dog ate my homework excuses

51 Best Homework Excuses (Serious, Funny, Strict Teachers)

Homework. No one wants to do it. But no one wants to get in trouble either. So, here are some of the best homework excuses that are serious, funny, and might even work for strict teachers!

As a teacher myself, I’ve heard most of these excuses. I laughed at a few and rolled my eyes at most.

At the end of the day, you’re only going to get away with not doing homework if you’ve got a solid excuse and a bunch of evidence to back it up. Good luck!

Cliché Homework Excuses

These are terrible homework excuses that, really, students should avoid. They might be fun to use, but most of them have been over-used. Your teacher won’t believe you unless you’ve brought some evidence along with you.

1. My Dog ate my Homework. Look, no one’s ever going to believe this one. Maybe avoid it unless you want to spend lunch time inside catching up.

2. My Computer Broke. This one’s more believable but it’s been over-used. Thanks to all the liars out there, this homework excuse is well and truly ruined.

3. My Mom Forgot It. Nothing like blaming your mother for your own failures. Most teachers would probably tell you to take a little personal responsibility and send you on your way.

4. The Internet was Out. As believable as any excuse, your teacher might tell you that you’d better buy yourself an old hardback encyclopedia.

5. My Grandma Died. Again. The oldest excuse in the book, I always ask for evidence of this. Some people seem to have 15 grandmas.

6. The Older Kids Took it off me and Tore it Up. Chances are, your teacher’s going to be very concerned by this. They might even escalate this to a disciplinary issue!

Related: A List of Extension Excuses for College Students

Funny Homework Excuses

These ones might get a laugh out of your teacher and your classmates. But, you’re not likely to get out of trouble in the long run.

7. My Mother wanted to Display it on the Fridge. You might get a few laughs from your friends out of this one. But, your teacher is going to tell you to go home, take it off the fridge, and bring it to class!

8. The Police Confiscated it as Evidence. This one might make your teacher pause and wonder. Why is it confiscated? Is it so poorly written that the police consider it an outrage? Maybe your joke will deflect them from punishing you, though.

9. I was Abducted by Aliens and They took It. If your teacher believes this one, let me know. I’ve got some air guitars to sell them.

10. I sent it to you in the Post. In this day and age, you might have to tell your teacher they should wait a few months to it arrive. The postal service isn’t what it used to be.

11. My Dad mistook it for a Letter and Posted it to China. Funny, but clearly not true. Your teacher is going to ask one simple question: why is your dad sending letters to China?

12. I had to burn it in the Fireplace to keep myself Warm. Like Pablo Escobar burning cash, you’ve thrown caution to the wind and thrown your homework book into the fire because, well, if you didn’t, you wouldn’t have survived the freezing cold night.

13. It flew out the Window of the Car. Just picture it. You’re frantically doing your homework on the drive to school. Your dad winds down the window and – woosh – the homework’s gone for good. And class is in just 15 minutes!

14. I thought I’d do it Tomorrow because I’ll be Older and Wiser Then. A clever joke, but you’re probably going to be known as the class clown from that moment onwa rd!

15. I did my Work. It’s all Up Here in my Head. Be prepared for your teacher to give you a snap quiz on the spot if you’re bold enough to say you’ve got it all in your head! But, if you pull it off, maybe you’ll get away without too much trouble.

16. I didn’t do it because I didn’t want to add to your Workload. Sure, it sounds nice, but your teacher will see right through this cheeky response. But hey, when you’ve got nothing to lose it’s worth a try.

17. My Hand fell Asleep and I didn’t want to Wake It. Imagine you were trying so hard to do your homework and write down those answers. But, your hand just wouldn’t obey your command!

18. My Cat ate it knowing that I’d Blame the Dog. This one’s a funny twist on “my dog ate my homework” that might just get a laugh out of your teacher (and a little bit of leniency).

Related: Excuses for Skipping Class in College

Excuses For Strict Teachers

Okay, here’s where things get serious. If you’ve got a teacher who you know is going to be mad, you need to come into this with a plan. Usually, that means providing evidence to support your excuse.

19. I was Sick. And I have a Sick Note. Being sick (genuinely!) is one of the few reasons for not doing your homework that might actually work. You’re going to want to be able to present a note from your parent and maybe even a doctor.

20. My Mother or Father went to Hospital. And here’s the Sick Note. If your mom or dad is in hospital, chances are you’re going to get a free pass. Bring evidence, even if it’s a photo of dad in the hospital bed with tubes coming out of his nose!

21. My Computer Screen Broke. And here’s a Picture. I’ve actually gotten this one from students a few times and it really took me back. I thought: “is this legit, or is this image from 3 years ago?” A receipt from the computer repair store with a date on it is usually a better piece of evidence. But then again, why didn’t you go to the library?

22. The computer broke, but here are my hand-written notes. I’m usually pretty impressed by this excuse. Your computer broke, but you still made the effort to give the homework a go anyway. Great resilience!

23. The wi-fi didn’t work, but here are my hand-written notes. This excuse is very similar to the previous one. If you turn up with nothing and say the wi-fi broke, the teacher probably won’t accept that excuse. But if you actually tried to write some notes anyway, well done!

24. I wasn’t here when the work was assigned. This is an excellent homework excuse for strict teachers. It’s really quite legitimate. How were you supposed to know you had homework!?

25. I tried, but I didn’t understand the Instructions. This puts the onus back on the teacher. Why didn’t they provide clearer instructions? It’s usually a good idea to show some evidence that you at least gave it a go, though.

26. I volunteer at the soup kitchen on Monday Nights. Everyone loves a good Samaritan. If it gets you out of homework, well, that’s just the universe giving you good karma.

27. I’m so sorry. I thought it was right here in my Bag! This one helps show that it at least is a genuine mistake.

28. I had way too much Homework for my other Class. Follow this one up with “You should talk to that teacher about how their overbearing homework requirements are impacting your students!”

29. The Library was Closed and I don’t have Internet at Home. This one might get you a little more sympathy. The fact you don’t have internet at home means you’re not as privileged as many other kids, so your teacher might let you off lightly.

Related: Fun Things to do when Bored in Class

Truthful Homework Excuses

30. I was too busy doing something more important. Your teacher is instantly going to say “what was more important than your education?” Don’t respond with “video games.”

