Dog Day Afternoons

Aside from the fact that I spent a lot of my time at this location during the hot sultry days of August and September, this post has nothing to do with bank robberies, or Al Pacino. It’s literal and figurative… it’s about dogs. And hot days.

Dogs are better people than people are – regardless of color, shape, size, or culinary preferences. They form friendships and they bond in packs and they work out their differences within their community sans political protests or AK47s. They just know how to get along in life.

They don’t gossip at the office water cooler - they wait eagerly around it, appreciating its refreshment, and attack it with great vigor and gusto. When they’re tired, they just find a quiet corner, turn around twelve times, and rest. There’s no paperwork, or name-dropping, or office politics. No mid-level managers with fat egos trying to justify their jobs; everyone is equal, and they develop their own hierarchy.

The best part about working with dogs all day is watching them share their personalities with you, and they are very good at sharing their emotions. Dogs are very communicative, and we don’t need to anthropomorphize them, because innately they display all of the same emotions and needs as humans. And they are funny. You legit get to laugh all day.

Working with thirty or more dogs and only two or three other humans puts you on a veritable planet of fun. I mean, really… Who gets to say things like this around the office? “I love your little crooked ears.”

“Don’t eat that poop!”

“Get your nose out of Tucker’s butt.”

and “You’re so nice and warm to cuddle with.”

Okay maybe the nose up the butt thing, we all know someone like that in an office setting. It’s a different world at a dog workplace, and one that is much more enjoyable.

Specifically, I’ve been at a seaside doggie day care on the Atlantic coast in a little beach town in Massachusetts. Inside, the main gathering area for the dogs has a living room atmosphere that is safe and fun, and there is an outdoor area with a backyard feel that is also safe and fun. The dogs are right at home. They are treated like family by the people who work here, and each and every one of the people who work here truly just love animals.

There are several groomers who, while working with their clients’ pets, talk to them like they're talking to their own children and genuinely do the best job they can to make each animal as beautiful and trimmed as their owner requested. I have watched them turn skunk-sprayed pups into blueberry-scented showdogs. I have watched them turn jittery housecats into majestic miniature lions. This is not just a job to them; it's something they do because they love it.

There is also a team of folks who work directly with the day care dogs, but also help to run the inner workings of the office on a rotating schedule; making appointments, taking payments, cleaning and vacuuming, washing and folding loads of towels, picking up poop, raking the yard, and filling water bowls with fresh water constantly. But there is so much more to what they do. I have watched them play with, talk to, and cuddle up with thirty-five dogs a day, giving each and every dog the individual attention they crave. I have witnessed them rushing a sick dog to the vet, I’ve seen them sitting on the floor in a quiet corner calming a nervous newbie, and playing vigorous games of fetch with the more athletic dogs.

These are people for whom muddy paw print stains on their clothes are badges of honor and dog fur is considered a fashion accessory. They don’t worry about commuter fares, or budgets, or crappy Power Point presentations. They do not get up in the morning and squeeze themselves into starched shirt collars that itch, expensive shoes that pinch, or nylon stockings that rip. They wear sneakers with colorful lacings and worn-in bluejeans and sweatshirts that say “No Place for Hate”. They are comfortable. And they are happy. It is refreshing to be around people who love what they do.

I probably can’t do justice to how wonderfully invested the owner is. Bob is a good, even-tempered, decent man, and he loves what he does for a living. He has a special van that he custom-outfitted himself to drive around and carefully pick up and deliver the dogs who need rides. He overhauled the entire first floor of his home to be a huge open indoor space connected to the other spaces for the dogs to run and play on extra hot, or rainy, snowy, or just any other generally shitty days. The boarder dogs who stay overnight? Bob gets up at 6:30 every morning and feeds them breakfast, making sure that each dog gets their own correct food and right amounts as per their owner, administers their proper medications, balms, creams, and ear washes, and at night he repeats the process, locking up the shop then feeding them dinner, washing out the bowls and giving them one last run before bedtime.

Around 8:00 at night, he gathers up the crew and, like the Pied Piper, he gently leads them safely through the gates en masse next door to his own home. Just before they settle in for the evening, there is a bacon treat for everyone. The larger dogs pick out a spot for themselves, either on one of the covered sofas or a comfy dog bed of their own in an area they feel most comfortable. The smaller ones curl up on the massive L-shaped sofa, clamoring for positions closest to each other or next to Bob. Those that prefer their crate, or need to be in a crate for their own protection, are happily placed inside with their own comfy blankets. And then they all watch the news and Sports Center until they fall asleep. Weekends included, this is a literal 24-hour-a-day responsibility that Bob takes very seriously. These dogs are the children of the people who have entrusted him with them, and to him, they are his kids as well. This is no kennel, it is a home.

Since I have been here, I have had a number of experiences that have affected me beyond words. I have met dogs who have stolen my heart, usually the chubby guys or the crotchety old ones who have no patience for puppies or playthings. I have been humbled by dogs who showed me what it means to be honest and simple. I’ve sat on the floor and hand-fed elderly dogs who felt unsure of their surroundings or were worried about eating 'in public' around so many other dogs. I have been trusted by previously abused dogs who were rescued by their owners and brought to this day care for socialization and general happiness, who let me hug them because they knew they were safe with me.

Sadie: If I fits, I sits.

Working in this environment beats the shit out of any office setting ever. When a quiet senior dog sitting in the corner on a little dog bed sees you coming and lifts her head and looks at you with genuine affection in her eyes, in the true hope of a potential belly rub or scratch behind the ears, you can really feel the love. You get to interact with her and, as she follows you around for the rest of the day because she's happy and grateful, well, let’s just say that no “kudos” from your over-worked, jaded Team Lead, or “attaboys” from a mid-level manager will EVER give you job satisfaction like being trusted like that.

Working or volunteering at any type of animal shelter or day care is soul-soothing. And it's a desperately needed service - answering phones, washing laundry, spending time with the animals are all worthy of one's time and effort. If you find yourself in a new location, take a minute to look up a local animal shelter or day care. Ask them if they have any temporary openings, or if you'd like to volunteer, ask if they could use another pair of hands. The answer will most likely be 'yes'. You will being doing something very worthwhile and at the end of the day, you'll feel very good about it. You may even make some new friends, whether they're human or someone a little more furry.

Shout outs to Bob, Dennis, Brianna, Kylie, Mariah, Denise, Violet, Ceil, and Maureen… the people who make this place happen. It was an honor working alongside these folks, and I’m thankful to all of them for the experience.

#Dogs