HEADLINE: Woman Owns Dog - Has NO Emotion

Last week I was in Washington Square Park walking a sweet older Golden Retriever.

 This is a dog that seeks out love wherever he is.  Mainly from people, but sometimes from other dogs.  Usually he couldn't care less about other dogs in the park, but last week he would spontaneously get very excited with certain dogs!  We were walking in the park one day and I noticed that there was a girl walking a boxer towards us.  I never know how he will react, so I just played it cool and we kept walking.  They got very close, but the owner didn't say anything to me.  Normal dog etiquette in a park is to say, "Hey, can they say hello? "  or " Is he/she friendly?"  She said nothing and Finn seemed interested (as did the boxer) so I said, "You wanna say hi Finn?"  He then bounded over to the boxer and the woman (who were at that point about 2 feet away from us) jumping and smiling and showing interest.  So I said to her, "I guess he really wanted to say hi!  More so to you it seems ! "  He just wanted head pets from her.  She literally said nothing.  Looked at me, and at her dog, acted like she didn't want to pet him.... and seemed generally annoyed.  What she did not do was walk away from us and the boxer seemed thoroughly confused.  So I was completely weirded out and just talked to Finn saying, "Come on, let's go home...."  

Why would you walk your dog up to another dog and not speak? Or even acknowledge that the other person is speaking to you.  And then seem annoyed, yet not willing to remove yourself from the situation? This girl is probably in her early 30's and obviously taking the dog all over the city. I encounter dogs with owners and walkers ALL DAY LONG. I have never seen this happen.

Today I was walking another dog in a completely different neighborhood and we usually go to the church cemetery to "do our business."  We get to the gated entrance and I see her and the boxer again!!  She is reading the sandwich board in front of the church and trying to take a picture of it - however the boxer is sitting right in the middle of the entrance that I need to pass through.  The dog that I was walking this time can get a little crazy around other dogs so we try not to interact with new ones if we don't have to.  Here I am standing across the street , watching her take pictures of this church sign and after about 2 minutes I just decided to cross because they obviously weren't moving.  I stopped within a few feet and said, "Excuse me, we need to pass by and get in there, she's not always good with other dogs."  The girls reply was, " You are allowed to bring dogs to church?" And I said, "No... we aren't going TO church, we are walking around in the grass over here." (meanwhile the dog I had was pulling and barking and fussing trying to get at this boxer) She just looked at me blankly.  I asked of she could just move the dog out of the way so that we could squeeze by.  As she barely pulled on the leash calling his name, her reply was, "Oh, it's ok.  He won't move. He just won't move, sorry."      WHAT?????  You walked your dog ON A LEASH about a 1/2 mile from where I saw you the last time, but he "won't move."  So I had to drag an overly anxious dog right by him while he say stoic as can be.

Twice in one week this woman has driven me insane and I fear that I will keep running into her and be forced to say something.... unpleasant.   Here is a helpful hint.  When you own a dog and you don't want to interact with other people or dogs, stay away from heavily populated areas on nice days!!!!

Client Breakup - It was Mutual

Losing clients is never easy.  Well, sometimes it is a relief.  I have let very few go because I am bad with break ups, but some just had to be done.  They usually involved the animals attacking me over and over again and it just wasn't worth the $15 to deal with it.  Sometimes clients have stopped using me and that's ok too.  Although I try, I can't please everyone.

There is a story from late summer/early fall that I have been holding back on because I didn't know if circumstances would change.  Now that enough time has passed, I will tell this story.

Last year I received a call from a new client that needed a dog walker.  They were moving close to me and although I was pretty booked, I agreed to meet them.  They were very nice, as was the dog.  The dog had very little training.  She was sweet as pie, but she didn't listen at all.  She was rambunctious, never stopped jumping, was aggressively playful with dogs on the street.... she was exhausting.  But she was very endearing so I agreed to walk her.  It was a pretty set schedule every week for about 6 months.  I always dealt with the husband, never the wife.  Many times he was home when I got there or would come home as I was leaving.  (odd that I would still be needed.... but whatever)

 Then they just disappeared for about 2-3 months.  I didn't hear from them at all.  They didn't say that they wouldn't need me for a while or that they were going to use someone else.  They just fell off the grid.  When that happens, I can only assume that they found another walker or decided not to use one anymore.  Figuring that this was the case, I took on 2 more dogs to replace their dog.  Then out of nowhere I receive a text from the husband that says they need me that next week for 4 days.  There was no explanation as to where they had been for the past few months, just that I was needed again.  I took a deep breath and agreed because  I for some reason felt obligated.  In the back of my mind I was going to have a talk with him and tell him that I took on more dogs when they stopped using me.  I was going to tell him that they can't just call out of nowhere and expect that my schedule can accommodate their needs at the drop of a hat.  I held it in and went to walk the dog that next day.  He was home and informed me that the next week he was going overseas so they would need me 2 times everyday because the wife was working all week.  (UGH!)  I was floored, but agreed because I didn't want to screw him over and leave them scrambling at the last minute.  (Yes, I am well aware that this is what they did to me).  After I agree to a breakfast and lunch walk, he then tells me that while he is away and the wife is working, they are having their entire house painted.  Yeah.

The summary of the week went like this.  The painters were there painting ALL OVER and the dog was down a flight of steps in a crate.  They were painting around the dog.  They were painting the stairs that the dog had to use to go outside.  They were painting the baseboards along the stairs that the dog had to pass to get outside.  I had to wrangle a jumping, wiggly, 60 lb pit mix through the house and try not to fuck up their paint job while they yelled, "Careful!"  They left drop cloths and paint pans directly in my way, never answered me when I yelled up to them to see what was wet, and were essentially in the way the entire time I was there.  On top of that, the wife would text me and change the walk times to fit her schedule better.  I again, accommodated her but I was thinking, "What a load of crap this all is!"  The second to last day I walked her in the morning and we ran into one of the painters that she liked when we were leaving.  She nearly knocked a can out of his hand.  On the second walk, I came in to wet paint all down the stairs and drop cloths at the foot of the steps.  I yelled up to see what was wet and no one answered.  I leashed her in the crate and put her out back to pee so there would be no accidents while trying to get up the steps.  The husband always told me that if she seemed anxious I could put her out back to pee first and then take her out.  This was what I did.

