my dog ate everyone's homework

Where Did The Phrase “The Dog Ate My Homework” Come From?

Dogs are known as man’s best friend. Dogs keep us safe, are hard workers … and can provide a handy excuse in a pinch. Maybe that’s why versions of the classic expression the dog ate my homework have been around for hundreds of years.

Today, the dog ate my homework is used as a stock example of the kind of silly excuses schoolchildren give for why their work isn’t finished. Very rarely do people say, “the dog ate my homework” and expect it to be taken literally; they use the expression as an example of a typically flimsy excuse.

So where did the phrase come from?

Forrest Wickman, a writer for Slate , describes the legend of the 6th-century Saint Ciarán of Clonmacnoise as the alleged first recorded “the dog ate my homework” story. According to the tale, Saint Ciarán had a tame young fox that would take his writings to his master for him. One day, the fox grew up and decided to eat the leather strap binding the writings together instead. Still, this tale is more Garden-of-Eden parable and less terrible schoolchild excuse.

The notion that dogs will eat just about anything, including paper, turns up in lots of stories over the centuries. An example comes from The Humors of Whist , published in 1808 in Sporting Magazine . In the story, the players are sitting around playing cards when one of them remarks that their companion would have lost the game had the dog not eaten the losing card. Good boy.

Some attribute the creation of the dog ate my homework to a joke that was going around at the beginning of the 20th century. In a tale found as far back as an 1894 memoir by Anglican priest Samuel Reynolds Hole, a preacher gives a shortened version of a sermon because a dog got into his study and ate some of the pages he had written. However, the clerk loved it because they had been wanting the preacher to shorten his sermons for years.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary , the first example of the dog ate my homework excuse in print can be found in a speech given by retiring headmaster James Bewsher in 1929 and published in the Manchester Guardian : “It is a long time since I have had the excuse about the dog tearing up the arithmetic homework.” The way this comment is phrased suggests that the whole dog ate my homework story had been around for some time before it was put in print.

When was the word homework created?

But in order for a dog to eat homework specifically, homework had to be invented (oh, and how we wish it hadn’t been). True, the word homework , as in what we call today housework , appears as early as 1653. But homework , as in school exercises to be done at home, isn’t found until 1852. Once we had homework , it was only a matter of time before the dog was accused of eating it.

How we use this phrase now

No matter the origin, sometime in the 1950s, the expression became set as the dog ate my homework . This inspired any number of riffs on the theme, like my cow ate my homework or my brother ate my homework . In the 1960s, the dog ate my homework continued to gain popularity. The expression popped up a couple times in politics over the years, like when President Reagan said to reporters in 1988, “I had hoped that we had marked the end of the ‘dog-ate-my-homework’ era of Congressional budgetry … but it was not to be.”

It seems unlikely that the dog ate my homework was ever used consistently or frequently by actual schoolchildren. In fact, it’s the unlikeliness of the story that makes it so funny and absurd as a joke. Instead, teachers and authority figures appear to have cited the dog ate my homework many times over the years as such a bad excuse they can’t believe students are really using it.

In the 21st century, students don’t spend as much time working with physical pen and paper as they once did. That may contribute to the decline in the use of the phrase. So, maybe soon we’ll see a new equally absurd phrase pop up. Come on Zoomers, you’ve got this.

WATCH: What's A Unique Homework Routine That Works?

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I’m a teacher — and my dog ate my students’ homework.

Would you look at that: The dog really did eat their homework.

A teacher was left shocked after her pet pooch devoured her class’ assignments, leaving paper fragments all over her kitchen floor.

The photo went viral in a Reddit thread with the caption, “When you’re a teacher and your dog eats everyone’s homework.”

The post earned more than 1,100 upvotes and people on the platform were quick to crack a few jokes about the puppy mishap.

“How the tables turn,” one user said.

“You should show this picture to your class. They’d enjoy it (as long as you give everyone good marks for it),” commented someone else.

“But the real question is … do the kids believe you or do they think you’re making an excuse because you forgot to grade their homework?” quipped another.

While it’s unclear whether the Reddit poster, who did not reveal specifics, really is a teacher or not, it didn’t stop readers’ imaginations.

“I would have LOVE for a teacher to come in and say, ‘Kids. You all got As. My dog ate your homework,'” one user giggled, while another said: “Good dog! Now everyone gets an ‘A.'”

“Your dog: ‘See? I got rid of all this so you have more time to pet me!'” joked someone else.

Although the age-old excuse is usually just a fib, hungry hounds have been known to actually eat kids’ homework. In fact, just two years ago, a student in the Philippines fell victim to his dogs’ late-night munchies — all of which was caught on video.

The two pups played a round of tug of war with the papers until it was in scraps, making a confusing sight for the student, Darren James Lamban, when he awoke the next morning.

While he might be one of the only people whose devious pet has truly snacked on their homework, the excuse dates back to the beginning of the 20th century.

In a 1905 edition of a Welsh-American magazine, music critic William ApMadoc recited an old anecdote of a minister whose sermon met the same distasteful fate — being eaten by his dog.

But it wasn’t until a 1929 speech penned by a retiring headmaster, James Bewsher, that the tale of homework-eating pups was seen.

“It is a long time since I have had the excuse about the dog tearing up the arithmetic homework,” his speech, which was published in the Manchester Guardian, read.

Other sources claim John Steinbeck once begged an editor to extend the deadline for “Of Mice and Men” in 1936 due to the manuscript’s unfortunate bout with the author’s Irish setter, who took a hefty bite — or two — out of the book.

Or so he said.

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From Our Listeners

Sometimes the dog really does eat your homework.

Last week, we brought you the story of how the phrase "The Dog Ate My Homework" came to be and how it morphed into a palpably ridiculous excuse. Turns out, sometimes its not an excuse at all. Weekend Edition host Scott Simon has a few stories from our listeners that swear, honest, the dog did eat their homework.

Copyright © 2012 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

The Dog Ate My Homework….And Other Lame Excuses

When I was in high school we had, for a short period, a poodle named Dusty Joe. I loathed that dog. I know, such strong emotion for a dog, but, alas, it fits my feelings toward Dusty Joe. Dusty Joe was a one dog wrecking company. The interesting thing about him was he only shredded the new magazines, he only ate new shoes, and he only devoured school books. I had to sit in class and tell my teacher “the dog ate my book.” Do you think she believed me? She basically said “I know you didn’t just give me that lame excuse.” If we want, we can come up with excuses for every thing under the sun. My car wouldn’t start. My child is sick. My Aunt Bertha Mae is in the hospital and I need to visit her. I don’t have any money. My alarm didn’t go off. The electricity was out. I got stopped by a train. There was a wreck. I don’t have a job. I don’t have a phone. My phone didn’t have a signal. I didn’t get your message. I was depressed so I ate a dozen cookies. I was mad so I said hurtful things. Someone hurt my feelings. Someone made this happen to me. I guess I could continue with the list until the end of time. We all know that most of the times an excuse is just that, an excuse. It’s a way for us to release ourselves of the guilt and the responsibility of our own actions. For several years my husband did not attend church. He went from leading services, teaching Sunday School to telling us we could not even go to church at all. All of this because he took his eyes off of God and placed them on man. And when man failed him, he used that as his excuse to walk away from God. I have known this since it happened. I never realized he knew himself. But last night as someone was trying to say something negative against a man of God, it was my husband who spoke up. He said “That’s nothing but an excuse, and believe me I have used them all. I used every excuse I could to justify why I wasn’t going to church. But I know now that I can never take my eyes off of God.” Something happens to us when we examine ourselves. Something happens when we listen to our own words and realize that we have to be responsible for our lives. Psalm 139:23-24 says “Search ME, O God, and know my heart: try ME, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in ME, and lead ME in the way everlasting.” Yes, the dog ate my English book. But I left it where he could get to it. Yes, my husband was hurt. But that shouldn’t have kept him from the God that has never let him down. Wonderful, merciful Saviour, today is another day. And I am still human. Help me to see my shortcomings and help me to learn from them. I want to be responsible to myself, my family, my church family and most of all, to You. I owe You my life, my heart, my all. I want to be a vessel of honor. Examine me today, Jesus. Rid my life of those the things that keep me from serving You. Take the obstacles out of my line of vision and let me focus on the things of You. Thank You for keeping me.

