Ten Ways You Know You Are A Professional Dog Walker

Itha & Draug - Check this smell out!

1. You know what just about any pup is trying to say to you by observing their body language.



Sandy - Please, pet my belly!

2. You have poop bags and a spare leash (or two... or three...) in almost every pocket most of the time even when you're not working... just in case.
   
   

   

   Phoebe - Let's just chill here for a bit, shall we?

3. Someone says, "bitches, I tell ya, bitches!" and your favorite female pups pop into your head.
   
   

   

   Penny - That was a great walk!

   

   Sophie - I'm being patient... Can we go now?

4. Someone says, "what a dog!" and your favorite male pups pop into your head.
   
   

   

   Stanley - I look great!

   

   HODOR - Throw the ball!!!

   
   

   

   Louie - Look at all the SNOW!
5. The worst thing about winter isn't the cold or the snow, but all the layers you have to wear since throughout your day you'll be removing and adding layers due to slight shifts in the weather.
   
6. The worst thing about summer isn't the heat, but all the sunblock you have to use.
   
7. You KNOW you're going to get dog poop on you at some point this week and it barely fazes you.
   
8. Your facebook feed is full of pictures of OPP - Other People's Pups!
9. You are constantly covered in fur.
   
   

   

   Pennywhistle - Come here so 

   I can lick you!

10. Your face is always clean --- puppy kisses!

Tips on Pets and Fireworks (A less than ideal combination)

"No, not fireworks!" Says Socko

Happy Fourth of July!

While we are out enjoying the independence this nation holds dear, please remember that our pets are often affected in a negative manner by fireworks. Even when we can't hear the BOOMS, they can. Also, the pressure can be felt in the air and they have no words to tell us how they feel. This can result in unusual behaviors including, but not limited to, the pet hiding, panting, running around, huddling close to the people they love and/or being more aggressive than usual.


Here are a few things we can do for our companions:

That's a good place to hide, Nemi!

• Be patient and calm but do not make a fuss. If your animal sees that you aren't reacting to the noise and the pressure, it will encourage them not to be freaked out either.

• If your pet finds a hiding place, leave them be. Sometimes the best thing they can do is wait it out.

• A bit of soothing music or white noise can help calm their fears and drown the other sounds out. 

• Don't leave them alone for too long. This will only add to their stress. 

• If your pet wears a thunder shirt or anxiety wrap during storms, put it on them during the fireworks. 

• Keep your pets inside. 

• If you have to take your dog outside, be sure they are on a leash. Even if you do not  leave your yard, that extra bit of security to keep them safe in case they get startled could save your dog from running off. 

• If they can be distracted, get them to focus on something they enjoy. (I.e. a game of fetch, a kong with yummies inside, some lettuce, chasing a feather wand, etc.) There's less room for fear if their minds are engaged elsewhere.

Lettuce distract Piglet!

What do you do to help your pets during the Fourth of July or other scary times? 

Please share your tips in the comments! 

Thanks!

ADDITION

A friend of mine pointed out this very helpful article that takes things a step further. With a bit of work, you can train your pets out of their fearful response. 

Here, she explains it better:

http://paws4udogs.wordpress.com/2013/07/08/fireworks/

Why I, as a Professional Dog Walker, Refuse to Use Retractable Leashes

I have been a professional dog walker for over three years. In that time, I have taken at least 5,000 walks (probably more) with a variety of breeds. Before my dog walking career, I was a Humane Educator, an Intake Counselor, an Adoption Counselor and an Animal Care Technician at a local animal shelter. The stories I heard there combined with my own research and my experiences have all led me to not trust retractable leashes. This is why I, as a professional dog walker, will always bring along at least two standard leashes in order to avoid ever having to use a retractable leash. 

Below are the details of why I will not use a retractable leash.

The Handle 

This is the portion of the leash with which I have the most problems. I walk lots of dogs, one right after the other, in all sorts of weather. This means I'm sometimes wearing gloves, my hands get sweaty, I'm often covered in dog slobber, I have many keys to deal with, I might be walking two or three dogs at a time, I have to pick up poop, etc, etc, etc. 

