So, after many months of searching on craigslist.com, care.com, etc for potential dog walkers, dozens of emails back and forth between potential candidates, and a few in person meetings, Mumble and I have FINALLY found a new dog walker! I was determined to find the perfect fit for Mumble, someone I knew would work well with him, implement the techniques, etc as I want them implemented, and really just have that personality that is a good match for his. This morning, we interviewed a dog walker named Lynne (interestingly, the same name as the previous dog walker we loved).
Mumble was really testing her out and being difficult this morning. He was already stressed out because there was construction and repainting going on in our building, including work on our front door right outside. So I knew that Lynne had excellent potential when she didn't jump to any conclusions about him being "aggressive" even though he basically sat behind his gate barking or growling for the first 5-10 minutes she was there. Mumble can be loud and sound pretty intimidating, but he has never been actually aggressive to anyone, and someone who assumes that rather than really reading the signs he is giving off correctly is not the right match for him (i.e. the previous dog walker we interviewed who alluded to "kicking dogs in the chest" when they jumped on you and made a statement that Mumble was "aggressive and trying to be dominant").
Lynne, Mumble and I all went on a walk around the neighborhood, and Mumble did really well with her. Basically, he was showing off for her, walking next to her and looking up at her and not pulling on the leash. I warned her that while he's overall a well behaved dog, he isn't always this perfect on the leash!
I showed Lynne all of Mumble's tricks, behaviors, and other skills he is working on and knows. It was another good sign that she really paid close attention to everything and asked a lot of questions about his training and how to work with him. Mumble will bond better with someone and also respect them more if they work on some of his skills and behavior training with him too, so I'm glad she's willing to do this.
The icing on the cake was when she mentioned that (if I was OK with this) she would sometimes bring her 5 year old daughter along. Mumble LOVES kids, and I've worked hard on teaching him how to be calm around them and not to react when they run around or pull on him or pet him roughly. He's super motivated because he really wants to interact with kids, so he has basically learned to just be real still so that I'll let the kid come up to him. I think it will be great for him to have a child that he is around on a semi-regular basis and can form a bond with.
So... Lynne is starting later this week, and I'm really excited to move forward with this next stage for Mumble! He'll be staying home instead of going to doggie daycare a couple of times a week, when she'll be walking him. I'm sure there will be lots of adventures and stories as they get use to each other, but I am confident that she will be great with him and this is going to work out well!
Showing posts with label dog walker. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dog walker. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Friday, February 19, 2010
The Search for a New Dogwalker
Mumble is notorious for being resistant to staying at home alone. He has been known to escape confinement behind a dog gate (pushing it out of the doorway, climbing a bookshelf to get over it, and then climbing the moved-bookshelf to get to the kitchen counter and then over the gate) at the young age of 4 months; he moved a crate across the room while inside of it (resulting in a scrape on his back that caused a permanent scar), took a screen out of a window, ate / chewed through two doorknobs (mine and one at my sister's house - both have puncture marks from his teeth and are warped), and various other things to attempt to get out of any type of solitary confinement (or what he sees as such). More recently, he escaped out of a crate completely while we were visiting my sister for Christmas (my brother checked on him that day and called to say "was he in this pen-thing when you left him here? he's not now"). And then of course, he has rearranged my furniture... As in, pulled a large arm-chair several feet across the room so that it was behind the couch instead of next to it. I guess he thought it looked better there, or else was trying to move it to the window (when it use to be under the window, he loved to sit and look outside).
So figuring out what to do with him during the work day has been a constant source of stress for me. Originally, he was able to come to my office during the work day, but eventually the building owners put their foot down about that (although they seem to look the other way for smaller dogs). He started daycare at The Loved Dog at age 5 months, and for a while he was doing a combination of daycare there or in a pet sitter / dog walker's home during the week. Eventually this didn't work because unbenownst to me, Mumble had decided to be a "guard dog" at the pet sitter's house, and basically barked at the door most of the day.
