Host a Pet Party, or Just Get the Toys

Would you like to find pet products for discriminating pets and the people they love?

Check out www.petlane.com. This company was started by Lane Nemeth, the founder of Discovery Toys, and like Discovery Toys, this is a direct sales set up. You can host an in-home demonstration party of their unique pet products; its like a Tupperware party, or you can buy online from their catalog. I wish I'd found out about this before Christmas.

They carry toys, accessories, treats, books, and food. Right now Petlane has 252 products and you can view them in their catalog at www.petlane.com. I was impressed with the quality of the toys. Some of them were pretty original too - made me want to be a cat! :-)

There is quite a selection of articles to read in the "Parenting Your Pets" section. They also have a vet on staff, who used to be Morris the Cat's vet.

You Can Teach A Cat New Tricks

How To Remove Puppy Pee

Here's a good article for pet sitters and pet owners. I confess I'm not a good carpet stain remover but maybe these tips will help. It might be a good idea to print this off for pet sitting clients as well.

Emergency Carpet Cleaning Pet Stain Removal
by John Braun

Your elusive 12 week-old puppy walks into the living room. "Where have you been?" you ask, as if he will answer you. You immediately jump up and begin your search. Everything seems fine in the bedroom. Everything seems fine in the den. Everything is fine in the dining roo---oh no! Not your brand new Oriental rug. What are you going to do?

Time is of the essence. So, you grab your trusty bottle of miracle spot remover and spray it directly on the stain. You press a towel you grabbed from the kitchen into the stain. You rub and scrub. It doesn't seem like it's working, so you try more spot remover and you scrub harder. At least you're trying to take care of the accident quickly, but now you've got a bigger problem. You have an even larger puddle that includes urine with spot remover added to it. Even worse, you've scrubbed the rug so hard the fibers look frayed and unraveled. Adding spot remover to a urine stain and brushing it in does not mean you are removing the stain. Where did the stain go? You've spread it in the backing of the rug.

4 Easy Steps To Emergency Pet Stain Removal

1. Do it NOW. The longer you wait, the harder it will be to remove. It isn't always convenient to clean up a pet stain, but your life will be much easier if you take care of it immediately. The stain could become permanent in just a few hours, especially with some light colored fibers.

2. Use the right equipment. Use a small, hand-held carpet spotting machine or wet vacuum to extract the urine, vomit, or feces. If you find the stain while it is still damp, it is important to extract the liquid BEFORE rinsing or adding a spot remover. Some popular brands to look for are Bissel, Little Devil, and Little Green Machine. For a wet vacuum, go to any hardware department and ask for wet vacs or shop vacs.

3. Use the proper cleaning agent AFTER the liquid has been removed. Use a low residue spot remover if the stain is fresh or an enzyme spot remover if the stain has been in the fiber for more than a few hours. A mixture of white vinegar diluted at a 1 to 3 ratio will also work in a pinch. Never use bleach. If you are using an enzyme, allow it to dwell for at least 20 minutes or according to the label. An enzyme actually digests the bacteria associated with the odor in urine and works well for spots that have been in the carpet for more than a few hours.

4. Rinse the spot with plain water and extract the water with your wet vacuum or carpet-spotting machine. This can be done by rinsing with water from your spot removal machine or simply pouring a glass of water on the area and extracting with your wet vacuum.

What to do if these steps don't work?

Often, the spot will be even bigger and darker when it returns. Many spot removers can leave excess residue in the carpet that attracts soil. If you experience this phenomenon of a mysterious spot returning, simply pour a cup of water on the area and extract with your carpet spotter or wet vacuum. If the spot returns again, rinse it again. To prevent this from happening in the future, use less cleaning agent. If you continue to have problems with returning spots, try a different spot removal product.

So now you've removed most of the stain and the odor. But, you notice a slight discoloration of yellow is still left behind. Hydrogen peroxide gentles fades discolorations from urine and vomit stains and is available in most drug stores. The solution should be misted on and allowed to dry over the course of an hour. This procedure should only be used after all attempts for removal have been made. As with any spot remover, make sure you pre-test the peroxide in an inconspicuous area before using.

The next time you don't know where your puppy has been and he strolls into the living room to greet you, don't be quite so alarmed. You're now armed with the right information and right tools that will make taking care of the accident a breeze. No more worries. Your life will be so much easier.

