My new life stage has me walking dogs and caring for puppies. In many ways, it’s the kind of low stress work I’ve been longing for. In other ways, it’s a bit exasperating driving from house to house, dealing with clients and staff, and responding to texts, emails and phone calls at all hours of the day and night. And one of my biggest goals in the day is to be sure my clientele has pooped during our time together.
We acquired two new customers in one week, each with 9 week old puppies that need frequent let-outs, and high energy play dates. Both puppies are being crate trained, and while their humans are at work, our company is responsible for two well-spaced visits during the day to be sure they are doing what they need to do outdoors, getting some socialization, and getting sufficiently tired to do some power puppy napping throughout the long day.
Durango has older owners who have clearly raised puppies and children before. In addition to the professionals, they have also enlisted the help of neighbors and their grown children to ensure that Durango is sufficiently stimulated during the day. Hershey lives with his family of parents and school aged children. They have never had a puppy before, and the whole family is clearly frustrated at Hershey’s accidents indoors and his night time howling from the crate. I’ve watched the family make a few mistakes with their crate training. My suggestions seem to go largely unheeded, so I’ve stopped butting in.
I am the mother of an only child, but I know that parents simply can’t play favorites with their children, even when one of them may behaving like a bad puppy. But I must admit that initially, I preferred my visits with Durango. Hershey smells a bit like pee, and he isn’t as physcially attractive as Durango. Visits with him are more challenging because of his aversion to the cold outdoors. But in the past week, I’ve watched his behavior improve despite his awkward upbringing, and he can be very cute when he whimpers at the wind and chases leaves. Though initially I worried that this family might not be meant to have a dog, I am now confident that despite their different upbringings, both Hershey and Durango will turn out to be great dogs, and adored members of their respective families.