Busy Busy!

Whew, this spring has been a busy one! Lots of folks taking trips and needing a sitter, and lots of folks taking day-trips and needing me to stop by in the midday to give their pooches some exercise and a potty break! That has kept my schedule full and I've been running from morning till night. It's such a welcome change after the winter, and this is a GREAT time of year to be in Northeast PA.

Since I've been so busy, I've had to turn down a few last-minute pet sits. It's a tough issue that crops up for every sitter during the busy season (or year-round), so here are some tips to help you plan so that you aren't left without a pet sitter!

1. Before you book your vacation or outing, check with your sitter to make sure he or she is available. This saves you and your sitter a potential headache!
   
   
2. Make pet care your first priority - not your last! If you know your dates of travel, call your pet sitter immediately to book pet sitting for those dates. Even if it's 6 months in advance! The more advance notice you give your sitter, the better.
   
   
3. If advance notice is impossible (we understand! Sometimes things pop up!) call as soon as you can. For last-minute sits, having some flexibility with the time of the sit can help your sitter fit you in to his or her schedule.
   
   
4. Sometimes we really can't "squeeze you in". Clients expect us to take time and care with their pets, and by squeezing someone in to a booked schedule, even for a quick potty break (don't forget we have drive time there and back to think about too!) it means we would have to give less than our best to our clients who have booked us in advance, and that's not acceptable to us or to the people and pets we serve. We appreciate your understanding (and knowing that we wouldn't skimp on service to YOUR pets to accommodate someone else's last-minute plans!)
   
   
5. We WANT to help you! For most professional pet sitters, this is our full-time job and how we earn our living. We love our clients and their pets, and we want to be there for you. We will always do everything we can to see that your pets are cared for. Sometimes, we are unavailable or booked (and pet sitters need vacations too!) Help us to help you by calling us in advance, and discussing options with your sitter - we may be able to refer you to someone or offer another solution.
   
   
6. If you're a new client, remember that almost every professional sitter requires a meeting with you and your pets PRIOR to any service. So not only does the sitter need to have time in their schedule to sit for your pets, but also enough time to meet with you and your pets beforehand, and have you fill out our necessary paperwork. What this means is that if you are a new client, and you need service Saturday, and it's already Friday, there's a good chance that the sitter may not be available to meet with you and your pets prior to service, and will be unable to help you.
   
   TIP: It's a great idea, especially for those new to the area or vacationing here, to call a pet sitter to arrange a meeting, even if you don't have any dates for service scheduled. Once the meeting is over and the paperwork is complete (and your pets get along with the sitter) then you have the peace of mind knowing that if you DO need service, then the pre-service meeting and paperwork are already out of the way!
   
   

If you live in the Hamlin / Lake Ariel / etc. area and are thinking you may need a sitter, don't wait! Call today to book your pet sitting service!

Spring Digging

Spring has come to the Poconos at last! The daffodils are in bloom everywhere, they're so pretty. I was at the garden store today and it was busy - everyone's getting their gardens ready.
I was puttering in the backyard this weekend and noticed our dog Annabelle was sniffing and pawing around the perimeter of the fence. Sure enough, when she found a spot she liked, she started to dig, and it didn't take her long to get a good-sized hole going. I stopped her before she could make it any bigger, but I know she'll be back there when my back is turned!
Digging is a problem for some of us who have fenced yards. So what can we do?

Ideally, when you construct your fence, it's a great idea to bury the fence a few inches (even deeper for busy diggers) into the ground. That can make it a lot harder for a dog to escape under the fence.

My fence is already built, so I work around it in some creative ways.

Rocks of all sizes are abundant in this area, and they have been a good temporary solution for blocking up holes.

A trick I have used to great success is to poop-scoop the yard and put some in the digging spot. That can deter dogs from digging in that area. Make sure to observe, however - some dogs will not be bothered and you'll want to keep an eye on your dog and the hole over a few days to see if it's been disturbed.