The hand that's holding the retractable leash cannot do much more than hold the leash. With a regular leash, I can loop the end around my wrist and still use my hand knowing that the dog is secured. With a retractable, if I need to use that hand for any reason, I have to put the handle of the leash down or shove it insecurely under my arm or in a pocket. Either of those options are tempting fate. (And by "fate", I'm referring to the distractible nature of dogs. Oh look! A squirrel!) 

The handle can be difficult to hold. If it gets wet from sweat, slobber or rain, that plastic becomes slippery. If I'm wearing gloves, my grip is not going to be as secure on the plastic as it is when I have a nylon leash.  If the dog starts pulling, I don't have as strong of a hold on that big hunk of plastic as I do with  a regular leash that I can wrap around my hand, something you do not want to do with a retractable leash. 

The handle, if dropped, can frighten the dog. That plastic can make a loud sound on concrete or brick. It is probably not going to be very loud if it lands on grass, but it might thump against a tree or something and startle the pup. On one of my walks, I actually saw this following scenario happen:

A small older lady was bent over picking up poop when her Silky Terrier spotted me coming with the Shiba Inu I was walking. The Silky got overly excited and lunged towards us. The woman almost fell over and dropped the leash. The sound of the plastic hitting the pavement scared the Silky. She ran off getting more and more upset as the leash bounced after her. We were, fortunately, on a street that had little traffic. I was able to grab the leash as the Silky ran past and returned her to the woman who was in a panic. This whole scenario could have ended much worse. 

The Retraction Button

The problem I have with the button is that it does not always work and, when it does, it is a pain to regulate. I understand that the idea behind the Retractable Leash is that it gives the dog the opportunity to roam. I am all for a dog being able to run around and roam while in a yard or at a dog park but not while on a walk. On the rare occasions when I have had to use a retractable leash, I locked the leash at a certain length so that the pup would not end up in traffic or under a bush with who knows what other critters.

Unfortunately, locking it can cause another problem. With it locked, the leash is slack and if the dog comes back towards me, s/he can then wrap it around me. I have been fortunate and have not received an injury from a leash wrap. Others have not been so lucky and have sustained rope burns, lacerations and even amputations. (Please refer to the articles I have linked below.*)

Another problem occurs when the button fails to work. This can be the fault of the manufacturer, the walker's finger either not compressing the button hard enough or slipping off of it or just a matter of regular wear and tear. Unlike the wear and tear on a standard leash, the mechanism for the button is in the plastic casing so it is not possible to see when it's getting worn down. No matter where the fault lies, the end result can be devastating. When I worked at the shelter, I heard different tales in which dogs got injured, and in one case died, because the button failed to work. In one of the stories, two dogs got into a fight when the walkers thought they were far enough away from each other but the dog on the retractable leash managed to snap the button and suddenly had a lot more leash to work with. Another owner had tried to lock the leash as the dog ran after a squirrel. The leash just kept spooling out despite the lock button being pressed and the dog was hit by a car and died as his owner watched not five feet away still holding that leash.

The Leash Itself

As I mentioned earlier, the leash wrapping around you can lead to rope burns, lacerations and amputations. Retractable Leashes will often have this warning, or something similar, on the plastic casing:

This, by itself, makes me not want to use that leash. The unfortunate thing is, since they put this warning on the leash, the manufacturer can say that you're at fault because your dog was uncontrollable. But even the best dogs, like people, have bad days and bad things happen. I will always do my best to minimize the potential for things going wrong. If that means I have to carry around extra leashes, then I carry around extra leashes.



I am around more dogs and more dog situations than most people and that is why I wrote this. I feel that everyone should be informed about the hazards of retractable leashes. I am including *four articles that explain the hazards of using retractable leashes:

Why I Don't Recommend Retractable Leashes by Dr. Becker

5 Reasons the Retractable Dog Leash is the Worst Invention, EVER

Retractable Leashes Pose Problems for People and their Pets

The Dangers of Retractable Leashes 

A Couple of Pawrific Pals!

