In my earlier posts I talked about what a job should be, and how I view jobs and work. Before I got my job at the dog boarding facility, I had considered attending a career academy (known as Petropolis) that specialized in dog grooming and dog training. It sounded and looked really good: training and managing dogs that performed scent detection, narcotics
detection, service assistance for a variety of purpose. It was a nice program that had depth to it, and the class schedule was very flexible: as long as you completed the number of days required for the program you could attend whenever. This meant that I could work while going to training school. However, when I went in for the interview and tour of the building something just didn't resonate within me. Did I love animals? Yes. Did I love dogs and want to work with them? Absolutely. But this place just didn't seem like the best place there was. I won't lie, I was drawn in by what they had to offer--but only because I didn't have anything to compare it with. Kinda sounds like the time when I went college searching. And that was about 4 years ago.
Anyway, about a week into working at my job there was a new girl who was hired as a trainer. From the short glimpses I got from watching her work I was absolutely floored by her performance. She had a very professional attitude (though some of that might have been influenced by her personality as well, I don't know her that well), and she was very confident. Compared to the other two trainers, two guys (one was currently enrolled at Petropolis and working at the facility, while the other had attending Petropolis and received his certification), she was top dog. One of my managers told me she attending a well renown school ("The Tom Rose School") in Missouri and had just graduated, though she was still waiting to take the narcotics detection test with one of her dogs. Because I was blown away by how this girl worked, I had to check out this school.
I wasn't disappointed with the results.
This school is top notch. If I thought Petropolis had a good program, this school offered a more intense and more in-depth program. With their professional training program the school teaches training in: Obedience (traditional and motivational, aka "positive training"), "puppy imprinting" which is basically obedience training for puppies (and is equally as intensive), agility, tracking, narcotics detection, how to teach group and private obedience classes, public relations/sales/management, Police K-9/IPO/civil protection & security--all of which are tested with the standards of national organizations and associations. There are written tests along with the physical tests, and the training is both hands-on and lecture based.
In comparison to Petropolis, this school didn't seem like it offered much flexibility. There were only two dates which you can enroll in and you are required to have/train 3 dogs at the end of your training. You can receive these dogs from breeders or shelters that have been approved by the school. If you decided to bring a personal dog you were only allowed to bring one (absolutely no puppies) and it would be evaluated by the staff (to make sure your dog has enough drive and willingness to work, my guess). While making this program a tad bit more expensive, I understand why they do this. As a dog trainer you will come across many temperaments and personalities with each dog. Using just your personal dog doesn't make you a trainer, and your learning is very limited. With that, you might as well enroll in a dog obedience class.
One negative thing about the school, however, is their use of e-collars. For those of you who don't know, e-collars are electronic collars and are very different from shock collars (though they are very similar). They also use pinch collars as a form of training as well. Now, when I say negative I mean it's negative to the general public. I'm not going to get defensive about these particular training tools because we all have our opinions; however, that being said I would like to say a few words on this matter. And because, it wouldn't be my blog post if I didn't make this post longer.
Just like anything else in the world, these two training tools get a bad rep because they're seen in bad light. Many people aren't well-informed about e-collars and pinch collars, therefore they're misused--again, just like any other tool at our disposal. Unfortunately there have been many people (professionals and "professionals") who have backed up the reasons as to why these two objects should never be used to train a dog. Well, one things for sure: people will see and believe what they want to see and believe. To me, those two tools aren't about causing the dog pain, but more of discomfort. Like getting spanked. If you have to apply that much force, where pain is inevitable, then you're doing something wrong. I believe that a good, well-rounded trainer will have a good understanding of how to use each of his/her training tools in his/her tool box whether they like them or not. Like learning how to do long-handed arithmetic. We have calculators
in this day and age--but what if some day all the technology just shut
down? Including calculators? Huh? What then? Long-handed arithmetic
comes in to save the day!
...I never actually believed
that, but that's what all my math teachers told us when they had
sections on tests that didn't allow calculators....
