My dog ate my visitors shoes 👟

[ClippyClopp]

I work as a private tutor- mum and daughter just came for their appointment. I have a young rescue Viszla, I put him out the back as he can be boisterous especially when people visit.

on arrival they had taken off their shoes which was very courteous of them, but I hadn’t asked them to and hadn’t noticed as I had turned around whilst showing them into my teaching room.

During my lesson, the dog had been let in (by either DH or one of the children) and unbeknownst to anyone taken the shoes into the living room.

I wondered why the mum looked confused when it was time to leave and then noticed she wasn’t wearing shoes, I walked in to the living room and one of her shoes was completely demolished with bits of sole and laces all over the floor.

I was obviously massively embarrassed and apologised profusely, thankfully he hadn’t eaten the daughters Nike trainers. I offered to reimburse the mum but she said not to worry as they weren’t expensive. She did giggle but I realise she was probably just being polite.

What made it worse was it was raining and she had to hop to the car in her one remaining shoe, avoiding puddles.

Do you think she’ll come back? Is there anything else I should do to make this ok?

How she get home. Reoffer and tbh take yo dh no way should dog be allowed into area when paying clients are there. As a self employed person this could really backfire on you. Have you told your home insurance you working from home and got a dog who isn't trained.

You did the right thing to offer to pay for the shoes, I think you handled it fine once it had happened. Lots of tutors work from home, no problem with that. But definitely worth making it plain to DH and DC that they've to make sure they don't let the dog through when you have a client! It would be a real shame if they cost you business next time.

Is this a serious question? Or are you deliberately being obtuse? My teaching room is off limits to my dog, hence why he was put out out the back. I have fully comp home insurance as well public liability. I have been self employed for 22 years so am quite familiar with self employment issues such as insurance. My dog is currently being trained. Hope that’s put your mind at rest.

How did you not notice 2 people removing their shoes. Did you open the door and turn your back immediately?

She sounds very kind. Id have been furious

There really are some arsey replies on this post.
OP did right thing in putting dog out
Client left their shoes in hall or wherever
It doesn't appear to be the norm that it's a shoes off house
Husband let the dog in not knowing there were shoes there.
OP was mortified
OP apologised
Client accepted.
There's no need for the sneery comments

Hey @ClippyClopp if it helps with your embarrassment slightly my dog made the Amazon delivery driver throw the parcel and peg it across the drive and into his van this eve.

My kitchen window and front door are at a right angle to each other if that makes sense. Amazon man rung the door bell, large dog started barking and started peering out of the kitchen window doing his best impression of a guard dog....Amazon man threw the parcel and sprinted to his van.

I did apologise.

Yesterday he decided a man walking along the pavement whilst we were sat in a traffic jam was actually a canine eating monster so was doing his best impression of a very loud ruffian from the back seat.

This is the same dog that is afraid of his own food if it's in my hand and runs away to hide until it's in his bowl. He's not a rescue (my first pet that isn't) he's just, erm, sensitive. 🤔

I see the dog haters have arrived.

My dog is currently being trained. I’ve had him quite a short time (2 months). He is generally well behaved such as good recall, walks nicely on the lead, he’s toilet trained and will follow certain instructions, however he does chew everything. We’ve been told by dog trainers to be patient and understanding as his chewing is a comfort for him due to previous abuse and neglect. Feel free to offer further suggestions as I’m always open to ideas.

Op this is so funny, if this happened to me I'd definitely be laughing!

They must have removed them very easily as in use one foot to pull off the other shoe and vice versa. I opened the door and greeted them and they must have done the shoe removal as I turned and said please follow me as I led the way to the room.

I understand some people may have been furious, I’m very glad the person I dealt with was reasonable and had a sense of humour.

Excellent- honestly same here. I would have laughed as well if the roles were reversed 😂

I tend to take my shoes off at other people’s homes as is expected in my culture, and it just seems so much more polite.

the shoes I was wearing today cost £350 as I bought them to last. I’m not loaded and if I’d been that woman I would have asked you to pay for them.

you’ve had a lucky escape!

@ClippyClopp I wouldn't worry OP, it's a shoe, no one died. If it was me it wouldn't stop me wanting you to tutor my daughter, some people need to lighten up!!

That is fairly funny now! You've done all you can by the sounds of it so just put it down to a funny story!

I used to have French lessons privately they were in the teachers kitchen which was always covered in 'clean mess' had her kids come in a few times and her husband once. So your set up sounds fine

I have already decided to do an extra half an hour next week, (assuming they don’t have to rush off for anything), the mum wouldn’t accept a refund or free future lesson. I really enjoyed the lesson, she’s a brilliant student who’s just moved on to the next level and is really grasping what we’ve covered so far, so I’m actually looking forward to this.

£350 for a pair of shoes?
Bloody hell
My shoes last quite well but I've never spent anything like that

That is lucky as these were canvas pumps from Tu, so presumably not that costly- I would however pay £350 if this was the case and someone (quite understandably) wanted to be reimbursed.

That’s a relief! Yes if I was wearing a pair of supermarket shoes or old trainers I’d probably be chilled about it too.

They’re grensons - handmade in the uk and so beautiful, comfortable and just perfection really. My one true splurge.

They sound wonderful! I’m always after comfortable shoes as I spend most of my day on my feet. I’m off to Google grensons 😊

OP, you have done everything right -

Something unfortunate happened, you have apologised and attempted to rectify it.

Luckily, your client was a normal, well balanced individual that realises that sometimes accidents happen - and was wearing cheap shoes 🤣

When my dog was a fresh in to the family pup and not fully toilet trained yet, he decided to squat over my BIL's trainers and wee straight in to one. I was mortified. Luckily, they were £30 from Sports Direct, and not the £180 pair that belong to my nephew!!

Dogs aren't perfect, and some are a work in progress!

Ha! Yes an incentive to get your doggie chewing toys not shoes 😂. Good luck with the training, all your hard work will pay off and it’s only early days.

Hard to believe you are peofessional. The way you are arguing with OP is so childish.

Doesn't help with what happened today? But I'd maybe buy a lidded storage box & if people in future remove their shoes you could suggest they put them in the box (until dog is over the chewing stage)

A free session or two is fine

Good idea thank you! I’m hoping this will be the one (and only) incident as I don’t normally work much from home, it’s just because it’s the summer holidays and therefore I can’t go out to work (school). Also, a lot of people I go and visit, but this particular student wanted to play her piece with the piano accompaniment and didn’t have a piano in her home. (I’m a violinist so she’s a violin student, but I also play & teach piano). However, a lesson has been learned! No more opportunity for eating shoes will be allowed 😊