Doggone Etiquette —

Jobs With Dogs

By Bardi McLennan

A Word to the Dog:                           

All dogs hate to be left home alone for a long time. Well, sure, some of you hate to be left alone even for a very short time. As for puppies, they’ve “gotta go” often, so if you are still a puppy, the chances are good that you will not be left alone longer than you can hold it. You are not the only ones – those elderly senior citizens often suffer from the same urgency. VIPeople tend to have great concern for their home furnishings which means there are solutions for all kinds of loneliness. 

A Word to the Dog’s Owner:                            

We all know dogs are social animals. One solitary dog living as a pet considers itself to be an important part of the family and its social life. That’s why dogs generally do not do well left alone for long until they can feel secure about the family’s return. Even the dog that appears to be somewhat aloof, or not very attached to its owners, is not always okay when left alone. Everyone knows the results of such a dog’s objections – non-stop barking, furniture destroyed, etc.    

So what do you do when you know you have to leave Rufus all by himself for most (or all) of a day? You hire a Dog Walker! Or at least that’s what you should do. There’s nothing like a midday walk to brighten up the dog’s outlook on life. A house-bound dog needs some interesting physical exercise. A good walk is a whole lot better than racing around, tearing up an empty house for self-entertainment. And that’s what opens up today’s particular topic.  

This year has been a tough one for high school students to find summer jobs, but if you are still looking, this column is for you. This suggestion may sound remote (that’s an intentional pun) because it gets you away from all those electronic gadgets and into the great outdoors. Take a look into jobs working with dogs, or with any other animals. Definitely not high pay, but there are a lot of unusual side benefits.               

Let’s say you have a dog of your own that you walk regularly, or even only occasionally, but enough so you know what you’re doing insofar as the dog’s safety is concerned. How about offering to walk a neighbor’s dog? Lots of people work at home these days and would welcome the help. The dog would appreciate a break in its day, as well as having a new walking companion. If a walk is not for you or for the neighbor’s dog, an hour or so of play might fill the bill. It could be doing anything the dog enjoys from a variety of ways to chase a ball, to any new games or tricks you can come up with.            

First there are a number of things to check out with the dog’s owner before undertaking any of this. Definitely the most important is to ask about the dog’s temperament especially with people and other dogs you might meet around the neighborhood. You don’t want to be caught up in a dog fight. While you’re at it, find out exactly what words the dog responds to for control. Ask the dog’s age. A puppy might normally be rambunctious, or an older dog rather sedate. Check with the owner as to safety of the fenced area for off-lead playtime. Ask where fresh water is made available for the dog. Agree on a time-frame for the job, allowing for any summer fun time you may want to keep for yourself. To sum it all up: know clearly what you’re getting into.

Another idea would be to offer your assistance to a certified and bonded pet-care person. You might go along to help out with feeding or playing with pets being cared for while the owners are away. Or, you might volunteer to help in some way at the local shelter.

It’s not the pay that makes any of this worth your while; it’s what you learn about the differences in dogs and their care, and the reactions of the animals themselves. Such basic experience is behind most, if not all veterinarians. Could that profession be in your future?

Until next time – BE GOOD!

- Bardi

Bardi McLennan bred, trained and showed Welsh Terriers for 30 years, during which time she wrote a monthly column on canine behavior in Dog Fancy Magazine. In addition to contributing to numerous dog publications, she has written 15 books on dogs, the latest being Rescue Me!, which received the ASPCA Humane Issues Award in 2008.