Later that evening I received a call from the wife asking me is I walked the dog that day.  I of course told her yes, and she said, "Well, the painters said that you were just there for 5 minutes to put her out back and then you left. "  WHAT??  So we went back and forth for a bit, I assured her that I walked the dog and that they even saw me!  She kept saying, "Well, I'm just telling you what they told me.  I'm just the messenger."  She had this tone like she didn't believe a word I was saying.  And um, how about this - I don't interfere with what the painters and their job, so why are they interfering with mine?  After a ten minute conversation involving me defending my integrity, she asked if I could come earlier the next day.   I said yes, and we decided on a time. She said she would be leaving extremely early and that the dog wouldn't eat that early, but that she would leave a bowl of food out and the painters would feed her and let her out back to pee before I got there.  (Not their job)  I offered a few times to just come earlier to feed and walk her and she said no and assured me that the painters would do it.

The next morning I arrived at the agreed upon time and what did I find?  The bowl of food (full) next to the closed crate and the dog in the crate freaking out staring at it with 5 painters in the same room.  So they didn't feed her, they didn't let her out (she barely made it out the front door before she peed and pooped), and they were just standing around telling me to be careful of the wet paint.  She was so terrified of one of the painters that she wouldn't come back down to her crate until he stood at least 10 feet away.  I texted the wife as soon as I left and told her that the dog peed and pooped, and for the record, the painters did NOT feed her or let her out.  Her reply was this , "Thanks for the info.  Would you please leave the keys on her crate after the second walk?  My husband will be home next week and he can take care of the walks."  I replied, "Absolutely."  

We both knew that it was the end.  If she didn't ask me to leave the keys, I would have told her to find someone else the next day.  It was a mutual breakup, but here is the thing.  You use a dog walker for 6 months, then you believe your painters over the dog walker that bent over backwards to accommodate you last minute?  These are not clients that I need.  It's a shame really, because I do miss the dog.  I never confronted the painters (even though I was dying to) , but I did get the chance to get my dig in with their irresponsibility.  I'd say that there are no hard feeling, but there are.  I stand by my word and to have that questioned in such a harsh way was very new to me.  I don't ever expect an apology, nor will I get one.  Months have passed and I just avoid them like the plague.

Needy Neighbors

I love my neighbors. Most of them.  I do not love all of my clients neighbors.  Some are very nice and quick to help out, some think you are a psychotic burglar, and some just like to take advantage of the fact that their neighbor is away.  Over the summer I was cat sitting for a regular client and her nextdoor neighbor has her key.  She knew that my client was away and also knew that I was coming in to feed the cats.  Her daughter was getting married and she had a TON of family at her house.  Now, I totally understand how hectic weddings are.  HOWEVER, when your neighbor says that you can use her space in the front of her house and you inconvenience the pet sitter, you are just taking advantage.

To get into the house, there is a gate, and then a front door through the gate.  This is what I came in to.

She told her family that they were allowed to put their bags behind the gate.  You can see the top left corner of the front door.  I couldn't get in to the house to feed the cats, I couldn't move peoples luggage (who knows what was in there, and there was alot of it!)  So I had to wait to find the neighbor and have her tell the family to clear me a path.  This all took up about 20 minutes.  Again, I know things were hectic, but this is really inconsiderate to me as well as the family that had to move all of their crap out of the way for me.  

This was my path.  Couldn't lock the gate because people might need their stuff. My job is to lock the gate and keep my clients house secure.  The whole thing was a mess and the neighbor isn't even that nice to me when I see her on a regular day.  The whole ordeal was beyond my control, but for all of you that think that what I do is smooth sailing, easy peasy work - think again.  Even an extra 20 minutes can throw my whole day off when the schedule is full.  

To Declaw or Not to Declaw, THAT is the question

I just read a petition to ban cat declawing in the state of Colorado.  This is something that I wholeheartedly agree with.  Well, I agree about 95%.  I don't think that cats should be declawed.  I have 8 cats, they all have their claws.  My furniture is intact (except for my leather dining chairs, but I have learned my lesson and the next set-o-chairs will be of a different material) The following is the description of declawing from the petition and I think it's a great summary:

 Essentially, you are cutting the top knuckle off of your cats paw. People often mistakenly believe that declawing your cat will stop them from scratching, but in reality all you're doing is making it less likely that your cat will use the litter box and more likely to start biting instead of scratching. To remove the claw they amputate with a scalpel or with guillotine clippers, then the wounds are closed with surgical glue, and then the feet are bandaged. There are many drawbacks to declawing your cat as well, such as: pain in the paw, infection, tissue necrosis (tissue death), lameness, and back pain. When you remove your cats claws it changes the way their feet touch the ground, feeling like the equivalent of wearing an uncomfortable set of shoes. So please, let's put a stop to this!

I have witnessed the act of declawing numerous times while working at different vets.  It sucked each and every time.  Two of the practices that I worked for would ONLY do front declaws, not the back (unless the circumstances called for it).  Post op, the cats were always miserable.  They were bandaged to the elbow, they couldn't walk properly, they were in pain, and they just wanted to see their feet.  On occasion we would come into them in a cage splattered with blood because they somehow got their bandages off and flailed around so much that they reopened their wounds.  

There are some instances where it is necessary though, so I don't believe that banning completely is the answer.  If you do that, the cats will have to go to Tijuana with the humans to get cheaper surgeries that they won't do in the states. (Watch the show Botched on E, you will understand what I am talking about)

Here is where I agree that a cat should be declawed:
*  If the owner has or develops an immune deficiency disorder  (HIV/AIDS, lymphodema, cancer, etc) and their life could be threatened by a cat scratch

* If the cat is polydactyl (extra toes).  Not all polydactyl cats have the same amount of toes.  There are some that have TINY toes with a full nail in the middle of 2 other toes and that nail almost always grows into the pad because it has nowhere else to go. I fully support declawing that tiny toenail to prevent it from growing into the pad constantly.  I actually had to do this for one of my rescue cats. 

*The last reason is one that I try to avoid giving advice on, but if an adult cat is HORRIBLE for nail trims.  I mean horrible (scratching, biting, spitting, growling, screaming), then I might recommend a declaw.  Especially if you tried sedating the cat with drugs beforehand and they still don't calm down.  Still on the fence with this one, but there are some cats that just WILL NOT take you restraining them and touching their feet.  Sedatives help, but not always. 

