One of the things I really enjoy about my career as a pet nanny is getting to spend time outside with my clients. It’s great, I get to be out and get some exercise. I get to be with my doggie clients, whom I love. And I get paid for it!
Often we just walk around their neighborhoods. I enjoy to looking at the houses and landscaping. When you’re walking dogs, you have plenty of time to stop and look around, while they read and leave messages. You can drive up and down a street a hundred times and you probably won’t notice a tenth of the things you will when you walk a dog down it once.
Although, not all dogs want to just wander from scent to scent. There are those who have an agenda and are determined to fulfill it as quickly as possible… some dogs just want to get out and move, some have favorite fence fighting places, some have favorite ball playing places, some just want to potty only in that one special spot. They are “the pullers” and want to drag me like they’re all husky’s and I’m a sled. At first they’re surprised when I don’t go along with their plan and refuse to be pulled to wherever they want to go. It sometimes takes awhile for a dog to get it, but they learn that I’ll take them where they want to go, but only if they don’t pull me there. I don’t yell, tug, pop, shock or use any other aversive, so-called, training method. It’s all about reinforcing them for doing what you want them to do and not reinforcing the things you don’t. I find it very rewarding to teach a confirmed puller to loose leash walk. Their parents appreciate it too!
I often have pleasant conversations with people along the way. It’s funny how many people will stop and chat with you when you’re in the company of a dog or three. Otherwise, they’d smile, nod, and keep on walking. I understand it completely and do the same thing myself. Some of us are just drawn to dogs and feel a need to be close to them whenever possible. That’s why I do what I do.
However, dog walking isn’t always all that enjoyable, like when it’s pouring down rain. Some of my clients could care less about the weather. They just want to get out and do their thing for as long as they can. We can get soaking wet and it’s fine with them. Others would rather hold it forever than go out in a sprinkle. They hurry out, do their thing and get back inside, ASAP. Then we play indoor games.
One of my pet peeves is being forced to drag a dog or two onto the bike lane to make way for a bicyclist, who’s riding on the sidewalk. They are sidewalks, not siderides. Bikers should ride in the Bike Lane. I understand when little kids ride their little bikes on the sidewalk; they shouldn’t be in the street. I even give teens some slack; after all, they don’t have fully formed brains. Adults should know better. Most bicyclists are polite, but there are a few who don’t seem to care about anyone else. I know it has nothing to do with the bike; they’re probably always jerks. I can only imagine how they drive a car… scary.
Speaking of scary, the other night I was walking a couple clients, Buddy who is 70 pounds of sweetness and, 9 pound, Peanut who is also really sweet and a little feisty. The streets in that area aren’t well lit and very quiet. A little ways down the street, I noticed a man lurking in the shadows of a large willow type tree. I could see him, but not well, it was too dark where he was standing. He gave me a real bad feeling! I didn't like the way he was just standing there in the shadows, semi hidden by the tree and watching me. I was about to cross the street to put some distance between us, however there are big advantages to walking a big dog! As soon as he saw Buddy, he walked away down the street.
Then there’s the poop. It’s not fun picking up dog poop, especially if the dog has diarrhea, which is like trying to pick up a stinky pile of thick soup. It’s impossible to get it all and semi-nauseating to try. Some of the stuff that comes out of a dogs rear is just amazing. I’ve found some odd things like: small bits of cloth, long hair (obviously human), pebbles, pieces of what looked like plastic food wrappers, yarn, tinsel, a marble and other unidentifiable stuff that I don’t even want to think about. Once I looked at a fresh one and there were all these little multi-colored shiny things in it, the poop glittered in the sunlight. When I looked closer, that’s exactly what it was, glitter. It was the prettiest poop I’ve ever seen.
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