Am I Right or Wrong: Dog Event & Booth Owner Upset
 

We had a dog expo today which I took my Yorkie to as many other dog owners. They have numerous of booths set up to sell products from mouthcare, clothing, toys, dog sitting and so much more. I try to take Maxwell a lot of places so he can become socialized as well as myself to gain more knowledge.

One man had a booth set up selling strollers, crate stroller to other related items. While I was asking him about one of his items, Maxwell took a good pee on his one of his strollers. I did apologize and wiped it up since I did bring clean up materials with me. Then the man tells me he can't sell it now since it has urine on it. He didn't have any cleaning items with him and paper towels I had wasn't good enough. I asked him "what am I suppose to do, write you a check"? This is a long story, so I am trying to shorten it up. He told me "do what you think is best". I kind of slowly walked away trying to call a couple of guys to ask them. I asked telling one of the people that was working there about the incident. She told me that there are numerous of workers at the event and to find one of them. I did and long story short we went over to the man, whom wasn't there. He finally came back and the woman offered to clean the stroller up with her cleaning product. He looked at it and said, "his wife is allergic to petroleum". We walked away. This sounded like crap to me as well as the woman whom had a booth of cleaning products. What do you all think~? I at least attempted to find what was the best thing to do, right~? I just didn't feel that he was trust worthy and just wanted a check from me.

The person selling the strollers is at a DOG EXPO!! He needs to wake up and realize this and bring his own clean-up supplies as "things" do happen!!! And then to put a guilt trip on you!! I would let the people that are in charge of putting on the expo what a jerk he is. Or maybe he just needs to put ALL of his strollers up on shelves, off the floor.

I agree - Maxwell probably marked it because it had been peed on before. Don't worry about it, it can be cleaned.

:cool: Probably true...it had been peed on already!! That man was being unreasonable....you did try, which was very nice of you...:p

what do I think? I think he was trying to guilt you into a sale. Whether at an expo or not, a seller of these items knows to expect an incident or two. He should have had an effective cleanser AND better sales attitude.

i say this as someone with a HUGE belief in personal responsibility and the "you break it you buy it" or "you mess it up, you clean it" philosophy. your baby made an UNDERSTANDABLE AND IN MANY WAYS EXPECTABLE mistake at a dog expo, and you took steps to clean.

If his wife had allergies to certain cleaning products:
#1 - even more reason he should bring an acceptable cleaner
#2 - don't put the wife in the stroller :)

Omg love #2:eyetearss:eyetearss Even hubby Had a good laugh!

As a poster above said, he was at a dog expo! What does he think dogs do?
I think you did everything possible to try to resolve the problem.

Thanks Everyone For Posting
 

I was put on a guilt trip as you all mentioned. I felt to do something or he was going to do something, of which the way he said it I took it that way. I told him, "I had no use for it and it would go up on Ebay like my other items I am liquidating from an Estate". He said nothing. One guy I called didn't know what to do either, and the other guy wasn't home. Someone of whom I have talked to at another recent doggie event told me that, "she and everyone there had to sign a waiver that they wouldn't sue anyone, etc...". I felt better about that too. Then I ran into a guy I know and he told me that "when you come to such and event, things happen"...as someone mentioned here. I am still a bit upset about it. Everyone loves my fur-baby and he usually does no harm such as this~!

Still Upset About It
 

I'm about to go to bed and I was thinking about it all over again. That man upset me so, I put Maxwell in my carrier (front backpack) and carried him around. He couldn't socialize too much that way with the other doggies. :(

Well I went to the first pet expo last year.. the larger dogs were do a pp on anything and everything..:eek:. some people did not even watch their dogs.:eek:.
kathy had her stroller pp on too.. hit the wheels/.s**t happens and if your so worried when selling.. make it so things are up higher I guess...
Not your fault.. if she sells dog stuff he needs to know what a dog is about.. anne

I used to work in an animal hospital and males will mark everything. The motto was keep the males moving (especially the big ones) or they'd lift their leg on anything they could. This man was at a dog expo, he should have had cleaning products on hand. If he didn't want to take a chance on that happening he should have had the products on display stands/shelves with a baby fence around it to keep the dogs at a safe distance.

[QUOTE=yorkiekist;2258963]The person selling the strollers is at a DOG EXPO!! He needs to wake up and realize this and bring his own clean-up supplies as "things" do happen!!! And then to put a guilt trip on you!! I would let the people that are in charge of putting on the expo what a jerk he is. Or maybe he just needs to put ALL of his strollers up on shelves, off the floor.[/QUOTE]

Lynn some reason I just thought you were going to say Maybe ALL his strollers need Peed on ROFL
Dunno why I was thinking that :p
I can't imagine what he was thinking, dog expo dogs do like to try out the products, sounds like it passed the pee test :D

Deana
Prestigeous Yorkies

I think you were a very responsable dog owner and offered to make things right by cleaning up the item. I totally agree w/others in the fact he was being a jerk and trying to guilt sale. Sounds like he needs to find a different business to be in if he doesn't understand dogs.

