Dog Trainer Confession #2

I don’t like walking my dogs. It’s true. For me, it’s a chore, not a pleasure. (Oh, do I feel like a crappy dog owner for admitting that. Let the backlash begin!) Think about it – I spend a good part of my days taking walks with my canine clients, so by the time I get home I’m not overly excited to put the heavy coat back on and walk my own dogs. I guess this is how a married prostitute feels. We have a fenced-in yard, so I could take the easy way out and just dump them in the back and forget about the walk, but the combination of my guilt and their pleading looks overwhelm me. So we walk. I guess if I’m confessing I might as well admit to another reason why I don’t love walking my dogs. That other reason is Sumner. AKA “Freak Boy.” He was severely undersocialized for the first year of his life (we got him when he was a year old), and that early social vacuum made him a very nervous guy. He’s come a long way, baby, but he still gets a tad worried when he sees other dogs. What does that mean? That means that I’m training him every single time we step out the door. I’m back on the job, even during my off hours. No rest for the weary, I tell you.