Stableboy Animal Care Services

How a community of independent dogwalkers is like the internet

2007-08-25T03:55:00.000-04:00

On the Internet, web pages are ranked in credibility by the numbers of other web pages that link to them, therefore indicating that they find those pages credible.

In independent dogwalking, dogwalkers are ranked in credibility (albeit informally), according to the numbers of other dogwalkers who share certain responsibilities with them. – I’ve already discussed that I have a number of mutually supportive relationships with other walkers in the Park Slope area, and the way this often works is interesting.

Most referrals from one dogwalker to another come about because of several circumstances. Of course, we would all ideally like to take whatever work comes out way, but that is not always possible. Sometimes a long-time dogwalker already has too much on his or her plate, sometimes the dog in question is an inconvenient location, and schedules shift from day to day or week to week - so one dogwalker may be able to meet the client’s needs some, but not all of the time. (This often results in time-share arrangements such as I’ve worked out with Maggie). In other instances, a ¬ regular client may need an additional service, which his or her dogwalker does not provide, and will be referred to another who does provide it.

In all of those cases, it still behooves the dogwalker to refer the client to someone else. But here, one must be careful, because if a recommendation is made carelessly it reflects directly on the recommender’s reputation. And reputation is everything in this field! Not to mention that we are all in this business for the long haul (that’s why we don’t work for services who don’t pay enough to sustain dogwalking as a career), and we all care deeply for dogs in our community and wouldn’t dream of putting them in hands with which we are less than comfortable. As well, a certain amount of training is always featured in these transfers, because no matter how much one may know about dogs in general, it’s always important to learn about a new dog in particular.

In none of these cases have I ever seen the element of competition displayed, at least in the capitalist model of securing as much market share as possible. After all, there’s only so much a body can do! Instead, the whole process seems to be aimed – almost subconsciously – at shoring up the foundation of our sector of the animal care business. Rather than fight over the proverbial pie, we seek to grow the pie through responsible, sustainable means.

I think that our practice is a marked contrast with the centrally controlled service model of dogwalking (where the walkers themselves are sometimes not as motivated as one who runs his or her own business) and in many ways exceeds the protections offered by certificates or newspaper mentions that such services may receive.

And I also think it would be interesting to start an online representation of the connections that are made in the independent dogwalking world. It may prove useful to dog owners (and potential owners) in deciding how to best provide a structure for their pets and companions, and may even convince folks that help is out there to make it easier to rescue animals from shelters.

I don't much care for pet-boarding facilities.

2007-08-21T18:09:00.000-04:00

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, especially in reaction to this article in yesterday's Post. For most dogs, having their owner(s) go away can be a traumatic experience if not handled carefully. This means - in most cases - maintaining as much as possible the routine they are accustomed to. Routine really is a source of comfort to a dog; they depend on predictability and can develop mental and physical health problems if not provided with a sound structure in their lives. This goes triply for rescued dogs or others who have had traumatic formative experiences.

Kennels often sell themselves on the luxury factor, but the facts often tell a much different story. I've known dogs to come back from area establishments with kennel cough in the past, as well as prolific diarrhea. At the Brooklyn Dog House (mentioned in the article) they do not get walked or go outside at all, (for safety's sake, apparently). The indoor playgrounds are only used by your dog for only part of the time during the day, and the rest of the time (as well as for 9 or 10 hours overnight) the dogs are crated, whether or not this is part of their training and routine at home. Overnight, all the dogs are placed in individual crates and, according to several of my colleagues and other pet owners, there is no staff to supervise them. I wish I could believe that conditions such as this are the exception rather than the rule, but it doesn't seem like any of this disqualifies a kennel from membership in the American Boarding Kennels Association.

So why do people board their dogs rather than finding a petsitter? I really wish I knew, but can only make a few informed guesses based on talking to folks who've made that decision in the past. It is somewhat less expensive, but this doesn't seem to be the driving factor. Many cite the ability to have their dog spend more time with other dogs. And some also cite privacy or security concerns about having someone stay in their home.

As a service to all dogs out there, let me attempt to address some of those issues. Most dogwalkers and petsitters, myself included, have a steady clientele within a relatively small geographic area. Therefore we can (and do, as a matter of course) schedule time for your dog to socialize with other dogs with whom they are familiar. This is done on walks, in dog runs, and sometimes in familiar indoor areas. While this canine socialization is not constant (unless you have more than 1 dog!) it is part of an integrated whole; and there's also a lot more individualized human attention for your dog. If you use your regular dogwalker as your petsitter, then it's also someone your dog already has a relationship with, which is incredibly valuable to him or her. Plus, your dog will never be left alone overnight!

If or when people have security concerns about having someone (even someone they trust) stay at home with their dog for an extended period, I think those are pretty easy to address. Beyond the typical insurance of fantastic references, if you're already trusting someone with your dog, it's pretty unthinkable that anything else in your home could be more valuable. In addition, having a constant presence there has been shown to deter crime. But privacy issues are different, more touchy, and undoubtedly more varied. I can't hope to, nor do I wish to, fully understand them, probably because I was raised in and live my life in a very communal fashion. Whether or not I'm in my home, someone else that I trust is always there! That being said, however, I can say that I (and my Park Slope dogwalking colleagues) abide by the time honored code of household staff everywhere, and realize that it is in the interest of both client and professional to respect the privacy of the home and its occupants. Never mind that it's highly unlikely I'll see anything weirder than what I'm prone to run into on the streets of Brooklyn any given day or night!

