Diary of a Pet Nanny

Breaking and Entering…

2011-05-09T12:34:00.000-07:00

Last evening I arrived at my client's house to take care of their dogs (they're also my neighbors). When I tried to open the front door, I discovered my key wouldn’t work. It had been difficult the last time I had visits there, but this time it wouldn't even turn in the lock. After a small extinction burst of trying to open the front door, I decided I needed a new plan.

I walked around the house, hoping to find an open window I could crawl through; no luck they were all closed and locked. I noticed their garage had a keypad to open the garage door, but I didn’t have the code. So I sent a text to the client, telling her what happened and I needed the code. Then I waited for her to text me back. However, after about half an hour, I hadn’t heard from her, and it was beginning to rain… Murphy’s Law, when you’re locked out, naturally it’ll be raining too.

I thought about calling a locksmith, but since I was trying to get into someone else’s house, I didn’t think they would open the door for me, at least not without the client’s permission. Since I’d already called and texted them, and hadn’t heard back yet, I knew I couldn’t get their permission. Plus, I didn’t want to pay for a locksmith… So I made that my last resort, behind waiting for the client to get back to me with the garage door code… She did, but not until much later.

So, I finally decided to try to get in by climbing over the six-foot wooden fence, and then see if my key worked in the back door, or if I could squeeze through the dog door. But first I had to figure out how to get over the fence. I’m not a young person; and even in my youth, scaling walls was not something I practiced often. I tried to grab onto the top of the fence, to pull myself up, but that didn’t work. We have an HOA, and our fences have to have a flat board on the top of them. It looks nice, and my cats love being able to sit up there, looking down on the world from relative safety. It does make it more expensive to replace your fence, and, unless you’re pretty tall, it also makes it really hard to get a handhold on the top of the fence, much less drag yourself over the ledge the board makes. That’s a good thing when you want to keep people out, not so much when you want to get in. However, since I almost never need to break into my house, much less a neighbor’s, the board on top is a good thing.

I knew I needed something to boost myself up high enough, so I could get the leverage to get over the top. Luckily, in the back of my car, I keep some plastic containers to hold treats, my Thundershirts, and other dog training equipment. Sometimes it pays to use the trunk as storage, LOL. So I got those, stacked them on top of each other, and climbed up on them, they were pretty rickety, and it wasn’t all that easy. Then, as the boxes dropped out from under me, I managed to drag myself onto the top of the fence, and then over the other side. The whole time, I was praying that a concerned neighbor didn’t see me, and call the police.

Once I finally got over the fence, I had to get into the house. I really didn’t want to try to squeeze through the dog door, it’s small, and I wasn’t sure I would fit. I had visions of getting stuck in it, and then having to call 911. Getting arrested, or being on the news (it would be a funny kicker), wasn’t on my schedule, LOL. Thank God, this time Murphy took a rest, and my key fit and opened the back door. I was so happy!!!

I managed to get in to take care of the dogs, I didn’t get hurt, and I didn’t get arrested, or end up on the news. All in all, it was an interesting adventure, and it ended well… But I don’t want to do it again!

BTW, in case you’re wondering, when I left I was able to lock the security screen. Now that I have the garage code, I’ll go in and out that way.

I Love Dogs!!!!

2010-12-04T11:33:00.000-08:00

This is for the dog people, like me, out there.

Let’s face it; there are times when dogs can be a pain, and painful too. House training, chewing, digging, nipping, and many other typical puppy/dog behaviors are annoying, and sometimes expensive. But with some good training and management, most dogs learn to do other things instead. We spend a small fortune on food, collars, beds, leashes, toys, training, vet bills, and the list goes on. There’s nothing like stepping, usually barefoot, in dog puke; or waking up to find he’s puking on the bed, right next to you. What dog parent hasn’t returned home, to find their dog had diarrhea… all over the house? When you live with dogs; poop, pee and puke happen in the house sometimes.

Still we love our dogs, and they’re part of our family. We care for, and worry about them, when they get sick. Hopefully, we watch them grow old, and then we mourn them when they eventually pass away. I’ve lived with, loved, and lost several dogs in my life; I’ve cried a thousand tears over them, and I wouldn’t trade having those sweet little souls in my life for anything. They were my friends, companions, confidants, and some of my best teachers.

My dogs have taught me patience, something I didn’t come equipped with a large supply of, and still in the process of learning. They’ve taught me to be more compassionate, understanding, and loving. They even taught me how to be less shy… it’s easier to talk to strangers when they want to meet your dog. Now that I’ve been training and pet sitting, I’ve learned I can talk to people I don’t know, at least as long as we’re talking about dogs, LOL.

Dogs know how to make you feel welcome, wanted, and completely loved. How nice would the world be if everyone we know and love always greeted us with pure joy? When a dog loves you, they invest their whole heart; they are the definition of unconditional love. Dogs don’t care what you look like, how you dress, what kind of car you drive, or how much money you have; they just love you because they do. When your friends and family don’t want to hear it, a dog will patiently listen to all your complaints, tossing in an occasional lick or two. They don’t mind if you cry on their shoulder… head, back, whatever. They’re just happy to be there with and for you, no matter what.

Dogs are comedians. They make me smile and laugh everyday. I love to watch dogs play and to play with dogs! They live in the moment and just have fun. They can turn random things, like sticks and leaves, into great toys, and then spend a lot of time and energy tossing and chasing their new find… not to mention a bit of chewing on the stick. I’ve learned to enjoy the small moments of having pure fun playing and working with dogs. I find after a nice long walk, trip to the park, or training session with Jesse or clients, I’m more relaxed and clear minded.

I believe my life with dogs makes me healthier; I have to get up, go outside, and move around. So I get my exercise and Vitamin D. I know my life with dogs totally makes me happier!

When I don’t listen to my ‘Little Voice’ … I regret it!

2010-11-21T11:53:00.000-08:00

Intuition:

1. The state of being aware of or knowing something without having to discover or perceive it, or the ability to do this.

2. Something known or believed instinctively, without actual evidence for it.

3. Immediate knowledge of something.

I know it may sound crazy but I have a ‘little voice’ in my head that attempts to guide me. When I choose to ignore it, I usually live to regret it…

I got a call from a new client. Something had come up with Jan’s pet sitter, and she couldn’t stay with the dogs during her upcoming trip. Jan was planning on leaving in four days, but would have to cancel if I couldn’t sit with them. I happened to be free for the three nights she needed me. So, I took pity on her and I said yes… Even though she lives outside of my pet sitting area, and my ‘little voice’ was yelling, “No, don’t do it!” We set up a consultation. Then she mentioned her elderly, but very independent, mother would be there too… My ‘little voice’ was screaming by then.

During our consultation, I learned that one of her dogs wasn’t housetrained. She had to be walked every four hours, or she’d go in the house. Jan wanted me to do overnights, plus three extra visits, to walk the dogs. At that point, I wished I’d listened to my ‘little voice!’ I really didn’t have time, nor did I want to drive that far three times a day. But I had already said I would do the job. We decided I would arrive at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. to walk the dogs (a 30 minute visit). Then return at 6 p.m. and stay overnight. I met Jan’s mother, and Kate was very pleasant, but obviously confused. Jan mentioned she tended to get up about three in the morning, and putter around. But she’s very quiet, and won’t disturb me… Right.

I quickly realized that Kate needed much more care than the dogs. She was able to get around fairly well, but like any 86 year old person, she wasn’t all that sure footed. While she didn’t need help with doing physical things; she was, in my opinion, showing signs of Alzheimer’s. I saw Kate doing many things my mother had done when she started getting ill… Kate would repeatedly ask the same questions, or tell me the same things. She had problems communicating, because she couldn’t remember words, and then she’d get frustrated with herself and me when I didn’t understand. Kate would lose something, and become frantic when she couldn’t find it, often it would be right in front of her.

I could tell Kate wasn’t keen on having me come in just to walk the dogs, and then leave. She wanted/needed me to stay there! Like my mom, she was too proud to say she needed help, and she’s afraid to be alone. When I would tell Kate I had to leave, a look of fear and anxiety would cross her face, as would relief when I returned. I often saw the same expressions on Mom’s face too. In the middle of a task, Kate would forget what she was doing. It was also potentially dangerous; for instance, she could forget she was heating water for tea and start a fire. I also worried she might fall and seriously injure herself. I had visions of coming back to find her writhing in pain on the cold, tile floor. So I ended up spending as much time with Kate as I possibly could, which was considerably more time than I got paid for… But, I did not want anything to happen to Kate on my watch. It also occurred to me that I wasn’t at all sure what my liabilities would be if something did happen. I’m insured for providing pet care, not sure about elderly people.

Like mom, Kate would go to bed early, then get up in the middle of the night and wander around the house for the rest of the night. Kate would come into the room where I was sleeping, and stare at me. When I opened my eyes, she’d ask me a series of questions: Are you warm enough? Do you need another blanket? Do you want something to drink? Are you hungry? A little later, she’d be back doing it all over again.

In so many ways, Kate reminded me of my mother, they looked very much alike. Turns out, like mom, Kate had been a nurse and a very independent woman, especially for their time. Also, like mom, Kate is very spiritual, although in a totally different way. Because she did remind me so much of my beloved and very loving mother, I really liked Kate. However, she also reminded me of the most emotionally painful time in my life, watching my mother slowly and literally lose her mind. I like to remember mom before Alzheimer’s, when she was a vibrant, intelligent, active, and truly independent woman. Being with Kate, dredged up unhappy memories I had pushed out of my mind… like the first time my mom didn’t remember me.

It was such a relief when Jan returned, and the job was over. It was emotionally draining, and exhausting… I’m too old to go three nights without sleeping, LOL.

It was also a lesson to always listen to my “little voice!”

Is it Tricks or Treats for the Pets?

2010-10-25T12:47:00.000-07:00

For many people, Halloween is a treat. We like dressing up, and seeing others in their costumes. We enjoy the sights and activity of kids ‘trick or treating.’ We might host, or attend a party(s), go to a carnival, etc. We sometimes decorate our homes for the holiday. It’s also the time when we tend to start having candy and other yummy treats around. For me, it’s the beginning of the eating season. LOL.

For many pets, Halloween is more Tricks than Treats. Animals don’t really get costumes. When we are masked, or wearing something that alters our silhouette, even family members can be extremely frightening to some dogs and cats. If you’re going to wear a costume your pets might find even remotely scary, try letting them watch you put it on in, and walk around in it a few times… before Halloween. Otherwise, don’t be surprised if your dog barks at you, or your cat runs away, when you suddenly appear as a monster, or whatever.

Your pets might not mind seeing you in your costume. However, they might not feel the same about strangers showing up at the front door wearing them… and yelling too! A few pets could care less about a bunch of silly humans running around in costumes, and making a lot of noise. They’re the party animals, and they’ll just hang out and enjoy the action. Many dogs and cats are not party animals, and they have been known to freak out and run away when confronted with several scary creatures at their front door. Often escaping through the open front door, and past those same scary creatures... Pets who run away are likely to be returned more quickly if they're wearing a properly fitting collar, with ID tags. Of course, some dogs might try to defend themselves from the scary creatures by growling, snapping, and then resorting to biting. They’re not party animals.

If your pets aren’t party animals, it’s a good idea to keep them in a room, or their crate, far away from the front door or party. Give your dog a nice raw meaty bone, well-stuffed Kong, bully stick, etc. to keep him occupied; the chewing might help to calm him too. Give your cats a “safe place” to hide from the noise: inside a closet, box, cat home, under a bed, etc. Close the windows and drapes, to cut down on outside noises, and so your pets can’t see people walking around outside. Turn on a radio, TV, or play Canine Lullabies to help mask the sounds from outside of the room. If your dog barks at the doorbell, put tape over it to prevent people from ringing it; and be prepared to open the door when people arrive, so they don’t have to knock. If you’re having people over, put a sign on the door, telling people to not enter the “pet’s room.” Also, make sure to tell people too, sometimes we don’t always read signs.

For their safety, it’s a good idea to keep pets inside around Halloween. Sadly, cats and dogs have been stolen, poisoned, injured, and killed, during Halloween pranks, and for other sadistic reasons.

Sometimes we dress our pets up for Halloween. If you decide to dress your pet up for Halloween, don’t leave him unattended while wearing his costume. Your pet might decide to ‘take off’ the costume by chewing through it and eating parts of it. If it has long, flowing pieces, it could get hung up, and trap or strangle him.

Decorating for Halloween is fun too. Decorate with your pets in mind. Naturally your pets will be interested in all the new things around the house. Sometimes sniffing can lead to chewing, and perhaps ingesting foreign objects. Things that dangle can be a great temptation for cats, puppies, and some dogs to play with, and perhaps try to eat. Jack o Lanterns are a tradition, but be careful where you put them. Many dogs and cats like pumpkin and, in proper quantities, it’s very good for them; but too much of a good thing is still too much. Eating too much pumpkin can cause diarrhea.

Be very careful when using candles! Candles add ambience, and a Jack o Lantern isn’t complete without one, but an inquisitive pet can burn himself, or knock one over and start a fire. If you have nosey pets, or cats that get up onto tables, counters, etc., like mine do, you might want to use flameless candles. Never leave burning candles unattended, even if you don’t have pets!

And then, there are our treats… Yum! I LOVE CHOCOLATE!!! When I buy candy, Halloween or not, I buy something that’s covered with chocolate, and has nuts. Dogs tend to love chocolate too, but it can make them very ill, in fact it can kill them. It’s best pets never develop a taste for it, so DO NOT EVER LET YOUR DOG EAT CHOCOLATE!

Even without chocolate, some “people treats” can be too sweet, salty, or rich for pets to metabolize well, if at all. But they taste good, so some pets will eat as much as they can get. Don’t tempt your pets by leaving candy, and other treats, where they can reach them. It doesn’t take long for some dogs to eat several pieces of those mini-candies, often along with big pieces of the wrappers.

Here’s wishing you a Happy Halloween! Have fun, and remember to make it safe and stress free for your pets too.

What NOT to Take into a Dog Park… Part Three

2010-10-06T09:33:00.000-07:00

“A dog park is like a cocktail party, where you don't know anyone and everyone is drunk. You could have fun, but it could be a disaster.” Trish King.

In an earlier blog, called My Three Rules For Dog Park Safety, I mentioned I always observe what’s happening inside a dog park before I take my dog, and/or clients, into one. I mentioned that I check out what the people are doing. Are they watching their dogs, or are they doing other things like, chatting, reading, playing video games, talking on the phone, etc? Too often people seem to be doing everything… except watching their dog(s). So, I’d like to ask people not to bring distractions into a dog park. When you’re reading, texting, talking on the phone, playing video games, or chatting with other dog owners, you might not be paying a lot attention to your dog.

It’s up to us, as pet parents and guardians, to watch, manage, and protect our dogs, at all times. That’s especially true of when they are with a number of dogs, who really they don’t know each other, running around loose together, i.e., a dog park. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure… in other words: it’s better to prevent a dogfight, than to have to deal with the aftermath of one.

Some dogs, like some people, are socially inept. While they may be friendly and want to play, some dogs can be too pushy and “in your face” for another dog’s comfort. The “pushy” dog either doesn’t understand, or ignores the warning signals the “uncomfortable” dog is sending to back off. Even the nicest of us will push back when we are pushed too far; and so will our sweetest, most friendly, dogs. Other dogs are very fearful of strange dogs, and they’ve learned that the best defense is a good offense. So they often overreact, and sometimes lash out, to even minimal interest in them. A little tiff can quickly become a big fight!

I have spent a lot of time in dog parks and I’ve seen too many dogfights. The vast majority were not serious, but they’re always highly emotional for all us animals. If we, as dog parents/guardians, do our job and pay attention, we can intercede, distract, or remove our dog before a fight gets started.

Dogs poop in dog parks, and often more than once. Sadly, there are groups in many communities who want to eliminate, not only off leash dog parks, but also the ability for dogs to go to any park, even on leash… PERIOD. One of their arguments against dogs in parks, is that dogs are a health risk, especially to children. That’s because dogs poop everywhere, and people don’t always pick up after them. Unfortunately, this is all too often true.

It is every dog owner’s responsibility to pick up after his or her dogs… Every single time!! If you’re not watching your dog, because you’re reading a book, playing a game, talking on the phone, etc., you won’t notice when they poop. And then, you won’t be able to clean it up. It might not seem like a big deal to leave one poop behind, but you are giving those anti-dog/dog park groups fuel for their cause to keep all dogs out of all parks. Besides, it’s just plain common courtesy to always pick up after your dog!

Dog parks aren’t our libraries, offices, or social scenes. They’re a place for dogs to run, play, and have fun. However, like in any playground, sometimes feelings get hurt, and quarrels get started. Also, like in any playground, we adults need to be aware enough to keep everyone under threshold and under control. If we all do our part, by following the rules of the parks, picking up after our dogs, and keeping an eye on them to prevent unhappy incidents, we’ll all have a better and happier dog park experience.

What NOT to Take into a Dog Park… Part Two

2010-10-01T11:35:00.000-07:00

“A dog park is like a cocktail party, where you don't know anyone and everyone is drunk. You could have fun, but it could be a disaster.” Trish King.

“Young children should never be in an off leash dog park; but if they are they should always be on leash!” Me.

There are so few places where dogs get to run around, play, socialize, and just be dogs… They’re called Dog Parks and they’re for dogs, not kids! Don’t get me wrong, I love children, which is why I think no one under ten should be allowed to enter a dog park. Does that sound harsh, too bad; a dog park can be a dangerous place for children!

I once saw a little girl, about four, get bowled over by a couple large dogs. It was an accident; the dogs were just playing dog games in a dog park. However, the girl hit her head on the edge of a concrete bench, cut her scalp, and it bled a lot. Luckily, it looked worse than it was, and she was fine after a stitch. However her head hit that bench very hard, and it could have been so much worse!!!

Then there was the boy, about six, who would run up to a dog, grab his head, pull the dog’s face into his, hold on tight, and stare into the dogs eyes. Then he’d move on to the next one and do it again. OMG, It was a dog park disaster waiting to happen, and I felt compelled to intervene immediately. Since, I had no idea which “adult” he was there with, I had a talk with the child first. I told him not to do that to strange dogs, because it scares them and they might bite his nose off. He ignored me, and continued to get in dogs faces. So, I found his mother, and told her the same thing I’d just said to the kid. She said, “Oh, that’s OK. He likes dogs.” I told her, “It doesn’t matter how much he likes dogs. Some dogs don’t like kids.” Her snide response, “Then they shouldn’t here.” I have to admit, that made me mad, so I said/yelled, “This is a dog park! There’s an entire park outside of this fence for your kid to play in, take him out there. Or make him leave our dogs alone. If your kid gets his nose bitten off, it’s your fault for letting him to that to the dogs.”

