Miss Manners: Can a guest reprimand a dog in its own house?

DEAR MISS MANNERS When I go to someone s house is it rude to say Beat it to their dog when it tries to jump up on me or lick me Related Articles Miss Manners Her joke about dodging the check turned out not so funny Miss Manners My fun party match went off the rails when my guest was arrested Miss Manners My fiance s family is upset about the wedding gift situation Miss Manners Is it gauche to give visitors a grand tour of my house Miss Manners She keeps saying we need to go out and get crazy I absolutely do not want to GENTLE READER Sure is And rude to say to their toddler too DEAR MISS MANNERS I belong to a local social media group that lets people loan and borrow items I lately posted a query asking to borrow a piece of equipment I d need after surgery and someone graciously responded I d like to include a token of my gratitude upon returning the item but have no idea what since this person is a stranger to me Can you suggest something GENTLE READER The surgery and the need for the equipment is what connects you to this stranger more so than any candle or coffee store gift card Miss Manners is certain that your heartfelt gratitude in the form of a gracious and appreciative handwritten letter will be thanks enough That and returning the equipment devoid of any bodily fluids DEAR MISS MANNERS I m seeking chosen guidance on how best to manage my dietary restrictions with grace I have celiac affection meaning I cannot tolerate gluten in any form Even trace amounts of cross-contamination such as using the same knife to butter regular bread and my gluten-free bread can cause me severe illness Thankfully my husband is incredibly supportive and follows my diet at home so that s not an issue in our household For family gatherings I typically bring my own meal While I realize this isn t the majority of conventional approach my family and I have discussed it and everyone understands that it s not about rejecting someone s cooking but about my curative requirements The real challenge arises when dining out Unfortunately preponderance restaurants don t have the protocols in place to safely accommodate my restrictions Early in my determination I tried calling ahead to confirm that my meal could be safely prepared but various restaurants exclusively couldn t guarantee that Even when they made an effort cross-contamination often happened by mistake When I m invited out by friends who may not fully understand my dietary necessities I generally decline the invitation to avoid making them uncomfortable If they insist I explain that my dietary restrictions prevent me from dining out While chosen drop the subject others suggest I bring my own food or exclusively join them without eating The former feels disrespectful to the restaurant and the latter isn t very enjoyable though I do love their company watching others eat food I can no longer enjoy isn t quite the same Related Articles Dear Abby I have no memory of those three days but somehow I alienated my friends Magid Designing digital safety with youth in mind Asking Eric We re keeping a heavy secret from our neighbors Harriette Cole I want this manager to hurry up and poach me Miss Manners Her joke about dodging the check turned out not so funny I would be so grateful for any advice you have on how to handle these situations politely without feeling like I m inconveniencing others or myself GENTLE READER Meals are demanding for me but how about coffee or a drink If Miss Manners were the betting sort she would put money on at least one of your friends responding by saying they do not drink alcohol or coffee Which may make the key harder but your friends empathy toward the dilemma infinitely stronger Please send your questions to Miss Manners at her website www missmanners com to her email gentlereader missmanners com or through postal mail to Miss Manners Andrews McMeel Syndication Walnut St Kansas City MO