Since the holidays are right around the corner, many owners are looking for someone to care for their pets. If your like me, you want the best fit possible and someone you can trust. Your neighbors and friends might be a good fit, but if the pet is not healthy, older or needs medication, it might be better to find another option.

Your primary vet is one, so is a kennel if you have a dog, but if neither of these quite fit your pets personality, then the next option would be to find a personalized service, such as a pet sitter.

While reading the newspaper I came across an article on how to find the right petsitter for you and your extend fur family.

I thought the it was worth sharing,since many have questions on what a petsitter does,as well as how to go about hiring a “Professional” petsitter.

One of the first steps when looking for a pet sitter is to make sure  they are licensed, bonded and insured

*Check references.

• Interview the pet sitter before hiring them to make sure they fit your needs.

• Watch your pet’s reaction to the potential pet sitter, and how he or she interacts with your pet. (They are your best indicators)

• Request updates while you’re away. (Many of my clients have me text them daily)

• Write down detailed instructions for each task before you leave, and ask if there are extra fees for services such as medication dispensing or cleaning multiple litter boxes.

• Also, ask if the pet sitter will help in other ways, such as checking the mail or watering plants. (My service includes these)

• Establish a back-up sitter just in case. (I always have a back up pet sitter, who is licensed and insured)

• Make sure the pet sitter has your contact information. If you provide a cell phone number, make sure it has service where you’re going.

• List emergency contact numbers, including those of a back-up pet sitter, relative and veterinary clinic.

• Include your authorization for emergency vet charges, including how much you’re willing to pay.

• Provide medication amounts and times to administer, how much food to provide and where to look if your cats hide.

• Leave extra food and supplies somewhere in plain view, such as on the counter.

I saw this in a monthly news letter I get and thought I would post this in its entirety.

Written by Casey Lomonaco, KPA CTP

Seasonal pet health hazards should be considered during the extreme temperatures of both winter and summer. Keeping pets safe during the summer is easiest if you know what the risks are and how to manage them for your dog’s safety.

The dog days of summer provide lots of opportunities for fun with your dog (camping, hiking, swimming, kayaking and backpacking, to name a few) but also bring a unique set of health hazards and risks pet owners should be aware of; including, but not limited to: dehydration, burned pads, parasite infestation, heat stroke, leptospirosis, and seasonal allergies.

Six Common Summer Hazards for Dogs

1. Dehydration
One of the best ways to keep your dog safe in the summer time is by providing lots of cool, clean, fresh water. Consider preparing low sodium chicken broth or yogurt ice cubes, and introducing canned dog foods (best when frozen in a Kong!) to increase the moisture content in your dog’s diet.

2. Burned Pads
Under the summer sun, asphalt on sidewalks and streets can heat to a temperature that can burn a dog’s paws. To avoid scorched paws, walk your dog very early in the morning or in the late evening when the streets have cooled off. If you must walk your dog during the day, dog booties can protect his feet. Always put your hand down on the asphalt for about thirty seconds – if you must pull your hand away because the street is too hot, it is too hot for your dog to walk on without hurting his paws. If you don’t want your hand on the street for thirty seconds, your dog probably does not want his paws on it for thirty or more minutes of walking.

3. Parasites
Summer is the season for fleas and ticks, and mosquitoes; pests which can present a minor discomfort to your dog at best and at worst may be life threatening or cause self-mutilating behaviors. Feeding your dog a high quality diet, without preservatives or chemicals will build his immune system, making him generally more resistant to parasite infestation. There are a wide variety of preventatives on the market, including chemical spot-on treatments, repellent shampoos, essential oils, and flea and tick collar; talk to your vet to see what she recommends for your dog. Cleaning your house frequently and keeping your dog well groomed will also reduce the risk of parasite infestation.

4. Heat Stroke
Heat stroke is a serious risk to dog’s health – in worst case scenarios, it can be fatal. You can prevent heat stroke by restricting your pet’s exercise during the hottest hours of the day (early morning or late evening are the best times for exercise during the summer), by making sure he is well hydrated, providing cool places for him to relax, providing opportunities to swim, cooling mats, and by never leaving your dog unattended in the car during summer heat.