My husband dug a shallow trench under the section of fence where the hole was, and squeezed in a piece of 4"x4" wood that he spiked into the ground, and secured to the bottom of the fence. He filled dirt in over it. It would take a very motivated dog a long time to get under that thing. Our dogs have left that area alone since making the change, which tells me that it was a successful experiment.

Dogs are smart and can be taught not to dig. A quick call to a local dog trainer for a few no-digging sessions can solve your problem for good and save a lot of frustration and anxiety. I have heard of dogs being taught to dig only in a special area, for example a sandbox exclusively for the dog, or a certain part of the yard. While I haven't heard anyone's first-hand experience with this method, I think it would be challenging to teach. My gut tells me that it might be easier to just train the dog never to do the unwanted behavior. I'd be interested in hearing others' thoughts on digging dogs and how you deal with the challenge!

Delighted by Training

It has been a fantastic few weeks of pet sitting some really amazing pets. The more I work with dogs and cats, the more I see their intelligence and depth of feeling.

I have 3 dogs and 2 cats of my own. Annabelle, our newest (formerly our foster dog - but we fell in love with her) is learning some obedience commands. Loki and Fiona know a lot of this stuff already, so they're playing along, too, sitting on command, laying down, and so on. We had a lot of fun playing together, but it was also fun to observe the dogs and see the little lightbulbs go on over their heads as they learn (and refine) commands.

I taught Loki & Fiona to hi-five, which is a fun, easy, and impress-your-friends-cool kind of trick. When I first started teaching Loki, he needed lots of encouragement to jump up, and then to tap me with his paw. But after a few little sessions every day, he was getting it. He would hit me with his paws, just not on my hands. So then I got him to the point where I would only reward him if he tapped my hand. I could see, over a few sessions, how he would refine his technique to get that treat!

I am not a dog trainer, I just do this for fun with my dogs. The challenge of learning new things gives them mental exercise, and the treats I reward them with make them happy. I love bonding with them and watching them figure things out. I do these little training sessions in five- to ten-minute blocks of time during the day, squeezed in before or after dinner, on the way to the mailbox, whenever it seems that the dogs need some activity.

Maybe in a month or two we'll have learned a new trick. But if not, that's fine, time with pets is NEVER wasted.

Microchip Your Pet!

In light of Baby P's situation, and based on my own personal and professional knowledge, thereis one piece of advice I offer to EVERYONE reading this:

Please get your pet microchipped!

What is microchipping? A microchip is a tiny computer chip (about the size of a grain of rice) that your vet can implant safely under your pet's skin (usually between the shoulder blades). Each chip has a unique number that is entered into a database. If your pet gets lost and is picked up by someone, they can take that pet to any vet or shelter who will then scan the pet for a microchip that will tell them who the pet belongs to! The chip is permanent, can't get lost, and is very inexpensive. We paid $46 per dog to have ours microchipped (they did it when we had the dogs in for spay / neuter so they were under anesthetic, however the procedure doesn't require it and I understand it's not painless, but it's quick and not too painful either).

There is no annual fee - once your pet is microchipped, it stays with them for life, and all you have to do is notify the company if your address or contact info changes.

I have not been able to think of a single downside for microchipping. My 3 dogs are microchipped, and for $46 per dog, the peace of mind is so worth it. I know that if they were to get lost (and something like 1 in 3 dogs get lost in their lifetimes - NOT a good statistic), I have exponentially increased the chances of getting them back.

I welcome any thoughts on microchipping, pro and con! What do you think?

Update, And Some Personal Thoughts.

It looks like Baby P's mom was able to find the person who adopted the dog from the shelter. From what I understand, that person is attached to the dog and won't give her up.

I thought a lot about this. I imagined how I would feel if I picked out just the right dog at the animal shelter, feeling like I was saving a life, only to find out after I got attached to the new member of the family that there was someone desperately looking for the dog that I adopted.

I know that's gotta hurt. We fall in love with our pets. I know I'd be devastated.