I still don't understand why some dog owners view boarding facilities favorably, although I'd like to think a large part of it is simply a lack of understanding about what these places are really like. However, I'm also aware that sometimes the logistics of a situation make it impossible to find a trusted petsitter. In fact I was recently faced with that situation with Bella, and as a result I am, for the first time, boarding a dog in my own home. She will have all the advantages of a petsitter outlined above, with the exception of her familiar environment. Since I've walked her since she was a puppy, and stayed in her home several times, (and also because if she suffers from anything it's an excess of confidence!) I expect smooth sailing, and I'll let you all know how it goes!

Bella rules the roost

Mega-Update

2007-08-05T12:50:00.000-04:00

Ok, yeah, it's been a while since I've written anything here, and admittedly this blog is not my top priority -- especially when I'm as busy as I've been lately. Dogwalkers live mostly in three dimensions, and the last day off I had was June 8th. Not that I'm complaining (alright, not much!); I'll be grateful when I hit the inevitable dry spell.

I have been doing a lot of petsits lately, starting with Lucky, Ali and Mooschi.

These are three former hard-luck cases who have found a wonderful and loving home in Park Slope, with the support of each other and their 2 legged caretaker.

Lucky is a former racing greyhound who had the fortune of a relatively low prey drive. Since he showed less interest than the other greyhounds in chasing the stuffed rabbit around the track, he made it out of that racket at about 2 and a half years old, instead of suffering for another 2 or 3 years. At 13 years old, he has developed some fairly serious health issues; lumbosacral stenosis (which is a narrowing of the end of the spinal canal, which compresses the nerves found there); laryngeal paralysis, which makes it difficult for him to breathe sometimes and causes him to become overheated; and irritable bowel syndrome (basically a very sensitive digestive system -- he's on a prescription diet and could have epic diahrea otherwise). He also has only four teeth remaining (but they're the ones that count!) and his laryngeal paralysis is probably the result of an oversized tube inserted into his throat during dental surgery a few years ago.

All that said though, Lucky is in excellent emotional health and not in nearly as much pain as he could be given all of his ailments. Despite LS, he has a very healthy appetite, and he is incredibly social, both with his poodle and his human friends. He loves to go on walks, although he doesn't go very far anymore, and he's even been known to do the occasional sprint. At 13 he's doing pretty darn well, I'd say!

Ali (pronounced Allie) and Mooschi are both also rescued dogs. Ali came to her present home when she was just 21 weeks old, but still shows signs from her early traumas. She was sickly and emaciated when she arrived, and she often won't eat unless fed by hand. She's also rather wary of strangers and quick to warn of danger. Mooschi was obtained through a poodle rescue service in order to give Ali some canine company (they both have seniority on Lucky), and although she is very warm and loving towards all people (she's actually a therapy dog!) she's also picked up the habit of eating by hand at times.

Following my stay in residence with those three, I spent a few days with Ralph. As you might recall his mother, Riko, passed away recently. Ralph doesn't seem to have changed all that much, with one notable exception. At 14 years old, he's finally becoming socialized with other dogs! At the moment, that seems to be restricted to dogs about his size who are not too playful - he still gets nervous and defensive sometimes - but it's still a monumental step for him. And physically, Ralph is still in the prime of his life.

Another dog who's been showing signs that he can be socialized is Igwe. You'll recall that he was trained for fighting, and that I've managed to communicate to him that that is not what to do with other dogs. He recently met my friends puppy in a controlled situation, and while he showed no real signs of aggression he didn't know quite what he should do. He was very interested and excited, and with a lot of time, work and attention I'm convinced he can be helped along. Sadly though, I'm not sure that's an investment his owner is willing to make.

I'm currently staying with Kenny and Joya, which is old hat by now, and also watching a new dog for part of that time, named Duke.

Duke is a 7 year old mixed breed dog (pit bull and boxer, maybe?) with a happy-go-lucky approach to the world. He gets along with everybody as far as I can tell - canine, feline, simian - and lives for the simple pleasures in life - playing, food and company.

Next week I'm back to my full schedule but I'll try to check in here as much as I can. And, oh, if you've been reading along with me this long, you might want to check out my new flickr page. Most of my dogs are on there, as well as whatever else catches my eye. Just what I need -- something else to update rarely!

Growing and Growing

2007-07-18T17:39:00.001-04:00

It's always a pleasure to watch a puppy mature into a dog (I prefer dogs and that's why I'm good at training puppies). Since I only walk Bruno once a week that observation becomes much more dramatic. In just the last seven days I'm sure he's undergone quite a growth spurt: Bella had better watch out!

He's also become much more confident and comfortable in his skin on walks, partly no doubt because his owners have been taking advantage of off-leash hours in Fort Greene Park. And he's shown improvement in working through his separation anxiety; he no longer seems to be chewing on his feet when alone.