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My Dog Ate My Homework

From the book The Biggest Burp Ever

My dog ate my homework. That mischievous pup got hold of my homework and gobbled it up.

My dog ate my homework. It’s gonna be late. I guess that the teacher will just have to wait.

My dog ate my homework. He swallowed it whole. I shouldn’t have mixed it with food in his bowl.

 — Kenn Nesbitt

Copyright © 2014. All Rights Reserved.

Reading Level: Grade 1 Topics: Animal Poems , School Poems Poetic Techniques: Irony , Narrative Poems Word Count: 60

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Wonder of the Day #491

Do Dogs Really Eat Homework?

SCIENCE — Life Science

Have You Ever Wondered...

• Do dogs really eat homework?
• Why do dogs eat paper?
• What foods can be dangerous to dogs?
• chocolate ,
• guacamole ,
• Assignment ,
• Curiosity ,
• Veterinarian ,
• Table Scraps ,
• Theobromine ,
• Kidney Failure ,
• Macadamia Nuts ,

Today’s Wonder of the Day was inspired by Thomas. Thomas Wonders , “ Why do dogs eat homework? ” Thanks for WONDERing with us, Thomas!

You have a big, important homework assignment due tomorrow, but you're not stressed . You made good use of your study time at school and completed over half of it. When you got home, you avoided distractions, like television and video games, and worked hard until it was finished.

Then your worst nightmare happened! While you were in the kitchen making a healthy snack , your dog got hungry, too. Instead of eating his dog food, though, he made a sandwich out of your homework! Oh no! What will you do?

You know that “my dog ate my homework" is the oldest excuse in the book. Your teacher will never buy that! Or will she?

As it turns out, dogs really do eat paper from time to time. If you explain this to your teacher — and show her what scraps remain, if any — you just might get an extension to re-do that assignment. Better yet, make use of modern technology and do your homework on the computer, so you can save it and print out a copy whenever you need it!

Remember: honesty is the best policy . If you simply forget to do your homework, don't lie and blame it on your dog!

Dogs are known to be indiscriminate eaters with healthy appetites. This means that some dogs will eat just about anything if given the chance.

Why? Some scientists believe eating paper and other non-food items may just result from boredom . Most dogs are energetic animals that need plenty of exercise and distractions to keep from becoming bored.

When bored, many dogs will give in to their natural curiosity and explore new things. This exploration can often take the form of scratching, biting, and eating. If you were eating a sandwich while you were doing your homework, stray crumbs or bits of food might even make your homework tempting to a dog that's bored!

To dogs, paper is just another “thing." It's something to chew on. If it happens to be your homework, that's particularly bad for you. However, it's probably no different to your dog than chewing on newspaper or a book. To prevent your homework from becoming lunch, be sure to store it in a safe place when you're finished with it!

It might also help to make sure your dog is well-fed. Stick to food and treats recommended by your veterinarian , though. It can be dangerous to feed your dog human food in the form of table scraps.

Over the years, veterinarians have learned that there are certain foods that can harm dogs. Here are some foods that can be particularly dangerous to dogs:

• Avocado : Skip the guacamole ! Avocados contain persin, which can be toxic to dogs in large amounts.
• Caffeine : In large quantities, caffeine can be fatal for dogs. So stick to water and skip the coffee, tea, and sodas for your dog. Also avoid chocolate , which contains caffeine and another substance toxic to dogs: theobromine.
• Onions and Garlic : Dogs who eat onions or garlic regularly or in large quantities can develop a condition called anemia, which results from the destruction of red blood cells.
• Grapes and Raisins : Veterinarians don't really know why, but it's clear that grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure in dogs.
• Macadamia Nuts : As few as six macadamia nuts can make a dog ill. Larger doses can be fatal.

Wonder What's Next?

Are unicorns real? Do they live in the sea? Find out tomorrow in Wonderopolis!

Are you ready for some homework? Grab a friend or family member and try out the following activities:

• Do you or a friend or family member have a dog? What kind of trouble do dogs tend to get into? Has one ever eaten homework? What about chewing up toys? Talk about the funny stories you've heard of dogs getting into trouble. Do you think any of these stories might have been caused by dogs feeling bored?
• Have you ever forgotten to do your homework? If you do, you probably don't want to blame your forgetfulness on your dog. It's best to fess up to your forgetfulness and ask for extra time to complete your homework…and maybe an extra credit assignment to make up for it being late. Inevitably, though, some students will choose to get creative and invent wild excuses as to why they weren't able to complete their homework. What do you think? If you were a teacher, would you believe any of the following excuses? I don't have my homework, because: + My babysitter flushed it down the toilet! + My locker is jammed and my homework is trapped inside! + My dad used it to start a fire in our wood stove! + I left it at home! I thought that's where HOMEwork was supposed to stay! + My friend fell in a lake! I jumped in to rescue him, and my homework drowned!
• If you don't want your dog to eat your homework, it's best to keep Fido well-fed. What do dogs usually eat, though? Do some research to learn more about dog food. Find a bag of dry dog food and read the list of ingredients. Which ingredients do you recognize? What are the others? Search the Internet to discover what some of those oddly-named ingredients actually are. If you have a dog, put what you learned into practice by making your pooch a special treat of homemade dog food !

Wonder Sources

• http://jackinabox.hubpages.com/hub/Why-do-dogs-eat-paper
• http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/ss/slideshow-foods-your-dog-should-never-eat
• http://madtbone.tripod.com/school.htm

Did you get it?

Wonder contributors.

We’d like to thank:

Dalya and Jayden for contributing questions about today’s Wonder topic!

Keep WONDERing with us!

Wonder Words

• distraction
• indiscriminate
• veterinarian

Yikes! We hope you've come up with a solution to prevent that from happening! 

my dog tore up my homework folder in first grade and ate my homework we posted a pic online (dog shaming)

omg i agree

That's super cool, Natalia! 

Or your dogs can do your homework for you.

You're welcome, Savannah.

Thanks for being our Wonder Friend, duncan!

well thats sad that ur dog ate ur homework

It would be very sad if that happened! Do you have any pet dogs, Caitlyn?