31. My parents kept me really busy on the weekend. But I promise I’ll do it tonight. One thing I would say about this excuse is that you’re saying “Hey, take it up with my parents. I wanted to do some homework!” But, you’re also saying you’ve got a plan to get it done asap.

32. I was at football practice all night. Many teachers will still say “learning comes before sports” (which, as a teacher, I agree with). But, you’ve got a leg to stand on here. You don’t want to let your team down, which is fair.

33. I did my homework, but I left it at home. This excuse does show that you at least put the effort in. But, you failed at the finish line! Come to class tomorrow with the homework and you’ll win back some respect from your teacher.

34. I forgot I even had homework. Hey, it’s truthful. But you’re not going to get any sympathy for this one.

35. The computer didn’t break. It was the Printer this time! An excuse that’s almost as bad as “my computer broke”, the printer issues excuse at least needs some photographic evidence to back it up. And, why didn’t you email the homework to your teacher?

36. I had a Headache. Headaches are the worst. As a teacher myself, I’d probably have a little sympathy for this excuse if it’s a one-off. But, I’d expect my student to bring a note from the parent to corroborate the story.

37. The homework was far too Easy. This isn’t a good reason not to do homework. Your teacher is going to expect you to absolutely ace your next test.

38. My tutor accidentally took it home with them. Nothing like blaming your tutor for your own problems. As a teacher, I’d probably roll my eyes and tell you that you need to keep better track of your things.

39. I accidentally squished it in the bottom of my bag and now it’s got rotten apple juice all over it. This one’s funny to me because, well, as a kid this always used to happen to me. Rotten bananas were usually the culprit.

40. I spilled cereal all over it because I was doing it over breakfast. This sounds believable. I would tell my student the should at least show me the ruined homework as evidence. And, I’d also tell them that breakfast isn’t the best time to do your homework.

See a List of 11 Homework Statistics

Blame the Parents

41. My parents don’t believe in homework and won’t let me do it. There are some parents like this. If a student said this to me, I’d be on the phone to the parents. So, if you don’t want your teacher to call your parents, don’t use this excuse.

42. My mother said band practice was more important. It’s really hard for teachers to argue with parents via the student. But in my experience the teacher usually responds with: “you need to have better organization skills to get all of these things done in your own time!”

43. I help my father at work on a Tuesday afternoon. I just can’t get it done on Tuesdays. Once again, the teacher is likely going to tell you to have more organization skills. But, you might occasionally get an extension out of this. Especially if you let the teacher know in advance.

44. My father looked at it, said it was outrageous government indoctrination, and told me not to do it. While I think this is hilarious, it’s also something that happens a lot these days. Why is this world so divided? Science isn’t controversial, people!

45. My mother was looking over my homework and forgot to give it back to me. Okay, time for me to put my teacher voice on: “She didn’t forget to give it back to you. You forgot to ask for it back.”

46. My mother threw it in the trash. This must have been frustrating to you! A teacher with a quick wit will respond: “it shouldn’t have looked like trash then. You must have done a bad job!” Or, a more serious teacher might just tell you that you need to be more organized net time.

Blame the Teachers

47. You give too much Homework. There are plenty of people out there in this world who think teachers do give too much homework. They believe it’s not fair and it’s preventing children from leading a balanced and healthy life.

48. Your instructions are impossible to understand. This one really puts the pressure back on the teacher because you’re basically telling them that they’re bad at their job.

49. This was way too hard for me. You need to give me more guidance. Sometimes, it’s true, teachers do assign homework that’s way too hard. You do need to be resourceful and find ways to learn yourself. But at the same time, the teacher really should know better.

50. The homework is too easy. It’s a complete waste of my time. Assigning homework is like playing Goldilocks. It can’t be too hard, can’t be too easy.

51. Between you and all my other teachers, you’re assigning hours of homework every night. You all need to get together and resolve this. This one’s surely going to set a cat amongst the pigeons. The teachers are going to talk about this at their next staff meeting. But, they might coordinate and come back at you as a united front!

FAQ: How to Get Out of Doing Homework?

The best ways to get out of doing homework are to:

Let the teacher know in advance that you won’t be able to do it. Teachers respond better when you give them an excuse before time, not after.
Bring evidence of why you didn’t do it. If you want your teacher to truly believe your excuse, you need evidence. This can be notes, photos, receipts, or anything else proving your story is true.

Really, the best way to avoid any issues is to just do the homework in the first place. But if you’re reading this article, chances are the horses have left the stable. You’re at a stage where you’ve got to come up with an excuse because in 10 minutes your teacher is going to be asking you why you haven’t done anything!

Well, good luck with that! I hope you don’t get into too much trouble, but I also hope you learn that next time the best solution is to just get that homework done in advance.

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 5 Top Tips for Succeeding at University
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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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Why Do We Say “The Dog Ate My Homework”?

The history of the delinquent schoolchild’s favorite excuse..

Did this sad Lab eat your homework?

iStockphoto.

Viacom announced on Monday that Mitt Romney had declined to appear on Nickelodeon’s Kids Pick the President special this year, citing time constraints. President Obama’s camp pounced on Romney’s decision, saying, “Kids demand details … ‘The dog ate my homework’ just doesn’t cut it when you’re running for president. ” When did “my dog ate my homework” become known as schoolchildren’s favorite excuse?

The 1970s. Delinquent schoolchildren and adults have been blaming their shortcomings on their pets for more than a century, but it wasn’t until the 1970s that “my dog ate my homework” came to be considered the No. 1 likely story. One of the first sad sacks who was said to blame his dog for his own ill-preparedness was a priest. In this anecdote, which appeared as early as 1905, a clergyman pulls his clerk aside after a service to ask him whether his sermon seemed long enough. The clerk assures him that it was very nice, “just the right length,” and the priest is relieved. “I am very glad to hear you say that,” he says, “because just before I started to come here my dog got hold of my sermon and ate some of the leaves .” The story was repeated again and again . The first citation of the excuse in the Oxford English Dictionary is a 1929 article from the Manchester Guardian , which reads, “It is a long time since I have had the excuse about the dog tearing up the arithmetic homework.” In Bel Kaufman’s best-selling 1965 novel Up the Down Staircase , a list of students’ excuses for not having their homework includes “ My dog went on my homework ” and “ My dog chewed it up .” Even in 1965, however, it was still just another excuse.