Visit Premium Carpet Care of Pensacola, Florida at http://www.pensacolacarpetcleaning.com/ for your FREE Pet Stain Removal Guide, by John Braun, available for immediate download.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Braun

Social Networking Gone To The Dogs

I was just surfing around today and found some interesting stuff.

Did you know that you can get a barking dog ringtone for your phone? Not that I would want one as a pet sitter - I like to talk to my dogs person-to-person, or make that person-to-dog.

The next big thing for pet owners are social networking sites. Here are a few:

http://www.funepets.com could use with a little more action, but has some cute photos.
http://ListMyPet.com where people can post their best pet photos. Some adorable pets here!
http://petbrags.com looks wonderful and very busy.

So if you can't get enough of pets from pet sitting, you can always start a social networking site about pets.

Getting Dogs to Eat

I make it my personal mission as a pet sitter to try and get each and every one of my vacation dogs to eat. This is not always an easy task, as you know! You've probably come up with some interesting ways to coax dogs in to eating. I know I have.

It's not exactly like getting a baby to eat with "Here comes the choo choo into the tunnel, open wide!" but you do play some psychological games.

Here are a few of mine:

1. Crouch by the dog's bowl and look at it pointedly without moving a muscle or blinking. Do not make eye contact with the dog. This works with some dogs because they want to eat, but are so happy you're here and are afraid you'll go away if they take time to eat. You're reassuring them you won't go anywhere until they're done. You may get a cramp, but it will go away later when you play with the dog.

2. If they won't come near their dish, put a piece of dogfood down in front of them. If they eat that, put another piece a little closer to the bowl, then another one closer, etc. until they're at the bowl. They'll look at you expectantly for a second and then usually go after what's in the bowl. At this time you can apply #1, above.

3. Crouch by their dish and have them come over to you. Take a few kibbles and put them in your outstretched hand. As they think about whether they want them, close your hand in a fist so they can't have them. Open your hand briefly so they can see the kibbles, then clench it closed again. Do this until the dog is absolutely positive that he wants the food and let him nose open your hand and eat. His next stop will be the the bowl.

4. Make a big deal out of preparing the food. Pretend to put something else in it, or add just a touch of warm water. After that you should hold it out of reach for a second and pretend to eat some of it. This one is like feeding a baby.

5. If all else fails, feed them by hand (and you didn't hear this from me.)

Give Your Cat A Pill And Live To Tell The Tale

This is a subject which has been the source of much humour - we've all seen the posters, read the stories or maybe even got the t-shirt, saying how if you need to give your cat a pill, you'd better stand by for a wrecked house and several scars!

I know the truth here all too well - one of my 2 cats was ok with pills, not terrific but ok. The other one though, he was a different story, and we used to have many a 'discussion' about him taking his pill!

I then decided to tap into the 'information highway' as the internet was first called, to see if there was a solution there. There was, it worked for me every time since, and I'm now about to tell you...

I call it the 'washing machine method' because if you imagine moving your washing machine around your kitchen, it's a case of a gentle push here, a slow nudge there.

When delivery men come with a new one though, they just plonk it down, give it a mighty shove and it goes where they decide it will go in about 5 seconds. It's this combination of technique and belief that you will tap into when it's next time for your cat to take a pill.

The technique is that used by vets. If a vet has to give a cat a pill, there is no asking the cat! There is no mollycoddling, the cat gets the pill 'inserted', and this is how you do it.
Firstly prepare the technique mentally. Know exactly what you will be doing, and how, because it will be done in 2 seconds. Don't try and prepare the cat, cats are way to smart for this and they will win.

If you hold the cat and grab its upper cheekbones from above using your thumb and finger of the same hand, you can then bring the cat's head to a vertical looking up position. In this position a cat has no power over its lower jaw, and it will hang open.

You then use your other hand, rest a finger on the bottom flat teeth, and simply open the mouth. Remember the cat cannot stop you doing this due to factual muscle location. Then you put the pill far enough inside the mouth to go past the tongue.
Shut the mouth and hold it shut, stroke the throat to encourage swallowing, and that it is!
This technique takes 2 seconds, no more.

When you approach it, you need to believe it will work - put off any negative thoughts - again the cat will pick up on it, and you will lose.

The technique isn't painful for the cat, it isn't even particularly uncomfortable as it involves no strain - it's over so quickly that the cat is usually left thinking 'something happened here, but I am not sure what'!

