Disclaimer: The views expressed in this post are my opinion only and not representative of AFV.
I need to start volunteering more. In the past, I have found the experience of working with animals at shelters to be both challenging and rewarding. Google suggested that a local shelter, Animal Friends of the Valleys, had some opportunities. At some point, being a new homeowner, I want to have pets again. So, as a side benefit, I will get to learn how to better train and handle these amazing animals. In addition, walking is good for health, so there is a free opportunity to exercise.
In order to become a dog walker, I had to take a short training course. One might think that walking dogs would not require training; however, this location has a serious focus on safety and good record keeping. We spent about 30 minutes reviewing dog body language, the walking path, and a few scenarios that could play out (EX: what happens if a dog bites you?). Next, we did a group walk with one of the easier dogs.
After that course, I have returned every few weeks to spend time making tales wag. I’ve been making lots of new friends and taking joy in seeing these pets get forever homes.
There have been some challenging days. It can be tough when there are a lot of dogs, but only a few of us volunteers so we can’t get everyone walked for the day. I have also learned that some dogs behave differently in a kennel vs outside vs homes. You might have a dog that looks aggressive in a kennel but is gentle once outside. I have also had a few escape artists who like to try and get past the doors when trying to get in and collar the dog. Overall, the experience has been enlightening and highly rewarding.
Also…I especially love meeting Huskies!