What I always found interesting is that there are many people that don't even know you  CAN clip a cats nails.  They just think they are supposed to be declawed, like they are supposed to be spayed and neutered.  I have asked people who have called to make declaw appointments, "Have you tried to do nail trims and they are just really bad for it?"  Most of the time the response was , "No, I didn't even know that you could do that."  (Baffling to me because WE have fingernails that we cut.... cats have nails too....and dogs...and guinea pigs... etc)

Soft Paws are also another option that just glue on to the nails themselves.  They don't love it, but they acclimate.
http://www.softpaws.com/

Should declawing be banned? Maybe, but there are always exceptions to the rule.

Mystery fan club

Almost every day for the last year we have walked Bailey down a certain street by his house and when we passed by this one house, we heard scrambling dog sounds, and then squeaks.  This sweet brindle dog would see another dog coming down the street and run to get her squeaky toy.  She was prepared at her storm door for when we passed. She would smile and squeak her toy incessantly to try to get Baileys attention.  It was so endearing, however he would just walk away and ignore her completely!  

Today we were walking Bailey with another dog and we see him smiling at this pit mix a block away who is smiling back and wagging her tail like crazy.  As we were talking to the owner and he said what street he lived on, I asked if it was this dog that always brought the squeaky toy to the door.  It was!  So funny!  In person and outside they were quite fond of each other ;)  

Who knew that is semi- secret admirer would finally win him over?!

Um, Are You Uber??

 I have to bring this up because tonight was the 5th time that this has happened in the past 2 months.  My husband will drive me to certain animals  when it's really busy, cold, dark, rainy, etc....  

While he is in the car waiting for me, people have come up to his window to ask if he is Uber. Some people just open his car door to get in.  Tonight he was waiting for me at 5th and Spruce and as I was walking back to the car, I see a young girl also walking to his car and she is opening the door to the back seat.  I yelled , "Hey, my husband is in that car waiting for me!"  She was startled and embarrassed and said, "Oh! This isn't Uber??"  I told her that it wasn't.  Then we went to pick up food right after that happened and as my husband is walking back to his car (with ME in it), an Uber driver behind us says, "Hey, are you Kyle?"

This has happened at 2nd and Catherine where an older couple thought that we were Uber and were scared to ask.  At 2nd and Locust someone came up and knocked on his drivers side window startling him as he was checking email.

Here is my issue.  It is so unsafe for this to happen.  Uber cars NEED to have something official that makes them Uber cars that is visible to the passenger.  This girl didn't even ask, she just got in the back seat of my husbands car! What if it was someone that saw this as an opportunity to mess with this girl, or worse??  My suggestion is to have everyone use a car magnet or sticker or something defining the driver as an Uber driver.  You know a cab is a cab.  You don't know who is Uber.  This poor girl would have gotten in the wrong car and been raped and killed.  Worst case scenario obviously, but you see my point.  I don't feel safe using Uber because I have seen 5 different people try to get into my husbands car at various locations.  Does the passenger get a picture of the driver? A copy of the license plate? Does the driver get a picture of the passenger?  Something to identify eachother? Or is every Uber experience like a blind date? Should they be carrying a yellow rose so they can be identified?

Just my opinion...

This was an email that I sent to Uber yesterday because I was angry and scared for these people and their safety!  I also posted it on YELP.  This was the response I got from Uber:

Marvin (Uber) Jan 28, 08:10 Hi Debbie, Thanks for reaching out! Really thankful for the feedback. We are constantly working to improve the Uber experience and your input is crucial to doing so. We encourage riders to use the name, picture and license plate number provided on in the app to help them identify drivers. Tips like this and others are also available on help.uber.com. I’ll pass this along to the appropriate team. Thanks again! Marvin help.uber.com ******************************************************************************************* This was the private message that I received on YELP: There is a picture of the driver and a license plate number in the app. And you can track the car to you on the map in uber. The people who got into your husband's car are idiots. It's not uber's fault. :) ******************************************************************************************************************************* I guess the consensus is that people really are idiots.  You are given a license plate and a picture of the driver and instead of checking that they match, you get into some strange mans car???  I am an Uber Virgin because there is just some part of me that doesn't trust it. I DO believe that they should have a sign on their car like a Taxi that distinguishes them from any old car AS WELL as an ID matching the one that the app provides.  Sorry Uber lovers, I still need some convincing.

Holiday Madness!!!

I just look at the last post and it was before Thanksgiving.  This makes sense because from Thanksgiving to New Years I have barely had time to breathe.  I overbooked as per usual and just worked non stop.  I turned down many overnight gigs because I can't handle a nonstop schedule on top of not sleeping in my own bed while spooning my cat.  It's my only real ritual or relaxation.

Christmas through new years was spent juggling my regulars with my vacation clients.  I was averaging 30-40 visits per day for a while.  I didn't plan it that way, but it happened.  I can't say that I would want to do that again anytime soon.  I was almost just on auto pilot by the end.  Feed, water, litter, insulin shot, head scratches, kiss fuzzy head, next kiddo.  I didn't get to spend as much time as I would have liked with each stop, but everyone was happy and healthy :)

Mmm, Pie and exhaustion

Working out frustrations with scheduling family and work on holidays

Couldn't have done it without his help

I've taken on some new clients (cats and dogs).
I've lost a few cat clients (R.I.P. Monty, Morris Lombard, Bean, Mushka, & Pickles)
I will be making some changes this year, including making more time for myself.  Last year was just work work work.  I stopped going to the gym and doing things for myself because I was just too damn tired! Hopefully I can manage my time better and set limits for myself so that I am not dragging by 6pm. Wish a pushover some luck!