Meanwhile, the boy finally took on the wrong dog, a Chihuahua, and got a very minor “warning nip” to his nose (one tiny puncture mark, and a little dot of blood). I think the dog showed a great deal of bite inhibition. Of course, the kid started crying, and his mother became incensed. She was screaming, “That dog should be put down,” and “It’s so irresponsible to bring a dangerous dog to a park.” Blah, blah, blah. Then she started saying she was going to sue. The Chi’s owner was so upset, she was crying and kept apologizing. Luckily, there were several rational people there, who had seen the incident and that he’d been annoying all the dogs. We came to the owner’s rescue, and told the mother she didn’t have a leg to stand on, several people told him to stop, but he kept getting in the dog’s faces. If she pressed charges, we’d all show up to testify on behalf of the dog and owner. That shut her down, then we also insisted she and her child leave the dog park and not come back. To top it off… it turned out they didn’t even have a dog. So why the he** were they in the dog park in the first place? As she huffed out, Mommy Dearest told us, “I brought my son here to play with some dogs. I didn’t think he’d be attacked.”

Those were two extreme examples of very bad dog park days I’ve experienced. For the most part, dog/kid interactions aren’t so dramatic. But I’ve been in many dog parks, and I’ve seen so many children assault dogs. I’ve seen them throw dirt, rocks, sticks, and other things at or on dogs. I’ve seen kids kick and hit dogs. I’ve seen them chase and grab at a frightened dog. I’ve seen kids yank tails, ears, or fur. The list goes on and on…

Most dogs are amazingly tolerant! When children assault them, which is how they feel, most dogs only walk away. I find that amazing; after all, very few of us would allow anyone, child or adult, to throw things at us, kick us, pull our hair, etc., without reacting in some way. Yet, we expect dogs to tolerate, even like, all those things. And, if they don’t… If they try to defend themselves by growling, snapping, or God forbid biting (no matter how slight), they’re bad dogs and they get punished, or even killed.

My dog is not your kid’s toy! Neither you, nor your child, get to decide you can pet or play with my dog… That is my decision! You, or your child, may ask; but, if I say no, that means NO. I don’t walk up and start touching you, or your children. So, unless I say it’s OK, no one should do that to my dog! Also, when I tell you to stop, that means STOP NOW! I know my dog, you don’t, and I know when he’s had enough!

Dog parks are for dogs! Most urban dogs have very few places where they can run around, off leash, and just be dogs. All urban children have lots of places to run around, and just be kids. So please, do everyone a big favor: Take your kids to kid parks, your dogs to dog parks, and don’t mix them up!!

For some great information about dog bite prevention and much more, check out the website: doggone safe.

What NOT to Take into a Dog Park… Part One

2010-09-21T23:41:00.000-07:00

“A dog park is like a cocktail party, where you don't know anyone and everyone is drunk. You could have fun, but it could be a disaster.” Trish King.

In my occupation as a pet sitter, I spend a lot of time in dog parks; sadly, I’ve learned Trish King is absolutely right… This is part one of a series on what not to take into dog parks. In “My Three Rules for Dog Park Safety,” I said, “some people think it’s OK to bring ‘not dog friendly dogs’ to dog parks”; IT IS NOT OK. It’s extremely dangerous and very unfair for that dog, the other dogs, and their owners, to bring in a dog who doesn’t get along with other dogs! Just because it’s a dog park, doesn’t mean all dogs like to, or should be going to them!

Sadly, many dogs are not properly socialized as puppies. Many owners are warned to never allow their puppy to be around other dogs, or where they’ve been, until he’s had all his shots. So they never take the puppy out into public, or allow him to interact with any other dog until he’s met his entire vaccination schedule, which typically are finished at about sixteen weeks.

However, at approximately sixteen weeks is also when a puppy’s “socialization window” closes, and he starts to become fearful of unknown things. If he’s never had pleasant, or even benign, experiences with dogs, people, skateboards, car rides (don’t just take him to the vet and/or groomer), loud noises, etc., they will be unknown, and may become very scary things to him.

By no means, am I recommending that you take your puppy to a dog park to socialize him with other dogs. It is not a safe place for a young puppy! There is also a much higher potential of disease transmission in a dog park. Instead, take your puppy to some really good puppy classes, and set up ‘play dates’ with healthy, friendly dogs. Having friendly, well-socialized adult dog friends is a great way for your pup to learn how to play and interact properly with other dogs.

Let me start by saying, most dog “aggression,” is due to fear. We all feel fear; it’s a strong and important survival instinct. When we are extremely fearful, we will often either flee, or we will fight, and dogs will too. Also, just because we don’t think a person, or animal, should be afraid of something, doesn’t make their fear any less real or traumatic…

I’ve seen people literally drag a terrified dog into a dog park. It breaks my heart to watch the poor dog cowering, and trying to get away, while being overwhelmed by his greatest fear (other dogs). Then if he finally decides to defend himself by growling, barking, snapping, etc., often his “parent” will punish him for it. That makes me crazy, because I know it’ll probably make the problem worse. I often try to talk to the owners about it, and they usually say something like, “I know he’s scared of other dogs, but he has to get over it.”

Perhaps, but “flooding” a dog, who is terrified of dogs, by forcing him to interact with several at once, is not the way to do it… No matter what you’ve seen on TV. Yelling at, hitting, jerking, “alpha rolling,” or using shock collars on a fearful dog, just for trying to defend himself, won’t teach the dog to “like” other dogs; in fact it’ll probably have the complete opposite effect. He’s likely to not only become even more fearful of dogs, but also of his owner.

Like a person who is terrified of flying, large crowds, or whatever, many dogs can learn to overcome their fears, with the help of a well-trained, experienced behaviorist. While a dog may learn to tolerate, or even like other dogs, one on one, he may never feel comfortable in an enclosed space, filled with strange dogs… Which is the definition of a dog park.

Just as some kids aren’t cut out to be athletes, no matter how much their parents may want it, some dogs aren’t cut out to be “dog park” dogs, no matter how much their owners may want it. That doesn’t make them bad kids, or bad dogs… It just is!

My Three Rules for Dog Park Safety

2010-09-19T18:13:00.000-07:00

“A dog park is like a cocktail party, where you don't know anyone and everyone is drunk. You could have fun, but it could be a disaster.” Trish King.

In my occupation, I spend a lot of time in dog parks, and I know Trish King is absolutely right. When I take Jesse and/or my clients to a dog park, my goal is to make it fun, happy and safe for the dogs and myself. So when we go to any dog park, even those we frequent often, I follow three rules:

One: Before we enter a dog park, I stop to evaluate the situation. I would rather avoid problems in the first place, and if I don’t like what I see we don’t go in. Here’s what I look for:

Are there too many dogs for the space? The more the merrier is not true of dog parks; too many dogs in too little space are recipes for disaster. If it’s too crowded, we go elsewhere. Then I ask myself three questions: 1. Are the dogs interacting well together? 2. Are the people paying attention to their dogs, instead of chatting with each other? 3. Are there young children in there? If the answers are: yes, yes, and no, we go in. If not, we don’t.

Two: Once we’re in the dog park, I watch my dog(s), and the dogs they’re interacting with. I make sure they’re not getting overly stimulated, tired, stressed, or annoyed. I want to distract or remove them before any of those things occur, which means I pay attention to them the entire time.

Also, I keep my dog(s) away from the entrance, that’s where problems happen first. Plus, I keep an eye out as dogs and people enter. Unfortunately, some people think it’s OK to bring “not dog friendly dogs” to dog parks, others think it’s OK to bring small children… neither is OK!

Three: Knowing when to leave the dog park is important. If things are going well, my rule of thumb is to stay no longer than 30 – 45 minutes. That’s a good amount of time for most dogs to play, exercise well, and do all their business, before getting too tired. An overly tired dog can be cranky and irrational, that’s when little quarrels or big fights can break out.

Even if we just got there, my cue to leave immediately is if a “not dog friendly dog,” or small children arrive. I’d rather not be there to see a dogfight, or a child being bitten. Been there, done that, don’t want to do it again! But that’s another blog…

Having had some very bad dog park experiences, I’ve learned to always follow my three rules…

1. If it looks unsafe, don’t go in

2. Pay attention while you’re there

3. Leave at the first sign of potential trouble

A few ways pet parents can help their pet sitter…

2010-09-13T23:23:00.000-07:00

Last night I was up until after midnight, waiting for word that my clients returned home from their vacation. I was fairly confident they made it home, safe and sound. I imagined they were probably exhausted and just wanted to kiss their babies hello, and crawl into bed. But I didn’t know for sure. So I finally went to sleep a little worried… This morning there was an email saying they had gotten home later than they expected, but they were back and all was well. Such a relief!!

Things happen, flights get delayed, or cancelled. Cars break down, and there can be serious traffic jams on the way home. Pet parents are delayed getting home by a few hours, or much longer. In which case, I would happily to take care of the pets until their parents finally return. People are usually very good about contacting me if they are delayed, which I really appreciate! It gives me a heads up on what’s going on with them, and if I need to alter my plans. So if you’re delayed please let your pet sitter know as soon as possible. They will love you for it!

Most of the time, pet parents contact me, as soon as possible, when they get home. However, there have been a very few occasions when they forgot. It’s totally understandable, but I still worry. Please, do your pet sitter a big favor and try to always remember to let them know when you get home. BTW, that means when you are actually there, not just “back in town.” Our job isn’t complete until we know you are really at home. We pet sitters thank you so much for this!!

There are a few more things that would help to make your pet sitter’s life a little easier while you’re away. After all, a happy pet sitter makes for happier pets too…

Please make sure there is enough food, treats, medicines, kitty litter, etc., to last for the entire time you will be away. Your pet sitter really might not have the time to “run by the store.”

If there are any changes in your pet’s diet, medicines, health, routine, etc., please let your pet sitter know and leave written instructions. The same goes for household changes too. Also, if you happen to change the locks, don’t forget to provide us with a new key!

Always try to leave a landline contact number to wherever you will be staying, so we can reach you in case of an emergency. Cell phones don’t always work and, if your pet has an emergency, we may need to reach you immediately. Pet sitters try not to bother their clients, but if we have a question that really needs addressing, we usually need the answer then.

If you’re expecting anyone to be in your home, or on your property, while you’re away (housekeepers, groundskeepers, family members, roommates, etc.), please let your pet sitter know. It’s very scary to find someone you don’t know or expect, in the house when you arrive, or for him or her to walk in while you’re there! Part of our job is to care for your home and property. So it really helps to know who should, and shouldn’t, be there.

I thank you, on behalf of pet sitters everywhere, for remembering to help us out by doing these things!!

About My Best Friend

2010-08-31T11:13:00.000-07:00

I am the luckiest person in the world! No I didn’t win the lotto, but I did win when I Jesse James entered my life. I wouldn’t trade him for a hundred winning lotto tickets or anything else; he’s priceless! He’s also my best friend!

The first time I met Jesse was when I went in to apply for dog grooming school. Upon entering the admin office, one of the first things I saw a playpen, with three five-week-old Shih Tzu puppies playing inside. I walked up to get a better look at the puppies, and this adorable little boy ran up to greet me. We looked into each other’s eyes and it was love at first sight! There was just something about Jesse; I knew we were meant to be together. I told his breeder I wanted that puppy, but they wanted to show him. I was heartbroken, because from the moment I saw him, I felt like he was my dog! I can’t begin explain the connection I felt, but I was so drawn to Jesse. On my lunch breaks, I’d try to run over to the admin office to visit with him. When Jesse got old enough to come to the school for grooming, something a Shih Tzu needs often, I would volunteer to do him. I just wanted to spend time with him.

Then, one happy day, I overheard a conversation that totally changed my life. His breeder was discussing Jesse’s bite, which was too far off for him to finish showing well. She said she was going to sell him as a pet. My heart skipped a beat or two, and I had to catch my breath, before I could say, “I want him!” That was one of the happiest days of my life! Jesse and I have been almost inseparable ever since.

Jesse James is the perfect dog, at least to me! Jesse is very easy-going and friendly. Sometimes he’s too friendly… To Jesse any open door is an invitation to walk right on in; I’ve met many of my neighbors that way, LOL. Jesse loves people, dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, and the list goes on and on. He is so full of joy and love he attracts others to him. The fact that’s he’s too cute for words helps too.

I could go on and on forever about how much I love my Jesse James. Instead I’ll close by saying…

Jesse is the definition of unconditional love. He makes me laugh everyday, and I cherish every minute I spend with him! He brings me, and many others, immense joy and great comfort. Jesse shows me how to relax and enjoy the moment. And he teaches me how to love just being alive!

Jesse has given me so much more than I could ever repay with all the best food, treats, healthcare, toys, or whatever he needs and wants, in the world. But I try… after all; he’s my best friend!

Hot Fun in the Summertime?

2010-08-20T11:29:00.000-07:00

I have to say, from a dog walker’s point of view this has been a great summer! In the San Diego area, we typically have what we call May grey, followed by June gloom, and then the July fry. However, this year it’s been a very mild summer… until a few of days ago.

All through July and the first half of August, I kept hearing people complain that it was too cool. I was thinking, I love this weather, it’s great dog walking weather. Of course, these are people who work in a temperature controlled building during the day. They want beach weather, but they don’t have to be out in it everyday. I was once one of those people. I remember freezing my rear off in a 68° studio, while it was 98° outside. I was an Operations Engineer at Channel 8, the local CBS affiliate, for several years. As soon as a show was over, I’d go outside to warm up. I wished I could work outside, in the fresh air and warmth. Be careful what you wish for… LOL!

Now I’m very happy about having a cool summer! I do love working outside, most of the time… Yesterday it was 99° when I was out with my clients. And by SoCal standards (we’re weather lightweights), it was really humid too. According to the weather channel app on my phone, it felt like 101°. Lightweight, or not… That’s hot!!

You know it’s hot when the dogs don’t want to go out. It’s amusing to go into their cool house, leash them up and then open the door to go out. They start to go through the door, feel the blast of heat, sloooooow down, and look at me like, “Are you kidding, we have to go out in this heat?” The answer is, “Yes, but please do your business fast! Then we can come back inside and play training games.” When it’s really hot, or raining, many dogs would rather stay inside; so they just go to their favorite potty place, and come back in. I love those dogs, LOL.

Then there are those dogs who don’t care about the weather, rain or shine, they want to go, go, go and do it now! They will walk, play ball, run around in the Dog Park or backyard, etc., until they drop from heat exhaustion. I have to be the voice of reason, and not let them (or me) get overheated. I bring along plenty of water and offer it often, but I also have to watch the dogs to make sure their always OK and get them back home, before they get too hot. Dogs are much quicker to overheat than we are, because they don’t sweat and they often don’t complain. So I give them a few minutes of run around time, and then we go inside to play "101 things to do with a box" and other fun games. We play games on nice weather days too, but they’re especially handy on too hot, or rainy, days.

I know it’s selfish, but I’m hoping that persistent low-pressure system comes back soon! I don’t mind a cool summer at all!

Making Jesse’s Map

2010-08-16T10:40:00.000-07:00

When we started our website, one of the pages we created was “Jesse’s Page.” Jesse wanted his own page, so he could tell pets and people about the places he likes to go. Like Jesse's facebook fan page, he dictates it, and I do the typing. Over time we’ve added several of Jesse’s favorite places to eat, shop, play, and just hang out.

One day, I was looking for directions on Google maps, and I noticed you could create your own maps. I had a “light bulb” moment, I could make a map of our pet nanny service area for the website. It took awhile, but I finally got a map I like; it’s really nothing special, but it serves the purpose. I went back to working on my website… and Jesse’s Page. That’s when it hit me; we could make of map of Jesse’s favorite places for his page. I ran it by him, and Jesse thought it was a great idea too.

At first we used the ‘bubble’ that appears when you select a location marker. We found the location of each place and planted the marker there; we added the address, and contact info to make it easy for pets and their people to get directions. Jesse also insisted on writing a little “review” of each location. According to Jesse, “i’m still not finished with my reviews, but its something 2 go online with… 4 now.”

I thought we were finished, but then Jesse noticed there were other icons. He decided to use icons to symbolize different kinds of his favorite places. Using ‘dog logic,’ he insisted on using different icons for some of the same types of places. So a cutlery and a burger/drink icon are used for restaurants. We had a long discussion about this; I wanted to use one icon. Jesse wanted to use the burger for places that only do breakfast/lunch, and the fork/knife for places that also serve dinner. The argument was settled with him saying, “it’s my map n i want 2 do it my way.” He used a picnic table for off leash dog parks, “cause most people just sit and watch their dogs.” For parks were we hike, he used hikers. Jesse was annoyed, “there’s no dog walkin a human, that stinks.” He used a basket for parks were we picnic. For his favorite stores, we used a dollar sign, “cause that’s were u spend money.” Apparently you can make your own icons, but I haven’t had time to figure that out yet. I’ll have to… Jesse keeps nagging me about it.

It’s been fun making the map. Not that we’re finished, we keep thinking of and finding more places to add. It’s going to be a never-ending project. For instance, yesterday we went to the dog wash, which isn’t one of Jesse’s favorites. I want to add dog washes, but Jesse says, “no way! i hate baths, they r not my favorite.” We’ll see if I can talk him into it…

Dogs Make Me Laugh!!

2010-08-09T11:59:00.000-07:00

Dogs make me laugh, that’s one of the many reasons I love working with them. Like us, dogs tend to be very habitual and prefer to follow established routines. Dogs also have a concept of time; they know when a normal event happens each day, like me showing up to take them out. If, for whatever reason, the routine changes, I can always tell they’re a little confused and bewildered…

Last Friday morning, I had an appointment with my doggie client, Dina. We were meeting another dog trainer friend of mine, to help work with her client. My friend’s client is a little dog reactive, so I brought Dina to help work with him.

I typically visit Dina every weekday afternoon, so she expects me to show up in the afternoon. Generally, she’s waiting for me at the door, or she’s running down the stairs to greet me. She’s always so happy to see me and can barely contain her excitement. However, this time I arrived at her house at 9:30 and, when I came in, there was no Dina at the door and I didn’t hear her running toward me. I called her, and I could hear her walking, very slowly, down the stairs. Then I saw her peek around the corner (they have switchback stairs). I so wish I’d been taping this, because the expression on her face was just priceless… at first she looked wary, then surprised, and finally confused. She cocked her head in that, “What the?” way dogs do when they not quite sure of what’s going on. I swear I could read her mind, she was thinking, “Who’s there?” then “Oh it’s you!” then “What are you doing here so early?” She just stood there for a few seconds, trying to process what she was seeing. I couldn’t help but laugh! Then her expression changed to one of joy, and she came running to me.

After harnessing and leashing her, I took her out to my car. This is something we do often; I take Dina and Jesse James to parks and other places a couple times a week. Otherwise, we take a walk. Our car routine is: I open the driver’s door, to unlock the back door. Jesse is always sitting on the driver’s seat, Dina sticks her head in and they say hi to each other. Then Dina gets in the backseat, I put them in their seatbelts, and we take off for where ever we’re going. However, I didn’t bring Jesse with me that morning. When I opened my door, as usual, Dina stuck her head in and realized there was no Jesse in the car. She jumped back and her face said exactly what she was thinking, “What’s going on today? WHERE IS MY FRIEND JESSE?” The expression of total bewilderment on her face was again, priceless… and I again had to laugh!

