it's true what they say - you learn something new every day.

today i learned that large breed dogs, for instance great danes, are often very clumsy. and prone to injury. i've learned that they don't realize what a bad idea running head on into a sliding glass door is, until they've done it. nor are they able to comprehend that jumping off of the back of a couch onto a slippery surface such a wood laminate, is not a very good idea.

i've also learned that sometimes if you don't know whether to laugh hysterically or let out a worried little gasp, it's best to just wait and see how an event plays out. the glass door fiasco resulted in me laughing hysterically as madison was shaking it off and no doubt wondering how the hell the door got closed without her noticing. the flying off the couch incident lead to a worried little gasp on my part, for it resulted in her limping around for a good five minutes. she seems to be fine now though. geesh... puppies. *g*

so hey, jumping onto a completely different train of thought...

someone asked me the other day if i could train their dog outside of the environment where i currently work and train dogs. this is not the first time i've been asked this question. (in fact, i get asked quite often.) basically, they like me and want me to work with their dog, but not under the conditions put in place by the company i work for. each time, this last one included, i've politely declined and referred them elsewhere.

and then i found out that independent trainers make about ten times more than i do. not to mention, their schedule isn't set. (i get to make my own schedule as in when i have a class, but i have no say in how long the course runs, as that's predetermined.)

so that got me to thinking - why not just do this training thing on my own? if i was able to pull in even two clients, just two new clients a week (on average), i'd be making a hell of a lot more than i am now.

however... i'm no fool and realize a couple things: 1) i'm not well established. most trainers that have their own gigs have been in the biz for 14+ years. 2) i have no operating base, other than perhaps a local park. 3) if i couldn't pull in those two clients per week, i'd be screwed.

so that got me to thinking about doing it on the side, in addition to my regular job. the issue there though, is that company policy dictates that i not do anything that could be viewed as competition.

so i'm left with a little moral dilemma of sorts. a big huge corporation is telling me not to train dogs outside of what they pay me to do, because they don't want additional competition. and in all honesty, i owe my training to them. on the other hand, they pay me shit, treat me worse, and many people don't get their dogs trained because they don't want to accept the terms of said corporation.

i'm thinking, weeeell... the right thing to do would to be just continue about my merry way and be a model employee. but what i can't help but wonder is, just how wrong is it really, if i were to offer my services outside of work?

i'm such a goody two-shoes that this is no doubt all talk... i'm just really curios as to how the rest of the world would respond to this. what would you do? would you consider it wrong to keep your job AND do a little work on the side? or would you think, hey there's no harm in a little extra moola?

this inquiring mind would like to know your thoughts. but please, keep in mind - i haven't done, and probably won't do, anything - so no moral lectures, thanks. *g*

any thoughts? (0)����������������