Building relationships as the newest caregiver at CSNW is one of the most rewarding aspects of coming to work at a new (to me) sanctuary. Today I will talk about just a couple of my relationships in progress.
Starting with Burrito!
I think all the sanctuaries I’ve worked or interned at had one individual who welcomes new people with glee and invitations to play endless games of chase. I this it’s safe to say that Burrito is that person here at CSNW, his playful personality, love for walks and good natured mischief is definitely one of the the first things that made me immediately feel welcomed at CSNW and like I had come to the right place. It has been endless walks on Young’s Hill, where his favorite game is that of Misdirection – making me believe we are going downhill only to turn around and sprint back up, and of course I have no choice but to follow… not that I would have it any other way. Watching him run up hill while laughing is the best reward I can think of.
Next up, who else could it be but Jamie:
Jamie is definitely one of the more complicated personalities to get to know, she can be very strict in how she wants things done, am I learning. Individuals like Jamie tend to be some of my favorites to build relationships with no matter how long it takes. Lately I’ve been setting aside time most afternoons to find Jamie and see if she would like to hang out for a bit. She usually takes me up on it, possibly to keep an eye on me and study me more closely to learn my habits. So we have developed somewhat of a routine where I show up in the afternoon and she grooms me with a provided tool or one she finds herself. She seems to really enjoy grooming some of my tattoos, especially the one of my Bushbaby, and then she likes to inspect each of my fingers. For today this is good progress- Jamie decides what tomorrow will bring.