“My dog ate my homework” became known as the quintessential far-fetched excuse in the next decade, when the phrase was used over and over . In a 1976 account of the Watergate tapes, E.C. Kennedy describes listening to President Nixon “ working on the greatest American excuse since the dog ate my homework .” A 1977 article from Alaska’s Daily News-Miner describes the difficulty students faced in coming up with a new excuse since “ ‘My dog ate my term paper’ is no longer acceptable .”

The excuse was alluded to more and more throughout the 1980s. A 1982 Time magazine column on excuses suggested that “The dog ate my homework is a favorite with schoolchildren,” while a 1987 New York Times column about how students were starting to blame malfunctioning computers and printers quoted one teacher as saying she recently received “ a note from a student’s mother saying the dog ate his homework .” Even the president picked up on the trend: When Congress pushed spending approval to the last minute in 1988, Ronald Reagan complained to reporters, “ 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 was all over television, with references to the excuse on shows like The Simpsons and Full House . By 1989, the narrator of Saved by the Bell theme was singing, “ And the dog ate all my homework last night .”

The phrase continued to grow more popular. Between 1990 and 2000, the New York Times wrote articles with headlines such as “ Beyond ‘Dog Ate My Homework’ ” and “ Homework Help Sites (Or, the Dog Ate My U.R.L.) ,” while The New Yorker described one criminal’s accounts of his wrongdoings as having “a decided my-dog-ate-my-homework quality.” Children’s books tried to capitalize on the trend with titles like A Dinosaur Ate My Homework , Aliens Ate My Homework , Godzilla Ate My Homework , and My Teacher Ate My Homework , daring to use the term to promote reading and education. Such titles have continued into the 2000s, but in recent years the phrase seems to finally be losing steam .

Bonus Explainer: An Obama spokesperson also said, “ It’s no surprise Romney decided to play hookey .” Why do we call cutting school “playing hookey”? To play hookey began as an Americanism in the 19 th century. The earliest known citation comes from 1848, from John Russell Bartlett’s Dictionary of Americanisms , where it was said to mean “to play truant” and noted to be “ a term used among schoolboys, chiefly in the State of New York .” Word historians usually suggest that it’s from to hook it meaning to run away , a term as old as the Revolutionary War. However, others have proposed that it might derive from the Dutch expression hoekje spelen , the Dutch expression for “hide and seek”—especially since playing hooky emerged in New York during a time when it had a larger Dutch population.

Got a question about today’s news? Ask the Explainer .

Explainer thanks Barry Popik, Jesse Sheidlower of the Oxford English Dictionary, and Ben Zimmer of the Visual Thesaurus and Vocabulary.com .

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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.

SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

Last week, we tried to trace the origins of that legendary excuse "the dog ate my homework."

FORREST WICKMAN: One of the first examples is this guy. Saint Kieran, who around the fifth century had this fox that he found. And he started taking the fox around and at some point, the fox ate his Psalms.

SIMON: That's Forrest Wickman, a writer for Slate Magazine, who researched one of the most palpably ridiculous phrases of all time. But as many listeners told us, sometimes even ridiculous things can be true. They can happen to you.

JACQUELINE MOSS: My name is Jacqueline Moss, and I'm from Cumberland, Maine. And my dog really did eat my homework.

SIMON: Her beloved Labrador, Dusty, turned out to have a taste for history.

MOSS: When I was in sixth grade, we had to make a project for ancient civilization, and it was a Sumerian brick. I made it, and I left it on the radiator overnight. I came downstairs in the morning, and it had disappeared. And my dog - my Labrador was looking very guilty.

SIMON: But reasonably healthy. As it turns out, the formula her teacher gave her for Sumerian brick, was more like a recipe for a historically big dog biscuit.

MOSS: Yeah, she was fine. (LAUGHTER) There was nothing bad in it. It was just food coloring and flour and oats, salt. (LAUGHTER) So it must have been like, what she dreamed of because it was the size of a loaf of bread, and there was nothing left.

SIMON: Her teacher accepted her excuse. Harry Atwood, a high school English teacher in Dayton, Virginia, says he's heard all sorts of excuses from unprepared students. But one stands out. One day some years ago, he writes, a student came to class with the excuse that his parents had burned his homework. The following day, the local newspaper reported that the boy's family was out for a winter's drive high up in the Allegheny Mountains, and had punctured their gas tank on a rock. Soon out of gas, out of cell phone range and in below-freezing temperatures, the boy's family had used the contents of his backpack to start a fire. Excuse accepted. And finally...

LINDA BECKER: Hi, this is Linda Becker from Williamstown, Massachusetts. My dog ate my students' homework.

SIMON: That wasn't an audio glitch. She explains.

BECKER: I came home from teaching one day, and left my bag on the floor in the kitchen; went about my business. When I returned to the kitchen, my puppy - with his little, needle-like teeth - had pulled some student papers out of my bag, and chewed them up. Imagine the embarrassment of having to tell students, my dog ate your homework.

(SOUNDBITE OF BARKING DOG MUSIC)

SIMON: Well, Ms. Becker, I'm sure they'll accept your excuse, just this once.

SIMON: This is NPR News.

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.

GREG BUSTIN’S

Executive leadership blog.

My Dog Ate My Homework… and Other Excuses

September 1st, 2015 |

It’s back to school season.

Whether you’re a student or a business executive, the back-to-school vibe is noticeable in classrooms, cubicles and conference rooms as calendars fill more quickly, cooler weather energizes behavior, and new assignments adopt an increasing sense of urgency.

The period between Labor Day and Thanksgiving is my busiest time of year as I work with leadership teams in strategic planning sessions to help colleagues agree on priorities, responsibilities, and action items for the coming year and beyond.

Last year in Forbes Leadership Forum, I discussed why most company strategic plans fail . One reason is lack of accountability.

Talk is Cheap

Part of what makes accountability difficult is that when you work with smart people and things don’t get done well or on time, you often are handed excuses.

No organization—not even high-performing organizations— is immune from the well-crafted excuse. What separates high-performing organizations from all the others is the way in which excuses are handled.

“My dog ate my homework” is an excuse that sprang from a 1905 anecdote about a minister temporarily filling in for another minister.

At the time, William ApMadoc, a contributor to the Welsh journal The Cambrian , indicated the initial punchline had more to do with brevity than an excuse for non-performance.