Louie & Bentley

I have some amazing clients and Louie and Bentley's parents are among the best. Not only have they given a wonderful home to two dogs of such varying size, a Pug and a Husky,  but the Pug, Bentley, is a special needs dog. Due to spinal problems, Bentley has partial paralysis in his rear legs. He does a good job of scooting around and even getting his legs to cooperate with him at times. But he cannot manage stairs and has to be carried. He sometimes has accidents too, but his parents make it so easy to clean up after him. 

Bentley & his wheels

My visits with these two are always so much fun! We run (or in Bentley's case, shuffle-slide) around the yard playing with toys and sticks. Louie and I also chase each other around the yard being super silly. They live across from a grocery store and Bentley likes to announce himself to everyone coming in and out. People passing by the yard will comment on how cute, good and adorable they are. I couldn't agree more. 

Louie lovin' the snow!

Not too long ago, they got wheels for Bentley. You should see this kid! He's a speedster! He zooms around the yard as if he were born with wheels. His parents say that with his wheels on, he's more like his younger self. He even tries to bully his brother Louie about, chasing him and nipping at his ankles. Fortunately, Louie seems to think it's a game. He jumps around, runs off then runs right back at Bentley play bowing and wagging his tail. Sometimes, when Louie's bouncing back and forth and Bentley's barking, I'm convinced I can hear Louie snickering.

"I got it!"

In the winter, Louie is more in his element. He would love to stay outside frolicking in the snow all day long! Bentley just likes being outside, but I have to remember that he has a much thinner coat and isn't made for a winter wonderland. This is where treats come in handy. I'll get Bentley inside with just mentioning treats. I then take a treat out to Louie and lure him with his nose. If he's being particularly stubborn, I'll put a bit of peanut butter on it and he'll come following right away. 

"Is that treat for me?"

 Yay treats!

A Bit of Introspection...

Sorry I have been absent.

It's been tough to face this blog since my last post was about Socko and I miss him and every time I read that post I cry. There's a part of me that tells me to get over it, but I have no desire to ever get over it. He was an amazing dog. Pets like him are the reason I believe so strongly in saving animals and why I help others care for their animals and foster. There is so much more that I want to do too!

Soon I will be posting about two awesome kitties and their amazing parents. Stay tuned!

We called him the Doggy Buddha

On Monday, August 6th, we had our dog Socko euthanized. His liver had failed, both his liver and his spleen were swollen, he had a cancerous mass and he hadn't been able to keep any food down for almost a week. It was a heartbreaking decision, but it was the best we could make. 

This is my personal tribute to his memory.

Socko, just chillin'

"Whoa! What's that noise?"

Socko was a peace loving soul who got along with EVERYBODY. Humans, other dogs, cats, our now deceased guinea pig, even that skunk he tried to make friends with... (okay, that last one didn't work out so well.) People who don't normally like dogs, liked Socko.

Whenever we had foster kittens, he would watch over them, whine if they were doing something they probably shouldn't and patiently wait for them to approach him. Even when they were all puffed up and spitting and hissing and jumping at him sideways, he would sigh and just watch them. When they got comfortable enough to approach him, he was so gentle with them. Every so often, a kitten would jump at his tail; he had a white tip on a mostly black tail that looped up and it was like a kitty toy when he wagged it. Startled, he'd flip around to see what was going on, but that would be it.

Playing "your so pretty!" with Socko

He was the Doggy Buddha who would sometimes try to get in the middle of a hug, get upset if our goofing off hinted of violence and whine when the cats had the crazies. He was the Doggy Butler who would clean up any food spills, but only once stole food off an unattended plate. (He did try to get into the cats food, but was very good about leaving it alone.) He was Mr. Snuggles who sometimes wished he was small enough to be a lap dog. He loved to just lounge about with us inside, play fetch with his manky toys, go for long walks and make new friends. I will miss you more than I even know Socko!

Socko, disguised as a cat!

Socko all curled up!

One Million Kisses!!!

.