Thanks for sharing, Lucas B! We hope that your dog hasn't eaten your homework!!

You have a very nice dog, peyton! Also, check out  Wonder 1499: When Was the Great War? for more information about World War I!

Camden Riley Justice

Hi, Camden! If you have a video of your dog eating your homework, we think that there is a good chance that your teacher would believe you! Hopefully your dog has never eaten your homework, though!! ?

C j/CamdenJustice

my dog broke my computer and NOW i have a new one AND MAKE SHURE YOU NEVER FED A DOG CHOKELET

That's right, Cj! We even have a Wonder about why you shouldn't give chocolate to dogs:   Wonder 1522: Why Can't Dogs Eat Chocolate?

Uh-oh! ?

maby you don't have any toys thats what made our dog stop dolng that.

Thanks for joining the conversation, camden!!

Thanks for sharing, jayden! It sounds like your dog pixie lived a great, long life!! We don't recommend chocolate for dogs, though.  If you are concerned about Nada's eating habits, you may want to make an appointment to see a veterinarian.  Sometimes, though, dogs eat things like paper because they are bored! 

Great question, Zehra! Dogs can eat things they're not supposed to when they're bored!

my dog eat some of my moms brownies

Uh, oh! We hope not too many, because dogs shouldn't eat chocolate!  Wonder 1522: Why Can't Dogs Eat Chocolate? will explain why!!

Thanks for your concern for our canine friends, joshua! We actually have a Wonder about this topic, as well! Check out  Wonder 1522: Why Can't Dogs Eat Chocolate?

? Thanks, Amara!! We are SO happy to have you WONDERing with us!!

good job wonderopolis

? Thanks!! We love having you as our Wonder Friend!!

? Thanks for WONDERing with us, Aiden!!

Hi, Paige! Dogs may tend to eat anything in sight due to boredom, not stupidity! We hope this helps!!

Hi, Paige! Thanks for WONDERing with us!

Thanks for stopping by, Wendy!

Hello!! We are WONDERing about how dogs can eat homework!! What are you WONDERing about??

? Oh, no!! We're so sorry to hear that, Patricia! We hope that you were able to get an extension!

We're happy to help and that you're researching this information before you get a dog, Eloise!!! What type of dog are you planning to get?

Thanks for letting us know, Brady!! 

No way I never knew that dogs are crazy and I am in 5th grade.

Thanks for joining the discussion, Wendy!

It sounds like you know this from experience, Max!! Do you have a dog?

i dowt that the dog ate your book

Thanks for sharing, Mark!! Dogs do sometimes eat paper, and this can be due to boredom.  We hope that the library book didn't cost too much to replace!!

they eat paper from time to time

You're right, mya!! Thanks for sharing!!

I do too because some of my friend's dogs ate there homework.

I like to chew paper from time to time

That's cool, James--but we recommend making sure it's clean paper!

Dogs do sometimes eat paper, so it is a possibility! ?

Did a dog ever eat your homework, bob?? ?

Isabel the monster

That's awesome, Isabel!! What are your dogs names?? Have they ever tried to eat YOUR homework?? Thanks for WONDERing with us!!!

? Thanks, franklin! 

We're sorry to hear about your birds, alexis.  Have your dogs ever eaten your homework? (Or your chickens or bunny??)

? That is very unlucky! Hopefully she was able to reprint the paper, or get an extension!!

My sister did get an extension on her homework. Because she brought the rest of the rip up papers:\

Whew! That's good news! We're glad she was able to get the extension, though hopefully she didn't have to make up too much extra work!

That is WONDERful to hear, A.K.!!! We're thrilled that you're learning with us!!

Thank you so much for sharing, Taylor! We love learning new things here at Wonderopolis, and we're thrilled that you do, too!!  Wonder #1149: Can Wolves Be Tamed? sounds like a perfect Wonder for you to check out!

? So sorry to hear that, Emily! Do any of your friends have dogs?

Dogs are awesome but there a lot of work

That is absolutely true, James! Some of the work can be fun, like playing with them. But, cleaning up poop isn't fun, that's for sure! 

Ha Ha I don't think that is the reason.:)

Me either!!

Well, Ally, having a dog certainly does come with its own set of responsibilities. Some people think its worth it for the companionship. Other people prefer cats. Which do you like better: dogs, or cats?

No problem, charlotte. Your friends are probably just jealous of how awesome you and your dogs are! But keep those avocados out of reach, just to be safe.

Heehee, that gave us a laugh, Boi! Thank you for WONDERing with us!

We are glad you finally found the answer, Isaac!

Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us, jordan! We're glad you are WONDERing and learning with us! ?

i eat my homework too:)

You all are funny, Boi! Homework seems like it'd be a bit on the bland side! ?

mecer i know you eat homwork

We bet that doesn't taste too good, jordan! ?

That's interesting, mercer! We hope you spit the paper out! :P

Thanks for commenting, Amaris! Here's a related Wonder that you may like: Wonder #577. :)

Wonder Friend

my dog ate my homework too i had to email my teacher or she woudn,t believe me.

That stinks, Wonder Friend! We hope it didn't impact your grade too much!

Oh my, hoi man! We bet your friend was frustrated! Thanks for sharing your connection to this Wonder. :)

Thanks for commenting, Ava! Have you seen Wonder #1113? It's all about autocorrect! :)

my name is Shayna! pronounced sh-ae-nu

Hey there, Shayna! We're glad you are WONDERing with us! :)

Thank you for asking, Shaelyn! We are doing well! How are you? We hope great!! :)

Hello there, michhele! We sure are glad you visited Wonderopolis! :)

Hi, karina! We're glad you liked this Wonder! It's always GREAT when we learn something new! Keep an eye on your dog when he's around books! Hehe! :)

Ava Gelinas

Hi, Ava! It's definitely possible for dogs to eat your homework! We're glad you liked this Wonder! :)

nicole mack

Thalia woof.

Me too I want a dog but I have a baby

Thanks for joining the discussion, Thalia! :)

Hi, maanya! That would be AWESOME! We hope you get to have a dog one day, too! :)

Thanks for being a supportive Wonder Friend! We appreciate you joining the discussion! :)

Hi, nicole! Puppies are adorable! Dogs are WONDERful pets! :)

amanda.grant

Hi, amanda! Sounds like you're good friends! Check out Wonder #1238: What Does It Mean To Be a Good Friend? Have fun WONDERing! :)

We do, too, amanda! Dogs are WONDERful animals and great companions! :)

i dont i do my homework. i like pizza (Off Topic)

Thanks for joining the discussion, Wonder Friend! It's important to do your homework so you can practice what you're learning in school. We also like pizza! We encourage you to use the search box to find Wonders about pizza to explore! :)

Thanks for sharing your opinion, angel! Have a WONDERful week! :)

Hi, Wonder Friend! We're not sure if this would work! Better to be safe than sorry and do your homework! :)

what is the author name?

