It doesn't require much reading for you to realize that I absolutely LOVE Collies! Not only have I grown up in a household filled with Collies and currently own two myself, but I find every bit of their personality to be absolutely perfect! (Sorry to any offend anyone, but we're all titled to our opinions!)And so you could only imagine my excitement when I received a call to take care of Abby, a sweet, 10 year old blue-merle Collie. During our week together, despite the awful weather (ugh this rain!!) Abby and I had a wonderful time together! She was a quirky old girl, every time I'd snap on her leash she'd grab it and carry it as we walked out of the house. And whereas my girls would tip-toe around puddles (they don't even like to walk in wet grass!) Abby would slowly make her way through a puddle, enjoying every moment! She also loved to roll in the grass, even as it was pouring rain. And of course, she got along wonderfully with Elsa and Reese, I truly believe that dogs recognize others who are of the same breed. We were lucky with one sunny day and I was able to snap some great pictures of the three Collies walking through a field at Spring Hill Farm. Enjoy!!
What a busy week! I haven't had much time to post anything, I've been busy walking in the rain and in my spare time, I'm researching how to take care of a dog with epilepsy. Reesie went to the vet on Friday and it seems as though she likely has Idiopathic Epilepsy. We don't know the underlying cause of her partial seizures, but I'm doing all that I can to prevent anymore from occuring. And the very first thing that I'm doing is changing her food. Reese has been on Merrick dog food, which contains grains. Grains are not a natural food for dogs and can cause all kinds of problems, including allergies and seizures. So Reese is currently transitioning to a new, grain-free diet. She had a bloodtest taken but nothing of alarm was found. She did test positive for Lyme disease, however seizures aren't a common symptom of the disease. For now, the best thing that 
I can do is provide Reese with the healthiest diet and supplements possible, offer a healthy dose of exercise, and keep a detailed diary every day. I'm starting to get used to the idea that Reese may experience additional seizures in the future, but I'm still watching my sweet little girl very closely (and over-analyzing everything, just as any other over protective mother would!) She's certainly enjoying the extra attention! I hope that I can provide enough changes to prevent anymore seizures and as I find time, will certainly post what I've learned to help everyone provide healthier lives for their lovable pups!
The other day as my husband, Chris, and I were walking our girls, he brought up something that he said really amazes him. He said he was amazed that dogs, such as bloodhounds, can be used to track people. He asked me if people really have a scent that is strong enough to be picked up by a dog. I agreed, it is quite impressive! And it's not just bloodhounds and other tracking dogs that have impressive noses.
I was thinking about what he said while I was out walking dogs. I see them sniffing constantly, 
but I always wonder what exactly it is that they're smelling, and if our pets can actually distinguish what those scents are. Well, Carmen showed me that our dogs do indeed recognize and react to the scents that they're smelling! Carmen is a little "cavapoo," a mix between a mini Poodle and a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. So really, his pedigree does not include any noted trackers! There's another little dog, Codi, who lives near Carmen, and the two just don't get along. Codi is a little bully and Carmen has learned to react to him in a defensive manner...he barks, his hair goes up on his back, and he runs around.
The other day we were on our way back to the house when we passed Codi's owner. Carmen, in his super friendly way, went over to her to say hi, tail wagging and jumping with excitement! After the initial hello, he did what most dogs do, he started sniffing her all over. It didn't take long for Carmen to catch a wiff of his nemesis, Codi! Immediately Carmen started barking, his hair went up, and he started looking around for Codi! Not only could he smell another dog, but he recognized Codi's smell and reacted to it as if Codi was there.
I was unhappy to see that the initial happy greeting was ruined, but just amazed that little Carmen can make the association based on his nose! No doubt he could land a job in search and rescue!
Well this weekend didn't turn out as we had hoped. It all started off well. Early Friday morning the girls, my husband Chris, and I all got up early and headed to the Topsfield Fairgrounds for Elsa to compete for her final leg in Rally Excellent. And though it was a dreary, rainy day and Elsa missed a jump, she still managed to leave with a red ribbon and her RE title! We've gone further with Rally-O than I had ever imagined but it's time to move on to obedience...classes start next Monday!That afternoon we headed off for a weekend at my parent's lake house on Bow Lake in NH.