Still, this is a dog who, even more than a typical puppy, needs his people around; as evidenced by his excitement at my arrival and his extreme reluctance to stay behind when I leave. Luckily his student owners have a schedule such that he need never be alone for too long, and he's maturing very, very nicely.

Bruno will be away for the summer and back in the fall. I can't wait to see what he looks and acts like then!

Season of Terror

2007-07-18T17:03:00.000-04:00

No, I'm not talking about the color coded system of threats made by (ahem, assessed by) the Department of Homeland Security; but events some of our canine friends find much more immediate, such as this morning's intense thunderstorm and the sporadic bursts of fireworks left over from the 4th of July.

A particularly loud burst of thunder woke me up early this morning and I found Aberdeen cowering in a corner.

He shares this reaction with Joya, Igwe and Ralph -- all four of them rescued dogs -- and with Bella, who while not rescued did have a very jittery puppyhood.

I long ago learned that the worst thing you can do for a dog like this is what most people would do intuitively: providing physical comfort or speaking in soothing terms. The dog will almost always react by trembling even more and trying to get into an even smaller space. Instead it seems that a quick return to a normal routine does a lot more for his peace of mind. In a mild case this can mean playing with a toy or going for a walk (they usually won't eat food) but in a more frightened dog any form of attention seems to validate and increase the fear. It's best in those cases to completely ignore here and go about your routine, showing the dog that things are normal as far as you're concerned.

Sooner or later they'll return to this kind of behavior:

Riko -- 1990-2007 -- RIP

2007-07-16T10:51:00.001-04:00

Riko passed away yesterday after a long illness, the details of which I've gone into elsewhere. Knowing her these past several years has been a gift and an honor, and while her death does not come as a surprise it brings with it quite a bit of sadness.

After the onset of SARD 2 years ago, she put up quite a fight and coped with her condition amazingly well. At some points she even seemed to be almost her old self again, but her last year became progressively more difficult. Her quality of life was impacted not only by her blindness, but by deteriorating arthritis and advancing senility. Her tumors, though benign, made it difficult for her to lie down comfortably even as she needed more and more sleep and rest. She dealt with all this with typical canine stoicism but one could not help but see how much she was suffering. Her owners handled the situation with a great deal of compassion and dedication right up until the end. I don't know how difficult it was for them but I can only hope that we would all be able to summon such reserves of strength and heart were we to be faced with a similar situation.

Riko thoroughly enjoyed her life, and leaves behind a loving human and canine family, including her son Ralph, now 14.

So that every mouth can be fed

2007-07-06T21:05:00.001-04:00

That's two petsits done and one to go. I miss my home but love all my dogs (not to mention that fish -- gorgeous!).

We have what is potentially New York's first heat wave of the year, starting, oh, right about now. Make sure to keep your animals hydrated, and follow these other safety tips too!

Don't let the TV be your only petsitter!

2007-07-04T16:02:00.001-04:00

I'm doing quite a lot of petsitting these days, spending more time in Park Slope then in my own home, most of it with dogs with serious psychological and physical health conditions. As you know I'm spending time with Riko and Ralph, and also in the schedule is Kenny and Joya; and Lucky, Ali and Mooschi, to whom I'll introduce you later.

When dog owners go on vacation we're usually presented with the choice of boarding our pets or having a trusted person stay with them in our homes. For some dogs it may not make a whole lot of difference, but for most of the ones I've been familiar with in my life it's a lot more comfortable to stay in a familiar environment and follow the routine they are used to. For rescued dogs it can even be an imperative, and besides Kenny all of the dogs I'll be staying with have had some sort of traumatizing experience.

It's been really hard with Riko especially, this time around. I've mentioned how she lost her sight and her health deteriorated subsequently, but I think that now advanced senility has come into the picture. Most of the day and night she just sleeps, but she'll struggle to her feet in search of food or the yard from time to time. She doesn't respond to her own name anymore, let alone any commands or other words she used to know, and she doesn't even respond to being pet. She was always very intelligent and affectionate, and for a time after losing her sight became even more so, but now she doesn't seem to even be in her body anymore. There were signs of this when I walked her and Ralph for a week a few months back, but I was in denial of it then. Now, I miss her and I feel like I lost my chance to say goodbye.

Kenny and Joya are up next, and after Joya's recent cancer scare (long story short, there was no cancer - maybe I'll tell the whole story another time), I feel confident that they are both still in the prime of their lives.

By the way, the dog in the first picture is Brixton, a 9 year old boxer who I walk from time to time.

And here is Riko, as she spends most of her time these days, sleeping.

"Unsafe to Breathe"

2007-06-27T16:04:00.000-04:00

That's what they were saying on the radio this morning about the air, due to 94 degree temperatures, high humidity and dangerous ozone levels. There was no suggestion of what to breathe instead of the air, so I went ahead and sucked it up anyway, which always makes me feel a little hard core.

But seriously, these conditions do require a change in routine for many of my older dogs, as well as Stanley, whose unique physiology puts him in the same breathing category as, say, 13 year old Billie. I kept the walks casual and shaded and sprayed the dogs' underbellies to keep their organs from getting overheated, as well as keeping plenty of drinking water on hand.