There are a lot of dogs out there, and at least one of them is going to respond better with those two methods of training. One of the negative critiques of the Tom Rose School I read was that they don't tell you their "training method". Funnily enough, in their catalog they state that they don't teach a single method to use, but rather, they show you a variety of techniques and strategies that help you determine what suits each dog best. A school that doesn't tell you "This is the right way to train a dog! It's the absolute right way!"? I must be dreaming. Of course, if there was a way where methods didn't involve physical consequences (like the e-collar and pinch collars) that would be awesome--but like I said it's no different than spanking (or for you animal-inclined people, using a bridle with a bit with a horse).
I mean really, we reward kids with all kinds of things in school: stickers, extra playtime, food, even grades!
Bottom line is, I really love working with animals. I can easily see myself as a dog trainer. And as stated in my previous post, there's no doubt that it will be a lot of work. But it's also very rewarding--and let's not forget, fun!
For more info on the e-collar, read this article I found! This author does a very nice job providing a neutral perspective on them, and unfortunately, some of the commenters didn't pick up on that.
http://www.chicagonow.com/training-the-wolf/2013/07/shock-collars-myths/
Sunday, July 26, 2015
Thursday, July 16, 2015
A Job Should Be...
When I interned at my cousin's zoo down in Broussard, Louisiana, the one thing I took away from the experience wasn't the impact zoos had, but my cousin's perspective on what it's like running something as big as a zoo. One would think it's busy work, maybe even tedious to some extent. Either way, it can't be that fun, right? Well, according to an interview (from a source that I can't remember off the top of my head) my cousin said that working at the zoo, "isn't a job. It's hard work, but it's nothing but fun." Or something along those lines...but that's exactly how I see my new job.
I work at a business that offers dog boarding, grooming, daycare, training, and specialized pet sitting (the pet sitting can range from overnight pet sitting, going to someone's house to walk their dogs or letting them out to go to the bathroom, feed other pets such as cats and cleaning the litter box, picking up someone's dog and bringing them back to the facility, getting the mail/newspaper and watering plants). But perhaps the most interesting thing about this family-owned business is that not only is it open 24/7 all year round, but instead of kenneling and caging the dogs they let them run free in designated yards--small dogs and big dogs. Small dogs also includes puppies. The dogs have free access to the outside yard, and if it's summer they can easily come back into the air-conditioned building. The only time they're kenneled is when it's night time, and during feeding times. Or, if a dog is food-aggressive and they're not getting fed for a meal (some dogs get fed twice a day instead of three) then they get kenneled only until feeding time is over.
Because it's dog boarding, owners are required to get their dogs vaccinated (rabies, distemper, bordetella, etc.) and since they're not a traditional dog boarding facility, it's like taking your dog to a dog park without worrying about those certain healthrisks. Since there is always someone watching over the dogs, you also don't have to worry about someone else's dog getting too rambunctious or bullying your dog. The staff, which includes me, ALWAYS make sure that there is fair play. No dog is allowed to be "crazy," because let's face it, many people don't realize or think their dog can be rude in terms of dog etiquette.
Now, working at a dog boarding facility may not be the most grand post-college job (it certainly isn't the cleanest), but it does fulfill one important thing that I look for when I do work. It teaches me something in a subject that I love: animals. Not everyone has this perspective, I realize. Some of my co-workers don't. And that's fine. Because of the "less-kenneling and more-playing" policy, I get to see and experience dog and pack behavior up close and personal. What many might deem as an aggressive act, or even a fight, is really just communication between dogs. A dog that snaps at another dog doesn't necessarily mean that that particular dog is "mean" or "just doesn't like other dogs." Depending on the situation and context, that dog is just establishing it's space. Even if a dog is okay with exchanging greetings with another dog for the first five minutes, when it has had enough it's had enough. And if the other dog isn't receptive to body and audio language, a more invasive measure is taken, such as snarling and snapping. Consent is universal.
