The Smell of Dog

I’m a serious dog lover, but this is the first time in my life I’ve not owned one. My travel schedule makes having a furry companion unrealistic. I just couldn’t board a dog that frequently, particularly since my choice would be a large one. Were that not the case, I’d have dognapped my border collie from my ex-wife by now. As border collies tend to be, she’s wicked smart and incredibly loyal. When we rescued her, I decided I would learn how to train her and began reading about clicker training. At the time my marriage ended, she knew over a dozen hand signals, three times as many voice commands, and I swear she could read my mind, sometimes. 

When I left the marriage and moved to Richmond, I found myself with two needs. The first was to find a way to make the world a better place. As a result of being married to a borderline (see previous blogs), I’d become a bitter and selfish, and wasn’t happy with the man that stared back at me in the mirror. That needed to change. The second need I had was a way to get a dog fix without owning one. The solution seemed simple, so I began researching local rescue organizations. The Richmond SPCA has trainers on staff as well as a team of volunteers educated on behavior modification, so I began volunteering there. Understandably, I had to put in some sweat equity before they’d let me actually train dogs, so my first volunteer job was as a dog walker. Having developed knowledge of canine behavior modification, it didn’t take long to be selected for the team and additional training. We focus on both training techniques as well as reading canine body language. You might be surprised at all the things a dog can tell you, if you know how to listen. 

Our projects cover the gamut and really depend on what dogs have needs. Today, I worked with three dogs. The first was recovering from surgery. He needed to get some exercise, but not too much; work the leg but don’t damage it. It’s a bit much to ask normal volunteers to understand where that sweet spot lies, so our team takes over. Plus, he flat out needed some quality time not in his kennel. The second had not been socialized and needed to learn to be a dog. She also really needs to learn to take treats without ripping my fingers off. The third was dog aggressive, so we worked on focus (gaining it back when she sees another dog) as well as a few other things. We’ll also work with dogs who are stressed in the shelter environment; really, they all are but some are much worse than others. If a dog has a bad habit, that might prevent them from being adopted, we’ll work on that. My first project dog was this massive pit bull who got so excited when you came to visit that he’d knock you right over. I taught him that he would lose the thing he wanted most (me) if he jumped. He learned manners and got adopted within a week. We really do run the gamut of what we tackle. Regardless, our goal is to give each dog the best opportunity at being adopted. 

We tend not to get involved with the adoption process, itself, although I’ve had project dogs who were quite special to me. For those, I’ve been known to work families over, if I feel they’ll take care of my baby. That’s the odd thing about this sort of work. It can be easy to get attached to the occasional project dog, because you spend so much time with it. So, when they get adopted, you’re torn between sadness over losing your friend and joy because they’re part of a family, who’ll love them constantly and not just for a dozen hours each week. 

Aside from raising my stepchildren to be productive adults, the work I do at the shelter is the most rewarding thing I’ve done in my life. Knowing I’m helping dogs find forever homes with families who love them makes it all worthwhile. Plus, I get my dog fix and get drooled on to my heart’s desire. I’m exhausted and smell like dog, but I can’t think of a better way to spend an afternoon.