Sophie - Soft Coated Wheaton Terrier

Sophie is such a sweet girl! 

Like most terriers, she has lots and lots of energy. I started walking her when her mom (human mom) was pregnant. Now Sophie's mom had some trouble keeping up with Sophie during her first pregnancy so she hired Out-U-Go! after Sophie was already a bit sad from feeling neglected. This time, she had us start coming before it became a problem. Now that she has two very young kids to keep up with, she has me come twice a week. (And I'm glad she does!!)

One of the things I enjoy with these visits is that I often get to chat to her mom and the nanny. They're both fantastic ladies! Her mom & I also worked on Sophie's dog reactiveness. Poor Sophie had an incident with another dog attacking her when she was a young pup causing her to become dog reactive. She's fine once she gets to know a dog, but if there is another dog out walking or barking from inside the house, Sophie would become frantic and bark her head off. It would take her a while to calm down after each incident.

So I began using TACT with her. (Hee hee! I totally made that acronym up!)

Treat: If the canine that's getting her riled up is unavoidable, I give her treats until the other pup has passed or we've passed the pups who are inside their houses. I start as soon as I see or hear the other canines. For this to work, it's important to get her attention on me right away and to keep it there. There is a threshold that, once she's crossed it, there's no going back. All I can do is let her bark it out and get her away from the object of her anxiety. I try not to let her reach that threshold.

Aversion: Plain and simple, if the dog(s) can be avoided, I DO IT! Even if it means doubling back.

Coaxing: I'll alternate between a soft soothing voice to calm her and a happy excited voice to distract her. It's important to recognize which voice she's responding to and go with that one.

Toy: Sometimes, Sophie will carry a stick while we're walking. If I can redirect her energy to the stick or a toy and get her focused on that rather than the other dogs, we're golden!

Sophie - carrying her stick

As she's calming down, I shower her with lots of praise. And she's doing so much better! She still reacts, but before she gets to full freak-out mode, she looks at me, as if  checking in, and visibly relaxes once we do any of the above things.

When I go to walk Sophie, there are often people home. They are the nicest folks and I adore visiting with them! But Sophie is often torn between wanting to go for a walk with her favorite dog walker (a.k.a. me) and staying with her people. Like many Wheaton's, she would get anxious (not the best way to start a walk) but then calm down once we got going. At first, I'd use a lot of coaxing and treats and calling, "doggy joggy" as I start jogging myself. This would get her moving, but it was a slow process and I felt bad that she started out so upset.

Then one day, the solution presented itself. Sophie decided not to come over to me and just stood on the couch whining and wiggling her butt. I went over and gave her a few scritches, coaxing her to come down and let's go. Ummmm... no. So I sat on the couch and cuddled with her for about a minute as she covered my face in kisses. Then I got her harness on her and said, "let's go!" We headed out the door and she walked BEAUTIFULLY!! Since then, I start every walk I can with cuddle on the couch. We also end with snuggling... which means I get about one million kisses from Sophie every time I walk her. Hooray!

A Penny for your thoughts...

Penny - Shiba Inu
Sittin' Pretty!

Before I met Penny, my exposure to Shiba Inus was minimal. Only a few came into the shelter when I was working there full time and no one I know has one. But I really liked what I've read about them. They are exceedingly independent, bold and super smart. They require mind engaging training and love to play, play, play! They are also incredibly striking to look at and luxurious to pet with their foxy faces, compact bodies and soft, thick fur.

Before it was just Penny and I, Penny's mom had me come over and meet with them. I was surprised that this pup of such an independent breed played a game of "how many pets can I get" by going from me to her mom to me to her mom while her mom and I sat talking. I even did a trial run... er, walk with her. I goofed and put her harness on backwards but Penny gently let me know right away that something was wrong, so we fixed it. Once it was straightened, she showed off her superb walking.

"Come on! Throw the toy!"