The bottom line is, some people might see this as "just a job." Therefore, their attitude and manner are going to reflect that. I don't see this job as a "job." Yes, I'm essentially getting paid to pet sit people's dogs, and yes, us employees are basically a glorified pooper-scooper, but it doesn't negate the fact that it's still a lot of work. I almost see it as being a life-guard for the dogs, but instead of saving human lives, you prevent dog fights from breaking out. We're basically mediators, or referees. We have to check each dog from head to toe, looking at the eyes, ears, mouth, teeth. We even make sure that the butts are clean. You have to mop and pick up every mess, poop, pee, and vomit--and the quicker the better. And, let's face it, giving attention to 15+ pups is pretty exhausting. :) It's a very fun job, and I'd be lying if I said it was boring. Yes, a job is needed to pay the bills and support a family. But that doesn't mean it can't be fun. I know many people face the dilemma of choosing a boring job that has a high salary and a fun job that has a lower salary--but most often times, in my opinion, the fun job has a lot more to offer (if you do it right). A job should be fun, but it shouldn't be just fun. It should provide learning opportunities for you. I may be out of college, I may have my Bachelor's degree, but I still want to learn. I just don't want to learn in a classroom setting with grades anymore. :P
If any of you want to know about this place, whether you're in St. Louis or not, shoot me an email, or leave a comment! :)
I work at a business that offers dog boarding, grooming, daycare, training, and specialized pet sitting (the pet sitting can range from overnight pet sitting, going to someone's house to walk their dogs or letting them out to go to the bathroom, feed other pets such as cats and cleaning the litter box, picking up someone's dog and bringing them back to the facility, getting the mail/newspaper and watering plants). But perhaps the most interesting thing about this family-owned business is that not only is it open 24/7 all year round, but instead of kenneling and caging the dogs they let them run free in designated yards--small dogs and big dogs. Small dogs also includes puppies. The dogs have free access to the outside yard, and if it's summer they can easily come back into the air-conditioned building. The only time they're kenneled is when it's night time, and during feeding times. Or, if a dog is food-aggressive and they're not getting fed for a meal (some dogs get fed twice a day instead of three) then they get kenneled only until feeding time is over.
Because it's dog boarding, owners are required to get their dogs vaccinated (rabies, distemper, bordetella, etc.) and since they're not a traditional dog boarding facility, it's like taking your dog to a dog park without worrying about those certain healthrisks. Since there is always someone watching over the dogs, you also don't have to worry about someone else's dog getting too rambunctious or bullying your dog. The staff, which includes me, ALWAYS make sure that there is fair play. No dog is allowed to be "crazy," because let's face it, many people don't realize or think their dog can be rude in terms of dog etiquette.
Now, working at a dog boarding facility may not be the most grand post-college job (it certainly isn't the cleanest), but it does fulfill one important thing that I look for when I do work. It teaches me something in a subject that I love: animals. Not everyone has this perspective, I realize. Some of my co-workers don't. And that's fine. Because of the "less-kenneling and more-playing" policy, I get to see and experience dog and pack behavior up close and personal. What many might deem as an aggressive act, or even a fight, is really just communication between dogs. A dog that snaps at another dog doesn't necessarily mean that that particular dog is "mean" or "just doesn't like other dogs." Depending on the situation and context, that dog is just establishing it's space. Even if a dog is okay with exchanging greetings with another dog for the first five minutes, when it has had enough it's had enough. And if the other dog isn't receptive to body and audio language, a more invasive measure is taken, such as snarling and snapping. Consent is universal.
The bottom line is, some people might see this as "just a job." Therefore, their attitude and manner are going to reflect that. I don't see this job as a "job." Yes, I'm essentially getting paid to pet sit people's dogs, and yes, us employees are basically a glorified pooper-scooper, but it doesn't negate the fact that it's still a lot of work. I almost see it as being a life-guard for the dogs, but instead of saving human lives, you prevent dog fights from breaking out. We're basically mediators, or referees. We have to check each dog from head to toe, looking at the eyes, ears, mouth, teeth. We even make sure that the butts are clean. You have to mop and pick up every mess, poop, pee, and vomit--and the quicker the better. And, let's face it, giving attention to 15+ pups is pretty exhausting. :) It's a very fun job, and I'd be lying if I said it was boring. Yes, a job is needed to pay the bills and support a family. But that doesn't mean it can't be fun. I know many people face the dilemma of choosing a boring job that has a high salary and a fun job that has a lower salary--but most often times, in my opinion, the fun job has a lot more to offer (if you do it right). A job should be fun, but it shouldn't be just fun. It should provide learning opportunities for you. I may be out of college, I may have my Bachelor's degree, but I still want to learn. I just don't want to learn in a classroom setting with grades anymore. :P
If any of you want to know about this place, whether you're in St. Louis or not, shoot me an email, or leave a comment! :)
Wednesday, July 8, 2015
What to Do with a Writing Degree
I have absolutely no clue.
