Many times we see people walking in the streets like 6-10 dogs, many of us are impressed to see how many dogs pay attention to a person who simply is not their owner, but their only job is to take them out for a walk around the city squares . For me it is to admire and you have to value what these people do.
How do they get along with the animalists and what is true in what they say about the walkers and marijuana?
Do you remember that time when everything was simpler and people had time to walk their pets? Because I do not.
For six months, an old friend named Jesus Alejandro gave up his job as a dog trainer to open his own path in the canine care industry from below, from the position of dog walker.
But can a person live to go to the park with a roll of bags? What does a professional think about the plush vests for poodles? How do they get along with the animalists? And what happens when the simple becomes complicated and a dog is lost?
This morning, Jesus interrupted one of his group walks through the park to answer the ten questions I always wanted to ask one of these outdoor freelancers.
This work seems very nice. Does it give to live?
Jesus: If one is disciplined and gives a good service, of course: this gives a good and stable income.
What are your rates?
[Laughter] The truth is that I do not disclose my rates because now there is a lot of competition and there are always people who lower prices even more. But I can tell you that they are not fixed. I first set up an appointment to meet the dog and depending on the age, race and behavior, I decide how much I charge. I charge more for walking an adult pitbull than a labrador puppy.
Would you say that dogs resemble their owners?
That's true, they look alike. They acquire habits and behaviors. They do not necessarily adopt the personality of their master, but they do imitate it. I have noticed, for example, that hyperactive dogs usually have owners who are like that, like agitated.
What is your favorite breed?
Border collies are great dogs. They are the smartest, although they need training and exercise. The pitbulls, too: they are very focused and intelligent dogs, but you have to know how to raise them from small. Do you know what dog I like very much? The french poodle. That is a dog that learns very fast. What happens is that here that race is associated with young men.
And the one you like the least?
I do not like working with small dogs, like pinschers, chichuahuas and races of that style. What happens with these breeds is that being very small the owners tend to overprotect them, to pick them up every time a dog approaches them and end up making them spoiled and troublesome.
Have you ever exceeded the size of a dog?
Yes and it was precisely a small one, a yorki whose name was Milo. That dog did not run behind the ball, but behind the others to bite them. I tried hard to educate him but the dog did not change and I realized that it was because the owner was still treating him like a child; In the end I refused to continue walking. I've noticed that the problems of dogs are only 10 percent of the dog; the other 90 belongs to the owner.
So, what advice would you give the owners?
I believe that the mistake most owners make today, especially those from high strata like in this neighborhood, is to humanize dogs. It is easy to reflect what you think and feel about your dog, but that is a mistake, they are animals and treating them as humans is also abuse.
What do you think of dog clothes?
That's what I mean. Look at this dog: you see it and you think it's all dirty. But do you think he cares, that he is cold or feels ashamed? Not at all, he is happy and if he sees another puddle, he will get in again. Of course, I have had clients give them to me with a jacket and some booties and they tell me not to take them off. They are respected, but that is not necessary. That's pure marketing, this pet market is growing a lot. If dogs needed clothes, they would not be born with so much hair.
How is your relationship with the animalists?
That is one of the difficult things to work on the street: sometimes people call my attention because they have seen me pull hard on the dog's leash or force him to lie down and believe that it is already mistreatment. The same thing happens to these people, they humanize the animals. They are what I call ignorant animalists.
What happens if you lose a dog?
To me the person who taught me this told me that the only thing that can be done in such a case is to go with the truth ahead and that is what I have done: face and say that I lost the dog. With my clients I have a verbal agreement and I do not become legally or economically responsible for the loss of a dog. In my experience, people also do not expect you to pay the dog, they just want you to find it and give it back to them.
What is true in the cliché of the walker who is smoking all the time?
Yes, there are a lot. This is a job that apparently anyone can do, which is why many people realize that they can earn easy money. Here in Spain, anyone takes a dog, there is even an application that is like an Uber for walkers. Here I see several that happen with dogs and joints. There is nothing wrong with that, but they end up damaging the image of this work.
What is the largest number of dogs that you have carried in one hand?
In cases of urgency I have gotten eight in one hand, but I do not like it. The recommended maximum is 5 or 6 per hand. Of course I've seen people carry up to 12 dogs, but it does not seem right. It is wanting to cover too much.