And for myself (some of you may know I'm fighting off a bacterial infection and going in for a dreaded round of antibiotics tonight) I also made sure to drink plenty of water, and took breaks in between walks. I got started as early as possible (while making sure not to come too early for the dogs' comfort), thus avoiding the worst parts of the mid-afternoon, and I'm proud to say we all made it through the day unscathed!

Tomorrow the forecast calls for thunderstorms with small hail(!!! - hail! - in late June!!) ahead of dropping temperatures, so we can all breathe a sigh of relief. Assuming it's safe to breathe by then.

Doggy Daisy Chains

2007-06-26T17:13:00.000-04:00

Two of 'em:

These guys know how to stay entertained!

Bella and Bruno -- Smackdown on the Sofa!

2007-06-24T16:10:00.000-04:00

Bruno

2007-06-24T15:57:00.000-04:00

Bruno is a 9-month old Boston Terrier I recently picked up. He lives across the street from Bella, so she's helping to teach him about the world (may whatever gods that be take heed!). But his owners have done a fantastic job on their own, and, in all seriousness, Bella's not such a bad big sister at all.

The two dogs play together fantastically (pictures to follow) and unlike with bigger dogs, Bella actually displays a fair amount of courtesy in dealing with Bruno. (She's about twice as big as him right now!)

Bruno is already nearly completely house-trained and has great leash behavior. In fact the only real issue I see with him is with his confidence outdoors; he can be a bit afraid of the world. I expect this to clear up pretty quickly though, in fact it's a mystery to me why every dog I spend time with builds their confidence quickly and regularly - even Bella the terrorizer was a bit scared at first. Unlike say, checking aggression (as with Igwe), or preventing scrounging (see Maggie) I have no idea how to do it. My best guess is simply that I like my dogs so much that I project it, and they absorb my own confidence in them.

PS: Bruno's owners have their own (very useful!) blog: Slices of the City

Igwe

2007-06-24T15:30:00.001-04:00

Igwe (pronounced "Eeg-way") is a rescued dog from the mean streets of Los Angeles. The scars above his left eye are from fights his first owner entered him into against other dogs, but fortunately those days are long behind him.

From day one, Igwe had an intense desire to please me and his other human handlers; as you can see in the photos his ears are always back when he's being addressed and he displays other signs of submission. But he'd had it ingrained into his training that one way to make his people happy was to attack other dogs and animals. In addition it seems that it's hard wired into his nature that smaller animals (cats, squirrels, etc) are prey. But the canine aggression was actually pretty easy to correct once I realized it's motivation.

For the first few months when we'd see another dog I'd shorten the leash and make him walk past calmly, speaking to him the whole way. If he lunged I'd raise him up and clamp his jaws shut, and he quickly learned that this was not the way to make me happy. When he was able to successfully walk past another dog without making a move I'd reward him by playing with him with a stick or by running, and thus he began to associate other dogs with play. He occasionally will play submissively with another dog these days (usually a calmer, predictable one), but he remains a people dog at heart and still prefers to interact with me.

In fact, Igwe is so much of a people's dog that another facet of his early training with me focused on curtailing this part of his personality. He doesn't realize that he can project quite the fearsome aura to someone who's afraid of dogs, and in his Bed-Stuy neighborhood there's a lot of that going around. Many times people would stare at him out of just such fear, and he would take it as an invitation to try to sidle up to the person for some lovin'. Suffice it to say this never went over well, and it doesn't work to explain in such a situation that he doesn't bite; what we'd get back was almost always a variation of "He's got teeth, don't he?".

But his behavior really evened out over a pretty short period of time, and his reactions to the two situations became pretty similar - he'd wait for permission from me. In the case of animals he waits for permission to play, and in the case of people he waits for permission to approach. If he doesn't get it, he's still just as happy.

And Igwe really is one happy dog! As with many dogs with traumatic early lives who find themselves in a much better situation, he really loves his people and demonstrates it constantly. He had a great deal of separation anxiety at first, when his owner would leave for work or after I'd walk him in the afternoon. But this was also dealt with, by not treating leaving him as a big deal and by getting him used to a routine so he'd know what to expect.

However it is possible that Igwe's situation may change soon, and you, gentle reader, may be asked to get involved in some way. I'll let you know when, and if, I know more.

Riko and Ralph

2007-06-04T22:23:00.001-04:00

Riko and Ralph are a mother and son duo from Seattle whose up and down story is as punk rock as their city of origin.

Their owners (and life partners) found Riko running around their neighborhood about a dozen years ago, when she was 2 or 3 years old. So they did the responsible thing and took her in and cared for her while making every possible effort to locate her owner, including fliering the entire neighborhood. All to no initial avail, until one day she was being walked, and this guy nearly accosts her biped, "What are you doing, that's my dog!"

Being a gentleman, my client explained to Riko's very high strung (former) owner that he'd been trying to find him for a while, and was glad he had finally done so. The man in question simply replied with a grunt, "Well I have her son too, at home. Ya want him?"

