Working with Dogs
After a great Easter week end and spending time with my three dogs - all rescues - two from UK - and my latest family member being Kiki Diamond from Greece settling in well 'paws under the table' already!! I had to get back to work - to pay for their 'future' - pet insurance - food and of course vet bills!!!
And I do LOVE my work but 'working with dogs' and even though 'clients' give you as much details regarding 'history' - behaviour patterns - you still don't really know what the dog's real problems are until you meet the dog - the owner and all the family members!! Sometime you can get inquires from an 'anxious' or 'worried' owner -} 'Rescue dog' - Four years old - shows signs of aggression - lunging at people - 'or' a ten week old pup that is 'biting' - 'or' I have just castrated my dog and there is no change in his behaviour' - why hasn't he calmed down straight away - he is still aggressive even though he was castrated -} Castration does not solve a behavioural problem but can help when your dog meets another un neutered dog - a ten week old pup is not 'biting' but 'mouthing' - BUT you want to address the problem early before the pups 'mouthing' becomes biting as the pup becomes older - or - a Rescue dog that not much history is known but you find the lunging is - not aggressive but can be intimidating to others - but can easily be addressed by 'lead control' and then 'more training' off lead.
Tuesday I went to meet my client and his beautiful Belgium Shepherd - An adult - First thing he did on greeting me was to JUMP UP - the owner holding onto the lead with all the muscle he could - I stood still - folded my arms 'Blocking him' - he tried jumping up again - I turned my back again with a Block then turned back(No Verbal) and then he sat (immediately I was ready to greet him) - we were ready for the next step - walking on lead. In just a short time and using 'lead control' and the 'Block' and Rewarding Positive actions with Verbal Praise his owner could see a difference - and promised to carry on with the same technique and follow the routine I had set him. Looking forward to the next session in a couple of weeks.
Wednesday from a Belgium Shepherd to a chihuahua - a 'former' lapdog whose elderly owner had passed away and relatives had bought the dog to a rescue home - his new owner wanted her to socialise and learn how to walk on a lead - we feel that though the chihuahua was four years old - she had probablly never actually walked anywhere outside and the garden was her 'toilet area' in her last home. It was basically starting the training as you would do with a small puppy - which we did - her owner seemed impressed with the progress booked me for at least another couple of sessions!!
I indeed am lucky to be working with dogs but I also know that Insurance is SO important and even if you are walking YOUR dog or someone elses dog YOU should have third party insurance at least and when I see some dog walkers with their eight or ten dogs I DO wonder if they have insurance or even pay tax. IF you ARE walking someone elses dogs and are a dog walker YOU SHOULD have insurance that covers PUBLIC CARE AND LIABILITY .
NB I do KNOW some professional dog walkers that are fully insured and operate as a proper business But as I said there are quite a few that are not - so If looking for a dog walker in your area ask to see their insurance policies. I have full pet trainers insurance and have a copy on hand if any of my clients wish to see it. KEEP YOUR PET SAFE - THEY are family
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