Doing Cody's Sub Q

2010-08-08T11:40:00.000-07:00

This is my friend and client, Cody. He's one of the sweetest cats I've ever known, and one of my favorite kitty clients. Cody has kidney problems, so he has to have subcutaneous fluid therapy (aka, sub Q) every other day. Basically thats, inserting a rather large needle under the skin on his back. You lift the skin and make a little "tent" in it, then insert the needle... That's the hardest part of the procedure, for both of us! I try to do it as smoothly and painlessly as possible, but I know it has to hurt anyway. Feeling the needle puncture his skin is always a bit unnerving. The needle is connected, via a tube, to a bag of a water solution. Once you open the valve thing (I'm sure it has a name, but I have no idea what it is), the fluid slowly drips under the skin, providing him with much needed hydration to help flush and support his kidneys.

I've been pet sitting for Cody for about a year, and one of my duties, as his pet nanny, is to do his Sub Q. Before I bring him into the room, I have everything prepared. If necessary, I've already changed the fluid bag... one bag lasts for about four treatments. Most of the time, I just have to check the bag for leaks, attach a fresh needle, and pump up the bag (which helps the fluids flow better). Then I go get Cody. He knows what's going to happen, but he's always so good about it! He doesn't try to run from me, nor does he try to scratch or bite. He's a real trooper!

The video below is an edited version of a sub Q... don't worry, I won't show you the needle being inserted :)

Cody a wonderfully tolerant kitty!! He let's me stick needles in him, but he's still happy to see me. I wonder if I'd be that way, if the shoe were on the other paw! I just love my Cody!!

Stop The Insanity…

2010-08-07T15:24:00.001-07:00

What is wrong with our government these days? We have record unemployment, a major and ongoing recession, homes and businesses in foreclosure, we’re billions of dollars in debt. BTW, I’m just talking about the state of California. With everything going on here, doesn’t our legislature have anything better to do than to make insane legislation prohibiting us from seeking treatments for our pets; all of which are readily available to us, and our children?

I’m speaking of a current bill before the California legislature (AB 1980) requiring that anyone who performs any type of “treatment” on an animal must be a DMV. This would include acupuncture, massage therapy, TTouch, physical therapy, etc. It doesn’t matter if the practitioner is certified, licensed, and has a long history of providing quality care; they won’t be able to practice on your pet if this law is enacted. And, if it is, our pets will miss out on many very beneficial treatments, because few Vets or Vet Techs are trained in, or practice these modalities.

If I want a massage, acupuncture, or to visit a chiropractor, he or she isn’t required to be an MD to practice… So why should my pet’s practitioner be required to be a DMV? That’s just insane!

Let’s stop the insanity… You can make a difference and protect our pets! BTW, while this is about a specific piece of Ca. legislation, this issue is not limited to California. These types of laws are popping up all over the country, and we need to be informed and take action to maintain our control over our pets’ health and well being!

EVERYONE can sign and forward this petition:

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/protectcomplementaryvettherapies/

Also, please be proactive and contact the legislators in YOUR state. The following is a form letter you can use… For California residents a list of email addresses will follow this form letter:

"Dear ______,

I am writing with great concern regarding California Bill AB 1980, which would prohibit the practice of "veterinary medicine" without a license and specifies that a person practices veterinary medicine when he or she, among other things, represents himself or herself as engaged in the practice of veterinary medicine or administers a treatment of whatever nature for the cure or relief of a bodily injury or disease of an animal.

Providers of complementary therapies such as massage therapists, physical rehabilitation specialists, and more do not claim to provide veterinary care. Yet for equine athletes, aging and infirm horses and even companion animals, these services are often essential to performance or wellness. This bill would provide that any person who practices complementary therapies for the benefit of an animal would be committing a crime. Veterinarians and technicians do not have the training, time or inclination to perform therapies. Owners will be left without access to vital care, and an entire industry will be put out of business.

Should such a bill come before you in the state of ____, I urge you to consider voting against it.

Many thanks for your consideration of this matter.

Sincerely,_____"

Email to your California Assemblyperson and Senator to ask them to vote no on AB1980!

Assemblymember.hayashi@assembly.ca.gov Senator.aanestad@sen.ca.gov

Senator.alquist@sen.ca.gov

Senator.ashburn@sen.ca.gov

Senator.calderon@sen.ca.gov

Senator.cedillo@sen.ca.gov

Senator.cogdill@sen.ca.gov

Senator.corbett@sen.ca.gov

Senator.correa@senca.gov

Senator.cox@sen.ca.gov

Senator.denham@sen.ca.gov

Senator.desaulnier@sen.ca.gov

Senator.ducheny@sen.ca.gov

Senator.dutton@sen.ca.gov

Senator.emmerson@sen.ca.gov

Senator.florez@sen.ca.gov

Senator.hancock@sen.ca.gov

Senator.harman@sen.a.gov

Senator.hollingsworth@sen.ca.gov

Senator.huff@sen.ca.gov

Senator.kehoe@sen.ca.gov

Senator.leno@sen.ca.gov

Senator.liu@sen.ca.gov

Senator.lowenthal@sen.ca.gov

Senator.nagrete@sen.ca.gov

Senator.oropeza@sen.ca.gov

Senator.padilla@sen.ca.gov

Senator.pavley@sen.ca.gov

Senator.price@sen.ca.gov

Senator.romero@sen.ca.gov

Senator.runner@sen.ca.gov

Senator.simitian@sen.ca.gov

Senator.steinberg@sen.ca.gov

Senator.strickland@sen.ca.gov

Senator.walters@sen.ca.gov

Senator.wiggins@sen.ca.gov

Senator.wolk@sen.ca.gov

Senator.wright@sen.ca.gov

Senator.wyland@sen.ca.gov

Senator.lee@sen.ca.gov

Happy Day!

2010-08-06T22:20:00.000-07:00

This past Tuesday morning, I was coming home from my morning appointments. My plan was to feed my fur kids, work on my daily pet reports and training plans, and eat a sandwich (which would be breakfast and lunch) before my next appointment. However, my plans went out the car window when I noticed a “stray dog” sniffing around in the green space by my house. I can’t help myself, when I see a dog wandering around alone, I have to try to catch him or her and, hopefully return the dog home.

I put my car in the garage and Jesse in the house, grabbed a leash, along with my treat bag. Then I went in search of the dog, and found her still sniffing around in the green space. I got her attention and tossed some treats between us. She immediately walked over and ate the food. I offered her food from my hand, and she walked right up and took it. She wasn’t wearing a collar, so no ID tags. So I used the leash as a slip lead, easily slipped it over her head and led her back to my house. I loaded her into my car and took her to my vet to have her scanned for a microchip. The scanner didn’t read one, so I brought her back to my place. BTW, she was great in the car.

I figured she lived close by and had just gotten out somehow. She was obviously older, but in really good shape. She looked well fed, with a beautiful coat. Her teeth were worn, which along with the grey on her face, made me think she was an older girl. She was also way too calm and friendly to have been on the streets for any length of time.

Now I was in a quandary, I knew I should take her to the shelter, but it’s not exactly close and I had appointments to get to soon. I also couldn’t take her into my house, my cats would freak. Luckily, I saw my neighbor, and told him the story. He volunteered to keep her until we could figure out what to do.

When I got back, I checked on the dog. She was perfectly content and acting like it was all a big adventure. We talked about taking her to the shelter, which they were very reluctant to do. Knowing how stressful it can be on a dog, I was too. I know I should have taken her in right away, but I just couldn’t… I had a strong feeling she was from the neighborhood and we’d find her home soon. We decided to give it three days. We walked her around the neighborhood, asking everyone we saw if they knew where she lived. I posted info about her on Craigslist, facebook and twitter. I made some fliers and we posted them around the area.

Today, when we were going to take her to animal control, my neighbor got a call from the owner. She’d seen one of the fliers, while she was out putting up her own. She rushed over, from a couple blocks away, and picked up Cindy, that’s her name. They were so happy so see each other… Thank God for a happy ending!

BTW, Cindy is 11 years old, and was micro chipped as a puppy. Eleven years later, it wasn’t working. Two lessons from this:

Occasionally have your vet scan your pet to make sure the chip is still working.
Make sure your dog is always wearing a well fitting buckle collar, with ID tags.

My brain, or whats left of it, hurts… LOL!

2010-08-05T22:11:00.000-07:00

I’ve been updating my website… for several days now. Lately, all my ‘free time’ has been spent working on it. It’s something I’ve been meaning to do for a long time, but I've been putting off. I knew that once I got started, I wouldn’t be able to stop until I was happy with it… which is never. I also knew there were things I didn’t like about my site, but didn’t know how to fix without calling GoDaddy. While they give great customer service, which is one of the reasons I use them as my web host, I hate to call and ask what often turns out to be a stupid question…

Unfortunately I’m my own web designer, and when I started my site I had no idea what I was doing. I still don’t, but I’m slowly learning as I go along. Mostly I’m learning to try stuff and see what happens. I still have a lot to learn and often wish I had and IT person, or a teenager, to help me… LOL! I know there must be easier ways to do what I want to do, but I don’t know what they are… BTW, trial and error is very time consuming!

So I finally decided to just change the template. The old one was very plain, which made my site look plain. Don’t ask me what I was thinking when I first chose it, but I’ve hated for the longest time. I’ve wanted to change it, but I was afraid to because I was afraid it mess the whole site up… of course it didn’t… LOL! After I changed the template, I had to change the header… the old one didn’t fit. That meant I had to create a new header in Illustrator, then convert it to a JPEG, which the only way I’ve figured out how to do is to go through Photoshop. That took awhile, since I had to resize it a few times to make it fit without cutting something off. Then I had to do the same thing with the photo. I’m still not completely happy with it, but it’ll work for now. I’ll keep working on it, but I have to have something online.

Then I started changing the layouts of some of the pages… to make them easier to read and be more concise. I added some photos, deleted others, changed text, and then look at the page and changed something else. I completely redid entire blocks to remove leftover spacing. Another thing I’m learning is that making changes, then undoing them can have unintended consequences… like weird spacing.

I got sidetracked by making Google Maps for the site. I started out making one to show my Pet Nanny Service Area. I think it makes more sense than just listing zip codes, or town names. Then I decided to make one for Jesse Page, showing all his favorite places to go in San Diego, with his reviews too.

The navigation bar had been really bugging me. The page tabs moved around when a new page was selected, and sometimes they would just disappear. I tried to figure out how to lock them many times. I tried to find a “help” article on how to do it; I know it’s probably just me, but most “help” articles don’t really help. Finally I found it… the “edit nav” button. It was right there in front of my face the whole time, but I didn’t notice it (actually I saw it and had no idea what it was). Once I selected that button, I was finally able to arrange my tabs in the order I wanted them and they would stay put. Who knew, experiment and learn! And avoid calling customer service at all costs… LOL!

Finally after many hours of making this little change, or replacing that photo, I have a “new website.” Or, at least, a website that looks new… LOL. I’m actually happy with it now. I know I’ll keep making changes here and there and everywhere… especially to the resources and Jesse’s pages, but it’s such an improvement over my “old” site. BTW, any input, ideas, or advice is welcome!

My New Phone

2010-07-30T20:59:00.000-07:00

I bought a new cell phone last weekend, got a Samsung Vibrant. Compared to my old and dying cell, it's like going from a 1964 VW bug to a 2010 BMW! It's very thin, light and comfortable to hold. Yet the screen is large for a cell phone, and it's beautiful. It came loaded with the movie "Avatar" which looks and sounds fantastic. It's also a really good phone, I can actually hear people on this phone :) I've been having so much fun figuring out just some of the things it'll do, and downloading apps, ringtones, etc.

You may be wondering what this has to do with dog training or pet sitting, the answer is... nothing really. Except that having a phone that allows me to do so many things, and so easily, is very helpful! Writing emails, texts and anything else is so easy on this phone. It has a feature called, Swype, which allows you to type by tracing a path between the letters in a word, instead of having to type each letter. It took a little time getting used to at first, but once I did I find... I LOVE IT!! It's so much faster and easier to Swype! It's going to make it so much easier to do my Daily Pet Reports from clients houses when I don't have Internet access!

I also find the maps, GPS and voice directions very helpful. It's all google based maps, so they're up to date. I find I like google maps much better than MapQuest, the directions are better and the maps are easier to read. I go to a lot of new clients homes and I find it's so much easier to follow voice commands while driving than trying to follow directions. My car has GPS, which I use most often, but sometimes a place I need to find is too new for my car's program. Updating it is expensive, so this is a great fallback.

It came with a Kindle app, and I've been wanting a Kindle so I can buy my favorite training books and have them all in one easy to get to place. I downloaded my first e-book... Reaching the Animal Mind: Clicker Training and What It Teaches Us About All Animals, by Karen Pryor. I've been reading it on the phone and it's very easy to see, such a nice screen! I'm sure a real Kindle, or iPad would be better, but this works out just fine and it's one less thing to carry!

The camera is awesome, both the photo and video above where shot and uploaded directly from the phone. There are several different settings/filters for the still camera, including the one I used for the photo of Jesse James. The video camera shoots nice video and, as you can see from my little practice video above, you can edit in the camera and then upload to YouTube, and a bunch of other places too. I discovered that larger files need WiFi, but that's not a problem... or won't be when I figure out what my WiFi password is... LOL! Yet another project!

Lucy Learned Touch!

2010-07-19T13:10:00.000-07:00

This is Lucy, she's four months old. She's a very cute and very bright puppy! Last week was our first training session and I introduced the "Target to Hand" behavior to Lucy and her family and... They've done ever so well! I knew they would...

It's always so great to work with people who really want to work with their dog! After all, they are the ones who, hopefully, will have a long lifetime relationship with her. I know this puppy will have a lifelong home with her family... that's why I do what I do!

The Turtles

2010-07-19T12:18:00.000-07:00

No this isn’t about the 60’s Rock Band, although, several years ago, I had some friends who had a couple of turtles named Flo and Eddie… LOL!

When I was a very young child, my impulsive dad brought home some baby turtles. He was a great animals lover, and would “bring me pets” that he could have in our ‘no pets allowed’ apartment. Of course at that age, I was too young to take care of the turtles and dad was too busy, so mom ended up having to do it. My mom loved animals too, but she really wasn’t into the turtles. I liked the turtles and enjoyed “helping” to feed and take care of them, but I really wanted a dog. When you’re four, you tend to have a one-track mind. After about a year of feeding and cleaning up after the turtles, mom had enough. She gave the turtles to a co-worker who loved them and could provide a better home for them. Since then I’ve shared my live with a variety of animals, but except for Flo and Eddie, that’s been my only experience with turtles.

Now that I have some turtle clients, I’ve found I really like the little guys. At first all of them were afraid of me and would hide and/or stay inside their shells when I was putting out their food and water. They wouldn’t come out until I left. But now two of the three have become used to me, and have come out of their shells… LOL. They no longer retract into their shells when I drop a mealworm in front of them. Instead they wait with their heads extended, watch me drop the worm, cock their heads to see it, and then dive in. They like veggies, but they love their mealworms! I find it fascinating to watch them hunt, catch, and eat the worms. They also really like blueberries, bananas and scrambled eggs, some of my favorite foods too.

Since I’ve been interacting with the turtles, I’ve noticed their individual personalities. Harrison is still very shy and hides from me, but the other two have decided I’m OK. Murphy is now very bold, and has actually taken a mealworm from my hand. Norman is interested in me, but not so sure yet. Although he likes it when I drop a worm in front of him. I’ve learned they are so very cute, active and interesting. I like to watch them walk around, they tend move slowly, but with great determination like they have a goal in mind. Yet, when they see a mealworm, they can really hustle to get it. They’re also very curious little creatures, they watch everything I’m doing, it’s so cute how they cock their heads to keep an eye on me. It’s intriguing to develop a relationship with these little holdovers from the dinosaurs.

I keep finding myself thinking about how cute they are, and how much fun it would be fun to have some turtles too. I also think it would be fun to try to clicker train them to do a trick or two… Turtle weave poles? I think it could be done! If I had the time to be a good turtle mom and trainer, not to mention the space to give them a happy home, I would be very tempted to adopt a couple of turtles. Who knows maybe I will one day, but until then I will enjoy my time with my little turtle clients.

Making Friends with Noche

2010-07-17T22:03:00.000-07:00

This is Noche, with his brother Cody, and one of the sweetest cats I’ve ever known, in the background. I wrote about Cody in an earlier blog. When I first started pet sitting for them, Noche would have nothing to do with me, except to hiss and growl at me from one of his hiding places. When coming though the door, I would occasionally see a black streak flash across the living room, so I knew Noche was still there, seemingly healthy and alive… LOL! A big part of my job is to make sure all the animals I’m caring for are doing well. However, it’s difficult when said animal is frightened and won’t let me get near them.

I’ve cared for Noche, and his brothers and sisters, several times now. Over time our relationship has very slowly evolved. Once he decided I wasn’t a threat and I wouldn’t hurt him, and also because I feed him, he stopped running away and hiding from me. I knew better than to try to push him by trying to touch him, so at first I would just walk by, speak softly to him, and drop a treat or two. Other times I would quietly sit near him for a few minutes, I wouldn’t talk to or make eye contact with him. He would watch me, and look like he was thinking about checking me out, but it took awhile until he finally did.

Then he started coming up to sniff my shoes, and bat them with un-clawed paws and walk away. Finally he would do the shoe sniff, paw bat and then sit down next to me; but he would watch to make sure I wasn’t going to touch him… so I wouldn’t.

Now he allows me to pet him for a few seconds… Big breakthrough!

Fun at the Park

2010-07-16T01:37:00.000-07:00

One of the many things I love about being a Pet Nanny is taking Jesse James and doggie clients to fun places where they can play, sniff, dig, run, swim, chase, etc., and really "get their dog on." I love to watch dogs be dogs, and I could do it forever! Or until I get thirsty, hungry, or really have to use the ladies room... LOL!

We go to local dog parks, beaches and other places of interest. On hot days out here in the East County, it's nice to go somewhere that's cooler... like Fiesta Island or dog beach. It's usually about 15 to 20 degrees cooler at the coast, about 20 miles away. Or, if we can't get to the coast, we go to parks where there's shade and cool grass for the dogs to enjoy after doing the three 'Ps' of a dog outing... poop, pee and play :)

Where did the lizards go?

2010-07-14T22:52:00.000-07:00

It was too hot today... even for the lizards. Issie, Dina and Jesse usually have a blast running around and playing together, not to mention hunting for lizards. But not today... it was too hot. They gave lizard hunting a bit of a try, but quickly decided to hang in the shade instead. Can't say that I blame them, I know that I was hot too!

Overnights and Out of Touch

2010-07-12T22:19:00.000-07:00

I did a couple overnights this week. I do a few every month, so I’m getting used to it and have gotten a routine down for it.

I really love the pets I stay with, but also I miss my cats and Jesse, if he can’t go with me. When it happens that Jesse can’t go to an overnight, he stays with friends and has a blast with them and their dogs. I know he’s safe and happy, but I still miss him and the kitties.