The girls had the chance to play with their "cousins," my parent's three Collies and a pug. Saturday was beautiful, we took lots of walks and both Elsa and Reese got to swim in the lake. They had a wonderful time.However, Sunday had a gloomy, rainy start and my parents headed out early with their dogs. Chris and I decided to make the most of our weekend, he had taken Monday off, so we stayed and began a game of monopoly. After a little while I went into the kitchen to get a drink, Reese following me, when I suddenly heard her trip into the water bowl on the ground. Finding this odd, I had her follow me into the living room to see if she was alright. But she wasn't. She began to stumble to the left, her back leg unable to hold her up and her front leg folding under her as well. Chris bent down and Reese tried to cuddle with him while trying her hardest to regain her balance and began whining. Her left side just wouldn't support her. I sat close to her on the ground and my poor little girl fell into my lap, whining and scared. She rested for a bit as I calmed her. After resting like that for some time, she tried to get up, and with my help was able to stand and walk. Chris took her outside and she trotted around as if nothing had happened. We believe that Reese had a partial seizure. I have an appointment with my vet on Friday this week. It was a scary event and we hope that she doesn't have another episode in the meantime. There are many things that can cause a seizure and their prevalent in Collies, but I can only hope for my little girl that this is something that we can prevent in the future. In the meantime, she'll be taking some time off from walking other dogs with me. But of course, that doesn't mean she won't be going on walks when I get home, and Elsa will stay around to keep her company during the day! I'll continue posting updates on Reesie <3
So I just mentioned Druno and Doobie yesterday. Well, those two little boys also have two big brothers, Dexter and Bogart. It's quite the dynamic group and let me tell you, I receive quite the welcoming when I walk into the house! Every one of them is a sufficient watch dog, so there's a lot of barking upon my entrance. However, amongst all of the barking, there's a sound that I've just recently begun picking up on. After his initial barking, Dexter will keep yawning! And it's not just any yawn, but it's followed by a high pitch whine. Once I noticed it, I'd listen for his yawn everyday, and sure enough that's what he'd do!
So yesterday, I decided to take note of any other dog who yawned upon my entrance. My day began with Kelsey the poodle. I thought back and couldn't recall ever noticing Kelsey yawning during any of my visits. However, she does have a silly habit of "stalling" before going out. Like any typical poodle, she'll bounce around, stretch, sit, get back up, sit, stretch! It goes on and on like that everytime I try to put her collar on and I must show a lot of patience as I wait for her to settle down. Well, sure enough, yesterday morning as I waiting for her "stalling" to finish, Kelsey let out a BIG, loud yawn! Ah-ha! Apparently Dexter isn't the only one whose bored by my visits.....And it didn't stop there. Next I visited Gracie and Petunia. As soon as I went towards Gracie's crate to let her outside, she yawned and followed it with a whine. Once I saw that it wasn't going to rain any longer, I swung by my house to pick up Elsa and Reese. As I picked up their collars, both let out a yawn. And at the end of the day when I brought them over to play with Solo, sure enough, he also let out a loud yawn. Apparently I'm a boring dog walker........But that's actually not the case! Dogs don't yawn for the same reasons as us. In dogs, it's referred to as a calming signal and is used to cope with excitement. A yawn fills their lungs with air and boosts their brain with oxygen and increases their heart rate. When I walk through the door, all of these dogs are excited and anticipate a walk and a good time! So to prepare for action, they yawn!Studies also suggest, just as with people, that yawning is contagious and can be used to calm your dog down. In theory, you can yawn at your dog and he'll yawn back, making him more relaxed! Well, I just yawned about 15 times in front of Reese, she just stared at me as if I were crazy! And when I tried it out on Elsa, she saw it as an invitation to crawl up onto my lap. So, apparently my yawns aren't contagious...but at least I'm not a boring dog walker!
I think the weathermen might've gotten a couple of things wrong today. I was prepared for downpours all day long, but instead, to my delight, there was very little rain! Which was the case when I arrived to take Bruno and Doobie for their walks. Bruno is the cutest little dashund you'll ever meet who is a splitting image of Max, the dog from "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas." Yes, he's that cute. Doobie is a little Maltese who thinks he's the size of a Great Dane, he's the funniest dog ever.
We walk down to the Lawrence park on Tuesdays and Thursdays and the boys absolutely love it. Today, because the grass was wet from the earlier rain, we walked along the perimeter of the park on the sidewalk. The boys were having a wonderful time, but as we got to the far end of the park I noticed two very large dogs running around loose. Their owner was nearby but didn't appear to have voice control. Well, I know the dogs that I walk and if/who they'll get along with, but I don't know the two big dogs running around the park. Not only that, but I've walked Bruno and Doobie past these two big dogs before, they reacted horribly...barking, growling, and pulling at the leash. Therefore, I quickly turned the boys around to go the other way. We made our way back without being spotted.
However, that hasn't always been the case with those two. Last fall I was walking them down the street with Elsa, we were on our way back home when all of a sudden I heard lots of shouting. I looked across the street to find a dog running full speed towards us. He was a pit bull and showed no interest in listening to his owner's calls nor any signs of slowing down. Without hesitation I braced myself and stood square and tall in front of the three dogs, not knowing what to expect. Then, out of nowhere, a car came speeding down the road and collided with the dog! He yelped, was thrown into the air, and leaped back onto his feet and took off in the opposite direction, his owner running after him. I barely had time to realize what had happened and as much as I love dogs, I must say my first feeling was that of relief. I have no idea what that dog would've done had he made his way to us, but I'm glad I didn't have to find out. Based on the way he was running, the pit bull certainly didn't seem affected by the hit, and as soon as we got back to Bruno and Doobie's house I jotted down "buy deterrent" on my to-do list! ...maybe someone should've followed that leash law!....