 Our walks are always an adventure! She lives in a neighborhood right by a forest preserve so we see lots of wildlife. There is also a forest trail we walk right by so lots of bikes, other dogs out on walks, kids playing and people are always coming and going. She is the social butterfly of Shibas and wants to meet all the people.  She's always investigating a million and one smells. One time, she dropped face first into the grass and rubbed her face. It was so cute! ...well, "so cute" right up until I noticed the poop smeared along the right side of her face. Yucky! Once home, she sat very still and was excellent for getting her face cleaned off.

One day as Penny and I exited the house, we found a baby squirrel trapped in the yard. It kept trying to climb the wall of the house. Penny wanted to immediately go over and "help" the squirrel, but I didn't think the poor squirrel would be too appreciative of her kind of assistance. After our walk, the squirrel was still there and, upon seeing Penny again, freaked out as it climbed the wall over and over again, only to fall each time. Poor thing! After I got Penny inside, I went over to the wall and held my hoodie under the squirrel catching it when it fell and took it to safety away from Penny's yard. Penny still checks that corner for the squirrel... you know, just in case it comes back.

Penny is super cuddly. She loves getting scritches and pets! She will play keep-away and kill-the-toy with great vigor and gusto all the while wearing that excited Shiba Smile. Then, every once in a while, she runs figure eights throughout the house. She's amazingly fast!! Vroom-vroom!

After the romping, she always comes and gets petted. She occasionally rolls onto her side for belly rubs, which I happily oblige. Then she'll lay beside me or, other times, she'll go find a nice sunny spot and plop down. That way, she'll be well rested for when her mom comes home to give her even more lovin'.

Happy-Go-Lucky Buckley

Buckley - watching ducks

"Spaniels were bred to run in front of hunters and flush (scare) the birds into flight... the spaniel bounces gleefully about, looking for quarry." ~ Paws to Consider

There, just under the foliage, something moves. A squirrel, a bunny, some little birds or maybe even one of those ducks. My carefree bounding along sniffing the bushes and trees stops as I crouch low, step slow and with an explosion of prowess, I leap into action! Rushing forward I... 

am stopped by my leash. 

Woof! 

Silly human! Doesn't she know that I am a Mighty Hunter?

 

When I first got Buckley on my route, I have to admit, I was a wee bit nervous. Both of my younger sisters have had bad encounters with two different Cocker Spaniels. Having done a lot of breed research, I found that this is common since Cockers have been over bred and poorly bred. Unfortunately, this is what happens with so many people wanting them because when they're good, they're very social, eager to please and adorable. Add to this, I was warned that Buckley can be a bit wary of strangers. So before I went into the house, I braced myself for a less than friendly welcome and a pup I'd have to win over.

Buckley - Cocker Spaniel

As I stepped through the door, the pup that came trotting over to me was wagging his tail so hard, his whole butt wiggled! He nuzzled the hand I held out to him and, within a few seconds, was giving me kisses and rolling over for belly rubs! He was not the least bit wary of me.

From moment one, Buckley decided we'd be best friends. Our walks are always adventures in sniffing and fascination with wildlife. This works out well that there's a pond we walk around where many birds, including ducks, hang out and entice Buckley. But I tend to distract him with playing and jogging. Just the other day, it wasn't until the second time around the pond that he noticed two sleeping ducks just off the path. And boy, did he wish he could fly then!
His mom wants him to pull less, which will be a challenge. But hey, what's life without a little challenge? Plus, he's food motivated, so that will be helpful.

Buckley watching the birds outside

When we get home, after his treat, I sit on the floor next to the coffee table to write in his diary and let him decide what he wants to do.

If he's still feeling frisky, he'll bring me a toy and we'll have a rousing game of fetch. Though not too rousing since the vase incident...
Buckley was running and slid into a table. As the vase fell, I felt like time sloooooooowed and my movement to reach it was molasses with an accompanying languorous shout of, "Nooooooooooo!" But it broke. Oops! (His mom was so  understanding. She is awesome!) Plus, nobody got hurt and there was no glass in his fur or paw pads. Phew!

If he's all tuckered out, he'll curl up next to me, lay on his back for belly rubs and I'll give him scritches all over. He even fell asleep half in my lap once. That was a tough day to get up and leave. I didn't want to disturb him!