Off Leash and Stubborn

There is a community website that I am a part of in hopes to stay updated on community happenings as well as voice my concerns.  Recently my main concern is people walking their dogs off leash in the city where other dogs are on leash.  The leashed dogs are following the law.  They can also be dog aggressive, scared or anxious if an off leash dog comes up to them (it is a threat), and generally nervous and could bite out of fear.  I have been posting on this community site to try to get people to stop doing this.  Maybe they aren't aware of the law or the ramifications. Maybe they are just selfish and don't care about anyone else around them.  It seems a have a large number of people on my side, but  no one really knows what to do.  This was my most recent post:

Ok, I know I posted this before, and it seemed as though people were getting it for a while (while the post was relevant), but this morning I have learned otherwise. Local dog walker here, just trying to do my job. I was walking a dog that is not fond of other dogs down queen street this morning and within the first block I see a man walking his german shepherd back to his house (261 Queen, yes I will now call you all out) He seemed as though he was going right back in his house so I gave him the benefit of the doubt and waited on the opposite corner. Then I see him picking up stray trash and messing with his trashcans while the dog turns the corner and starts walking down 3rd street! So I yell over , "Excuse me! Is that you dog?" He said it was, and I said, "She is not good with other dogs, could you please get him so that we can cross the street?" And he got a little huffy and said, "Yeah! I was BRINGING him in the house." He called, the dog came, went in the house. Not the biggest deal, but he still wasn't paying attention and his dog was out of his sight completely.
THEN I walk through Mario Lanza park (regular park, not the dog park part) and we get to the end of the path leading to Christian and a guy with a ridgeback (full or mix?) walks in on the opposite side and lets his dog off leash immediately (not IN the dog park) and his dog comes charging at the dog that I have. I'm pulling her aside and yelling, "Whoa! She's NOT good with other dogs!" He runs over and grabs his dog by the collar and goes over to the dog park. I was saying , "Hey, you can't do that! They can't be off leash here." He just seems annoyed and goes, "Yeah.. Ok." and walks away. So I walk over to the dog park itself and call him over. I explain that I am not trying to be bitchy, but it's really not safe to do that. There are a ton of dog aggressive dogs in this neighborhood, just wait till he is in the park." His reply was priceless. "Yeah, I hear this at least once a day. I GUESS I'll have to start leashing him more." HE HEARS THIS AT LEAST ONCE A DAY AND IS STILL DOING IT!!!!!

I walk dogs. It is my business. It is my responsibility to keep my dog clients safe and out of harms way. I am liable. When people like this have no regard for other neighborhood animals, it enrages me. Walk your dogs on a leash. It is a simple concept. It is a law. It is common sense. Don't intentionally create dangerous situations! I am keeping these postings relevant because EVERYONE that is on my side needs to grow a pair and speak up! It is hard to single -handedly lead a revolution.

Today I got a private reply on the site from Bobby, the dog park guy.  Here is his reply to my post:

Debbie, Go figure, I was the gentleman at the dog park at Mario Lanza who was trying everything possible to ignore you when you tried to create a scene. I get that this is your "job" and it's very clear just how passionate you are about this but had I known you would have taken to public cry then I would have treated our encounter differently. I do not get a request once a day to leash my dog, that remark was simply to send you on your way so I can go about enjoying my day and morning walk with my dog. Why is it that all these run-ins you have end in confrontation? Would that by chance have anything to do with you and your unpleasant reactions? Just something to think about before you get as feisty as the dog you're walking next time. I realized mistake and was very apologetic to start and that's the part you omitted from record in your posting. People might be a little more respectful and responsive if you didn't carry such an (as you put it "bitchy") attitude. Understand that other owners work very hard the same way you do to train their dogs to be obedient and that includes practicing off-leash commands. That's all that is, please don't make these owners feel like they are incompetent/irresponsible because of the occasional free running mistakes before taking their environment into account. If you want to make a statement, do it in cordial fashion so that you can receive the same results in return. That's my two cents for whatever you feel it's worth. I won't be reading your reply whether it be private or another ill-informed public comment so don't waste much time in writing it. Take care, Bobby


What a (insert your own expletive here)! I did reply to him (and you know he read it) and this is what it said:
Yeah, I figured that was you. I repeated what YOU told me. Yes I take my business and responsibilities seriously. You are taking your dog to the dog park, yet you let your dog off leash when the actual dog park was still about 50 ft away. And your dog charged at the dog that I had in my hand. You want to wait until something awful happens? Go right ahead. I was trying to be human and call you over to chat behind the fence so you'd know where I was coming from. But you don't care, so that's fine. That was me not being bitchy. That was me trying to talk to your like a person and tell you why I was pissed. I truly hope that you and your dog stay safe. Make good decisions please.
Bottom line is, you are breaking the law. I am not. There is a leash law in this city. You had a confrontation before I even met you regarding the same thing. Common denominator was YOU. Although you want to practice training - it is unsafe and inconsiderate to do it in a setting such as Mario Lanza where there are other dogs and people all over the place. I wasn't trying to "ruin your day" and you did not apologize. You tried to placate me rudely and walked away. I don't want to see your dog attacked by a dog that he startles or hit by a car - just as much as I don't want to see one of my clients attacked. And don't use quotes around "job" . This is my job and my legit business. I have worked in the animal industry since 1996. I know what I am talking about and my concern is for the safety of the dogs. I don't care what you think or what you do with your time. Enjoy the dog park, just wait until you are in the gate to take the leash off. THat's all. Your dog is adorable and I would have said hello to him if I didn't think that the dog that I had would try to bite his face off. It's a small community, just be respectful. Rules apply to everyone - you are not exempt.

Philadelphia Dog Leash Law Section § 10-104 of the Philadelphia Code provides as follows: Animals Running at Large and Vicious Animals (1) No person shall permit any animal other than a sterilized cat to go at large upon any street, public place or private property other than the property of the owner of the animal. All animals, other than sterilized cats, using any street, public place or private property of anyone other than the owner of the animal shall be on a leash not exceeding six (6) feet in length including the handgrip but excluding the collar and accompanied by a person able to fully control the animal at all times.


I have yet to hear a reply, nor do I think I will - however I am livid. What has to happen to make these people see that this is not a good idea? An attack? A hit by car situation? We are in a small community with MANY dogs. There are only so many places to go and ways to avoid those not abiding the law. I try to talk, I try to ask nicely, but people treat me as I am asking them to perform heart surgery on the street. They ignore me, they placate me, they turn and walk away...
So do I have to carry around a copy of the leash law in my pocket and hand it out? I might just do that.
Do I have to talk to every police officer in the neighborhood about why they should enforce this law? I have already started. I need back up - I need actual support, more then anonymous people agreeing with me in a forum. This could turn into a really awful situation where dog fights happen, kids get knocked over, people get bitten.... this needs to stop. Dog parks exist for a reason - please use them.

Look into my....eye....

Picture it.  I was in an apartment feeding cats.  It is very nice building on a very nice block with about 6 units in it.  I bent down for a cat head scratch (her head, not mine) and there is a very sturdy knock at the door - slightly less aggressive than a police officer.  I am confused as I was on the 2nd floor of a locked building.  I opened the door only to find an older gentleman with greasy white hair, greasy leathery skin, 1 good eye and 1 white eye, and he was wearing dirty jeans and a dirty flannel.