Great question! Thanks for asking! Wonderopolis is brought to you by the National Center for Families Learning. They would be the author of the Wonders! :)

We're THRILLED you liked this Wonder, jacques! Thanks for visiting Wonderopolis and leaving a comment! :)

Welcome, Adsur! Dogs are WONDERful pets. However, we don't want them to eat your homework! That wouldn't be good! :)

But then how would you be graded on it, Nicola? Better stick with kibble! ;-)

Hi, Kasey! We're glad this Wonder reinforced something you already knew. That's GREAT! Thanks for WONDERing with us! :)

Hello, Josie! We hope you had fun exploring this Wonder. Thanks for stopping by Wonderopolis! :)

Hi, Skeley! We don't know. Every dog is different. To be safe we would keep our homework in a very safe place! :)

That's good to hear! Thanks for leaving a comment. Keep up the GREAT enthusiasm for WONDERing! :)

Oh no, roxie! But, then you wouldn't have it to turn in after doing all that work! :)

Alex Oczkus

We're glad you enjoyed WONDERing with us, Alex! We hope you have an awesome day! :)

Good point, ayden! Puppies sometimes chew things they aren't supposed to because they don't know any better. You're right! It's important to always put your homework in a safe place, just in case! :)

i hate that puppy cant eat my homework!!!!

Why would you want your puppy to eat your homework?? Then you wouldn't have it to show off your hard work! :)

Hi, gunnar! Dogs can eat broccoli, but it's always important to check with your vet and to remember to only feed them human foods in moderation. Every dog's diet is different. It's great you're checking to see if it is good for them before feeding them, but be sure to always ask your vet first! :)

Can that dog eat my h.w

Hi, WONDER friend! It is a possibility, so be sure to put it in a very safe place! Thanks for joining the discussion! :)

Wonderopolis

Welcome, Darksaber! According to Pet WebMD , chocolate can be poisonous to dogs if consumed in a large enough amounts. Other times, it simply may just make your dog sick. There is no way to know for sure how your dog will react, so you must be very cautious when dogs are around chocolate. Thanks for sharing this information with our WONDER friends! :)

Jumpin' Jordan and Jo

You're welcome, Jumpin' Jordan and Jo! We're glad to hear you learned some new things with us! Your fun name reminded us of a few Wonders of the Day! :) :) We hope you'll enjoy these: #703 Who Jumps the Highest? #1093 Do You Double Dutch?

Thanks for stopping by Wonderopolis and sharing your questions, Abigail S.! There have been a couple times our dog (and once even our cat!) has nibbled a bit on our homework! But fortunately, we caught it before he ate the whole thing! Have you had a pet take some bites out of your homework? ;)

kirrily Johnson

We're sorry to hear that you have LOTS of homework, Kirrily! We do know that homework is important for learning. :( We are SUPER glad to have you WONDERing with us today! :D

Oh no, Graham. It sounds like all that "people food" may hurt your dog's stomach. We think it is best to stick with the dog food. Thanks for sharing with us today! :-)

We're glad you enjoyed it, Nicole! Thanks for WONDERing with us today! :-)

Oh no, Morgan! Paper is not good for dogs. Be sure to read the Wonder article, especially the list of foods that are dangerous to dogs. It is always best to feed your dog only food and treats recommended by your vet. Thanks for WONDERing with us today! :-)

Absolutely, Cora. That looked like a mess! We are so glad that you enjoyed this Wonder. Thanks for WONDERing with us! :-)

WONDERful guess, Ann! Check back tomorrow to find out if your Wonder Prediction was correct! Keep WONDERing! :-)

That would be nice, Bryce! Thanks for WONDERing with us! Keep WONDERing! :)

Mrs. LaLonde's Class

WOOHOO, we're so glad you enjoyed this woof-tastic Wonder, Mrs. LaLonde's Class! We want to keep our pets nice and healthy, so we're glad to learn that dogs shouldn't eat chocolate (even if they want to)! However, they sure do like peanut butter... and paper, too! Thanks for sharing your WONDERful comment today! :)

Thanks so much, Erin! We're so excited that you visited today! We hope your dog doesn't get a hold of your homework! :)

Very cool, Wonder Friend N! We're so glad you are visiting us today to learn about dogs and their love of homework! We Wonder what your project covers? :)

Hey there, Momo! We are glad you're doing your homework, and we hope your dog doesn't mistake your work for a tasty treat! We have lots of awesome topics to Wonder about here at Wonderopolis! You can check out our categories section and search by topic, or you can visit us every day for a brand new Wonder! :)

Girls 4 ever

Hey there, Girls 4 ever! We are glad you're WONDERing with us today! We know that things happen from time to time, but excuses are not as WONDERful as the truth. We Wonder if you have ever had your dog eat your homework? YIKES! Thanks for sharing your comment today! :)

We think that's an excellent word to describe the dog in the Wonder video, Patrick! That is one energetic dog! We Wonder if homework tastes good to dogs, or if they would prefer to eat some dog food instead? Thanks for sharing your comment with us today! :)

Thanks so much, Brad! We're glad to hear it! :)

We don't think homework would taste very good, that's for sure, Brad! We know that some dogs, especially our four-legged friends here at Wonderopolis, sometimes eat things that don't taste the best. This includes furniture... homework... and even old sneakers! We know that dogs are great, but we have to keep important things, like homework and shoes, far away from them! :)

Hi there Tanner, thanks for sharing your story with us! We are glad your friend was able to turn in another copy of his homework-- his dogs must have been very hungry! We hope you have a SUPER day! :)

Thanks for sharing your personal connection to this Wonder, Noel! We think teachers might hear "the dog ate my homework" a lot! :-)

YIKES! We don't think that's a very healthy habit for your dog OR your grades, Eipco! Thank you for sharing your comment with us today...we appreciate it! :-)

That's a really great guess, Janelle! Thanks so much for hanging out in Wonderopolis with us today! :-)

Moa fahlstedt

You've got THAT right, Moa! We thought it was cute to see the little puppy try to play tug of war and tear up the girl's homework. We hope she didn't have to do her homework again because her dog tried to eat it! :-)

awesome Mackenzie ttyl

We're not sure, Mackenzie! We think maybe they see it as something their owners were playing with (or working on), so maybe they think it's a toy and they want to play with it, too? We're sure there are other reasons why dogs eat homework, so it's fun to WONDER about that! :-)

Hi, Emily! Thanks for letting us know you like cheese. Have you visited any of these CHEESY Wonders? Wonder #52 - Why Is Cheddar Cheese Orange? https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonder/why-is-cheddar-cheese-orange/ Wonder #322 - Why Are Some Cheeses Stinky? https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonder/why-are-some-cheeses-stinky/ Happy WONDERing! :-)

Team Mcneil22

Those are really creative excuses, Team McNeil 22! We hope none of our smart, amazing, clever Wonder Friends ever have to use any of them, though! We hope everyone's homework gets done and handed in on time! That would be WONDERful, wouldn't it? Thanks so much for sharing your comment with everyone in Wonderopolis today! :-)

Team McNeil #4

We're SO GLAD to hear the new information and word you learned by exploring this Wonder, Team McNeil #4! We think there are toxins that dogs react to inside grapes. Since raisins are dried grapes, it makes sense that they would be harmful to dogs, also. Good luck trying to change the habit of feeding your dog table scraps! We know from experience that it is a tough habit to break! :-)

Team Unger 10

We think it's SUPER cool that you searched for a topic you were interested in to see what Wonders would pop up, Team Unger 10! Way to go! Dogs who ingest avocados can become very, very sick because of the toxin, "persin," that is found in the avocados. Thanks so much for WONDERing even MORE about this Wonder after you explored it! :-)