When it is time for me to leave, he walks me to the door. At first, I was concerned that he would try to get out, but he never does. He just walks me over, lets me give him one last pet, then heads back to the main part of the house. He's a perfect little gentleman.

Stanley, Standard Poodle Extraordinaire

I want to write kids' books about Stanley. 

Stanley knows how to strike a pose

Sit, Stanley! Good boy!

Seriously, I can't recall a visit with Stanley where I don't laugh at least once. He is loaded with Caninality! Clifford & Lassie have nothin' on Stanley!

Last summer, I wrote a quick little entry about Stanley and the Tulips. It was adorable watching this young Standard Poodle delicately sniff the tulips! At that time, I didn't think he could get more adorable than that.

Time for my BELLY RUB

Boy, was I wrong!

We've developed a routine. When I arrive for a visit, Stanley will roll onto his back for belly rubs. He LOVES belly rubs! As long as I pet his tummy for a bit, he lets me put his harness on then he'll jump up ready to walk as soon as I stand.

If it's a windy day out, I better ready myself for an energetic walk. Stanley LOVES to chase! He chases blowing leaves like a knight pursuing dragons. But instead of a sword, he has teeth and that dead leaf will get chomped. He doesn't eat them, he just chews them... until they're soggy and can't blow away. Then he pursues the other leaves that dare to float near him. He will chase birds and butterflies too, but hasn't quite figured out how to fly. Not just yet, anyway.

Stanley as Groucho Marx

Today,  while we were playing in his backyard, I noticed the tree behind his fence was flowering. The wind picked up and suddenly Stanley was surrounded by a million petals. He turned into a whirling dervish with teeth trying to catch them all!

Stanley is also a fan of sticks. He likes to play fetch with them and catch them and he'll even hold them in his mouth like a cigar.  But what he loves best is when we play "Toro, Toro!" I hold the stick out and shout, "Toro, Toro!" and he runs and jumps as I dance the stick away until he manages to grab it from me. He's a smarty and a quick study so he usually gets it.

It's always difficult to leave Stanley 'cause when I pet him goodbye and give him more belly rubs, he gives me nuzzles and kisses.

Adventures in Dog/House Sitting

Zinc - Boston Terrier

As I went to take Zinc, the Boston Terrier, out to pee (which I do every 2 hours because he has health issues and the meds his own makes him thirsty & pee a lot) I see a Chocolate Lab wandering around in the front yard. Zinc sees him too and, while he's pretty mild mannered about other dogs, he's getting a bit riled up by this guy in his front yard. As friendly as that dog seems through a glass door, I don't know how he'll react to Zinc or vice versa. I can't take that chance.

"Sorry Zinc. I'm gonna have to take care of this before we head out." I rub his head and hope it doesn't take too long since I can tell that Zinc really has to go.

I head back inside, grab my spare leash and hope the dog's still nearby or has gone back home. I open the door and he's standing right there on the porch, wagging at me. He doesn't have a collar on, but I easily lasso him as he's super friendly.

Fortunately, it's a beautiful day so people are out on their lawns and, because the dog has gotten out before, they know which direction the dog came from. About a block away, a nice woman points to the house across the street where there are a bunch of kids in the yard and the gate is standing open.

"He gets out all the time. Make sure to talk to a parent." She advises. I smile and nod. My plan exactly.

The kids get their dad who is grateful & scolds the kids for leaving the gate open. He says the dog is an escape artist. I mention collar and tags which he brushes aside. I say something about him possibly getting hit as and he tells me that  the dog got hit by a car two years ago.

"You'd think he would've learned."

He shakes my hand and takes his dog back inside as the kids are chattering away.

There are things I want to say... But he's gone and I need to get back to Zinc.

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

Snow, snow flurries of snow

Matting my fur, boy does it blow!

Nose first I dive in

In the slush I do swim

My walker must tread with care,

or fall upon her derriere.