He said, "I need to come in and change the air filter!"    I was taken aback because I was not expecting anyone to just show up, let alone to maintenance. I told him that this was not my apartment, I was just cat sitting and that no one told me that this was ok.  He repeated, "I need to change the air filters, it will just be a minute."  And again, told him that I need to talk to my client, I'm not ok with just letting them in.  Then another guy yells from upstairs, "It will just take a minute to change the filters, we will be right down."  I shut the door, call the client, she didn't pick up, and then a minute later they just come in stating that it will take a minute. I kept saying that I understand that, but I don't have the authority to just let people in.  It's not my apartment.  They basically brushed by me with a ladder and changed the filters and walked out.  Got a hold of the client later and luckily she was ok with it (happy that I happen to have been there for this fiasco).  But seriously, any other place that I have been where someone was there to do work and I was unaware of it, they understood why I wouldn't let them in.  These guys couldn't care less.  

Dog Park Policy

I felt the need to write this because I spoke to a potential new client today that wanted me to take his dog to the dog park right off the bat.  I told him no and explained why.  I find that I explain this quite often so I just wanted to put it out there in the open so that everyone understands my stance on dog parks and why I have very specific rules for myself and my clients.

I come from a medical background.  I worked in a vet office for 13 years.  I saw the aftermath of "dog park fun".  There were ears ripped off, brutal bite wounds that required drains to be surgically placed, lacerations that needed sutures, damages teeth, nails ripped out of the nail bed, even death from an attack..... you name it, I've seen it.  That is not including the many frantic phone calls that I answered that began with me words,  "My dog just got attacked at the dog park."   I have all of these things that lay dormant in my brain until someone says, "Can you bring my dog to the park so he can run off some of his energy?"

I will always say no.

Here is why:
* Your dog is not my dog.  I will not be liable for something awful happening on my watch when it could have been avoided.  I do not want to rush your dog to the emergency room.  I do not want to have to make that phone call to you, telling you to rush to the ER because we don't know if your dog is going to be ok.   Or that you have a huge vet bill because some other dog attacked your dog.

*  I am not the owner.  I am not the parent.  I am not the alpha.  I am the babysitter buddy that asserts authority when necessary.  That dog will never listen to me like they would listen to their owner. If something happens (another dog fight, thunder, crazy child taunting, crazy dog taunting, loud truck sounds, etc) and I have to get that dog outta there ASAP and I call for him/her to come,  they BETTER listen and come.  I will take a dog to the park if I know that that dog WILL listen to me and come when called.  This does not happen right away. ( Out of all of my clients, there are 2 dogs that I am completely comfortable with at the park.  That is it. )  Once we develop a relationship and the park is close by and the dog and I have mutual trust (and I know that the dog goes with the owner all of the time), then I will consider it.  It is just too risky otherwise.  I have insurance, but i don't want to have to use it.

* My main goal is safety.  When I come to walk your dog, I want that kiddo to stay SAFE!  You are trusting me with your kid, and that kid needs to be on a leash, away from cars, away from aggressive dogs, away from harmful things on the street to eat and walk on (chicken bones, glass, gum, dead rodents, mouse poison)  We jump, we play, we greet other people and dogs if we are all comfortable with it - but in the back of my mind I am assessing every situation.

* I know every dog that I walk like the back of my hand.  They all have their quirks.
Some hate the mailman that's on 8th street
Some hate UPS guys
Some hate Fedex guys
Some hate both
Some hate kids
Some pick up tissues and paper towels
Some try to walk on glass
Some try to get out of their gentle leader or harness a certain way
Some hate other dogs (some small, some big, or just all dogs)
Some hate skateboards or anything on wheels
Some hate homeless people
The list goes on and on - but I know them and treat them as if they were my own dogs.  I care just as much, and that is why I don't want to unnecessarily jeopardize their health and safety in any way if I can avoid it.  I am there for a potty break, some love, some treats, and a safe walk.
I urge you to not be upset that I don't feel comfortable taking your dog to the park, but know that I am making that judgement based on experience and love for the animal.

Diamonds Too Will Pass

                         A few weeks ago, this face allegedly ate 2 diamond wedding bands.

With every poop, we are picking it up in clear plastic and smushing it to see if diamonds appear.  Thus far, nothing has come out.  The owner tore her house apart  - so either this kiddo is living with precious gems in his intestines OR they are lost forever.  Until then, we will continue to have a close relationship with the poo.

Also, while I was walking Darius I passed by a guy that looked like a human version of him! Short, stocky, dark skinned, round head.... and as we passed him he goes,  "Hey, is that Darius?!" And I said, "Yes, are you two friends?"  And he replied, "Nah, I met him last week when I was walking with my kid.  Really funny because my name is Da-rye-us.  (I imagine it's spelled the same way and just pronounced differently)  How weird is that ?  Man looks like dog and has the same name?  Sometimes the universe just makes me smile.

Update : The rings have been recovered (not ingested by the dog)

Notes Are My Best Friend

Sometimes I will meet a new client a month or 2 before I actually have to go there and watch their cat.  Although I write everything down during our meeting, when I get to their house it is still sometimes a little fuzzy.  Sometimes people go above and beyond with notes all over the house and I LOVE it!  So helpful.
This was especially helpful over the Pope weekend when I was losing my mind to start with.  I went into her apartment and found this

So helpful!  In every room on every floor :)

