I’m walking a dog professionally this week, a half hour each morning after the kids have left for school.

Picking up the dog was no problem. I did struggle a little bit with the key, but she had told me during the meet and greet that the key sticks a little, that I have to wiggle it.

I managed to get inside so I decided to lock that door from the inside and leave with the dog from a side door which was lockable from inside as well.

When we got back from the long walk down to the lake in sunny but very cold weather, I stuck the key in the lock and wiggled like I did before.

Nothing happened.

I did it again, multiple times, and this time, the key wouldn’t even go all the way in.

The dog, a two-year-old 100-pound golden Lab, was getting a little fidgety and stuck his big head between my thigh and the door frame. This wasn’t helpful but I didn’t want to let go of him, so I motioned for him to walk a few steps toward the back of the porch where I fed him some kibble. He was a good boy, and while he was distracted by the treats, I tried the key again.

Nothing.

So, I took the dog to the side door and tried my key in that lock. Of course it didn’t work. Next, we went to the backyard and after a few minutes of trying to figure out how the gate on the top of the wooden deck works, I tried the sliding doors.

Locked, and the key didn’t fit, either. (I suspected that but still wanted to try.)

On the way back down the wooden steps I fell off the last one because the Lab was confused and he tugged a little, which surprised me. Meh. Last thing I need is a broken ankle.

I reassured the pooch that all was well and whipped out my phone.

“Are you still home?”

He was supposed to leave for a training flight, but he was still monitoring weather.

“Do we have any WD40?” I wanted to know and explained my predicament.

We did and so I took the confused Lab and promised him another mini walk. It just so happened that his house is only one street over from mine.

When I got to my house I noticed the car was gone so I knew his flight was on. But he left me the oil can in a plastic bag on the front porch for which I was grateful.

Pooch and I returned to his house and repeated the scenario: me with the key and him with the kibble.

I sprayed the WD40 into the key hole with that long, thin tube that it comes with, stuck the key in, and lo, it turned and opened the door.

🙂

The Lab was quite happy to enter his home, and I reassured him some more, gave him some more kibble, petted him, and promised I’d be back tomorrow morning for another walk.

Note to self for future dog walking adventures: always try the key out during meet and greets, and keep a can of WD40 in the car (if the dog walking is far away from my own home) to save the day if such a situation presents itself again.