Discovering this tip was great for me, and for the cat, much less stress all round, so next time your cat needs a pill popping, remember the washing machine method and and you can live to tell the tale, too!

For more information and resources for cats, cat breeds or anything else related to your favorite pet, go to http://www.yourspecialpets.com/cats.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dorothy_Santoro

You Know You're a Pet Sitter When...

You know you're a pet sitter when...

You keep punching your client's garage code into your own garage keypad.

You shop for pants that are "muddy paw" color.

You tell your spouse about the cute things that Cookie or Buttons or Sparky did today.

You never eat lunch at lunchtime, and if you want to meet a fellow pet sitter for lunch its at 3:00 PM.

You call your kids Cookie or Buttons or Sparky.

You recognize a dog at the dog park that you took care of for another pet sitter, but you don't know the owner.

You've forgotten what it feels like to sleep in on the weekends.

You think it's a great day if you can get a vacation dog to eat, pee, and poo all at one visit.

Without thinking about it, you comfortably and consistently journal about the color and firmness of a dog's poo.

Items in your trunk include your favorite brand of poop bags, a bag of kitty litter that can also help if you're stuck in the snow, a dustpan, dog treats, a crumpled copy of Pets World magazine, a snowscraper, sunscreen, and a rain hat.

You temporarily forget if your own pet is a he or she.

You describe the weather as "t-shirt, sunscreen and water bottle", "sweater", "2 sweaters, a coat, mittens, and snow boots" weather.

When driving somewhere with a friend you constantly interrupt the conversation with wild gesturing and exclamations of "That's where Sparky lives!" or "That street over there is where Cookie likes to take her walks!"

You know where all the free poop bag dispensers are in your town.

You have all your pets' birthdays on your calendar.

And when you blog, the word poop gets mentioned 4 times in one post!

Blog Rush

This has nothing to do with petsitting, but everything to do with blogging. Since this is a blog, I feel comfortable posting this here, especially because it looks like a really cool way to get more traffic to my blog.

It’s similar to ad exchanges, but it’s targeted towards your blog content. If it sounds interesting, just click on the tab at the bottom of the blogosphere box down on the right side of my blog and listen to the video. The video explains it very well, much better than I could!

Happy Blogging,
Peggy

Doggie Hangman

Do you know your dog breeds? When you've got a few minutes, test yourself with this dog hangman link.
http://www.arcamax.com/games/hangman?wordlist=Dogs

Fun Facts About Dogs

by Natalie Loeffler

10 Fascinating Facts about Dogs

• How fast is a dog? Most domestic dogs are capable of reaching speeds up to about nineteen miles per hour when running at full speed, but members of the Greyhound family are the fastest, they're able to reach speeds up to forty-four miles per hour!

• Have you noticed how dogs lick their private parts a lot? Although this may seem perverse, it serves an important purpose. The dog's genitourinary tract will not function without the stimulation that comes from frequent licking. Not so bad now – huh?

• Why do dogs love lakes, but not rain? Dogs often hesitate before venturing into the rain. It's not because they're afraid of getting wet, but because the rain amplifies sound and hurts their sensitive ears.

To read more:
http://www.kennelmenot.net/Petsitting_Articles/Dog_Facts/dog_facts.html

Doggie Splash

Next Sunday, before they drain the swimming pool for the winter, my town is opening up one of the pools for our four-legged friends. How cool is that? The dogs get to splash around in the pool (hence the name Doggie Splash) for up to 4 hours. The pool is big but designed for younger kids. It's not very deep and one side does not have an edge. You can walk into it like you're at the beach, but minus the waves. I wonder how many dogs they let in and if the pet owners get to swim too.

Choosing a Pet Sitter - What to Look For

Feel free to add this article to your own site, with an active link back to http://peggyspetsittingblog.blogspot.com/

Choosing a Pet Sitter - What to Look For
by Peggy Baron

Choosing a great pet sitter is important to you and your pets. You want someone who is reliable, trustworthy, does what you ask, and most of all, is affectionate with the furry and feline members of your family. You want a pet sitter who loves your pets almost as much as you do and will go the extra mile if your pets have a medical emergency. You want someone your pets are happy with too!

The first thing you should do with a potential pet sitter is schedule a meet and greet at your home. This is the time for you, the pet sitter, and your pets to all get acquainted. This will take some time initially, but it’s time well spent and will give you a chance to ask questions, be comfortable with your decision, and start the communication ball rolling. The pet sitter will certainly ask you lots of questions about your pets; feeding, walking, vet info, etc, but there are some important items for you to cover at the initial meeting.

