Doggies in the Rain

It is no fun walking dogs in the rain. Some dogs don't mind it, but other dogs tuck their tail and try to hide when it's time to go out. I try a few strategies in cases like these.

• I go out myself and lead the way. Some dogs may not be crazy about the rain, but they'll go if I go first and show them it's not so bad.


• Gentle encouragement. This may mean sitting in the doorway with a treat and a soothing voice, reassuring the dog, and helping to remove the stress from the situation. It takes time, but you cannot rush a good relationship with a pet, it must be earned, and that takes time and patience.


• Bribery. For many dogs, a treat is a great motivator. If they are really stubborn, I will bring out the freeze-dried liver treats - I have not known a dog to resist them.


• Compassionate understanding. There are times when the weather is just so rotten, the rain or wind too fierce, or snow too deep, and a dog just flat-out refuses to go. Nuh-uh, no way, not gonna do it. And every signal they are communicating - the drooping ears, the tucked tail, the submissive licking (or even growling) - says "If you force me, it will damage our relationship. Please do not put me in that position." In those cases, we make the pooch as happy and stress-free as possible while we're there, and just try again next visit.

Maybe one of these tips will work for you if you have a reluctant, weather-weary pooch!

Emergency Planning

I'll admit - it's been hard to watch the news lately. The earthquake and tsumnami in Japan are heartbreaking events and my thoughts have been on the people there. Living in the mountains quite far from any coast, I don't really have to worry about tsunamis, but there are so many other weather-related disasters that can occur, and I think it's good just to be aware and have an emergency plan in place. As a pet sitter, it's part of my job. But what about pet owners?

Fortunately, there is a great document from NAPPS (The National Association of Professional Pet Sitters)called the Emergency Planning Guide for Pet Owners. It's totally free to download - just visit www.petsitters.org, scroll to the bottom of the page, and click the link that says "Download a free copy".

One of the best things you can do right away, if you haven't done it already, is to microchip and photograph your pets. Photographing your pets once a year or so can aid in finding a lost pet, and microchipping your pet can make it much easier for others to find you, should they find your pet.