Even MORE Unexpected Surprises

Finally a cool and breezy morning!  It was GLORIOUS to walk around to my morning visits.  Since it was a pretty light day, I got to spend some extra time at each house and meander around the streets taking in the fall like Sunday.  Then around 10 am I arrived at a cat visit in a high rise.  I had planned on killing some time there until my next dog at 11.  I walked in the door and was greeted by both cats, starving as usual.  I said my hellos, grabbed their canned food and headed to their bowls.  I emptied the first can into the first bowl and munching ensued. Then I went to grab the other can and noticed the other cat on the floor on his side stretching.  I immediately hit the floor with him saying his name and he was not responding.  His eyes were fixed and he stretched his legs out, made an odd facial expression, and then just relaxed.  He was having a heart attack right there in my lap and there was nothing that could be done.  Although it probably lasted about 10 seconds, it felt like 10 minutes.  I called the owner, no answer.  I called my husband to come and get me so that we could run him to the vet just to make sure, but I knew there was nothing I could do.  There was no carrier visible so I wrapped him in a towel and we took him to the vet that confirmed he had indeed passed.  I left 3 messages for the owner because I didn't know what she wanted to do, all the while trying to hold back tears.  I loved this cat - he was one of my favorites.  He did have cardiac issues and had been on heart medication for years. This cat was like a dog.  He was big and gray, with huge paws.  He learned tricks on command, he took his pills in peanut butter (forcefully), and he had a voracious appetite at all times.  He was a handsome devil and I will miss him terribly.  It's funny about animals dying from a heart attack.  It is so sudden and unexpected, but it is also so quick.  There is virtually no suffering, which is the only comforting factor. I'm glad that I was there so that he was not alone, but I hate that I was there because I had to watch a cat friend leave this earth before his time.  He should have lived to be 20 to become a cranky old man cat that walked with a limp and demanded his peanut butter by shaking his cat walker at me.  I am devastated, as is the owner.  There are no words to truly describe what I felt today. He will be missed and my heart goes out to his human mom and cat brother.

                                                R.I.P. Patrick - you were one amazing cat

After we left the vet, I wanted to cancel all my other visits and hide.  Since that was impossible, I had to head to the next dog walk and luckily Mike was willing to help me out with his car.  I took the dog out, we went for a nice walk in the cemetery (I guess that was appropriate), I get back to his car and the battery is dead.  Fucking great!  He called AAA and there was a "higher than normal wait time."  While he was waiting on hold, I got on facebook to ask if anyone was nearby that could give us a jump.  Thank God for social media - an old friend who I haven't seen ages was nearby and said he would jump us.  Perfect!  While we were waiting, 3 different people stopped to ask if we needed a jump.  We said thank you, but someone is on the way.  He pulls up and the jumper cables that were usually in his car were not there, so he went to go home to find them.  Two minutes later a guy pulls up with an SUV full of kids and asks if we need a jump.  We told him yes.  He said, "I have cables, but I don't have the time."  He lived down the street so he lent us the cables and said to just leave them in his driveway when we were done. (How about that??)  So we called my friend back to flip around and we got the car going.  Phew!

We got home, emotionally drained, and we rested for a little bit until I had to go back out for a few more visits.  Mike said that he would drive me.  I got back into the car and notice that he his holding a broken mirror. (Seriously??!!!) Apparently while I was walking the first dog, a truck drove by him and hit his sideview mirror. It shattered and flew down the street. The guy DID stop and apologize and gave him money to replace it.  Could the day get any worse?

We then headed to another high rise for a cat visit and the front desk couldn't find the key to the apartment.  It SHOULD have been there, I returned it last night. So then I had to go upstairs and wait for maintenance
 to let me in.  He found me sitting on the floor by her door with my knees under my chin.

So there you go, death does come in 3's.  The cat, the battery, the mirror.  I am drained physically.  I am drained emotionally.  All I want to do is watch Netflix in the dark and sleep.  Today was literally "One of those days"

Expect the Unexpected

I had the same dogs for a lunch and dinner visit today.  I went there at 1 pm and all was normal.  I went back at 5 and saw that the one dog came out of the crate with her fur all wet on her torso.  Upon closer inspection, I saw that she had chewed a chunk of fur off and had been chewing her itchy skin for the past 4 hours.  Sigh....

I called the owner to see if she had any topical ointment or an e-collar.  She did not, so I ran her over to the vet (1 block away) to get an e-collar and attempt to get some ointment.  If she chewed on herself for the rest of the night,  she would probably end up  needing oral antibiotics.  Even though I was the annoying client that I always complained about just walking in and asking for meds, she got what she needed and will  hopefully have a more comfortable evening.  Much thanks to QVAH for helping me out yet again!

Loss of a Client

A little over 2 weeks ago I lost one of my favorite human clients to cancer.  Her name was Vera and she was an incredible woman. She wasn't technically my client, but more like a grandmother figure/friend (She was in her early 80's) Picture Magda from Sex and the City - that is the best way to describe her. She was the mother of my actual client who would stay at the apartment with their cat when they went on trips.  The cat had a rough go of it and I was originally hired to medicate the cat while they were away.  This poor cat had 2 blood transfusions (among other things ) and needed a lot of medication in the beginning.  I would give the cat her meds and stay to chat with her afterwards.  After a while the cat was off meds and I would just go to check in and clean the litterbox when the owners were on vacation.  Her daughter made sure that I didn't let her touch the litter since she was getting treated for cancer and her immune system was weaker.  It became a check on the cat and my mother situation (although it was never really said) .

I loved spending time there and chatting with her.  She would tell me stories about growing up in Serbia.  She loved cats and on occasion would sneak kittens home in her coat,.  One time she took one from someones window - he mother made her return it.  We would talk about traveling, how it was stupid that the Dorchester didn't allow cats but people still snuck them in there, food (she loved Chinese food and really good bread).  She would always pay close attention to what I was saying and refer back the next time that I saw her, even if it was 3 months later. She always asked about Mike and my parents even though she never met them. I showed her pictures of my cats and kittens that I would foster and she would ooh and ahh over them.  Last Christmas I found a candle that smelled like fresh bread and dropped it off to her in her building!

Her daughter and son in law live in a beautiful apartment but the electronics are very high tech.  Almost every time they went away she got the TV to turn on and she would watch her tennis, but then the TV wouldn't shut off.  Or the picture shut off and not the sound.  And the volume got stuck so she would try to sleep with the TV blaring sports in the next room.  This kept happening and she never learned how to use it properly.  I tried to figure it out and I may as well have been on a spaceship. That TV system drove her nuts!  And there are also a ton of beautiful orchids in the apartment that she would have to care for and water.  She loved the orchids, but watering them took the whole day for her and was so tedious.  She always made a face, but did it anyway for her daughter.