Overnights are usually fun, but it’s always sort of hard to sleep in other people’s houses. The odd little noises of a different home, catch my attention, and often wake me up. I’m used to the sounds of my house, but every home has it’s own special set of noises. They take time to learn to ignore, but a couple nights doesn’t really do it. I’ve stayed at this house, and with these dogs, several times, but it’s still hard to feel truly comfortable there. It’s just not home. For instance, I wanted to boil some water to make tea, but it took me awhile to figure out how to use the burners. The electronic starter was odd, you had to dial to it the first stop and wait for the burner to light. Can you tell I have an electric stove? I finally got it and boiled my water, but also decided it was easier to just nuke it… LOL.

The one thing I really miss, besides my babies, is when I don’t have Internet access. Most of the time people have WiFi and are happy to give me their code so I can get online, but some people either don’t have the Internet, or they’re hardwired. They tell me I can use their connection, but I don’t want to go unplugging people’s computers. It’s not that I want to spend the whole time surfing the net, instead of caring for the pets, but I do need to write emails, my Daily Pet Reports, to clients, and I often need to send forms and other docs to people. And I admit I like to check in on facebook and twitter occasionally too.

So I’ve been looking for a way to get Internet access anywhere. I do have and use my smart phone, but it’s just not the same as a real computer. I find in difficult to write anything longer than a couple sentences on that little keyboard. T-Mobile, my cell carrier, like everyone else has 3G USB connecters for computers, but it’s a little more expensive than I want to pay for just occasional use. Also, it would extend my contract and, at this point, I don’t want to do that. At least not until I have to buy a new phone, which may be soon since mine is getting worn out.

Any suggestions for an inexpensive way to get my computer online at my client’s homes would be very welcome and much appreciated!

I Want A Dog!

2010-07-06T22:38:00.000-07:00

My cousin took care her friend’s small dog for a week and decided she wants a small “lap dog” too. She emailed me to ask about what age and breed to get, and how to introduce the dog to her cats. I wrote the following in response, which she suggested I publish, so here it is…

I don’t want to talk you out of getting a dog! God knows the right dog makes your life way better… at least mine does for me.

But it’s a big decision, almost like adopting a child, so be sure you really want to have a four-legged kid for the next 10-15 years. Dogs are, or should be, a huge commitment. They are, or should be, time consuming. They need interaction, exercise and training everyday; and they can be very expensive. You have to consider a lot of things like, which Vet to take him to (some are very good, some may kill your dog). Vet bills can be amazingly costly, so keep that in mind too. Even healthy dogs should see a good vet every year, but not for shots! That’s a whole other and very important topic we’ll have to discuss once you get a dog.

Also think about, what and how much to feed him (another big topic of discussion), how much exercise will you be able to provide him, what will you do with the dog when you travel, or go away for more than 8 hours… that’s as long as any dog should be asked to hold their bladders. For some that’s too long. You’ll want to get him treats (for training), chews, beds, toys, collars, leashes, etc. The list goes on and on…

Most of all, unless you adopt an already well trained and well socialized dog, or that one in a billion ‘perfect dog,’ you’ll want to hire a professional, positive reinforcement, trainer to help you and your dog learn to communicate, give him the proper tools to use in your household, and make the transition with the cats easier too. It may seem like a silly extra expense, but a good trainer can save you a lot of money, and stress, in the long run. Consider the cost of torn up furniture, shoes, rugs, walls, yards, etc., which are common dog behaviors, verses hiring a good trainer :)

OK, if I haven’t scared you away from getting a dog… DO NOT BUY A DOG FROM A PET STORE!!! 99% of puppy stores get the puppies from mills. They usually poorly bred and raised, and they’re often unhealthy. Many of my clients are puppy store dogs with major house training issues, not to mention serious behavioral issues like extreme fear, biting, etc. Besides, every time someone buys a puppy mill store puppy, it just makes room for another one.

About Age: Puppies are so cute! I love puppies, love to train them, love to hold them, love to smell them. Love to give them back to their owners! A puppy is a baby, and like our babies they need a lot of supervision, management, training and socialization to grow into well-behaved adults. House training is like potty training a child, you have to be on it at all times and you should be willing to get up at 3-4 in the morning to take the baby out for a couple or more weeks. At first you many need to take the puppy out every 1-2 hours, and then totally manage him in between times, or you will have potty issues for a long time. Of course, if you’re diligent, your puppy will probably be house trained within a few weeks. Then there’s teething, nipping, chewing, digging, and all the other things puppies and some adult dogs do. See above about the trainer :) That having been said, there’s nothing like raising a puppy into a wonderfully well behaved dog, with whom you have that special bond of a lifelong trusting and loving relationship.

If you don’t want to spend a year + raising a four-legged child, consider adopting an adult dog… over one year. However, be careful about where you adopt him/her. Make sure they’re a good rescue/shelter. The good ones want to make forever homes for their pets, so they’re honest about the age (as close as possible), health, temperament, etc.

About Breeds: My dog is a Shih Tzu; he's small, 14 pounds and definitely a lap dog. He doesn't bark often and usually only while playing or interacting with other animals. But that's not true of all Shih Tzus, or of any other breed. While it's important to do your research into the different breeds before you make a choice, you also have to know that every dog is unique. I've known some Shihs that were crazy barkers and very anxious, while Jesse is Mr. Calm. That has more to do with the fact that he was well bred, and then well socialized and trained, than because of his breed. Any physically and mentally healthy dog can learn to be a good dog, if properly trained and socialized.

When choosing a dog think about things like grooming, many breeds have hair, instead of fur. Poodles, Shih Tzus, Yorkies, and Bichons, are among some breeds that will need a lot of grooming. Their hair grows and grows, so unless you want to spend hours brushing and combing, you’ll want to keep the dog clipped. That means a haircut every 4-8 weeks, which can be costly. Even when you keep them clipped, you still have to comb them regularly. I try to comb Jesse every other day, so he doesn’t get a chance to mat. The advantage of these dogs is that they are often less allergenic and don’t shed as much. Other dogs have long, thick fur, which also needs a lot of brushing and combing.

Consider your lifestyle; are you really active? If so, an energetic dog would be great. However that same dog would drive you crazy if you were more of a couch potato, because he’ll be bouncing off the walls, getting into things/trouble to release his access energy. That having been said, all dogs need exercise daily. For some a couple good walks per day is fine, others need to run and chase things for a long time. Of course, no matter what the dog’s energy level, training is paramount to having a calm, well-behaved dog. It’s important to know what the dog was bred to do, that tells you a lot about how much exercise he will need. Terriers, herding breed, sporting breeds and many of the working breeds can be very high energy. Size doesn’t matter, many toy or small dogs were bred to hunt, herd, guard, etc. and they tend to do the things they were bred to do, unless you give them other things to do… See trainer above :)

Plus, look into the health issues that often accompany a breed and, if you choose to buy one from a breeder, be sure he/she has bred for good genetics and not for the money. Like I said, I own a well-bred, healthy dog, but pure bred doesn’t necessarily mean well bred! A good breeder can give you records of tests done on both parents and their parents for at least three generations.

Finally, “mutts” are great dogs, and sometimes the best ones. You often get the best qualities of the breeds, but not always, and they tend to be somewhat healthier. It’s not just about nature; it’s also about nurture… see trainer above :)

About the cats: It will take a lot of time! Be sure to find a dog who is cat friendly. Give the cats their own space where the dog can’t go, so they feel they have a safe zone and let the cats decide when they want to interact with the dog. Also don’t let the dog chase them… See trainer above :)

So now that I’ve totally confused you, LOL, think about what you really want in a dog. Make a list and be specific. Go online and do a search on breeds that fit your requirements. Then be open minded, objective, and well informed when you choose the dog to bring into your home. Take your time to find the right dog, use your head, as well as your heart, and you will find a dog that is the right fit for you and your family.

Hope this helped…

Hot Tips For Cool Pets! … Part 4: Sun, Fun & FOOD

2010-06-23T10:20:00.000-07:00

During the summer, many of us have barbeques, picnics, and pool parties with family and friends. When people get together, there’s always food and drink involved. We love to eat, and so do our pets. It’s great for our fur kids to enjoy our parties too; here are a few tips to help your party animal have a good time, while keeping him safe too…

Watch the grill: How many times have you been at a BBQ and thought, “That smells so good?” Then, mouth watering, walked over to check out the food. It’s a natural reaction for all of us, including our pets. Dogs and cats don’t get the concept of ‘too hot to touch,’ so they may try to raid the grill, and get seriously burned in the process. Or a dog, even if he’s just playing and running around, can knock over some barbeques, and get burned or start a fire. It’s best to always keep pets away from the grill!

Please don’t feed my dog: Like some people, pets can have allergies to certain foods. Some of the things we like to eat can make pets very ill, or even kill them. Some foods are too sweet, rich or spicy for our fur babies, but they’ll eat it then, and throw up later. People often fall for those sad eyes, watching as they take every bite, and they’ll feed the dog something they shouldn’t. Keep an eye on your pets, and the people too. Tell everyone what your pet can and cannot eat, or request that they not to feed the pet at all. It might be a little embarrassing, but it could save your pet a lot of misery, and you a large vet bill.

Foods pets should never eat: No COOKED Bones! I’m a big proponent of giving dogs, and cats, raw meaty bones as part of their regular diet. They are carnivores and a diet consisting of: raw muscle meat with some fat, some organ meat, bone, and a small amount of ground veggies, is the optimal diet for dogs and cats. So raw bones are a part of Jesse’s and my cats’ diets, and they love them. Most raw bones are great for your dog, but not when they’re cooked. Heat changes the molecular structure of a bone, making it brittle. Then sharp pieces can be consumed and cause internal injuries. So if you’re going to cook ribs, chicken, or anything on the bone, and you want to share with your best friend, by all means do, just don’t cook his. A nice raw, meaty rib bone, turkey neck, or chicken back could make your dog very happy, and keep him busy while everyone else eating too.

Never let your pets eat: chocolate, grapes, raisins, onions, raw bread dough, or macadamia nuts; these foods are toxic to, and can kill, dogs and cats.

Just water, please: I hate to admit this, but back in my youthful party days, I had a Chihuahua mix, named Bilbo Baggins, who loved beer. Of course, he only knew he loved beer because I gave him ‘just a little’ a couple times. Bilbo quickly learned to wait and watch for anyone to put a beer down. Then he would immediately knock it over, greedily lap it up, and then stagger around. At the time it seemed funny. Now that I’m older, and have more knowledge about dogs and life, when I think about it, I feel regret. We were lucky, nothing bad seemed to happen to him, but now I realize how much damage I might have caused my sweet Bilbo… his little body was not equipped to metabolize alcohol. It doesn’t take much for a dog to suffer or die from alcohol poisoning! So only give them good old water J

It’s their party too: Have some healthy snacks for your pets. As I mentioned, raw bones are great treats for dogs and cats; and, unlike kibble, raw bones help to keep their teeth healthy and clean. On hot days, I sometimes give Jesse a frozen raw bone, licking it cools his off and gives him something to do. While my dog and most cats won’t touch them, many dogs love fruits and vegetables; plus, cooked or raw, meat makes great treats for them, just leave off the spices. Keep in mind how much food your dog is eating, don’t let him overeat. Maybe cut back, or skip, his evening meal, if he’s had a bunch of food during the party.

We all scream for ice cream: One of our favorite treats, especially on hot days, is ice cream. Dogs like it too, but it’s really too sweet and creamy for them. However, there are commercially available frozen doggie treats. Many of them aren’t that great; they’re packed with artificial flavorings and chemicals. However, like yöghund, there are some healthy frozen treats available too. Always read the ingredients panel when choosing any food for your pet! Of course, you can always make your own frozen treats…

Pupsicles: The Honest Kitchen makes a product called Ice Pups, which you mix with water and freeze (it can be used, chilled or warm, as a drink too). Or, you can mix equal portions of low sodium broth and water, maybe add some small cubes of meat, cheese and/or veggies, pour it into an ice cube tray and freeze. Your dog will have a great time licking the meat flavored ice cubes and eating the bits of food. For larger pupsicles, pour your pupsicle mix into paper cups and freeze. Just for fun, you might even pop a bully stick into them once they’ve started to get solid. When they’re frozen, run the cups under cool water to remove the pupsicle.

Frozen Kongs: Kongs are great toys and treats in one. If you make them interesting by stuffing them with a variety of good food, they can keep a dog busy for a long time. There are several recipes on their website to give you ideas. Freezing a well-stuffed Kong makes a cooling, and time-consuming treat during a party, or anytime.

For more info on nutrition for our carnivore kids, check out these books:

Scared Poopless: The Straight Scoop on Dog Care, by Chiclet T. Dog & Jan Rasmusen

Natural Nutrition for Dogs and Cats: The Ultimate Diet, by Kymythy R. Schultze, C.C.N., A.H.I.

Food Pets Die For, by Ann Martin

Hot Tips For Cool Pets! … Part 3: Seeking Cooler Places

2010-06-20T13:04:00.000-07:00

On hot days, we seek cooler places. We go inside, and turn on air conditioners and fans. Or we go to the mall, beach, park, etc. We even look forward to going to work, just for the A/C… and we leave our fur kids behind, sometimes outside in the heat.

Where do they stay during the day? In Part 2 of this series, I mentioned that our pets, especially those flat-faced ones, are affected by heat more than we are. So if it’s too hot outside for you, it’s too hot for pets too. Bring them in and let them enjoy the fans or A/C too. I know not everyone has or uses A/C, but even without it or fans, it’s usually cooler inside the house. When my house gets hot, my fur kids have their cool spots. I often find them sprawled out on the kitchen and bathroom floors, in the closets, or lounging in front of a fan. I’ve even found a cat sleeping in the bathtub on occasion.

If your pets must remain outside; Make sure they have a cool, shady place to rest throughout the day; with plenty of fresh air and cool water… that’s not only good for the animal, IT’S THE LAW!

Speaking of laws, in California and some other states, it’s illegal to chain or tether a dog to an object like a tree, doghouse, post etc., for more than three hours per day. Besides being illegal, it’s dangerous, inhumane, and can lead to serious behavioral problems in the tied out dog. Among other things, a tethered dog is vulnerable to attacks from other dogs or animals, harassment from children, and strangulation. Unless you’re able to supervise the dog, do not tie him out!

A doghouse can be a good option for a cool place, as long as it’s large enough, and it’s insulated and well ventilated. If it gets hot and stuffy inside the doghouse, it defeats the purpose. The same thing goes for a garage; because they’re usually not well insulated and there’s no moving air, it can get stifling inside a closed garage.

We usually sit or lie on furniture, wear shoes, and walk erect; so we forget how much heat the ground can absorb, retain, and then radiate, especially surfaces like asphalt and cement. Our pet’s entire, fur covered, bodies are always close to the ground! They feel the heat to their core… literally. Remember, shade moves with the sun, but the ground doesn’t cool as quickly. If your dog stays in an enclosed area, like a run, there should be enough cover so a good-sized area has continuous shade throughout the day. Also, an elevated bed allows air to circulate under the pet, and gets him off of the hot ground.

Speaking of the ground, many dogs will dig holes big enough to lie in… They know that a few inches under the surface, the ground is much cooler. If your dog does this, don’t get mad at him! Instead, think of some things you can do to make his “dog days” more comfortable.

Visiting ‘cooler places.’ During the summer, we like to go to the beach, park, lake, and other outdoor places. While most cats would rather stay home, many dogs would love to go with you. It’s great fun for them to get outdoors with us, and visiting new places gives your dog the chance to enjoy new sights and smells. A couple hours spent at a beach or park can be a great way to relax with your best friend, and maybe beat the heat too. Here are some things to think about before you and your dog take off for a little get away…

Know Your Dog Will Be Welcome: There are places where dogs aren’t allowed, even on leash. Before you go: Do some research and make sure dogs are welcome. Learn and follow the rules that apply to dogs, including poop pick up! Doing so is one way to insure dogs will continue to be welcomed there.

Water: Always bring plenty of water, and a bowl, for your dog.

Car Rides: DO NOT LEAVE YOUR DOG IN THE CAR! Cars are like mini glasshouses, and they heat up very fast, even with the windows cracked. When it’s 85° outside, your car can heat up to 102° in just ten minutes… Be prepared before you leave home with your dog, so you don’t have to stop by the store along the way. “I’m just going to run in for a minute,” can turn into several when the store is busy.

Shade: Even at the beach, where the breeze is usually cool, it still gets hot and the sand gets really hot. Like many dogs, Jesse James loves the beach, but he doesn’t like the water and won’t take advantage of it to cool off. When we’re having a beach day, if I don’t bring one, I always find Jesse hanging out under other peoples’ umbrellas. No matter where you’re relaxing outdoor destination is, make sure your dog will have a shady place to hang out with you. If there aren’t trees or other natural sources of shade, bring your own. Soft-sided portable crates, and pet tents are lightweight, easy to set up, and a safe place for your dog to get out of the sun.

First Aid Kit: It’s a good idea to always have a First Aid Kit in your car! It’s not just for your dog, it’s for you and your family too. Taking CPR and First Aid classes for pets and people is also a great idea.

Too Much of a Good Thing: Sometimes dogs get so involved in exploring and playing they forget to rest. Frequently encourage your dog to stop, drink water, maybe have a snack, relax and cool down.

What If I Get Lost?

2010-06-16T22:25:00.000-07:00

Last week my friends’ miniature schnauzers, Caesar and Cleopatra, got lost. About a year ago, Cleo lost her eyesight and now she relies on Caesar to help her navigate. They were in the backyard and he found a small hole in the fence, which he took advantage of, slipped through… and took off, with Cleo following behind. A couple hours later, a neighbor found Caesar, but Cleo wasn’t with him. My friends did all the things you do when your dog is lost… they cried, visited the shelters, cried, put adds on Craigslist, cried, put fliers all over the neighborhood, cried, went back to the shelters, cried, contacted nearby vets, cried, checked with the shelters again, cried, etc. They were beside themselves with worry, grief, and fear for their little blind dog, especially after a few days.

Luckily, this story has a happy ending… On the first day, a man found Cleo and took her home with him. Since she wasn’t wearing a collar, with an ID tag and her dog license, he didn’t know whom to call. On the forth day, he happened to see my friends’ lost dog post on Craigslist and called them. Cleo came home safe and sound.

You might be thinking, “Sweet story, but so what?” I just wanted to point out that if a couple of simple things had been done, my friends would have been spared four long days of hell. I’m not trying to be critical of them, they love their dogs, but they made a couple of fairly common mistakes and paid for them with a lot of worry. I think Cleo’s story could be a lesson for all of us.

Fences only work if they keep your dog inside them. In this case, a board in the wooden fence had been damaged, which my friends knew about, but hadn’t gotten around to fixing. They thought it was too small for the dogs to get through, so they put it on the ‘to do’ list. However, dogs can be very determined and resourceful when it comes to getting things they want, like out of backyards. A bored dog, with enough of time on his paws, can make a very small hole really big. So, check for and fix broken boards or gaps in your fence. Make sure your fence is high enough that your dog can’t climb or jump over it. Some dogs will take advantage of furniture and other objects to use as a springboard to get over a fence. Most important, if you provide your dog with positive training and other things to keep him from getting bored, he might not want to get out of the yard.

