Welcome everyone, to the #AtoZChallenge Blogging Extravaganza, where hundreds of bloggers publish 26 posts in 30 days, one for each letter of the alphabet, covering a myriad of topics!
“Dog Breeds & Anecdotes” is my theme. Click HERE to see all posts and HERE to view the participants.
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#AtoZChallenge Day 20: T is for TAILS AND TALES #dogladysden Share on X
TAILS AND TALES
In 1994, I started a pet care business, two years after being “downsized” (a nicer way of saying “fired”) from my corporate job and not finding a suitable replacement. It was born of desperation!
We were apartment dwellers at the time, so I offered mostly house calls for cats, plants, birds, fish etc., plus dog walking, with a single boarder now and then.
After about 10 years, the running around 7 days a week with no time to myself was wearing on me. I switched to providing home boarding for dogs only. (We had become home owners in the meantime and have a fenced back yard.)
This has worked out well and my house is like a little “doggie commune”. The photo is from 1998 or 99 and shows JRs Saba, Maggie. Butler, my sweet Tasha (Mama’s second in command) and Bentley
Some people think this is an easy job, but I’m here to tell you it is NOT. Dogs can have accidents, get sick, pick fights with others or be destructive, just like children. They may need constant grooming, require special diets or have complicated medication regimens.
Then there’s the mud! Rain is the bain of all dog sitters’ existence. Imagine having to clean six muddy dogs all at once. That’s 24 paws to be wiped! Thank goodness I can count on hubby to help when things get crazy, like Spring Break.
Dogs pictured left to right:
Lacy, Butler, Mika, Robbie, with Milo the Vizsla (see the Apr. 26 entry) in back.
Tasha, our Dalmatian, never needed a leash.
In 2012, I started writing a book “Adventures in Dogsitting”, about the dogs I have cared for. What I didn’t consider was that reliving some of the sad endings (Chapter Seven in particular) would turn me into an emotional wreck.
At the time, I was also dealing with the trauma of my father’s death and mother’s Alzheimer’s and subsequent relocation. It was all too much to bear, and I put the book aside after eight chapters.
This A to Z Challenge has given me new enthusiasm to finish it. Chapters one, four and five were included in the “Read for Animals” anthology, published in 2014.
Would you be interested in reading such a book?
Looking forward to your comments!
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Dog Mom and (retired) Canine Innkeeper in suburban Toronto, Canada, known as The Doglady. Former corporate workaholic. Writer, photographer, digital creator. Animal lover, music fanatic, inveterate traveller. Eternal hippie/rockchick. History, literature and cinema buff. Hockey and soccer fan. Dedicated night owl. German/Canadian binational, multilingual. Let me entertain you!
51 thoughts on “T is for TAILS AND TALES | #AtoZChallenge”
I’m so thrilled that you are looking to finish out your vision quest with the book, Debbie! I’m very proud of you and I would love to read it as well as supporting you by doing so!
Hi Mike; I was surprised to see your comment on this old post!Thank you so much for those lovely words. but I have to be honest. The enthusiasm for this project waned again and I haven’t gone back to it. Mostly because the chapters already written are the best ones. The rest would be even more sad, or worse, boring. Thanks for coming by, though. You have opened my mind once again to the possibility. We’ll see how that goes!
Hi Debbie: Sorry I haven’t been around for a while, but ever since we put Baby down & she went to Rainbow Heaven I was very sad, and hubby was too, but guess what we finally did!!! We have a male black/brn Labrador name Charlie & he’s about 2yrs or 3 old. We got him from the shelter & we gave our Charlie his forever home. It took about six months for him to calm down and learn the rules, and now he’s a very loving… who doesn’t ask for attention he demands it!!! hahaha~ He wants all the love you want to give him. He’s such a cutie pie & Charlie has a long Tail & is always wagging it!!! hehehe~ Anyway, I’m doing the A2Z Challenge too, so I’ll be back. Great photos too!
Hi Marie: I’m so sorry about Baby. 🙁 Losing a beloved family member truly sucks and is the worst thing about having a pet. That said, the joy they bring while they’re here is immeasurable. ♥ Charlie sounds wonderful and good for you for choosing a rescue! I’m glad you enjoyed the post, but it’s from the Archives. For the first time in 4 years, I’m not participating in the A to Z Challenge and have been on a blogging break for several weeks now. (Archived posts are tweeted automatically with a plugin called “Revive Old Post”. It keeps the site alive when I’m not publishing anything new. Will be back in May.) Thanks for taking the time to read and comment here. Hugs to Charlie. I adore black Labs!
Yep, Charlie is the new love of my life… but I do hope you stop by some time too! I have a few pics up of my Charlie too! Have a great weekend.
I can so see you writing a book.
I cannot imagine pet sitting in an apartment setting.
Also, I have never walked two dogs on a leash at the same time. That would be nerve wracking!
