((PKG)) DOG WALKER
((Banner: On the Job: Dog Walker))
((Reporter/Camera: Lisa Vohra))
((Map: Fairfax, Virginia))
((NATS))
((Heather Rice, Owner, HCC Pets))
Recently one of my friends shared this meme on facebook is, describe what you do for your job without stating what it is and so I said, I go into people’s homes, remove precious items for 30 minutes and then return them with a note to state what I do.
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((Heather Rice, Owner, HCC Pets))
Just kidding. I really just watch dogs for a living. I’m a dog walker.
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((Heather Rice, Owner, HCC Pets))
I’m now in my 3rd year of being my own business owner.
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No peeing on plants or mailboxes, that’s my rule.
((Heather Rice, Owner, HCC Pets))
I start off with Gretl, who is a puppy. She’s feisty and spunky and sporadic and so I have to be full on hands on deck when I’m with her.
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((Heather Rice, Owner, HCC Pets))
From there I go to Axel who’s a little tough guy. He’s got two new baby humans in his life and so I give him a little bit of extra attention.
((Heather Rice, Owner, HCC Pets))
The world is my bathroom. Okay, hey hey hey, privacy, privacy!
((Heather Rice, Owner, HCC Pets))
From there I see Butters. She’s my oldest client. She’s going a little blind so we’ve slowed down a little bit on how we take the stairs, but, all in all, she’s a good girl.
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((Heather Rice, Owner, HCC Pets))
Okay that’s enough. That’s enough. I think they’re secretly in love. That’s my story. That’s her boyfriend. They had a bit of a tiff. So, they’ve got to work it out through the window. They could absolutely hate each other, I have no idea, but I’m sticking with this star crossed lovers thing.
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((Heather Rice, Owner, HCC Pets))
Where’s my girls at?
((Heather Rice, Owner, HCC Pets))
Then I go see Mitzy and Moose and sometimes Daisy. So, I see three dogs at once and they’re little ankle biters and they bark and they scream and they yell but they’re really the sweetest little pooches ever.
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((Heather Rice, Owner, HCC Pets))
Well, I didn’t know I knew I could juggle until I started walking three dogs at once.
From there, I sometimes go see Jen’s dogs.
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((Heather Rice, Owner, HCC Pets))
I have to take this. Hey Jen what’s up?
Yeah, 1 or 1:30, but that’s fine. If you’re going to be home, I’ll just skip them today. All right, I’ll see them tomorrow. All right, bye. And see, like right there is further proof. I mean its’s classic. People cancel on a dime. That’s my 1:30 client, now I don’t have to do them.
((Heather Rice, Owner, HCC Pets))
And next, we’ll go see Ovee who’s a little yellow lab. She’s had some issues. She likes to eat things and so she’s been dissected a few times.
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((Heather Rice, Owner, HCC Pets))
She does not like going on walks. So, we chase the little red ball.
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((Heather Rice, Owner, HCC Pets))
Working with animals is therapeutic. The way they see and view the world, from a very innocent and unexperienced eyes, even though you’re going around the same block you took them around two days ago. They see things way different than we do. Experimentation and exploration and I really find that animals are constantly being scientists and it’s fascinating.
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((Heather Rice, Owner, HCC Pets))
Another thing great thing about animals is they don’t judge. Best co-workers ever.
((Heather Rice, Owner, HCC Pets))
They don’t talk back and if they do, you just give them a treat and they’re fine. They just give the love. They give love. Period.
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((Heather Rice, Owner, HCC Pets))
She just wants belly love. Belly love. And we are learning the leash which we’re not very fond of. Nobody likes being on a string, but she is a good girl.
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((Heather Rice, Owner, HCC Pets))
When I get off work, I like to hang out with my daughter and my wife, spend time with my own pets. We just do normal family things like talk about school and work.
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((Heather Rice, Owner, HCC Pets))
I think a lot people just don’t give credit to what people of my field do. People are trusting you with their most precious thing, being their pet, and inside their second most precious thing, being their homes.
You have to have self-motivation. You have to have self-worth, and you have to have some pride in the people you work for and with.
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