The nice thing about writing a blog is that you can write out your thoughts in a (for the most part) rational format. You can then examine, process and hopefully , make decisions by looking at what you have written down.
Last tuesday and wednesday weren't my worst days in the "dog walking world" but on a scale from 1-10 and 10 being the worst, they were both a 9.8.
Those were the days we got over two feet of snow and that oh so lovely layer of freezing rain.
If my husband was not working at home those two days I would not been able to leave the house. The snowblower is too heavy and awkward for me to manuever. I spent hours on just shoveling the areas the snowblower got stuck or could not reach.
To be honest, I should not have been out driving around to clients homes period.
When I did arrive at the client's homes, the dogs pooped and peed on the floor because they knew enough that they did not want to go out in crappy weather, cleaning up their mess just added to the adventure.
Driveways were not plowed out so I had to pull my car up on a snowbank praying that my car did not get clipped by a city snowplow and hoping I would not be stuck. Walkways weren't shoveled either. I trudged in waist deep snow to the houses. Probably the biggest thing that bothered me those two days was the added fear factor when I clipped the snowbank in the blinding snowstorm going over the 95 bridge thinking to myself "oh shit..that was close". Two hours later, a car going a little faster than what I was going jettison right off the bridge.
I've had to inch my way on ice covered stairways hoping the dogs would not yank me down.
On decent days I would get nervous when all of a sudden a black cloud appeared overhead. I didn't worry too much about getting wet from the rain but lightening was a very real danger threat.
Windstorms are dangerous as well. I've had huge tree limbs miss me by inches and I've almost stepped on downed power lines.
Frostbite is an issue too. Last year, the tip of my middle finger on my left hand turned black. Just like a burn, it peeled off so no damage was done. I had invested in construction workers winter work gloves thinking I would be fine, but apparently not.
Another thing is I don't have any "sick days". Nasty migraine or not I have to go out. Again, I shouldn't be out driving.
The bottom line is, I am seriously thinking of giving up daily dog walking.
I like the dogs but it's the F*&^ing weather....
Either I'm dealing with snow, ice, rain, freezing rain, NE hurricane winds or the blasting mid summer heat.
The dogs are big part of my client base but I just do not think I can do it anymore.
I would then just focus all my attention in my bird boarding and small critter clients.
At the same time, giving up my dog clients makes me sad.
I've learned alot from being with dogs.
They are funny, gross, honest, social, nonjudgemental, colorful and interesting.
I dunno, maybe I just need a vacation.
Help.
How about adding a weather stipulation to your contract... No dog walking on snow days. That way, your customers will already know not to expect you. Most people get "late" days on snow days anyway...they can walk their dogs before work.
ReplyDeleteThe clients were away on a business/vacation trip so the dogs were 'home alone". The dogs also were also suffering from "cabin fever". They were chewing up what ever they could reach for entertain themselves(i.e mail, toilet paper, trash bags , computer print paper-you name it.)
ReplyDeleteThe bridge incident scared the shit out of me. Everyone says "wait for spring" and even that brings freezing rain storms. argh... I need to just bitch and moan for awhile