Adventures of a dog walker

Everyone always tells me how lucky I am to be getting paid to walk dogs. I wholeheartedly agree. And here is why.

It begins when I arrive at the house of the very expectant occupant. I open the door to a clatter of excited claws on the hardwood at nearly every occasion. Scooping up the leash, I connect it to the collar of the squirming puppy and at the sound of the click we are out the door, some more quickly than others. The humid summer air hits hard as I step out into the heat, but with the bright sun and brisk pace, the walk is rejuvenating and refreshing. For 15 minutes it is just the dogs and I, rain or shine. When the walk is finished, the work has really just started. There are pups to feed, water bowls to refresh, animals to play with, and sometimes messes to clean up. The job is important – with owners out of town or unable to make it home, these dogs would be stuck inside all day long – and knowing I am there to help them out that makes me feel glad I am doing it. Plus, who doesn’t love any chance to see/cuddle/walk dogs?

The best part about my particular job as a dog walker for Dog Pack University is the variety of animals I am able to interact with on a weekly basis. A few weeks before school began I looked after a hamster and chinchilla, along with two dogs. And many cats too. The possibilities are endless and I love the surprise I encounter at each visit. Each animal is unique, so when I get to meet them for the first time and we feel each other out it is such a great experience to keep having over and over again. There are even certain dogs I have been walking for over two years and have the pleasure of knowing their sweet families - like with Roxy!

This job is more than just a way to make extra cash... It really turned out to be a great way for me to relieve some stress by getting out in nature and exercising, being around dogs, and having some quality alone time while working at the same time!

The other incredible aspect of my job is my boss. I met Kelly through such interesting circumstances I really cannot believe I haven’t shared them before. It was summer of 2014 and I was in the hospital parking lot waiting for my appointment. I was in between jobs and really needed something flexible to work with me going back to college and coming home for breaks, which is hard to find in my hometown unless you want to work for tips. I glanced over and saw a red truck with a sticker that said, “Join the Pack! Pet sitting, dog training, pack excursions” and called the number listed immediately. I have been a pet sitter for family friends and such since I was little, but I always dreamed of it becoming a steadier job. I remember leaving a rambling voicemail about how I was staring at her truck right now, I loved dogs, and even though I didn’t even know if she was hiring I wanted to work for her. Soon after, I got a call back saying to meet her at a local coffee shop and from there it is history! I have been walking pups every chance I get when I go back home to Bristow, Virginia on breaks for over two years with Dog Pack U. I attribute that to the fact that the job is amazing (did I mention dogs?) and Kelly is so awesome with her flexibility and willingness to give me visits when I finally have time to do them. She keeps me sane over the summer without my boyfriend and happy because I have an important job to do which so happens to also be the most amazing job in the world!

If you live in the Bristow area and want to have the most incredible job on the planet, head to www.dogpacku.com to check out Kelly and her husband Mike’s services or to apply to do what I do! Your days will be spent doing nothing but loving on dogs and being outside. I can’t think of anything better.