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The cat may give you a glance, but the family dog just wants to be your bestest friend ever!

What - never experienced an attack by an ankle-nipper?

I think it's because of your tool bag. You probably just came from a house with dogs, cats or whatever and Phiduaux loves to stick it's nose in all those new smells. I actually let the dogs give my tool bag a good going over because it just helps me get into the door of my next clients home and distract the dog so I can enter. I always hold my case low when I enter and almost push the dog in with it so the animal is immediately attracted to it. It's a great canine ice breaker!

Jurgen,

I was viciously mauled by a tea-cup Chihuahua...sort of. It seems that the area under the piano bench was the pooch's domain. He resented the piano-tuner moving him aside for the tuning. Fortunately...he was also darn old. Had no teeth. I kept feeling a nudge on my toe, and couldn't figure out what it was...until I looked down and saw this tiny little toothless critter doing his best to bite my foot off. Oh! He was gumming me to death.

Breathing heavily,
I remain,
Unscathed...just a wet spot on the toe,

This is the difference between dogs and cats. Pay attention too, or notice a dog, and it thinks you must be a god. Pay attention too, or notice a cat, and it thinks "I must be a god".

Well, it's simple. A dog is man's best friend. Oh-Oh, is that sexist? I'd better take cover fast! I'm sure that all dogs are completely PC. I'm sure of it.

Words of advice:

Never let a dog 'mark' your tool bag. Never let a cat crawl in.

Dogs just love to greet new people on their territory. I'm sure they do the same to plumbers, builders etc.

I had a very helpful cat a few weeks ago, up on my lap, tapping me from behind, jumping up on the bench.. but the kicker was when he ran from the other side of the room and bounded up to my shoulder!! That was a real wake-up!!

Ron, Must have been your irresistible after shave.

I remember a Golden Retriever who after greeting me enthusiastically, made a noisy sloppy stop at his water bowl, then looked up and saw me 30 feet away. I think he couldn't remember whether I had been properly greeted, and deciding not to error on the side of neglect came running. The lady of the house made a futile grab for his colar, and I got a soaking wet spot on my pants where he made contact.

I've never been attacked. I'm either lucky, or an accidental Dog Whisperer.

I've been bitten by one dog...one of those tiny shrieking yip yip yippers. Its owner had just stepped outside for 15 seconds, and the dog came flying at me and bit my leg (well, it bit my pants). I grabbed it by the collar and threw it across the room. It didn't bother me after that.

In another home, as I was standing, talking with the customer, her cat jumped from the floor up onto the middle of my back, and crawled up onto my shoulder. "Oh, he does that all the time! Isn't he cute?", said the owner. I couldn't really respond with anything but, "OUCH!"

No one answered the door bell last week, so I called the client from the front door. Just as we determined I was at the wrong house, a couple of German Shepherds trotted up to me. They were my escort out of the yard, past the big "beware of dog" sign by the gate. The two dogs were not aggressive towards me, but then again, I didn't argue with them either. Ha ha.

Animals seem to tell if you like them or not, and I'd rather have a dog under foot when tuning, than listen to it bark in the other room. Unless..... the dog falls asleep and snores the whole time, or is one of those breeds that snorts and slobbers every 20 seconds. Ha Ha.

I have a cat like this too. He goes to jail in the bathroom during the tuner's visit. The other two cats will hide on their own.

It is a Dog's nature to love. It is their right.
I have encountered dog's through much of my life's work. In general, they want only to love others. Please believe me when I tell you that the average pit bull is more reasonable than the average house wife.

A couple of years ago I tuned a piano in a big farmhouse. They had two Rottweilers, very nice and friendly dogs. The owners were on the second floor while I was tuning and I had to go out to get another tool case in the car. Went to the door and suddenly the dogs were there sitting in front of the door looking me into the eyes, they were totally silent. I could go around in the house, but they did not allow me to get out until the owners said it was ok.
Maybe they loved me too much to let me go...

Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend.

Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read.

He hopes you are bringing him a treat.

I'll add one more dog story...

An old customer called to have her piano tuned, and asked that I get the key from her at her restaurant and let myself in. 'No problem.' says I. She told me, as I got the key, that she had a new dog, but not to worry; 'He's just a sweetheart.'. 'No problem.' says I. And proceeded to the home. As she had always had ankle-biters, little Yorkies and such, I was not worried about the new dog.

I got to the house, knocked on the door as always (..even when the house is supposed to be empty, I knock), and let myself in the door. But....I stopped dead in my tracks, and my heart started racing when the new pet raised his basketball-sized head over the back of the couch. The lady had chosen a MASTIFF as her new friend. GEEEEEZ LOUISE! But, as advertised, the new pet was friendly...thank goodness. Thing must have weighed 150lbs, but was quite happy to see another human to scratch his ears and thump his ribs. We got along splendidly after the momentary heart-attack.

I know the owner appreciated her little joke on the tuner!

Shaken,
not stirred,
I remain,