Allison Waldron: We have become the Irish Rover Family with all our furry friends. Photo contributed
A crisp morning, blue skies, playful paws, an empty breakfast bowl, a leash ready by the door, and wagging tails can only mean one thing: Time to go for a dog walk. Seven years later, I am still dog walking and enjoying my career switch even more with every passing day. Supported by a passionate team, who are client focused, who enjoy pets, who appreciate the outdoors, we have become the Irish Rover Family with all our furry friends. We are not just walking for the sake of walking. Instead, your pet is taking in the wonders of their natural environment. Your pet feels at home with us.
Last year, Irish Rover Dog Walkers and Pet Sitters continued to flourish and expand our team. Our approach has always been client and pet focused. Our philosophy is to understand the fundamental needs of the pet owners first before we even get to know their pet. This allows us to meet the expectation of the owner and to provide service tailored to their dog. We also have the expertise to care for other pets including cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, birds, fish, and bearded dragons.
One might ask, how difficult can it be to walk a dog? A dog walk is not just a dog walk. The walk should be pleasurable and stimulate the dog. When a dog is out in the great outdoors, they are using all of their senses to explore their environment. Our goal is to make this experience as fun and exciting as possible. Irish Rover prides itself with great walks as we have a variety of trails to choose from. Not only are we walking dogs, but we are admiring nature all around us. Whether it’s an early morning walk, we are listening to a chorus of birds, or if it is a late night, we might be enjoying the sounds of the frogs or the bugs. The pets always perk up when they see a heron wading in the pond, or a family of deer grazing, or a sly fox rambling around. Last year, we had the good fortune of seeing a brown owl who was secretly trying to disguise himself as a fallen log. That is the beauty of a walk, there is always something new to see that stimulates your pet's interest. The dogs also get to interact with their friendly neighborhood furry friends along the way.
Last year, the feeling of that extended family really came into play when we had our first human client pass away. For the first time in Irish Rover history, I came to inherit a dog. This was truly an honor that someone would think so highly of my pet care that they would leave me their dog..
The writer is the owner of Irish Rover Dog Walkers and Pet Sitters LLC in Fairfax Station.