When you're twenty-something, living in an apartment (or your parent's house...), your network thinks it's doing you a huge favor when they refer you to someone for dog-sitting.
No no no...animals are
not like children. Pets don't wear diapers and don't like to watch cartoons. I love kids, and I don't like to treat animals like kids.
My roommate has two cats that I tolerate. She loves them, they make her happy. But they also prance around their Feces Bin and then climb up onto the countertop where we eat. They shed - relentlessly. Ugh.
So I'll house/dog-sit sometimes, and it's not terrible. One yellow lab, Jazz, is pretty low key and the house is in perfect location for my daily roadtripping of gym-work-Wegmans. Jazz eats twice a day, gets walked, and sleeps. Jazz does not eat people food, get dressed up, or have human problems that require prescription drugs (like depression or migraines.). Those would be pet peeves.
But the other day I got this call. The woman was so excited about asking me to watch her two Bichons that are 'so sweet' and 'so easy' and oh btw 'so-and-so referred me to you' . When I gave her my rates, there were dollar signs and drooling at the other end of the line. Of course they sound reasonable. I'm easy. Oh, and because your one critter has diabetes and requires insulin shots. Yes. Now your surprise makes sense.