On May 17, 2015, I officially graduated from my university with a degree in English Writing (I like to call it Creative Writing, because that's what I was doing in my writing classes--writing creatively) and a minor in Asian Studies. And now that I'm almost a month and a half into my life as a college graduate, job searching has been one of the most frustrating and utterly dismal things I've done. Searching as a high school student seemed like a piece of cake--but perhaps that was because people were willing to high an innocent, naive, person who had no idea what to expect.
So what do I do now? I applied to my public library--at two different locations--both of whom rejected my application. Alright, I get it, maybe having a degree or study in library science might've given me that extra boost. Next I applied to Barnes & Noble, to which not only did I not get, but I didn't even receive an email that I wasn't even considered. If I'm going to be told no, at least have the courtesy of letting that person know. Anyway, what was surprising about those two jobs was that those were the two that I thought I might have a chance getting considering my background in English. Well, I missed that one by a mile...or two.
What I'd really like to do is work with animals. Now, I know that my degree isn't exactly "animal friendly" so to speak, BUT, I will say that my resume will state otherwise. I've had plenty of professional experience with animal handling and care--zoos, the Humane Society, World Bird Sanctuary, etc. In fact, I'm officially a volunteer at WBS as a rehabilitation technician. It's really cool and fun, but most of all rewarding. Some people do it for bragging rights (i.e. "I get to handle hawks, owls, eagles, etc."). I won't lie, those are some pretty cool bragging rights; however, for me it's all about the animals. Everything that I do there is for those raptors (no...no, not velociraptors), and for my interest in learning everything there is to know about them. Not to mention in the hospital, all the work that we do is to get the animal back in the wild where it belongs. There's no interacting; in fact, the less you interact, the better. Or in other words, less is more. Otherwise there is a huge risk of imprinting, which is bad. I never understood that as a kid, but now I realize that any interaction you have with a juvenile wild animal there is that imprinting risk. Anytime I work with animals I'm always observing, because with animals (at least, in my opinion), you learn so much more by watching their behaviors and interactions with each other than with you interacting with them. That's one of the themes in my book that I've written--there is huge emphasis on observation, and less with intervening and interacting. Especially with animals in the wild.
Observing is key for writing, especially when doing research. Which brings me to the point, actually getting involved is a crucial aspect. Don't get me wrong, observation gives you a lot of information; but actually getting up close and personal gives you a another aspect to consider. I know I just said that less is more, but that's why I volunteer at WBS. Not only do I get the opportunity to observe the behaviors of these animals, but I get to experience first hand. I can have my cake and eat it, too. Another example are horses. You'd be surprised at how many fictional horse books there are with the author having no experience with horses. I'm talking about little chapter books for young girls--I used to read them. I met one author who wrote some books of the same subject and said that she didn't own any horses, nor did she ride, but she had plenty of friends did and would ask them. She then told me that horses actually make her uncomfortable (which is understandable), but she got all of her information from her horse-riding friends. Now, that sounds pretty fair, right? Well, for me, I'd rather experience horses first hand--handling, care-taking, riding, working/training, everything that comes with the subject of horses. I actually did ride for a while, took lessons and everything, and let me tell you, nothing compares to the actual act of riding a horse. I'm not discrediting any author who researches by observing, but for those who aren't afraid to get their hands dirty (so to speak), I say go for it. Go big, or go home, as some might say.
So what to do with a degree in writing? Well, I'm still trying to figure that out. Besides writing, of course. Even then, I've lost a lot of motivation for my book. I think it's because I'm in the summer mindset. But school is over for me, at least, for now. I don't have any excuse. So, I'm trying to get this blog back up and going again. That's Step 1. Step 2, when the book doesn't appeal, go to my fanfics. Anything to keep me writing. Step 3...step 3 is....to....Read! When all else fails! Read, read, read.
READ!!!!!
And on that note, I'm going to pick up "The Complete Guide to Asperger's Syndrome" by Tony Attwood. So far it's been a good read on the syndrome. I was introduced to it by the game "To the Moon" by Kan Gao, it's on Steam. You should check it out, if you have Steam. Totally worth playing. And replaying. And replaying. Just make sure you have a box of tissues next to your computer.