Several months ago I found a great dog walker, named Lyn. You can read all about that process in an earlier post about Mumble staying home alone. Lyn was great because she was willing to listen and to work with Mumble according to the techniques / methods I already use. I showed her, for example, Mumble's "routine" for when I leave the house, which is something we learned in our training with Tamar Gellar, and she implemented it. I told her she had to be willing and able to say "no" firmly to Mumble if he was barking or pulling on the leash - that he knows how to behave but will "test" her. When Mumble started a Tricks class, I gave her a list and instructions of what he was practicing and she would try out some of the tricks with him when she visited. She was flexible, able to come multiple times during the day (more when he seemed hyper or anxious, for example).
And over the last several months, my life has become infinitely less stressful as Mumble has become more and more calm about staying at home. Of course, I know some of this is attributable to the fact that during this time period, he has had constant agility and tricks training, giving him ongoing and consistent "mental stimulation" which makes him better behaved in general. I know some of it is just due to maturity - Mumble at 1 year 5 months is just now starting to get out of the destructive puppy phase. But I also know a lot of it is because of Lyn, because she has been a constant in Mumble's life, and because she was such a perfect fit for what he needed in a dog walker.
So you can imagine the panic I felt when Lyn informed me that she is now moving away. She's very happy about this next step in her life, and I want good things for her! But selfishly, I of course wish she were staying nearby.
I'm faced now with the search, again, for the perfect dog walker. Perfect means available when I need them, flexible in terms of scheduling (it's not the same week by week), reasonably priced, experienced with dogs, and not too opinionated about how dogs should be walked / worked with. It is a time-consuming and exhausting task, one that took me a few months the last time around. I've google'd, searched through craigslist, talked to people referred to me by trainers and others, asked everyone I know if they know someone. I've emailed any and all persons who seem like they would be a good candidate and asked them my laundry-list of questions. You'd think this is a simple matter of availability + reasonable rate, but it's not so simple. The hardest part is finding the person who's personality is a good fit for how I want someone to work with my dog.
I've found that really experienced dog walkers, like "trainers," tend to be very opinionated about what works and think they know all about dog training already. And I'm sure they have great techniques, but I've put a lot of time and money into Mumble's training and I am more concerned with someone being able to do things my way than whether they can bring in their own training experience and techniques. My biggest pet peeve in this has been when I say "Mumble needs a lot of exercise and mental stimulation..." and I get cut off because the dog walker wants to show what they know and starts in with "oh yes, all dogs need at least XX number of hours of exercise" or "dogs really need activity and structure." It's not that they are wrong, it's that they are not listening. I know all healthy dogs need exercise and activities, but when I say Mumble needs that I am not just referring to what dogs need in general. Mumble is unique among all of the dogs in our little pack of dog-friends in terms of how much exercise he needs a day, so I think it is safe to say his needs may be beyond what the dog walker thinks of as "typical." On days he is at home now, he gets an hour long walk in the morning with me, two thirty minute walks with Lyn and another 30-45 minute walk with me in the evening. 2.5 or more hours of walking a day is probably more than the average dog gets / requires.
I'm not willing to risk, by having someone who is not right for Mumble, back-tracking to the days when he hated staying at home. When I leave him in the morning now, he is calm as he lies in his "stay" position waiting nicely until I get out the door and tell him "take it" (at which point he gets to get up and get the treats and toys I've put on the rug for him). He doesn't try to get up and follow me out, doesn't dry at the door. My neighbors no longer complain about crying or barking during the day. And when I come home, he is just happily waiting for me. As it should be.
So the search is on, and in the next week, Mumble and I will be meeting with a few candidates to see if they are a good fit. I'm hopeful we'll find someone quickly this time, so we'll see how it goes!
So figuring out what to do with him during the work day has been a constant source of stress for me. Originally, he was able to come to my office during the work day, but eventually the building owners put their foot down about that (although they seem to look the other way for smaller dogs). He started daycare at The Loved Dog at age 5 months, and for a while he was doing a combination of daycare there or in a pet sitter / dog walker's home during the week. Eventually this didn't work because unbenownst to me, Mumble had decided to be a "guard dog" at the pet sitter's house, and basically barked at the door most of the day.