It's time to start talking dog walking. I've found that on a daily basis I'll be by myself, laughing hysterically over something silly that Carmen did. Or wishing I had a camera to take a picture of Petunia working on her tan in the hot sun. Or needing someone to vent to when I step in some dog poop. Sure, my husband is more than willing to listen to my day as a dog walker as we eat dinner. And I leave notes after every visit so that my clients can read about my walk with their pup. But I walk some wonderful dogs that keep me entertained everyday and I want to share those experiences with everyone!But first, a little bit about my life as a dog walker. When I tell people that I'm a dog walker, I get one of two reactions. The first reaction is "oh yea, my friend does that." After a quick conversation, I learn that this friend has a part time job and to increase her income she walks a couple of neighborhood dogs in her spare time. Hm. I work full time as a dog walker. My business is incorporated. It's insured and bonded and I have 3 employees. I am a business owner. But ok sure, I'm just like your friend, how cute.I much prefer the other reaction. "That's so cool!" I know!! I love my job, I love my business, I love spending my day exercising with dogs. It's not easy and whoever said it is must walk neighborhood dogs part time. Running a business is hard work, but completely worth the challenge. Since I began walking Kelsey, my first dog, I have not had a single day in which I was not looking forward to going to work. Regardless of snow, cold, or rain...I am always excited to begin my day. It's the greatest feeling in the world.My day begins at 6am when the alarm goes off. I get up to make my husband his lunch and see him off to work. After a little playtime with Elsa and Reese, I plop myself down at my computer and get to work. Whether it's working on QuickBooks, my blog, my business plan, or more, I'm busy all morning long. Then by 10am I'm ready to head out for my first dog walk. The daily schedule always vary, on a slow Friday I may have only 3 dogs to walk, on a busy day I'll have as many as 10 dogs, and that doesn't include the dogs that my walkers, Lauren and Logan, must visit. If the weather is nice, Elsa and Reese will hop into the car with me. They get along with every dog that I walk and absolutely love spending the day with me. If I have to leave them at home, I'm leaving two very sad Collies...they love their job too!My day is busy, it's all about efficiency and time management. Most clients need their dogs walked mid-day so I must schedule my day to meet their needs, while still staying on track to visit all dogs at a decent time. On an average day I'll finish around 3:30 or 4, run some errands, and then it's back home to get more work done or, on occassion, make an evening visit. The thing about running a business from home is that you can never escape it, there's always something that needs to be done. But I still manage to get some personal time in. I'll take Elsa and Reese for an hour and a half long walk if they didn't join me during the day or I'm at the gym or I'll go for a long run. Regardless of the exercise I receive all day, I need that extra time to work out and relax! Dinner is also a time in which I can relax. And after all of that, if I still have the momentum and motivation, it's back to work on the computer until I'm ready for bed! My days are busy, but the most important part of them is the time that I spend with my clients' dogs. That's why I'm doing this. I specialize each visit to meet the individual dog's personality, needs, and energy level to make the most out of our time together. For Gracie, it's an intense game with her soccer ball. For Sasha, it's a long walk through the field. For Kelsey, it's a playdate in the yard with her two Collie friends. Each dog is different, and so is each visit. So that's my life as a dog walker. But it changes everyday! My business is growing and I hope to keep that momentum going and look for additional opportunities. And in the meantime, I will continue to share those experiences with you, so that as you sit at your cubicle you can imagine what it would be like being a dog walker instead : )
As a young girl who absolutely loved Collies, no series of books were more perfect for me than Albert Payson Terhune's popular children books about Collies, beginning with Lad: A Dog. To this day, I have an impressive collection of the old books and like to browse through them every once in a while. They're rather silly to me now, typical children books in which the dog is always the hero. But they also truly capture the wonderful nature of Collies, and dogs in general. And nothing captures it better than a letter written by Terhune at the end of one of his books to his dogs after the passing of one of his most beloved pets. I absolutely love what he has written, and hope you do as well.Stretch on the hearthrug in deep content, fond as the fire as I, Oh, there's something when the old dog went I had not thought could die.
To my ten best friends-
Who are far worse in their ways and far better in every way, than I, and yet who have not the wisdom to know it - Who do not merely think I am perfect, but who are calmly and permanently convinced of my perfection - and this is spite of fifty disillusions a day - Who are frantically happy at my coming and bitterly woebegone at my absence - Who never bore one and never are bored by me - Who never talk about themselves and who always listen with rapturous interest to anything I may say - Who, having no conventional standards, have no respectability, and who, having no conventional conscience, have no sins - Who teach me finer lessons in loyalty, in patience, in true courtesy, in unselfishness, in divine forgiveness, in pluck and in abiding good spirits than do all the books I have ever read and all the other models I have studied - Who have not designed to waste time and eyesight in reading a word of mine and who will not bother to read this verborse tribute to themselves - In short, to the most gloriously satifactory chums who ever approached to human vanity and to human desire for companionship <3
It doesn't require much reading for you to realize that I absolutely LOVE Collies! Not only have I grown up in a household filled with Collies and currently own two myself, but I find every bit of their personality to be absolutely perfect! (Sorry to any offend anyone, but we're all titled to our opinions!)
