Wordless Wednesday

Mara Jade - aka: The Werewolf

 

 


Cat Grooming Tips

 I found this awesome article on cat grooming, just thought I'd share.

For the record, none of these tips should be attempted without proper safety gear....Chain Maile or Full Plate Armour is highly recommended.

 <http://ezinearticles.com/?Cat-­Grooming:-­Tools,-­Tips,-­and-­Tricks-­For-­Quickly-­Pampering-­a-­Feline&id=6993679>.

The Benefits of Having a Professional Pet Sitter/Dog Walker

Dog Walking and Pet Sitting services in your own home have many benefits for you and your pets.  

 

Let's face it, the economy has us all tightening our belts, but the one expense we refuse to cut back on is the care of our pets. We may be buying cheaper shampoo, but “Princess” is still going to the groomer's once a month. That's how it is for us pet parents.

All Dogs Need Walkies!

Dog Walking Services:

You are probably asking yourself, “Is hiring someone to walk my dog everyday worth it?” The answer is yes. If you are gone for 10 hours a day, like most of us are...think of how your dog must feel for those 10 hours. Daily scheduled walks benefit the dog in many ways, not the just...”I GOTTA GO!!” potty breaks. Dogs require outside stimulation, exercise and socialization. Without these basic needs, your cute little Pomeranian can turn into Cujo.

Working dogs or “high energy dogs” really benefit from dog walking services. I'm owned by a Siberian Husky, more like a Werewolf than a dog...and if she doesn't get her 1 hour walk everyday...I am looking at a level of destruction that would rival Chernobyl. As long as she has her walkies before I go to work, she is fine. This also helps our training re-enforcement. Huskies pull, that is what they do....dogs that pull while walking make the whole bonding experience less than desirable. Hiring a professional dog walker to work with your dog on pulling issues and basic commands, really helps you! Consistent training that professional dog walkers offer makes YOUR walks with your pet much more enjoyable.

Overweight dogs are highly susceptible to Diabetes. If your veterinarian suggests more exercise and a dietary plan for your dog, a professional pet sitter can greatly contribute to your pets well being through additional exercise as well as helping you track your dogs progress.

Pet Sitting in YOUR home:

Before at home pet sitting became more mainstream, your only choice for pet care while you where away was a family member, Kennels or “Honey, we cant go”. You have more options these days, with the expanding pet care services. Choosing a pet sitter that will come to your home daily or overnight is a fantastic option to kenneling.

For one, no need to worry about your pet contracting an illness, such as Kennel Cough & Parvovirus. Stress on your pet is also greatly reduced by keeping them in their homes.

They will miss you, they will go through separation anxiety...but having someone come in to care for them will indeed lessen their stress.

“How do I choose a Pet Care Professional?”

My dog is my child...crazy, I know...but she is...and I would not trust her with just anyone. As a Pet Care Professional, I can tell you what I would look for in someone to be entrusted with her care.

• Licensed, Bonded and Insured – this lets me know they are serious about their services
• Red Cross Certified in Pet First Aid and CPR – life saving credentials
• Disaster Preparedness Plan – If they have one in place, and ask me to have one as well, they are very concerned with the safety of my pet.
• References
• Initial Interviews – Pet Care Professionals take the time to value your needs as well as your pets needs.
• Feedback – A Pet Care Professional will provide you with a diary that notes any marked changes with your pet that may be of concern to you.
• Safety – are they prepared for all types of situations? Do they carry a first aid kit and aggressive animal deterrents?

Finding someone to care for your pet while you are away is not that difficult. Go with your gut instincts and always remember...if your pet doesn't like them at the first meeting...chances are you will not. Animals are a great judge of character. Let them help you decide.

As always, if you have any questions or comments...please feel free to comment or contact me at walkies.doggies@yahoo.com.

Pet Parenting at ANY Age!

Good Afternoon Everyone!

With the growing population of baby boomers retiring, I thought I would take a few moments to reach out to our senior community in hopes of persuading them to adopt a pet companion. Our local shelters are full of wonderful cats and dogs that desperately need YOU!

