Summer is here! If you are wanting to travel this summer with your dog here are all the best tips and reccomendations to make your summer travel as stress-free as possible.
Doggie Tales are true stories to share the impactful ways humans and dogs co-exist and share love, beginning with the ones that have impacted my life as a dog trainer the most. Our second doggie tale stars our very own Doggie Dreamz VIP, Cowboy. Check out Cowboy’s transformation story here.
This time of year as the days are shorter, the weather is colder and food smells sweeter; we all tend to reflect on the past year while celebrating with our friends and family. While we're celebrating with the closest humans in our life, we can also celebrate the season with our canine companions. Here are a few ways to get the most out of this holiday season with your dog.
For decades, dog trainers have instructed dog owners to show their dogs calm and confident energy. I wanted to explore this concept and the practical ways you can show your dog calm and confident energy.
Dog trainers often talk about a dog's pack drive. Many dog trainers believe that dogs with a low pack drive are more likely to have behavioral issues later in their life. This is why I wanted to dive deeper into this subject to help better bridge the gap between behavioral theory and how it affects and benefits your everyday life.
With the increase of the presence of on-demand services, there has also been an increase in the use of the term “background check” -- but what exactly does that mean? As it turns out, there is more than one answer, and it varies from company to company. Here is what I learned about how some of these companies cut corners to save money and as a result background checks lack full information on individuals.
Just like people, pets suffer from anxiety. Especially, separation anxiety when their owners go to work or on vacation. As a pet sitter, I have seen many of my clients exhibit at least some of these behaviors. Below are 5 of the most common signs of separation anxiety in animal:
1) Going to the bathroom in the house
2) Excessive barking, crying, or howling
3) Destructive behavior such as chewing or digging
4) Trying to escape
5) Pacing, panting, and/or excessive licking
Anxiety left untreated can lead to ongoing and progressive psychological and physical stressors that you and your pet don’t need! If your animal is displaying these behaviors there are several things you can do to ease your animal’s anxiety.
If your pet is still exhibiting signs of separation anxiety after trying these techniques, you may want to consider consulting with a dog trainer or animal behaviorist. Some causes of separation anxiety in animals do require more intensive training and counterconditioning. Also, consider getting a dog walker who is also a pet sitter. Having one person to walk and watch your pet while you’re away will help maintain your pet’s routine and can give them comfort while you are away.
Remember, anxiety is a natural emotion for pets and people, but redirecting that energy into positive outcomes and engagement will add to the quality of your pet’s life and your peace of mind! Our pets can feel our emotions, so ease your own stress by making life as stress-free for your pet as possible. I’d love to hear some other tips and tricks you’ve used to help your fur family. Comment below!
Edited by Tara Rico
In our fast paced world where we can now request dog sitters and dog walkers on demand there are some important things to look at when choosing a company and caretaker that will best fit you and your pet's needs. The consequences of not considering who is providing care for your pet can be tremendous. Below are 5 of the most important questions to ask yourself when looking for a pet sitter or dog walker.
1. Does this person require a Meet and Greet before taking me on as a client?
Meet and Greets are essential for all pet sitters to do when taking on a new client. At the meet and greet the pet sitter will ask you important questions about your animal to better serve and take care of them. Some questions they may ask are; has your animal ever bitten anyone? Are they friendly with other people and animals? Do they have a specific diet? Are they allergic to any foods? Do they take any medications? A professional pet sitter and dog walker needs to know these answers to give your animal the best possible care.
2. Is this person caring for my pet trained in Pet CPR and First Aid?
Just like you would feel more comfortable with someone who is CPR trained to watch your child, having someone trained in emergency care for your animal will give you the same peace of mind. If your animal gets a cut or accidently chokes on an item, you should have someone who is trained in emergency care.
3. Are they Insured and Bonded?
A professional Pet Sitter will be insured and bonded with a reliable company, because they know that sometimes things happen that are out of our control. For example, a dog could be bitten while on a walk, or your pet sitter could accidently loose your keys. In these cases, if your pet sitter has insurance and is bonded, those costs would be covered by their insurance.
4. Are they members of any Professional Pet Sitting Organizations?
In any profession when someone is a member of a larger organization that supports their profession, that shows dedication and continued education in their field. This holds true with Pet Sitters and Dog Walkers. There are a number of Professional Pet Sitting Organizations such as National Association of Professional Pet Sitters, Pet Sitters International and Professional United Pet Sitters.
5. How does my animal interact with this person?
You always want to trust your animal when introducing them to someone new. Especially, someone that will be looking after them while you are away. Your animal will let you know if they are excited to see this person, if they are scared of them, or if they trust this person. If you have a shy or skiddish animal, I would recommend having the potential Pet Sitter stay longer than 30 minutes so your animal can have extended time to adjust and get comfortable with them. You can also try having the potential Pet Sitter give your animal a treat, and see how your pet reacts.
In my experience, these 5 questions will help provide you and your pet with the safest and lasting care. When we consider our pets as our family, we want to give them the best. Some other important questions to consider may be: Does this person or company have references? Discussing their services with other clients is your right to know. A responsible and quality Pet Sitter will have references available.
Edited by Tara Rico
Its Halloween time! Which means fun costumes, candy and mischief! But during this time of year, it is also important to keep our animals safe.
Candy is not for our pets. Make sure that the all candy is out of reach of animals on Halloween. Candy, especially anything with chocolate and gum, are extremely toxic to animals. So my recommendation is to keep the candy in a bowl high on a shelf or countertop where they cannot get to it. Also be careful on your walks before and after Halloween. Kids tend to drop some of their candy on the ground and your dog or cat could pick it up while outside. Be on the lookout for anything on the ground.
If Trick or Treaters frequent your home it would be best to keep your animals away from the door. You will be opening and closing the door frequently and some animals take this opportunity to try and run past you for a nighttime adventure. If you have a baby gate or a crate this would be the best option to keep them safe. I wouldn’t recommend putting them outside due to the fact that Halloween is a prime time for pranks and some pranksters use this night to injure, steal or even in some horrific cases kill animals.
Keep any glow sticks and raw pumpkins away from your animals. Glow sticks are fun for kids to carry on Halloween however some animals like to chew on them and though the liquid inside is not shown to be toxic, it doesn’t taste good to them and isn’t good for them. While small amounts of corn and pumpkin can be fed safely to many pets, ingesting uncooked, potentially moldy Halloween pumpkins or corn displays can cause big problems.
And the best thing to do to keep your pets safe on Halloween is to make sure all tags, microchips and licenses are up to date with correct information. If your animal should escape due to the increased mischief and mayhem on this holiday if your animal has their collar, ID or microchip up to date it is more likely that your animal will be found and returned to you safely.
Hoping everyone has a fun and safe Halloween!
Edited by Tara Rico
Living in Southern California, I have many friends and acquaintances I’ve crossed paths with who say they would love to rescue a dog or a cat but don’t have the time to care for it. Well, I agree; if you don’t have the time to tend to a pet, it is better to wait to take one on. However, I also believe there are too many animals today in shelters, in negligent situations, or on the streets. I would often wonder, how could I help?
