By Bonny King-Taylor, the doggy lama
On this week’s episode of Pet-wise, we’re talking with Bill Powers. He is a senior walker with Saving Grace Petcare. He’s been with us for about three and a half years…and he’s one of the folks you will talk to if you call in with an issue on a weekend.
Welcome Bill, and thank you for talking with us on Pet-wise.
BP: Hi Bonny. Great to be here.
BKT: You are one of my favorite walkers.
BP: Thank you.
BKT: And you always have the best stories to tell. So let’s get started with a couple questions about your life as a walker.
What it is you find most fulfilling about this job?
BP: It’s funny. As I think about that, I think mostly of…when you walk Into a house and the dog sees you and gives you a wonderful greeting. Whether it’s rolling over for a belly rub or the thump, thump, thump sound of a tail hitting the wood floor. You know that they are happy to see you. It’s little things like that that make the days go by.
BKT: Now, you started out as a client of Saving Grace and I understand you were one of Grace’s first clients. What inspired you to shift from client to staff?
BP: It’s funny. It was my wife’s dogs, so of course, they became my dogs. But they were clients even before I was around!
BKT: Wow.
BP: It actually started as a ‘what if’. I was working at home, and doing other things in a career transition phase and kind of wondered if they needed help walking and if I would enjoy doing it. So it ended up being one of those threads that you pull.
BKT: Well, we are certainly glad that you did!
BP: Thank you.
BKT: So, you know, I work with dogs all the time as the doggy lama and I certainly live for making life better for the animals on the Hill…but, I have to say, this is a RIGOROUS job.
It’s in all kinds of weather…every temperature, every circumstance. So, what keeps you going? What keeps you fresh on the street?
BP: Well, you are right. I think the weather is the biggest challenge I face…and other walkers face. And, of course, people know that from their own pets as well.
What keeps you going, are those little things. The tail thump when you come in the door. And, knowing that these little guys and girls need your help every morning, and afternoon…what have you…when their people can’t tend to it themselves. Having that responsibility.
And, surviving the weather as best we can. Which is easier said than done on a nearly 100° Saturday in September.
BKT: Right. What would you say is the most difficult thing about being a walker?
BP: I think we were JUST talking about it!
BKT: Yes. That’s it. The weather is it.
BP: It is SO weather dependent that it can really change the course of your day. Especially the cold temperatures as well. The snow conditions, if the sidewalks are icy…and things along those lines.
But, it works out because what is safe for you is safe for the dog. And, what is not safe for you is not safe for the animal. It’s good to be able to just use your best judgement to take care of yourself and the animals.
But I would say that weather conditions are the biggest challenge we face because everything else, we can manage ourselves. We can manage the animals…even their interactions.
BKT: Right. And I think that is a nice commercial for the coming Winter…which we’ve just heard is going to be much worse that last year…by far.
BP: OH NO!
BKT: Sorry. Sorry! That’s what I hear. So, you know, for our listeners it is both a tip and a request that people be very mindful of icy conditions and snow removal so that we can get to their pets.
I think that is something that people don’t think about because, if they can bound over the accumulated snow getting to work, it’s no big deal. But, when you are walking three or four dogs…going up and down icy stairs…
BP: Getting in and out is definitely a safety issue. Both for ourselves and for the dogs.
BKT: Excellent. Well, we will continue to remind everybody of that moving forward.
So. What would you say if you were going to inspire any of our neighbors to take the step that you have taken to go from client to staff…or someone who just loves animals?
BP: I think it is definitely worth taking that step and it is actually a pretty simple and easy step.
And, you already know if you are a client or just a fellow animal lover…maybe you don’t have an animal at this time of your life. You can have PLENTY of animals vicariously, if you are walking them…or careing for the cats or other animals like that. That’s actually been the trend we’ve seen in hiring lately. Managing that process now…people from professional and other walks of life who are saying that perhaps they have responsibilities that they can do flexibly, time-wise…or they have a piece of every day that they can commit to walking and caring for animals.
It seems to be a really good fit for a lot of different people, from a lot of different backgrounds.
So, I would just say, if you have that inkling and some availability in your schedule to follow up on it, because it could work well for you too.
BKT: Excellent. Well, we will put a link to our online application below and maybe they will speaking to you in the hiring process!
Well, thank you so much for joining us today, Bill and we look forward to having you again real soon.
BP: Thank you, Bonny.
BKT: Until next time…take care of yourselves and your pets and we look forward to offering more tips and tricks in our next episode.
