Memoirs of a Dog Walker

pet sitting 101. it's not as easy as it seems.

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Location: Suburbia, New York, United States

Dog Walking and Pet Sitting and dancing my way thru the day.

Thursday, December 21, 2006

The Day I Almost Died




Tucker is one of those dogs I walk everyday. On occasion, his humans go away and I get additional walks. The last time this happened, he did not want to go in after the walk, so I gave him another walk. Even after the second walk, he did not want to go in. He was adamant about that, and I have never seen him react this way. He wouldn't eat, and he just kept barking. This was not like him at all. I called his human. She was returning later that day, so we decided it was best to just leave Tucker outside.
The following day, his human called to tell me the reason Tucker wouldn't go inside. Apparently one of the electronic gadets in the house was beeping. He hates that!

I can't leave this post without mentioning my very favorite and funniest dog walking story. About two years ago, I had taken Tucker for a walk. Before leaving for the next job, I had to use the bathroom. There is one off the kitchen, in direct line with the front door, so even though I was the only human in the house, it was best to close the door in case someone came to the front door. After completing my business, I went to leave but couldn't get the door open. I turned the door handle, but it kept turning in circles,and that little piece that is supposed to retract so the door opens wasn't retracting! Being the spare bathroom, there was no medicine cabnet with anything in it that i could stick in the door to make that thing retract. I was clearly stuck inside.
I tried calling the owner on my cell phone, but got her voicemail. The next move was to call the police. This presents the next dilema: I don't knwo the address I am at. I know how to get there, but I didn't know the number on the house, let alone the name of the street. Knowing that police have all that high tech equipment to figure these things out, I decided I could just give them the phone number of the house.
My head is like a sieve when it comes to numbers. Any numbers. I looked up the home phone of the house in my cell, and started repeating it to myself over and over. Then I called the police. When the desk sargent answered the phone, the first thing i said was "Take down this number:..." and I repeated the number I had temporarily memorized.
I explained my situation. "I am the dog walker, and I am locked in the bathroom and can't get out. Can you send someone over to get me out? The back door is open, and the bathroom is off the kitchen."
"Calm down, lady!"
"I am calm. I just need someone to come over and get me out of here."
"Calm down, lady."
"I AM calm." At this point I am almost laughing. I thought this whole thing was hysterical.
"Calm down and tell me where you are."
"I don't know where I am. I am the dog walker. That's why I gave you the phone number."
"Calm down, lady! We will send someone right over."

Shortly thereafter, I hear the dog barking, so I know someone is at the back door. I am trying to yell out the window (which is very high) that the dog was harmless. He wouldn't come in. He called for back-up. A few minutes later, the police officer is on the other side of my door, trying to free me. And when the door finally opened, it was the most handsome cop on the force! My hero!

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