Some days are harder than others

I've been a dog walker for just over 4 years now and though I love every part of my job, one thing never gets easier: the loss of a dog. Even when I know the end is near, I still reel at the finality of their passing. Just one more time, just one more walk, just one more doggie kiss. Sometimes it is not meant to be. Equally as difficult, though not nearly as heartbreaking, is when the loss occurs because a client moves. Both ends are inevitable, but I'm never ready for either. The one thing I truly believe is that I can keep them close by keeping their memory alive. So in honor of the sweetest Aussie smile there ever was, here are some of my favorite memories and pictures of pups I've had the privilege to know.

Sierra

I'll start with the latest loss. Sierra was a beautiful Australian Shepherd. I had the privilege of knowing her for nearly four years. I started walking her and her brother, Rocky, not long after I became a dog walker. Initially, we walked them for an hour. One of my most memorable walks is a one hour walk I did with them in a rainstorm. Since I was new to the job, I hadn't yet procured all the adequate gear and that was one of the rare days I wore jeans. Not long into the walk, it began to rain. And it didn't stop. By the time we made it back to their home, all three of us were drenched. But being hardy Aussies, they were troopers. Because Rocky had aggression issues with other dogs, we started walking them each 30 minutes. I usually walked Sierra first and always cherished how easy-going and friendly she was with dogs. We had lots of fun meeting all kinds of pooches. Sierra, I will miss you tons.

Aria

 

Meet Aria. I used to walk her and her two "brothers," Lucky and Amadeus. I wish I had a better picture of Lucky to share as well; unfortunately, I didn't get the chance. All three were sweet pups with very different personalities. Amadeus, also a shi tzu, didn't really like to walk and often would stop to check a smell and would sniff for the entire 30 minutes if he could. Aria was a very laid back. She loved the walks and enjoyed a good sniff every now and then. Lucky, a cocker spaniel, was deceptively strong for his advanced years. In fact, his pulling led to my first fall. He suddenly pulled me off the road, onto a steep shoulder. I twisted my ankle and went down, hard, on both knees. As I fell, I was worried I might land on one of the dogs. They quickly scattered, but rushed to my side to check on me. They were so obviously worried. It was adorable and I couldn't help but smile at their concern. Lucky and Aria have passed, but I will always remember that day and how much they cared.

Chyna

Chyna and Max lived on the same property, but had different homes. They lived on an orchard in the mountains. I loved walking them for several reasons. They were two great dogs. Max is an Australian shepherd and Chyna...I'm not sure what she is, but she was a sweetheart. I also enjoyed walking them because they lived next to a redwood forest and we enjoyed exploring the area. The Santa Cruz mountains have many stories of Sasquatch sightings; however, we were never fortunate enough to spot one. Despite not seeing one, there were several times the woods felt very "squatchy." I can't tell you what that means. It just felt different on certain days, like some(one) was watching us. It didn't happen every time, but when the feeling was in the air, it was next to impossible to shake it off. We did see many other critters, including deer, blue heron, and squirrels, of course. Chyna was a quiet soul who loved walking with Max or by herself. She was always serious about the walk, checking every smell she found

Max

thoroughly. I started walking Max when he was a puppy. It's always fun to watch puppies grow into the dogs they are destined to be. His unchecked energy became more focused as he grew, but he always maintained a bit of his lovable goofiness. His mom became pregnant and had her baby at home. Because everything was so frantic, she forgot to cancel the walk. I noticed another car in the driveway and that Max didn't greet me at the gate as usual. When I came into the house, I quickly realized that there was a birth going on and quietly turned around and left. That was truly a unique work day! They both have moved and I miss our adventures so much.

Otis

Otis was my first dog. He was a beautiful Irish wolfhound who also lived in the mountains. He was the largest dog I've walked and always turned heads. Everyone knew Otis and many stopped to say 'hi'. He loved meeting new people. We walked in every possible kind of weather. There were incredibly hot days and freezing cold ones. We walked in the rain and the snow. We saw all kinds of wildlife. In fact, Otis stepped on a snake on one walk. He had no idea what he'd done until I started taking pictures of it. He stooped to sniff it and when he realized what it was, he wanted no part of it. Good dog. We stopped walking him because of health reasons, but were told we could come visit. I only went once. When he saw me, he was so excited because he thought we were going on our walk. My heart broke, especially when it dawned on him that we weren't going. I decided it would be best if I didn't go back. I will always remember how he looked running up the hill to greet me. For such a tall, gangly build, he was absolutely beautiful when he ran. I miss you, my big Ba-Gotie.

Mia

This is Mia. And this is the moment before all Hell broke loose. Mia was a sweet boxer who was also deaf. This is common in dogs that are all white. At this point, I had walked her several times. Despite her inability to hear me, I talked to her like I do all my dogs. I also take pictures of all my dogs and this is the first picture I took of her. I was trying to switch the leash from one hand to the other and dropped it. And she was gone like a flash. I freaked out and started calling her name. I got treats out and threw some on the ground; unfortunately, she was not interested in them. As I chased after her, I called one of the other walkers and had her call Mia's dad. He had been at home when we left on the walk and I hoped he still was there. Luckily, Mia managed to run back to the park next to his apartment complex. She laid down in the field and I squatted down, knowing if I approached her, she'd take off again. After a few minutes, I noticed her dad walking up behind her. He just bent down and scooped up the leash. I hung my head in shame and embarrassment, but he was great. He said she had run from him on several occasions and the trick was not to chase her as that was the game. I am forever grateful of how understanding he was. From that day on, all the walkers knew to keep a death grip on the leash. She moved back home to Florida, but I will always feel fortunate to know her. She was a beautiful girl and I learned so much from my time with her.