Microchips are great, but where are your tags? I think microchips are great, my dog and four cats have them. But, microchips only work if you remember to update your information when you move or change your phone number. Cleo also has a microchip; but, like the nice man who found her, not all good people are “animal people.” He didn’t know to take her to a vet or shelter to have her scanned.

If Cleo had been wearing a well fitting collar with current ID tags, she would have been returned the first day. Many people think their dogs don’t need to wear their tags at home, but stuff happens… fences get broken, doors and gates get left open, etc., and dogs get loose. If your dog, or cat, always has on current ID tags, anyone who finds your pet can contact you right away. These tags are inexpensive and available at many pet stores. Just make sure to replace them if you change your phone number, or if they become too damaged to read.

A flat or rolled collar with a buckle or plastic snap is a good choice for everyday use. They come in leather, nylon and many other materials. There are a huge variety of colors, patterns, widths, etc. They can range in price from about $8 and up. The most important thing is to make sure the collar is the right size for your dog. Measure your dog’s neck and then add one inch to get the right size. Never attach tags to a choke collar; and do not continuously keep a choke collar on a dog. They’re called choke collars for a reason! Every year thousands of dogs are strangled to death by them. The ‘live’ ring gets caught on something, the dog struggles to get away, which is a dog’s natural reaction, and the collar just gets tighter and tighter. My strongest advice is: DON’T USE CHOKE OR PRONG COLLARS, PERIOD!

If you find a lost pet: If the dog has on a license tag, call Animal Control, and they can give you the owner’s phone number over the phone. Many people are reluctant to take a pet they’ve found to Animal Control. They’re afraid the owner won’t look for him there, and the dog, or cat, will be euthanized. So, they keep the animal with them and search for the owner on their own. My friends were very lucky that the man who found Cleo actually saw their post on Craigslist, but that doesn’t always happen. When they escape, some dogs can run for miles. So putting posters up where the dog was lost, or found, might not help; chances are the parties involved won’t see them. Do put up posters and place posts on the Internet, sometimes those things work. But you should also take the pet to the closest shelter, where they can scan him for a microchip and put him on public display for the owners to find. Most people search the shelters for their lost pets.

FYI, if you take a found pet to a shelter, you can put a Finders Hold on the animal, and if the owners don’t claim him, you will be first in line to adopt him. Here’s a link to San Diego Animal Control with more info about what to do if you find a lost pet: http://www.sddac.com/lostandfound/ifoundpet.asp

Hot Tips For Cool Pets! … Part 2: Pets Don’t Sweat and They Don’t Complain

2010-06-13T11:22:00.000-07:00

This obviously is part two of my series, Hot Tips for Cool Pets. Part one was about water. My goal for this series is go provide pet parents with information and ideas to help keep their fur kids cool, safe and comfortable during hot weather and all year long.

Pets don’t sweat!

Our fur kids far more likely than we are to suffer from heat related issues, including deadly heat stroke! We have the huge advantage over our furry friends of being able to sweat. You may thinking, “What? I spend big bucks on stuff to keep me from sweating.” However, our ability to perspire, gives us a great mechanism to regulate our body heat. Our fur-covered friends are only able to cool themselves through panting, basically exhaling their body heat, and through a small amount of perspiration from their paw pads and nose. This is much less efficient than sweating, so our pets are far more susceptible to heat exhaustion or heat stroke than we are. Remember: If you’re hot, your pets are even hotter!!!!

FYI… Brachycephalic (flat faced) breeds, like Bull Dogs, Pugs, Persian Cats, etc., are even more susceptible to heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Many of them cannot tolerate heat at all, so if you share your life with a Brachy, like I do, be very careful to keep them cool at all times!

Pets don’t complain!

The thing is many pets don’t complain when they’re starting to feel sick. Instincts tell them not to show signs of weakness, so they often suffer in silence. Or they’re having so much fun playing, lying in the sun, being with us, etc., that they ignore what their bodies are telling them.

Some animals, especially young ones, aren’t always in tune with their bodies, and they can get so caught up in playing, ball/Frisbee chasing, etc., that they won’t stop when they start to get hot and tired. While most pets will seek out cool places to rest during the heat of the day, I’ve known sun loving dogs and cats (and people) who, if allowed to, will lie in the sun until they nearly pass out from heat exhaustion. It’s up to us to monitor our fur kids, make them stop playing or come inside before then start to get overheated.

Exercise doesn’t replace good training.

OK, now I’m going to have a bit of a rant… Even on cool days, I see people on bikes, rollerblades, skateboards, etc., running an obviously hot and exhausted dog… and it makes me so angry! It makes me even angrier during hot weather. If they were actually running themselves, they might think twice about how far and fast they are forcing their dog to go.

I’m certainly not opposed to exercising us, or our dogs, and exercising with our K9 friends can make it way more fun! Just keep in mind that many dogs will push themselves way too far to keep up with us, even if it means making themselves very sick in the process. And, let’s be honest, they often don’t really get to choose to stop, when we’re pulling them along by their necks. Of course, there are those breeds and types of dogs for whom a good long run is good exercise, but even they can get too much of a good thing, especially on hot days. Most breeds were not designed for long distance running, they’re more like sprinters than marathon runners. Making them do so can be damaging to their muscles, bones, and joints. Plus, on warm days, it can be very hazardous to their health!

As with ourselves… Be wise when you exercise your dog! On very hot or humid days, only exercise your dog in the early morning or late evening, when it’s cooler. Even then, it can still be humid, which makes it difficult to breath well. When your dog starts to pant heavily, with his tongue hanging way out of his wide-open mouth, and he starts to slow down… he’s tired… give him a break!

I know most people aren’t trying to be cruel to their dog, even though they often are; they really love him or her and think they’re doing a good thing for their dog. Often they’re operating under the misguided idea that dogs just need lots and lots of exercise to make them better behaved. Usually, it really makes them too tired to move when they’re done running for several miles, so they just seem better behaved. But what has the dog really learned? Maybe… that his beloved person can be very mean! It’s better to train your dog, along with providing reasonable exercise and giving him positive things to do! For some ideas, check out my blog: I’m Soooooo Bored!!!!

Hot surfaces and tender paws!

Most of us wear shoes when we’re walking around outside, especially on hot days. So we often forget just how hot streets and sidewalks can get. Our dogs can’t forget because they’re often forced to walk on these very hot surfaces with their bare paws.

When I was a kid, I had to be forced to wear shoes (I hated them, still do). I would shed them whenever I could and go barefoot. My mom must have asked, “Where are your shoes?” a million times. Since our bodies are often smarter than we are, the soles of my feet got thick and hard to accommodate the wear and tear of barefoot walking. But, even with my very tough feet, I would often have to run across asphalt streets, they were so hot, and even then my feet occasionally got burned. Even concrete sidewalks got too hot to walk on.

You might be thinking, “That’s nice, but who cares? A human’s foot is not like an animal’s paw.” You would be right, there are obvious physiological differences. But you would also be wrong… our feet, like their paws did not evolve to walk on hot blacktop or concrete. During the day, pavements can reach 150 degrees. Walking and running on hot pavement can burn your dog’s paws. Some dogs have actually had the pads of their paws literally burned off by being forced to run on the hot ground! BTW, even dirt paths can get very warm on hot days!

When you’re out with your dog, keep an eye on him while he’s walking. If he starts picking his paws up quickly, the ground may be too hot. Try to get him off the pavement and onto grass ASAP, grass is always cooler than cement! However, the best idea is to avoid asking your dog to walk on hot surfaces in the first place.

Hot Tips For Cool Pets! … Part 1: Water

2010-06-10T20:35:00.000-07:00

Now that the ‘dog days of summer’ are almost here, I thought I’d write a blog series to share some ideas of how to help keep our pets cool and safe during hot weather, and all year long. I know there’s a ton of “summer safety” articles out there, so I hope to bring a little bit of a new twist to mine; I also hope you’ll like and learn something from this blog series… Please feel free to add comments, suggestions and ideas!

We All Need Water:

Of course it’s important to provide plenty of fresh water for our pets every day, but during hot weather it’s even more so, since pets tend to drink more when it’s hot. You might want to put out extra water bowls during the summer months. Make sure outside water bowls are out of the direct sun; the water can get very warm, especially in a metal bowl. Many pets tend to dislike warm water and may refuse to drink it, even when they are very thirsty.

Don’t give a really hot dog (or anyone) really cold water. Cold water can be a big shock to the system of an overheated body. Of course, it’s important to keep our pets from getting overheated in the first place, but sometimes it does happen. If your pet does get overheated, give him small amounts of cool, not cold, water every few minutes. Get him out of the sun and into a cool place. Wrap him in a cool wet towel or pour cool water over his body to help reduce his core body temperature. If an animal shows signs of heat stroke, vomiting, fainting, seizures, etc., wrap him in a wet towel and get him to a vet immediately.

When going places with your dog, remember to take water, and a bowl, for him too. While many dog parks have doggie water fountains and dog friendly places usually provide water for their K9 patrons, it’s good to have your own… just in case. Notice I said, “and a bowl?” That’s because it’s really difficult for some dogs to drink from a bottle, fountain, hose, etc. They often don’t get enough water, may choke, and, since they can only lap at it, it’s a waste of water. Most animals do better drinking from a bowl instead. There are many varieties of portable water bowls on the market. Some have a bottle for water attached to a bowl, such as the Water Rover, and others are foldable. Of course, you can always use any bowl you want J

Pools Are Great Summer Time Fun…

Many dogs love water; they love to play, wade, lie, and swim whenever possible. If you have a swimming pool, you may find it difficult to keep your dog out of it. A pool can be a great way for dogs to cool off, get exercise and have a blast!

But remember dogs can and do drown in swimming pools every year. Follow all pool safety rules with your fur kids too. Make sure your pets don’t have unsupervised access to any pool, even kiddy pools. The first time he gets in any new pool, be sure to teach your dog where the stairs are, how to find them and how to get out.

BEWARE OF POOL COVERS… children, pets and wildlife have been killed because they were able to slip between the edge of the cover and the side of the pool, and then weren’t able to get back out from under the cover.

Most dogs instinctually know how to swim, but some breeds, such as Bull Dogs, are usually unable to. There are floatation devices for dogs, which you might think about purchasing if your dog can’t swim and he’s around water a lot. Some dogs don’t feel comfortable* going into a pool, although with lots positive reinforcement you might be able to change his mind. Also, not every dog has access to a swimming pool. So a wading pool can be a great way for those dogs to cool off on hot summer days. A couple inches of water will be enough for your dog to be able to lie down, splash around, and cool off in.

* Unless you absolutely know your dog will enjoy it, don’t push or throw him into a pool. If he is frightened by the experience, he may never want to go swimming again.

I’m Riding in YOUR Car…

2010-06-06T13:38:00.000-07:00

Most people drive or ride in a car daily. We don’t think about the potential danger, we just hop in and go. Still, most of us use seat belts, secure babies and small children in car seats, and we rely on airbags and structural design to protect us in case of an accident. However, we often just put our dogs in the car and drive away. I admit I’m often guilty of this myself… So I thought it might be a good idea to remind us all about car safety for our furry family members.

I often see a dog sitting, or most often standing, on someone’s lap while they’re driving and I cringe because it’s just so dangerous. Having anything between a driver and the steering wheel is a driving distraction. Worst of all, AIRBAGS CAN KILL YOUR DOG! Unless you can deactivate the airbag, dogs should not ride in the front seat and never on someone’s lap. During a sudden stop, or in an accident, an unsecured pet can be thrown around inside the car. This could seriously injure the animal, and being hit by him can injure passengers. During an accident, if a window breaks or a door comes open, a frightened or injured pet might run away. To protect all the passengers in a vehicle, like us humans, pets should always be secured in and to the car.

A crate may be the best way to transport some pets; I use them with my cats. If properly trained and used, a crate can offer familiar surroundings and a secure space. Be sure to secure the crate to your vehicle! An unsecured crate can suddenly shift during an emergency maneuver or an accident. This could cause injury to your pet, as well as, you or other passengers. Also, keep the temperature inside the crate in mind; try not to put it on the side of the car that will get the most direct sun.

For my dog and clients, I use a harness attached to a short strap, which is secured to a seatbelt or into a seatbelt receptacle. The strap should be just long enough to allow the dog, or cat, to sit, lie down, or look out of the window, but long enough for him to fall off the seat during a quick stop. There are several varieties and sizes of car safety harnesses available too.

It’s important to use a harness, not his collar, to secure your pet. In an accident your dog’s body weight, suddenly putting pressure on his collar, could cause serious throat, neck, or spine injury.

For small dogs, or car friendly cats, there are also car seats for pets. They allow smaller pets to be high enough to see out of windows comfortably and safely. Always secure a pet car seat to the car with straps that fit around the back your car’s seat. Then attach your pet’s harness to his car seat.

More car safety tips for pets:

Don't leave your dog locked in the car. The inside of a car, even with the windows opened, can heat up extremely fast. When it’s 85 degrees outside, your car can heat up to 102 degrees in just ten minutes, and to 120 degrees in thirty minutes… When it’s only 72 degrees outside, your car can heat up to 116 degrees in one hour, with the windows cracked.
Be aware of the temperature where your pet is positioned in the car, especially inside a crate. If necessary, open a window, adjust the air conditioning, or move the pet to prevent overheating and/or dehydration. Direct sun might adversely affect pets, even when the car is moving and the air is cooler; you might think about installing sunshades on the side windows.
While dogs may love the feeling of the wind in his their faces, when he hangs his head out of an open window, your dog could suffer eye damage, or even head injury, from flying road debris.
Train your dog to wait until you tell him to enter and exit a car. This not only teaches him self-control, it also prevents him from happily bounding out of a car and into traffic.

I’m Soooooo Bored!!!!

2010-06-03T20:26:00.000-07:00

There’s nothing to do… I’m sooo bored! Sounds like the average kid, but it’s really what many of our pets are thinking.

Sadly many of our fur kids are just plain bored out of their minds. So they find things to occupy themselves, which we often don’t like because the things they choose to do usually involves destroying our stuff or disturbing the neighbors. I know most think their dog is fine because he has a yard to run around in, or he gets a walk around the block almost every day. I don’t know about you, but if I were locked up in a yard or house almost all day... everyday, I would go stir crazy in about a week. Is it really any wonder that many dogs chew on furniture, dig up the garden, bark all day, go bananas when they see a leash, freak out in the car, etc.

BTW, your dog really isn’t doing those things to get back at you; he’s just being a dog! Dogs live in the moment, so punishing a dog for doing what comes natural to him is cruel because, unless you catch him in the act of doing whatever, and maybe not even then, he won’t understand why he’s being punished. He’ll just know you’re mad at him, so when he cowers, he’s not feeling “guilty” he’s feeling fear of you! It’s up to us to provide our dogs with the training and tools they need to learn to live with us and in our homes. Here are a few suggestions of things you can do with and for your dog to give him those tools.

Exercise:

While good nutrition and the proper amount and type exercise are important to maintain a healthy animal, both physically and behaviorally, you can give dogs too much of both. Some people will tell you that a tired dog is a good dog, however an overly tired dog can be a sore, stressed, and grumpy dog. By all means, please exercise your dog well daily, but make sure to keep it within your dog’s current physical limits. Keep in mind that, like us, an older dog or one who’s been a couch potato for the past two years won’t have the stamina to run for very long. Even a healthy, active dog can be over-exercised, especially on very warm days. Young dogs, who’s skeletal and muscle structure are not fully formed, can suffer lifelong injuries from too much strenuous exercise. Also too much exercise can have the opposite effect of what you’re hoping for, you may end up with an even more hyper, reactive dog. This is a nice article, which explains why this sometimes happens: http://www.4pawsuniversity.com/fetch.htm

Good Training Can Work Wonders:

Mental exercise is just as important as is physical exercise for all of us. Our fur kids are intelligent; they want and need to use their brains and to learn new things. Positive Reinforcement Training, such as clicker training, is a great way to help your dog, cat, or any other pet, use his brain, as well as, learn new and better behaviors to replace those you don’t really like. When you make training fun and rewarding for both yourself and your dog, it makes learning easier, helps build better communication between you, and strengthens the bond you share. To learn more about Positive Reinforcement Training, Animal Behavior, and Pet Nutrition, see our Resources Page for a list of books, links and other things: http://pawsitivepawsabilities.com/Resources.html

Let’s face it; most people really know how to train an animal. The average person probably wouldn’t know how to train a cat to jump onto a pedestal, ring a bell, and do it every time and only when they said, “Ding Dong.” Often when people try to train their dog, they end up yelling and yanking on him, the dog gets frightened, and everyone ends up stressed out and frustrated. That’s why it can be very helpful to hire a trainer; just make sure to choose one who uses positive reinforcement! To find a trainer, check out the following links:

http://www.sandiegodogtrainers.com

http://www.karenpryoracademy.com/find-a-trainer

http://www.iaabc.org

Dog sports such as; agility, freestyle, or rally obedience can be great ways to train and exercise your dog at the same time. Just make sure your trainer, club or group uses positive reinforcement training and methods. Cats can do agility too… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3uy5x110p0

Get Your Dog Out and About:

Most dogs love to take walks, go for car rides, and just get out into the world and have a good sniff. Well-socialized dogs usually like to meet new people and other dogs, and they enjoy having new experiences. Whenever possible, I take my dog Jesse James with me where ever I go. We visit our friends and most of our clients together, we go out to eat at dog friendly restaurants, I take him to parks, beaches, pet stores, etc. We even travel together, although not often enough J

Take your dog on daily walks, at least two, but go in different directions, around new blocks, and explore your neighborhood with your dog. You might be surprised who you’ll meet or what you’ll find while you’re out with your dog. Allow your dog to sniff and do dog stuff too, remember… it’s really his walk. You can also hire a pet sitter or dog walker to take your dog out for long walks, to parks or beaches, and/or play with him while you’re away during the day. Or you might look into taking your dog friendly dog to a good doggie daycare. You might find that coming home to a well exercised, happy dog and undamaged house is worth the money.

Many dogs love a car ride; even a quick trip around the block will make a lot of dogs very happy. A trip to the park or a pet store can be a huge treat/reward for good behavior. Find pet friendly places, go to events for dogs, just get out and enjoy life with your dog.

Use Food to your advantage:

Besides using food during training, try making some changes to the way to feed your dog his regular meals. Most dogs love to search and work for their meals. Scientific observations of feral dogs have shown they spend most of their waking time looking for food. The search for food stimulates the mind and senses; it also expends energy! When we put our dog’s food in a bowl and they scarf it down in less than two minutes, they are missing out on their instinctual need to find their own food. Why not use their food drive to your advantage and provide your pets with fun and intriguing ways to use their natural instincts?

If you feed your dog kibble, try throwing some, or all, of it out in the back yard for him to search for. At first he may look at you like you’ve suddenly lost your mind, but many dogs will have a great time, often spend hours, and use a lot of energy sniffing out that last piece of kibble.

Hide his food and some treats around the house/yard for your dog, or cat, to look for. When you first start, make it easy for the fur kid, so they don’t get frustrated and give up. Then, as they catch on to the find it game, you can start to make it more difficult for them to find the treats.