In ApMadoc’s telling, a visiting minister asked a clerk how his sermon had been received, and, in particular, whether it had been long enough. Upon hearing from the clerk the length was sufficient, the minister replied that just before the service his dog had eaten some of the paper on which the sermon was written. “Well,” replied the clerk, who felt his regular preacher’s sermons could be shorter, “couldn’t you give our vicar a pup from your dog?”

It was not until 1965 in Bel Kaufman’s best-selling novel Up the Down Staircase that students blamed their failure to complete an assignment on their dogs.

Since then, “My dog ate my homework” has become code in and out of classrooms for a lame excuse.

In the workplace, time, talent and treasure (money) are the three commodities every organization has in common, and here’s what lack of accountability sounds like:

Time I put out fires all day, so there’s no time to work on my stuff. Our deadlines are unrealistic. The deadline was unclear. I spend my time doing my boss’s work. I spend my time doing work my staff should be doing. I spend my time on tactical—not strategic—work. We can’t always get it right the first time but we can make time to fix it. There’s no sense of urgency around here. I ran out of time. His performance will improve with time.

Talent We don’t have the right people. We don’t have enough people. We don’t have enough of the right people. The people on our team can’t think for themselves. He let me down. These people don’t report to me, so their work is not my fault. I didn’t know I was allowed to make that decision. I didn’t understand the assignment. It wasn’t my job. The changes we made are preventing me from getting things done. My team won’t like me if I confront their performance issues. People here are not team players. That person is a family member and the rules don’t apply to her. We can’t keep our best people so we are not very effective.

Treasure We underprice what we sell so we can’t staff properly. We can’t agree on priorities so our budgets are spread too thin. Our customers beat us up on price so we can’t charge more. We are constantly being asked to do more with less, including more work for the same salary. Money is tight so we can’t hire the people we need.

It’s a vicious circle, and the excuses are infinite.

Talk is cheap so we often buy it. When we do, accountability suffers.

Moving from Excuses to Accountability

As leaders, we get the behavior we tolerate. So when it comes to holding people accountable, we are often our own worst enemy.

That was my story.

Despite achieving record financial results year over year, the firm I founded and led could have accomplished more. There would have been more fun and less drama if I knew then what I know now about accountability.

At the time, I accepted excuses that sounded logical even when I knew better. I allowed emotions to cloud my decision making. I delayed having a conversation with my underperforming partner because it was easier to avoid a difficult conversation than having one. Instead of practicing accountability, I practiced avoidance.

By the time I asked my partner to leave, I had learned three valuable lessons:

Clear expectations must be established. I assumed my partner and I both had the same definition of success. We didn’t. My failure to set clear expectations meant evaluating his performance was subjective. Excuses were plentiful, performance was lacking and accountability was non-existent. When your purpose, expectations, and rewards are crystal clear, your employees will embrace accountability as a way to become even more successful. The opposite is also true: If you are not clear about everything—vision, values, objectives, strategy, rewards, and, yes, penalties—the likelihood of achieving your vision is slim.
Bad news does not improve with age. I avoided discussing my partner’s performance issues for too long because I assumed his performance would improve. Now I know that as soon as you see a problem, it’s best to address it immediately. Failure to speak frankly with the person about his or her performance means nothing will change.
It’s not personal. Yes, you’re talking with a person, but leave excuses, emotions, and opinions behind. Stick to the facts, set a plan to get performance back on track, and communicate specific consequences for underperformance. If underperformers require termination, do it professionally and move on.

The day after we separated, my partner called to say he appreciated the straightforward, professional, and respectful manner in which I had handled our final meeting.

Even though these comments reflected well on his gracious acceptance of tough news, they reminded me that everyone feels better when accountability issues are addressed.

Excuses are substitutes for effort.

As a leader, be careful you’re not creating excuses for yourself over a difficult decision that is yours alone to make.

Download my Free eBooks on Accountability

About the Author: Greg Bustin advises some of the world’s most admired companies and leaders, and he’s dedicated a career to working with CEOs and the leadership teams of hundreds of companies in a range of industries. He’s facilitated more than 250 strategic planning sessions, he’s delivered more than 600 keynotes and workshops on every continent except Antarctica, and he coaches leaders who are inspired to take their career to the next level. His fourth leadership book— Accountability: The Key to Driving a High-Performance Culture (McGraw-Hill) —is a Soundview Executive Best Business Book.

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the dog ate my homework

English [ edit ]

Phrase [ edit ].

2011 May 6, Damian Carrington, “Environment action delays blamed on 'dog ate my homework' excuses”, in The Guardian ‎ [1] , archived from the original on 2022-08-24 : Their reasons for missed deadlines are mostly of the " dog ate my homework variety" including such easily foreseeable events as yesterday's elections and that the badger culling policy is "difficult and sensitive".
2014 September 12, Oscar Webb, quoting Donald Campbell, “UK Government Changes Its Line On Diego Garcia Flight Logs Sought in Rendition Row - Again”, in VICE ‎ [2] , archived from the original on 2022-12-05 : The government's excuses for Diego Garcia's missing records are getting increasingly confused and desperate. Ministers could hardly be less credible if they simply said ' the dog ate my homework .'
2017 February 18, Mia Berman, “Go West-minster, Young Mastiff”, in HuffPost ‎ [3] , archived from the original on 2019-04-09 : Our immune system's weak; we've been sick as a dog, missing work and school, resorting to " the dog ate my homework " excuses amidst these frigid dog days of winter.

References [ edit ]

English lemmas
English phrases
English multiword terms
English terms with quotations

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?

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 .

5 Teacher Flow Charts to Make You LOL

Decision making at its finest. Continue Reading

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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

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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! :-)

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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! :-)

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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! :-)

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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!

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Watch CBS News

When 'The Dog Ate My Homework' Just Won't Cut It As An Excuse

March 3, 2011 / 9:20 PM EST / CBS New York

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Excuses have gotten a little more creative than 'my dog ate my homework,' but as Careerbuilder.com 's Jennifer Grasz explained, some are just variations on the original.

On a whole, employees have gotten to work on time more often since the recession began in 2008. But, there are still those times when 'traffic was bad' just doesn't cut it. In those instances, Careerbuilder has compiled a list of the wackiest tardy excuses that have been given to employers.

For example: an employee claimed is car was inhabited by a hive of bees and he couldn't use the car for two hours until bees left, employee claimed their Karma was not in sync that day and the classic reversal of blame - - employee claimed they weren't late … the company clock was wrong.

