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<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma> I've learned to extend a closed
fist to a strange dog for the first time, as fingers are too easy to nip.
Howling dogs? I had one that would howl IN TUNE with the note I was
tuning! It would slide up or down to match the piano, but was eventually
right on. The owner put the dog outside, but it did the same thing.
The next thing I see is the dog racing around the outside of the house with my
expensive rubber galoshes in its mouth. They were in tatters when I
left. Safe to say, I never left them outside again. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma> Mike Kurta</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="FONT: 10pt arial; BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=da88ve@gmail.com href="mailto:da88ve@gmail.com">David Nereson</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=pianotech@ptg.org
href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, January 06, 2013 2:40
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [pianotech] kids, pets,
pianos and...</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV> With dogs, I just slowly extend the back of
my hand and let them sniff, and as most of you have noted, that's usually
sufficient. But later, while I'm tuning, the owner almost always lets
them in and you get the cold nose on your elbow or the jowl slobber all over
your trousers. What I hate is having to kneel on the floor to adjust
pedals and getting long-haired cat or dog fur all over the dark
corduroys. <BR> I used to have 2 cats of my own who
would rub against my tool case. Clients' cats, of course, would pick up
on the smell, but I've never had one try to mark its territory on my tool
case, knock on wood.<BR> I've also encountered dogs who "sing"
(howl) along with the tuning, and one client had a cockatoo who did the same.
<BR> Back to kids, though -- if the kids aren't made
to quit pounding on the keys when adults are trying to converse, it's the
parents who are lax in teaching them proper behavior around guests. Most
WWII parents (of babyboomers) wouldn't have tolerated it. It's
babyboomer and younger parents that let them keep pounding away and expect us
to talk over it. <BR><BR> --David Nereson, RPT<BR><BR>
<DIV class=gmail_quote>On Sat, Jan 5, 2013 at 10:33 PM, William Monroe <SPAN
dir=ltr><<A href="mailto:bill@a440piano.net"
target=_blank>bill@a440piano.net</A>></SPAN> wrote:<BR>
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class=gmail_quote>This one is easy for me. I'm a dog lover, and enjoy
meeting and greeting my client's dogs, always asking the name, age, etc..
As Wim says, for many folks these days, a dog is another child of the
family, and folks appreciate you taking time and interest in their dogs.
And I usually ask them to leave the animals out because as Wim also
pointed out, when the dog is removed and not allowed to interact with me,
that's when the barking and other nuisance behavior often begins. It's
generally a win, win for me, and I don't mind dog smell, or dog hair
significantly.
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>But in the end, if you simply cannot work with a dog in the room,
simply ask the client to remove the dog to another room so you can
concentrate. Just do it respectfully and it does not have to be a
complex issue.<BR><BR>William R. Monroe</DIV>
<DIV class=HOEnZb>
<DIV class=h5>
<DIV><BR><BR><BR><BR>
<DIV class=gmail_quote>On Sat, Jan 5, 2013 at 10:04 PM, <SPAN dir=ltr><<A
href="mailto:tnrwim@aol.com" target=_blank>tnrwim@aol.com</A>></SPAN>
wrote:<BR>
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style="BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; PADDING-LEFT: 1ex"
class=gmail_quote><FONT color=black face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">
<DIV>Thumpe and Marshall </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Dogs are members of the family. Most customers are willing to put
their dogs outside or in another room if they know the pet is going to be
a nuisance. What I've found, however, is that when I get to a house and
befriend the dog, if the dog allows it, my job becomes much easier. A
dog in another room or outside, will bark incessantly because there is a
stranger in the house, and the dog is just doing what it's supposed to do.
So I tell the customer to allow the dog to meet me and make friends. Most
of the time the dog will bark and sniff for a few minutes, and they lay
down and be quiet. Unlike you, however, I am not offended at the smell of
a dog, and it doesn't bother me. Maybe I'm fortunate about that, but I
will never tell a customer to find another tuner because of it.