We hope her teacher believes her, too, Team McNeil 22! That dog was so cute...it must REALLY like homework a LOT! :-)

Thanks for visiting Wonderopolis today and sharing about your dog, Star! We'd say it might be a good idea to keep him or her away from your homework! :-)

Well one time a person at my Spanish class said her dog ate her homework and the teacher asked for proof.The next day the student brought a bag of paper shreads

Oh no, Cam! That probably wasn't very pretty! Thanks for sharing your story! :)

We think that's a good thing, Skelekian! Thanks for leaving us this comment today! :-)

Hi, Zoe! Thanks for sharing your thoughts about dogs today! We appreciate your comment! :-)

Team wilch 5

We're glad to see you are exploring different Wonders in Wonderopolis today, Team Wilch 5! We bet your teachers will appreciate you NOT using the "my dog ate my homework" excuse! :-)

Happy Monday, Annie! Thanks so much for visiting this Wonder of the Day® and for letting us know you thought it was COOL! :-)

andrew hattenbach

That sounds like a really good idea, Andrew! Thank you for telling us that you liked this Wonder and that you learned a few new facts about something you've always WONDERed! Have a WONDERful day! :-)

That's a GREAT question, Britney! We're not sure how paper would digest inside a dog (or even a human)! That is something we will BOTH have to do a bit more WONDERing about! :-)

Thanks so much for sharing your personal connection to this Wonder of the Day®, Britney! We're sorry your dog ate your homework before...we hope he/she doesn't do it anymore! :-)

Hi, CR1 Eric! You have to put the colon symbol ":" right beside the end parenthesis symbol ")" to make a smiley face. So, : PLUS ) EQUALS :)! :-)

Jessie Leigh

Thanks for sharing about Pugsly, Jessie! She is a really lucky dog to have such an AWESOME owner like you who loves and cares for her so very much! :-)

sassycat923

That puppy certainly WAS cute, SassyCat923! Thanks for sharing your comment with everyone in Wonderopolis today! :-)

Thanks for letting us know what you thought about the video for this Wonder of the Day®, Marion! We appreciate your comment! :-)

Hello, Michael! It's so great to hear from you today! Thank you for visiting Wonderopolis! :-)

Thanks for sharing a story about what happened to your homework, Clayton! We hope your teacher still accepted it when you tried to turn it in! :-)

Hi, Audrey! We don't think it would be a good idea to teach your dog to eat your homework...he might think other important papers (like certificates or money) are homework and eat them, too! YIKES! :-)

We like that creative excuse, Hannah! So, what you would actually be telling your teacher is that YOU ate YOUR OWN homework! Thanks for making us smile today...you're a GREAT Wonder Friend! :-)

Hello, Kimberly! Thanks so much for this GREAT comment! We hope your dog doesn't eat your homework tonight, either! Thanks for WONDERing what tomorrow's Wonder might be about. We WONDER that every day, too! :-)

That's a clever excuse, Jordan! We hope your neighbor's cat doesn't really do that to your homework! That would be a less-than-PURRRRfect situation! :-)

You're RIGHT, Ashlyn! We have all seen the proof in the video for this Wonder! Wasn't that puppy super cute? :-)

Thanks for letting us know you liked today's Wonder and the video for it, too, Chloe! We know from experience how badly hitting your "funny bone" can hurt...it's not very funny when it first happens!

Miriam and Ruthie and Jami

Happy Wednesday, Miriam, Ruthie and Jami! Thanks so much for leaving us this enthusiastic comment and for letting us know you liked the video for this Wonder of the Day®! To make the smiley face, you type a colon and an ending parenthesis. : + ) = :) You can also make a "winking" smiley face by typing a semicolon and an ending parenthesis. ; + ) = ;) How about a smiley face with sunglasses? Just type the number eight and an ending parenthesis. 8 + ) = 8)

Wonder Friend I-L-P

Hi, Wonder Friend I-L-P! Let us know if your teacher believed you about your dog eating your homework! We hope you remember to bring all your homework home and back to school next time! Have a WONDERful day! :-)

CR1 student/Eric

We're really happy to hear that, Eric! Thanks so much for visiting Wonderopolis at home, too! We think it's neat that your friend might have made the video for this Wonder of the Day®! :-)

We think the dog in the video ate the girl's homework because of two reasons, Blake! The first reason is that it is a puppy, and puppies LOVE to chew things...even important things! The second reason is maybe the puppy thought the homework was just another toy to play with! :-)

We WONDERed the same thing, Abby! We wonder if she did her homework over again? :-)

abigail Rae

Thanks so much for visiting this Wonder of the Day®, Abigail! We're glad you liked it and that you learned something new! :-)

brooklyn from team loganbill

Thanks so much for visiting this Wonder and for wishing us a WONDERful day, Brooklyn! We think your mom is awesome for bringing you your homework when you forgot it on a Friday! She sounds like a GREAT mom! :-)

We're super sorry your dog had kidney problems, Maya. We're proud of you for learning something from this Wonder that might help you and your parents determine what could have caused your dog's health issues. Thanks so much for visiting Wonderopolis today! :-)

We think your dogs sound like awesome pets, Maya! Thank you for sharing a little about them with us today! :-)

CR1 student

We're super sorry you can't see any videos for the Wonders of the Day, CR1 Student! If you're trying to view the Wonders at school, we want to let you know that some schools/school districts put "blocks" on certain videos that come from places like YouTube or Vimeo. The blocks protect students from accidentally seeing unsafe things by making sure the videos don't show up on school computers. Because we use videos from these places in our Wonders of the Day®, you might not be able to see them when you’re at school (even though the videos we post on Wonderopolis are safe). You might want to check with your teacher to see if he/she can do something about getting the blocks removed. Thank you for visiting Wonderopolis today! :-)

Thanks for always adding something awesome to each Wonder with your WONDERful comments, Paige! We appreciate you, Wonder Friend! :-)

Mischeivious Missy

WOW! That's a LOT of happy, Missy! Thanks so much for making us smile even MORE today! YOU ARE AWESOME! :-)

We hope that too, Avery! We know our Wonder Friends (like you) work really hard on their homework, so we hope it all makes it back to school and gets checked off as completed! Thank you for sharing your comment today! :-)

ashlyn from mrs.fradys class

Thanks for leaving us the GREAT comment, Ashlyn! No, we don't have a dog that ate our homework, but as you can see by reading the comments on today's Wonder, a few of our other Wonder Friends do! :-)

Justin and Drew

Hi there, Justin and Drew! Thanks for leaving us this comment today! We think dogs eat homework (and other things they shouldn't eat) because they think it's something fun to play with. They might also think it's fun when their owners chase them around saying, "Please give me that back! That's my homework!" They think it is a game! :-)

TOMMYATKERRCK

WOW, Tommy! That's a LOT of homework eating! Thank you for sharing about your dog today...we hope he or she finds something else to play with besides the homework you spent so much time working on! :-)

JERON AT KERRICK

It sounds like Coco is very adventurous, Jeron! We bet she is very lovable, though, and we bet she loves you a whole bunch! :-)

alexia garcia

Hello, Alexia! We're guessing Simon's dog ate his MATH homework? We think it was funny that Simon thought his dog wanted to learn multiplication! Thanks for making us smile this afternoon! You are a GREAT Wonder Friend! :-)

Carly at North Todd Elem.

