Godfrey is having an amazing summer vacation, what with all of the walks he's been on and the fun fieldtrips he's taken with his buddies, not to mention all of the organized play dates and playgroups. In fact, his parents never have to worry about him wasting hours in front of the Play Station while they are at work, getting fat on junk food instead of running around outdoors. They never have to worry about picking him up from the park on time or who he hangs out with and whether they are a good influence on him. They don't even have to worry about not making it home from work in time to fix him dinner or stressing when they get stuck in traffic or they're running late.
How's that, you ask? Do they use some super secret daycare or do they have great neighbors? Neither.
You see, Godfrey is a dog and he has a dog walker to take care of him while his human parents are at work. Over 125,000 dogs reside in Seattle with estimates that one out of three households has one or more dogs. Dog walking is a booming industry with websites catering to the professionals and the people who want to utilize their services. In fact, one pet sitters group even hosts an annual national conference (in January it will be held at the Excaliber Hotel in Las Vegas).
In the South End, Genesee Dog Park is a haven for dogwalkers and their furry, four-legged charges. In 1997 the first four Seattle off-leash parks opened, and now there are 11 all across the city with more in the works. Back in the old days when someone was home during the day and lives weren't quite so harried, Spot might have spent his summer hanging out in the backyard tied to a rope or set loose to fill up his hours, trolling the neighborhood.
Those days are gone. First of all, city ordinances prevent dogs from running loose and owners found guilty of this infraction incur hefty fines. Life is also different now with so many people not being home during the day leaving Fido home alone for 10, 12, hours, making messes and being lonely.
For many Seattlites, having a dog is like having a child. It's family. In fact, there are plenty of dog owners who unabashedly refer to their dog as their child. And, like any good parent who wants only the best for their progeny, regardless of cost, dog walkers serve a valuable role.
Tougher than it looks
Ruth Dalton, owner of Gramma's Critter Care, has been in the business since 1989. She serves the South End up to Madison Park. When she began her company she said she had only two competitors; today there are easily a dozen or more serving the South End and plenty more throughout the city.
Dalton sees a lot of new sitters these days and tries to mentor them.
"Lots of people start in the business," she noted, "but lots don't make it. Sometimes it's because they are not interested in meeting other people's schedules. You need to meet the owners' needs for their dog and that's hard for some people. They think anybody can do this work but they can't. You have to love dogs and also be able to deal with the weather. You have to walk the dogs and take them to the dog park in any kind of weather. There is a lot of rain, snow, and even sun we get in Seattle and you as a dog walker are out in it."
Dalton offers her clients dogwalks at mid-day, ball throwing, love and attention, as well as special home services such as mail pickup, plant care, and other tasks.
"I haven't had a vacation since 1999," said Dalton with a chuckle. "I work seven days a week, and I know my animals well. I don't want to turn them over to anyone else."
Dalton even maintains three different backpacks containing different toys for her charges, depending on which dogs she takes out on a particular day.
"That way there is no fighting over a particular toy," she said.
Upside of dog doo
Stacy Hensley owns Baron's Pet Service and has been in business since 1998. She, like most dog walkers interviewed for this story, is licensed and insured. Hensley entered the business slowly.
"I was working as a dispatcher for Airborne Express and an alarm service company. From 1998-2004 I boarded dogs and substituted for dog walkers so they could take their vacations."
By 2004 she was making her livelihood walking dogs fulltime and loving what she was doing.
"I love working for me, and this business enables me to do that," Hensley asserted. "To me, dog walkers provide a service to the community. We help dogs become more social in public and help them get along. We then have good dog citizens and that's good for society. I also just love working with dogs."
To Hensley the worst day she could have walking dogs is far better than the best day at work.
"I'd rather be walking dogs and being with them and picking up their poop than sitting at some desk dealing with poop," she said with a laugh. "Besides, dogs don't hold grudges. They give you unconditional love even when you are in a bad mood. And, I really love the rain."
To Hensley, the most challenging part of her job is the public perception of what she does.
"People look at me and what I do at the park and the fact that I pick up poop. They ask me how much I charge and when I tell them, they think I make a ton of money," she said. "They don't understand the work involved."
Hensley encourages dog owners thinking about hiring a walker to ask the business owner lots of questions, to get recent references, and to look at the services they provide.
"Most importantly, owners should hire someone who their dog gets along with best, not who they get along with best. That's key," asserted Hensley.
The right path
Connie Conley, proud owner of Leave It To Me, has been in the dog walking business for 11 years. For someone who finds reading boring, it was ironically a book that got her started in the trade.
"I was in an office job and was feeling unappreciated," said Conley. "I saw this book, 'I Can Do Anything If I Only Knew What It Was,' and it had all these exercises and quizzes to help you figure out what work you'd be good at. Well, my results showed that I love pets and dog walking was a possible career. So, that's what I decided to do."
Conley loves her job and she loves the dogs she works with.