As she got weaker, she still refused to ask for help.  She was so strong and so proud and would only ask me to get things that were too high up on the shelf. She was independent and stubborn - always saying "I don't know why you have to be here, I tell her I can do myself. I do like to see you dear Debbie, but I can do." She knew that her daughter needed her and she said that she has to be strong for her.  She endured so many transfusions and cancer treatments and this last one made her feel awful.  She lost her appetite along with her hair and her pink cheeks.  I brought her a loaf from Sarcones to try to get her to eat and she tried to make me promise that her daughter would reimburse me for it!  I said, "No way!"  She said, "Debbie, be good girl, let her give you  money."  I told her that if I want to spend $2.50 on a loaf of bread for her, I have the right to do that.  Boy did she fight me on that!  (literally, for about 30 minutes)

The last time I saw her she was telling me about people that she was meeting at Fox Chase Cancer Center.  She said she met a woman with a very sweet husband and the woman said to her, "My husband is wonderful. He is so nice and so sweet and I am a bitch!" Vera was taken aback and told her, "No... no, you're not a bitch."  And the woman said, "No, I really am, and he is so nice."  She told me this story and couldn't believe that the woman saw herself like that.  So Vera's last words to me as I was leaving the apartment were this, "Oh my Dear Debbie.  You be good girl.  Don't be a bitch!"  I kind of love that those were her last words to me.

A few weeks later I went over there for a nail trim and no one mentioned her.  A month later I went for another nail trim and her daughter told me that she was there in the apartment for about 6 weeks.  They had stopped treatment.  She was there for the previous nail trim, but didn't want me to know because she didn't want to get into goodbyes.  Then that day it was too late.She couldn't really see or hear and was just in bed.  I know her and I know that she wouldn't have wanted me to see her like that, but it was tough being that and not even being able to say goodbye or hug her.  About 2 weeks later she passed away.  I'm beyond grateful that I got to know her as well as I did.  Not only did I learn a lot about her and her family history, but I learned alot about the love a mother has for her daughter. I miss her and going to that apartment will never be the same for me ever again.  I'm sure there will be tears, but I know that she will be there with me saying, "Mish Mish, Debbie will kiss you now."  R.I.P. Vera, you were an incredible woman.  You will be missed by many and I hope to one day hug you again.

Retract This Contraption!

I came across this picture yesterday and it was so ironic because I was going to do a blog post on this very subject!

I loathe retractable leashes.  Here's why:
*They always stick when you are trying to pull the dog back
*You cannot grip them the way you would need to if something emergent happened (dog attack, hit by car, crazy child running towards dog)  You need a leash to be able to wrap around your wrist so that dog cannot go anywhere
*If your hands sweat, gripping plastic doesn't work.  You WILL drop the holder and the dog COULD run
*The dog can grab the plastic handle out of your hand with it's teeth and take off (happened to me)  This could not happen with a leash
*They can figure out if they run fast enough and the lead isn't in a locked position, it will get to the end and snap - there goes your dog
*If the lock doesn't work properly on it (and it never does) and you need to pull them back quicker by pulling the rope, you will get rope  burn and it will slice up your hands (again, happened to me)

They may be great in a field, but not on city streets - trust me.  I always hope for another option and cringe when all I see is the retractable.

These should be banned, but since they are not - make good choices!!  :)

Sometimes I Really Hate People #1

Tonight is trash night.  I was leaving a cat job today with a full bag of dirty litter, and that was it for trash.  Sometimes on a bog street the trash folks "overlook" 1 small bag of trash so I usually put it with someone else's. Their next door neighbor (older guy, late 60's/early 70's) had HIS trash out at the time so I said, "Do you mind if I put this bag with your trash?  I don't want the trash guys to miss it because it's small."  He looks at it and me and goes, "What is it?"  and I said, "Their trash (pointing to the house next door)." He says, "Is that cat litter?" I told him it was, and his response? "Well you can't put it in the recycling bucket."  And I said, "I know, I just wanted to place it next to your trash bag so that they will take it." He then says, "Oh, I don't go for that."  I looked at him puzzled.  Could he really be telling me NOT to put my small bag of trash next to his?  He says, "Well what happens if someone rips it open?"  At that point I just said, "You know what?! I'll just take it with me!" and walked off in a huff.  Seriously??  What if HIS trash bag is ripped open? Perhaps by me.....

Yesterday I walked to a trashcan in a small parking lot next to a building that I pass by every day.  I had 2 poop bags with me and a ride that came to pick me up right then.  I am walking towards the trashcan and a woman waiting at the door says, "Do you mind if i ask you what you are doing?"   I replied, " I'm going to the trashcan to throw this away."  She then proceeds to tell me that she'd rather I not throw away my trash in their trashcan.  That it is a "private" trashcan and the city doesn't deal with it.  They have to empty it.  She was being calm and asking nicely, so I said, "Ok, I understand that, but I have a ride waiting for me right over there and I am right here (holding poop) - can I just throw this away right now?"  She says, "I'd really rather you not..."  Again, my reply was to walk away in a huff and take 2 poop bags with me in the car.  

I later find out that this private trash can is for the Women of Hope building.  Um.... you are helping women all over the city but I can't use your trashcan in your parking lot? ?  

I am a woman, and I HOPE this doesn't happen again.  I hope to throw away my TRASH in their TRASHCAN. 

This rant is brought to you by 2 revelations.  People without animals are awful to people with animals and this city needs more trashcans!!

A Crazy Man, His Crazy Wife, A Few Neighbors, and the Police

I have to take a deep breath before writing this.  I toyed with not blogging about this particular situation because I not only does it bring up anxiety in me, but some of you may not look at me in such a favorable light after reading it.  I will preface this story by stating that I am a human with an anxiety disorder.  I am prone to panic attacks (always have been) and a lot of my anxiety stems from being stifled and holding things in.  The other part is just chemical.  It comes on with no warning and I just have to deal with it.  This is a big reason for this blog.  I have things in me that I can get out on paper (figuratively) and them it's not so much "in me", but "out there."  So here we go.

I have been walking a particular dog down a particular street roughly three times a week for about 6 months. I'll give you a mental picture.  There is a line of newly constructed townhouses. Then behind those there is a common driveway and another line of newly constructed townhouses.  They were all built right around the same time (same developer, same design, etc) , so I had always assumed that they were affiliated.  The dog lives in one of the houses on the one and he likes to walk around the corner where it's quiet and do his business.  He always pees at the very front of the common driveway and poops at the end.  I pick it up and we are on our way.  We have been doing this for 6 months, and on Friday some lunatic man comes charging out of his house screaming at me.  Literally screaming at the top of his lungs "This is private property!!! You need to leave!  Don't walk your fucking dog here! "  Then his lunatic wife comes out right behind him and joins in the screaming.  "It's fucking private property! You can't be here!" They are yelling so loud and won't let me get a word in.  So there I was , standing in a common driveway about 10 feet from his front door with a dog getting yelled at.  Of course my first reaction is to yell back , and it went something like, "Whoa!!!  There is NO sign that says this is private property.  The dog lives right here (and I point)"  They respond even louder "This is fucking private property!!  There doesn't need to be a sign, I'm telling you to fucking leave!"

