peggy

in the summer of 1971, peggy left Harvard for CU Boulder and never looked back. her path is one of stunning transformation from working in high tech, to an assistant to a sheik to paralegal. this self proclaimed luddite is Boulder’s most recognized professional dog walker. peggy’s precious thing is her story.⁠..

esc: i’ve watched you from afar for so many years. now sitting across from you offers me such an opportunity to just listen. thank you for sharing your precious thing, your story. so do tell, how did you…⁠

peggy: how did i become a dog walker? well, i'm 72 years old. when I was 40, i was a paralegal. i thought i was going to die. i was so overworked and overweight. i worked well, and it was hard work, and i was just exhausted.⁠

my friend asked, “what's the matter?” i said, “i don't want to work as a paralegal, i want to walk my dog.” he asked, “why don't you walk other people's dogs?" i said, "oh, sure, dog walkers make enough money to pay their bills and have a life?!” and he said, “oh yes, as a matter of fact!” i was in shock. ⁠

esc: you were grinding for so long and took that necessary pause, and said, “this is affecting me. what is my passion?” and it's, I love dogs. you figured out how to make your passion work for you.⁠

so, you took on new clients. dogs. how did this change the energy inside your body? ⁠

peggy: the angst was gone. i had a little bit of anxiety about meeting the dogs because i thought, well, got to make sure we get along...

i started walking dogs for CU students mostly, but they would all leave eventually. that wasn’t very satisfying. i thought, “i don't want to be without that dog.” I said to myself, “i will change my business. instead of being a dog walker, i will be a dog person for that dog’s life and walk them.” that's what i want, just a few clients. but, i realized that i may not be able to afford this.⁠

esc: yeah, but you did. i have a feeling your clients have been liberated. in order to communicate with you they have to step back, write a note or leave a voicemail on your landline and simply wait. trusting you will respond.

peggy: that’s true. i don’t use a computer or cell phone. i mean, i have it somewhere. i'm not sure where it is, in the house somewhere. the computer and the cell phone are nowhere to be found. at first i thought, God, i’ve just written myself out of a job. but, i guess you’re right. it’s a trust thing. and, if they trust i will get back to them they will trust me with their dog. trust is a funny thing. i’m not sure with all of these gadgets like computers and cell phones that we just don’t trust each other as much anymore.

peggy: i'll just keep walking. i've been doing it now for 32 years.

esc: congratulations! you've been a professional dog walker…or should i say, dog person, for 32 years. i love how you made your passion work for you. you are a purist, dedicated to simplicity, consistency and devotion. when i see you and one of your fury clients walking up 9th, i smile knowing everything is right in the world.

peggy: I love it, baby. And, I’ll always love my dogs.

“my friend asked, what’s the matter? - i said, i don’t want to work as a paralegal, i want to walk my dog.”

— peggy

peggy

jack