Thanks for letting us know what you liked best about the video for today's Wonder, Carly! Also, thanks for sharing your story about your sister and your homework! :-)

Lucas at North Todd Elem.

It sounds like homework is tough to keep a hold of in your house, Lucas! We appreciate you sharing your comment with us today...THANK YOU! :-)

Mason at North Todd Elem.

Thanks for hanging out in Wonderopolis today and for sharing your personal connection to this Wonder, Mason! We think you ROCK! :-)

It's interesting to learn that, isn't it, Charlie? We thought it was also interesting to learn all the things that can make dogs super sick if they eat them. We are going to be EXTRA careful now about what we feed our pets in Wonderopolis! :-)

That's a clever one, Ingrid! We sure hope that doesn't really happen, but we're glad you shared your creativity with us today...THANKS! :-)

We like that excuse a lot, Qualee! It's really awesome and super creative...GREAT job! :-)

Lanyja at Kerrick

We really appreciate you sharing your personal connection to today's Wonder of the Day®, Lanyja! We hope your dog doesn't try to eat your homework again! :-)

josh at kerrick

We bet there are a LOT of dogs out there that think homework is more fun to play with than a squeaky toy or a ball, Josh! :-)

Rileyatkerrick

YIKES, Riley! That must be super frustrating! Thanks for sharing your comment with us today! :-)

We think some dogs might eat homework because they think the paper the homework is written on is just another toy to play with, Sarah! Thanks so much for sharing your view on dogs eating homework! :-)

Hi, Johnathan! We'd say you've got a really WONDERful dog if he or she does not eat your homework! Thanks for sharing your comment with us today! :-)

We think you should give your dogs an extra hug and play with them for a little longer than normal today because they leave your homework alone, Caroline! They sound like pretty awesome pets to us! :-)

Hannah from Team Turner

Hello, Hannah! We're not sure about the first time that excuse was used, but we think it was creative, and we hope the person who first said it was really telling the TRUTH! :-)

WOW! We sure do like those excuses your class came up with, Mr. K! They are really, really creative! Thank you for sharing them with us today! :-)

We like that guess a LOT, Zoey! Thanks for letting us know what you think tomorrow's Wonder will be about! :-)

Mischievious Missy :)

Those are both VERY creative excuses for not having your homework, Missy! Thank you for sharing them with your friends in Wonderopolis today! Thanks for taking a guess about tomorrow's Wonder, too! :-)

autumn school girl

Thanks for sharing your personal connection to today's Wonder, Autumn! We're glad you were able to prove that your puppy ate your homework! You will always have a funny story to tell about that! :-)

Thanks for letting us know you thought this Wonder was awesome, Wonder Friend! We appreciate your comment! :-)

Hello, Darian! That's a really good guess! We think all of our Wonder Friends (like you!) who are guessing the next Wonder will be about states will be excited to explore Wonderopolis tomorrow! :-)

Happy Monday, Hannah! Thank you for letting us know you thought today's Wonder was interesting! We appreciate your comment! :-)

Thanks for making us laugh today, Cassidy! We appreciate you sharing your personal experience with today's Wonder of the Day®! :-)

Hi there, Jesse! Thanks for letting us know you liked the video for today's Wonder! We search high and low for the best videos to accompany each day's Wonder, and we're sure glad you thought we did a good job with today's! We think your guess about tomorrow's Wonder is a really good one...we'll all have to visit Wonderopolis again tomorrow to see if you're right! :-)

I think this article was very interesting and it had a lot of humor in it. I wonder if cats have a strange behavior like this as well.

Great question, Daniel! We think cats are more likely to lay on your homework than eat it, but some may. ;-) Thanks for WONDERing with us! :-)

Mrs. Newland's Class

Thanks so much for leaving us this GREAT comment today, Mrs. Newland’s Class! We're glad you explored today's Wonder together and learned some new facts! We think you guys are AWESOME Wonder Friends! :-)

Wonderopolis aka PREET

This is really funny. I used all of those and I used my friend fell of into the the lake and my homework drowned. :) :) :):) :) :):) :) :):) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :):) :) :):) :):) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

That is a funny excuse, PREET! Thanks for sharing with us today! :-)

wonderopolis

This is really good, so teachers now know sometimes kid's are not lying from time to time. :)

It is true. A dog can eat your homework. Just be sure to follow the tips in the Wonder to keep them from doing it. Thanks for WONDERing with us! :-)

That's a really WONDERful guess, Vikkie! We're so excited to visit Wonderopolis tomorrow to see if you are correct...we would like to learn more about how the states got their names! :-)

We are undergoing some spring clearing site maintenance and need to temporarily disable the commenting feature. Thanks for your patience.

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Question 1 of 3

Which of these is probably NOT the reason your dog ate your homework?

• a boredom Not Quite!
• b hunger Not Quite!
• c curiosity Not Quite!
• d sabotage Correct!

Question 2 of 3

What can you do to keep your dog from eating your homework?

• a Eat a sandwich while doing your homework. Not Quite!
• b Stay focused on your homework, paying your dog little to no attention. Not Quite!
• c Give your dog plenty of exercise and distractions to keep him from getting bored. Correct!
• d Watch TV with your dog. Not Quite!

Question 3 of 3

What can you do to ensure that your dog is well-fed?

• a Stick to food and treats recommended by your veterinarian. Correct!
• b Give your dog lots of fatty treats. Not Quite!
• c Share your meals with your dog. Not Quite!
• d Ask the neighbors to feed your dog. Not Quite!

Quiz Results

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The Dog Ate My Homework!

Top 5 funniest student excuses.

The Survey Says

Everyone knows that a great teacher embraces creativity and encourages it in each and every student. Many students learn this lesson quite well but unfortunately, illustrate their mastery when pressed about homework not being completed or projects left undone.

The excuse “the dog ate my homework” probably dates to the Paleolithic era when a creative student met the first dog. Poor canines have been blamed for academic failures for the next 15,000 years. While the excuse continues to be an old favorite, students today have applied their creativity to parents, families, other pets and now of course technology.

ESGI and ThinkFives polled hundreds of teachers to solicit the funniest or most creative excuses they have heard in their classrooms. These are actual excuses used by students and shared with ThinkFives.

It’s My Parents!

• My mom punished me by not letting me do it.
• My mother said “Jesus is coming soon so we better go to church instead of doing homework.”
• My mama fell through the porch.
• My dad didn’t do it.
• My nanny drove over my science project and the fruit flies just didn’t make it.

There’s an Animal or Sibling Involved

• My cat peed on my homework.
• A duck flew into the house and grabbed it with the Rice Krispies.
• My little brother hid it too well during hide and seek.
• My baby sister ate it because she still doesn’t know what food is.
• My brother was farting all night and I couldn’t be in my room. That’s where my computer is.

Darn that Technology 

• Our Internet does not work unless the sun is shining.
• My mom locked me in the bathroom until I would take a shower and there was no wifi in there.
• I thought I was using the copier but it was the shredder.
• I dropped my iPad in the toilet.
• My Chromebook is sick. It has a virus.

