Their Dog Has a Huge Case of Separation Anxiety, by Dr. Robert Wallace

DR. WALLACE: Our next-door neighbors are nice people, but they have a small dog that has a huge case of separation anxiety.

Sometimes they have to go somewhere for several hours, and they can’t take their dog with them. When this happens, the dog literally barks every 5 to 10 seconds the whole time.

When we mentioned this to the family, they asked me, since I’m a high school student, if I could watch the dog either at their house or bring him over to our house for a few hours so we wouldn’t all be distracted by his constant loud barking.

I’ve done this a couple of times, and the dog does stay calm when we’re with him, but my dad is telling me the neighbor should be paying me for babysitting their dog! I’ve never been offered any money from them, and I don’t know how to ask them to pay me for helping them out. What’s the best way to do this and not upset my neighbors? — This Dog Is Needy, via email

THIS DOG IS NEEDY: Perhaps you could print up a few flyers and hand them out around the neighborhood to promote a new dog-sitting/walking business for your neighborhood!

You could put a reasonable hourly rate on your flyers and hand them out or put them in the mailboxes of all the houses in your neighborhood. And as you’re doing this, be sure to hand one to your neighbor with the needy dog, and as you’re doing so, smile sweetly, and ask them if they would be willing to become the first clients of your new business. Tell them how much you enjoy their dog and how their situation actually inspired you to create a small part-time business. This should get your message across effectively and tactfully. Plus, with a little luck, other neighbors may need to have their dogs walked or “sat” from time to time, which may be both fun and profitable for you as well.

I’M READY TO WORK IN MY FIELD, NOT TAKE CLASSES IN IT

DR. WALLACE: I’m a senior who’s a really good student in school, but I’m more interested after I graduate from high school in working in the arts field rather than attending college.

I’m already a decent painter, sculptor and designer. Almost everyone in my family is telling me to continue pursuing my passions but to take some college courses in these fields along the way.

Do you feel it’s worth my time and energy to peel off some hours from my future work pursuits to consider getting a degree along the way? — I’m Ready to Work, Not Attend College

I’M READY TO WORK, NOT ATTEND COLLEGE: At your age, with the wind at your back as a talented artist, and already full of youthful energy, I would absolutely encourage you to at least take a few classes in a local college that specializes in the fields you are so passionate about.

Remember that there is no race here and that you don’t need to push yourself to take a full-time course load as you’re beginning to work on your own. But by slowly and gradually leveraging your education into the vast years you have in front of you, even gradual participation in college will ultimately yield you a degree in your field in time. That could be quite valuable to you later, as you may wish to teach others at some point in your life. A degree can become a huge steppingstone toward obtaining a teaching credential, if you ever opt to seek one. Additionally, being exposed to professors who have a similar passion to yours will also be a great benefit to your developing career overall.

I say start slowly and gradually, keep an open mind and let the passage of time allow you to steadily accumulate some college credits going forward. Five to 10 years from now, you may be very happy that you did so.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at [email protected]. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: Mysaell Armendariz at Unsplash