Calm, quiet, and peaceful; this is how I would describe the handful of days I spent at this idyllic retirement community with a sweet Black Tri Australian Shepherd.
I’d also use the word “hot” to describe this sit as temperatures reached 100˚F or more almost everyday. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good summer heat wave (especially while staying in a beautiful air conditioned home like this one) but holy guacamole the weather was spicy!! The electric company warned of scheduled power outages which had me a bit nervous, but thankfully the power stayed on the entire sit. I was also a tad nervous for a couple days when thunderstorms rolled through the area which brought the threat of “dry lightening” and consequently fire danger. But thankfully, no fires started (at least not in this immediate area).
Sadly, the heat (and sporadic thunder) kept my canine companion and myself indoors for much of this sit; which was unfortunate as there are several dog-friendly hiking trails nearby. But in the early mornings and evenings, when the weather cooperated, I took us on short walks so we could stretch our legs a bit without overheating.
My hope is that I get to come back and spend more time with this sweet Shepherd during a cooler season so she and I can do some proper outdoor hiking and exploration together. She’s a bit of a shy dog and can be somewhat nervous on the leash, but my hope is that, with subsequent sits, she’ll become more comfortable with me and trust me to protect her as her stand-in pack-leader 🙂
Duties:
– Care for 1 dog
– Hand water a few plants
– Take out trash
– Assist a neighbor who was out of town by unlocking and locking her home so workers could access her home.
Unexpected Benefits and/or Realizations:
– I’ve had bad experiences with aggressive Australian Shepherds and wasn’t sure how this Australian Shepherd would compare. After time spent with her, I’m reminded that aggressiveness has much to do with a dog that has not been properly trained or socialized. The owner of this dog has done a wonderful job raising her to be a friendly and gentle pet.
Unexpected Events and/or Challenges:
– None! This was a very easy and enjoyable sit. I suppose other sitters might have found it challenging to interact with this dog for the first few days given how shy/introverted she is. But since I am also introverted (and very patient) I happily gave her the time and space she needed and sure enough, she eventually came around!