Many dogs die annually in hot cars. Even if your windows are cracked or you park in the shade, heat can build quickly in a car in the summer, turning it into an oven. If it’s 95 degrees at noon and you leave your windows cracked, the temperature in your car may still rise as high as 113 degrees. This is a recipe for disaster for your dog. If you must leave your dog in the car for any period of time, the air conditioning should stay on. Leaving a dog to die in a hot car is not just a health risk for your dog, but may be cause for animal cruelty charges in some area. The solution? Don’t leave your dog in a hot car.

5. Leptospirosis
Leptospirosis is contracted through bodily fluids or tissue and can be transmitted through direct (as in the case of a bite or ingestion of flesh) or indirect contact (through water sources, food, etc.) with an infected animal. Stagnant waters are a common source of leptospirosis bacteria. Lepto can cause permanent health problems or death if not treated quickly. Symptoms include fever, vomiting, trembling/shaking, lethargy, anorexia, tenderness of joints and muscles, and increased water intake. If you suspect your dog has lepto, get him to a vet right away, an emergency vet if need be.

There are vaccines for lepto but they do not prevent all strains and can cause significant adverse reactions. Talk to your vet about weighing the risk of infection with the risks associated with the lepto vaccine.

6. Seasonal Allergies
Your dog may be allergic to one or more seasonal items, which include fleas, grass and various plants, and mold. If you suspect your dog may have seasonal allergies, is scratching and perhaps losing fur, a visit to your vet is recommended.

I just came across this article. Its very interesting, since I have five dogs of various ages and since I walk dogs.

I am just copying and pasting the article here. Doesn’t have an author to give credit too.

I am very excited to look out the window this morning and see yet another day of sun. Feels great.

Its also  great day to take your dogs out for a stroll. Just remember that even though its not in the high 80′s that dogs can still get over heated, so take plenty of water with you. If you have a white dog, like I do, remember to use dog safe sunscreen so they do burn. Yes, dogs can get sunburns just like humans.

Have a great Sunday from the House of Pawz (HoP)

Another year is upon us. I hope this one see’s more people getting back to work and the economy stabilizing.

I know it is has affected all of us. The trickle down effect, so to speak. January is always a slow time in retail and business, so it gives me time to reflect and re-organize my priorities.

One of those is how to market my business via the internet. I am an avid user and believer in technology. There really isn’t anything I do not do these days that doesn’t require me to be on the computer or my smart phone. I blog, twitter and facebook all in the name of getting my business out there to my clients and also to new clients. Becoming more efficient and available for my established clients is another important area for me.

In the coming year, I am going to find news ways in which I can reach pet owners through the web. Since dog walking and pet sitting for me is only a ten mile radius, it make the demographics of study a bit challenging.

I guess you  could say this is my New Years resolution. I think we all need something to work towards.

To my established clients, I thank you and I will be working hard at making  your experience with my business even better.

With permission to cross-post I give you a real pet hero that went above and beyond the call of duty.

This is a situation this last week that happened to a fellow pet sitter. She was pet sitting three cats for a client that was going out of town on vacation for the holiday. The pet sitters initial visit with the client meant getting all the right documentation down. Where crates are kept, vets address and phone number, cat’s favorite hideouts, fire extinguishers, etc. (As professionals we take our jobs seriously).

The day before the cat sit, the client informed her she had hired a painting crew to remove lead paint from the outside of her house using an environmentally safe method. The environmentally safe method they were using? Propane torches to heat the paint then scrape it off. (yes, this is an accepted practice).

During her second visit as she was attempting to bring one shy cat out of her shell, when suddenly someone started banging on the door. As she opened the door all she could see was a cascade of water pouring over the front entry way, seeing no one she shut the door, but then came the banging on a side door, the cats by then had scattered and were in hiding. She opened the side door and one of the painters was yelling that the house was on fire, to get out and call 911.

As she was dialing 911, she was also focused on getting the three cats out as well. The first cat she put into his carrier. But the other two were no where to be found. Smoke started to fill the house and she found out that an attic fan was pulling the fire into the house, so she needed to go into the basement and shut off all power.