Understandable Issues

• It was International Pancake Day- free pancakes at the IHOP.
• I had a potty battle and I lost!
• I had to get my hair done
• I didn’t want to add to your workload.
• My friend is failing so I gave it to him to use.
• It was raining.
• My brain left my body for a bit.
• I didn’t have time because I had to play with my PlayStation.
• I didn’t want “Sally” to be the only one that didn’t have her homework today.
• I kept thinking about bubblegum.

What’s a Funny Excuse You’ve Heard?

Share this:

For the reason their laptop wasn’t charged for class today a student said, “We don’t have outlets at home.” When in fact I know he does.🙄😂#middleschoolers #alwaysforthelaugh

There’s always an excuse! I don’t get it. Doing my homework when I was a kid wasn’t an option! 🙄

I have to admit: “My Chromebook is sick. It has a virus.” was a very clever one. Wow, such creativity there! Really impressed!

“I seriously had full intentions of doing my homework, but then, I remembered how important you said sleep was.”

I didn’t do it because it was too easy for me..

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These Oh-So-2018 Homework Excuses Will Make You LOL

We’ve come a long way since blaming it on the dog.

“My dog ate my homework” is, like, so yesterday. While the times they are a-changin’, so, too, are students’ homework excuses. Today’s digital natives have come up with some pretty inventive reasons for avoiding academic responsibility. Here are a few of my personal favorites, and by favorites I mean, here are just some of the reasons why I’m banging my head on my desk.

“My smart TV hacked my computer.”

I bet the voice recognition remote told the TV to do it.

“Alexa gave me the wrong answers.”

Inadvertent admission of cheating is almost as good as the assignment itself.

“I didn’t realize those hyperlinks would print.”

If you’re going to copy and paste, at least show some pride in your plagiarism.

“Google Docs saved everyone else’s work but mine!”

Look me in the eyes and say it again.

“The alert on my phone didn’t go off.”

The ol’ AM and PM are tricky. May I suggest a planner, a sticky note, a string around your finger …

“My computer got a virus.”

Had your computer’s three previous viruses not coincided with the due dates of our three previous assignments, I might have believed you.

“I didn’t know I couldn’t text you my paper.”

How many paragraphs in were you before you realized that texting a five-page research paper wouldn’t work out?

“Our Wi-Fi was down.”

Allow me to introduce you to the library .

“You didn’t get my assignment? Weird. I emailed it.”

THAT IS WEIRD, ISN’T IT? ADVERTISEMENT

And of course, an oldie but goodie that continues to stand the test of time:

“I didn’t know we had an assignment—you didn’t remind us.”

And, let me guess, neither did Siri?

What are the funniest homework excuses you’ve heard this year? Come and share in our  WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group  on Facebook.

Plus, check out our list of funny student test answers . 

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Bill Sniffin: "The Dog Ate My Homework" And More On The Old Farts Clubs

Bill Sniffin writes, “No matter how legitimate, excuses just sound like ‘the dog ate my homework’ to some people.”

September 07, 2024 6 min read

Although I had heard the expression “the dog ate my homework” many times, it didn’t really make sense until it was put on me during a time of disaster many years ago.

Back in the days when we operated a large ad agency (by Wyoming standards), one of our key employees, Ernie Over, was in a bad car wreck. As I recall, he rolled his car at the top of Red Canyon outside of Lander and narrowly missed going over the edge of that precipice.

His car was totaled and he had to be cut out of the wreckage.

Although hurt, Ernie survived and was hospitalized.

He had just finished an important public relations project and it was on his laptop, which was somewhere inside the wrecked car.

To make it worse, the deadline for the project was the next day.

And to make it even more awful, I was on vacation and far away from the office while this was happening.

I called our client and explained that I could not locate the wrecked car and also could not locate the aforementioned laptop computer, which contained the much-needed information.

“So, you are telling me that the dog ate your homework,” the exasperated client practically screamed at me.

“Uh, no, look, we had a really bad accident,” I stammered. “We are lucky nobody died. I am working as hard as I can to get this information to you.”

She refused to believe me and continued to accuse me to purposefully being late. She said she had recommended our firm to do the job and now we had blown it. And it really, really made her look bad.

“But,” I said, “it was a bad accident. It ...”

At that point, she slammed the phone down. I was no longer talking to anyone.

With a whole lot of scrambling and some great hustle by my injured colleague Ernie, we located the laptop, secured the information and got a version to the customer a few days after the deadline.

Lessons Learned

No matter how legitimate, excuses just sound like “the dog ate my homework” to some people.

Two important lessons came out of that experience.

First, to always having a back-up, which I learned the hard way.

This was way before the days of the cloud, where today you can store lots and lots of data.

But it also taught a second valuable lesson — do not wait until the last minute to finish projects. Always be early.

Over the years, I have had to learn the hard way how to avoid fiascoes, and here are some of my tips.

As a journalist, I spent a career being late to things. It became a pattern to arrive late and leave early. Now, I am rarely late to anything. It just makes sense if you have the time, why would you not show up early.

I gave about 40 talks to service clubs and chambers of commerce around the state from 2012 to 2016 promoting my coffee table books. I always stopped by the venue ahead of time to scope out of the room and to check out the mic.

It is surprising how often the microphones did not work or needed new batteries.

That is just one example of how important it is to be prepared.

What? Old Farts Club!

My last column about local coffee groups and how towns can have their “9 old men” generated a lot of statewide commentary.

It sure seems there are a lot more of these old guy coffee groups than I listed. Plus, it gave me a future list of places to stop by for some great gossip and some pretty good coffee.

That column also missed the opportunity to talk about the most famous of these coffee groups — the infamous “Deaf Row” coffee group in a small Western town made notorious by Wyoming native Ron Franscell in his book of the same name.

That is a truly outstanding book, by the way, as are most of Ron’s books.

My favorite Franscell book is the “Sour Toe Cocktail Club,” which might be the best with the oddest name in all of authordom.

My column generated the following tidbits on Facebook:

Marnie Lopez said: “We visited Guernsey while our son was up at the Sunrise Trades Camp for the week. We ran into the group there. They were an amazing group of men and very wonderful to us.”

Brad Willford called the group that meets at the Saratoga Inn every morning the “old farts club.”

Anita Gilbertson said her Gillette guys meet at the “local” most weekday morning. Most are retired and need to find themselves a job so they have something positive they can contribute to society instead of sitting around complaining.

Linda Fleming says even in little Baggs such a group meets at the Cowboy, while in big Cheyenne, Dale Wilen says he knows a group called the Grumpy Old Men’s Club in the Capital City.

Lee Ann Stephenson says these coffee klatches sound a lot like one she knows about in scenic Riverside, in far south Carbon County at the Trading Post.

Cathi Higgins Nicol says their group is called ROMEO, for Retired Old Men Eating Out. Her husband is one of them and “they discuss the same things day after day after day!”

In Rawlins, Deb Davidson says they have 9 old men who even morphed into The Neighborhood Watch. “Guaranteed they were the unofficial supervisors of every construction project in town.”

Gay Lynn Kettle Bath says she remembers a bunch of older guys always meeting at a restaurant for coffee in Rock Springs, back when she lived there.