Several months ago I found a great dog walker, named Lyn. You can read all about that process in an earlier post about Mumble staying home alone. Lyn was great because she was willing to listen and to work with Mumble according to the techniques / methods I already use. I showed her, for example, Mumble's "routine" for when I leave the house, which is something we learned in our training with Tamar Gellar, and she implemented it. I told her she had to be willing and able to say "no" firmly to Mumble if he was barking or pulling on the leash - that he knows how to behave but will "test" her. When Mumble started a Tricks class, I gave her a list and instructions of what he was practicing and she would try out some of the tricks with him when she visited. She was flexible, able to come multiple times during the day (more when he seemed hyper or anxious, for example).
And over the last several months, my life has become infinitely less stressful as Mumble has become more and more calm about staying at home. Of course, I know some of this is attributable to the fact that during this time period, he has had constant agility and tricks training, giving him ongoing and consistent "mental stimulation" which makes him better behaved in general. I know some of it is just due to maturity - Mumble at 1 year 5 months is just now starting to get out of the destructive puppy phase. But I also know a lot of it is because of Lyn, because she has been a constant in Mumble's life, and because she was such a perfect fit for what he needed in a dog walker.
So you can imagine the panic I felt when Lyn informed me that she is now moving away. She's very happy about this next step in her life, and I want good things for her! But selfishly, I of course wish she were staying nearby.
I'm faced now with the search, again, for the perfect dog walker. Perfect means available when I need them, flexible in terms of scheduling (it's not the same week by week), reasonably priced, experienced with dogs, and not too opinionated about how dogs should be walked / worked with. It is a time-consuming and exhausting task, one that took me a few months the last time around. I've google'd, searched through craigslist, talked to people referred to me by trainers and others, asked everyone I know if they know someone. I've emailed any and all persons who seem like they would be a good candidate and asked them my laundry-list of questions. You'd think this is a simple matter of availability + reasonable rate, but it's not so simple. The hardest part is finding the person who's personality is a good fit for how I want someone to work with my dog.
I've found that really experienced dog walkers, like "trainers," tend to be very opinionated about what works and think they know all about dog training already. And I'm sure they have great techniques, but I've put a lot of time and money into Mumble's training and I am more concerned with someone being able to do things my way than whether they can bring in their own training experience and techniques. My biggest pet peeve in this has been when I say "Mumble needs a lot of exercise and mental stimulation..." and I get cut off because the dog walker wants to show what they know and starts in with "oh yes, all dogs need at least XX number of hours of exercise" or "dogs really need activity and structure." It's not that they are wrong, it's that they are not listening. I know all healthy dogs need exercise and activities, but when I say Mumble needs that I am not just referring to what dogs need in general. Mumble is unique among all of the dogs in our little pack of dog-friends in terms of how much exercise he needs a day, so I think it is safe to say his needs may be beyond what the dog walker thinks of as "typical." On days he is at home now, he gets an hour long walk in the morning with me, two thirty minute walks with Lyn and another 30-45 minute walk with me in the evening. 2.5 or more hours of walking a day is probably more than the average dog gets / requires.
I'm not willing to risk, by having someone who is not right for Mumble, back-tracking to the days when he hated staying at home. When I leave him in the morning now, he is calm as he lies in his "stay" position waiting nicely until I get out the door and tell him "take it" (at which point he gets to get up and get the treats and toys I've put on the rug for him). He doesn't try to get up and follow me out, doesn't dry at the door. My neighbors no longer complain about crying or barking during the day. And when I come home, he is just happily waiting for me. As it should be.
So the search is on, and in the next week, Mumble and I will be meeting with a few candidates to see if they are a good fit. I'm hopeful we'll find someone quickly this time, so we'll see how it goes!
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Staying at Home Alone
Mumble is now one year old, and he still doesn't stay at home alone during the day while I am at work. He occasionally stays at home for a half day, or for an evening if I have plans on the weekend or in the evenings, but he is so "busy" and active, I don't trust him for a full day...
