Tuesday 7 March 2017

Plot Developments: In Which There are More Dogs Than We Ever Expected

The first thing is that I have added two new regulars to my list of dogsitting clients.

an orange pomeranian sits on green grass beside a cow toy. A brown colourbond fence in the background.
Tiger 

Tiger is a cute little guy who needs a bit of extra company, so I'm visiting him a couple of mornings a week. He doesn't love strangers or other dogs, but he's a very smart little guy who is a pleasure to hang out with.

a large golden retriever lies on the floor of a house, smiling at the camera. A very ratty looking orange toy lies between his paws.
Apollo

Apollo is my neighbour's dog, and is by far the biggest houseguest we've had so far! Other than giving people the impression we have a lion in the house, he's a pretty chill dude. I was pleasantly surprised to find he's a calm walker, so we'll definitely be doing more walks to get some of that extra weight off him.

Didn't you say there were a lot more dogs, you ask? Yes -- I'm not done! Aside from a very short sleepover with a puppy in a few weeks, my other news is more significant in my development as a dog trainer.

I've started helping teach at the local dog training club! I'm a trainee instructor, which means I'm rostered on with an experienced instructor to teach the beginners' classes.

I've found that some of the instructors just want me to provide some one-on-one assistance to students doing the exercises, and others want me to teach the class myself while they supervise. Aside from one memorable night where I was asked to teach a class I knew nothing about, I'm enjoying both roles.

Just like Tiger loves the visits from his cow friend.

Remember my 'class instruction' exam for the dog trainers' course? Well, I could not have asked for better preparation for this role.
New pet owners? Check.
Teaching a class of humans and dogs across an open field? Check.
Ten other classes on the field at the same time, totalling about 80 dogs? Okay, maybe not so much.
But I find as long as I can keep the focus of my class, everyone else will take care of theirs. Having smelly treats to keep the dogs' attention helps...

So in conclusion -- dogs everywhere! I'm even more physically tired than I am mentally at the end of each day (excluding the days I practise driving, then I'm both!). But I'm having fun.

They say to dive right in...

Wednesday 1 March 2017

Wednesday Walks

Little brown and white cavalier puppy Darcy sits on the porch in front of a purple door.
Hello Darcy.


Close up of Darcy on the porch. His mouth is half-open, relaxed.
Ready for a walk?


Adult cavalier Ava sitting is looking upwards. She is tethered to a cafe table.
What are you looking at, Ava?


Ava sits looking directly at the camera.
Nothing.