(no subject)
Feb. 17th, 2017 12:36 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
stormdogHank is a four month old stray at the shelter who looks like a St. Bernard and Border Collie mix. He's excited at seeing people outside the kennel, but is really shy about approaching once the door is open. I spent a little time trying to get him to approach me for a walk, but then another volunteer arrived who likes to walk smaller dogs, so I let her coax him. He's so adorable, and I feel so bad for him. I hope either his people find him or he gets adopted soon.
I arrived half an hour early this week since one of our senior people is in Japan on a school trip this week and next. I started in early, walking the advanced-level dogs and got through three before other folks started arriving. I turned on a tracking app while doing the longer walks later in the evening and found that I walked and trotted two miles through the park, just counting the longer 'second walks' I took two dogs on after their short 'first walks' and dinners.
One dog I took out for a first walk really really had to pee. I got him out of the kennel, but had barely gone a few feet down the corridor toward the outside door when he let loose in the middle of the floor. At least the floor gets mopped every night anyway and we didn't have to mop out the kennel! Another dog I was walking stopped to poop while we were within sight of another volunteer and his dog. I bent down to pick up the poop, but before I could do so, my dog blithely turned around and started eating it. I think the other volunteer almost threw up. I just commented, "Ok, no face licks from you tonight."
Near the end of the evening the shift captain took me out with her and a large energetic dog named Tyro who's been there for some time. I've helped with Tyro before, but he's technically a 'supervisor only' dog who regular volunteers don't get to walk. The shift captains have been taught by the professional trainer the shelter works with on how to use prong collars for difficult dogs. Tyro is one of those dogs, and yesterday evening the captain gave me a rundown of how to use the collars and let me walk Tyro myself for a little while as she followed along. Technically, she said, she's not supposed to let people do that, but if they tell her at some point that she can let her senior people handle dogs who need prong collars, then I'll already know how to do it. The recognition and appreciation I get there feels so good. And when I look at applying for dog walking jobs, as I think I may do soon, I'll have good experience and references.
It would be nice to have a job where I get a lot of regular exercise too. I miss that. I was so sore after getting home last night!
I arrived half an hour early this week since one of our senior people is in Japan on a school trip this week and next. I started in early, walking the advanced-level dogs and got through three before other folks started arriving. I turned on a tracking app while doing the longer walks later in the evening and found that I walked and trotted two miles through the park, just counting the longer 'second walks' I took two dogs on after their short 'first walks' and dinners.
One dog I took out for a first walk really really had to pee. I got him out of the kennel, but had barely gone a few feet down the corridor toward the outside door when he let loose in the middle of the floor. At least the floor gets mopped every night anyway and we didn't have to mop out the kennel! Another dog I was walking stopped to poop while we were within sight of another volunteer and his dog. I bent down to pick up the poop, but before I could do so, my dog blithely turned around and started eating it. I think the other volunteer almost threw up. I just commented, "Ok, no face licks from you tonight."
Near the end of the evening the shift captain took me out with her and a large energetic dog named Tyro who's been there for some time. I've helped with Tyro before, but he's technically a 'supervisor only' dog who regular volunteers don't get to walk. The shift captains have been taught by the professional trainer the shelter works with on how to use prong collars for difficult dogs. Tyro is one of those dogs, and yesterday evening the captain gave me a rundown of how to use the collars and let me walk Tyro myself for a little while as she followed along. Technically, she said, she's not supposed to let people do that, but if they tell her at some point that she can let her senior people handle dogs who need prong collars, then I'll already know how to do it. The recognition and appreciation I get there feels so good. And when I look at applying for dog walking jobs, as I think I may do soon, I'll have good experience and references.
It would be nice to have a job where I get a lot of regular exercise too. I miss that. I was so sore after getting home last night!