"I do love my job. It's hard work, and I take little time off, but the rewards are well worth it. For one, being my own boss is fantastic. I didn't want anyone else telling me what to do. Now I can't imagine working for anyone else ever again. Second, spending my days with dogs, cats, birds, etc. is amazing. They are always so happy to see you and they are never in a bad mood. Unfortunately you can't say that for people," said Conley.
Like Hensley, the unconditional love she receives on the job is also a big benefit.
"Right now I am sitting here talking to you and I have this sweet little dog in my lap just cuddling up to me. Now, how often does that happen with a man?" she exclaimed with a laugh.
Conley believes the dog walking industry has grown because Seattlites love their dogs and, for the most part, want them to have the best.
"People have always had pets in their home and made do with friends and neighbors helping out when needed, but then some bright person started offering their service to others and started charging for it," observed Conley.
Despite the conveniences that a dog walker offers owners, Conley believes people shouldn't forget their pets when the pet walker returns home.
"Your job as an owner is not over at this point. It's your turn to take over, and take care of your dog and be with them. Don't forget about your pets," she admonished.
A low-stress job
Ross Huff, owner of Slobberhearts, has been a lot of things in this wonderful life before he became a dog walker. He nonchalantly recited the list:
"Well let's see, I was a lawyer, then a New Wave priest, then an alcohol/drug counselor, then worked part time at Central Bark doggie daycare. I started thinking about doing this then," Huff said. "It took me a year to start but after a while I was making pretty good money."
More than the money, though, Huff likes hanging out with the dogs.
"The most rewarding thing to me is getting to hang out with these idiots with all different unique personalities. "Besides," he confided, " it's a pretty easy low- stress job."
For Huff, a low stress job is important to him for a couple of reasons.
"I have a 14-year-old daughter on a half- time basis so I need a flexible schedule so I can be with her," he noted. "I am also a writer, and this allows me the time to [write] without having to sort out different work relationships."
A key in the dog walking world, according to Huff and others, is to try and figure out the relationship between a dog and its owner is before taking them on as a client.
"When I first take on a new client, I interview them in their home and observe the owner and their dog together. Usually I can see if the person is a very good pet owner, but still we start out on probation," Huff said. "I'm watching how well the new dog gets along with the other dogs since dogs are pack animals."
Like Dalton, Huff has seen dog walkers come and go, but he remains in the business.
"I work five hours a day, three days a week," Huff said. "That gives me time to write. It meets my needs."
Getting in the business
Stephen Hartnett, owner of Tails of the City Seattle, offers services for dogs and their people. The name is a play on words, taken from novels revolving around the gay community in San Francisco in the 1970s, by Maupin. To gay people it's an inside joke, meaning 'he's one of us'.
Like other dog walkers in this story, Hartnett was discouraged in his previous job. This former New Yorker was also missing Cesco (pronounced Chesco), the Scottish deerhound that he and his husband Damien love and cherish. He began to think about doing something else with his life.
"I admired the dogs I saw at the dogpark and their dogwalkers," Hartnett said. "So I researched the industry for a year, took some courses (Hartnett holds a bachelor's degree in political science and French), and talked to a lot of people. Then I started walking friends' dogs for free, but I kept working at other things, like my tutoring business."
He gave a small laugh over this transition period.
"But truthfully, tutoring kids was discouraging and depressing. For example, one kid kept not showing up for his appointments, and the mother was paying for it," Hartnett said. "On the other hand, dogs were reliable and gave me a great deal of satisfaction, and I didn't have to chase after them. So, I gave myself to the work and quit tutoring. To me, this was what the universe was telling me to do."
In 2001 Hartnett went full time into the dog walking business and has never regretted it. To him the best thing about the work is the fact that he is making a difference in the lives of dogs and their people. He puts the emphasis on the dogs, and then their people. Indeed, Hartnett's tagline for his business is "services for dogs and their people."
"Dogs are primary to me," he said. "The dog tells me one thing, and the client may tell me another. Well, I listen to the dog. In my business, the dog comes first."
Sometimes the dog has a need that is different than what the owner says it needs and something tells me this is true. I listen to that. I always start from what the dog needs and go from there and provide for that."
For some dogs, this includes walks on a leash, a rare service among dog walkers. For others Hartnett provides exercise either at Genesee Park or in the owner's backyard. Or, he'll do a house visit and give the dogs lots of love, some potty breaks, treats, and food and water. Before he takes on any new client, however, he spends 45 minutes interviewing the person and dog. This enables him to understand them both.
Hartnett is joyful when he talks about his canine charges.
"I really love dogs and I am very happy to be in their lives. Their happiness is the bottom line," Hartnett asserted. "This world is nutty, it's over scheduled and sometimes dogs get overlooked. Being a dogwalker enables me to be with dogs while affording me a life."
What's the most challenging part of his work? The people.
"It's funny," stated Hartnett. "It's not the dog. It's their people. Some clients will say, 'Look, can we make a deal here?' and cut down on the money they owe me or don't appreciate me enough to pay me. I'm learning to not feel like I have do everything to get business. I don't. I'm learning more and more to walk away, and not be afraid that I won't have the business. I will. The universe provides."
Mary Sanford may be reached via editor@sdistrictjournal.com.
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