What does this have to do with dogs? Well, because today is Friday the 13th and people blame Friday the 13th the same way they blame computers (and computer technicians) for their problems. Personally, I enjoy when the 13th day falls on Fridays because I love to sit and watch people squirm. Call it a quirk. Call it sadistic. Call it whatever you want. It's a bit mean. I know. What can I say? I can't help it. People get themselves SO worked up! It makes me laugh. Generally these are the same people who haven't ever got anything nice to say when I walk in the door other than "Finally! This thing hasn't worked all year. Why can't you just give me a new one?"
I was speaking with a lady in the office this morning about her Chocolate Labrador Retriever. Apparently she was getting ready to eat her breakfast this morning but put it down on the table to help her child zip up his jacket. When she turned around the dog had eaten her muffin. She blamed this on it being Friday 13th ... the son who was right beside her and said the dog eats things all the time. So what was it really? Was it because she wanted something to gripe about? Was it because she doesn't notice when this happens on other days? Was the son exaggerating? I would say it is a bit of all these things mixed together. Generally the truth lies somewhere in the middle.Enter eerie music ... *Doom Doom Doom Doom*
While I didn't tell her what I thought (she really didn't want to know and I really didn't want to get fired), I was thinking something along the lines of this ...
Stop blaming things like days of the week for your animals' mismanagement. Spend some time and train your dog. You would be surprised at the outcome if you accept that the fault is your lack of guidance and actually work to remedy some of those behaviours - NOT Friday the 13th.
Who knows, maybe if you work to remedy this with your dog the next time Friday the 13th comes around you won't lose your muffin?
*then what would she have to complain about?*
6 comments:
Pleeeeease!!!! Don't make me accountable or force meaccept responsibility for my animals' behavior!!!! Nooooooooooooo!!! Anything but that!!!!
snicker.
A fine rant, DDF.
Hah. I am a computer tech as well. I'm lucky enough to work in a non-profit with about forty employees where there are only two IT people, and the other one is super grouchy, so people are generally nice to me. But past jobs... I feel the pain. Never, ever work in a call center.
But yes. Responsibility? Putting a little thought and effort into something? Like trying to describe the problem and email me with details instead of just showing up at my desk and saying it's broken? Or trying to train the dog instead of writing it off as a bad one and giving to the shelter that can deal with it? Nah... We're paid to do this, right?
LOL - I didn't know that I could blame things on Friday the 13th. I'll have to file that away for next time!
And I just pleaded w/some friends to adopt my 8 month old Beagle cause she is driving me insane. Why? Cause I have done very little to modify her behavior due to the fact puppies have nothing in their brains but play, eat, poop, sleep, play, get into stuff, eat, poop, sleep....then they crawl into my lap, sigh and tilt their little heads at my face. Dang. I never believed my own excuse - I know she is making me crazy cause I have made little time for her especially :(.
I do understand crazy people. I am an RN. I had a family member call me one morning asking how well we are "fixing" his parent? I said, we can't fix him but we can help you and him manage his symptoms which were from long time bad health habits. AAGH. Exercise (walk the dog - hey, better yet - walk the PUPPY!), eat healthy, making sure your pets do too - fat is NOT good for people or pets, know your limits - for me, no more puppies - well, till the next one - HA.
Welllll shoot. Guess that number on the scale that isn't ANY DIFFERENT on Friday the 13th than it is on any other day, but is still slightly above what it should be, IS my responsibility then, right? Shoot. I was really enjoying those pound cakes, pizzas and turkey gravy smoothies, and was REALLY hoping that the mysticism of that magical day would skinny me down to that size 0 I've always wanted.
/gag
GSP, I had to laugh. I'm sure if people are thinking one thing when I give them advice about their dog (a - it's not free, and b - THEY ASKED for my help!), that's it. We talk so much about that NILIF program for dogs, but no one seems to make the connection that it's really more than applicable to people and their desires too!
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