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?

Nah, I don’t think you’re being rude! If I’m in when our dog walker brings the dog home I just shout a hello and he does too! He’s lovely but sometimes seems a bit impatient if I do go to the door for a quick chat - he has a van full of dogs to deliver home. A quick “hello” works for us 🤷🏼‍♀️

Is your dog able to pass on any messages if you're incommunicado with your dog walker? I'm baffled that she has to tell the dog the arrangements.

@TigerOnATrain

Perhaps you took the piss. Not everyone can.

I run a remote team. They have to be signed in online at their desk. If they leave their laptop, the system will show it after x mins of inactivity.

So no, not everyone can take the piss WFH.

It would be rude if the dog walker were your equal, but since she or he or it is only the help, a mere servant to your dog, it is quite right for you to maintain the class division and ignore the servants existence.

I think she sounds like she expects a greeting from you OP if she's making loud, exaggerated conversation with your dog in your earshot. She's probably stood waiting to tell you she has an appointment etc and doesn't want to yell for you and interrupt your work. It sounds a bit awkward for her.

I'd make sure I greeted her (quickly) most of the time unless I absolutely couldn't stop working.

It's like on the Nursery run - the teachers doing the collecting don't have time for small talk from all the parents but it's nice to smile and say hi, and important they are present in case you need to tell them something important regarding your DC (I know greeting the children is important too!).

I also get it too though because I have SA extremely badly due to years of horrible humans in my life and there are plenty of days when I cba with a single one of them!

@theemmadilemma

Yeah I took the piss out of myself. PMSL!!

I worked for MYSELF. I would only be taking the piss out of myself.

Daft.

See this wouldn't offend me at all. I'd see it as I'm providing a service, you're paying end of.

Not rude at all OP, you're at work. She's at work.
If you feel you need to, then explain one day that you really can't leave your work if you're in the middle of something (and/or in your jammies). I can't see the problem.
She knows you hired her because you don't have time to walk your dog as YOU ARE AT WORK.
I wfh too and work best when I get straight on with it in the morning, dressed or not!

Maybe don't slob about so much? Sounds grim

Maybe don't slob about so much? Sounds grim Oh get a grip.

@Ghostoast if I'm home all day, I'll often have a shower and pop on some clean pyjamas. Nothing slobby about wanting to be comfortable in your own home.
Your judgement? Sounds grim.

It's not rude, do you stop work and say hello to everyone who arrives at the office? You're working from home, so you work. If you don't all kinds of people find things for you to do. And she probably doesn't want to waste the time 'being polite' every day.

I don't always say hello if I'm working from home, she knows I WFH and might be on a conference call when she comes so expects it.

Next time you speak to her just briefly say, hope you don't think I'm being rude when I don't open the door, I'm probably in the middle of a conference call with my bra off

I am a dog walker and apart from a lovely elderly lady who enjoys a good half hour chat after I’ve walked her dog (as she’s lonely) all my clients are at work when I collect the dogs so don’t usually have this problem but if you were one of my dog owners I would find that to be rude and dismissive tbh!

I doubt she thinks anything of it. I feed cats and I wouldn’t care either way.

If you're in the same room as her or you see her then obviously you should say hello. But if you're in an office with the door shut or upstairs then I'd be ok with this. Could you explain to her that you're easily distracted and if you come away from your desk it'll take you ages to refocus on your work. That way she'll understand and you'll stop worrying which is probably also distracting you.

You are a very rude woman. I wouldn’t like to be your dogwalker.

I used to be a dog walker. I had very little interest in the owners tbh, only really liked the actual dogs. My heart used to sink a little if the owners were in and I had to make conversation with them.

Not rude at all.

I have a friend like you, and knowing her as I do I'd have no problem with you not saying hi in person if you're working; that's why you have her help out. I'd always yell hi if it were me though, and would either make the effort to throw on a simple outfit or come to terms with being seen in a dressing gown. I don't expect either of you want to stand chatting for long. If you're worried, I'd apologise for staying behind closed doors next time you do see her in person, but explain you have tight deadlines and thank her for understanding.

It's funny how loads of people are horrified by the ops appalling behaviour, but none of the dog walkers would mind at all.

I know @Eckhart . My dog walker pals were the same. We didn't dog walk to have to talk to people! 

As someone who wfh for 12 years for 5 days a week I can promise you it's not rude. If I had stopped for every potential chat I could soon waste an hour a day which I would have to make up in my own time - and as for stopping to make her coffee don't even go there!

It’s ignorant OP.

My cousin is similar. She pretends she doesn’t see people when she’s out and about because she can’t be bothered speaking to them. She’s built quite a reputation for being unapproachable. Then wonders why people view her like this ...

I wouldn't worry about it. She's busy too and probably barely registers your response when she's in and out with the dog. That said, I would shout a quick hello, just so she knew I was at home. No need for a chat or anything, but a polite acknowledgement is good.

You don't need to justify your hiring a dog walker while you are working. It's what a caring, responsible owner does when they are busy and so can't walk and socialise the dog themselves.

Not rude at all. Pointless small talk every day? It would drive me mad. She probably just wants to get the dog and be on her way as well, not making small talk with her employer. Occasionally greet her and say hi hows things, sure, but not every day.