I wear UGG boots in winter because it's fucking cold.

I also wrap myself in a blanket on the couch, and have a lovely area rug so I don't have to walk on a cold floor. All these things are necessary to survive the winter; my house isn't well insulated.

The problem with all this, is that I build up a static charge. So when I go to pat my beautiful sweetheart of a dog, I zap him. It's audible and I'm sure, quite unpleasant. Often on the head. He obviously doesn't like that, I think he's taking it personally, and I feel awful. It completely cancels out the affection I'm trying to show him.

So the question for the Lemmy community is:

How do I discharge the static before I pat my dog? I have started shocking my partner (which he doesn't like, but accepts over the alternative), before patting my dog. But as he's out tonight, I have no human vessel to offer as tribute?

What can I touch in my house before patting my dog so that he doesn't receive a shock?

Edit: standard Australian house and furniture

Another edit: I'm all the sheets to the wind so the engineering advice is not sinking in. But I'm loving the immediate response that I'd never have gotten on Deaddit.

Again: I can't stop giggling at how helpful everyone is being and how short m, drunk and silly I am, in a house with apparently no metal

And again: I should probably take me and my baby to bed now, but a big thank you to everyone who replied. You've all been lovely. Lemmy is really a different space to ask these questions! I'll be trying out many of your suggestions over the weekend; big thanks from me and my boy x

Final: thanks to everyone who responded. I did try the kitchen tap again last night and this time it worked! Mustn't have built up enough charge when I tried the night I posted. I will still primarily zap my partner's leg as it's usually closer and doing it makes me laugh. It's important he understands where he fits in the household hierarchy as well. I also learnt that American houses are very different (screws and radiators everywhere!) so that was interesting too.

      • Flyberius [comrade/them]
        ·
        10 months ago

        Do you have anything else that might be earthed? A metal tap will probably work, so long as it is attached to a metal pipe.

        • boogetyboo@aussie.zone
          ·
          10 months ago

          Like my kitchen tap? I think it's coated metal rather than, I dunno, an outdoor tap.. Would that still work?

          • Flyberius [comrade/them]
            ·
            10 months ago

            Yeah, absolutely, that's what I meant. I am pretty sure that will be earthed. Go work up a charge and give it a try.

            Equally, if you have a metal oven or any metal electrical equipment that is earthed that will work too.

            • boogetyboo@aussie.zone
              ·
              10 months ago

              I just tried and felt no shock... Would I feel it if it worked? I'm willing to feel the pain myself.

              • Flyberius [comrade/them]
                ·
                10 months ago

                I would have thought so. Maybe you have non-metal pipes leading to the tap.

                Can anyone else in the thread think of something?