Food Carrying toys are also a great way for a dog, or cat, to work for his food, and work out his brain at the same time. Some people I know only feed their dogs in Kongs and other food toys. IMPORTANT: Always supervise your dogs while they’re using any food carrying toy! There are a wide variety of these types of toys available at pet stores or on the Internet. What they all have in common is that you put food (always healthy and human grade, but that’s another topic) inside and the dog, or cat, has to work to get it out. You can also make your own, and save some $$. Here are a few ideas to try, but be creative and send me your ideas.

Paper Towel Cores: When you’ve finished off a roll of paper towels, save the cardboard core and put your dog’s food and some smelly treats in it. Fold over both ends a couple of times, then give it to your dogs to figure out how to get his food out. You can do the same thing with TP cores.

Cardboard Egg Cartons (not Styrofoam): Put some smelly food, like small bits of hot dog, along with some of your dog’s food in the cups, close the top and let your dog try to get the food out.

Paper Bags: Put fun things like; food, toys, raw bones, bully sticks, etc. inside a brown paper bag. Roll the top over a few times to close the bag and give it to your dog. Some dogs will toss the bag, some will patiently unroll it, and some will tear the bag up. Every dog has his or her own bag opening technique. BTW, large paper bags make a hiding toy for cats; just make sure to remove any handles.

Water/Soda Bottles: Before you recycle your water or soda bottle, reuse it. Cut some holes in the bottle, put your dog’s food inside and let him roll it around, paw at it, or whatever to get the food out. Always pick up the bottle when your dog is finished. This is a video of one of my clients playing with a food bottle I made for him: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohu5QBMB4NQ

Some of the commercially available food carrying toys I really like:

Kongs: These are great toys! They come in a wide variety of sizes, types and styles. Make sure to get one that is the right size and type for your dog. You can fill Kongs with a wide variety of things, along with his meal, to keep them interesting for your dog. Try stuffing a few Kongs ahead of time, then put them in the freezer. When your dog needs something to occupy himself for awhile, you will have a pre-made Kong for your dog. Also frozen Kongs last longer! For ideas on what to put in them, check out their website. http://www.kongcompany.com

Busy Buddies: This is a Trademark name for a variety of food carrying toys made by the Premier Company. Among my favorites are the Tug-a-Jug, Twist ‘N Treat and Squirrel Dude. They are available at many pet stores, but you can get them from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=busy+buddy+dog+toys&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=3031768191&ref=pd_sl_ub2zm313v_b

TreatStik: This is an easy to use toy and it’s also fairly durable too. http://www.treatstik.com

Treat Balls: There are several varieties of treat balls available. The following links will show you a couple different types. Make sure any ball you give your dog is too big to be swallowed!

http://www.dogtoys.com/amazeaball1.html

http://www.sitstay.com/dog/supplies/servlet/product_10001_10001_97909_-1_Atomic+Treat+Ball_13251_13360_

Give Your Dog a Raw Bone:

Dogs need to chew! It’s not that they just like it; they need to do it. Chewing relieves stress, and it gives you dog something to think about and manipulate. A good long chew can really tire the average dog out, because they use a lot of energy while chewing. Chewing, especially raw bones, helps keep his teeth clean, and his gums and jaws healthy.

Always make sure the chew is large enough so your dog can’t swallow it whole. Throw away bones and chews when they get too small. If he is able to break large pieces off (big enough to cause a choking problem) remove it and don’t give him any more of that specific chew or bone. If a chew or bone gets sharp edges, also take it away. When you give your dog any chew, always supervise him while he is chewing on it.

Recommended Chews:

Raw (never cooked) Bones including: Marrowbones (beef, bison, ostrich, venison, etc.), knucklebones (not for heavy chewers), chicken necks (not for gulpers), chicken thighs, chicken backs, turkey necks, beef or bison ribs, etc. Avoid weight bearing bones.

12” Bully Sticks: Most small dogs can chew a 12 inch stick, I think the 6 inch ones are a waste of money.

Antlers: Literally deer antlers, they are very hard, last a long time, but not all dogs like them.

Unbleached Pressed Rawhides: Make sure to get pressed rawhide, not the kind with knots at the ends, or rawhide strips.

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie:

Dogs need a lot of sleep, like sixteen hours per day. Often, like us, they don’t get as much sleep, as they really need. Also, like us, an overly tired dog can be stressed, grumpy, and over reactive. When a dog is out in the yard all day, where he can hear people, dogs, skateboards, etc., constantly pass by it might be difficult for him to rest. Or if you have an active household, with kids coming and going a lot, your dog might not be getting the rest time he needs. Provide your dog with a comfortable, quiet, and cool place to sleep. Unless it’s absolutely necessary, when you find your dog sleeping… don’t bother him, no matter how cute and cuddly he looks. You probably don’t like it when people wake you up for no good reason either.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YTfSqdiR-o

I Found It!

2010-05-25T10:56:00.000-07:00

I’ve been searching for just the right thing to carry all the stuff I want to take when I’m out walking my clients. I’ve tried backpacks, fanny packs (the big hiking kind), and over-the-shoulder bags. Nothing has been quite right. Backpacks don’t work for me, because I need easy access to certain supplies, like poop bags. The fanny pack is too small for everything I want to carry, and everything gets jumbled up in it, making it difficult to get what I need when I need it. I found a shoulder bag put too much strain on my shoulder and I was always adjusting it.

So, I've been on the hunt for something to carry all the above stuff in. I came across a link to a site that sells a dog walking jacket. The jacket looked really nice, but it would be too warm for So Cal and it was $250, which is way more than I am willing to spend.

However, it gave me an idea… a fishing vest. So I went to Big 5 and looked at the vests. I decided to buy one and check it out. The vest I got is lightweight, which will be good during the summer. During cool weather I can wear it over a jacket. It’s machine washable, which is important because it will get muddy paw prints on it. Another plus with the vest, it keeps those muddy paw prints off of my shirts. The vest has 26 pockets, not that I need that many, some with Velcro flaps and others zippered. I was able to get all my stuff in it, distribute the weight and wear it comfortably. It might look dorky, but I don't care! I think it’s going to be the answer to my dog walking needs.

It also serves as an ad hoc Halloween costume, as long as you have a cute dog in a lobster costume too.

You may be wondering what I carry with me on my dog walking tours. The following is a list of the items I like to have with me, and why:

Extra leashes: In case a leash breaks, or for the occasional “stray” dog I find. It's handy to have a leash to attach to their collar, or make into a slip if the aren't wearing one. They're mostly for clients who only have retractable leashes… I don’t use them. Want to know why? See my blog: Retractable Leashes Should Be Banned!

Belt: I attach a couple carabineers to it. It’s a handy way to clip leashes to me when I need to have my hands free. For instance, poop pick-ups are way easier if you can use both hands for the bags.

Carabineers: See above.

Poop Bags: For obvious reasons! LOL!

Bag to put used poop bags in: I clip it to a carabineer attached to the vest. That way, I don’t have to hold bags of poop and leashes in my hands. BTW, I use cloth lunch bag I got from Subway, so I’m not throwing way plastic within plastic, and it's washable.

Treats and Clicker: Because I love to train my clients. Plus having treats to toss at an unleashed, and unhappy dog, can make for a great distraction from my clients.

Direct Stop: A citronella-based dog repellant, it comes in a container like pepper spray. I think it would probably work on people too.

Umbrella: Provides protection from rain, sun, and the occasional scary dog. Sometimes opening an umbrella in a dogs face will frighten it away; but, if that doesn’t work, it can also be used as a visual barrier or even a weapon.

Squeaky Ball: In case we feel the need to play fetch.

Water and Portable water bowl: I always carry water for the dogs and myself, but they’re the only ones who drink from the bowl… LOL!

First Aid Kit: For the dogs and me, so far I’m the only one to use it. Thank God!!

Small towel: Because dogs drool, get wet and dirty.

Giant Carabineer: I sometimes use it to clip leashes together when I’m walking multiple dogs.

Flashlight: Sometimes I have to walk dogs, or enter homes in the dark. I found a really small LED flashlight that provides enough light and fits in one of the smaller pockets.

Keys: For obvious reasons.

ID/Wallet: I don’t want to leave it in my car.

Hat: It keeps the sun out of my face.

Phone: Because I might get lost and need to find myself. Thank God for GPS.

Flip Camera: To record the cute things my clients do. Their parents love to see my videos.

Lip Balm: My lips are always chapped.

Eye Drops: To wash out the dirt the dogs kick up and also my cat’s hair.

Hand sanitizer: Because poop happens and I can’t always wash my hands right away.

Wet wipes: Ditto

Lens Cleaning Wipes: Because dogs are always licking my glasses.

Sunscreen: I’m out in the sun a lot, and I’m my pale skin gets sunburned easily. Also I tend to forget it until I’m actually outside.

Rain slicker: For those rainy days, and it can be used to sit on.

Sweet Tarts: Just because I really love them!

Eureka! I found it!

A Little Purple Blast From The Past

2010-05-21T18:36:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Jesse and I took a client to Lindo Lakes for a walk. We walked around the lake, and she and Jesse flushed the ducks into the water (big bird dogs), they stayed away from the geese (smart dogs, especially since they have a bunch of goslings right now), and they still can't figure out how the squirrels just disappear (that going to ground thing is beyond them, guess they're not terriers... LOL).

We also made a quick cruise through the farmer's market, one reason we went there was so I could to stop by the Indian food stand and get some veggie samosas and yogurt mint dip for dinner. Dogs aren't allowed in the market, but half the people bring them anyway and no one seems to care. You gotta love Lakeside. So I got my Indian food, and then I rediscovered part of my childhood...

One stand was selling mulberries; I haven't tasted them since I was a kid. As soon as I popped it in my mouth a wealth of memories rushed into my mind. It was like a sweet little purple password that suddenly opened memory storage, which hadn’t been accessed for a long time. It tasted just the way I remembered when I was young, and there were mulberry trees next to our house. Back then I must have consumed my weight in them every spring and early summer. They were then and still are one of my favorite foods.

My friends would come over and we’d pick buckets of berries. We would have purple hands for days, but it was worth it for the pies, cobblers and jams mom would make with them. Of course, we ate almost as many as we picked.

I loved to climb those trees and just hang out up there. Sometimes one or two of my cats would join me in there, especially if I’d brought a sandwich with me. We would share the sandwich and snuggle up there. I would hide in the trees, and watch the world pass by below. Occasionally, I would play tricks on people, when someone walked by, I would quietly say, “Hi there,” and watch them look all around to find the source of the voice. Unless I made another noise, most people never thought to look up. They would look around (some people would say something like, “Who’s there”), and then walk on, probably wondering if they were losing their minds.

One of my favorite past times was to read in the mulberry trees. I would wrap a blanket around my current book, toss it into the tree and climb up after. I would find my comfy Y branch and use the blanket for padding. Then, for hours, I would sit there, eating mulberries, and losing myself in a book. I would do that all year long, but when the mulberries were ripe, it was tree reading nirvana. I wonder how many purple fingerprints I left on the pages.

Of course, the birds loved them too. Back then we didn't have a clothes dryer, so we hung our clothes out on a line. The birds would sit in the trees, eat mulberries and then fly over and drop purple poop and berries all over mom's freshly washed laundry. Mulberry juice, even when processed through birds, makes a purple dye. A permanent purple dye, the sheets, towels, mom’s nursing uniforms, and the rest of our clothes often ended up with purple blotches all over them. We started hanging the laundry up in the garage, during mulberry season.

The berries also dropped everywhere; the soles of my feet were purple all summer, of course more than once I left purple footprints across the floors. Since the tree overhung the driveway, the berries and bird poop ended up all over the car. Mom said she hated those trees because they were so messy, but she loved to eat those mulberries too.

Once, when I was in trouble for having a bad report card, I tried to hide from mom in a tree. I sat up there and watched her walk around, calling me, and getting madder by the moment. My goal was to avoid punishment (a spanking) as long as possible. I thought I’d hide until she got over being mad. Then I would come home and pretend I had been off playing in the fort and didn’t hear her calling me. (The fort was a large shipping crate one of the neighbor kids found. We hauled it into a field and turned it into the fort).

Anyway, that was my plan, but after what seemed like hours, I came to realize it was a really bad plan. Besides, starting to really need to go to the bathroom, I could tell mom wasn’t “getting over it.” In fact, she was getting angrier because she was getting worried. Since I was up a tree, I didn’t know she’d called all the neighbors, checked the fort and my other favorite playing places. Even back then, when life seemed so safe, bad things did happen to little kids. I was about to give up, climb down and face the music, when mom came out with her secret weapon, our dog Snoopy. Being a dachshund, it didn’t take him long to sniff out my tree. When mom looked up and saw me… a look of total relief came over her face, but it was quickly followed by one of sheer anger when she realized I’d been there all along. I won’t tell you what happened next; let’s just say I never hid from her again, at least not in a tree.

BTW, the above story is a great example of why it’s not a good idea to punish your dog, or anyone for that matter. Punishment usually doesn’t work, the dog may stop doing that behavior at that moment, but he’ll often do it again later. So the dog doesn’t learn not to get in the trash, he just learns not to do it when you’re around. As a young human, with opposable thumbs and a partially formed frontal lobe, I understood why I was in trouble. However, unless you catch them in the act, and maybe not even then, animals don’t get why you’re mad. They just know you’re mad. I went out of my way to avoid the punishment, but I got it anyway, in spades. However, while that spanking may have taught me not to hide from mom in trees, it also taught me to be afraid of her. What it didn’t do was teach me how to spell, which is why I got the bad report card in the first place.

For more information about punishment, positive reinforcement, dogs and people read: Don't Shoot the Dog! The New Art of Teaching and Training, Karen Pryor. Bantam Books.

I also recommend: Chill Out Fido! How to Calm Your Dog, Nan Kené Arthur. Dogwise Publishing

For more great books, check out our Resources Page at: http://pawsitivepawsabilities.com/Resources.html

DANGER: Beware of Foxtails! They Can Kill Your Pet!

2010-05-13T11:49:00.000-07:00

The foxtails are really bad this year! All our much-needed rain has brought on an abundance of plants and grasses. I sometimes like to take Jesse and some of my clients to places like Mission Trails, where wild grasses are in abundance. But even if your pets are strictly city kids, they still may be in contact with foxtails. They grow in sidewalk cracks and along the street. They’re all over yards that are either not well cared for, or belong to foreclosed/abandoned houses (sadly there are way too many of those these days). I’ve seen them in well cared for yards too… The point is foxtails are literally everywhere and your pets are likely to encounter them. So beware and protect your pets!!

FYI:

Foxtails are the seeds of certain varieties of grass. These seeds look like little foxtails, hence the name. When the grasses dry out, the seeds easily detach and stick to clothes and fur. Then they can begin to bore into the animal’s body. They have tiny barbs, which only allows them to move forward and they do move forward. Foxtails can enter an animal’s body through the skin, nose, ears, paws, urethra, anus, and eyes; pretty much everywhere. Once it enters the body the foxtail continues to burrow in and can cause a variety of potentially life threatening problems.

If a foxtail gets inhaled and becomes lodged in the nasal cavity, dogs and cats will sneeze repeatedly; they might even bang their nose on the floor trying unsuccessfully to purge it. They may also paw at the nose. Often a vet can remove it through the nasal passages, if it hasn’t traveled in too far. If one gets into an animals ear, they will usually shake their heads, often violently. Foxtails can move deep into the ear canal and cause infections, or even damage the eardrum. When an animal gets one in their eye, it will often run and tear. It may also swell up. If you see a foxtail under you pet’s eyelid, don’t try to remove yourself, small portions will probably be left behind and you can cause more injury to the eye. Take your pet to a vet immediately. It is possible for foxtails, left untreated, that have entered through the eyes, ears, or nose to travel into the brain. Foxtails that become embedded in the paws or skin will be very painful, and often become abscessed/infected. They may require surgery to remove. Portions of foxtails can also enter the bloodstream and end up in the lungs or heart! If you suspect your pet may have a foxtail lodged in his body, take him to the vet immediately!

Some ways to prevent foxtail injuries:

Avoid areas where foxtails are in abundance, especially during the dry season.
Thoroughly brush and comb your pets every day.
After being outside, examine your pets. Inspect their paws, look between the toes and pads. Check around the neck and under the collar. Look under the tail/anus, under the arms, and along the belly. Inspect their bodies by running your hands through their coat and feel/look for foxtails. Pets with heavy or long coats are especially prone to picking up foxtails, but any pet can get them.
Look into your pet’s ears everyday.

Once again, because it is very important: If you suspect your pet may have a foxtail embedded anywhere in his body, take him to a vet immediately!! The longer you wait, the deeper the foxtail might travel and the more damage it may create… the more difficult and expensive it would be to treat.

Poop Fight

2010-05-06T09:34:00.000-07:00

This is just a rant and a semi-funny story.

Let me start by saying, if you own or walk a dog… it’s your responsibility to pick up after him or her!!! Not doing so is just plain rude. I find it so annoying when people don’t clean up after their dogs, which happens a lot in my complex. Many people seem to bring their dogs over to our complex to walk their dogs, and then leave their droppings behind. I’m not sure why that is, other than they think our landscapers will take care of it.

A couple weeks ago, I was walking Jesse around our complex. There was a young woman walking her yellow lab down the street ahead of us. It looked like she was dressed for work. She was wearing a very cute pale grey suit and matching shoes. The dog stopped to poop. I knew that when he finished, she’d walk away without picking it up. I’ve seen her do this several times and it irritates me. It’s especially annoying because she walks her dog across the street from her complex, to let him poop on our lawns. They have grass over there too!

Anyway, while her dog was dumping a big load on the grass, I had time to approach her and I was about four feet away when he finished and they started to leave. Even though I was annoyed, I made sure to be very polite. I said, “Excuse me. Please pick up after your dog, here’s a poop bag.” Then I held out a bag.

She turned around, looked me up and down, and said, “F*** You! I’m in a hurry.” Then she started walking away again.

Not so politely, I said, “Pick up your dog’s shit! I’m sick of you bringing your dog over here to shit on my lawn and then leaving it for me to clean it up!”

She said, “F*** You, bitch! It’s not your lawn and the landscapers clean it up anyway. You want it picked up… do it yourself.”

Then I was totally pissed. First of all, it is my lawn; I’m a homeowner here. Yes, our landscapers are forced to clean up her dog’s poop, but that’s not what we pay them to do and it’s not fair for them to have to do it. I know it’s not pleasant to pick up poop; I do it several times a day and I often do pick up her dog’s poop myself. When I’m picking up after Jesse, I grab those poops that other people were too rude and lazy to get themselves.

She told me to pick it up myself, so I did. I quickly opened the bag, reached down, picked up the poop and pulled the bag back around the poop. Then I threw it at her. I threw it hard and amazingly accurately, and hit her square in her back. It made a nice squishy, splat sound when it hit, then it dropped to the ground and a little poop tumbled out.

