Au pair and dog poo

[Littleloafofbread]

Dog did a poo in front of the front door during the night - very rare accident and she's never had to clean up after him in six months of being here. Au pair left for work early this morning (we don't need her to work during school holidays so she has a different babysitting job) and rather than cleaning it up, she pushed it out of the way with the door, of course getting it on the door and on the bristles under the door, which of course I have had to clean.

AIBU to say something to the au pair about this? In her defence, it isn't her job to look after or clean up after the dog, there was no other way to get out of the house and she was probably in a hurry to get to work. However, she is an adult and my gut reaction is that she should have just cleaned it up because sometimes these things happen, and by not doing it she knew she was making extra work for me.

"She probably thinks if she picks up one shit, you'll be expecting her to clear the whole garden and become chief shit picker upper OP. I see her position on this. She's an au pair not a turd juggler."

Exactly, so just smear it all up the door.
Au Pair 'almost' becomes part of the family, it would be nice if she was more of a team player, especially as it was a one off. To just run the door through it is pretty bad

I repeat who said she smeared it all over the door

The OP said the shit was kicked aside.

doubt she wanted to smear shit on the door fist thing in the morning or had the time, on her way to do a job.

No, I am not jealous of having an au pair why would I be?

She pulled the door open, and used the door itself to move the poo out of the way. I'm not suggesting she picked it up and smeared it, I'm suggesting it was smeared and spread under and onto the door by the act of pushing it with the door. HTH.

Of course she should have either cleared it up or told you about it, opening a door so that it smears everywhere is unacceptable for anyone, I'd have been annoyed if my children had done that nevermind our au pair. Au pairs live as part of a family, adults have responsibilities as part of that family.

WendyCope, I am the mother of a dd (I mention that as you seem to think having a daughter explains your reaction). We don’t have a dog but my dd has watched me, occasionally, pick up other people’s dogs’ shit with a nappy bag from pavements etc because I cannot bear to see it trodden/rolled all down the path.

Not my dog, not my shit but makes the walk into town a bit less shitty for everyone.

I kind of see the OP’s situation similarly. Picking it up would have taken two seconds and been pleasanter for everyone. Even moving the doormat outside (assuming it was on the mat) and leaving there would have been better. Opening the door across it was not a great course of action, whatever your employment status.

@WendyCope fist thing in the morning? Do you mean first? You make very little sense!

Glad I'm not and don't need, an au pair or have an incontinent dog.

All sounds very grim to me.

I still feel sorry for the AP and am sure she'll be off soon.
My opinion will not change.

Such disrespect in smearing shit shows she's off IMO

except I don't believe she smeared shit.

yes, obviously I meant first.

I am not in the UK and have Spanish autocorrect.

It's Friday night and I have better things to do than argue about shit.

*It's Friday night and I have better things to do than argue about shit.

@WendyCope*

You were first leaving at 11.27, you said then you were not going to talk anymore about shit! 6+ hours and 7 posts later YOU'RE still here? That includes a shift at work as well!

You're barking mad I think!

Ah Wendy, so you think she was disrespectful! Good to know, thanks.

Wendy it doesn’t look as though you’ve anything better to do than argue about shit. Although you do keep saying it!

I was an au pair. Several times. I’d happily have quickly scooped a dog poop up. It’s a lot less gross than changing a nappy, which I did plenty of as an au pair. It’s just a matter grabbing a poo bag, scooping. She wouldn’t even had to mop, she could have left a note or texted.

Anyone dopey enough to not notice that a large dog shit was there or realise that they’d smeared it with the door is probably not someone who is really trust as capable of looking after my kids!

OP you sound very balanced and like you’ve a good sense of humour from your replies. (Other people on this thread don’t!)

How did the AP respond OP? (Too many abbreviations in that sentence!)

Even the best trained dogs will have an accident once in a while just like humans might. It is not the au pair’s job as such to pick up poo but she is part of a dog owning family and the odd poo picking is what all family members have to do. As people said the au pair will have had to pick up poo while walking the dog with the DCs or picking a poo from the garden before the DCs went out to play. Given that opening the door caused a lot more work for the OP it was grim that the au pair didn’t clean it in the first place.

How did the AP respond OP?

Very well - I mentioned (on WhatsApp) what had happened and provided a list of alternative courses of action if it ever happened again. She apologized via WhatsApp and then later in person, saying she hasn't seen it. So fingers crossed that's the end of that. Have enjoyed all the poo chat though

Pp who said am I sure the au pair got the poo on the door - I could see the skid marks and the flat side where the poo had been pushed, so unless the dog had learned to open the door himself (in which case he really should have gone outside for his shit) it must have been the au pair.

Been chuckling in bed reading this!!