No Shoes, No Service

I heard an interesting debate on the Kane Show this morning. A listener wrote in because he went to visit his friend who just had a new baby. The house had a no-shoes rule so he left his $275 shoes at the door. When he went to leave at the end of the night the dog had chewed them. His friends are refusing to pay for a new pair. He thinks they should. Who’s right?

This is 100% on the homeowners. If they can’t afford the full $275, they should offer some financial compensation. It is their house, their rule, and their badly trained dog. Refusing to pay for what amount to their screw-up only adds insult to injury. (Freudian slip: I originally typed ass instead of add the first time which is what these people are being.)

What adds to the faux pas is that the homeowners know if their dog is a chewer. If it’s a puppy, everything is a chew toy. You should know better. If your adult dog still chews, you’ve lost enough shoes to know better. If they insist on a no-shoes policy and they have a shoe-loving dog, they need to have a safe location for guests’ shoes. If they can’t do that, they either need to rewrite the rule or stop having guests.

I’ve owned three dogs in my life none of whom had any interest in shoes. I also don’t believe in a blanket no-shoes rule. If your shoes are dirty or muddy or you stepped in crap then leave them at the door. If you want to leave them at the door, go ahead. Otherwise wipe ‘em on the mat and come on in.

I have a friend who insists everyone who enters her apartment must remove their shoes and wash their hands. If you have a new baby or the guest is or recently was ill that makes sense but for a single twenty-something, it’s a little much to ask of every guest you ever have. At least this friend will offer one-size-fits-her slippers (a moot point for large footed people but a nice gesture).

If those are the rules and it’s not my house, I will (begrudgingly) abide by them. If those rules cause harm to the property I had to leave at the door, that’s on you. If you disagree then I probably don’t need to swing by any time soon.

Current Music: Figure 8 by Ellie Goulding