</DIV><SPAN><FONT color=#888888>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Wim</DIV></FONT></SPAN>
<DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: arial,helvetica; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">-----Original
Message-----<BR>From: Euphonious Thumpe <<A
href="mailto:lclgcnp@yahoo.com"
target=_blank>lclgcnp@yahoo.com</A>><BR>To: pianotech <<A
href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org"
target=_blank>pianotech@ptg.org</A>><BR>Sent: Sat, Jan 5, 2013 5:20
pm<BR>Subject: Re: [pianotech] kids pianos and...<BR><BR>
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<DIV>I would recommend not agonizing over it so, Marshall. I would
recommend merely saying to the customer on the phone, as you are
making the appointment: "If you have a dog, please put it in a
separate room before I arrive." or such. Dog owners know that their
pets are often unruly and disruptive, so if they have any personal
integrity at all, will not be surprised by this simple request. I
finally got to the point, though, of not accepting jobs from dog
owners because I am deeply offended by the way many of them smell
(the "anal gland" stink that gets into your sinuses and stays there
for a day or more) so started referring these customers to a tuner
friend who has a dog himself. Cats, I don't have as much trouble
with (unless the litter box is right beneath or beside the piano, in
which case I ask the customer to remove it while adding that it will
make the piano smell like that permanently) but yes, they WILL "back
up" against your tool box when you least expect it, so it's best
that they're not in the room, either.<BR><BR>Thumpe<BR><BR>P.S. Our
trade offers an astonishing chance to experience the great variety
of living conditions people consider suitable. And economics and/or
education are not definitive factors: I have been in truly filthy
homes owned by the rich and by professors, and in clean homes lived
in by the poor and relatively uneducated ( by the world's
standards). It is really a good idea, because of this, to wear
coveralls or a second layer of clothing when arriving at an unknown
customer's for the first time. If they wonder about the attire, just
tell them that one never knows what to expect when seeing a piano
for the first time, so this is a safety precaution. (Tell them about
the dangers of mouse contamination and such. They'll get the point!)
Then, if the piano and/or house is filthy, you can remove this outer
layer and bag it, before getting back in your car. (Thus avoiding
spreading filth to your vehicle, a restaurant you may later visit,
your unappreciative spouse, or
whatever.......)</DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
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style="FONT-FAMILY: times new roman,new york,times,serif; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT
face=Tahoma>
<HR SIZE=1>
<B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">From:</SPAN> </B>Marshall Gisondi
<<A href="mailto:pianotune05@hotmail.com"
target=_blank>pianotune05@hotmail.com</A>>; <BR><B><SPAN>To:</SPAN>
</B><<A href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org"
target=_blank>pianotech@ptg.org</A>>; <BR><B><SPAN>Subject:</SPAN>
</B>[pianotech] kids pianos and... <BR><B><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Sent:</SPAN> </B>Sun, Jan 6, 2013 2:18:19 AM
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<DIV dir=ltr><FONT size=3 face=Arial>Hi Everyone,</FONT><BR><FONT
size=3 face=Arial>I also find that dogs are a real pain to deal with
while at a tuning. I love dogs. don't get me wrong. I'm
glad I don't own one now, not enough time and our landlord doesn't
allow it, but dogs are wonderful creatures. Most of them are anyway.
:-) Howver they are a real nuisance when I'm
at a customers house. I try not to pet fido for fear of
getting them goin g and thinking I'm there to play with them.
I also don't want dog dander or dirt on my hands and then on their
piano and my tools or the smell of the dog on me. lol I ofen leave
and there's dog hair on my over coat. I guess I should stop wearing
wool overcoats and get rid of the two overcoats I have and
wear my regular winter coat, but I like dressing professional
no tie of course heaven forbid. So what do you guys do about
the dog situation? I don't want people to think I'm a dog
hater. I love most breeds. I owned a basset once and loved her
very much like she was my own kid. </FONT><BR><FONT size=3
face=Arial></FONT> <BR><FONT size=3 face=Arial>Today I'm
trying to tune and the dog a beautiful golden retriever. comes up
and sniffs my tools wags its tai l and knocks a couple of ornaments
off the Christmas tree. I'm then distracted and say nicely, ok
doggie I'll talk to you later etc... and I hear the dogs name and
the words come here. Yesterday I'm bombarded by two labs. the
woman shoed them away a couple of times etc. She at
least took my coat and hung it up. Sometimes so as not to be
annoyed, I'll make a joke like oh that's a42r I think, or 44
depending on which ocat I have. Often times people are
pretty good about getting their dogs under control and out of my
hair, but at times it's the innitial hello and the dogs come unglued
because a new person is there to play with them. Sometimes
they make too much noise even if they are kept out of my
reach. What have yo u guys encountered. Oh and cats are
not so annoying except I do close my tool box. Im not sure, but
would a cat dare to mark it's territory in my box? Years ago
one did in our car. lol</FONT><BR><FONT size=3
face=Arial>Marshall</FONT><BR> <BR><I><FONT size=3
face=Arial>Marshall Gisondi</FONT></I><BR><I><FONT size=3
face=Arial>MARSHALL'S PIANO SERVICE</FONT></I><BR><I><FONT size=3
face=Arial><A href="tel:215-510-9400" target=_blank
value="+12155109400">215-510-9400</A></FONT></I><BR><I><FONT size=3
face=Arial><A href="http://www.phillytuner.com" rel=nofollow
target=_blank>http://www.phillytuner.com</A>
</FONT></I><BR><BR></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><BR><BR></DIV></DIV></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><BR></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>