Friday, April 25, 2008

What I do, so the pugs can do what they do

I'm a dog walker, although it's usually more like dog runner, or dog hiker. I walk a lot of dogs. that's what I need to do, so the pugs can go to trials, classes, private lessons, eat their special home prepared raw diet and pay for everything else!

Here's Elvis srinting down the trail.

Here's one of my groups; Guido the big black dog, Gracie, Guiness the labby, Rani the Chessie, Elvis and Chloe the mini golden doodle is in there somewhere.

There's Chloe!! Doesn't she look like a stuffed animal?!


Guiness & Guido


The best part of my job, is the pugs get to come along for a lot of my day. They would get to come even more, but Guiness the lab is afraid of the pugs....they bully him and steal his tennis ball and then he sulks in the woods, afraid to come back out. Some groups the dogs are too big and too wild for the pugs, I don't want them getting run over.
Kittie even gets her ears cleaned, while having a mud bath. It's like a day at the spa for Kittie, I *love* how blissed out she looks here.


Mud bath for Abby too.


Rock climbing pugs.


Group shot. Notice how the girls (L-R Kittie, Abby & Rudy) are away from Willy....."eew a boy, we're not sitting next to him!"


I mostly love my job, but it gets tremendously more difficult the minute the weather gets nice. The park that's practically empty all winter is flooded with all sorts of people, people running, people biking, people with crazed dogs wearing prong collars on flexi leads...animal control likes to come to the park too when it's nice out. We're safe from them on the trails, but can't go anywhere near the open fields. When Winter comes, the park is turned back over to dog walkers. No joggers, only friendly mountain bikers and practically all the dogs we see are off leash and friendly, just waiting to play!

4 comments:

Margie said...

I love all the photos! I would much rather be walking with dogs all day than sitting inside at an office. I took a photo today of my pugs doing what they do while I earn agility money - sleep! :-)

Jamie said...

I love the photos! Everyone looks like they are having a blast. I also love the photo of Kittie having a mud bath! Did you start your dog walking business yourself? Was it difficult to get the word out? Sounds like a great job, so I'm just being a bit nosy. :0)

Jamie said...

I love the photos! Everyone looks like they are having a blast. I also love the photo of Kittie having a mud bath! Did you start your dog walking business yourself? Was it difficult to get the word out? Sounds like a great job, so I'm just being a bit nosy. :0)

westoverpugs said...

Jamie,

I briefly worked with another dog walker. I'm still good friends with her, but we had really different views on a lot of things (training, prong collars, dogs being off leash etc) so I went out on my own fairly quickly. No, it wasn't hard to get the word out at all. Honestly, I've never advertised. I see people in the parks, and other clients and dogwalkers refer people to me.

I like it, but it's not an easy job....defintely *not* like taking my pugs out on a hike!