With a Gently Waving, Half-Mast Tail
A pair of dogs--housemate--are introduced to another pair of dogs--not housemates, but familiar with each other. All four have a good record for sociability so no leashes are employed but two handlers stand ready with sharp eyes and pockets full of cookies. One dog, Grendel, is more interested in peeing on everything and sniffing the snowy ground than the other dogs and makes no offensive gesture to Oban persistently investigating his rear. His brother, Tucker, is of a more nervous variety, drawing his head up tensely with a mild piloerector reflex in evidence but Max gently sniffs his mouth and then turns to the nearest attendant with Wellness Pure Rewards Venison Jerky and gets a good boy rubdown.
As little as three months ago I would have been a tense wreck for such an altercation, jumping to pull Max away from Tucker's mouth, unnerved by the standing fur on the older black lab's back, possibly upsetting a reasonably amicable situation. Watching these four, I took a moment to marvel at how much I have learned, just about all of it on the job and as the situations arose. I am unaccountably fortunate to be an individual who has found a job I adore that entertains me and educates me on a daily basis, although I don't exactly rake in six figures doing it.
I am a doggie daycare attendant, and I took this job even though I was already employed as a (slightly) higher paid cashier that was giving me forty to fifty hours a week, enough to comfortably live on as a childless, debt-free young adult. I was hired for this job even though I had no dog related certification or education or particularly broad experience. All I had was a love of dogs and a tough nut of a hope that my nebulous, uncertain future would contain involvement with dogs. Not animals, just dogs.
The last four months has seen that love, that hope and, most importantly, my knowledge expand ferociously. In the same time frame I have juggled both those jobs to exhaustion, but that chapter is drawing to a close and I will only claim the job title of (proud and happy) doggie daycare attendant. It is my intention to keep a record of my continued education--through experience, books, who knows what else--my joys, and to share my dogs with those who also love dogs. This journal could cover any number of topics that I come into contact with, including dog body language, toys, training, health issues, food, treats, and more I couldn't even imagine now.
Grab your favorite toy, some high value treats and we'll see where this journey goes!
Elle and Max playing over a block of ice!
As little as three months ago I would have been a tense wreck for such an altercation, jumping to pull Max away from Tucker's mouth, unnerved by the standing fur on the older black lab's back, possibly upsetting a reasonably amicable situation. Watching these four, I took a moment to marvel at how much I have learned, just about all of it on the job and as the situations arose. I am unaccountably fortunate to be an individual who has found a job I adore that entertains me and educates me on a daily basis, although I don't exactly rake in six figures doing it.
I am a doggie daycare attendant, and I took this job even though I was already employed as a (slightly) higher paid cashier that was giving me forty to fifty hours a week, enough to comfortably live on as a childless, debt-free young adult. I was hired for this job even though I had no dog related certification or education or particularly broad experience. All I had was a love of dogs and a tough nut of a hope that my nebulous, uncertain future would contain involvement with dogs. Not animals, just dogs.
The last four months has seen that love, that hope and, most importantly, my knowledge expand ferociously. In the same time frame I have juggled both those jobs to exhaustion, but that chapter is drawing to a close and I will only claim the job title of (proud and happy) doggie daycare attendant. It is my intention to keep a record of my continued education--through experience, books, who knows what else--my joys, and to share my dogs with those who also love dogs. This journal could cover any number of topics that I come into contact with, including dog body language, toys, training, health issues, food, treats, and more I couldn't even imagine now.
Grab your favorite toy, some high value treats and we'll see where this journey goes!
Elle and Max playing over a block of ice!