Why is herding some people so hard.

Hi,
The problem is being too in tuned to ones self and not thinking of others.
Two customers complained about the service. We were busy and understaffed. When I confronted the server he was very defensive. After close I tried again. I started out with "who determines when you need help? He said "I (the Mgr). I said "No". He said " I (meaning himself). I said "No". He was at a loss. I then said "The customer determines when you need help". When it gets busy and a customer has to come up front for service, they have determined you need help. We are a team and we all help each other. We don't keep score of who asks for help and who doesn't. There is no competition. He is 19. He is not the only person we have hired that at times cannot make a distinction as to what is best for the customer. I learned this when I was young. It is much harder to learn when you are older. Thinking of others first. My generation was accused of being door mats and we were, but it is better to be a doormat and grow out of it than to never have the ability to see other than yourself. My waiter will go on to be a good waiter. He is a nice person. Nice people are hard to find. My two best servers make me feel very selfish at times. They give their heart and soul into their job and its an awesome thing to watch.

The People Herder

Raven A Sweet Boy

Hi,

This is Raven. He's 5 years old. A Black Lab and Lucas' bud. Raven comes over 1 to 2 times a week and plays with Lucas. If I say Raven's coming Lucas runs to the window to wait. Raven was suppose to come over one night, but didn't, His owner came over without Raven and Lucas told her off and then sat with his back to her the rest of the night. It was funny. Raven goes for lots of walks with his owners and has a good life, even if he does have to live with cats.

The Dog Walker

Wisconsin Snow Storm

Hi,

It finally hit. Started about 9:00 pm yesterday (predicted for 6:00pm) and still going, but wind has died down considerably. The wind was howling really good all night. Lucas was restlesss, as we had to close his doggy door (really his doggy window, as that is where it is) Too much snow coming in.

Herding people was easy yesterday. All seemed in good moods. Came in with their video rentals, and wanting their food. They were going home to hunker down. One customer, a transplant from Flint, Mi just loves this area. Likes the people and the town. Always nice to hear. Couldn't deliver to a couple towns yesterday. Never like to have to do that, but I would feel horrible if one of our employees were to get hurt because I needed to make that extra buck. We have wonderful customers as only a couple were upset. I do love my job. Lucas was happy with the snow. He loves to eat snow and run in it. We had a nice walk today. Went down to the Video store and he got an ice cream sandwich. They are his favorite. Still thinking about another dog. We'll see. Life is good.

The Dog Walker

Port Washington, Wi

Hi,

A little off the subject of walking dogs and herding people, but this is one of my favorite photos and I don't have to worry about copy-right laws, because I took it. This is from last year. Can't remember the month. St Marys is the church. Lake Michigan is about 3 blocks to the east of this picture. It is always a thrill to see the church. Its not such a thrill to try to get up the hill when it first snows. This picture does not give you any idea of how steep it is. In the 90's it rained so hard part of the hill was washed away. Big mess, but St Marys is still there, looking so dignified and serene. At night the clock face is lit up and its awesome. Been to one funeral and one wedding at this church. It is beautiful inside too.

The Dog Walker

Naughty Dogs

Hi,
So I went to get gas for the car and bought two cupcakes, one for me and one for Lucas. Had to go to the Library and when I came out, Lucas had eaten them both. My fault, he is such a crazy dog for people food.
His one paw is sore again. We clipped the hair off it and will soak it for him and he's back on allergy pills. I think he is just alone too much. Although he really isn't alone alot.
We have a chance to get another dog, a mutt about the same age as Lucas. We will see how it works out. Sunday is the day.

The Dog Walker

Howling..I do it well

Hi,

Lucas loves to howl. We can get him to do it just by howling ourselves. He howls for the werewolf scene in Harry Potter and also for Moaning Myrtle in Harry Potter. He howls for the church bells and trains and the fire engines.

He howls at least once a day and usually in the front window which is full of dog snot. There used to be a man that would stop and howl with him in front of the window. Most things on animal planet will make him howl too. He simply loves to howl.

The Dog Walker

Time to Go

Hi,

I have this picture by my back door, not that I need a reminder. Lucas was an outside dog who had been living inside less than 3 months when we got him. He would wake me up in the first few months by laying on me at 6:30 in the morning. He wieghs 60 lbs and I was not amused. I was sorry we got him for about a month. He reminded me of the dog we had lost to cancer, but not so much as time went by. Then one day I realized I would never have our first dog back and Lucas was going to be mine even though the lady we got him from said he prefered men to women.

I started walking him because he had so much energy that he needed an outlet. During these walks we bonded. He got over some of his craziness and I realized that it must have been traumatic for him to be pulled away from his first family. He was so sad the first year. And we bonded some more.

Now Lucas is mine and I worry about what would happen to him if something happened to me. I feel it would be best for him to go into the Springer rescue group. He has special needs and I think they could help him best. He is seldom out of my sight and our walks are good for us both.

Today we helped Trixie the little border collie mix down the street. She never leaves her yard. She is one of the sweetest dogs I have ever met and has a nice family to take care of her. I see her playing with her family and she loves to take something they need and let them chase her. They are good to Trixie. Today they had left her out and when Lucas and I went for a walk and came back and Trixie was still out, I became concerned. Trixie is never out long. She was holding her feet up one at a time, so I knocked on their door and they let her in and said Thank You. But I thought, no Thank you Trixie. You have a beautiful soul.