WCBS 880's Wayne Cabot spoke with Grasz about the trend of on-time workers and the most common causes of tardiness.

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Best homework excuses that aren't 'my dog ate it'

Many students have forgotten to do their homework, and there have been many of excuses explaining why.

Of course there’s the standard “my dog ate my homework,” but some people have been more creative and elaborate with their answers. I asked various teachers from Sacred Heart-Griffin High School for inspiration for reasons students’ homework wasn’t turned in on time.

Here are some of the best excuses I found.

1. “My dog spilled its water dish all over my paper, and I left it at home to dry.” Doug Martin, a math teacher, said this about a worksheet he gave to a student. This excuse worked, until the student forgot to turn it in the next day.

2. “My friend from another school drove me here and I left it in her car,” said Thomas Lavin about a history assignment he gave over the weekend. This answer worked as a good excuse.

3. “I got in a car crash, and it was still in the trunk of the car when they towed it away,” Phil Seck said about a research paper he assigned. This worked, but it backfired when this student used the same excuse a few days later for another teacher’s assignment.

4. “My computer just blew up. I couldn’t do the homework,” said Brent Judd about a student doing an essay for his English class. The student’s excuse worked, but he was deducted points.

5. “I couldn’t access the Internet. My computer was offline.” Judd also said about another student. This excuse also worked, but the student was also deducted points.

6. “I ran out of ink and couldn’t print my paper off,” Caitlin Torrance said about a student who was supposed to turn in a theology paper. She didn’t buy it.

7. “I couldn’t find an article about the pope on the Internet.” Marian England said about a student who was trying to write an essay. This excuse didn’t work for obvious reasons.

8. “I was too lazy and I procrastinated,” said Joshua Bluhm about a student who didn’t read a short story for class. The honesty worked in the student’s favor.

9. “I forgot to do it.” Rihab Habibi said about a student who didn’t do her math homework. This honesty, although appreciated, did not work on the teacher.

— Gabrielle Johnston is a junior at Sacred Heart-Griffin High School.

New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

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] .

New York University
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The Dog Ate My Homework ... And Other Excuses For Not Living Your Ideal Life

Chief Reinventor @ TheReinventionExchange.com and President of THE SHARPE ALLIANCE global marketing agency

The Dog Ate My Homework ... and Other Excuses for not Living Your Ideal Life

He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else.

― Benjamin Franklin

Whether it's been on your mind or never crossed your mind, there comes a time where reality about this notion of "life" and what it really is settles in and you realize that you're saying "I wish had..." I should have..." What if I..."

Do you really want to wake up one day, perhaps when it really is too late, and have regrets about all the things you might have done? Call it the "Bucket List," "Second Chapters," "Life Reinventions," they're all a nagging reminder that living large and the journey of life can be quite extraordinary. It can be spiritual, health, career, hobby, relationships, business, skill related -- anything you've thought of that might enhance this journey in your life.

Do you find yourself living vicariously through others -- marveling at their Facebook page, reading stories of amazing ventures that others dared to take on, life changes that were a complete 360 that someone had the courage to figure out and tackle?

STOP! Stop doing that to yourself. It's time to stop making excuses. Especially now as you start to enter the "Empty Nester" phase of life. This is the most exciting time of rediscovery in your life. Recognize the things that have held you back for the last 20+ years and stop hiding behind them because if you ever had an excuse, now's the time to dispel it.

Find the one thing you want to do, that you've dreamed of and you're yearning to try and make it happen. It may take ten minutes to act on it or two years to plan, save, research and go do ... but just do it, for goodness sake.

I'd rather regret the things I've done than regret the things I haven't...

-Lucille Ball

Sure you have a laundry list of excuses and I'm here to hold the mirror up to you and bet that you can identify with at least three or four of these below with regards to some dream or another that you have about your one precious life.

The 10 excuses we make for not getting on with the dreams/second acts/living large are right here and there are plenty more of them -- how many do you identify with ...?

1.Too busy with the current version of your life 2.Not sure of what I want to do/be/explore 3.Don't know what I'm passionate about anymore 4.Can't afford to invest/spend money on the venture/"crazy/not-so-crazy" idea 5.Afraid to risk not being successful at this 6.What will others say/think? 7.Don't know where to learn more about what I want to do 8.Never been good at starting something new and it's overwhelming 9.Have to stay focused on all the things that help my family run smoothly 10.Always have to put everyone else first -- they need me -- I could never do that for me, it would be selfish

If you can relate to at least two or three of these excuses, it's time to take an even harder look at all the reasons why you SHOULD dare to dream and pursue a passion that you've long yearned to pursue.

So how are you going to do this? What will motivate you to stop making excuses? Here's a little guidance -- much of it obvious but these reminders are to help you gain clarity and direction that might just get you there...

It won't happen all on its own. You have to consciously create your reality and your life to be what you want. It's not luck, it's intention, a goal, a road map and a plan to get there.

Come up with your Action List -- pros, cons, things you have to do, people who may be a part of it, a timeline, goals, milestones, and ideas that will get you there.

Buy a great little notebook and make it your place to check in with daily. Create tabs or sections for each category you want to focus on and the project details listed above. You can use a computer or notepad on your smartphone, but writing on paper in a little notebook is more visceral -- connecting at a deeper level with you, thus helping you to actualize it.

Pick a time each day that you know you can stick to -- wake up 15 minutes earlier, 15 minutes before bedtime, 15 minutes of your lunch hour. Whatever else you've been doing, make this your new priority. Use this time for research, jotting down ideas and plans, making lists of how you're going to accomplish your goals, write down the challenges you foresee and how you'll overcome them.

Set the intention of what you want to the point that it's so clear you can feel it, smell it, taste it and help manifest it becoming your new reality.

Reinvention and evolution in your life are inspired, creative, exciting times. Don't make excuses any more. Take those baby steps and with every step, comes a reward of accomplishment and satisfaction that you can actually create what you want the moment you stop letting those excuses get in your way.

So take one small step towards creating your life with courage. Don't sit on the sidelines and look at others in awe when that could be you fulfilling your own dreams. What may seem like a daunting task and unachievable is yours with each and every step you make towards it. Every little step will be a major milestone for you to celebrate -- with a pat on the back, a glass of wine, a victory dance -- it's yours, so own it!

