I’ve got about 60 clients. It’s not very hard to keep the names straight of the dogs, but it’s harder to keep the names straight of the owners. I form a closer bond to the dog, and just like you would not forget the name of a friend of yours, it’s the same with me and the pets that I care for.
There is a system to it. I have a lock safe in my house where I keep all my clients’ keys. I code them with hints that only I would know. For example, it could be the name of the street the person lives on or it could be something that I picked up on in that house… So if somebody were to get a hold of that key who wasn’t supposed to, they would have no clue where it was to.
I have been nicked by a couple of dogs. It’s because we take care of some dogs that are very distrusting of strangers and unaccepting of a stranger coming into their homes or their surroundings. Getting to know them can be a difficult task, and sometimes you will get some cuts and scrapes along the way.
I make about $42,000 a year. This is six years of clientele build-up. It wasn’t always that way.
There have been times when dogs have thrown a party overnight and I’ve had to clean up torn-up pillows and feathers that have been strewn across the house. Or dogs who have had explosive diarrhea. I have had my share of doggy clean-ups.
Dogs are definitely easier to deal with than people because they are predictable. Their communication is limited through body language where humans use both verbal and non-verbal signals to communicate. It gets tricky. Dogs are easier to please because their needs are limited to a few select things such as affection, food and shelter.
There is nothing average about my job. On a daily basis I can take care of up to 10 dogs, making up to 30 visits a day, although that’s not the norm. I usually take care of about five dogs a day and make about 10 visits.
Dogs that have a tendency to be difficult, at least in my experience, are Weimaraners and Dachshunds. They tend to be a little less trusting of strangers, and it can take more work to gain their acceptance and trust. Labrador retrievers and doodle dogs [labradoodles or goldendoodles] are the most accepting.
As far as work goes, this is it, but I am also in school at Valencia for criminal justice and I am enrolled in the police academy. My dream is to become a police officer. A lot of clients have brought up the K-9 unit, and it makes sense with my background, so it’s something I’ll explore.