The Houghton's Dog Walking Service @ Madison

My name is Emma! I'm a musician. My boyfriend and I are in a band. We don't work away from home very often and have lots of free time, which we love to spend with our princess Maddy. I love dogs so much because the love they give to their owners is true unconditional love, and bonding with a dog is the most rewarding thing I've ever done with my time.
My dog Maddy is special. She is a mix of breeds, one of which is either and English or an Australian Shepherd. These breeds some genetic issues when bred irresponsibly. Miss Maddy is what is known as s "lethal white". She had too much white pigment on her body, which resulted unfortunately in her being deaf. She is lucky though! She has some blond coloring throughout her fur, and brown eyes- so she isn't blind as well (which is common with these genetic disabilities). She doesn't let being deaf slow her down one bit. The good thing is, she doesn't even know she's deaf. She was born this way! So Maddy goes through life with a giant smile on her face and not a care in the world. I believe for Maddy is has been very good for her to be deaf. She is a very calm dog and she doesn't seem very effected by her disability besides the very important fact that she must be on a leash or in a fence when outside- because she can't hear cars too sense their danger, and is at risk of getting hit. Maddy had absolutely no idea that cars could hit her, but she does know that she is very loved. They call these dogs "lethal whites" because they are usually killed at birth by the breeder. I am so grateful Maddy survived, because we both need each other. My husband and I both take Maddy on all kinds of adventures to keep the senses she does have stimulated. From what I have observed, Maddy has a superior nose! She loves to use her sense of smell to alert her of changes in her environment. When other dogs ears move when they hear the door open, Maddy's nose is in the air sniffing to see if she can tell who it is. Some people ask me why I would have wanted to take on the responsibility of a deaf dog. At first I was nervous and concerned maybe I had bitten off more than I could chew, but she is an incredible dog and I wouldn't change a thing about her even if I could. She is perfect and very happy the way she is.

Other skills

This is not pet related, but I have worked with children whom have autism for 10+ years and have an extensive background in behavior management. I feel like this training has prepared me for working with animals. (Not to say these children were like animals, but the patients and consistency you have to maintain is very similar).