Searching for a Career

Unfortunately, I wasn’t booked with enough dog training appointments to pay the bills. In fact, the money I earned was only enough for occasional splurges from time to time. I was fortunate that Brad’s financial support for our children and me came in without fail, but I wasn’t content to ride on his coattails forever. I desperately wanted to pull my own weight and make a mark on the world. With all of the responsibilities I had taken on, in addition to taking care of the kids, I found little time for a social life, let alone a career.

I had high expectations for myself when my marriage broke up, but I had no idea how difficult it would be for me to find someone the second time around. I wanted someone who loved me, loved my kids, and loved dogs. I also wanted someone who I thought was a good role model. He absolutely had to have as many assets as I had. That meant he needed to own a house. In my social and occupational circle, it wasn’t likely. Sure there were men out there who were interested, but the standup type of guy I had in mind wasn’t forthcoming.

When I took a step back and looked at my situation, I realized that I was asking for a lot on my end. I didn’t have much of an income, but more importantly, I didn’t have the time. I decided it was best to focus on my career because until I got that worked out, I really didn’t want to move forward with a new relationship anyway.

I still needed a job that paid a salary, not just cash in hand or minimum wage, like I had become accustomed. I also wanted to feel like I was contributing to society in a positive way. At the same time, I also needed something flexible so I could care for my children and at a minimum my two dogs. I needed to get the ball rolling and make some kind of change. Then one day, I had an idea that came from trying to merge my passion for working with dogs and helping people into a career.

I wanted to perform pet therapy with Hardy and Chico. They seemed like the perfect animals to do this type of work. They were small and easy to manage, they were entertaining, and they both really enjoyed being lap pets. I began kicking around different concepts, talking to clients, friends, and family members. Finally, I came up with an idea that was well received by everyone. I could start up a non-profit therapy dog organization. If it worked, I could be the executive director one day.