On May 17, 2015, I officially graduated from my university with a degree in English Writing (I like to call it Creative Writing, because that's what I was doing in my writing classes--writing creatively) and a minor in Asian Studies. And now that I'm almost a month and a half into my life as a college graduate, job searching has been one of the most frustrating and utterly dismal things I've done. Searching as a high school student seemed like a piece of cake--but perhaps that was because people were willing to high an innocent, naive, person who had no idea what to expect.
So what do I do now? I applied to my public library--at two different locations--both of whom rejected my application. Alright, I get it, maybe having a degree or study in library science might've given me that extra boost. Next I applied to Barnes & Noble, to which not only did I not get, but I didn't even receive an email that I wasn't even considered. If I'm going to be told no, at least have the courtesy of letting that person know. Anyway, what was surprising about those two jobs was that those were the two that I thought I might have a chance getting considering my background in English. Well, I missed that one by a mile...or two.
What I'd really like to do is work with animals. Now, I know that my degree isn't exactly "animal friendly" so to speak, BUT, I will say that my resume will state otherwise. I've had plenty of professional experience with animal handling and care--zoos, the Humane Society, World Bird Sanctuary, etc. In fact, I'm officially a volunteer at WBS as a rehabilitation technician. It's really cool and fun, but most of all rewarding. Some people do it for bragging rights (i.e. "I get to handle hawks, owls, eagles, etc."). I won't lie, those are some pretty cool bragging rights; however, for me it's all about the animals. Everything that I do there is for those raptors (no...no, not velociraptors), and for my interest in learning everything there is to know about them. Not to mention in the hospital, all the work that we do is to get the animal back in the wild where it belongs. There's no interacting; in fact, the less you interact, the better. Or in other words, less is more. Otherwise there is a huge risk of imprinting, which is bad. I never understood that as a kid, but now I realize that any interaction you have with a juvenile wild animal there is that imprinting risk. Anytime I work with animals I'm always observing, because with animals (at least, in my opinion), you learn so much more by watching their behaviors and interactions with each other than with you interacting with them. That's one of the themes in my book that I've written--there is huge emphasis on observation, and less with intervening and interacting. Especially with animals in the wild.
Observing is key for writing, especially when doing research. Which brings me to the point, actually getting involved is a crucial aspect. Don't get me wrong, observation gives you a lot of information; but actually getting up close and personal gives you a another aspect to consider. I know I just said that less is more, but that's why I volunteer at WBS. Not only do I get the opportunity to observe the behaviors of these animals, but I get to experience first hand. I can have my cake and eat it, too. Another example are horses. You'd be surprised at how many fictional horse books there are with the author having no experience with horses. I'm talking about little chapter books for young girls--I used to read them. I met one author who wrote some books of the same subject and said that she didn't own any horses, nor did she ride, but she had plenty of friends did and would ask them. She then told me that horses actually make her uncomfortable (which is understandable), but she got all of her information from her horse-riding friends. Now, that sounds pretty fair, right? Well, for me, I'd rather experience horses first hand--handling, care-taking, riding, working/training, everything that comes with the subject of horses. I actually did ride for a while, took lessons and everything, and let me tell you, nothing compares to the actual act of riding a horse. I'm not discrediting any author who researches by observing, but for those who aren't afraid to get their hands dirty (so to speak), I say go for it. Go big, or go home, as some might say.
So what to do with a degree in writing? Well, I'm still trying to figure that out. Besides writing, of course. Even then, I've lost a lot of motivation for my book. I think it's because I'm in the summer mindset. But school is over for me, at least, for now. I don't have any excuse. So, I'm trying to get this blog back up and going again. That's Step 1. Step 2, when the book doesn't appeal, go to my fanfics. Anything to keep me writing. Step 3...step 3 is....to....Read! When all else fails! Read, read, read.
READ!!!!!
And on that note, I'm going to pick up "The Complete Guide to Asperger's Syndrome" by Tony Attwood. So far it's been a good read on the syndrome. I was introduced to it by the game "To the Moon" by Kan Gao, it's on Steam. You should check it out, if you have Steam. Totally worth playing. And replaying. And replaying. Just make sure you have a box of tissues next to your computer.
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