Summer canine adventures: A Q&A with professional dog walker Nabhoniya
Nabhoniya, who walks dogs through her business Puppy Love, tells us about her work and how she keeps her clients – and her own dog, SPCA adoptee Opal – happy in the hotter months.
I'm a force-free dog walker, which means I don’t use any aversives when I walk dogs – so no leash corrections, shock collars, choke chains, etc. I always carry treats and use encouragement, praise, and toys if they enjoy them. I try to build a relationship with each dog, so they trust me and enjoy being with me. This makes it easy to recall them when they're off lead and helps them to recognise me as a safe place to turn to if something scary happens. I believe dogs and all animals thrive on kindness, just like humans!
I only walk dogs solo or in small groups of compatible dogs.In my opinion, it’s safer, and less stressful for dogs to have more personal space instead of being walked in large and crowded packs.
Do you have a personal connection to SPCA?
I was a Canine Volunteer with SPCA for three years, as work experience during my Canine Behaviour & Training course at Unitec. I continued volunteering for two years after the course finished because I loved helping with the pups who really needed another chance.
I’d always planned to adopt an SPCA puppy at some point, but ended up adopting a kitten first, Bijou, as a friend for my sociable cat Lumi. Bijou was one of so many kittens available for adoption, and was the first one I met!
The lovely Feline Attendant pointed her out when I said I wanted a cuddly cat. She was tiny with a loud purr, and she immediatelycuddled into my neck and licked my face. I was smitten right away – the other cats only got a cursory glance.Bijou and Lumi became the best of friends and lived happily together until Lumi passed away.
When I felt ready to adopt a puppy, I emailed the Canine team to ask for their recommendations. I was looking for a pup who would eventually come on walks with other dogs and who would be okay with cats. They sent me a couple of mugshots of a dog named Opal, who I immediately fell in love with!
Opal was one of 11 four-month-old puppies who were left with their mother at the gates of the Māngere SPCA. In hindsight, I don’t know that I’d recommend falling in love with only a mugshot – Opal’s puppy and adolescent years were challenging, and we certainly had some hurdles to overcome as she grew and went through training.
But in the end, the Canine team were right – Opal and Bijou eventually became very good friends, and Opal is great with most dogs and loves people. I adore her. Three and a half years later, she’s doing amazingly!
During summer, I recommend walking dogs either earlier or later in the day when it isn't as hot outside. If that's not possible, then drive to a park. I look for parks that have lots of shade, paths that are unpaved, and if possible, some water for swimming or wading.
I also bring water on walks and allow dogs to stop for a rest if they need it. The distance covered is not important – meandering and sniffing is fine in hot weather. Depending on the dog/dogs, I look for parks which allow off leash and ones that are quieter. I never bring groups of dogs to a busy dog park for safety reasons, but that depends on whether your individual dog enjoys it.
Good recall is critical if you're going to let your dog adventure off leash – in areas where it’s allowed, of course! Try to stay positive and give plenty of praise and treats for recalling, and occasionally, let them run off again so they don't only associate recall with the end of their fun.
It's also important to respect other dog owners’ needs. If you see that their dog is leashed, follow suit and leash your dog. Not all dogs want to interact with other dogs – and that's fine and normal.
If it's entirely too hot for exercise, there are plenty of other ways to provide enrichment for your dog. For example, you can hide treats in the garden for them to find, freeze blueberries in ice cubes and float them in a paddling pool for them to fish out, or set up a sprinkler. Using their brain as well as exercise is good for them, especially on days where the latter might be unsafe.
Nabhoniya is committed to keeping dogs safe in hot weather, and we encourage all dog owners and carers to follow suit. Take tips from above and check out our site for further information. Happy (and sunny!) walking!