House Rules

Anybody that is my friend knows there are 2 dogs in my house. They are welcome to come over but the dogs stay in except for exercise/potty.
I am also aware others don't care for indoor dogs so I always make sure they know I'm open to meeting them at a park, coffee shop, etc if they'd prefer not to interact with my dogs.
Those dogs have been with me ever since I was diagnosed with cancer, nobody else showed up during those first few mind boggling days, so ya, the dogs get to stay.

It depends on the length of the visit. If it's just a day visit, Willow (my Affie) can stay outside that day. If it's overnight or a couple of days, Willow can stay outside all day, although she always spends the night in our room with us. If it's a week or two extended visit, there has to be some compromise on their part and tolerate Willow in the house part of the time. Luckily, she's a lazy doggy and prefers to spend her time indoors lounging around the living room ignoring everybody.

__________________
Visit my blog at; http://songsfromthehearth.blogspot.c...-insecure.html
Our website is www.thequeensblessing.com

I have had a overly dramatic non-animal loving person in my home before.. Usually when people visit I put my GSDs up because I know they can seem like a lot to non-animal persons but my smaller dog usually just lays under the table and comes out long enough to see who it is.
If someone is there long enough shell come up and usually give a gentle lick and sit down, like saying "Im here "
...When Mary licked this one person in particular they shoved her away and said, "EW! Mary! Get off me!"
It teed me off a little, but I just put Mary in another room because, seriously, she did nothing to warrant a shove and a scream and doesnt deserve to be treated like that..
(The only reason I put up with this one person is because shes my BILs ex-wife and I watch their daughter)




With food...
If someone I know is coming over and I know they will be here during a meal and they are frequent visitors I just suggest we go to the store together to get something to grill.




Other than that...
People have free range of my house. I expect messes when I have visitors, its just part of it.

I don't have any friends that don't like (or have) indoor dogs themselves. I have had some acquaintances that did not have dogs but I can't remember of any of them visiting regularly.

I had to laugh at Willow, she sounds like our afghans!!! When people come over, they usually come over to them for a pat and then disappear. After awhile people will ask, "Where are the dogs, did you put them outside?"
No they are on the bed, or in the other room on the couch. People bore them!!! No cookies, no doggies!!! LOL
Alice in Virginia

__________________
There is nothing any worse than an angry little old lady, they've had a lifetime to learn all the dirty tricks and people get upset if you hit them!

I am allergic to dogs and I shudder to see friendly, people centric dogs being locked up away from the visitors when I am there. I am allergic to DANDER and Saliva/ If I can wash the big slobbery kisses off and step outside when I find it hard to breathe, I am fine with the dogs being right there. It's not the PRESENT dander, it's the last months worth of dander that makes me cough and wheeze.
I admire those people who vacuum daily, I have no problem in their houses, but I think they are way overboard and most of us have neither the time nor inclination to vacuum daily.
How can you lock a dog up when he truly believes the only reason you arrived at his house was to see him??
How heartless.

I think there are three things going on here:

I. These guests are relatives.

2. These guests have a long history of mooching off of you.

3. You were having a bad day when you wrote this.

Am I right?

When non-doggy friends visit, my dogs go into their crates, assuming it's a relatively short visit (few hours). For doggy friends - who I know don't mind - usually they stay out. They are pretty laid back. Say "hello" and go lay down as a rule.

I visit one person fairly often and their dog is all over me most of the time. True, they keep saying "Off", but as the dog gets down only to get back up again in a few minutes I don't think it is impolite to gently place the dog back on the floor, telling it "no" or "down" as I put it off my lap.

I like dogs a lot. I will pet them, make a fuss of them and such, but I really don't like relatively large dogs jumping all over me for the entire visit.

Mary

__________________
In politics the truth is just the lie you believe most - unknown

I think this is why people rarely complain about my dog. She does the exact same thing as yours (I guess it's the Affie way!), comes for a pat and to be complimented on her stunning good looks, and then she saucily takes herself off for a beauty nap, sprawled rather unladylike across the couch downstairs.

__________________
Visit my blog at; http://songsfromthehearth.blogspot.c...-insecure.html
Our website is www.thequeensblessing.com

Too funny,, that reminds me of the movie my boys and I watched called Talledaga Nights. Where the grandma threatened to paint their backsides red. I remind my boys of that on occasion,, it works everytime.
GH

Yes and yes. I put the dogs up for the safety of the dogs. If a dog would nip a visitor, it puts the dog in danger from animal control.
And yes, there are people who I would prefer never visited my home. I don't mind having people who are easy going come over, but people who are just "nasty-nice" irritate my flesh. I know that is horrible, but honestly, if they worry about a dog hair on their clothing, then they don't want to be here. So just don't come. I am smart enough to not invite some people over, and I would appreciate it if they just don't show up. And I know that sounds horrible, but the fact is we have mud and dog piles in the yard in places. We have had chickens running on the porch and goats looking in the bay window. I have had baby goats running in the house along with numerous dogs. We had kids coming out our ears with their friends running in and out too. It's just not a showpiece museum. It's a home, and it runs ok for us. And if that disturbs some people, then they should stay away. We would both be happier if they did.