And everyone did live happily ever after, after a fashion; but as with most rescued dogs it wasn't exactly as simple as all of that. The dogs had never been properly socialized, and they have the explorative, athletic and workaholic drives common to many terrier breeds. In spades. They quickly developed an attachment to their new family (also common among rescued dogs), and a related hostility to other dogs (who might be a threat to mom and dad after all. you never know!). And although they improved psychologically, Ralph (to the right in the photo above) never completely got over his nervous jitters and Riko (on the left) never fully lost her urge to roam.

But these were only minor bumps on the road to recovery, and manageable. They remained very engaged, animated and happy; and very, very active well into their senior years. I started walking them when the whole pack (mom and dad, and, well, mom and son) moved to Brooklyn 3 years ago, and that was how I found them. (Riko had already started to develop some minor arthritis even then, but hell, she still did handstands on her front paws when she marked her territory!)

Then a bit less than 2 years ago, over the space of a few weeks, Riko went blind. After much testing the cause was determined to be a rare disease called sudden acquired retinal degeneration, or SARD, about which little is known. The disease is accompanied by a reduction in activity, and this in turn led to more painful arthritis. But she was still a very happy dog, and if anything she got even more affectionate. She even started playing and wagging her tail with other dogs!

A few months after Riko went totally blind, she started acting almost as if she could see again for a few weeks. She was avoiding obstacles (even those that were not part of our routine) and walking with much more confidence. To this day, nobody understands what that was about, and after what was maybe her last glimpse of sunlight she receded again into darkness.

Ralph's story isn't quite so extreme as that but, at 13 years old, he's not exactly on autopilot either. He's still very energetic, and the same dog as always, but he has some arthritis as well and recently had surgery for mouth cancer.

On the bright side (no pun intended), they do now have a live at home butler (i.e. their owner!), who has recently started his own business out of his home, so the love and affection (and the glucosamine/chondroitin) they need is never out of reach! I don't give them regular walks anymore, but work is easy to find and I'm much happier that they're getting what they really need. But I do fill the role of butler when their owners go away, and I'm going to be delighted to spend some time with them soon!

M'aidez!

2007-05-01T22:16:00.000-04:00

I hope you all had a wonderful May Day, International Labor Day, or Loyalty Day, or whatever you choose to celebrate today. I certainly did!

First, I happened upon evidence that Manhattan's loss, and the City Council's inanity, is Brooklyn's gain. Due to the new pedicab restrictions, many of the erstwhile giant trikes are on the market. Eddie(below), in true Brooklyn fashion does not stop to ask permission before doing something useful and sensible. I ran into him getting this pedicab into shape on Prospect Pl., and he was good enough to sit for a picture. Soon enough you'll find him prowling 7th Avenue and other hot spots in and around the Slope. Make sure to flag him down for a fun and emission-free ride!

Rounding the corner I saw an interesting looking pile of offal, within which I dug up this historical relic.

And here, because it's May Day, are three red tee shirts:

This one has been worn in demonstrations from 1982's Central Park No Nukes protest/concert (by me own sweet mum that time, and at the largest gathering in NYC history), to New York's streets during the 2004 Republican National Convention, and beyond.

And this I got for my service in the nineties in the only union of political fundraisers in the world, in Boston. (Don't worry, those days are long over -- I have no interest in hitting you up for Hillary, or anyone else!)

And this I found on the street the other day. It relates directly to today's nationwide immigrant protests.

Also, since this is a blog about dogs, here's a picture of Kenny, Moby, and Joya at the ends of their tethers, as I fear we shall all be soon.

Always on call...

2007-04-28T15:53:00.000-04:00

and very glad for it to be so...especially today, since Kenny and Joya's apartment was visited by the exterminator! I got them out of the house pronto and we had a great time going for a stroll through the Slope for a couple hours. I found a flatware tray I've needed for a while along with a few kitschy old horror movies, and the spring weather was invigorating, body and soul. The dogs really enjoyed the beautiful weather too; they took full advantage and did tons of socialization. They were both really happy to be out of the house, and enthusiastic to return to a familiar place no longer in flux.

I won't say going sometimes a month between days off isn't tough, but I should get one tomorrow and, on the whole it balances out. I'm fortunate enough to be supported by doing what I love, even with enough time to maintain a blog on the side. And after all, I can always catch Wait Wait, Don't Tell Me tomorrow!

Here they are afterwords, all pooped out in their moth-free home.

One of the last of a breed

2007-04-27T21:08:00.000-04:00

I'm a sucker for a real-life anachronism

Bella and Max, a rematch

2007-04-27T20:36:00.000-04:00

Claiming the Ball

Keep-away from Max

After a bath, subdued

Later, not so much

Nothing beats relaxing with a bone after an active day!

One day, child, all this will be yours

2007-04-27T20:24:00.000-04:00

He's Ba-ack!

2007-04-25T08:39:00.000-04:00

Stanley had his first walk in tandem since his surgery, yesterday. As usual, he was all about the lovin'!

The day after Earth Day; NYC life and politics

2007-04-23T17:37:00.000-04:00

Alright, I'm overdue for a soapbox post, so here it is, and on something I do feel very strongly about.

