A few months ago, I started a part-time job as a dog walker. I wanted to make some extra money and get out of the house more (my main job is from home) and I love dogs — so it’s a win win situation.
By the way, this isn’t a New York City style dog walker job where I’m walking 20 dogs at once. The visits are one-on-one (or two-on-one or three-on-one if the client has more than one dog).
The way it works is that I go to the client’s house or apartment, usually while they’re at work, and I take their dog(s) for a walk or play with them in their backyard. As a result, I’ve been spending a lot of intimate time with other people’s dogs and in other people’s homes.
Believe it or not, this has led me to some interesting revelations and reminders about human psychology. So naturally, I felt the need to write about them. After all, aren’t life lessons best understood when thought about through the perspective of a dog? That’s what I believe at least. So with that in mind, here’s what I’ve learned walking dogs the past few months:
1. Negative Behaviors are Often An Expression of Fear
When I first meet a new dog I’m supposed to walk, he’s not always happy-go-lucky. He may shake, bark, or growl. He may even snarl or bare teeth.
