Alternative dog story

[Tunethepno@AOL.COM]

	I have always owned at least two dogs at a time, so not only am I used to
dogs checking me out when I walk into a customer's home, but the dogs can
sniff out the presence of my dogs and are generally friendly to me. ( The only
time I was bitten was by a small poodle-wannabee after it pranced up to me
wagging it's little tail and I extended my open hand in greeting.) 
	For the past dozen years, we have always had a doberman as one of out
menagerie, so I am used to big threatening-looking dogs around. I was on the
floor of a customers living room pointing to a bass bridge split along the pin
line, and explaining the options, as he and his 3 kids looked over my
shoulder. A large doberman head suddenly came over my left shoulder and
sniffed my face. Seeing a familiar face in my peripheral vision, I reached up
and grabbed that long pointy snout and gave it a 1 inch shake, sort of like
shaking hands, the way that I have always done with my dobes. The dog gently
withdrew his head and wrinkled up his brow while staring at me. After a brief
silence, the owner said, "You know most people are scared to death of that
dog." My first thought was, Thanks for mentioning that after the dog inspected
my face at close range, but I just said something lame about being around dogs
a lot.
	Anyway, I got the job, and on every visit the dog would lay by my feet like I
was a long lost relative. I do put a little more thought into my greetings of
canine acquaintances now.

John Stroup