But I think that if I were in that position, I would have to think "What is the RIGHT thing to do?"

This dog had a home, a family that cherished him, a family that still cries and grieves because he isn't with them. I think that just as a human being, I would have to do the right thing and give the dog back to it's rightful owner. I couldn't live with myself knowing that I was keeping this precious dog away from the family it loves so much. I think about the message I'd be sending to my family, friends, the kids in my life - "We're going to do the wrong thing because it will hurt to do the right thing." Sometimes it DOES hurt to do the right thing. If I found a million dollars, it sure would hurt to have to give up all of the financial freedom that could offer me when someone came forward with proof that it was their money. Maybe I'd resist, I'd probably cry a lot too! But as an honest person, and to be the person I need to be to look myself in the mirror every day, I would give the money back because it was not mine. And that's just money, with no thoughts or feelings! I imagine this poor, confused little dog, who misses it's real family, and the thought of depriving that poor dog makes my heart ache.

The fact is this is a tragic situation all around. People are hurting. I just know, that if it were me, I would rather hurt for the RIGHT reasons than not hurt for the WRONG reasons.

I Hope This Will Have A Happy Ending

I recently got news of a local woman whose Yorkshire Terrier escaped while she was in the hospital. Someone turned the dog into an animal shelter in Clarks Summit, and the dog was adopted by another woman.
I feel very much for the woman who lost her dog. If it were me, I'd want my friends helping me get my dog back, that's for sure!

They have released this photo of the dog, and I'm reposting the text of the flyer here in case anyone can help. If you know the person who adopted this dog, or you have any information, please contact the number below. Her Mommy wants her to come home. I think we can all relate to that!



TEXT FROM FLYER:

Hi,
My name is Baby P and I was adopted from the shelter in Clarks Summit at the end of 2009 by a woman who is employed at UPS. I am a chubby little Yorkie who has a broken heart. I have been trying to get back to my Mommy. I miss her and I know she is heartbroken and devastated. She didn't even know I accidentally got away. She was in the hospital. When she found out, she made countless amounts of effort to have me returned. I have been on a confusing journey and now that you saw the ads my Mommy has been placing, why won't you reunite me with her? I want to go home with my favorite toys in my comfortable bed and most of all, I want to play with my brother and sister. My Mommy does not deserve this pain. She cries every day and night and I need to be with her!

I appreciate that you got me out of the "humane society" and I do like you, but you know that I do not belong here and my Mommy is grieving and my home is with her and my family. If the situation was reversed, wouldn't you want your family member back? Please have a heavy heart and compassion.

PLEASE LET ME GO HOME!!!

Call my Mommy at 570-941-0722 or 570-878-6121

Oh - And More Exciting Things!

In all my "Rah-Rah-Rah" about NAPPS and their Annual Conference, I forgot to mention some of the exciting new things!

• I was elected to serve as a Board Member on the NAPPS Board of Directors! This is a volunteer position that will allow me to share my voice in shaping the future of the pet sitting industry. I am so pleased to be a part of such a professional, caring group. I have learned so much from NAPPS that has helped me provide the best care to the pets entrusted to me, and I am very happy to give back with my time and knowledge.
  
• I also received the NAPPS' President's "Commitment to NAPPS Award" for 2010! My beautiful plaque says: "In recognition of your tireless commitment to NAPPS and your fellow members".
  
• I'll soon be sharing some information about a wonderful organization that helps pet owners nationwide retrieve lost pets. MORE INFO TO COME!
  
• I have pages and pages of notes and information to share with pet parents. Expert information, web sites, training tips, and more are coming soon to help you with your pet peeves! (Sorry...couldn't resist that little pun.)
• If you haven't already become a fan of Your Best Friend Pet Sitting on Facebook, what are you waiting for? You can also find me on LinkedIn and Twitter.

February bookings are flying in, March bookings are well on the way, and it's not too soon to be thinking about Memorial Day!