Never be afraid to do something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark; professionals built the Titanic!

#HappyReinventing www.TheReinventionExchange.com LinkedIn: The Reinvention Exchange Facebook: The Reinvention Exchange Instagram: KathiSR or ReinventYourLife25 Twitter: KathiSR

Earlier on Huff/Post50:

11 Easy Ways To Shorten Your Life

From our partner, more in post 50.

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Rudy Giuliani accused of ‘dog ate my homework’ excuses in $2.7bn voting machines defamation case

‘the dog ate my homework.’ ‘i have to wash my hair.’ ‘i can’t go out, i’m sick.’, article bookmarked.

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Voting company Smartmatic tore into Rudy Giuliani for fabricating “excuse after excuse” to avoid handing over documents in its $2.7bn defamation suit involving him and Fox News for spreading misinformation about the 2020 elections.

After the 2020 elections, the voting system company filed a $2.7bn lawsuit against Fox News , as well as former New York City mayor Mr Giuliani and attorney Sidney Powell , after the network ran numerous reports which alleged the firm conspired with Venezuela’s socialist government to steal the 2020 elections from Mr Trump .

“‘The dog ate my homework.’ ‘I have to wash my hair.’ ‘I can’t go out, I’m sick.’ Since the dawn of time, people have made up excuses to avoid doing things they do not want to do. This is exactly what Giuliani has done here,” Smartmatic wrote in court filings on Monday.

The company accused Mr Giuliani of “half-heartedly” performing manual searches on his devices resulting in outcomes that were both “absurd” and inadequate after he said he had “misplaced” his iPhone.

Smartmatic claimed he only provided two public tweets to the company in response to their comprehensive document requests to establish whether he is telling the truth about not being able to afford a vendor to handle their data request.

Giuliani request for pardon intercepted before reaching Trump, book says
Trump makes shocking claims about DA’s sex life days before she’s due to indict him – latest
Trump vows to keep campaigning on his criminal cases despite prosecutors seeking order to stop

Fox News and other defendants have denied the allegations.

Last year, Mr Giuliani counter-sued Smartmatic to recoup legal fees for defending himself against the lawsuit and the defamation lawsuit, which he called as “baseless” and which he claimed interfered with his constitutional right to speak freely on issues of public concern.

Smartmatic is now urging a New York state judge to compel Mr Giuliani to provide the requested documents and to furnish a financial statement that substantiates his assertion of being unable to afford an external vendor for the extensive discovery demand.

Additionally, Smartmatic is seeking sanctions against Mr Giuliani and requesting he cover a portion of the company’s legal expenses even as his legal bills seem to be piling up .

Mr Giuliani has said in a sworn affidavit to the company that he “lost” his iPhone he used between November 2020 and April 2021 and he was able to search for documents on a cloud-based backup of his phone.

He said he “did a manual search” of his current iPhone and iPad, but “was not able to find” any text messages with the keywords that Smartmatic is seeking as part of the discovery process.

The Smartmatic lawsuit is just one of the various legal battles that Mr Giuliani is facing. In the latest, he was named an unindicted co-conspirator in special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation in which Mr Trump was criminally charged for his attempts to overturn the 2020 elections .

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The Dog Ate My Homework

The first known time that anyone used the “dog ate my homework” excuse was, according to writing expert and educationist, Christoper Simpson, in 1835. The student who was said to have uttered the now famous explanation for the absence of homework was Henry Pennywhistle, but other sources attribute the words to a story about a Welsh minister in 1905, and yet another source points to Saint Tyron who in the fifth century found a fox with whom he made friends. At some point, the fox ate his psalms, but “the fox ate my scriptures,” doesn’t quite have the same ring. Whatever. The quote spawned a cottage industry of creative excuses, many of which became children’s books (“Godzilla Ate My Homework,” “A Dinosaur Ate My Homework,” “Aliens Ate My Homework,” “My Teacher Ate My Homework,” and so on).

We know that dogs sometimes do eat things they ought not to, something the author, John Steinbeck” found out when he reportedly found the first draft of his novel, Of Mice and Men , chewed up by his dog. Steinbeck was known, of course, for his Poodle, “Charley,” who accompanied him on a criss-cross journey “in search of America.” The book resulted in Travels with Charley: In Search of America, though the journey was in the 1960s, and Of Mice and Men was published in 1937, so we think the Poodle was innocent. In fact, it was Steinbeck’s dog, Max, who chomped on the first draft of the classic. Steinbeck owned many dogs in his life, including an Airedale Terrier, but Max’s breed remains a mystery to us.

Image: “Dog Ate my Homework” is available on a t-shirt and hoodie here.

Trump’s Sons Don’t Want ‘John Boltons’ in Next Admin: Report

CALLING ALL SYCOPHANTS

Don Jr. and Eric Trump have reportedly taken the reigns on assembling their father’s potential White House transition team.

Billie eilish on masturbation: ‘people should be jerking it’, “last year, i realized i wanted my face in a vagina,” eilish told rolling stone in a new interview., npr’s new ceo strikes back at her ‘bad faith’ detractors.

FIGHTING TALK

Critics have resurfaced Katherine Maher’s past comments and questioned her objectivity.

Ex-boeing manager says ‘hustling parts’ got people promoted, merle meyers gave 30 years of his life to the company but says he was reprimanded after sounding the alarm over employees mishandling parts., hackers steal large sum from anti-trump super pac.

IDENTITIES UNKNOWN

The Lincoln Project said hackers set their eyes on a committee vendor, “producing authentic-looking invoices”

Several crew injured in crash on set of eddie murphy film.

‘DID NOT GO AS PLANNED’

Eddie Murphy and the film’s other stars, Keke Palmer and Pete Davidson, weren’t on the set at the time.

‘giant’ coyote spotted prowling central park spooks joggers.

THAT’S NO DOG!

Brett Cohn said the animal stopped him “in his tracks” on Saturday morning.

Tiktok star eva evans’ cause of death revealed, the 29-year-old’s death shocked friends and family, as well as her more than 300,000 followers., giuliani using ‘dog ate my homework’ excuses over docs: smartmatic.

