A Long Weekend of Dog Sitting Was Incredibly Mind Blowing

We (really) do not deserve dogs. That is definitely true to form; yet yours truly had no idea of the magnitude of the challenges and the joys that come with being a dog owner; even if it was only for a few days. Prior to this dog sitting experience (thank you for my first side hustle lead so quickly, Mad Paws) - yours truly has had some dog sitting experience; yet only for dogs that I had known prior. Growing up, I was surrounded by more of the working breeds rather than a couple of cute "designer" like dogs with oodles of energy, with a meet and greet associated with such an experience.

It was (and still is) natural to want to foster and/or adopt a dog, and especially in a time of crisis. Go to any statistical website, and the onset of the pandemic has caused a rise in pet ownership. While this particular owner was away on a mini belated Birthday vacation for a few days to see out the end of July (as at the time of writing); I was (and still am incredibly) grateful to have been entrusted to look after a couple of Poodle/Maltese Shih Tzu mixes. They are also just past the puppy stage (ages 2 and 4 respectively).

Dogs are loyal, intelligent, and playful at the best of times. They just let go, and therefore enjoy the moment. They do not need pockets to participate in any economic activities; and they know that (being at the mercy of the right owner) that they would rightly be taken care of. Their coat gets washed and trimmed, and they get fed. And many get a warm bed to sleep on. These two dogs (definitely brothers at heart) taught me a valuable lesson. If it was not for that once in a 100 year event, and with the older one having a bit of separation anxiety; this experience would never have unfolded.

It was funny how the older dog wanted to play with the exact same toy that the younger dog was playing with at the time. He (the older dog) would bark and growl in a playful manner at the little one. The moment would pass; yet it is funny how they have to have the exact same toy to play with simultaneously, while there are an abundance of other toys to play with in the house. No different to a stick in the open park. The key lesson here is to have an abundance of fun, while not being attached to the final outcome of such.

The older dog did not want to go for the second walk on the final day of this dog sitting experience; yet when it was time to go home, it wanted to walk back into that same park, and in a different direction. It is natural to begin to sweat the small stuff in that situation, knowing that you are fully responsible for these adorable canines until their owner walks in the door, despite being fully insured. The dogs do not comprehend these human intricacies and responsibilities. They loved playing in the park off-leash. I knew that my time with them would pass, and lo and behold that definitely happened with rock solid certainty. When you are in the company of looking after a couple of sweet, intelligent, and playful dogs (as if you are the owner for that period, as you really are); you want to spend as much time as possible on their wellbeing, and in getting an abundance of cuddles and pats in. The world that I live in (as a non-pet owner, because my landlord would kick me out if I had one) is free from the responsibilities that come with pet ownership.

Dog sitting (or any form of pet sitting) is like a test run, to see if pet ownership is for you. It might be wise to foster at first.

Dogs are a gift. From this experience, they definitely keep you in the moment, either with their affection or playful antics. At the end of the day, it does not really matter. Cats are a better option for the more independent of us humans; yet life is a little more enriched with dogs around. Problems seem more solvable.

Yours truly really felt the energy exchange of unconditional love in this experience. It ideally needs to be reciprocated. Pets want to spend as much time with us as possible, and so we should invest as much time as possible in them. Their lives are shorter than ours. Everyone needs to be loved, and from this experience, it really hit home that dogs (and even cats) are no different. They just want to be loved back in return.

Being patient not only means that you are resilient; yet you are ok with uncertainty. In other words, when things do not go your way. These dogs were a prime example of that. On the second morning, they bolted out of the gate, almost as quickly as I could open it, almost losing them in the process. Darn you brush turkeys! These dogs (in that circumstance) were ferocious, and hence barked incessantly at the sign of one of these birds. As a result, not only did I lose these dogs for a few minutes; my Frank Green bottle lid broke. Lo and behold, the dogs were found a few minutes later, and that day they remained on leash; even in off leash areas. There will be times when they will jump up at you, wanting some of your breakfast, while you are chilling out with them at a local cafe. Damned if you do, and damned if you do not leave the dogs at home on those occasions. They are lovely; yet they are a ton of responsibility, of which is usually underestimated. And you need to be patient when being paid by the lead provider. Especially if the owner fails to leave a review about you.

Speaking of eating out at a local cafe; regardless of the season - with a dog or two, you need to be comfortable with sitting outside, and paying by card. You also need to be at peace with relying on other people, and asking for things, like a dog bowl if no bowl is provided. I now appreciate the greater freedoms with choosing to sit anywhere in a cafe, as well as paying cash. Even if you keep the dogs on leash via "puppy parking" at the local supermarket; many of them continue to bark hysterically. This could be because their "pack" member has suddenly disappeared. This is why you need to make such supermarket trips quick, and alas, pay by card yet again. It is true that breeds like West Highland Terriers can be stolen in such situations. It is awesome to have a canine companion or two by your side; yet the smell of greater freedoms to move, and therefore to not worry about commuting with a pet is bliss, and fairly carefree.

This experience also felt like a holiday, as I enjoyed the gratitude of sleeping in the owners home for a few nights; even though this place was only a short 30-minute walk from my home. As they say, that change was as good as a holiday. Free accommodation (despite still having to pay rent) was also another perk.

Dogs need their daily exercise; otherwise there would be tears, and no one wants a miserable "best friend" around. They force you to be social with other dog owners, while they approach other dogs for a hello sniff, and maybe some play time. This is where those social and community connections can be on the right side of educational. Case in point; one of the owners had a kelpie, and commented on the paint on her tail. Fun fact: paint apparently cannot be removed from dogs. It all came about, as those particular owners were renovating a property, and there are no surprises as to what happened next. There were some other quality conversations, and before you know it; the playful side of those two schnoodles meant that a dog slumber party (being surrounded by at least eight dogs) was the order of the moment. You learn about the different breeds and quirks. One of the staff members at a cafe said that she owns a dog in Japan, and people keep on asking more and more questions about the dogs. These experiences really put you on your toes. Even this same waitress ended up feeding those pups some treats. I still feel more connected to the next suburb, than the one that yours truly actually lives in as a result. Alas, the power of dogs and their wagging tails. Would I engage in this experience again? Absolutely, and in a heartbeat.