Not saying hello to dog walker

[liferr]

My husband and I are both able to work from home a couple of times a week but we have a dog walker for consistency.

I mostly just shout hi to her or pretend I'm not in. Dh thinks I'm rude for not going up to dog walker and saying hello in person. Can't be arsed tbh. Especially if I haven't bothered to put my bra on!

Do you say hello every time?

Aibu?

No need to chat, but to purposely not acknowledge/ignore is rude.

I don't think it's rude, you are working.

I am also not sure about 'treating someone like the hired help' - she is literally Hired to walk the dog, which is Help. Theres nothing wrong with being hired help. Everyone with a job is surely Hired Help. How do you not treat someone like what they are? You can hardly treat her like your Granny or your teacher or whatever else...

Don't talk to the help - it'll give them ideas above their station...

Seriously though, I often shout 'hello' down the stairs if someone arrives and I'm not ready - I don't think it's rude in that context, and I think not acknowledging them is worse.

Mine knows I use her because I work from home and is perfectly happy with either a shouted "hi" or a chat depending on whether I am in the middle of something or not

Rude and a bit lazy to get someone to walk your dog as u can’t be arsed to get dressed. I know you work from home but bet you can spare 20mins.
20 minutes to walk the dog around the block, not giving it a proper run or chance to expend any energy, or paying a dedicated professional to take it on a decent outing and socialise with other dogs. You sound like a responsible pet owner

My dog gets 3 walks a day and is doted on.

Rude not to acknowledge her. You don’t have to chat but at least say hello.

I walk my dog first thing when she wakes up for 30 mins.

Dog walker comes at lunchtime as Dh and I are not always home.

Our walker is a keeper so we don't like yo mess her around with our schedules.

It's not rude. She's coming in to pick up the dog and probably has other dogs in the van waiting. I doubt she wants to hang around and make small talk every week. If I'm downstairs when our dog walker comes I'll have a quick chat with her but if I'm working upstairs then I wouldn't stop working and go down to say hello! She just lets herself in.

Calling out "hi" is OK I suppose, but pretending you're not in, that's really not on.

I would love to work for you. i enjoy working with dogs, not making polite smalltalk with owners :)

It’s a bit rude not to say anything. Just shout down hello to her. Doesn’t have to become a long chat.

I think it's rude and dismissive.

Treat as you wish to be treated. A little face to face hello, how are you? takes seconds.

I used to do a bit of dog walking and would MUCH prefer someone to just shout hi rather than have a chat with me.
Dog walking schedules are often tight and a 10 minute chat can knock everything of course - if I spent 10 minutes talking to every client in a day then that would be over an hour of my day just spent having chats!

You're working, she's working. It's not time for chatting.

Does she seem disgruntled at all on the times you do talk to her?

I don't see the problem with pretending to be out either. She doesn't know!

I would do the same as you OP. I doubt your dog walker wants to make small talk with you either, I imagine its a massive perk of working with animals is that you don't need to talk to people!

She is hired to walk the dog, regardless of whether you are there or not. And I sure that if you are at home but not chatty, she doesn't care. You could be in the midst of a conference call or an important email. After all, you're working, not laid on the sofa avoiding eye contact. Wouldn't make you rude not to drop everything you're doing to go downstairs and say hello. Real life isn't always like that.

If you were watching television and ignored her that'd be rude.

But you're working from home! Calling out "hello" or "thank you", when you're not on the phone, is perfectly fine.

My dog is solo walked due to her health issues. I know she has to rush off to a group walk straight after.

I think it's rude and dismissive.
Lots of dog walkers are on this thread saying they find it fine.

She's walked ny dog for just over a year.

No you are not rude,you are at work.She wouldnt go in to any other job and waffle the head off you while you where writing an email or answering a call.This no different.

Calling out Hi from your office is fine - she's not there to chat, she's a professional too and is just there to collect the dog. Pretending not to be in is a bit weird, I'd stick tyo saying Hi and getting on with your work.

(I wouldn't have a bra on either - I need notice for that kind of palaver . Awful things, bras)

It can be so tiresome engaging with the lower orders.

@CelebrityDave
Rude and a bit lazy to get someone to walk your dog as u can’t be arsed to get dressed. I know you work from home but bet you can spare 20mins.

Have you got a dog, Dave?