NOT VERY CONVINCING

Brett Bachman

Night Editor

Reuters/Eduardo Munoz

Voting technology company Smartmatic unloaded on former New York City mayor-turned Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani, saying that he’s delivered a number of ludicrous excuses in order to delay or avoid turning over evidence in its sprawling defamation case against him. “‘The dog ate my homework.’ ‘I have to wash my hair.’ ‘I can’t go out, I’m sick.’ Since the dawn of time, people have made up excuses to avoid doing things they do not want to do. This is exactly what Giuliani has done here,” the company wrote, according to CNN. “For months, Giuliani has made up excuses to get out of his discovery obligations. …To date, Giuliani has not produced a single non-public document responsive to the discovery requests Smartmatic issued 14 months ago.” Smartmatic is asking that a judge force Rudy’s hand—and that he provide a full accounting of his finances in order to determine whether he is telling the truth about not being able to afford a vendor to handle the company’s onerous data request.

My dog ate my homework (Past Simple and Past Continuous)

Games and Role Plays
Past Tenses

Grammar - Past Simple and Past Continuous

LESSON OVERVIEW

In this lesson, students learn the difference between Past Simple and Past Continuous . They also get the chance to practise using the two tenses in a variety of tasks.

PAST SIMPLE AND PAST CONTINUOUS

At the beginning of the lesson students read the definition of the word excuse and think what excuses people often give in different situations (e.g. when they are late). Then, students read six situations and think of an excuse they might give in each of them (e.g. You borrowed a friend’s laptop and broke it .) Next, they look at a list of excuses and match them with the situations they talked about. The excuses contain verbs in Past Simple and Past Continuous forms. After that, students look at some of the excuses again and find the verbs , as well as decide which tense they are. They also work out the rules of using Past Simple and Past Continuous.

In this part of the lesson students practise using the past tenses . First, they do a controlled activity in which they need to choose the correct verb forms in sentences. Then, they look at four photos of people who might have done something wrong and discuss some questions. For instance, they explain what happened (e.g. someone broke some plates), say whether these situations ever happened to them, and decide if the people should apologize for what happened. Then, students use the four photos to create some excuses for what happened. They need to use Past Simple and Past Continuous, as well as some verbs in brackets. Finally, students play a game in which they get a list of situations (e.g. You promised to cook dinner but you didn’t .). In pairs, they need to create excuses for what happened, and their partner needs to guess what the situation is.

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Dog Caught Doing Unthinkable To Boy's Homework—But No One Will Believe Them

A dog owner has shared photographic evidence of his naughty Labrador puppy bringing a classic missing homework excuse to life.

From the moment Ben Lambert, from Westchester, New York, laid eyes on puppy companion Winnie, he knew she was special. Born on Christmas Eve as a rare "singleton," meaning her mom gave birth to just one puppy, it's fair to say Winnie is used to being the center of attention.

She certainly caught Lambert's attention when they first met. "My favorite dog ever passed a few years ago, and Winnie is his great-niece," Lambert told Newsweek . "The breeder is my friend's mom, they breed show Labs. Winnie's grandad won Westminster Best of Breed twice."

Lambert said his family weren't originally planning on adding another dog to the family— but one glimpse of Winnie changed all of that. "My friend showed me a video of Winnie and his baby nephew. Winnie was just letting the baby poke and prod and she didn't mind and was obviously a sweet girl, so I asked if she was spoken for," he said.

Winnie's breeder had originally planned on keeping the young pup around, but changed her mind when Lambert and his family asked about her availability. "We have three young kids that haven't had the puppy experience," Lambert explained.

Winnie has quickly settled into life with her new family. "She loves water and has got huge paws, meaning she will be quite large for a female Labrador."

She has also developed one slightly mischievous habit. "Her favorite thing to do is grab stuff she shouldn't and have you chase her to get it," Lambert said.

That's what led to their recent predicament. Winnie's love of grabbing things led to something hilarious: he ate Lambert's 11-year-old son's homework.

In a rerun of what might just be the oldest excuse in the book , Winnie made off with the assignment and was later photographed alongside the document, which now had several chunks missing from it.

A schoolboy tale as old as time, the concept of a dog consuming an important written document dates back to 1906 and an article by music critic William Apmadoc in the Welsh-American magazine The Cambrian, who regaled readers with an anecdote about a church minister who, just prior to his service, discovered his sermon had been eaten by his dog.

The first instance of a dog eating homework, meanwhile, appeared in a 1929 article published in The Manchester Guardian by retiring headmaster James Bewsher who quipped: "It is a long time since I have had the excuse about the dog tearing up the arithmetic homework."

Though it's often an excuse viewed with skepticism, there are some notable early examples of something similar unfolding in real life. The most notable being the tale of John Steinbeck asking his editor for an extension on submitting his manuscript for Of Mice and Men after it was half-eaten by his Irish setter.

A similar fate has now befallen Lambert's son, which is something he puts down to their puppy's precocious nature. "If it's within three feet of the floor Winnie will try and snatch it, sometimes even climb to get it."

He's not the only dog owner to witness this kind of destruction. Sharing the image of Winnie and the destroyed homework to Reddit , several fellow dog owners were quick to chime in with stories of their own dog's efforts.

"My lab destroyed more than a few library books. Something about them was irresistible. Something about paper, she loved to destroy," one user commented.

"When my kid was in elementary school, still using special paper, our puppy destroyed his homework. He redid the homework on regular paper, manipulated for the direction lines. Sent a note that the puppy had eaten his homework and that type of paper was all we had," another added. "Received a small packet of paper and a note that she actually believed this dog-ate-my-homework excuse."

Winnie is fond of chewing up more than just paper. ""She's teaching the kids about picking up their toys." Lambert. "She's not a polite borrower and rarely returns toys in the same condition."

Thankfully, in the case of the homework assignment there was one positive: it had already been graded. Unfortunately, Winnie's antics have continued since then. "Last night she ripped up a field trip permission slip for my daughter," Lambert said.

