How many times have you said, “Oh, I’m just the dog walker!” when somebody asks about the dog you’re walking?
I know I’ve said it hundreds of times! But you know what? The phrase really bothers me because I do think many of us are more than “just the dog walker”.
We are your dog’s best friend, advocate, giver of treats, adventure buddy, protector, and cheerleader, and we love them unconditionally.
We spend our days creating memories with your dogs and forming unforgettable bonds.
When we say we love your dogs as if they were our own, we really mean it. Our hearts are filled to the brim with love for each and every dog in our care, so much so that sometimes we can’t believe how much we care for them.
When you call and tell us that your dog is unwell and won’t be in for walks this week, we worry about them and wait anxiously for an update to hear if they’re feeling better.
When your dog progresses with their training or they have a breakthrough with their reactivity, we whoop and cheer and our hearts burst with pride!
When you move away, we cry and wonder if your dog will remember us or if their new dog walker will make sure they always get a belly scratch when they go home.
And when the day comes and your dog passes over the rainbow bridge, our hearts break into a million pieces. Your precious dog will always have a place in our hearts and we will never forget them.
We know we are “just the dog walker” to the outside world, but the bond we share with your dog? We know it’s much more than that.