__________________
Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.

Unless your visitors are children or you no longer wish to have any friends visit I wouldn't recommend a rule list. Personally, I'd find it rather insulting. I cannot imagine someone telling me that their pets are more important that I am. Sorry, but it sounds a bit juvenile.

__________________
Moms don't look at things like normal people.
-----DD

They are mostly new-ish friends of my and my husbands. They've come over and brought their McDonald's with them plus their drinks and just leave it all over my house. Go get fountain drinks form the gas station and leave those laying all over too.

I had a lamp in my living room at my house i just moved out of that was on a timer and the guests kept shutting it off, even after i asked them not to i had to resort to putting a piece of tape on the lamp and writing "This lamp is on a timer DO NOT SHUT IT OFF!!!!". Which worked.

Sorry, I expected to ask a question and get respectful answers. Not made fun of. I forgot where I was I guess. Won't do that again, you'd think i'd of learned my lesson by now.

__________________
http://www.zazzle.com/karmaworkz

http://kwings87.blogspot.com/

Nobody's called names or made fun of you. Not agreeing in no way equals mocking. It's called having a different viewpoint.

My question is why do you let such people inside your home and what makes you think they'll follow your rules?

If a visitor brings food and drink into your house tell them you'd rather they take it out to their care and not bring food to your house. If they won't do that, don't invite them inside. If you let them inside, hand them their garbage as they leave your house. I think I'd either move the light (if, say, they just forgot about the timer issue) or not have these people over.

I don't think I would like these people as friends. If their friendships are important I'd suggest visiting them only at their house or somewhere public.

Tell the people outright that you don't like whatever behavior you don't like. Be honest. While you may not intend it as such, lists can come off as either passive-aggressive or like a list you'd make for your child.

Good luck!

__________________
Moms don't look at things like normal people.
-----DD

I agree with Joshie. I don't think anyone intended to belittle you or ridicule you in any way. I'm sorry if I came off that way though.
If it were me and my home, no, I would not make a rules list. I'm not a hotel. My home is open to my friends, and my friends respect my home. Respect among friends is usually an unspoken thing, but very real. If I had friends who brought fast food to my home (something that never happens btw) I'd say when they finished their food, "The trash is in the kitchen for your food trash". If they still didn't get it and continued to disrespect my home and leave a mess in my home, I simply would not invite them back in. Pure and simple. It's not worth the stress. If the friendship is important, invite them over for dinner now and then, or meet them out for pizza or a bbq at the park or something. But I'm afraid a list of rules actually puts the focus on you, and your attitude, and not so much on your home and the respect you're trying to garner. If I had to demand respect from a friend, it's not worth the friendship.

__________________
Visit my blog at; http://songsfromthehearth.blogspot.c...-insecure.html
Our website is www.thequeensblessing.com

The home is not just hers but her husbands too.
They are her husbands friends and its not very fair that she says they can not come over because she doesn't like them.
It would be ideal if he would quietly mention 'hey, if you wouldn't mind throwing your food out when you're done..'

I know how you're feeling though. We use to hang out at a friends house when we were younger that was kind of "the party house". They were our best friends so we respected them and their house rules. There were multiple times I would stay all day and help them clean up after other people (aka: all the "new friends")..
It didn't matter if they wrote rules on the wall with permanant marker.. they weren't going to get followed. But you know, friends come and go. The good ones will learn how you and your house feel respected.. the poop friends will stick around for a while, make their mess, and move on.


I see how it could be annoying them filling your trash. My sister lives in a city-ciy. They have all sorts of rules about recycling, special trash bags (which aren't cheap) then little to no room to put a weeks worth of garbage for 1 person.

__________________
I always wondered why somebody didn't do something, then I realized I am somebody

What I don't understand is why you allow these people in your house at all They don't respect you, your husband or your home.

Now, don't go off all crabby because people have posted thoughts and advice that you don't appreciate. You asked for opinions, you got them!

I expect my animals to be polite and my guests, too. I am living in an apt. with His Royal Highness (our cat, Thor). Were your guests rude about your animals as well as leaving their trash for you to clean up? This sounds like an issue between you and your DH that needs to be discussed and some compromise reached.

I don't think anyone was being disrespectful to you...just wanted to give advice and ask questions to get a better picture of what was going on. Hope everything works out for you.

If someones dog is jumping on me, I will tell them to get down. This happened the other day, 2 huge unruly labs, completely untrained. I am allergic. Dog saliva and carpets with dog dander make me gasp for air.

Sounds like some rude company. I have one friend that dont stop by often, but it seems every time he does he leaves trash, and I caught him on several occasions tossing coffee cups in my truck bed, uhhg! When he drives a truck too, doh'.

But frankly, If I saw that sign, I wouldnt feel very comfortable in your home. I see why you want that one posted tho. Its a sign for just that crew. Maybe, just bring it out when you see them coming up the step...lol They are the guests you pull out last months meatloaf and share...hehehe j/k

I tell my company; "help yourself to the fridge, feel at home". I tell my dog; "say hi and go lay down"...lol

Geesh.... Kwings, if you didn't want to know our opinions, why did you ask?? These poeple are visiting in *your* home. If you're not enjoying it, go into another room or leave til they're gone. Eventually, they'll get the hint that you're not too fond of their visiting!

__________________
Be a fountain, not a drain!

^()^
http://tubbsfarmstead.com/