Week One

All in all, it hasn't been a great week, both at work and in the outside world. This was my first week at Amra's and all week long I couldn't stop thinking about my kids up at the Lodges and how much I miss them. I almost starting crying on Tuesday as I pulled into the sanctuary and drove past the clinic parking lot to head across the street to the Heights. I have taken a few trips up to the Lodges to visit and work with one of my project dogs, Brenda, but it just isn't the same.I miss being up there, and while they do very interesting work at Amra's, I just keep wishing I was up at the Lodges. The differences between the Lodges and Amra's are like night and day. Amra's is a single building that houses 22 dogs; it wasn't really designed to operate in the way it is being used, so instead of having free indoor outdoor access at all times, the dogs are kept in smaller runs (probably about 10x30 feet) outside during the day and then they are moved inside into crates over night. In the summer, it stays warm enough that the dogs stay outside all the time, but in winter, they come in at night and on really cold days they will rotate the dogs into the building throughout the day so they can warm up. All the outside runs have corrugated tin roofs over half and a dog house for the dogs to get out of the sun or rain. The staff to dog ratio is better than at the Lodges and the goal each day is for each dog to get at least a half hour of individual attention from a staff member or volunteer. I like the idea of having a lot of time to actually work with the dogs, but I was rather frustrated this week when there were four staff members working in Amra's from 2-5 pm one afternoon - four staff for twenty two dogs - up at the Lodges, save for two days a week when there are five, there are four staff for the entire population of both sides of the Lodges which is currently in the vicinity of 75 dogs. It made me want to walk out the door and head up to the Lodges for the afternoon. Granted, the event of four staff isn't that frequent at Amra's, but honestly, I feel like I would be of more use up at the Lodges.

I will say, there are some really cool dogs at Amra's. We have a little guy named Beans and he will sneeze on command. It's hysterical, and when you take him out for a walk, he will sit at the door and wait for you to open it (something they teach all the dogs to do at Amra's - in theory anyway) and if you are taking too long to open it, he will start sneezing in an effort to get you to open it faster. It is one of those "Is this what you want?" moments when a dog isn't entirely sure what you are waiting for so they will start doing everything in their repertoire to get the reward.

I know that I need to give it a little more time, but as of right now, my heart really isn't in it. I am back to dragging myself out of bed for work each morning and I can't stand feeling like that. I have to give it some time, but then there is that part of me that keeps saying what if you never start liking it and after a month you go to management and ask to be moved back, then the staff at Amra's will have to go through the entire training process again with someone new and I feel guilty at the idea of that, too. I am sure everything will eventually work itself out, and hopefully next week will be better, but I just miss the Lodges so much right now, that I can't get past the sadness of not being up there.

Sorry for the downer post, hopefully the next one will be lighter. I probably won't get around to a post tomorrow, but I will be pet sitting starting on Wednesday and will have Internet access at the house, so perhaps, if you are all really good there might be a mid-week post or two. I hope everyone else's week was better than mine and that this coming week is just fantastic!

(All photos copyright Best Friends Animal Society.)