The Dog Walker

My Mother's Dog....Tiny

Hi,

In about 1992 my niece, on her way to visit my Mother stopped in with a tiny puppy. She asked me if I wanted it, but I had two dogs at the time and said no. She gave it to my Mother who was in her 80's at the time. When my Mother passed about about 18 months later I was given the dog as no one else could take him. He wasn't housebroken and remained that way for almost 3 years. He was fearful and shy, but loved attention. We had just one other dog who made sure Tiny knew his place. When that dog died we replaced him with Lucas. Lucas was kinder than the first dog to Tiny. They became friends and I too looked at Tiny differently. He was such a little dog and I had never been fond of little dogs, but Lucas led the way. Tiny had a good life. Walks and treats and a back yard to run in. The last month of his life he could no longer go on our daily walk, but I would walk Lucas first, and then take Tiny out to the front of the house and back. He was happy with that. I found him dead by the back door one morning. Lucas missed him and I found that I missed him too. So Tiny I hope that over the Rainbow Bridge you have a person to love and pet you. We still miss you.

The Dog Walker

Patches

Hi,

patches came to us about 4 years ago. My oldest son and his family had to move and we got Patches to look after until they were settled. Patches stayed with us until he was put to sleep about 6 months ago. He was 15 when we got him. The few years before he got him were not particularly good for him. He wasn't abused, but just not cared for the way an older animal should be. I chopped up his food and tried to give him something like sardines or a little bit of Tuna everyday. He thrived for awhile, but most of his teeth were missing and he had a hard time digesting almost anything. I felt that when it looked like he really wan't having a good quality of life I would let him go. I probably waited too long, because it had become kind of a mission to keep him alive. The last three years of his life, he was warm and well fed. He could sleep where he wanted and do as he please. On warm days I would take him outside where he liked to eat the grass. So many animals are tossed out once they get old. They deserve better. So Patches I hope over the Rainbow Bridge you have found your youth and your dignity.

The Dog Walker

Other Dogs I know

Hi,
Allie is about 8 years olds. She is a Golden Retriever. She is my youngest son's dog. I dog-sit her every now and then and she is always sweet. Loves her treats and likes to cuddle. A bit big for a lap dog, but she tries. She tolerates Lucas. Her passion for the longest time was picking up any rock and insisting you throw it so she could get it...a gazillion times. Her teeth are worn down from all the rocks she has retrieved. She likes shoes too. So when she comes over we hide our shoes, or go out with only one shoe on because we can't find the other one. The kids love her and we do too.

The Dog Walker

Herding People

Hi,
As a Manager that is what I do. Herd customers and employees. Customers are easy to herd. Be nice, smile and make them feel welcome. Most customers do not need a lot of extra care. They want their food hot and on time.

Employees are the other hand need a lot of extra attention, some more than others. Some are worth it, some are not. The "are nots" usually do not outnumber the "ares"
The ages of the employees makes a big difference too. Most people who work with anyone 16-25 know this. When I was 19 I had a child, was married and lived away from home. Todays 19 year old ,if lucky, is still in college and may have a girlfriend or boyfriend and will live at home for a few more years. If not lucky they will barely have graduated from High School and are working in hard jobs, like consturction or lower paying jobs and are living on their own . Most actually do OK, but in the long run they won't unless someone with money can help them out and this is usually a parent.

A lot of them have been in jail and this sadly is a way of life. Rules are hard for them to follow and sometimes they don't even know the rules. They view the world totally different than I. They give into the selfiness of youth more than my generation could. We were expected to act a certain way and for the most part we did. It is taking longer for the currant generation to come to terms with how the world operates. It is a lot harder for them than it was for me. I do not envy todays generation. It is a tough world out here and you can blame the parents and the schools, but truthfully its all adults in authority, whether it be parents, teachers, or employers
They are not hopeless or stupid. They are undisiplined. Its a hard lesson.

Sometimes at work when I have to take someone aside and talk to them about their behavior they have a look on thier face that says they have no idea what I am trying to tell them. I was taught as a Manager that the only way to change behavior is to get the person to see what is wrong so they can change it. It takes a long time for some young people to even see what is wrong , but if you can get them to see your point of view it is awesome.

Its way I love herding.

The Dog Walker

Its cold -11 and the Dog still wants his walk

Hi,
Today Florida would be nice. The ride to work yesterday was nasty. 15 miles of blowing snow in the wide open spaces of Wisconsin. Sir Lucas, the Walkee only had a 5 minute walk yesterday and it wasn't as cold as today, so might have to make it shorter today. Must work today too.

Sir Lucas is an English Springer Spaniel about 9 years old. He was a rescue of sorts. Found him on the internet. His first family divorced and the husband wanted him, but the wife got him and then she couldn't keep him. So you would think she would have given him back to the husband, but this is real life and she found a rescue to give him to instead. Since I really like animals this seemed unfair. It took him a long time to settle down as he is very assertive or alpha if you must. He is crazy, but we love him. He has a nice fenced in yard and a doggie window to go in and out. A doggie door didn't work, so we put the doggie door in the window instead, looks kind of tacky, but Lucas likes it and not too many people see our backyard anyway. He likes to stand in his doggie door and look out, before he goes out and in this cold weather we are always yelling at him to get his butt outside. He does want any dog would do and ignores us. Gotta go

The Dog Walker