Walkabouts Hereabouts!

My pal Helen phoned and asked if I would like to see a day in the life of a dog walker. Sounded good to me! How hard can it be? Out in the fresh air in the company of a few hairy hounds and getting a bit of exercise, yep, she could count me in on that!

Well, it is out in the fresh air, for sure, and there is plenty of exercise and the dogs were decidedly hairy (though some were much hairier than others!!), but how hard could it be?



VERY!!

I have a huge amount of respect for Helen anyway, she's a great laugh and fantastic with the dogs, but I didn't realise quite how much there was to it!

For one thing, you need eyes in the back and sides of your head... not all dogs are as well trained or as streetwise as we'd like, and Helen has to be in control of them all... at the same time!

She knows all their faults and foibles, she knows their fears and fancies, and she knows when they are feeling a bit fragile too! Let's not even talk about how many piles of poo she has to pick up on an average day!!!

I couldn't manage a full day with Helen, but I did meet up after lunch on Monday for a couple of walks with her. First up was Finley, Roxy and Noosh.

Living in different parts of town, Helen has to decide who to pick up first, which dog travels best in the car and which pooch to leave 'til last.

Finley travels so well in the car, I didn't even realise he was already in until a wee wet nose appeared in casual enquiry as we arrived at Noosh's home! With Noosh settled happily beside Finley, we carried on across town to pick up Roxy. It was only a short journey from there to Cantley Fields, where the dogs could run, sniff, explore and do what dogs do!



After a few circuits of the field, it was back to the car to drop the dogs home again. But it's not quite so simple as that! The dogs need to be cleaned up (owners object to muddy paw prints on their cream carpets!), and Helen makes sure they have fresh water and a dry, safe place to rest until their owners get back home.

As owners also object to muddy boot prints on their cream carpets, Helen has to either take her boots off or, if they're not too bad, put on a pair of plastic overshoes. Not an especially onerous task, but it really does add to the time it all takes.

Having left the doggies safely at their respective homes, it was back in the car for the next round. This time we picked up Lou and Devon, and headed for a spot halfway between their homes.

Even though Lou lives round the corner from Noosh, we needed to pick up Devon first, as Lou can't travel long distances in the back. So, it was across to the outskirts of Reading and then back to Wokingham for Lou.

We walked round the Coombes, where Lou and Devon are safe and free to explore off lead.



The dogs get on very well together and love the varied smells and delights of the woods here! It's doggy heaven!!

Monday was a lovely day; it was a pleasure to be out and I had a great time, but I can easily see how the novelty could wear off quite quickly when it is tipping with rain, the wind is howling and the temperature is freezing! No matter what the weather, dogs need walking.

Helen does a fantastic job, providing far more than just walkies. Her charges are cared for, looked after, and they are all under control, all the time. They return home exhausted but happy, clean and safe. What more can any pooch wish for?

Rebecca, x

www.rtphotographics.co.uk