Because she had the client fill out a questioner on where the breaker box and cat carriers were, she was able to locate everything. The fire department arrived by then and took over the situation. As she could not get to the other two cats, she was able to give the carriers to the fire department and tell them the exact location where the cats would be hiding. The Portland fire department did a wonderful job of rescuing the two remaining cats.

After securing the safety of all three cats, the pet sitter then called the owner informing her of the situation. In her own words, “ As I see it, after safeguarding all three cats, my job as a
professional at this point was to try to help safeguard my client’s
possessions, then help the fire department figure out how it happened, and then answer any questions they had.”

Through out this ordeal, which took over 4.5 hours, she was in constant contact with the owner, taking notes, working with the client’s handyman and a hiring disaster recovery specialist, (by consent of the owner), recovering personal items, and taking the time to go to a store, buy all new cat products and taking the cats to the owners friend for safe keeping and giving the cats extra love.

To give recognition where it’s due here is our hero for the year:

*Sherry Hasslacher, owner of Sherry’s House Pet Sitting & Dog Walking

With the economy looking bleak and people cutting back, there is one expense people are not curtailing, their pets. In a survey conducted by the Associated Press in Dec. 2008, just one in seven pet owners said they had curtailed spending on their pets.

I read this in a monthly magazine the other day and I for one have to agree while I have cut back drastically on many things, my dogs and their life style are not one of them. If your like me, your dogs are your family and you will do pretty much anything to keep them healthy and happy. If only my dogs knew how good they had it.

I recently had a discussion on whether to send dogs to a kennel or keep them home. While kennels are great places for some pets, others are not so happy to be there. That said, there are several reasons why hiring a pet sitter to be with your pets and/ or sitting overnight might be the better alternative. Your pet might be ill, have separation anxiety or you want sole attention paid to your pets. One thing to bear in mind,however, is it is going to cost the owner an average of 30% or more to to hire a  professional pet sitter for overnights. Is this worth it? It depends on whether you want a more personalized service or not.  

I, for one want a more personalized service and am willing factor in the expense. I want my dogs in their own home, not a place where they are competing for some one’s undivided attention. Where they can sleep and play in familiar surroundings. For this, yes I pay more. It is a personalized service.I am asking the pet sitter for their undivided attention, for their time and money spent on gas to drive out to my house just to keep my dogs happy. I don’t ask for “discounts” because I know that they are giving their time for just my dogs. Is it worth it? You bet, I come home to happy dogs. My house is still the same, my plants are watered, my mail has been brought in. I am more than happy to pay the price for the well being of my dogs.

As a pet sitter, I provide not only the convenience of keeping your dog or cat home where they are most comfortable, but I interact one on one. No multiple dogs to divide my attention among. Where the dogs are taken for a walk when they are used to be taken, not when time is slotted for each dog. Where your cats can play, be brushed and feel the attention is solely on them.  I am there to not only watch your animals but to watch your house as well.

The standard for deciding between a kennel and professional pet sitter  is to evaluate who will provide the best care to your animals. Don’t let price be your only judging factor, think of your pet first.

Recently, as I was walking two of my regular dogs, it occurred to me that perhaps I needed a bag to put all the items I had sticking out of my pockets into.

Here I was walking along and it started to rain, just a little mind you, but enough to get me to start thinking about a messenger bag. At this time, I had two cell phones, poop bags, an extra leash and two sets of keys all crammed in my front and back pockets. Of course I could have used an umbrella at that moment as well, but where to put it.

I started looking at messenger bags. I prefer to buy handmade items made by small business owners, so I started looking online. I found what I was looking by way of Zoe’s Bag Boutique

I wanted a messenger bag made specifically for me that fit my style and my pet sitting/ dog walking business.  The owner of this boutique let me pick out my own fabric and I chose her new line of bags, which has a unique style that lets you change flaps. I have two different fabric prints that I can change when the mood strikes. Now I have a custom made messenger bag that I can put my keys, extra leash, bottled water, cell phones, poop bags and yes, even an umbrella. I am now set, now….where did those dogs go?

