h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Taken on a new lady to help me with the dog walking, and she's turning out great. She's been walking with me for most of the week, doing some stuff on her own, and have been spending most of the walks talking about 'businessy' things.

Finally that's out of the way, so at last, today have been able to start talking about the work/games I like to do with the dogs when we're out, and she was surprised how much I do - because we've got the business stuff out of the way most of the time we are concentrating on the dogs.

Today and tomorrow she is doing a few walks on her own, and next week she will be more on her own, but I think I will make sure to walk with her at least once a week so I can make sure she picks things up nicely - and if she has, move onto the next thing. Today was explaining why there's no point calling and calling and calling a dog that is ignoring her. So I'll want to be sure she's not going back to that habit.

It's going to be quite difficult to make sure I don't harass her - after all I've had nearly two years to learn and develop, but I didn't have one person with me, training me as I worked, and giving me feedback on what I was doing, as she does, so hopefully it will go quicker.

In the meantime, I'm gonna kick back and relax this afternoon, while she's out doing the afternoon walks. HAHAHAHAHAHA! I will be doing office work.

So you're the Boss now. What's it feel like now you're a Dominant Female?

Nice to find a partner with some inititative and get up and go! More than I've ever had from a bloke!

I think I'd rather be doing her job than the office work.

Unfortunately it still needs to be done - plus there's a lot of other stuff I want to do and am just too tired all the time.

I'll still be doing the morning walks, boarding, Puppy sitting, walking with her 3 times a week for a few weeks, walking mine, training mine and other dogs as well as training the new walker, and should be able to take double the amount of work.

When I'll be back searching for another walker.

Sounds very encouraging. Looks like you have a healthy and expanding business. Perhaps you've found your niche as an 'independent businesswoman'?

or 'lazing about while other people make me money'. Although while S is out there walking, I am inventing cheapish, easy dog activities.

Seems very sound to me

I may be looking for a third dog walker, as I'm not really getting help when I need it. :-s

If I lived locally to you I'd probably offer to do it cut price just for the exercise.

I'd snap your hand off! Although I pay fair, as I want a good job. No just wandering around with dogs attached to your belt. We play hard on our walks!

It'd probably exhaust me within half-an-hour!
Seruiously, though, I like dogs a lot, and it's my regret that I'd be unable to give one the day-long stimulation it would need. We have enough trouble looking after our cats (and now our rabbits) and a dog is a serious commitment.

They might not need as much as you think - on average they sleep twice as much as we do. Not that I'm trying to persuade you, nobody should do that.

I've got a bit pissy, but she's told me she wants to get a van, so that shows more committment which is good. Just given her another full time dog, and we're waiting to hear about one more, so from Sept she'll have plenty of work to do, just a bit worrying as then we'll both be out working and if one of us is off I'll still have the same problem of one not being able to cover it all. But that's good. She might be more interested in weekends once she's got to run two vehicles.