Okay, bad poetry aside, walking dogs in snow... What a trip! (Which rhymes with 'slip', which is what I keep telling myself NOT to do.) Half of the dogs love it, the other half hate it. I'm lucky that several of the dogs I walk are very tolerant and good about me cleaning off their fur and feet and making sure no ice or salt is stuck between their pads. Of course, there are the few that want to bite my hands, or at least the towel, as I dry them off. Fortuantely, I've not been chomped... yet. Alternating toweling off with praise and lots of pets helps.

***Having picture difficulty... will post pics later.***

The Smelly Homeless Guy

My Best Mate, who just so happens to be my housemate too, found a smelly homeless guy wandering in her shop's parking lot. Now it's usually ill advised to bring a random homeless guy home, but it was getting colder, her shop's near a very busy intersection and he was super gentle, sweet, nice and cute. So she brought him home. 

How could we resist this face?

Won't you take me home?

The next day, we brought him by the shelter where I work & volunteer. I scanned him for a microchip and found one! I called the microchip company & they called the numbers they had for the owners. No answer, but one number had a voice mail so a message was left. We also found out that yes, he is indeed a purebred English Bulldog and he's 9 years old. We left his info with the police of the town he was found in, the facility he would have been taken to if the cops had picked him up & other shelters in the area.

While we're waiting to hear back from them, we decided to keep him at our house. But if he was going to be inside, he was going to have to get a bath! Now our dog Socko, hates baths so we were a bit apprehensive about the whole process. As it turns out, needlessly so since he was SO good!!


He and Socko are getting along just fine and he hasn't gone after the kitties. (Yay!) He seems to be making himself right at home... in my lap!

Yeah.... that's the spot!

Dirk the Destroyer!

When I first met Dirk, he was crated. Such a sweet boy! A very strong pup, but incredibly sweet.

Dirk - Black Lab / Pitbull

On walks, he pulls a lot because I'm apparently not going fast enough. And if he sees a squirrel or another dog... whoa, Nelly! But as soon as I say his name, he slows and if I whistle and say "wait", he stops before crossing the street and sometimes he even sits. When we get back from walks, he sits nicely for treats and pets. And when he was crated, he would go into his crate and wait for the second half of his treat. Such a good boy!

Then his parents decided that since he was being so good, they'd leave him out of the crate. After all, the crate was to prevent him from being destructive and he was being so calm in his crate.

The first few visits I had with him once he was out of the crate, he was pretty good. There was the spatula incident... at least, the pieces of chewed and mauled plastic seemed to have once been a spatula. But other than that, pretty darn good.

Until I walked in on this:

At first, I couldn't identify what was all over the floor. Some sort of foam padding, yes. But from what? Furniture? A pillow? Part of his parent's bed? 

Then I saw it. Over there in the corner was the cloth wrapping that had once been the cover for Dirk's bed... He had destroyed his own bed! I, of course, cleaned it up. After that, there one more incident of (somewhat minor compared to his bed) destruction before his family had him back in his crate. Fortunately, he likes his crate!

Dirk looking contrite (I think he wants a cookie)

Fall Haikus

Sometimes I get creative when I leave notes for the pet parents, particularly when it's a dog I walk every day. I'm certain they get bored of, "we had a great walk!" I know I do. So I try to make it fun and sometimes silly by observing the world we're walking in as well as the dogs' reaction to the world.

Haikus inspired by fall and dog walking:

Oh you wind, my friend

Blow those leaves around for me

And I'll catch, you'll see!

Leaves fall on my head

And sniffing is my delight,

Treat time is the BEST!

Walk around the block
Fallen Autumn leaves to sniff
Morning dew is thick

Rocky - Chinese Crested

Salsa Party!

Blu - Weimaraner pup on a walk

Blu - after her walk, BIG tongue!

One of my clients with Out-U-Go! recently had a "Salsa Party". Not a party with just salsa dip, a Salsa dancing party. She had me come over and stay with her pup Blu while she was getting set up and while the party was going on.

