Odd Job

Ideally people grow up and would like to have a job they are passionate about. A Naperville woman, Jane Dale, takes this to a whole new level. Dale is a 35-year-old married woman and a mother of two girls. Unfortunately, her husband Mike is allergic to dogs so she found another way to combine her love for dogs with working. She opened a dog-walking service.
It is difficult having animals and being away at work all day. In many Naperville neighborhoods, the majority of husbands and wives have jobs.
“Since I am at home during the day anyways, I have made my own dog walking business for our neighborhood. I enjoy walking with them and playing with them so that they aren’t kept inside and in a cage all day,” Dale says. “I have been an animal lover my entire life. I’m sad that my family isn’t able to have a dog of our own, but I make the most out of it by providing my services to the families that have dogs and need attention during the day.”
Dale doesn’t even charge her customers for her help. She believes that it is payment enough to be able to play with dogs that her family can never have.
“Although Jane refuses to accept any money, I treat her with a nice bottle of wine or take her out to dinner to show my appreciation,” one of her customers, Deb Wysocki says.
Her favorite part about her walking dog business is that she becomes so close to the owners, she feels like the dogs are partly hers as well. She is able to get the happiness and joy out of the dogs without actually owning one.
“My friends all thought I was a little crazy when I first mentioned this idea to them. They all know how desperately I wish that I were able to have a dog so they approved of the idea immediately,” she says. “ I think they let me at first to be nice, but now I think they really appreciate it. Their dogs are able to get to go outside and have interaction during the day instead of being cooped up inside.”
Although it is not a very common job, Dale receives much pleasure out walking the dogs each day. Being a stay at home mom can get very boring sometimes, but she has found a great way to stay busy.
“Some people get caught up in their jobs, I get tangled up,” she laughs.