# Is there a polite version of "don't shit where you eat?" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 26, 2009, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-polite-version-of-dont-shit-where-you-eat/507770 "2009-08-26T15:31:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Transistor\_Rhythm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@Transistor\_Rhythm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Transistor_Rhythm)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-polite-version-of-dont-shit-where-you-eat/507770/1 "2009-08-26T15:31:46Z")
Looking for a saw, adage, whatever that doesn’t have poop in it to signify the same lesson. “Don’t dip your pen in the company ink” was suggested by a friend, but I think that has a different connotation. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-polite-version-of-dont-shit-where-you-eat/507770/2 "2009-08-26T15:34:34Z")
Don’t bite the hand that feeds you. Don’t foul your own nest. Don’t shoot holes in your own boat. Don’t kill ur own d00dz. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-polite-version-of-dont-shit-where-you-eat/507770/3 "2009-08-26T15:44:38Z")
Depends on what you’re trying to say, exactly, as the variety offered by **Diogenes** suggests. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-polite-version-of-dont-shit-where-you-eat/507770/4 "2009-08-26T15:48:12Z")
The slightly more polite version is the “hamburger rule:” don’t get your meat at the same place you get your bread. ETA: Actually, that one has the same connotation as the “company ink” adage, so that might not be what your looking for. ---
**Author:** ![hobscrk777](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a6a055/32.png) [@hobscrk777](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hobscrk777)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-polite-version-of-dont-shit-where-you-eat/507770/5 "2009-08-26T19:05:14Z")
“Don’t excrete fecal matter where you eat”? ---
**Author:** ![cactus\_waltz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@cactus\_waltz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cactus_waltz)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-polite-version-of-dont-shit-where-you-eat/507770/6 "2009-08-26T19:22:42Z")
> [@hobscrk777](#): > > “Don’t excrete fecal matter where you eat”? Ahem. “Don’t excrete fecal matter where you digest nutritions.” ---
**Author:** ![Nancarrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c37758/32.png) [@Nancarrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nancarrow)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-polite-version-of-dont-shit-where-you-eat/507770/7 "2009-08-26T19:27:59Z")
> [@pravnik](#): > > The slightly more polite version is the “hamburger rule:” don’t get your meat at the same place you get your bread. > > ETA: Actually, that one has the same connotation as the “company ink” adage, so that might not be what your looking for. Another one I like is “don’t get your honey where you get your money”. Which actually was the only place I ever got my honey but it worked out OK. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-polite-version-of-dont-shit-where-you-eat/507770/8 "2009-08-26T19:31:10Z")
There’s also “don’t pee in the pool” and the colorful but now arcane “don’t wrestle a pig in its own wallow.” Depending on what you’re trying to say, there’s always “people in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.” ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-polite-version-of-dont-shit-where-you-eat/507770/9 "2009-08-26T19:35:05Z")
Don’t dookie where you cookie. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-polite-version-of-dont-shit-where-you-eat/507770/10 "2009-08-26T19:55:50Z")
I’ve said “You’re making the bed you’re going to lie in” as a way of giving the same kind of warning. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-polite-version-of-dont-shit-where-you-eat/507770/11 "2009-08-26T20:08:40Z")
“Don’t build the latrine upstream of the mess.” ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-polite-version-of-dont-shit-where-you-eat/507770/12 "2009-08-26T20:12:37Z")
Pigs don’t wallow in the trough. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-polite-version-of-dont-shit-where-you-eat/507770/13 "2009-08-26T20:17:37Z")
Don’t poop in your own mouth. Oh, wait. That’s even worse. ---
**Author:** ![Daithi\_Lacha](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daithi_lacha/32/5430_2.png) [@Daithi\_Lacha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daithi_Lacha)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-polite-version-of-dont-shit-where-you-eat/507770/14 "2009-08-26T20:17:46Z")
_It’s an ill bird that fouls its own nest._ A classic, but there’s that poop again! ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-polite-version-of-dont-shit-where-you-eat/507770/15 "2009-08-26T20:33:06Z")
Don’t cut off your nose to spite your face ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-polite-version-of-dont-shit-where-you-eat/507770/16 "2009-08-26T20:44:31Z")
Dissidents will be shot. Close, but maybe not close enough.🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-polite-version-of-dont-shit-where-you-eat/507770/17 "2009-08-26T20:54:30Z")
Dont poo wer u nom ---
**Author:** ![HelenGawn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@HelenGawn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HelenGawn)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-polite-version-of-dont-shit-where-you-eat/507770/18 "2009-08-26T21:22:28Z")
No fishing off the company pier. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-polite-version-of-dont-shit-where-you-eat/507770/19 "2009-08-26T21:31:14Z")
> [@Transistor\_Rhythm](#): > > Looking for a saw, adage, whatever that doesn’t have poop in it to signify the same lesson. “Don’t dip your pen in the company ink” was suggested by a friend, but I think that has a different connotation. No love for “Dont mix business with pleasure”? ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-polite-version-of-dont-shit-where-you-eat/507770/20 "2009-08-26T21:43:15Z")
Don’t eat asparagus for the drug test. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-polite-version-of-dont-shit-where-you-eat/507770.md?page=2)