As many of you no doubt know, I don't drive and very rarely take public transportation. Biking is easily the fastest way to get around the city and it simply makes more sense from a public policy standpoint as well. But day after day, millions of New Yorkers and New York commuters get into their cars, usually by themselves with very little cargo, and hit the roads at rush hour. Then they crawl through overcrowded arteries, bang on their horns and get frustrated. The next day they do it all over again. To cite the old truism, insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

The main reason people don't bike is the perceived safety risk, but biking with the proper precautions -- a helmet, reflectors, a horn and at night bike lights -- is actually safer than travelling by auto. 97% of bicycle fatalities involve riders not wearing helmets. We are zero-emission transportation and take up far less space than cars. And the more bikes there are on the streets, the safer it is for everyone. Yet the typical reaction to us by drivers is purely irrational -- when I pass a car in a traffic jam it's not like the car would be moving any faster if I'd never left my apartment, yet so often the driver of said car reacts with aggression. And the collective, public policy reaction to the bike flowering that's taken place here in the last decade seems to me even more irrational.

New York's Critical Mass has been besieged by hordes of cops since the RNC 2004 ride, with the police routinely engaging in behavior exponentially more threatening to public safety than the riders. The bicyclists follow traffic regulations during this ride, so the police had to make a new set of rules to continue to harass the event - rules which will now be used to stifle many of the most effective forms of public expression and demonstration, and on all sorts of issues.

Yesterday, Mayor Bloomberg unveiled a far-ranging, practical common sense sustainability initiative, as our city grows and sea levels rise. I did not vote for my fellow Bostonian, mainly due to his development stances, but really think these policies deserve support. Today however, the local airwaves are aflame with negative reaction mainly focusing on the congestion pricing aspect of the plan. At the same time, in Brooklyn, the first demolitions were scheduled to make way for Bruce Ratner's so called "Forest" City mega-congestion development.

Also today, the city council overrode the mayor's veto of its anti-pedicab legislation. It is distressing to me, in this supposedly progressive and forward looking enclave, that after so long bikes still seem out of place to most people and worthy of suppression. Often violent suppression by spontaneous road raging drivers, and organized, premeditated violence on the part of the police department. If we can't do it in New York City, what hope is there for real changes that are needed in our wider society to avoid what so many acknowledge are catastrophic consequences?

Here are some good links to local environmental news and resources:

Transportation Alternatives
Time's Up!
New York City Streets Renaissance
Green Apple Map
Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn
(The above non-profit organizations are all doing fantastic work. If you can afford to make a donation I strongly recommend all of them. Also, whether you can give or not, do go check out Time's Up!'s bike workshops on Houston St. The schedule is on their website.)

Also, if you care to read further these blogs are more exclusively devoted to the subject than I:
Bike Blog
Streets Blog
On NY Turf

Personally, I find that the choices I've made are anything but altruistic. It simply makes more sense to live this way, and as it happens it's also better for the environment -- in the long term and immediately. More and more people make similar choices every day, and come to the same conclusion.

Bella at Play

2007-04-22T15:51:00.000-04:00

The other dog up there is Max, who deigns to live with a friend of mine. More on him later.

Bella

2007-04-22T15:22:00.000-04:00

Bella's another one who's been with me since she was a puppy, and she's still adorable! For a couple years she even lived around the corner from me (til I got priced out of Bed-Stuy*, of all places!) and used to walk with Aberdeen, my live-in dog and partner in crime. (More on him later but for now suffice it to say the experience built the tolerance of each dog.)

If you remember the video game "Sonic the Hedgehog," that'll give you a good idea of what Bella's like. She's easily my most hyper dog, bouncing off of furniture and walls at breakneck speeds. Outside she loves to play with balls and with other dogs. Her favorite thing is to get a soccer ball-sized inflatable in her small but powerful jaws and swing it around til all life drains from it. She'll also run around bouncing a soccer ball with her snout - a regular Pelé!

With other dogs, Bella definitely has the little guy's drive toward overcompensation. She doesn't ever get actually violent, in my experience, but she's definitely dominant; and I've seen her cow dogs that could probably inhale her. I won't say that she never gets annoying -- :-) -- but you've really gotta admire her spirit. And when she looks at you with those tadpole eyes, well, it kinda makes everything alright.

*--the part of Bed-Stuy called Clinton Hill by real estate agents. But the give-away is that there's no hill.

Working Dog

2007-04-20T19:08:00.000-04:00

Moby wore his saddle bags today. They have lead weights in them, but even after more than an hour in the newly arrived (and enthusiastically welcomed!) warm sun, he was still full of energy. The weight helps him to use his energy (I already reflected on how important that is), and satisfies his instinct to be useful. With shepherds (and shep mixes), work and structure are extremely important to their health and mental well being, and even the way they play is a manifestation of said instinct.

mismatched shoes

2007-04-20T19:02:00.000-04:00

I think this qualifies as found art

Maggie

2007-04-20T18:07:00.000-04:00

Maggie Mae is a genteel country lady who found herself in the big city several years ago. She hardly ever knew a leash til she got here, and it took a couple weeks to get her to understand good leash behavior, and that things you find on the ground in these parts are not safe to eat! But she has a really charming desire to please and adapted quickly; she responds to the commands "head's up" (to stop scrounging), and "chill" (to stop pulling). An important part of maintaining this balance is to allow her to act in some way on her instincts, and this lady sure loves to smell the "flowers," if you know what I mean.

