Aaron Kennedy
Features Reporter

If you have ever seen a young, athletic-looking woman walking or riding a bike with a half-dozen dogs trailing obediently behind her in Grand Junction, chances are it’s Erika Hall.

“There’s no better creature on earth than a dog,” Hall said. “They’re so tried-and-true, they don’t judge you and they love you unconditionally. It’s something humans don’t do.”

Nearly two years ago, Hall started Strutt Your Mutt, a one-woman dog-walking and training business, in order to share her passion about, knowledge of and connection with dogs. Business is thriving, and Hall’s services are usually booked out two months in advance.

Sometimes being calm and confident is more important than rushing down the beaten path. It has taken Hall, who is originally from Oregon and has a Bachelor’s degree in sociology and political science, some time to find the perfect career.

“I worked at the Egg and I for two years. Over this time, I developed my methods for bringing balance to dogs’ lives,” said Hall, who also studies the methods of Cesar Millan from the television show “Dog Whisperer.”

Seven days a week, for four to five hours at a time, Hall walks her canine clients along the Riverfront Trail, through the Redlands and all the way out on Patterson Road and around Sherwood Park.

“I change my route every day,” Hall said. “Dogs can get bored walking the same trail day after day.”

When trying to understand your dog, Hall says to look at them from a dog’s point of view, not from a human point of view. Try to re-create what would happen in the wild. When your dog stays at home alone, it doesn’t receive the benefit of the pack mentality and therefore can develop frustration or separation anxiety, both problems that Hall works with.

“I feel like my methods are not just for dogs. It’s dog psychology for humans,” Hall said.

Some final canine advice from Hall for college students wanting to own a dog: find an “easy” breed. It will be harder to manage a high-maintenance dog like a small breed that can constantly jump on your kitchen table or on your lap. Also, a more powerful breed may be tough because of its pure muscle. First-time owners may want to adopt a dog that is past the puppy stage because potty training is the hardest skill to teach. Hall suggests “a Labrador or Retriever for a first time dog owner.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

akennedy2@mavs.coloradomesa.edu