Thanks, Myke. I plan to go back to the book after all this has died down. When it comes to dogs, the setting doesn’t matter, as long as you take them out somewhere for exercise. Being in an apartment forces a person to go for more walks (or to the park) than someone who has a yard. Some poor dogs with yards never get walked and that’s so sad for them. Walking two dogs is usually easy enough (as long as they’re manageable). Try four and five. 🙂
Dogs are definitely like children, so loving, so playful, so affectionate, so messy….and so instinctively understanding! I just imagined them in the rain… couldn’t help smiling, Debbie! My friend had four – and it was quite hilarious to see them padding around the place, calming walking across the puddle in the garden. My friend’s Mum would say that if she ever dreamed of me, I would be holding a mop – because that’s what my friend and I did, quite diligently!
Yes, I’d love to read your book. Please do continue writing and complete it! Hugs – memories of loved ones who’ve passed on are always painful.
Hi,Vidya; Some dogs are attracted to puddles and anything smelly, just like small children. 🙂 I was lucky with Tasha. Dalmatians are clean and cat-like. She hated to get dirty and side-stepped the puddles. When I stopped writing the book, there was a lot of other stuff going on and my emotions were just too fragile to keep reliving those sad stories. I wrote a couple more for this challenge and seem to be handling it better, so, it’s a good time to go back to it. Thanks for the encouragement! ((HUGS))
I would love to read such as this – provided there are happy and funny stories to counter the sad ones.
I would never consider a dog boarding service easy, but I am very grateful to those who sacrifice their personal life to help those of us who need the service.
Molly @MyCozyBookNook
My Cozy Book Nook
Revising Life after 50
Thank you, Molly. The endings are often sad, but there are many cute and funny moments in between. 🙂 We still manage to have a personal life in between houseguests and try to make the most of it. Often, it doesn’t seem like work at all, because the dogs are so wonderful.
You certainly turned that job loss into to something positive, and even while managing all those wonderful pooches is a hard job, you make it sound like fun.
Thank you, C. Lee. 🙂 It is a fun job, most of the time.
I would totally love to read this book. There is always a reason for something and the delay was probably much needed so now, even though it was tough, you are writing about animals that have been important to you.
Thank you, Birgit. At the time, I was emotionally fragile for several reasons. Writing some of these posts has been difficult as well, but it seems I can handle it better now. 🙂
You have some great tales about dogs with tails
Well yes, they do have tails. 🙂 Thanks for dropping in, Mike. I just responded to your “Underachieving” post. Affects all of us, I think.
What a wonderful post, Debbie!
I never doubted for a minute that the Doglady’s Den was anything less than frequent loving pandemonium:-) I’m so glad you’ve been inspired to resume writing your book. I’m sure it will be informative, poignant and an overall pleasure to read! I will stayed tuned for further details:-)
Thanks for the encouragement, Diedre. 🙂 It can be pandemonium around here, sometimes.
Caring for dogs is not easy at all. I would love to read the book you are writing and hope you finish it soon.
It can be challenging, at times. 🙂 I will resume writing the book once this has all died down. Need a little break in between. Thanks for the encouragement!
Some days caring for our own one dog seems like a lot, so i really can’t imagine all the work you have at times!
It can be a little crazy sometimes, but also enjoyable. 🙂
Emotional traumas effect us all so very differently, but I truly ‘get it’ about setting the book aside for a moment. I’m glad that this challenge is inspiring you to re-address your book and hopefully give you that needed spark to complete it.
Thanks, Mary. I definitely will resume working on the book after all this has died down.
I would certainly be interested in reading. I hope you are able to continue and get it published. It’s the makings of a great book, and I think people will love it.
Thanks for the encouragement, Jeffrey. 🙂 After all this has died down, I definitely plan to resume working on the book.
That’s wonderful DD! A calling which has made you an authority. Finishing your book is a done thing. It is a noble cause to be really in it. Distractions in between is a normal thing!
http://imagery77.blogspot.my/2016/04/karl-and-nik-of-flying-wallendas-haibun.html
Hank
Thanks for the encouragement! Yes, distractions are a constant around here. 🙂
I would totally read your book!! I love dogs and mine rule my world. My mom used to manage a doggy daycare and enjoyed it so much. It was hard work though and at times very emotional. I’m so glad you got to make a career from a passion. Being fired was a blessing in some way.
Thanks, Holli. 🙂 Yes, it can be hard work, at times. Getting attached to the dogs makes it difficult to bear when something happens to them. Getting fired was a low point in my life, but it all worked out well in the end. 🙂
I know it takes tremendous commitment to care for dogs. The desk I work at is next to a window overlooking an old cemetery and all day long I see people walking their dogs out there. Most of the time it is pretty peaceful but there are days when the dogs have run-ins or are just overly enthusiastic.
@Kathleen01930
Meet My Imaginary Friends
#AtoZchallenge
Sounds like the local leash-free park! 🙂 Dogs have personality quirks just like people.
