Have got my Dogs Trust induction morning date!

I had a phone call today which I am really excited about! A while ago I contacted Dogs Trust regarding voluntary dog walking in my spare time. The form got filled in and went back, and the reference checked and I have now been invited to an induction morning of 25 Sept.

I am really looking forward to it!

Good luck Jane I am sure working with the DT will be a rewarding experience for both you and the dogs you meet.

Hope all goes well. I started this with the dogs trust but had to give up for various reasons....I hope you have an amazing time!

Thank you both , I was so excited to get the phone call I was doing a little dance! I remember you doing that Rachel now you mention it.

Thats really brilliant news! Good luck - I hope it all goes well!

Good for you ~ I really hope you enjoy the experience. it can be so rewarding .

I was a dog walker for years at the DT in Shoreham & loved it. I was one of the few "younger" volunteers in that I wasn't yet a pensioner. This meant that I was given all the large & strong dogs that the older dog walkers couldn't manage. Over time, & as the staff got to know & trust me, I was given some of the more difficult dogs to walk & help with, then I got more involved with behaviour problems & training. It was fantastic seeing the improvement in some of these dogs, getting to know them & seeing their excited little faces when I turned up. I found that I developed a lovely relationship with some of the long term dogs & used to take them to the river, on the beach & over the Downs. I think it can really make a difference to some dogs.

I used to go at weekends & one day in the week, but then I got very attached to a dog that clearly adored me & ended up rehoming him ~ & then all my walking time was spent with him & I had to give up the dog walking for DT .. But working full time meant that I didn't have any free time.

I really hope you enjoy your time as a dog walker ~ & that you can help some of the dogs in kennels. Happy to swap anecdotes anytime!

Good luck I've got an induction as dog walker for a rescue tomorrow, I'm looking forward to it (as well as being a little nervous! I don't usually tackle the M25 on a Saturday but the doggies will make it worthwhile I'm sure!)

It sounds an amazing experience Wilbar, it has been something I've wanted to do for so long but have never had the time before now. I put on the form that I could only do one session a fortnight but I guess it all helps!

I get so saddened to see all of the dogs in rescue and wish I could have more myself. Max is so much better with other dogs than he was when we got him but he is far from ready to accept another dog in his home, so at least this way I can do something for the dogs.

My sister was asking me how many dogs I would have next time we spoke but at least with Max being the way he is, I am going into it knowing that it will be unrealistic to take any home. But I guess, as you obviously found, there are going to be some that there is a much stronger bond with than others and I do worry about that......

How exciting for you Krlyr - I'll be thinking of you tomorrow! Hopefully the M25 isn't too hectic! Let us know how you get on.

Thank you!

One of the reasons I started as a DT dog walker was because I'd just had a knee operation after a skiing accident & the physio said that I should do lots of walking to build up the muscles again. So I thought, why not combine the walking with something useful? Plus I had always assumed, that as I & hubby work full time, I was not in a position to rehome a dog (no rescue would let me) ~ so I would be "safe" from getting too attached & thinking I could ever have a dog.

Not so!! When one of the managers saw how this particular dog responded to me, she took it upon herself to show me how to do longline training & clicker training. Then she asked if I would ever consider rehoming this dog that she also had a soft spot for. When I said i worked full time, this was apparently, no barrier to me having this dog!! As she said, he spent all his time in kennels pinging up & down, very very stressed, very little improvement & very underweight. The dogs were shut in their kennels from 4.30-5.00 pm till 8.00-8.30 am, then spent their days in a concrete run, or in the attached field on a rotation basis & sometimes they got taken for a walk or for some behavioural work. Surely a home with 2 caring owners who could spend many hours, evenings & weekends, with the dog, would be better than that!

So I talked it over with my OH while we were on holiday in India ~ & when we came home, we decided to give it a go. This dog was extremely fear-aggressive towards people (but great with other dogs), so we spent weeks getting him used to my OH, with a few set backs along the way. All credit to hubby, despite being lunged & barked at by this huge Rottie/GSD, which could be very intimidating, we eventually overcame this problem & rehomed the dog.

It wasn't a completely happy ending but that's another story ~ but just shows you never know what the future holds!