Daily Visits for Cats

I've been enjoying the beautiful weather, planning for Jake and Fiona's Dog Wedding & Fundraiser, and I've been getting lots of calls from new customers (Hooray!)
One question that has come up three times in the past week is about cat care, and why I don't do every-other-day (or EOD) visits for cats.
There are several reasons, but the main reason is simple - I am a professional and my job is to make sure your pets are safe, comfortable, and happy. Since cats can be fine one day and deathly ill the next, and there is no predicting when a pet can get hurt or sick, time becomes THE deciding factor in cases like these.

Fortunately I never had to learn this first-hand. Through the great organizations NAPPS and PUPS, I can network with other professional pet sitters and learn from THEIR experiences. So when enough professional pet sitters come forward and say "EOD visits for cats are a BAD idea, and here's why," I listen.

My job is to help minimize risks to your home and pets, and making daily visits for cats is a standard and accepted way to make sure your cats get the care and attention (not to mention food, water, and clean litter boxes!) they need. Day to day, I can check the food and water levels as well as litter box output (yes, I do check these things since they can provide clues to a pet's health! Not the most glamorous of tasks but a very important one). Having this daily information is important, especially if a cat gets sick. A vet might ask "When did the cat last eat?" and there's a big difference between "within the last 24 hours" and "within the last 48 hours".

Working with cats all these years has taught me so much. There's this perception that cats are less than social, and I have found the opposite to be true. Cats are very social, and even the seemingly aloof ones crave attention sometimes. I like to address the social needs of cats and make that a part of my visits, just like I make sure they get food, fresh water, and a clean litter box, too. I like to learn what their favorite toys and games are, and get to know their personalities as well.

Generally people who call a professional pet sitter are not the type to skimp on pet care - they cherish their pets as part of the family and want the best for them. But they may not realize that daily visits for cats is not only the norm, it's what is best for the safety and well-being of the cat.

Day Off!

It's rare for a pet sitter to have a day off in the summer, let alone on a weekend! and truthfully, I didn't have the whole day off - took care of some wonderful kitties in the morning. But the rest of the day was mine to be had!
My husband and I drove around and had fun checking out some garage sales. We got some nice deals and of course spent a buck buying some stuffed animals for the dogs. We can't buy them stuffed toys at the store because they tear them open (yup - even the "nearly indestructible" ones) in 5 minutes. So we get the "garage sale specials" for them, and of course they tear them to bits in a day but they have the best time doing it and it was cheap (although cleaning up all of the stuffing is a bit of a pain! And we take the eyes/noses off beforehand so there's no accidental swallowing). Seeing Loki grinning on top of a pile of stuffing is definitely amusing.

After that I did what everyone else was doing - I hit the lake! Ahhh, it was beautiful. Those of us who are fortunate enough to live and vacation in the Poconos know that feeling. Drifting on a beautiful lake on your raft, or in your boat, with blue skies above and green trees all around, a light breeze to keep you cool, and the sweet sound of nature all around you.

I could have spent the day doing work (even though I didn't have afternoon pet sits, I still have some paperwork-stuff to do). But when it's a beautiful day and there's so much fun to be had, I think sometimes the choice to go out and experience the sweetness that life has to offer is the RIGHT choice. Work will still be here for me Monday!

I hope you have been able to enjoy this gorgeous summer. If you haven't, what are you waiting for? Give me a call, I'll spend time with your pets so you can have some guilt-free fun in the sun!

Happy Independence Day!

Whew! What a busy day! Lots of pet sits this weekend. And what a weekend it was; am I right Poconos people? Blue skies, fresh air, green trees - it makes you happy to be alive.

Because of the heat I took it easy with the dogs I walked outside. That midday sun gets hot! I spent some time combing and brushing some pets (including my own) to help get rid of some excess fur. (It's also a great way to for me to bond with a pet for those pets that enjoy being brushed or combed!)

Luckily the pets I'm caring for this weekend are okay with loud noises. Some pets don't handle the 4th of July fireworks well at all, and extra care must be taken with them to ensure their safety and level of comfort. (I recommend putting the radio on for background noise to help drown out the sounds of the fireworks. Others have recommended an item called the Thundershirt to help calm dogs.)

I'm up past my bedtime, tired but happy, and looking forward to a fun, busy day tomorrow!

Happy Independence Day everyone!

Pet Sitting in the Poconos

To those who live in Northeast PA - is this not the BEST time of year? We put up with the long, miserable Pocono winters because we know that the summers are sublime.

Dog walking in the summer, especially in this beautiful area, is perfect. Of course keeping an eye on the heat and on the dogs is part of the job - some dogs don't do well in the heat at all and professional pet sitters and dog walkers know it! We accommodate our furry friends as necessary to minimize any risk of overheating.

There's so much for dogs to see and sniff, it's a pleasure watching a happy dog enjoy time in the beautiful outdoors.

Pampering Pets

One of the best things about pet sitting is getting to pamper pets! Clients of pet sitters rely on us for being there to feed, water, and provide potty breaks and cleanup for their pets.
And there's so much more to it than that! I often get asked if I play with the pets, and at first I was a little confused, since playtime is the best part of the job - of course I play with the pets, and make sure they get lots of affection! When you hire a pet sitter, you are getting one-on-one time for your pets, and that makes for happy pets!

Pet sitting gives me the opportunity to spend quality time with each dog, cat, bird, hamster, and lizard I care for. I take the time to learn each pet's little quirks and habits. I know that Molly's favorite toy is her stuffed chicken, and Sally likes it when I toss a kitty treat across the tile for her to chase and pounce on. I know that Zoee likes to lead the way on our walks, and that Fremont makes happy little moaning noises when I scratch under his collar. Dexter the iguana is a slow eater, Bane likes to roll in the grass, and Tommy the Bichon will stand on his hind legs and wave his front paws in the air if he thinks I have a treat.

It's such a pleasure getting to know these amazing animals so well, and being able to hear those purrs and satisfied sighs after a long tummy rub, or see the grins of tired, happy dogs. I love hearing from my customers, too: "Kristen, we're home, and everyone seems so happy and relaxed! Thank you!" Music to my ears!

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!