Dogs are always happy to see me arrive, and I am thankful to them for the time spent together. It's the people that cloud it up for us. Besides the, I'm wishfully thinking, obvious courtesies involving clients keeping scheduled appointments and paying on time, as well as people in the community not yelling at me to stay out of their yards, here are the top 10 things the dog walker wants you to know:
1. I am always picking up poop with the many poop bags I have with me at all times. Do not blame the piles of poop in your yard, or in your neighborhood, on the dog walker. We are stellar poop picker uppers.
2. Where there are no sidewalks, I often walk in the middle of the road for safety actually, and so that your neighbors won't complain that your dogs pee in their yards. When a car needs to drive by us, I have to step onto someone's yard. Please don't freak out, and please don't freak out if when we are standing within the easement of your yard a dog decides he or she needs to poop or pee. I will pick up the poop, and remember, squirrels, raccoons, chipmunks, cats, and various other critters pee in your yard too.
3. Since we often walk in the middle of the neighborhood road, I do not listen to music or talk on the phone because I want to hear if a car is coming and quickly get out of its way. When it is particularly windy, or when there are landscape crews mowing and blowing, or when plow people are plowing your driveway, it is challenging for me to distinguish between these sounds and an approaching car. A short courtesy beep of the horn, or a slow approach, or patience, will calmly get my attention.
4. No, not all the dogs are mine, but one or two of them probably are.
5. My group of five or six dogs would be happy to socialize with yours as long as you have control of yours and won't get us all tangled. Because there have been many failed social calls, I'm not very likely to stop to socialize with you. I am on the job, and my charges' needs and safety come first over the obvious need for socialization that your dogs have.
6. I am not offended by being called "just a dog walker." I am offended that you think time spent with dogs isn't worthy of a job title, and requires no skill.
7. In your mind, because I love dogs, adding your in-laws' (or girlfriend's or college-roommate-who's-visiting's) dog shouldn't be a problem so you don't even tell me an additional dog will be at your home. Don't do that. Because I am skilled, there will be no bites or fights or traumatized psyches, but things could go a lot more smoothly if you tell me in advance, and of course, consider it an accommodation for which I am to be monetarily compensated.
8. When you're running late, don't say to yourself, "Oh, the dog walker will be here soon," and not take your dog out before you leave. When I arrive 3 hours later, I will feel compelled to clean up the mess, and I will resent you for it. The mess, for sure, but more so that you made your dog wait so long.
9. I realize you are trusting me with not just your family member, but with a key to your entire house. I will not betray that. If your dog steps on something while we're out, or if I knock over something in your living room, or if I use your lotion in the kitchen, I'll tell you.
10. I'm not a certified dog trainer, but your dog probably behaves differently with me than she does with you. If you notice that she doesn't pull you around as much anymore, or that she sits and waits before walking through a doorway, it's probably because of me. I'm happy to tell you what I and your dog do together, and why we do it, and you can decide if you want to do it too, but know that we're doing it because it makes our walks together enjoyable.
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