She whirled around, looked down and saw the open poop bag. She looked up at me with this look of total confusion. To be honest, as soon as the bag hit her, I thought I’d probably bought myself a big fight. I half expected her to attack me; she’d had such a nasty attitude. Of course, that didn’t occur to me while I was throwing poop at her, I was too angry!

Instead, she almost started to cry. Then she hurried away, contorting herself to see her own back and wailing, “Oh my God, is there dog shit on me? What am I going to do, I don’t have time to change. Oh my God, what am I going to do?” I told her she didn’t have any poop on her, but she wouldn’t listen or couldn’t hear me. She just hurried away, muttering to herself.

I know it was wrong and childish for me to throw the poop at her. I shouldn’t have lost my temper and reacted in blind rage. It’s really not like me to lose it like that and I do feel bad about it. I still plan to apologize to her the next time I can, but I haven’t seen her since… until this morning.

Jesse and I were out for his morning potty walk. I saw the woman and her dog walking down the street away from us. They were too far away and walking too fast for us to catch up, so I will apologize to her the next time I’m able to, she can’t avoid me forever.

However, I did notice she was walking with her arm extended out to her side. In her hand dangled a full poop bag.

Making Progress!

2010-05-03T21:34:00.000-07:00

In a previous blog called, Learning Painful Lessons, I wrote about being injured while walking a big, strong and reactive dog. I talked about some changes I made walking him, to make it better for both of us and teach him how to walk on a loose leash.

That incident took place two weeks ago. Saturday night I had another overnight with them, so I had the chance to work with the dogs again. Here’s what happened:

I got down the leashes and harnesses and, because the dogs were going crazy, I dropped them on the ground and walked away. Since we've practiced this before, after a few minutes, they remembered I wouldn’t leash them until they’re sitting calmly, well pretty calmly J I’m also teaching them to sit and wait for me to open the door and ask them out. I put the easy walk harness I brought on my large friend, Buddy (his owner walks him on a prong collar, which I refuse to use). I also put Peanut’s harness on her. I left Buddy in the yard and took Peanut for a walk first.

At this point, I will only walk one dog at a time for several reasons, but most of all because I want to be able to concentrate on each dogs needs and abilities separately. If I walk them together, no learning will take place because they’ll revert to their old habits of pulling, fence fighting, and being totally reactive to every sight or sound. I’ll revert back to being dragged down the street from one tree, plant, fence fight, etc., to the next. I’m over that, since it looks like I’m going to be spending a lot of time with these dogs, I want to be able to have pleasant walks with them. Besides, it’s just easier to control one reactive dog at a time! My goal is to be able to walk them together, but there’s a lot of work to be done first!

Peanut and I practiced loose leash walking, and she did very well... she was very focused on me, and the task at hand: Being reinforced with Ziwi Peak, lots of praise, and being able to sniff around, for walking close to me. Peanut and I walked, on a loose leash (for the most part) from one end of the street to their other end several times. She was totally into the training. She didn't even start to react when we went by “the barking fence,” she just glanced over and then looked back to me!!! We started out walking across the street from it and by the time we were done, we were about ten feet away!

I’ll bet you’re wondering, “What the ___ is the barking fence?” Their street is a double cul-de-sac, with a road feeding it, like a T. At their corner, there’s what I call, “the barking fence.” It’s a six-foot wooden fence, behind it there are always two or three large, barking, fence fighting dogs. Buddy and Peanut have a strong history of fence fighting there; therefore they get very aroused when they get close to “the barking fence.”

When Peanut got tired and wanted to go home, I took her inside to relax and think about what we had just done. Then I took Buddy out, after a little practice in the backyard. Buddy loses his mind and hearing when he goes through the front door. He needs way more work in non-distracting areas, which we’re also working on. I’d like to spend all our walking time just getting it together in the backyard first. However, the owner really wants him to have a “walk,” so I’m sort of doing a crash course with him.

We started out walking up and down in front of the house. When he was walking next to me, I reinforced it by letting him have a lick of Turkey baby food from the jar (that is a very highly prized reward for most dogs). When he got to the end of the leash, I stopped moving forward and gave him a few seconds to come back to me. Then we moved forward again, and when we passed the point where he had started pulling, I gave him a lick from the jar. If he didn't come back to me within a couple seconds, I turned and went the opposite way. Pretty soon he was walking, on a loose leash with me. Then I upped the anti and walked him (in the middle of the street) a few feet by the barking dog fence. I was able to keep him with me, even though the dogs were behind the fence having a barking fit. If he wanted to go sniff and pee on something, I would take him there, but only if he wasn't pulling. After about 20 minutes of walking up and down the street (but never completely past the barking dog fence and at least 15 feet away from it), Buddy was tired and decided to go home on his own.

All in all, they both had a nice, exercising walk (mentally and physically), and were very relaxed when they got home.

Retractable Leashes Should Be Banned!

2010-04-29T21:02:00.000-07:00

This morning Jesse and I were walking a couple of our clients, a mini Schnauzer and a Westie. We came around a corner and there was a woman with her Jack Russell closely approaching us. When the JR saw us, he started charging, head jutted forward, all his teeth bared, ears pinned back, face really tight. He wasn’t bothering to bark, he was in total fight mode. Since he was on a flexi lead retractable leash, and his owner wasn’t able to control it, he was able to make it to a couple feet from us before I could back my three dogs away from him. They were in defense mode at that point… so, even though they’re small dogs, it wasn’t all that easy.

Luckily the JR finally hit the end before he got to us, and didn’t yank the handle out of his mom’s hand when he did. He was running at us so hard, when he hit the end he was yanked off his feet and over backwards. OMG, he could have broken his neck or suffered serious neck/throat damage, especially since he was on a choke chain! But he got right up and came back at us.

Meanwhile, the JR’s mom was just standing there screaming, “No, No, No…” Once her dog couldn’t go any further and we were backing away, she told me her dog doesn’t really like other dogs. No! … Really? I never would have guessed.

At that point, my goal was to get my dogs away, so I didn’t waste time talking to her. That’s for the best, at that moment, I would have said, “What the **** are you thinking, walking that **** dog on a flexi lead? He’s **** out of control. You’re a **** idiot! You need to control your **** dog.” OK, I wouldn’t have said that, I would have yelled it.

If I were to ever see her again, there are some things I’d like to calmly talk to her about… I would tell her that she should use a regular leash, instead of the retractable so she has better control of the dog, and so he doesn’t get to practice charging other dogs. I would explain how much damage hitting the end of the lead could do. I would also tell her the choke collar was making her dog even more reactive. How a choke collar can cause serious neck and throat damage, even brain damage. But the choke collar isn’t the topic of this blog. This one is about why I hate retractable leashes.

I admit, in the past, I have used them with my dog, and with client’s dogs. However, I no longer use them period! I’ve had too many negative experiences with them. When I walk dogs of any size, I use standard, size appropriate, six-foot leashes. If my clients only have retractable leads, I provide my own (I do tell them I use my own leashes and why).

From a training point of view, it’s very difficult to teach a dog how to loose leash walk with a retractable lead. Because of the design, there’s never a loose leash, it’s always tight no matter how close the dog is to you. So he doesn’t get to experience what a loose leash feels like. Also, he doesn’t learn where the end of the leash is if it keeps changing all the time.

I don't like the lack of control most people, including myself, have with retractable leashes. It's very easy for the dog to get too far from the handler, especially when the dog is at a full out run. Then it's too difficult to reel them back in quickly. With a regular leash, you can grab it further down and pull the dog back… but then with a regular leash, the dog can only go four to six feet, not 15 - 30. The cable on a retractable lead is so thin, it's hard to get a good grip on it and, if the cable runs through your hand, it can cut you. That cable can be dangerous too. I’ve seen playing dogs get wrapped up in the other dogs leash and nearly choked. I’ve also had my legs cut by them when a dog ran by me and the cable zipped across my skin.

The button used to limit the length, doesn’t always work very well, especially while the dog is really pulling. It gets stuck and won't lock or release, this seems to happen at the worst possible times. Plus, it seems like many people either forget to use the button, or can’t locate it when they it need it. I think the handle is bulky and easily dropped, especially when the dog hits the end of the lead. We were lucky the JR didn’t yank his lead out of his mom’s hand. If you do drop the handle, it often frightens the dog. Then he tries to run away from the scary monster chasing him, maybe into traffic… When walking multiple dogs, they tie up both of your hands. It’s very difficult to hold two of them in one hand, which is sometimes necessary (like when you’re doing poop pick up).

OK, I know many people successfully use retractable leads. They’re just a tool and have their place. However, it’s been my experience that too many people use them incorrectly and/or with the wrong dogs. I’ve seen dogs run out and snap at bicyclists, skateboarders, children, other dogs and cars. If you have a reactive dog, to anything, don’t use a retractable leash, it’s an accident waiting to happen. Then there are those super friendly dogs, who run up to everyone, people and dogs, to say hi. The problem with that is, some people are afraid of or don’t like dogs, and some dogs aren’t friendly. That sweet, friendly dog might not seem that way to the people/dogs they’re running up to.

All in all, I think retractable leashes can be dangerous for dogs, handlers, and the public. And I think they should be banned. Or at least, they should come with lots of big warning labels. Danger: You Will Have Little Or No Control Of A Dog While Using This Leash. Use At Your Own Risk.

Learning Painful Lessons

2010-04-26T21:10:00.000-07:00

When working with animals, it’s a given you’re going to get hurt now and then. There will be the scratches, scrapes, bruises, and very occasionally bites. No matter how careful you are… stuff happens.

Most of the time these injuries are minor, and completely unintentional on the animal’s part. They sometimes get overly excited and forget how delicate we humans are. They don’t mean to hurt me; they’re just playing or trying to get my attention in their own way. On rare occasion, an animal will lash out with intent, but their intent is most often to get me to leave them alone, or they are redirecting their stress on me. That’s just information to me that the animal is really stressed, frightened, or maybe in pain. It’s also info to me that I wasn’t really paying attention to the animal and what he was saying to me, or about what was going on around us. Then it’s my job to figure out what to do to help him calm down. What I do depends on the animal and the situation. These are lessons learned with a little pain to help make them stick.

Then there are the lessons I learn the hard way, with a great deal of pain. I recently had a hard lesson, which resulted in scraped up hands, lots of bruises along the right side of my body, and cracked ribs. That was a week ago and I’m still in agony. I learned some important lessons, most of all to follow my own advice.

So I was walking a couple of clients. One is a very large (95 lbs), strong and powerful dog. The other is a toy breed. They are both out of control on walks, especially when they see another dog. Knowing this, I have always been on alert for other dogs along the walk, so I could change course before one of them starts to react. If one reacts, the other follows suit and then they both go over the top and try to get to the other dog. I’m pretty strong myself and I know how to use my core strength to maintain control, but they have pulled me a few feet before I could regain control of them.

Anyway, we were out walking and the little one pooped. While I was starting to lean over to pick it up, a couple came walking up the street with their Shih Tzu. I didn’t see them until it was too late. Suddenly the big guy lunged toward the other dog and he literally slammed me to the ground and dragged me into the street. It happened so fast; all I could think to do was to hold on to the dogs so they wouldn’t hurt anyone. It was a close call and very scary, because he got right up to them.

I don’t really understand their reaction to having a huge dog, dragging an adult behind him, barking and running at them. I would have stopped and backed away. These people just kept walking forward, right up to us and then, once we were up to them they stopped and started yelling at me. That didn’t help, it was just making the dogs more agitated. I apologized and asked if anyone was hurt, they said no. So I told them to just keep moving so I could get out of the middle of the street. Finally they went on their way, never once asking if I was OK…

So, I got the dogs settled down, got them and myself out of the street, and checked out my injuries. The backs of my hands were very scraped and bleeding from the asphalt and my right side was very painful.

By the time we got back to the house, I was feeling pretty sore. I cleaned my wounds and stopped the bleeding. We went to bed early that night, but I didn’t sleep well because of the pain. I haven’t slept well for a week now.

This experience did teach we a few lessons, which I won’t forget. Like I said, I learned to follow my own advice. I had recommended that the owner buy him and Easy Walk harness and stop using the prong collar. I refuse to walk a dog on a prong or choke collar for many reasons. For one thing, they don’t really work; dogs often learn to pull through the pain. They can cause throat and brain damage. The most import reason is they often make dogs more reactive. So, I was just walking him on his regular collar, I should have purchased an Easy Walk to use with him. I kept meaning to, but didn’t get around to it. I got one the next day. They’re not the only answer to walking a big, crazy dog, but they give you more leverage over the dog, without causing him pain.

I also decided to walk the dogs separately. Together, they feed off of each other’s reactions to everything along the way. Besides since neither of them have the first clue about how to walk on leash, they keep winding themselves around my legs. Again, I knew this and should have done it sooner, but I was trying to follow the owner’s instructions.

Another thing I’ve changed is that, for now, I only walk them up and down their own street. Once they get past a certain point, they get too aroused, and lose the doggie minds. I want to teach them how to loose leash walk, so we have to work where they can stay calm and focus on me. They get the same amount of exercise; we just don’t go as far. We practiced our new walking training a couple times, and it went pretty well. When we’re finished, they’re tired and relaxed, instead of over the top and crazy. As they learn how to walk well and control themselves, we’ll slowly venture further away. It takes time and practice to teach loose leash walking, since I only walk them occasionally, I’m hoping I’ll be able to get the owner to keep it up too. I explained the process and she didn’t seem to keen on it, we’ll see. She thinks they should take a walk around the neighborhood, but they can’t handle it yet, so I’m going to follow my own advice and do what I know is right. I should have done it long before.

Which brings me to another lesson learned, I always want to follow my clients wishes while I’m pet sitting for their pets. However there are times when I have to rely on my own knowledge and training, and I have to use my own best judgment. If I think a situation is dangerous, I will find a way to do something to keep the animals, the public, and myself safe, while still fulfilling my obligation to my client.

Lessons learned… the hard way.

The Case of the Disappearing Ball

2010-04-21T10:12:00.000-07:00

On Sunday morning, I was playing fetch with my friends and clients, Buddy and Peanut. They love to play fetch, so we play together in the mornings before I leave for the day. We play in their large backyard. At the back of the yard is a dwarf tree or a bush of some kind, I know next to nothing about plants, flowers, or trees; so I have no idea what kind of plant it is, but it’s a pretty little thing. It’s also a ball eater…

So we were playing fetch, on the third throw, the ball bounced into the ball eater and literally disappeared. I am not the world’s best ball thrower; to be honest I totally suck at it, so I sometimes throw the ball to one place and it ends up in another. Sometimes the ball ends up going into that tree/bush or other plants, but the dogs usually find it. At first I watched the dogs search for it. Sometimes, I have to search for it too, which is what happened this time. After they’d spent a couple minutes looking in and around the ball eater, I went over to look too. I thought it had become caught in a branch, so I searched all over it (it’s a small tree, I’m taller than it). I looked all around it. I shook it to see if the ball would fall to the ground. Then I looked all around behind and next to it… no ball.

I decided to expand the search, to any other logical area of the yard where the ball could have ended up, and I spent a good ten minutes doing so. The dogs were still looking for it too; Peanut (a Chihuahua/Terrier mix) noticed a lemon in the tree next to the ball eater. She decided it was a ball and tried everything she could think of to get to it. She jumped at it, but it was too high. She tried to climb the tree, but couldn’t. So she ended up barking at it, until I picked her up and let her smell it and she decided it wasn’t a ball after all… when she smelled it she sneezed and didn’t want anything to do with afterwards… LOL.

Finally I gave up looking, so went out to my car and got a squeaker ball (If you don’t know about squeaker balls, your dogs are missing out. Contact me for info). I tend to have a small pet store in the back of my car, for just this kind of occasion. We finished playing our game and I did my morning chores before leaving.

All day long, I kept wondering about where that ball had gone. I hate it when things disappear into thin air… it sometimes happens and it’s kind of disorienting. My logical side says, “It couldn’t have disappeared and it must be somewhere in the yard.” My creative side says, “But you looked everywhere and it wasn’t there, so it must have disappeared.” When I went back that evening, I searched again, still no ball. I looked in places it couldn’t have been… and it just wasn’t there.

So, I have to think the ball disappeared… score one for my creative side.

POP … ZZZZT Lights Out!!!

2010-04-15T11:46:00.000-07:00

Part of being a Pet Sitter is not only dealing with animal issues, it’s also dealing with house issues too. One of the advantages of having a pet sitter come into your house to take care of your animals is that you also have someone to take care of little household things too. In addition to caring for the animals, I often water plants/yards, take out and bring in the garbage, bring in the mail, sign for packages, rotate lights, retrieve the occasional newspaper, etc.

One of my biggest goals, and second only to providing the best pet care possible, is to give my human clients the comfort and assurance that their beloved fur kids and home are safe and sound while they’re away. Most of the time my household duties are pretty simple and matter of fact. I send my clients a daily pet report, via email, each day describing what happened while I was with their pets and at their homes, and try not to bother them with phone calls unless absolutely necessary.

However there are those little household emergencies that pop up occasionally, that makes me think, “OK, now what do I do?” On Monday morning one of them happened…

When I got up at my clients house after an overnight, it was a dark and rainy morning, so I turned on some lights around the house. Then the dogs and I did our usual morning routine. I had the TV on for weather and traffic reports, and noise too. When it was about time for me to leave, I turned off a lamp I’d just turned on that morning. The light did go out, with a small flash, and I heard a POP … ZZZZT! And then the TV and lights all went off. So I went out to the breaker box and checked to see if one had tripped. One had, but it wouldn’t go back on again. I tried several times and it wouldn’t work. Silly me, I didn’t think to unplug the lamp that caused the problem in the first place. So I decided I should call my client and let her know. She called her landlord, who went over with an electrician to check it out. Turns out it was the lamp, when it was unplugged everything worked fine. Now I know ☺

The Great Key Search

2010-04-07T20:25:00.000-07:00

Just about every weekday, Jesse and I take Dina to the park. I usually lock the door and put the key in my pocket, it keeps company with my car fob. My car has an electronic key, which I don't have to use to unlock the car door or start the engine. The transmitter just has to be near/in the car and they talk to each other. So I usually keep it in my pocket. My key ring has so many keys on it; I have keys to several people's homes, clients, neighbors and friends. I'm the spare key person :) So rather than carry around 2 pounds of keys while I'm walking my clients (my dog walking bag is already heavy enough), I remove that key and keep it in my pocket until I'm finished with the job, then I return it to the key ring.

Not long ago, Dina and I returned from our trip to the park, I started to unlock the door and found that the key wasn't in my pocket. At first, I thought I must have dropped it in my car and I tore my car apart looking for it. I really like my car, but if you drop something small in that car, it disappears. The space between the seats and the center console is just big enough for little items to fall in, but really difficult to get them out. There are electronic boxes under both front seats; it’s really difficult to reach around them to find things that fall under the seats. After a few minutes of hunting around and fishing under the seats, I realized the key wasn't in the car. I figured it had to be somewhere in the park. So we went back there to look for it... can you say needle in a haystack?

