] [ thread ] [ subject ] [ author ] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hi Aart, Sorry to hear about your encounter with the Jaws of Dogdom !!! Your wife was an angel to get those gloves for you, and she must even be prophetic... I too adore dogs and, since I am unable to have one right now, I pet every dog that a customer allows me to. I never believed one would hurt me until the day before a PTG national convention in Philadelphia many years ago, when a dog belonging to a cousin we were visiting bit me on the cheek--the cousin warned me the dog was a biter--I just didn't believe her. In recent years I have noticed that some clients don't like you to pet their animals, so I'm always careful to ask permission. The one client I tune for, who has the biggest German shepherd I have ever seen, has actually taken professional dog training courses and does not allow the dog to move from her spot until I am well established at the piano. After she verbally releases the dog, the dog comes over to me and we have a petting session. That is responsible dog ownership. It sounds like your customer was being very irresponsible, allowing those dogs to be all around you when you came in. Often dogs are afraid of my tool kit....and a fearful dog is dangerous. Hi Aart! Glad you're semi-OK. I hope you either charged more the tuning or got her insurance information for all your check-ups! I've never been bitten (as a piano tech), but severly growled and barked at before, but the owners would put the dogs somewhere else. I love dogs, too, owned one all my life...now on #5, and 99% of the time can make friends with them right away. I always let them check me out and carefully check them out too whether or not they'll let me pet them. Sorry this happened to you! On the other end, I've had some dogs be my best friend at the door and actually wouldn't leave me alone while working on the pianos! "oh, please, please, pet me some more!", they say with those big beautiful eyes!! :>) Some have even fallen asleep on my feet while working... I would have never thought of KEVLAR gloves! Paul Diane Hofstetter
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