Some people walk in the rain, others just get wet.

It was a "four-walk" kind of day.  

Our local news warned that we'd be waking up to

a cold wet storm Thursday morning.

Storm Watch 2011.

But no rain yet when we were out the door at 6:00 AM.

9:00 AM still no rain so we hiked out to K.H. 

into the cool brisk air and stretched our legs.

At 2:00 PM, it was sprinkling softly - teasing us -

so again out the door to beat the looming storm.

Rain coming down steadily at 7:00 PM. 

Josey & Lucas were restless.

The husband always does the evening walk 

- but not tonight.

I don't mind walking in the rain 

so I leashed up the dogs.

It was quiet outside. Soothing even.

Walked to the tempo of rain drops.

A little splish. A splash.

Tap tap tap.

Walking in harmony.

I just loved it.

I may not be there yet, but I'm closer than I was yesterday.

For more than 18 months, I've been on this endless road of seemingly small jobs working with companion animals. Each one meaningful but the sum of it all is still shaping itself. I'm hoping by doing the little jobs very very very well, the big one will come. I'm trying to get my foot into the door of an industry that is making genuine, positive differences in the health and well-being of pets.

I'm taking risks and thinking outside the box. I'm out there talking to strangers convincing them that I can help them.  So far, they're listening and asking questions. Now, I need them to believe in me and say Yes! But just how do I do that?

I know that my self-doubts fall away when I'm clear, honest and passionate about my goals. All I can do is stay on course.  

Persevere.

A story to me means a plot where there is some surprise. Because that is how life is - full of surprises.

Part II - Confessions of a pet sitter, dog walker

In a previous post, I wrote about pet peeves. Time to share the bright side, surprises on the job. Pet names have been changed. Sorry about the poor quality of photos (shot with cell phone).

Met a handful of awesome dogs.

• Rex. Rex is the neighborhood superstar that everyone says hello to. You don’t walk Rex. He walks you. Knows his turf and takes you on different routes. He is gregarious and sweet at the same time. He also has mutilated hind paws that need to be wrapped up in bandages twice a day and protected with booties. But don’t feel pity for him. He doesn’t even notice.
• Will. He died this past spring from renal failure. He was a lovely, quiet old dog living with two cats (see below). Charming. Noble. Stubborn. Loved his walks to the park but over time he could not walk anymore. His fur was also always soft and clean. R.I.P.
• Max and Tara. They are superstars in their neighborhood, too. Don’t walk them as much anymore because their owners demand one hour running sessions. I walk not run dogs. Their markings are the same because they have the same grandfather - that’s what the owner said to me the first day I met them. Um, okay. Max and Tara are spoiled rotten and dearly loved. 
• Boris. He's young but mellow, sweet. You just want to hug and kiss him all the time like a new boyfriend. Eats like a horse. Plays with his Kongs with or without treats in them. Adorable.

 Met some very cool cats and I’m not a cat person.

• Chuck and Gia. Chuck loves to drink from the kitchen tap, meowing until you turned it on. Gia is shy but what a beauty! It's a challenge to get Chuck to take his meds. Need to be creative with tuna fish meat, tuna fish liquid and wet cat food.
• Ellie and Chet. These cats lived with Will. There was harmony and love in this house. Now when I visit the cats, it is noticeably different. Chet is a pain in the ass 'cuz he bites but he’s funny and lovable. He does catzoomies too! Ellie is elegant, classy like royalty. She’s the only cat I let out of the house because she doesn’t run away. Will, Ellie and I sat outside together soaking up the sun many times. Ellie and I still do.

Observe what clients feed their pets. 90% of them feed their dogs and cats the bad foods. And they feed too much. Lots of free-feeding which explains their overweight pets. It’s been an eye opening experience to witness. Clients who feed the good food shop regularly at the independent retail stores.

Appreciative clients. There are cool clients who are so thankful that you have cared for their dogs, cats and their home, too. They can see the difference and know the difference. They leave you goodies, too.

Hard to make a living pet sitting. But when the dogs and cats greet every visit with wagging tails, woofs and purrs you forget that part. Live in the moment.

I don't have pet peeves, I have whole kennels of irritation.

Confessions of a pet sitter

Those are the faces of some very memorable pet sitting jobs. Everyone has aspects of their job that they do not like. Having done nearly 500 pet sits and dog walks the past year, it is safe to say that I have pet peeves. They are not just isolated to one or two clients but many clients from all walks of life. The rich, the poor. The sane, the crazy. Here are my peeves in no particular order:

• Dogs kept in outdoor runs or crated for extensive periods of time (8, 10, 14 hours). Poor babies.
• Filthy, dirty food bowls. Water bowls too. Ugh. I mean how hard can it be to put bowls in the dishwasher? On that note, seen plenty of dirty panties and bras in plain sight, too.
• Feces-infested backyards. Disgusting. Need I say more?
• Cheap litter in litter boxes. You know, the bad kind that is dusty, doesn't clump well and makes you gag because it is so stinky!
• Crappy door locks, unlocked doors and unsecured gates. Can't tell you how many times clients forget to lock up when they leave in the morning. Geez.
• Clients who were not completely honest about their pet's behavior. He walks great on a leash! Yeah right. We know which dogs get daily walks. She's friendly with other dogs! Really?
• Cleaning up the damage from an unruly or bored pet. It's amazing what clients leave laying around the house that sets up their pet to fail.

**Sigh** Believe me, its not always awful. In a future post, I'll write about the cool stuff!

Early morning cheerfulness can be extremely obnoxious.

I thought I was the morning person...until Josey came into our lives. 

Josey the earlier riser.

That is a crap cell phone pic but you get the idea. 

It's what I wake up to along with Lucas on top of my head.

Sometimes she's subtle.

Her nose mere millimeters from my face. 

Other times not. 

She nudges me in precise intervals, every 5 seconds. 

The girl can count. Trust me.

Really, it is okay because it is her job...the alarm clock.

She can tell time too.

4:30 AM

5:00 AM

5:03 AM

5:30 AM

6:00 AM

**sigh** I  cannot deny Josey of her job as long as...

She is a happy girl.

Rise and shine gorgeous!

Are you gonna pull those pistols or whistle Dixie?

Josey at Kitty Hawk

Outlaw Josey Wales, or Josey for short, is our second Border Collie. She was adopted as an eight-week old puppy from a BC rescue. Josey is beautiful, neurotic, fiercely loyal, instinctual and antisocial. She is my husband's dog. Her jobs include alarm clock, ball retriever, resident meteorologist, taste tester and treadmill.

She just turned seven years old this summer. She's all about routine: run eat play sleep run eat play sleep run etc. Here are a few puppy photos of her:

Six weeks old - photo by BCRNC

photo by BCRNC

Josey's first day at home.