But she has tons of energy too, for walking and playing. Maggie has a great time with Stanley and Moby, and the contrast really shows her dual nature. With Stanley she really plays off his puppy energy and almost seems to revert - very cute! And with Moby (he's my herder, remember) she's engaged (they actually kiss!, and they do romp and play) but also businesslike and professional.

Come to think of it though, when she started walking with Mobe a few weeks ago, I think she was a bit rambunctious. She kind of started to go back to scrounging and pulling. It was probably the classic situation when there are changes in the group -- a dog often sees it as an opportunity to advance in status, and makes a move in that direction. Soon enough though, Maggie settled in to the new routine and she's back to her cooperative self.

I actually share this dog with my friend and dogwalking colleague Vlado, which brings up another point. There is very little (if any) competition among Brooklyn's independent walkers, at least in my experience. If anything there seems to be more work out there than we can collectively do, and cross-referrals are common, as are backup/time-share arrangements such as this one.

This post has no title

2007-04-20T11:37:00.000-04:00

,

Sorry for the lack of posts lately, but the tap is flowing again.

I was on a 5 night petsit with Kenny and Joya through Wednesday, which was also my (31st!) birthday and came, as it so often does, at a time of national bloodletting. What is it about this week that so many tragedies occur in recent history -- Ruby Ridge, Oklahoma City, Columbine and now Virginia Tech? Anyway I like to think I'm not responsible, and that it's not some collective unconscious outcry. I also considered blogging my petsit while it was going on, but remembering the case of a former colleague whose schedule was posted on the internet. I don't think anyone has similar designs for me, but perhaps out of an excess 0f caution I decided against it.

At any rate, here (above) is some cool stuff I found in Park Slope over the weekend.

If you check this space over the weekend, you should find more cute doggies, and less talk of blood.

All over the world, it's the same. Strangers, talk only about the weather.

2007-04-14T15:04:00.000-04:00

Oh, another thing this blog is sure to be about at times is…the weather. For me talking about the weather isn’t small talk – it has a real impact on the way I plan and live.

It looks like we’re about to get a nor’easter of potentially historic proportions, and no one knows for sure quite how long it’ll stick around or just what part will hit us. But basically we should prepare for at least five days of cold, wet and very windy conditions. For an arthritic dogwalker and bicyclist that is not good news.

But it’s even worse news for our regional ecosystem as a whole. The heaviest part of the storm hits tomorrow right at high tide, as I understand it, and significant shoreline erosion is expected. I fear for my beloved Rockaway, and areas further east on Long Island, which will get hit even harder. All this shoreline erosion of course will eat away at the dunes and wetlands, reducing an endangered habitat, and more refuse will turn up on beaches and be very bad news for marine wildlife.

So it goes.

Pit Bulls in Motion

2007-04-14T14:53:00.000-04:00

Kenny and Joya

2007-04-14T14:04:00.000-04:00

This pair, like Billie, have been with me from the beginning three years ago. They live together in Park Slope, along with a little girl who was an infant when I started walkig them and who is a continuing delight as she grows. Their house is one of the few I go to where I see other people - lots of other kids and everybody's nanny. Often it's the only time I see other people I know til I get home and I always look forward to my visits.

Kenny and Joya have a fantastic dynamic -- she's totally the yin to his yang. Joya, who's a rescue and is in the foreground in the pic, was completely agoraphobic three years ago. She's always been very sweet and gentle, and when she was rescued it was clear that shed had multiple pregnancies. She was about seven at the time, just past puppy-rearing age, and had been abandoned at the pound. She was incredibly fortunate to have been adopted -- most older dogs in her situation (especially pit bulls) are put to death -- and she didn't want to be out of her home for longer than it took to do her business. Through a lot of love and patience she gradually came out of her shell in public and now loves to walk. She's very social, loves to meet other dogs and people, and retains a soft spot in her heart for all puppies.

Kenny, on the other hand, is a clown. While Joya is the consummate mother figure he's a perpetual teenager. You know, the kind who finds fart jokes incredibly funny and barely seems able to control his physical behavior. He's very rambunctious and loves to play and run. He's a ball thief in the dog park and a lap dog at home. (Yep, that big lanky frame settles right into my narrow-ass hips if I let him! But it's only really useful on these frigid, soaking wet days.*)

I often find myself house-sitting with these guys on the weekend, which allows for a lot more cuddle-time and scavenging treasures from the sidewalks of the Slope.**

*-- more on frigid, soaking wet days later
**-- more on pop archaeology later

Billie

2007-04-12T20:44:00.000-04:00

Like her namesake, Billie covers the waterfront. But don't worry, she's not nearly so forlorn as the character in that song!

