My first day at work!

[IceyBlueSibes]

Well, today was my first day at the doggy day care... and I have to say I LOVE IT!!!

I did a little more cleaning today, but it still wasn't very hard. I bathed the owners JRT, and walked the dogs at the end of the night. I had a great first day.

There were two bloodhounds there, and omg were they GORGEOUS!! And the basset hound - don't get me started. LOL There was also what looked like a pitbull/dalmation cross. Short and stocky like a pitty, but spotted just like a dal. And a chocolate lab puppy - so very sweet, but she was VERY submissive and withdrawn. She would just sit in a corner, and the way her face is built, she just looked soooo so sad. But I'm sure she was wondering what the heck this was.

There was also a bulldog there. CUTE! And very big boy (edit - i said little, but he definetly was not little LOL), but he's been there for three months. The owners dropped him off there and never came back for him. They sent out a letter of abandonment to the owners and the owners have the option to turn him over, or to sell him for the price of the daycare cost (which has racked up to $2000, but he's a gorgeous dog and certainly would deter just anyone wanting to buy him). I'm not sure what the owners decided, the one girl thinks they signed some papers to turn him over, but she wasn't positive. I'm going to ask her next week (the owner of the day care won't be there till next week).

So all in all. I had a very nice day, and I think I'm really going to enjoy it. It's a lot of cleaning, but I don't mind. It's worth it to spend my time around dogs and not have to deal really with customers who want a refund cause their food is cold.

Thanks for reading

[Shadowkins]

Good for you! Sounds like an awesome place to work and it sure is nice to see the variety of pups. That's the main reason I enjoyed working at my girlfriends...getting anxious for her to get busy again for the Xmas season so I can help again.
I don't know if the dogs like it or not but I sure enjoy all the doggy hugs & kisses.
I'm so glad for you...keep us updated , okay?

[IceyBlueSibes]

Hehe, I think the ones here enjoy hugs and kisses. They all loved to be able to give you hug and lick your face. One was a nusiance that would nip at your face when she'd jump, but she listened right after you told her "No! down!".

I will surely keep you updated

[TinyAlbinoDancer]

Yay! Sounds like a GREAT first day! I'm still envious.

Bet you were so excited you forgot to ask about taking Ike to work, huh? Hehe! Or ETA: You probably have to wait to talk to the owner, more likely, yes?

[Swiftwind]

That sounds fantastic! It's great to hear how much you enjoyed working at the doggy daycare. Is it 7 days a week? I feel sorry for the bulldog who was left behind, but he'll probably be better treated at the daycare than being with his old owners if that's they way they treat animals.

[IceyBlueSibes]

TAD: The owner was there today (I didn't make that clear in my post. doh!), and I did think about it, I just never got around to asking her. Was very busy. The minute I see her next week I am going to ask her.

Swiftwind: They are a 7 days a week day care (including holidays). We come in to work on holidays, but they are for split shifts. We come in the morning for a couple of hours, and then later that day for another couple hours. Just to get the dogs fed, fresh water, walked, etc.

I feel sorry for him too. If he is turned over to the daycare, I have a place for him to go if they surender him to a rescue. Thank you Sonja

My feet are KILLING me right now, LOL and I'm already, ready for bed. My bed looks very inviting right now!

[Sayuri]

That sounds like a dream job! I'd love to work at one right now, but it seems like it's certainly a very popular and well-liked job - there's never any openings!

[Swiftwind]

Hahah! I know how tiring it can be working with dogs! I don't know if you know already, but I used to work at a dog grooming salon on weekends (8 hour shifts, no breaks). I would come home exhausted, feet and back killing me, scratches all over my arms from the brushes and dogs. What you might need is a nice relaxing bubblebath, and have an early night.

I forgot to ask, what kinds of things do they do with the dog? Does it run more like a kennel type daycare, or do they have lots of toys, interaction etc with the dogs?

[IceyBlueSibes]

I was so excited when I saw this opening. I jumped on it as soon as I could. They pay really well too, which is surprising. I have a chance of getting anywhere from $8-9 an hour if they are pleased with how well I do my work. You would think it would have been the opposite.. paid more in a doctors office as opposed to a doggy day care. Things happen for a reason though!

Money isn't the issue though. It's more about enjoying my job, which I do. My feet are going to have to get used to standing/walking for 5 hours and my arms/back getting used to cleaning.

ETA: Sorry swift! You posted before I was finished.

That's actually exactly what I did LOL I came home, took a bubble bath and am getting ready to hit the hay once I'm done on GP (gotta have my fix before bed LOL).

They have a big "arena". It's indoors, fenced in and a large section for the dogs to play in. There's a small dog arena too. They also have those kid play houses for the dogs to walk through, some of them really like them. They end up curling up for a nap. They have lots of toys, mostly balls, and some rope toys, kongs. BUT, if a dog is not nice about toys (the one dog, Buddy, that was there when I went for my trial day - he's a regular) they pick all of the toys up while that dog is in the arena. They also won't let certain dogs out if there are others they know that wouldn't mix well with them. If the dog doesn't do well at all with other dogs, they have a seperate kennel for them and the dog is walked 3 times a day. She emphasizes for me to not be afraid to be pack leader with the dogs and really use my voice if they get rowdy with eachother. She said if they get in a fight, do what I have to to break it up (not hurt them of course). She wants them to be happy, clean and comfortable. Her biggest peeve is the dogs pee or poop not being cleaned up right away. She said that's the biggest concern she has - make sure the arena is free of poop or pee! Which is a constant clean up. But it's okay, that doesn't bother me. If the dogs are bathed, they are taken to a couple kennels up stairs that have warm air dryers blowing inside to get them dried off (they keep it chilly in there during the day).

She actually has a JRT that some people brought there and told her "We don't want him anymore" so she took him in. His name is Buster, and he's best buddies with her other JRT, Sugar. She also has a French Bully named Felicia (SHE'S SO ADORABLE OMG LOL)

Wow, I got to rambling. LOL If there's anything else you'd like to know, just ask.

[Swiftwind]

Ahh yeah, bubble baths are great for those hard days at work!

The daycare sounds so cool! What an amazing set up. I'd love to work somewhere like that if I wasn't in my current job. Apparently there is a dog daycare close to where I live.

Oops, I gotta get back to work now! GP is too addictive!

[D.Schäferhund]

Wow how exciting...
sounds like fun!!!

[Sayuri]

Let us know how things go with the bulldog - poor guy!

[IceyBlueSibes]

Thanks everyone.

If you'd like to watch the dogs in the arena you can go HERE and click on "Doggie Cam". You may see me on there this afternoon from 2PM-7PM EST.

[mulroony]

Congrats Icey. Sounds like it will be a lot of fun. I actually have a pit/dalmation cross in our agility class and he is a huge goof ball.

At first I was kind of upset about the bulldog being left, but it was one of the best places the owner could have abandoned the dog. So many people just leave them on the side of the street or in the middle of nowhere.

Good luck.