For months now, ever since Mumble's previous dog sitter stopped being able to dog-sit him at her house, I have been in search for the perfect dog walker to help with the transition to Mumble staying at home alone. Last week, I think I finally found her! Lyn lives right around the corner from my apartment, provides dog walking and pet-sitting services on a part time basis. For a cheaper price than what I pay for Mumble to go to a full day at doggie daycare, she provides a combo of walk + pet sitting for the day. This service includes 3-4 short "visits" during the day to play with Mumble and take him out for a bathroom break if needed, plus one longer walk at some point during the day.
When Mumble and I met with Lyn the first time, I'm sure that she thought I was just a little bit crazy. I told her all about Mumble's "adventures" in the house - escaping things, climbing things, eating furniture, eating plastic bags. I showed her his "routine" for when he is being left home alone, which involves him being in a "stay" while I put yummy treats and bones and toys on the floor near him, then walk out and give his release command. I gave her the list of foods Mumble is allergic too, told her what to give him for his digestion issues, and asked her to track his sneezing and coughing. During all of this, Mumble laid on the floor in front of me and occasionally growled at her, until the moment I gave her a key, which must have signaled "we trust her!" because then he immediately got up and went over for her to pet him.
Mumble's first day at home with this new arrangement went well, and I got an email from Lyn in the middle of the day telling me how Mumble was doing! When I got home, he was super excited to see me, and there were no indications of mis-adventures anywhere in the apartment.
The best part is that Lyn is so flexible and is really helping me with a "plan" to increase Mumble's time at home. Right now, the idea is that he will still go to doggie daycare at least three days of the week, and then on the other two days he will stay home and have visits plus a walk from Lyn. Then we will switch to 3 days a week at home and 2 days at daycare. Finally, we will gradually fade out the "visits," so that he will be at home all day with only a long walk with Lyn in the middle of the day.
Who knew this could be so complicated? I really envy the people who can just leave their dog in the morning and come back to a content dog and an in-tact home! Stay tuned, and I will post Mumble's progress in this new arrangement!
For months now, ever since Mumble's previous dog sitter stopped being able to dog-sit him at her house, I have been in search for the perfect dog walker to help with the transition to Mumble staying at home alone. Last week, I think I finally found her! Lyn lives right around the corner from my apartment, provides dog walking and pet-sitting services on a part time basis. For a cheaper price than what I pay for Mumble to go to a full day at doggie daycare, she provides a combo of walk + pet sitting for the day. This service includes 3-4 short "visits" during the day to play with Mumble and take him out for a bathroom break if needed, plus one longer walk at some point during the day.
When Mumble and I met with Lyn the first time, I'm sure that she thought I was just a little bit crazy. I told her all about Mumble's "adventures" in the house - escaping things, climbing things, eating furniture, eating plastic bags. I showed her his "routine" for when he is being left home alone, which involves him being in a "stay" while I put yummy treats and bones and toys on the floor near him, then walk out and give his release command. I gave her the list of foods Mumble is allergic too, told her what to give him for his digestion issues, and asked her to track his sneezing and coughing. During all of this, Mumble laid on the floor in front of me and occasionally growled at her, until the moment I gave her a key, which must have signaled "we trust her!" because then he immediately got up and went over for her to pet him.
Mumble's first day at home with this new arrangement went well, and I got an email from Lyn in the middle of the day telling me how Mumble was doing! When I got home, he was super excited to see me, and there were no indications of mis-adventures anywhere in the apartment.
The best part is that Lyn is so flexible and is really helping me with a "plan" to increase Mumble's time at home. Right now, the idea is that he will still go to doggie daycare at least three days of the week, and then on the other two days he will stay home and have visits plus a walk from Lyn. Then we will switch to 3 days a week at home and 2 days at daycare. Finally, we will gradually fade out the "visits," so that he will be at home all day with only a long walk with Lyn in the middle of the day.
Who knew this could be so complicated? I really envy the people who can just leave their dog in the morning and come back to a content dog and an in-tact home! Stay tuned, and I will post Mumble's progress in this new arrangement!
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