Category Archives for Walkers

Weather Outside is Frightful, but My Attire is so Delightful

Temperatures drop. Snow falls. People bundle up — some of them. Having walked through several winters with our furry friends, we’ve seen an array of outfits used to ward off Jack Frost. While some clothing choices are sensible to us, others leave us scratching our heads. Below we offer our views on three common styles. We also recommend a dog that accents each type, although walking most dogs will make you more appealing.

Style I: What’s Winter?

It’s twenty degrees. Your nostrils sting when you inhale. Your breath eddies, almost sparkles, about your head. And this person wears shorts, a T-shirt, possibly an unzipped jacket. Control your urge to check this person’s pulse. Accessories include thin gloves, sometimes fingerless, a baseball cap, low-top sneakers and knee-high crew socks. You might even catch the What’s Winter type in sandals — sandals and a few piggies short of a whole foot. Maneuverability is gained in this attire at the risk of a little thing called frostbite.

Dog accent: A golden retriever’s bright coat helps the illusion of warmth.

Style II: Knight in Shining Armor 

Unless you’ve survived a midwest winter, you might not know that the cold can burn like dragons breath and scratch like daggers. The Knight in Shining Armor has prepared for battle. Boots, snow pants, a thick jacket — the more poof the better — gloves like oven mitts, scarf, ski mask, winter hat, two, three, four pairs of socks, long underwear. Similar to a knight’s creaky armor, Style IIs crinkle and rustle with every movement. While picking up a dog leash in this outfit can pose troublesome, it offers the warmth of a polar bear hug.

Dog accent: Any small dog wearing a similarly bulky jacket and booties.

Style III: Upper-Downer

The Upper-Downer is a conundrum. This person dresses only half of his or her body, either top or bottom, for the weather. Shorts and a down jacket? Sure. Snow pants and a T-shirt? You bet. Hat, mittens, scarf, shoes without socks? Why not? Maybe the Upper-Downer has a magnificent internal body heater that is confined to half of his or her body. Maybe they are products of laziness or forgetfulness. Or maybe it’s something else entirely. We’re at a loss to explain this one.

Dog accent: A poodle with a shaved body but hairy head and legs. Fluff on the end of the tail is optional.

Again, these are three among many styles of winter fashions. Know more, have a favorite type, or have an answer about the Upper-Downer, tell us in the comments section below or tweet us @Chicdogwalkers with the hashtag #wintfash. And remember to avoid moister-sucking cotton in the frigid season!

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New Year’s Resolutions and Petsolutions

Happy New Year!

As we walk away from 2011, we want to partake in the tradition of making resolutions but with the twist of a pug’s tail. We asked several staff members what they would like their pets to change in 2012, and, to be fair, what they believe their pets want them to change. Below are a few of our favorite answers. And if you’re in need of a resolution or two, read on after our petsolutions for a handful of worthwhile ideas.

Chicago Dog Walkers 2012 Petsolutions

Meryl would like her Lab mix, Shadow, to not “steal mom’s blankets.” Especially in this frigid season. Shadow and Meryl’s other dogs have higher expectations for her, however, as Meryl says they want more toys and treats, of course.

Her three cats meowing out of sync has Alicia asking that her trio of felines resist the urge to insistently vocalize, whenever someone brings out food. Her cats request that 2012 bring them more brushing. They have appearances to maintain.

Rosa wants her Chihuahua Poodle mix, Oso, to exercise more. For Oso to do that, he asks that Rosa spend more time with him at home, rather than leaving to walk other pooches during the day.

Our next employee might be asking a bit much, but Matt would like Nori the black cat to stop pawing the wall by his head at 4:00 a.m. Despite staying up late, he’s really not nocturnal. Nori would like Matt to leave more open boxes around the apartment. She is running low on hiding places.

Michelle says her five dogs (two pugs, Chihuahua, Lhasa apso, Miniature Eskimo) should kiss her more this year. Doggy smooches are wonderful stress relievers. And Michelle echoes Meryl that her dogs want more and more playthings.

Additional 2012 Resolutions

Chicago reaches the goal of a No Kill City. The following resolutions can slide in 2012 if this happens.

All adoptions are rescues. Taking home a rescue pet helps achieve the aforementioned goal.

Chicago becomes a No #2s Left On the Ground City. No one enjoys stepping in it. Let’s get this one under our belt already and never fear stepping in grassy areas, again.

All dog bags reach the appropriate trash receptacles. Even biodegradable bags, since they take time to degrade, as do their contents.

Vampires and zombies are so 2011. Let’s make 2012 the doggone year of the pooch. More dogs on television! “Lasso, second cousin of Lassie!”

A dog walker for every doggie!

If you have other resolutions or petsolutions you wish to share, let us know in the comments section below and/or tweet us @Chicdogwalkers with the hashtag #Petsolutions.

Fine News Rolls In, as Fine Weather Rolls Out

Good afternoon. Warm days buckled to frigid weather this week, so keep moving when you’re outside with your pup!

Today is a short post to update the previous one, where we interviewed dog walkers Mike Russell and Matt Lemke of the band Suns. Their band raised enough money through Kickstarter to fund their first full-length album, When We Were Us. Congratulations to them, and a big thank you to anyone who donated. We will have details about purchasing the album when it’s near completion. Follow them on Facebook to stay current with news regarding the album and upcoming performances.

And watch the website over the coming months for updates to the Walkers About Town and Tales About Town sections. You might even learn something unexpected about your walker or fellow walkers. We also have plans for our other social media pages, so be sure to follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Bark.