This Kid Is A Little Terrier

I work at a boarding kennel looking after dogs while their owners are away. It’s been a particularly busy day where the reception bell has not stopped ringing to alert me to a new customer either collecting or dropping off their dog while I try and race around in between exercising, cleaning, and feeding the dogs currently in our care.

I’ve just handed one dog over to its owner and I turn around to see a young boy march straight through the “staff only” door at the back of reception. I quickly give chase while his mother is apparently oblivious to the fact her crotch-goblin has wandered off.

Me: “Excuse me, can you go back to your mum in reception, please? This area is staff only.”

Boy: “I just want to say hello.”

He starts yelling, “Hello!” at every dog he sees.

Me: “Sorry, but you can’t be back here; you need to go back to reception now.”

Boy: “I’m saying hello.”

I am internally screaming and trying to body block him, knowing that further down this path is a dog that cannot be trusted.

Me: “All right, you’ve said hello; now go back to your mother. This area is staff only!”

Back in reception, the boy’s mother didn’t even seem to notice he’d been gone. In fairness to her, he was definitely old enough to read “staff only” and just chose to be a brat instead, but I really do not want to get into trouble or potentially lose my job because some brat hasn’t been taught to behave and gets bitten.