This past weekend I was introduced to the techniques of the dog whisperer in an effort to curb some behavioural problems in one of the dogs in my care. I have to say he is quite effective. I have ordered 2 of his books and am watching his television shows in an effort to pick up some of his techniques. But a dog whisperer I am not.

Today I did realize my calling or gift to the dog and pussy cat world is my ability to pamper pets. Or as Nat would say in reference to my pussy cats I “coddle” them. Today was once again cold and the temperature was -30c with the wind chill. So as usual I spent the day putting boots on dogs, socks under boots on dogs, winter coats, second winter coats on top, wools sweaters underneath dog coats and dog hoods on many of the dogs before we headed out to walk.

I should also mention that at the beginning of the winter I bought a LL Bean super plush, cushy dog bed to put in the back of the dogmobile so that the dogs travel in the utmost comfort. This mattress is about 12 inches thick so everyone can just sink down into that luxurious softness as we drive around to pick up the other dogs and head to our walking destination. I ended up getting this bed as Jasper has one and whenever I pick him and his giant dog bed up for dogsitting at my house his bed compleltly fills the back of the dogmobile. When we arrive at my place his bed becomes quite the contested peice of real estate. Fuzzy ( who has now passed on) used to love sleeping in Jaspers bed. Jasper weighs 130 pounds and Fuzzy a mere 15 pounds so you can imagine the picture of little tiny Fuzzy asleep on the giant bed. As a matter of fact Dot, Rigby and Fuzzy could all camp out on Jasper’s bed for a sleep and there was plenty of room for more dogs to jump on. That is when I decided that a giant dog bed was required for the back of the dogmobile and another one for the house so Dot could share it with her visiting friends. The 3 pussy cats in this house also enjoy the odd sojourn on the “Dot bed” as well.

One of my clients recently suggested I do a post on the “most pampered” dog in my retinue. So today when I realized that I am the Dog Pamperer and not just the Dog Walker I thought some more about her suggestion. I realized that my dog Dot is really the most pampered of all. It can’t be helped as it is in my nature and she had such a non pamered start in life that she really deserves it. Then I thought about my other clients. If I really designated “a most pampered pet” then the others might think they don’t pamper their dogs enough. I came to the realization that all the dogs are pampered but just in different ways. For example Kali is totally pampered by being the most exercized dog in Chelsea. She has such a full dance card that it is sometime difficult to fit her daily dogwalk in with me and her friends. Then Coco and Tug could be considered the most pampered in that they have more dog toys than any other dog in Chelsea. Taz could be considered the most pampered because he has more leashes, collars, ski jouring harnesses, life jackets etc than any other dog in Chelsea, there are others with the most high quality diet all of organic origin and is preservative and additive free than any other dog in Chelsea. So all that to say I think all the dogs I walk are pampered and loved by their owners and then they get me to come along during the day and pamper them some more.