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Winnie the black labrador puppy. Ben Lambert said his family's dog has a habit of picking up any random bits of paper within his reach

IMAGES

Funniest Homework Excuses Since "The Dog Ate My Homework"
Funniest Homework Excuses Since "The Dog Ate My Homework"
Teacher reveals dog ate her students' homework
How the dog ate my homework excuses start
Dog Ate Homework
13 Hilarious Homework Excuses That Will Make You Smile

VIDEO

The Dog Ate My Homework

COMMENTS

The dog ate my homework
The dog ate my homework. " The dog ate my homework " (or " My dog ate my homework ") is an English expression which carries the suggestion of being a common, poorly fabricated excuse made by schoolchildren to explain their failure to turn in an assignment on time. The phrase is referenced, even beyond the educational context, as a sarcastic ...
51 Best Homework Excuses (Serious, Funny, Strict Teachers)
18. My Cat ate it knowing that I'd Blame the Dog. This one's a funny twist on "my dog ate my homework" that might just get a laugh out of your teacher (and a little bit of leniency). Related: Excuses for Skipping Class in College. Excuses For Strict Teachers. Okay, here's where things get serious.
Where Did The Phrase "The Dog Ate My Homework" 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 ...
Did Anybody Ever Believe The Excuse "The Dog Ate My Homework"?
The excuse was alluded to more and more throughout the 1980s. A 1982 Time magazine column on excuses suggested that "The dog ate my homework is a favorite with schoolchildren," while a 1987 ...
Can The Dog Still Eat Your Homework? : NPR
WICKMAN: Yeah, so even through the '60s people - it's still juts one of many excuses. People might say my dog ate my homework. My dog went on my homework is one excuse that's used in a popular ...
Sometimes The Dog Really Does Eat Your Homework : NPR
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. SCOTT SIMON, HOST: Last ...
My Dog Ate My Homework... and Other Excuses
"My dog ate my homework" is an excuse that sprang from a 1905 anecdote about a minister temporarily filling in for another minister. At the time, William ApMadoc, a contributor to the Welsh journal The Cambrian, indicated the initial punchline had more to do with brevity than an excuse for non-performance.
BBC Learning English
"The dog ate my homework" is a legendary excuse - no one is sure if a student has ever really used it. More sinister is the claim that one pupil made: she said that she saw a ghost flying away ...
The dog ate my homework
"The dog ate my homework" is an English expression which carries the suggestion of being a common, poorly fabricated excuse made by schoolchildren to explain their failure to turn in an assignment on time. The phrase is referenced, even beyond the educational context, as a sarcastic rejoinder to any similarly glib or otherwise insufficient or implausible explanation for a failure in any context.
the dog ate my homework
(cliché, also attributively) A stereotypical unconvincing excuse for not completing school homework, or (by extension) not meeting one's obligations. 2011 May 6, Damian Carrington, "Environment action delays blamed on 'dog ate my homework' excuses", in The Guardian‎[1], archived from the original on 2022-08-24: Their reasons for missed deadlines ...
Funniest Homework Excuses Since "The Dog Ate My Homework"
By Stephanie Jankowski. Apr 6, 2018. "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 ...
Do Dogs Really Eat Homework?
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 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 ...
When 'The Dog Ate My Homework' Just Won't Cut It As An Excuse
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Excuses have gotten a little more creative than 'my dog ate my homework,' but as Careerbuilder.com's Jennifer Grasz explained, some are just variations on the original. On ...
Best homework excuses that aren't 'my dog ate it'
4. "My computer just blew up. I couldn't do the homework," said Brent Judd about a student doing an essay for his English class. The student's excuse worked, but he was deducted points.
My Dog Ate My Homework and Other Excuses
My Dog Ate My Homework and Other Excuses. An empty classroom in 194 Mercer Street. WSN has compiled a list of the best excuses students have conjured to skip class. NYU students are paying more than the GDP of the South Asian country of Bhutan for a formal education.
Dog ate my homework
Definition of dog ate my homework in the Idioms Dictionary. dog ate my homework phrase. What does dog ate my homework expression mean? Definitions by the largest Idiom Dictionary. ... Bob was late with his report and had nothing but his typical dog-ate-my-homework excuses. See also: ate, dog, homework.
The Dog Ate My Homework ... And Other Excuses For Not Living ...
The 10 excuses we make for not getting on with the dreams/second acts/living large are right here and there are plenty more of them -- how many do you identify with ...? 1.Too busy with the current version of your life. 2.Not sure of what I want to do/be/explore. 3.Don't know what I'm passionate about anymore.
Pet Owners Are Sharing Photos of Their Dogs "Doing Homework"
"My dog ate my homework" is a classic (but not very believable) excuse if you've ever failed to hand in a school assignment on time. However, it's unfair to let our fluffy friends take the blame. ... Maybe the "dog ate my homework" excuse is true in this case. Sandy took off with my son's math homework. Not quite the same….
Giuliani accused of 'dog ate my homework' excuses in $2.7bn voting
Rudy Giuliani accused of 'dog ate my homework' excuses in $2.7bn voting machines defamation case 'The dog ate my homework.' 'I have to wash my hair.' 'I can't go out, I'm sick.'
Smartmatic accuses Rudy Giuliani of 'dog ate my homework'-style excuses
"'The dog ate my homework.' 'I have to wash my hair.' 'I can't go out, I'm sick.' Since the dawn of time, people have made up excuses to avoid doing things they do not want to do.
The Dog Ate My Homework
The first known time that anyone used the "dog ate my homework" excuse was, according to writing expert and educationist, Christoper Simpson, in 1835. The student who was said to have uttered the now famous explanation for the absence of homework was Henry Pennywhistle, but other sources attribute the words to a story about a Welsh minister ...
Giuliani Using 'Dog Ate My Homework' Excuses Over Docs: Smartmatic
"'The dog ate my homework.' 'I have to wash my hair.' 'I can't go out, I'm sick.' Since the dawn of time, people have made up excuses to avoid doing things they do not want to do.
My dog ate my homework (Past Simple and Past Continuous)
PAST SIMPLE AND PAST CONTINUOUS. At the beginning of the lesson students read the definition of the word excuse and think what excuses people often give in different situations (e.g. when they are late). Then, students read six situations and think of an excuse they might give in each of them (e.g. You borrowed a friend's laptop and broke it.)
Dog Caught Doing Unthinkable To Boy's Homework—But No One Will ...
Story by Jack Beresford. • 28m. A dog owner has shared photographic evidence of his naughty Labrador puppy bringing a classic missing homework excuse to life. From the moment Ben Lambert, from ...
PDF "Wow," said Ms. Peters. "There are some creative excuses in here today
They decided to make up funny excuses instead. Maybe if they made Ms. Peters laugh, she wouldn't mind so much that they hadn't studied. Of course there was the usual "dog ate my homework" excuse. But that had been done before. "A herd of angry bees carried my spelling notebook away to their queen," said Jeremy.