If you are a busy professional who works long hours, a stay at home parent with a to-do list that never ends and includes more time on the road than an Uber driver, your dog may be taking a backseat in terms of time, attention and the all important potty and exercise breaks. A Professional Dog Walker can rescue you and your dog from this cycle.
Dog Walker, Does Your Dog Need One?
Dog Training Follow Through is Important
Dog Training Follow Through, the importance of Consistency.
When consulting with a prospective training client, I am often asked “How much training will my dog need?”. My answer, “That depends on many variables. Your dog of course, but mostly on your consistency and follow through in applying the techniques you will be learning.”. [Read more…]
Helping Your Fearful Dog Gain Confidence
Living In Fear, Helping Your Fearful Dog Gain Confidence
Living a life filled with fear or anxiety is no fun for humans or dogs. In fact, it is a terrible way to live. Feelings of anxiety, nervousness and fear flood the body with toxic chemicals and can shorten a lifespan. Helping your fearful dog gain confidence can be as simple as introducing exercise into their routine, implementing basic obedience skills, coping skills and using something pleasurable (food or toys) to change the way your dog feels about the fearful object or environment.
Don’t Bake Your Dog (Dogs In Hot Cars)
Yes, you heard me! As the days begin to warm, the temperatures in your car become hot. Hot enough to kill your dogs in hot cars. It only takes 10 minutes for the inside of your car to reach a temperature that can cause heatstroke in your dog. According to Jules Benson DVM “Heat stroke can permanently damage a pet’s health very rapidly. The change of only a few degrees to a dog’s normal body temperature can quickly result in coma, organ dysfunction, permanent brain damage, even death”.
Your dog’s body temperature of 101°- 102.5° is already naturally higher than a human’s. Coupled with the fact that in minutes the temperature inside your car can soar to deadly levels even on a relatively cool spring or summer day. [Read more…]
10 Important Questions to Ask When Hiring a Pet Sitter
10 Important Questions to Ask When Hiring a Pet Sitter
I’m sure like most pet owners, you feel that your pets are not just animals they are family members. As such you want to make sure that whoever is caring for them is qualified to do so. As a professional pet sitter, I have heard many horror stories from new clients regarding non-professionals they have used in the past. From pets left for days without food or water, to their pet sitter canceling on them at the last minute, to the person bringing other people, friends or family members into their home, to medications not being administered correctly or at all, to complete no shows and more! These tragedies and more are what caused them to seek out a professional pet sitting service.
There a many pet sitting clearing houses online these days such as care.com, rover.com, sittercity just to name a few. On these sites anyone can sign up and present themselves as a pet sitter. While there are professionals who post on these sites, BEWARE, many are no more than hobbyists or folks who have little to no experience at all.
REMEMBER, WHILE CARING FOR YOUR PET, THIS PERSON WILL HAVE FULL ACCESS TO YOUR HOME AND YOUR POSSESSIONS. [Read more…]
5 Simple Tips for Protecting Pets in Cold Weather
Protecting pets in cold weather is a must. As cold weather
begins to be the norm in the coming months, it’s time to think about your pets. There are steps you can take to protect them from the cold as well as keep them comfortable whether on a walk or even inside your home.
Humidify for comfort. Cold temperatures are accompanied by dry air which can affect your pet in many ways. Dry throats, static electricity, difficulty breathing and dry itchy skin can indicate that a humidifier is needed. [Read more…]
5 Simple Tips for Getting Your Dog to Behave in Public
Getting your dog to behave in public can be frustrating especially if you have a high
energy dog or if he/she is a young dog or puppy.
Many places we may want to take our dogs are so much more exciting from the dog’s perspective. Take Petsmart for example. Petsmart is pretty exciting from a dog’s point of view (the smell of food, treats, other dogs, happy, friendly people that say hello in a high pitched excited voice while offering treats etc). Get the picture?
To help your dog learn how to remain calm and attentive in these types of [Read more…]
Coconut Oil for Dogs, Hot or Hype?
Coconut Oil for Dogs. Hot or Hype?
It seems every time you turn around there is a new discovery. What’s old is new, what’s new is old. Currently Coconut based products are all the rage. What are the benefits and downsides and how does this apply to your pets?? Coconut Oil for Dogs, Hot or Hype?
Coconut Oil is a Tropical Treat! Considered a “Superfood” Coconut Oil provides many benefits to pets (and people). From improving [Read more…]
Dog Walking, We Have No Idea When You’ll Return
As a professional, while dog walking we may meet your neighbors and they may ask “When will she be back?” “I don’t know.” Wait! You don’t know when your clients are coming back from their vacation? You won’t tell a well-meaning neighbor (supposedly) that your client will be back on X day? It’s not like they are going to break in or anything! Sheesh! Maybe they were just making conversation. Maybe they are on Neighborhood watch duty and the Lilburn pet sitter looked suspicious.
I get it. I look totally creepy. While dog walking my jeans and company T-shirt are alarming. Maybe it’s my hair? The [Read more…]