months, everything changed when she met the Chinese man who would later become her husband. They married in her hometown, Milwaukee, in 2007. She currently lives in Hebei Province with her husband, step-daughter, and dog. They are expecting a baby boy in mid-April. Here’s the post:

Is this little dog a big threat to pregnant women?

Eight months pregnant and in need of my daily walk, I decided to take my teeny, tiny poodle out and stop by a nearby ATM. Upon entering the bank, I did the polite thing, picking up my dog in case there was anyone in the vicinity who feared four pounds of fluff. I got in line while the man at the machine fuddled through what seemed like an endless string of transactions. Before long, there were several others waiting. I noticed the middle-aged woman directly behind me, who began to eye me up suspiciously.

“Do you always carry your dog around like that?” she asked.

“No,” I answered politely, “I just didn’t want her to bother anybody.”

“Pregnant women really shouldn’t have dogs,” she informed me. I had already heard this one before. Of all the prenatal advice Chinese people had given me, this little gem irked me the most.

“That’s Chinese thinking. In America, people don’t think that way,” I replied curtly.

“No doctor would say it’s okay to have a dog,” she retorted.

I felt my face flush as my temper rose, “an American doctor would say it’s okay,” I shot back.

“But dogs have germs, don’t they?” she questioned rhetorically.

I bit my lip, wanting to make a snide comment about the constant germs and pollution that surrounded us, but decided against causing a scene.

“I don’t know you, please don’t manage me,” I said instead.

She nodded in understanding, just as it became my turn at the ATM. I angrily pressed on the terminal’s keys, which were surely dirtier than my dog.

Were you ever annoyed if people told you what to do or what to refrain from doing? I’d love to read your comments.

Share the love and follow me on facebook, twitter or google+.

Would you like to write a guest post that is connected to the topic of this blog? Send me an e-mail at chinaelevatorstories[at]gmail.com. I reserve the right to refuse publishing guest posts for any reason.