For the two hours before the party even started, I wore Blu out. We first played in the yard for about half an hour. Blu has lots and lots of energy and LOVES to play fetch! She doesn't always want to drop the toy, so I make sure I have another one ready to throw when she brings the first one back. I won't throw it unless she drops the first toy; an exchange. She is getting better about dropping because she really, really, really wants to play and if she manages to get both toys, I refuse to play until she gives me at least one. (Also, I won't chase her... which she really wants me to do.)

Then we went for an hour long walk. Since I've been learning training techniques from Blu's trainer, Charmaine* with Collins Canines, I worked on some of those with Blu. Blu's a very clever and curious girl with the attention span of a gnat so getting her to focus is quite a challenge! She has some fear, so we worked on making the world a much less fearful place with lots of praise and hotdog pieces as rewards. We also worked on her pulling. We did the "stop & start" method, which is just like it sounds. As soon as she starts pulling, I stop. Once she stops pulling, I start walking. This makes for a very slow walk. But since she wasn't quite as hyper because we started with romping in the yard, she only pulled for a short while then decided to walk with me. She was still sniffing everything along the way, but beside me instead of trying to get to things miles ahead of us.

Once we got back to Blu's house, her mom was all decked out and looking lovely.  I took Blu in for some water, but we still had some more time as the DJ had just arrived and things were still being set up. Since I didn't want to take her on another walk and the backyard was getting all ready for the party, I got the long leash out and we played for another half hour in the driveway and the front yard. I could tell that Blu, the pup with endless amounts of energy, was getting tired.

We went inside & up to her mom's room where we were going to be hanging out during the majority of the party. We played a tiny game of fetch with a toy that was up there, but she fell asleep almost immediately.

Blu cuddling her toy

She did have a few moments of waking up to a sudden noise downstairs a bit panicked, but I calmed her down and she fell back asleep. (And I got to work on some writing!) After about two hours, she woke on her own and needed to go out. Now her mom's room is on the second floor, and while she has no problem getting up there, the stairs are steep and her mom usually carries her down. I decided to work on making the stairs less scary. I set hotdog bits on each stair and coaxed her down. It took about 15 minutes to get her to even start going down the stairs, but once she did, she made it all the way down.

We went out, she did her business and, since most everyone was sitting and talking, I decided it was a good time for her to meet the guests. Since part of her fears have to do with strangers, I led her around slowly while praising and let the party goers, who were willing, give her bits of hot dog. I continued to feed her treats too. She did so well!! By the last person, her tail was wagging and she was giving the offered hands lots of slobbery kisses. What a good girl!

Blu, looking at butterflies

*I think Charmaine with Collins Canines is fantastic!

If you're looking for a trainer, you should check her out!

The Passing of a Friend

Ms. Molly, who had cancer, has passed on. She was such a sweet girl! I will never forget how she'd flop on her back demanding bellyrubs  whenever she saw me. (And yes, I was the sucker who would always comply.)

The day I came in to the note that said if she was still laying by the front door to call her momma, was the last day I spent with her. I called her mom and she told me that it was time and we cried. I took Tailor for a walk. Then, when we got back, I spent some extra time sitting next to Molly giving her pets and lovin'. I knew she was feeling miserable since she didn't roll on her back for belly rubs. But I sang to her and petted her softly. At one point, all the pets, Tailor and the two kitties, came and sat around her too. It was as if we were sitting vigil. I stayed until she fell asleep, assuring her that her momma would be home soon. I wish I could've stayed, but I had to leave to go care for other pets.

Even though I only knew her briefly, I will never forget my friend, Molly.

Ms. Molly - Glen of Immal Terrier

Slumber Party!

The weekend before I left to go camping, I had a slumber party with two dogs and two cats. The best part was that these are dogs I walk on a regular basis! We had a great time playing and they were all great to take care of. The shy kitty even came out and cuddled with me by the evening of the first day! I hadn't even met the shy kitty until then 'cause he's... well, shy. (He's even camera shy. Silly kitty!!)

Ms. Molly - are we ready for bed yet?

Ms. Tailor -I'm ready for my tummy rub!

Puck - yeeeeesssss?

Wayne - the elusive kitty