You can see my custom bag here: Zoe’s Blog

One of things I enjoy doing on Sundays is grabbing a cup of coffee then heading over to my big comfy chair to read the morning newspaper. This, however is done “after” I have fed all six of my dogs. They would wither up and die of starvation if I didn’t immediately feed them upon cracking open my eyes..or they seem to think so anyway.

I often look for articles about pets. Events, rescues, tips, tricks or the occasional heart warming stories. One Sunday I found an article on “How to save your pet’s life”. I saved the article and came across it again this week, so I thought I would share with you.

What would you do in an emergency? The best thing to do is stay calm, be prepared and act quickly, but be sure to remain cautious. In some case the animal could bite out of fear or pain.

CAR ACCIDENTS
A pet that has been hit by a car needs to see a vet immediately. Internal bleeding is common, and outward signs of distress may not show for several hours. Also, puncture wounds that close rapidly can cause life-threatening infections later on. Enlist someone’s help in moving the animal by sliding a heavy towel beneath it. To avoid being bitten, tie a strip of cloth over your dog’s nose, or cover your cat’s face with a coat.

BLEEDING
Using direct pressure, apply a clean, dry cloth to the wound. If blood soaks through the first layer of fabric, add more so you don’t disrupt any clots that may be forming. Use a tourniquet only as a last resort, and make it just tight enough to significantly reduce the flow of blood. Loosen it every five minutes, and don’t keep it on for longer than 20 minutes. Transport your pet to the vet as soon as possible.

CHOKING
Dogs or cats that are choking may breathe loudly, drool, paw at their mouth, cough, gag, become anxious, or faint. If this happens, gently open your pet’s mouth to locate and manually remove the object. If your pet isn’t breathing and you can’t find what is obstructing its windpipe, perform a modified Heimlich maneuver. With your pet facing away from you, clasp your hands around its waist, just beneath the rib cage. Compress the abdomen three to five times with quick upward thrusts. Repeat as necessary. If that doesn’t work, take your pet to the vet.

LOSS OF CONSCIOUSNESS
If your pet exhibits signs of cardiopulmonary arrest—unconsciousness, a weak or irregular pulse, no heartbeat, and no obvious signs of breathing—begin CPR. The techniques used on humans can be modified easily to work on animals. If possible, enlist someone else’s help—it’s best to perform CPR on your way to the hospital, so that resuscitation can be continued there. Do not attempt it on a conscious animal.

POISONING
Symptoms of poisoning include vomiting, diarrhea, salivation, excitability, difficulty breathing, disorientation, poor coordination, twitching, convulsions, and collapse. Common sources are medications, household cleaning products, rat poison, antifreeze, insecticides, and plants. Not all poisons are treated alike, so if you think your pet may have ingested something dangerous, head to the vet immediately. Try to bring any plant material, vomit, or toxic substances with you.

As you transport your pet to the hospital, provide a cover for warmth and talk in a soothing voice. That way, it’ll know it’s in good hands.

Do you have a First-Aid Kit for Fido or Kitty?

If not here is a list of things you should have on hand

• Phone number and directions to your nearest vet or 24-hour clinic

• Tweezers, to remove splinters, or ticks

• Antibiotic ointment for wounds

• Gauze bandage and bandage tape

• Wound disinfectant

• Heavy towel or blanket, in case you need to carry your pet

• Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) for allergic reactions

• Sterile saline for flushing eyes

• Disposable latex gloves

• Muzzle or strips of cloth, in case you have to bind the pets mouth

Today as I read the various news articles on the internet I came across an interesting tid bit that few owners might not be aware of.

Take from a direct quote Howstuffworks.com some veterinarians say dogs and cats can suffer from depression and seperation anxiety when they are left alone during the day or night. Studies show the more than 10 million dogs  in the US suffer from separation anxiety. They even go on to say that birds do as well. This seems likely as birds are such social animals.

If you think your dog is acting out, chewing, peeing, or listless when  you leave and then come back, this may be one of the causes.

It is another reason why hiring a pet sitter is becoming more and more popular among pet owners. It is one of the reasons I recommend checking out a pet sitter or even for the matter, if your dog can handle it, a kennel. Never leave for an extended period of time without first attempting one of these solutions.

Your dog, cat or bird will thank you for it.