i'm a "rule follower" too.
i love my harley to death but he is not a kid and does not belong everywhere i go... so he stays home. not that i go anywhere much but he is just fine at home and happy. i would not dream of taking him somewhere i knew he wasn't allowed... and would be totally embarassed if i did and got caught.
and my dog is really clean (and so are my kids) but that really does not mean anything.