There are many benefits to opening your home and life to a senior pet:

• Pets provide seniors with companionship. They combat depression, boost self-confidence and help overcome feelings of loneliness and boredom.

• The Journal of the American Geriatrics Society has linked owning a pet to such benefits as decreased risk factors for cardiovascular disease, particularly lower systolic blood pressure, plasma cholesterol and plasma triglycerides.

• Within 30 minutes of interacting with a dog or cat, people experience enhanced levels of dopamine and the endorphins associated with happiness. Levels of cortisol, a stress hormone are significantly decreased.

• Caring for a pet increases exercise, socialization and responsibility. Seniors who may feel a loss of purpose in life greatly benefit from having a pet to care for, and a routine to keep them active.

• According to The National Institutes of Health Technology Assessment Workshop, the presence of animals increased smiles, talking and the alertness in the seniors in their study.

Selecting the right pet for you is very important. Depending on your lifestyle and health, I encourage you to talk with family members and friends about your choice to adopt a pet. When the time comes to find your furry companion, the adoption professional at your local shelter will also be there to help guide you to a perfect match!

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me at walkies.doggies@yahoo.com

or visit my web page at www.walkiesdoggies.com

Thank You!

Breed Specific Legislation and Why I'm AGAINST it!

Good Evening Everyone!

For the past 3 months now of trying to get my dog walking/pet sitting business off the ground, I'm starting to feel a bit like a sponge.  There is more to consider, more research, more social networking, website development ect...ect...

These are just learning experiences, and being a well seasoned administrative professional, I'm up to the challenge.  However, I do come across issues that directly impact me as a business owner and my clients.  One such issue that I have been researching is Breed Specific Legislation.

In short, Breed Specific Legislation is according to www.dogsbite.org

"A breed-specific law is a type of dangerous dog law. It is defined as any ordinance or policy that pertains to a specific dog breed or breeds, but does not affect any others. Proponents of breed-specific laws seek to limit public exposure to dangerous dogs by regulating ownership of these breeds. The objective of breed-specific laws is to prevent future attacks before an occurrence."

In other words, Pit Bulls (American Pit Bull Terrier) , Rottweilers, Dobermans and Akitas....all the "scary" dogs.  Problem is, this legislation not only undermines our ability to chose the best companion for us, but it is also very much a mainstream media driven scare.  Fatal attacks are rare...but when they happen its big news, like shark attacks.  These breeds being targeted are very powerful dogs, and without proper training they can be lethal.  So I pose this question to you? is it the dog or is it the owner?  I place ALL responsibility on the OWNER.


Blame the "Thug Life" mentality, I do...for those who intentionally make these dogs vicious, there is not much you can do to enlighten them.  They are vicious, untrained wild animals themselves.  Its unfortunate for the dog that has been cursed to have such an unworthy master.

 For others, who are responsible, loving owners of these dogs, they are being targeted as well.  A very famous Pit Bull in Belfast, Ireland lost his life and left his owner devastated even though he never attacked anyone.  Lennox and his owner fought hard against the legislation, and even Victoria Stillwell, host of Animal Planet's show "It's me or the Dog", stepped in to offer to take Lennox out of the country on her dime to no avail.....

Lennox

The Love of My Life Mara Jade...yeah..she's all sorts of vicious..

So which breed will be targeted next?  In my research of various ordinances, I found a disturbing one in Fairfield, Iowa...Siberian Huskies.  My dog...my wonderful loving dog, who is about as threatening as a butterfly.  This is why this issue has become important to me. 

Education is key here, and also common sense.

Never let your child pet a dog without asking the owner first.

Teach your children to greet the dog with palms up, so the dog can have a moment to become familiar with the child.

 This is non-aggressive to to the dog.   When children want to pet Mara, and they always do..she's a "Snow Dog" from the Disney movies.  I make her sit and ask the children to do this one at a time.  I have never had a issue with Mara greeting children, but I feel its important for them and their parents to know proper manners when meeting a dog for the first time.

There are also great tips in dealing with aggressive dogs on the Dogs Bite website.

 www.dogsbite.org

Feel free to comment! I look forward to hearing from you!