In Wheatland, Gary Cass recalls going past the doughnut shops seeing regulars going in. As the years went by, the newer retirees joined in. He says it is not there anymore, but he is sure there are still places where men and women gather.

Please send me more info about your local coffee groups with your comments and ideas about them to [email protected] .

In case you missed it

Bill sniffin, wyoming life columnist.

Columnist, author, and journalist Bill Sniffin writes about Wyoming life on Cowboy State Daily -- the state's most-read news publication.

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My dog ate my homework! : a collection of funny poems

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University Games, The Dog Ate My Homework: Easy, Fast-Paced Picture Guessing Game with a Naughty Dog Eating Homework, Ages 5 and Up

• FUN-FILLED FAMILY GAME NIGHT: Perfect for family gatherings and game nights, "The Dog Ate My Homework" offers endless laughter and entertainment for kids and adults alike. The product is designed for 2 to 4 players, ages 5 and up.
• EASY TO LEARN, QUICK TO PLAY: Simple rules and fast-paced gameplay make it ideal for children aged 5 and up. Players feed the Homework into the dog’s mouth, turn his ear and retrieve the shreds out of the dog’s rear end. Players have 30 seconds to assemble the picture and guess the image. The player with the most Doggie Treats after three rounds wins the game!
• INNOVATIVE MECHANISM: The doggie mechanism safely shreds Homework Sheets into 7 strips and mixes them up as they exit the Dog’s rear end.
• GREAT FOR PARTIES AND GATHERINGS: The Dog Ate My Homework is sure to be a hit at birthday parties, sleepovers, and other social events.
• PORTABLE TRAVEL FUN: The doggie’s legs easily detach for storage in the game box, making it conveniently sized for travel, making it easy to bring along on vacations, road trips, and visits to friends and family.
• DOWNLOAD MORE IMAGES ONLINE: The Dog Ate My Homework comes with 100 Homework Sheets with more Homework Sheets available online for download at the University Games website.
• PERFECT GIFT IDEA: Makes a wonderful gift for birthdays, holidays, or any special occasion, bringing joy and laughter to any household.
• COMPONENTS INCLUDE: A Naughty Dog, 100 Homework Sheets, 12 Doggie Treat Tokens, Sand Timer and Instructions

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Package Dimensions	10.47 x 7.6 x 3.43 inches
Item Weight	16 ounces
ASIN	B0D9HMN6Y2
Item model number	02060
Manufacturer recommended age	5 years and up
Best Sellers Rank	#243,360 in Toys & Games ( ) #787 in
Customer Reviews	4.6 out of 5 stars
Release date	December 1, 2022
Language	English
Manufacturer	University Games

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Your dog LOVES to eat your HOMEWORK! Pick a Homework Sheet, put it in the Dog's mouth, turn his ear, then collect the shreds out of his rear end. Unscramble the shredded Homework and correctly guess the image. Turn it in before the deadline to win! Every correct guess wins a Doggie Treat. The player with the most Doggie Treats after three rounds wins the game! This game is perfect for family gatherings and game nights, offering endless laughter and entertainment for kids and adults alike. The innovative doggie mechanism safely shreds Homework Sheets into 16 strips and mixes them up as they exit the Dog’s rear end. Simple rules and fast-paced gameplay make The Dog Ate My Homework ideal for children aged 5 and up. Players feed the Homework into the dog’s mouth, turn his ear, and retrieve the shreds out of the dog’s rear end. Players have 30 seconds to assemble the picture and guess the image. The player with the most Doggie Treats after three rounds wins the game! The Dog Ate My Homework includes A Naughty Dog, 100 Homework Sheets, 12 Doggie Treat Tokens, a Sand Timer and Instructions.

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• A Naughty Dog, 100 Homework Sheets, 12 Doggie Treat Tokens, Sand Timer, Instructions

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Washington Square News

My Dog Ate My Homework and Other Excuses

Veronica Liow

An empty classroom in 194 Mercer Street. WSN has compiled a list of the best excuses students have conjured to skip class.

Kate Holland , Contributing Writer February 9, 2017

NYU students are paying more than the GDP of the South Asian country of Bhutan for a formal education. But what else do we learn in our time at NYU? We learn how to find good rosé for less than $9 and how to make a pack of cigarettes last three weeks. We learn to embrace the pain of walking through Washington Mews on icy days and the modern economic theory that a slice of pizza in Manhattan will often equal the subway fare. Our lives are soundtracked by Simon & Garfunkel as we struggle through finals in what seems like a show called “The Undergraduate: NYU.”

Above all else, we learn the proper time, place and purpose for excuses — why we couldn’t go to class, why we couldn’t finish that assignment and why we never even bought the textbook. Nothing flies off a 20-year-old’s tongue with more finesse than a polished excuse.

Writing the Essay professor Eric Ozawa said he’s received a wide array of eccentric excuses from his students.

“I’ve heard everything from a student helping his brother move to one discovering her apartment was infested with bed bugs, to the classic ‘I have an audition that I can’t miss,” Ozawa said.

Gallatin freshman Michael Manzi likes to go with the weirder, the more believable technique when it comes to outlandish excuses.  

Spanish professor Maria Lebedev reports having a student who claimed once a week for multiple weeks that she had broken different parts of her body and she even went so far as to come to class in fake casts.

Nursing senior Megan Salvato doesn’t consider herself a creative person, so she sticks to the classic excuses that are hard to prove false.

“I mostly use the ‘I’m sick’ excuse or ‘I had to work,’” Salvato said. “Once I lied to a teacher that I went to class but I really didn’t and it worked.”

CAS sophomore Lourania Oliver likes put a twist on the sick excuse that teachers don’t question.

“I say I’m having really bad menstrual days when I don’t actually have my period,” Oliver said.

Last semester, Tandon graduate student Devon Powell really wanted to go to NYU’s Flurry event, but he had class.

“I told my teacher I had to work on my research and that I work best from home,” Powell said. “I almost got caught though when [WSN] interviewed me at the event.”

Some students forgo the excuses completely. Environment and Society professor David Kanter recounts being in a bar late and seeing his student come in. The next morning in class the student didn’t show up. The student, however, didn’t send an email nor did he attempt to explain his absence. The question on everyone’s mind has finally been answered: one can be too hungover to even feign an illness or bereavement over the death of a beloved pet.

From pretending to be Jewish for an entire semester in order to miss class on the Jewish holidays to forging a death in the family to go to Coachella, professors have pretty much heard it all. Based on the attitudes of most of the professors asked — regardless of intention or goodwill, or if the tall tale was told with bravado or blasé indifference — excuses always seem to fall flat. If there’s one thing we should hope to get out of our systems before graduation, let it be our terrible excuses.

Email Kate Holland at [email protected] . 

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Cole is a proud passionate director of Dog Ate My Homework. With over 15 years classroom teaching experience, Cole has a passion for education. Cole specialises in practical subjects with hands on learning focus.

Grant is one of the founding directors of DAMH. He truly believes in inclusive education practices and believes that no child should go backwards. Grant has taught in the Education Queensland system for over 10 years. He has spent the majority of his time in the upper primary sector (years 4-6) however he has had many experiences with children in the younger years, as well as the special needs sector.

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