This park is very large, about 1.5 acres and we had, been all over it that afternoon. It seemed like an impossible task to find one key in all that space, but then I remembered that I'd pulled a poop bag out of my pocket to pick up after Dina. I thought maybe the key had been in that pocket and was pulled out along with the bag. The question was where was that location, I knew she'd gone somewhere in the northeast area of the first field, but I wasn’t sure exactly where. So I started searching in that corner, after about 40 minutes of wandering back and forth, I finally found the key... THANK GOD!!!! So I loaded the dogs back in the car (they'd been helping me look) and I brought Dina home again.

Lesson learned, now I put my client’s keys in my dog-walking bag and zip them in. I don't want to have to search for a client’s key ever again!!!!

The Joys of Dog Walking

2010-03-09T19:47:00.000-08:00

One of the things I really enjoy about my career as a pet nanny is getting to spend time outside with my clients. It’s great, I get to be out and get some exercise. I get to be with my doggie clients, whom I love. And I get paid for it!

Often we just walk around their neighborhoods. I enjoy to looking at the houses and landscaping. When you’re walking dogs, you have plenty of time to stop and look around, while they read and leave messages. You can drive up and down a street a hundred times and you probably won’t notice a tenth of the things you will when you walk a dog down it once.

Although, not all dogs want to just wander from scent to scent. There are those who have an agenda and are determined to fulfill it as quickly as possible… some dogs just want to get out and move, some have favorite fence fighting places, some have favorite ball playing places, some just want to potty only in that one special spot. They are “the pullers” and want to drag me like they’re all husky’s and I’m a sled. At first they’re surprised when I don’t go along with their plan and refuse to be pulled to wherever they want to go. It sometimes takes awhile for a dog to get it, but they learn that I’ll take them where they want to go, but only if they don’t pull me there. I don’t yell, tug, pop, shock or use any other aversive, so-called, training method. It’s all about reinforcing them for doing what you want them to do and not reinforcing the things you don’t. I find it very rewarding to teach a confirmed puller to loose leash walk. Their parents appreciate it too!

I often have pleasant conversations with people along the way. It’s funny how many people will stop and chat with you when you’re in the company of a dog or three. Otherwise, they’d smile, nod, and keep on walking. I understand it completely and do the same thing myself. Some of us are just drawn to dogs and feel a need to be close to them whenever possible. That’s why I do what I do.

However, dog walking isn’t always all that enjoyable, like when it’s pouring down rain. Some of my clients could care less about the weather. They just want to get out and do their thing for as long as they can. We can get soaking wet and it’s fine with them. Others would rather hold it forever than go out in a sprinkle. They hurry out, do their thing and get back inside, ASAP. Then we play indoor games.

One of my pet peeves is being forced to drag a dog or two onto the bike lane to make way for a bicyclist, who’s riding on the sidewalk. They are sidewalks, not siderides. Bikers should ride in the Bike Lane. I understand when little kids ride their little bikes on the sidewalk; they shouldn’t be in the street. I even give teens some slack; after all, they don’t have fully formed brains. Adults should know better. Most bicyclists are polite, but there are a few who don’t seem to care about anyone else. I know it has nothing to do with the bike; they’re probably always jerks. I can only imagine how they drive a car… scary.

Speaking of scary, the other night I was walking a couple clients, Buddy who is 70 pounds of sweetness and, 9 pound, Peanut who is also really sweet and a little feisty. The streets in that area aren’t well lit and very quiet. A little ways down the street, I noticed a man lurking in the shadows of a large willow type tree. I could see him, but not well, it was too dark where he was standing. He gave me a real bad feeling! I didn't like the way he was just standing there in the shadows, semi hidden by the tree and watching me. I was about to cross the street to put some distance between us, however there are big advantages to walking a big dog! As soon as he saw Buddy, he walked away down the street.

Then there’s the poop. It’s not fun picking up dog poop, especially if the dog has diarrhea, which is like trying to pick up a stinky pile of thick soup. It’s impossible to get it all and semi-nauseating to try. Some of the stuff that comes out of a dogs rear is just amazing. I’ve found some odd things like: small bits of cloth, long hair (obviously human), pebbles, pieces of what looked like plastic food wrappers, yarn, tinsel, a marble and other unidentifiable stuff that I don’t even want to think about. Once I looked at a fresh one and there were all these little multi-colored shiny things in it, the poop glittered in the sunlight. When I looked closer, that’s exactly what it was, glitter. It was the prettiest poop I’ve ever seen.

Good-Bye, My Sweet Clyde

2010-03-04T20:43:00.000-08:00

Our animal friends bring so much joy into our lives, but along with it there can be such great sorrow. After two years of battling to keep him alive and with me, two days ago I had to say my final good-bye to my sweet kitty Clyde. It was an excruciating decision to have him put to sleep and relieve his chronic suffering. I held him in my lap, stroked and kissed him, as his amazing spirit peacefully left his body and moved on to the next world.

The past couple mornings, I woke up and looked around for Clyde. Over the past thirteen years, he’s always slept with me, often on me. There have only been a handful of times I haven’t awoken to feel his warm body lying as close to me as possible (he was my back warmer on cold winter nights). Then I remembered and cried once again.

I so dearly loved my sweet Clyde. He was such special, intelligent, funny, creative, joyful, and completely loving being. He often made me laugh and sometimes frustrated me too, but life with Clyde was always entertaining and I miss him so much. I wanted to share a few of the things I will always love and remember about our too short time together.

Clyde was my baby… I found Clyde and his sister, Bonnie, as four-week-old kittens. Someone had put them in a box and left it on the road. As I drove around the box, I noticed a pair of tiny black ear tips sticking out of the top. I pulled over and went back to find two tiny, black and white, and poop-covered kittens. It was a very warm day and the box was in the direct sun, and God only knows how long they were out there. Clyde was still weakly trying to escape the box; Bonnie wasn’t moving much at all. I knew they needed medical attention, ASAP. So I rushed them to my vet. He said they were very young, dehydrated, underweight, and anemic from flea and worm infestations. He thought their chance of survival was pretty low, but we decided to try and save them. Amazingly after a few days of fluids, food, meds and TLC, they were both better and ready to come home. I named them Bonnie and Clyde because they were tough and resilient, and, as I immediately learned, they liked to get into trouble together.

Since they weren’t completely weaned and needed to put on weight, I had to bottle-feed them, every four hours, for the first couple of weeks. I’d rush home at lunch, and then get up in the middle of the night, and early in the morning to feed them. They both gained weight and grew to be healthy, happy kittens. Their job was to grow, play, explore the house, and then fall asleep in a little pile on my lap or next to me. All my cats want to spend time with me, when they want to, but Clyde was my Velcro kitty, he always wanted to be next to or on me.

Clyde grew into a large and healthy cat, fourteen pounds of pure black and white

sweetness.

He wasn’t fat; he was a big cat, he was bigger than Jesse James (my dog, not the motorcycle guy). Until he got sick, Clyde was an outgoing, happy boy, who never had a bad day, never fought with the other cats, and never took a swipe at Jesse, which all the other cats did occasionally. Clyde loved everyone; people, other cats, the rabbit, and even friendly dogs.

He would go out, meet other kitty friends, and invite them home for dinner. Of course, the other cats weren’t quite so welcoming, so Clyde’s friends didn’t hang out for long. Sometimes, he would go out for walks in the neighborhood with Jesse and me. We’d be walking along and I’d turn around to see Clyde right there walking along behind us.

When I would come home, even after being gone for only a few minutes, Clyde would be waiting at the door to greet me. If he saw me packing a suitcase, he knew I would be gone at least overnight. He seemed to really hate for me to be away overnight. He would continuously climb into the suitcase and I’d have to keep removing him to add something. I think it was his way of telling me he didn’t want me to leave him. When I would return from my trip, he was even more of a Velcro kitty than usual, following me everywhere for almost as long as I’d been gone.

Clyde was a practical joker and he loved to scare/annoy his fellow housemates, including me. For instance, he relished hiding, and then jumping out at his chosen victim. When he was able to startle him or her, he would be so happy. He would proudly walk away, tail straight up, glance over his shoulder and shoot a look that said, “Got you again… Ha. Ha.”

Clyde was also a little thief. One of his favorite things to do was to steal little things and hide them. I’d be cleaning and discover his stash behind or under a piece of furniture, a closet corner, even in the fireplace. Of course, once I found his hiding place, he found a new one. Over time he got very creative about it too. When I found one of his hidden treasure spots, it would contain all kinds of things like: one earring (he’d always leave the other in it’s place), necklaces, bracelets, rings (he liked jewelry and I learned not to leave it out), balls of aluminum foil, cat toys, dog toys, corks, combs, bully sticks, hair ties, nail files, bottle caps, sticks, pieces of wire, ear buds, kitty collars, etc. If he could carry it, he might stash it.

Once, Clyde stole my watch, I looked everywhere I could think of and couldn’t find it. That evening I walked into my bedroom and I heard the watch alarm. For some reason, which I no longer remember, I had the alarm set to go at a certain time

each evening. By the time I realized what it was, the alarm stopped and I only had a general idea of its location. So I started looking in that area and still couldn’t find the watch. Finally, after waiting for it to go off a couple more of times, I was able to locate the sound and the watch, along with a couple other treasures. Clyde had pulled a large hardcover book ever so slightly forward, from the bottom of the book shelf/TV stand. Then, considering the space, he had to have used his paw to push his finds into the small space he’d created behind the book. I think that displayed his wonderful intelligence. He was always thinking, you could see it in his eyes.

For a short while I tried to get the cats to wear collars, but Clyde hated them. Not only did he refuse to wear a collar, he wouldn’t let the other cats wear them either. I would buy new collars, put them on each cat and within days they would disappear, one by one. Occasionally I would find a collar in one of his hidey-holes, but most of them went completely missing. Finally I witnessed what had happened to them. I hid in the house, the cats were in the yard, and watched as Clyde reached out, snagged Ginny’s collar with his paw and pulled it off over her head. Then he promptly took it to the rose bed and buried it. Over time I found most of the collars, buried here and there in the yard and potted plants. Needless to say, I gave up on the cat collars.

I have so many more memories of my sweet Clyde and I will cherish them all, along with the time God gave us to love each other.

Good-bye, my sweet Clyde, until we meet again…

You Gotta Love Cats

2010-02-24T21:06:00.000-08:00

I love Cats!! I find them infinitely beautiful, amusing, fascinating, and sometimes frustrating. As I write this, one of my cats is reclining on my lap and another is trying to move her out and take it for himself. The lap is prime territory; it’s the kitty version of calling shotgun. I also have several feline clients; each one is unique and so amusing in their own special way. Thought I’d write about a few of them.

On weekday afternoons, I take Dina out for a walk or an outing. Obviously, Dina is a dog, but she has two kitty brothers, Zack and Max. They are both very sweet boys and the polar opposites in personality.

Zack is a clown. He’ll do somersaults down the stairs or some other silly thing for attention. It works; he’s so cute you have to stop and pet him. If he were a human, he’d be a comedian. Always doing something to get a laugh. Max is just as sweet and friendly, but also reserved and dignified. A human Max would be an intellectual type, maybe a professor. He’s ever so charming in his own subtle way. Max would never think of doing the silly stuff for attention, he’s way too cool for that. I adore them both.

I once spent half an hour looking all over the house for Zack. I looked in all the rooms in the house, under, behind and on top of furniture, cabinets, and beds, and in all the closets. You really get to know a person’s home when you go on a cat search in it… LOL! I finally found him, locked up in a closet that, until then, I didn’t know existed. I was soooooo relieved to find him. When I told his mom about it, she said it’s happened before; he sneaks in there to sleep and then gets locked in. Now I know where to look first the next time I can’t find him.

One of the sweetest and most tolerant cats I know is Cody. He’s always happy to see me. I think it’s amazing that Cody so friendly and welcoming of me, since I have to hurt him every other time he sees me. Cody has medical issues and needs Sub Q fluids every other day. This requires inserting a large needle into the skin on his back, and then he has to hold still for several minutes while the fluids slowly drip into him. He obviously hates this procedure, I can feel him steeling up for it when I lift up his skin and then flinching when I insert the needle. I hate it too! When it’s finished, his back feels like a furry half filled water balloon. He’s a total trooper; he just hunkers down in his bed and waits for it to be over. While he does verbalize his displeasure, he never tries to bite or scratch. He doesn’t even try to get away, well most of the time. When I’m ready to leave, he’s happy to let me pick him up to say good-bye. Cody is a down to earth kind of guy and he takes life as it comes. I think his human alter ego would be a farmer.

Most of my feline clients really like me, and then there’s Tuna. We have a love/hate relationship… I love him, and he hates me. The first couple times I visited with Tuna, he hid until I put out his food, and then left to walk the dogs. Tuna LOVES food, he would eat, and then hide again when we got back. I only caught glimpses of him dashing behind the closest piece of furniture. However, Tuna is a tough guy, who doesn’t intimidate easily. He soon stopped hiding and now he orders me around. While I’m fixing his meals, he stands nearby and orders me to hurry up. He still doesn’t like me and tells me so continuously. Tuna has a well-developed range of nasty sounding growls and hisses, which he freely demonstrates. He’s not afraid to take a swipe at me, just to let me know he’s the boss. Tuna’s human job would be as a Marine Drill Sergeant. I really like Tuna; his grouchy attitude cracks me up. Although I try not to let him know I’m secretly laughing at him, he might make me do push ups… LOL!

Dogs, a Kid and a Hole...

2010-02-23T23:41:00.000-08:00

Today Jesse and I took our client Dina to our favorite park. We do this pretty much every weekday afternoon, so we’ve gotten to know several dogs and their people who we see nearly every time we’re there. The dogs are all good friends now and they play very well together. We humans enjoy watching the dogs play, while we chat with each other. It’s a nice way to let the dogs get lots of exercise, without having to exercise us… LOL!

Jesse, Dina and their friends tell me this park is their doggie Nirvana. They have a couple acres of open space to run and play in, off leash and free. There are tons of sticks everywhere. Sticks are great toys to tease other dogs, play tug and fetch with… and to chew on too. It has lots of trees to dodge, hide behind, use as mailboxes, and rest in the shade of. There are multitudes really awesome smells; hundreds of people and dogs use the park, along with all the wild animals who make it their home after dark. To a dog, it’s like a symphony for the nose. When they get hot they can romp in the river to cool off. They can dig as much as they want and no one scolds them for it. They get to be dogs there and they love it!

Anyway, Jesse, Dina and three of their pals did some major digging today. They spent a great deal of time and energy excavating a large hole. When they finally decided the hole was finished, they each took turns urinating in it… They like to sign their work. Just then a woman came by with her six-year-old daughter and their eight-month-old Weimaraner puppy. We all forgot about the hole as our dogs came over for a meet and greet with the new puppy. Then they all ran off for more doggie games. We adults stood around watching the dogs play; laughing and narrating their silly antics.

After a couple minutes, we heard the little girl call out one of the phrases that can make an adult’s heart stop, "Hey Mom, look at me." You never know what you’ll see when you turn around to look… maybe the kid has climbed up a tree and is about to show mom she can fly.

We all turned around to look and she was happily lying in the very same hole that only moments earlier all the dogs had used as a urinal. Of course neither she, nor her mom knew about that small fact. I so wanted to laugh and exchanged looks with my friends and knew they did too. I could also tell that, like me, they were wondering, “Should I tell this woman her daughter is lying in dog piss?” Somehow we all non-verbally agreed not to mention it.

But when the girl got up from the hole, she had small wet, dirty spots all over her backside, and we all lost it. Then her mom asked us what she had on her back, so we had to tell her. She laughed too, what else could she do? It was funny ☺

There’s No Place Like Home

2010-02-22T09:29:00.000-08:00

As part of my Pet Sitting business, I often do overnights at my client’s homes. I usually like doing overnights; unless I have an ill or behaviorally challenged fur kid, overnights are an easy gig. I’m there for at least twelve hours, but for most of that time we’re sleeping…

Or not, it takes me awhile to get used to the sounds of every home and neighborhood; the ones my clients sleep through, but Jesse and I hear. So we often don’t sleep well. And even though the bed is very comfortable, it just feels different. However, it is sort of refreshing not to share a bed with my cats. It’s amazing how much space such small creatures can take up. It’s nice to be able to move without: 1. Being growled/hissed at, 2. Having to move a cat, or 3. Not being able to move at all, because all the cats are sleeping right next to me, on top of the blanket and it’s weighted down.

Last night I had one with a couple of really wonderful dogs. I’ve stayed with them a couple times before and we’ve become great friends. They have a lovely home and I enjoy staying there, but it’s just not as comfortable as being at home. I miss having Internet access too, but it gives me a chance to do some writing or read.

When I got home this morning, I could hear Jesse and the cats at the door. It was a cacophony of barks, whines and meows on the other side of the kitchen door. They’re used to me being away, sometimes until late in the evening, but they don’t like it when I’m gone overnight. Jesse is always beside himself with joy when I come home, even if I’ve only been gone a few minutes, but he’s over the top on these mornings. It takes him longer to calm down and take care of morning business. He also has to sniff me all over, and isn’t all that thrilled to smell two other dogs on me. Then he keeps a watchful eye on me, in case I may be planning on leaving again, until he can’t stay awake any longer and takes a long nap. I don’t think he sleeps well when I’m away overnight (I don’t either).

The cats seemed to have really missed me too… they were all over me when I came though the door, meowing and rubbing on me as if saying, “Where were you all night, we thought you weren’t ever coming home again. By the way, where’s breakfast? Oh yeah, and the potty boxes need to be cleaned out too.” It’s nice to be home and to have been missed!

My First Blog...

2010-02-18T12:56:00.000-08:00

This is totally new to me and I’m a little intimidated to publish my thoughts for anyone to read. I’m not a great writer, so don’t expect beautiful prose, but I hope you’ll find some of my stories amusing.

Most of the time my visits with my fur clients are pretty routine, but there are times when weird stuff happens. Like the time I was out walking a couple of my clients…

It was a warm, August evening and we were having a very pleasant walk through their neighborhood. We had gone a few blocks, when we turned a corner and ran into a lot of smoke coming from the back of a house. I mean A LOT of smoke! I seriously thought the house was on fire. The thick smell of wood burning was choking me and it was agitating my dogs and all the others nearby. The neighborhood was aloud with barking and howling.

I was just about to call 911 and report a fire, when I saw some people out in their yard next door. They were hanging out and chatting, like nothing was wrong. I asked them if they’d called 911 about the fire. They laughed and said it wasn’t a fire, they were just barbequing next door, and it happens all the time. I’m still not so sure; I was thinking that it was too much smoke for a simple BBQ. But then a man and his two boys came out of that house to play catch in the front yard. I asked him about the smoke coming from his backyard and he confirmed the neighbor’s story; he was barbequing some steaks and hotdogs.

I’ve lived in So Cal almost my entire life (I won’t say how many years, but it’s more than 40… ha ha), so barbeques are nothing new to me; we BBQ often, and all year long. I’ve been to BBQ’s where we’ve roasted a whole pig, to restaurants with giant smokers, and to huge bonfires at the beach, none of them produced that much smoke. I wondered then, and still do, what kind of fire he had going back there and if it might have been a bit overkill ☺