Dogs, Cats and furry things

I am annoyed that I must write this following blog entry, but it is not a topic I am able to swallow lightly and go about my day without asking a few questions and wondering about the authority that is questionable in my experiences.  I happen to have in my time come across a person of a religious persuasion (Jewish) who refuses to be in the presence of dogs.  (Cats I do not yet know are in the scenario).  This has not been explained to me and for a good while, I thought that perhaps it was that dogs in this religious person's view were defiling in nature (like a seminal emission, menses or a cadaver is in Jewish law).  I must report that this is not so to the best of my knowledge. It is true that the Islamic view is that dogs in fact are unholy and to the best of my knowledge, many or the hard core Islamic believers wont even keep a dog in their home or even on their premises.   In the case of this person, he is noteworthy as he is considered a religious authority.  I do not believe this to be an allergic situation which is easily explained, as I have noted this person to freely enter and stay in the homes of another person, if the dogs are not present. But that said, I must wonder if he simply has a phobia of dogs?  Perhaps?  If so, why not get therapy?  If not and one believes this to be a defilement, this is a situation that our people should be aware of and in fact, if this is in fact an egregious misinterpretation of Torah law, that person should indeed be told that this in fact would be considered blasphemy.  I only report this as this has been reported to me to be an absolute for this persons partaking of our homes.  Dogs can not be present.   Blasphemy, allergy or phobia. My curiousity is definately aroused.   With regards to this person's integrity, I must say that divulging this detail is not in any way lashon hora (the evil tongue).  I am a person growing in Judaism and I find this to be somthing that had perplexed me to a good level for a while, even so as to make myself believe that dogs were in fact defiling in nature.   I have even to report to you all that in the past, I have myself not been very agreeable to touch and pet other people's dogs when they presented themselves to me.  I did not necessarily feel I was making the connection I wanted to in the universe and perhaps this was a consideration I myself needed to work out for myself.  Today I can report to you that when dogs pass by my home, I make an effort to ask the owner their name and I now present my closed fist for the animal to smell.  Dogs are curious creatures and scent is a stong experience for their makeup.  I do believe it is a mitzvah to let the dogs grow in what you can offer them.  I do in fact pet those which are non threatening now too; though just a pat on the head, not to be overly enthusiactic or ambitious.  We have had a few dogs in our lifetime, though none at present.  Our dog was a very beneficial experience to my childhood (very short time sadly) and later in life when we owned a golden retreiver labrador mixed breed which I must report to be the most doscile of pets.