A Lovely Hot Day

So today was lovely, hot but lovely. I have a nightshift at work right now so I was able to do several hours at the shelter. The dogs were up to much though, I'd take them on a non-jogging walk and by half an hour they were pulling to lay down in the shade. We'd go and cool off in the shaded yard at that point so no one would over heat. One of the little chihuahuas got adopted today which was great but we have another one newly arrived so we're still at 9 little chihuahuas. Sometimes I feel like I'm the only volunteer out there for the sake of the dogs giving them quality walks and attention. I've not been impressed by any other dog walking volunteers I've seen yet. The first three I saw Sunday and they spent maybe 5-6 minutes on a dog before switching it out for another, most of that time was spent chatting with each other and not focusing on the dog. Today I saw two different volunteers and I must put a disclaimer with this complaint. They were nine, maybe 12, year old girls and the responsibility rests on the shoulders of the parent they were with.  While the girls clearly cared about the dogs and the dogs were their focus they were not supposed to have two dogs together. As volunteers we're expected to keep about 10 feet between each dog to prevent accidental spread of illness or fighting dogs. The other rule that was disregard was that puppies under 6 months may not be walked. They can be carried to the cat meet and greet room but no where else because they are too young to have had their shots. I dunno, maybe I"m being overly picky but these are good sound rules providing a level of safety for the dogs and shouldn't be ignored. I guess it just amazes me how little the rules really matter at this place. Oh well, I'm doing my best and I suppose that's what counts...Now to our lovely Dachshund!

This little guy is a gem! He had really good leash manners pretty much from the start, wasn't much of a jogger but really seemed to enjoy the walking right up to when he got too hot. When we went into the yard he didn't want to play, maybe from the heat, but preferred to snuggle with me! He was very inquisitive and friendly and would make a great dog for anyone wanting a walking companion and snuggler!