Yes, things do happen but...let me play devil's advocate here and I'm sure I'll get slammed for it but here goes anyway. Where is your responsibility as the pet owner? You knew you would be in a place around other animals where your dog might mark or have an accident...or at least you should have assumed it could happen. Why didn't you use a belly band? Why should the responsibility only be placed on the booth owner? Sure, he could have done things differently by placing his items on a shelf or something but a stroller is a big item. Maybe he could place a short fence or x-pen around those things the next time and maybe you could use a belly band...then there would be no accident to deal with. To take the stance of 'it's a dog and things will happen' is just wrong in my opinion...why should the booth owners have to just take whatever gets dished out? I think, we as pet owners, have the responsibility to take all precausions to ensure our pets are well behaved in public...I would not take my male anywhere like that without a belly band...boys just can't be trusted 100%.

Not trying to start an argument here but I just don't feel this should only rest on the booth owner.

I feel the same way you do. Before i bring my 10 week old puppy to anyone's house i inform them that she is not 100% trained and probably will poop or pee in the house, if they are not ok with it we don't go.

In your case it was the fault of your dog - which translates to your responsibility. I would have tossed owner of the product some money, if not just outright buy it (and heck, you could resell it on craigslist and make some money back)

I would not take my male without a bellyband. It is his natural instinct to mark, so I take precautions.

I think he was just trying to make you feel guilty and buy the stroller, surely as a salesman he would have some sort of goods insurance?

Unless the vendor had insisted otherwise, I probably would have paid for the product. Yes, it's a dog expo, but IMO, you have to take responsibility for your dog's actions and make sure they are not doing that. I can't imagine a vendor setting up their booth under the mindset that 'it's a dog expo so I know my merchandise will be pee'd on today.' Looking at it from a buyer's perspective, if I was going to pay for a new product, I wouldn't want to buy one that another dog had pee'd on that had been cleaned...I would want a new, unsoiled one.

I think both pet owner and booth owner have made a mistake. Others already stated clearly and I agreed with everyone. This is life, we learn from our mistake. Maybe you could use a bellyband next time as other suggested.(okay, silly Qs..is Bellyband only for male dog? I don't quite sure what is it for? Is it to control them not to pee?)

Don't be upset anymore. We live, learn and laugh! :D

Are some or ALL products displayed at a Dog Expo display items? I've never been to one. But I have been to many places and they don't sell the items on display. Because these items are touched, broken and God knows what else is done to them by people who are also looking.

Come on, YTr's....IT IS A DOG, IT IS A DOG EXPO, the vendor should have been prepared to clean or have the stroller out of reach. She did the right thing:mad:

I agree w/ Misty. I know I personally would not want to buy a stroller or any other item that was peed on by another dog and then cleaned.

It wouldn't have been unreasonable for him to put his product up on tables, out of "range." If you're at a dog expo, you are bound to have accidents occur. People could order the product and have it sent by UPS in the box, just have the expo ones for show. People in furniture stores sit and soil new furniture and they are supposed to be civilized. Then you buy a "floor" model, you pay less.

I agree 100%. There is a reason we have "display items" and they are discounted. Of course no one should let their dog pee all over the place, but accidents do happen. I've seen several dogs lift their legs on televised dog shows. The guy should have had one product out where everyone could see and handle it and the others should have been put back. I think the OP went above and beyond. I would have wiped up the mess with a towel or wipe been done with it. He should be happy a yorkie peed on it and not a Great Dane.

I have to say that it would be the pet owner's responsibility to pay for damages. It is not fair that the vendor eat the cost of that item because someone's dog pottied on it. If not in full then you should have paid the difference in what he can sell it for and what he was originally selling it. A responsible pet owner should be responsible enough to take care of their pets and pay for any damage that is done by them.

:lol tears that is freaking hilarious!!! I agree that the guy should have a floor model at a dog expo. I know what I can order this kind of product for, and what I see them sell for...the guy probably has a HUGE mark up. Even if he sold his floor model at the end of the expo at a big discount, he would probably still make a profit. It probably had been "marked" before. In my grooming salon we have this one spot in the lobby that every male dog that walks past wants to mark. No matter what I clean with they still know!! I have even tried several different pet urine removal product. I don't pitch a fit with every owner whose dog marks that spot and insist they replace the carpet there. I just grab a towel, clean it up, and try a new product.

I Agree & Disagree With Everyone
 

My Yorkshire Terrier is well trained as far as going to the bathroom. It is possible that another dog pee'd on the item and he sensed it. I did bring cleaning supplies with me, in case and did clean off the stroller. I was kind to do that. I also found out there were people working at this event to help the guests with such issues and found that there were numerous of people selling cleaning products. Someone came over with me and offered the man to clean it with her product, but he refused after reading the ingredients. I don't believe that anyone can be allergic to "petroleum".

Also recently I found out that for them to set up a booth there, they had to sign a waiver along with a $500 fee. So they should know "things happen" and it can be expected. Most people came from out of state and was trying to get a sale, and maybe he was also. I saw no one, and I say no one with a bag in their hang from what they bought. I am dealing with the Estate of my Dad as I told him, and would of been put up on Ebay since I have no use for it. I should of tried to sell him a drill press or another machinery item. Anyways, I am a responsible dog owner despite ya'll comments.

I do not think you are a bad pet owner. I just believe if you break it then you pay for it. In my opinion, people should respect other people's property. Pet owners know their dog's personality, and they know how their dog usually behaves. If your dog marks, then I would avoid putting the dog in the stroller. I would have paid for the stroller. The seller and consumer should have cleaning supplies at dog expo. The seller and pet owners need to think about the type of bad incidents that can occur at a dog expo and try to avoid them from happening.

[quote=PrestigeousYT;2259602]:lol tears Maybe he should have a demo model!!!!

I agree. :thumbup: