Plethora of Everything

    I've been an independent, professional dog walker for nearly 5 years now.      So, in this post, as I offer you suggestions, I'm speaking from experience. -Let's go ahead and make that our first topic! That's me, walking 2 dog customers and 2 pet dogs     1.) Experience will set you apart from the competition in this field. But how do you get experience if you're just starting out?  -Easy. -Volunteer at a local animal shelter as a dog handler/walker/socialization coach.  Volunteering is a great way to get experience with all different sizes, types and personalities of dogs... and it's highly rewarding. With even an hour or two weekly, for several weeks , you'll get the ball rolling. This also looks great on your resume. -Have business cards handy whenever you volunteer; you just might pick up your first customer as you  volunteer!      You could also offer to do dog walking at a reduced rate for your friend...

    Revised 1/3/18     Chachi arrived at Animal Services with her mother in late October, 2013.     I didn't, and still don't know, if I can do these 2 dogs justice with words alone.     But I'll try... simply by telling their story. A Bonded Pair     Have you ever seen 2 dogs so bonded... so bonded they sleep together, curled up, one using the other as a pillow, they eat together, with one always just a step behind the other, ready to play, to gently jump on its buddy, to mouth, roll around and have a lot of good ol' doggy fun?     This is how Chachi and Chichi were, extremely bonded .     Chachi, the daughter, was always gently bouncing on her mom to provoke play, and her mom delighted in the love and attention of her daughter!     I'll never forget the first time I saw them- they were sleeping together in a kennel about half way down the long row of full large-dog-runs, Chachi using her mom...

    Miami is a city where many residents oppose spaying and neutering their dogs.      Trust me, I know. I worked and volunteered at the municipal shelter there.      During my tenure at the shelter I conducted Volunteer Orientation weekly. I had to get across to new volunteers (and customers) what an unaltered pet goes through. The best analogy I came up with was- what a drug addict goes though.     The intact male dog... let's make it a well-trained, loving, family pet for example's sake: This is a dog that plays fetch with the kids, sits and shakes on command, is docile, kind with everyone, even strangers. This is a great dog , that still has his balls. This dog, Fido, we'll say, stays in the yard while his family is at work, around 8 hrs/day. That's a normal scenario for many American (at least many Miami dogs) dogs right? A very sweet dog, Raleigh, that belongs to a friend of mine.     Most days Fido sleeps, ...