Actually, Billie's one of my battle-tested veterans, both by how long she's been walking with me (3 years) and on this earth (13 of 'em!). She still gets around quite nimbly and is very content with her life. She's also one of the more generous dogs I've had the pleasure of; every time I come to her she brings me one of her favorite toys. She doesn't want to play with it - as soon as I take it she couldn't care less - she just seems to want me to have it. And when I leave she always has another kiss for me - good bye kisses are actually quite rare from most dogs! One of the cutest things about her is when she gets a "treat" that doesn't meet her standards. In such cases she romps around with it and plays keep-away, but never chews it. She also loves to be chased!

Billie may have a few bumps (most older dogs get them) but she'll be around a long time yet - I don't think she's even slowed down since she was 10.

Coming soon: Brushing Billie's teeth!

Update on Stanley

2007-04-12T20:24:00.000-04:00

Here's Stan-o on Tuesday, shortly after his surgery. He's a bit thinner in the face these days but we all know he'll get those beautiful folds back in no time!

It's both delightful and troubling to see him getting his energy back this week. Delightful because, of course, his happy-stray-bowling-ball attitude is so endearing; but troubling since he really needs to rest so he heals properly, permanently and quickly. Hearing him (try to) bark is also heartbreaking.

So he's been on a sedative this week, which (barely) keeps him low-key, but it's still important not to get him worked up since he's liable to respond to a smile with a leap. Today I kept him out of the rain as much as possible and we had a deep cuddle session on the couch. It was nice, but I'm looking forward to the return of spring and a bulldog able to take advantage of it.

So it goes.

2007-04-12T10:10:00.000-04:00

I feel like I've lost an old friend this morning.

Moby

2007-04-11T20:04:00.000-04:00

Moving from one of my newer canines to the absolute newest, we have Moby. What this shepherd/border collie mix lacks in seniority he more than makes up for with an active intelligence and eagerness to learn. And this boy can GO!!...I've worked him hard for as long as an hour and a half, and starting next week he'll be spending the bulk of my Tuesdays and Thursdays with me, scooting all over the greater Park Slope area.

It's a good thing Moby gets along so well with other dogs -- he loves to romp with Maggie (you'll meet her later), slows down his pace for Billie (one of my senior dogs) and puts up with some of Stanley's more outlandish puppyness. He's actually a great teacher for Stanley - older and well adjusted dogs are great at setting boundaries for newbies. As a herding dog, he literally keeps the others in line!

I hope you'll notice Moby's wide set eyes and alert ears - two cardinal marks of intelligence. That can actually be a frustrating thing for a caretaker without a lot of attention to devote since he needs regular engagement on an active level, and lots of exercise. Without it I'm sure he'd become frustrated, but he gets what he needs and more every day...if you saw the way he catches your eye when he wants to play you'd know why! I swear this dog knows Jedi mind control techniques; fortunately he's on the light side.

Stanley

2007-04-10T21:01:00.000-04:00

This is Stanley. He's actually one of the newest members of my extended pack*, although it doesn't feel that way anymore. Watching him grow from a bite-sized little puppy-monster to an explosive, loving, slobbery 50 pound, full fledged adult English bulldog over the past 13 months has been quite the learning experience - for both of us.

Stanley has tons of energy for his breed and he's very cued in emotionally to his environment. He loves to cuddle with people (he's quite kissy!) and play with other dogs. He brakes for sticks and is an excellent on-the-leash bottle soccer player!

But the reason Stanley's my first post is that he's currently recovering from major surgery - the third(!) of his young life. In the first two instances, he had "cherry eye," where a gland in the bottom of each of his eyes (fortunately at different times) popped out. In this case (over the past weekend) he had corrective surgery to remove some of the soft tissue in his palate and throat. The surgery is recommended for most bulldogs, as their oddly shaped snout can lead to serious breathing problems, especially later in life. It's a very grave issue, and I spoke with one dog-lover not too long ago who actually endured the agony of watching his dog choke to death on a very hot day, on the way to the hospital. One cannot even imagine what the dog went through before he passed away - but I am very glad that Stanley is getting this out of the way now!

So far, the recovery is going quite well considering how invasive the procedure is. After a couple days of a very restricted diet he's starting to get back into his routine, and emotionally he seems to be bouncing right back. It does take quite a while for the tissue to heal, and sadly he won't be able to be with other dogs for a bit, or play his favorite games. But this all happens while Stanley's immune system is at its strongest, and he's in a very nurturing environment. Expect big things from this one - he makes quite a splash!

*--although I refer to the aggregate total of all my dogs as my "extended pack," the whole pack is never together. I never walk more dogs than I can handle in a worst case scenario. Which never means more than 4, is more commonly 2 or 3, and for some dogs is only 1.

Welcome!

2007-04-10T20:40:00.000-04:00

I'm not sure how many of you out there are dying to peek into the routine of an independent dog walker and trainer, but by whatever circuitous route you've arrived at this page; welcome!

I intend to post here first and foremost about the animals I'm blessed to work with, some for many years now, and my thoughts and experiences about domestic animal behavior and health. I'm told that I'm prone to digressions though, so you can also expect musings on rampant over-development, the joys and frustrations of bicycling, profiles of local groups and businesses that catch my attention, and descriptions of the varied crap and treasure I pick up - or just notice - along my daily rounds.

I'll probably roll out by profiling different animals for a few posts. Each of them are very dear to me, and I look forward to sharing with you the joy I get working with them.