Page 12 - SpringSummerNL25

It’s 7pm, day 1 complete, time for that shower, food and sleep! I was lucky to

be living on site for the week so was fully immersed in the GDS world. I didn’t

need an alarm clock not when you’ve got over 200 dogs sleeping in the vicinity

or rather not sleeping but ‘singing” to you at random times during the night and
early morning but rest assured after the first full day ‘on duty’ you can sleep
through anything.

Day 2 starts and I’m on duty at
8.30am, the sun is shining. I check
my board and today I have the
normal 10 dogs listed for walking,
30 mins each. These 10 are the
dogs heading for GIN in a few
weeks time so special for me as I
get to meet them early. That takes me neatly to lunchtime where everyone
gathers together for a wonderful al fresco lunch. Time to relax, talk dogs and

enjoy the great company.

duties I have a new task, I take all
Lunch over but instead of kennel
the dogs from a kennel into the
Sensory Garden and let them loose so
they can relax or play. This garden
was funded by GIN in memory of our
founder Anne Finch. It’s a lovely,
quiet area at the end of the site.
It’s surrounded by trees and planted
with flowers and shrubs. There’s a water fountain
tinkling in the background and seats for humans or dogs,
toys and a ball pit for finding treats. Just a lovely place
for the dogs to relax and it’s a perfect place to give
them some one to one attention. It’s a 7pm finish.

Day 3 and now I feel I’m getting into the swing of
things. I check the board, grab my favourite lead
and off we go. I take Martin into the agility
paddock and he shows me how smart he is by
climbing the tyre stacks before I even have the
treats out! Also on my list today is Calcetines, a
handsome but shy boy who’s coming to the UK.
Morning walks completed it’s another great lunch
and I’m back on my kennel cleaning duties for the
afternoon.

Day 4 today I have some new names to walk, each day varies so all dogs that
are ready to be on the walking programme get their chance. There are some
dogs still too scared to leave their kennel routine so these are given more time
to settle in. The first two names on my list are two galgas that haven’t been at
GDS long, Meerkat and Africa. I walk Meerkat, she’s a tiny little brindle girl
that just wants cuddles and attention. We walk the route and she has to meet
everyone, it’s impossible to resist her!

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