I will segue into this statement.  If I had a nickel for every time someone in South Philly tried to tell me that something was private property when it wasn't, I'd be rich.  For example, the bitch on Kimball who said that the street and sidewalk behind the business across the street from her house was private and a dog couldn't walk there, the bitch on Christian in the section 8 housing that said the tree across the street from her house was private and to "walk my fucking dog somewhere else", the bitch on Carpenter who said the tree and the sidewalk were private and kids play there so I can't walk a dog past (just to name a few)  So when someone just starts yelling at me using the phrase "Private Property" and there is no indication that is IS private, I stand my ground.  There was no sign, no gate, no rope....nothing.

Anyway, he continues to throw a tantrum that I am standing there and after telling me that I'm lucky I'm not a guy because he would have punched me by now - he says he is going to call the cops.  I told him to go ahead and he said, "Oh! She thinks I"m bluffing!  Ok, fine!!"
So he calls the cops (again, I am standing still in a common driveway with a dog not bothering anything) and this is what he says when they pick up:    "Yeah, I'm calling because there is a girl who CLAIMS she is a dog walker and she is on my property and refuses to leave. She is trespassing on my property!"
 I hear this and yell "I'm in the driveway!!!!!"    So I decided to call as well because this crazy man ran who I have never seen before ran out of his house and verbally attacked and threatened me.  We are both waiting for police, then EVERY ONE OF HIS NEIGHBORS COMES OUT.  They all gang up on me like I'm the high school geek that showed up to a popular party.  Snotty remarks "Why don't you just leave?" "Why don't you just go? He told you it was private property! Just leave!!"  

I'm trying to explain to these people that there is NO sign anywhere stating that this is private, so how am I supposed to know?  They all say that there doesn't need to be one - and the one lady who HAD a dog (that she let come out off leash) gets all heated with me and says "Well I guess I should just go inside and make a sign that says private property then!  I guess I should go get some crayons and just make a sign! (throwing her hands up in the air) "  And I said, "Yeah, maybe you should!  How is anyone supposed to know??  "

Then a female cop comes over, hearing the commotion and tries to help.  Lunatic man immediately starts running his mouth and pointing his finger "This is private property and she won't leave!!!"  And the officer said, "Whoa! Sir, calm down!  Did you call the police then?" And he said yes, we were waiting for them to come.  She said that she was just coming from court and she was off duty, she just came over because she saw this guy going crazy and ganging up on me.  HE acted like a maniac in front of the cop (which was what I was hoping) and I was just calm trying to explain that this dog is skiddish with loud noises and construction and there are no signs stating that this was private property, plus the dog lives 2 feet away.  But that there was no need to attack me for walking down a common driveway that is fully open to a main street.  She listened to them all bitch like children and then walked me out of there.  First thing out of her mouth was , "It was 6 against 1 over there, you know YOU can call the cops too!"  I told her that I did, we were just waiting.  And since she had a brain we talked for about 10 minutes.  I explained the situation and asked the real question.  How is someone to know where to go and what is private if there are no signs telling you anything?  She said she understood and it's tricky and that people are SO territorial in South Philly that you never REALLY know without a sign. I told her that no matter where I go, all day long I get yelled at for walking a dog near something, so this is nothing new - but people have never treated me this badly.  She said she understood and that guy was insane and to just not go back because she doesn't know what he is capable of.  Of course I agree and it sucks that this dogs safe pee spot is taken away - but I had to get to the bottom of all of this.

I immediately went home and researched the property.  It turns out that the 2 sets of new construction are not related at all, other than having the same developer.  The houses in question have an HOA and that common driveway is maintained by the HOA.  So here you go.  You have a common driveway with a line of houses, each with their own carport. It is open to a main numbered with no gate or fence.  There are no signs that say NO TRESPASSING or PRIVATE PROPERTY,  but the residents come out like they are persecuting you for witchery in 1692 just for walking with a dog down there!  PUT UP A SIGN!!!!  If I saw a sign, I would have never set foot on their blacktop.    They have a youtube channel for their security camera and there is 1 video posted from January 2015 of 2 trashy women (1 eating takeout as she is walking down the driveway) and they tried to break in to a few of those houses.  Um.... 2 women try to break in to your houses in January and no one is there causing a ruckus yelling but I walk a dog by your house and I get treated like a criminal??!!  And why is it that there were attempted robberies in January, but in July there is still no sign saying no trespassing???  Or a gate put up??  What are HOA fees for??  

To summarize this tale, I will give you this.
Dog walked in same route for 6+ months
Out of nowhere, it is suddenly a crime and I am yelled at by someone I have never even seen before
Cops called - broken up because man is  a lunatic but the cop couldn't even agree that is was private because THERE WAS NO SIGN
Dog walker angry and shit outta luck with this dog finding another quiet pee spot


My main gripe is that if you don't want someone on your property, proper signage is KEY.  Then if someone is there, you just point to it and call the police because you do have a leg to stand on.  I wasn't trying to cause I riot, I wasn't going to have a fist fight, I wasn't refusing to leave like a sit in - I was just simply standing up for myself.  I am a tough bitch and if some crazy man and his wife come out of a house and just yell at me to leave when I am not causing a bit of trouble , I am NOT the type of person to run away or just hang my head down low and say "Ooookkkk" and saunter off.  That is not me.  If you can't be civilized with me and ask me nicely, then I am sticking around to try to explain my side. If you don't want to hear it and you won't calm down, cops are being called and THEY will listen to my side.  It's a matter of human decency.  You can't just treat a complete stranger like that with no backlash.  The whole thing is recorded and I would LOVE to see it.  That guy should have been cited for harassment and threatening a female that was simply trying to do her job, but he wasn't.  Karma will get him, and if he can get worked up like that over dog 10 feet from his house, I imagine a real fight is likely in the near future with some guy who WILL punch him.  And I hope he punches him hard enough to knock some sense into his brain, because no one should have to live with that much anger inside.

PS)  They put a sign up on the back fence 2 days later.  Ironic thing is, you can't see it from the street and you HAVE to walk all the way down the driveway to read it.  Looks like someone else is getting yelled at in the near future.  But honestly, I'm satisfied.  All I wanted was a sign.