Ever wanted to know what it was like to be a dog walker as your profession? Whenever I tell anyone what it is that I do for a living, the reactions I get are definitely more exciting than if I were to announce my profession as some sort of office job. “Wow that sounds amazing!”, or “You must love your job!” are two of the most common responses I get. Both of which are true, in the big scheme of things. We don’t just care for dogs but all kinds of pets- cats, bunnies, fish, guinea pigs, chickens, reptiles…. I’m sure that list isn’t conclusive. Getting to interact with all sorts of animals, see different breeds, learn their personalities and quirks, and build real relationships are just some of the perks of the job. Constant slobbery kisses may be considered another perk, to some crazy folks like myself.
But as with most things in life, outsiders tend not to see the nitty gritty of the day-to-day. We spend lots of time in the car going from appointment to appointment. Lunch? Who has time for that? Not dog walkers. “Que protein bars.” We are caretakers so getting our hands dirty is part of the job- cleaning up messy situations, always smelling like a kennel, and looking like we are covered in fur ourselves…sounds about right. You may confuse us with Yogi masters at times because we definitely have to channel our inner zen when it comes to unruly animals. Walking in extreme weather conditions is another stipulation of the job- no snow-days for us!
At the end of the day, I love what I do. I am given the responsibility to care for customers’ most
treasured 4-legged family members. And not to mention there is nothing better for the soul than to sit down and pat a dog. I’m not sure if this is my opinion or an actual fact…I’d bet it’s a fact.
~Jess