I would totally read your book, Debbie! I’m glad you’ve found the oomph to go at it again, and I look forward to hearing all about it. Yes, living with dogs, whether yours or “borrowed” (or even briefly, as is my case with rescues), brings with it high emotional charge. I think dogs put us in touch with a deeper level of emotion, stuff that we don’t let out often with humans… Maybe that’s why their loss hurts so badly. And you’re absolutely right; pet sitting is not an easy job by any stretch of the imagination. People seem to think that those whose professional lives revolve around animals—behaviorists, sitters, vets—live in some sort of pink bubble… They have no clue, do they? (I’m actually tackling one side of that on V day next week 😉 )
Kudos to you for staying with it, though… My dog sitter is an angel in disguise (and not a very good one at that—the disguise, I mean), and my life would be a horrid one without her. And I’m sure your clients feel the same way about you 🙂
Happy A2Z day off tomorrow! (And thank you for the lovely, lovely comments over at the dog blog… You make me smile.)
I think you’re right about the deeper level of emotions, Guilie. Anything sad to do with dogs (and other animals) turns me into a blubbering idiot. 😛 I’ve had some lovely compliments from clients and it’s nice to be appreciated. 🙂 Thanks for your support; I do plan on finishing that book. There is another horribly sad story I may skip, though. We’ll see.
It’s been my pleasure to comment on your A to Z series. 🙂 It should be must-reading for anyone dealing with dog rescues and dogs in general. Excellent book material!
I’d imagined that caring for the dogs would be equivalent to caring for young children. A true commitment where you have to be on top of it the entire time. I’m glad you’ve found your inspiration again. I’d love reading your book. I’m sure all dog lovers would.
Yes, it’s sometimes like a doggie kindergarten around here. 🙂 Glad to know there’s an audience out there for my dog tales. Thanks for your support, Yolanda.
My neighbor dog sits for a few families. She and her husband are excellent with dogs. About twice a year, she keeps a Beagle for a family that goes on vacation and that Beagle is a dear. Beagles are my most favorite dog and that what I will get if I find one that can get along with the cat that I want to get also.
I need to come back and see if you wrote about Beagles. I also have a hard time with Cocker Spaniels. They bard too much for me. But there are people here in Germany who loves them very much.
Visiting from the A to Z Blog Challenge.
Shalom,
Patricia @ EverythingMustChange
Although I didn’t write about Beagles, I have known a few. They were sweeties, but you can never, ever let them off leash as they will follow a scent and not come back. Cocker Spaniels can be lovely, but I’ve known a few snippy ones as well. I was born in Germany and know what a dog-friendly country it is. We used to dine out and take our dogs to the restaurants with us. 🙂
I would never in a thousand years think this was easy! And exactly for the reason that I suspected that it had to be much like having a house full of kids. Lol..
There are definite similarities. 🙂 Kids you can reason with a little better though (or not),
Dogs are a lot of work, I can’t imagine trying to care for more than 2. My T post is up http://atcad.blogspot.com/2016/04/thyroid-thirst-tachycardia-and.html
Yes, they certainly are, but completely worth it. 🙂 Thanks for dropping by,
Interesting and heart warming post Debbie. Definitely hard work. Your books sounds great but if it has sad stuff I wouldnt read it as I dont handle sad stories well at all, especially from real life. All the best 🙂
http://www.sunilavigauthor.blogspot.com.au/2016/04/trishanku-swarga-letter-t-of-a-to-z.html
Yes, it is hard work sometimes, but so worth the effort. 🙂 Sad stories are difficult to read and also to write, but, when doing memoirs, the ending isn’t always happy.
I can imagine! So much work. I do like to read tail tales, especially one with anecdotes. 🙂
Yes, a lot of work but so rewarding! 🙂 I’m glad you’re enjoying the tales about tails.
Hi Debbie, just want to say how much I enjoy your tales! Have a wonderful weekend!
Thank you, Angelika. 🙂 This series has inspired me to resume writing the book.
Oh Girl, I know exactly what you’re talking about. We just had upwards of 9″ of rain over four days and my dog run was an absolute lake with a mud pit shore! Cleaning all the paws of all the dogs is indeed not fun!
This IS a hard job and I always say people just don’t get it. The accidents can be draining, like one dog who had a bladder infection and was peeing in my house every day: Thank God for tile floors! I can’t imagine having carpeting. Wait, yes I can. I DID have carpeting before the tile and I remember shampooing the carpet every week…because if it’s not a pee or poop accident it’s going to be somebody bleeding on it or barfing up grass.
So much work. People don’t understand how creative you have to be at feeding time to ensure that everybody eats out of the right bowl… And don’t forget the medications. Yep, this is for sure a tough job. It’s one I wouldn’t trade though. I’m happy as a clam doing it!
I’d love to read your book and have enjoyed what I read so far. Keep going. You can do it!
Michele at Angels Bark
I knew you of all people could relate, Michele. 🙂 Having a dog who pees in the house is definitely no fun! 🙁 When we first moved into the house, there was wall to wall carpeting in the living/dining area. After a couple of years, it was buckling badly, due to all the steam cleaning, so we ripped it up. We do have area rugs (bare floors get too cold in winter) and still steam clean occasionally, but it’s not as bad. I wouldn’t trade this job either, despite the difficulties. Thanks for the encouragement about the book!