1. Ask about the pet sitter’s background. How were they trained? How long have they been a pet sitter? What other training do they have, such as Red Cross pet first aid and CPR?

Previous lines of work? Other interests? Do they live close? What is their home address? Email address? Chat them up! As a pet sitter on the other end of these conversations, I have found out that one client’s ex-husband used to coach my daughter’s soccer team, another client had an upcoming appointment with my husband’s coworker, and yet another client and I used to live in the same town in another state. It’s comforting for everyone to start off on some common ground.

2. When talking with your potential pet sitter, watch how they interact with your pets. Do they give your dog a cursory pat on the head and give all the attention to you? Or do they have a grin on their face as they find the special spot to scratch behind your dog’s ears and then croon to her during lulls in adult conversation? You want to get the sense that they LOVE animals, yours specifically, and they LOVE their job.

3. Do they keep a journal and write in it after each visits? You want to know when they notice some slightly unusual behavior or off-colored poo. Let them know what you consider important enough for an immediate phone call. You need to set the parameters of communication with your pet sitter.

4. Are they insured and bonded? Technically they don’t have to be, at least in my state, but you certainly want them to be. Ask for copies of both documents and check to make sure they are up-to-date.

5. Most pet sitters have written contracts but if they don’t produce any, ask them to do so. Contracts that spell out what they are going to do or not do, is important protection for both of you. Keep copies for yourself.

6. Ask for references! I am amazed at how many people do not ask for references from pet sitters. Pet sitters should have these handy. If they’re good, they have no problem supplying you with this information.

7. What plan do they have in place in case they have a personal emergency? Do they have another petsitter who can cover for them? Also, do they have back-up petsitters for when they manage to work in a vacation, or are you on your own to find one? You can ask to meet any back-up petsitters, after all, it’s your home and your pet.

Following this advice should help you hook up with an amazing pet sitter, one you’re comfortable with and trust. You’ll be happy you did because a good pet sitter will become like a member of your family!

Chipped Tooth - A Pet Sitting Hazard

Yesterday I chipped one of my upper front teeth while on duty. It's just a teeny tiny bit shaved off the end and not noticeable to anyone but me. It didn't really hurt but it sure scared me. I was bending over to put a dog back in her make-shift crate when I hit my big, open mouth on the metal.

Before you start thinking, "What a klutz!" let me explain (rationalize) what happened. It wasn't actually a metal crate, but metal fencing like used in crates. It did not have a top, it was higher up than a crate, it was gold, and it blended right in with the hardwood floor.

Moral of the story? Keep your mouth shut when you bend over dog crates!

Pet Sitters - How to Find a Great One

Feel free to add this article to your own site, with an active link back to http://peggyspetsittingblog.blogspot.com/

Pet Sitters – How to Find a Great One
by Peggy Baron

Maybe you would like to have a pet sitter come to your home and watch your pets while you’re out of town on business or a much-needed vacation. Perhaps you work long hours or have elderly animals and just want a pet sitter to come and walk your dog or give your cat her medicine at noon. There are many good reasons to employ a pet sitter and the choice is certainly up to you. If you’ve never had a pet sitter before and don’t know how to go about choosing one, then I have some tips for you.

1. Probably the best place to start is with friends, family, neighbors, or co-workers who use a pet sitter who they would happily recommend. If your friend gushes about how wonderful and dependable her pet sitter is, you need to dash to the phone and schedule an appointment with them immediately and hope they’re taking new clients.

2. Other good places to try are your vet, dog trainer, or groomer. They keep their eyes and ears open and know about good pet sitters from their clients. Also, they may have personal experience with some of the area’s pet sitters themselves. It’s always good news when a pet sitter is recommended by the pet professionals.

3. Check online for a pet sitter in your local area. Many pet sitters have websites, and even if they don’t you can still find listings for them on an online yellow pages-type directory. A lot of people have success finding a pet sitter through doggeek.com and petsit.com. At petsit.com you just put your zip code in and it brings up all the pet sitters in your area.

4. Of course, you can also google for a pet sitter in your local area. Pay close attention to the service areas they cover as most pet sitters are feeling the gas prices in their wallets and do not want to sit any pets that are too far from their regular service area.

5. Don’t forget about your real estate agent if you’ve just moved into a new place. Real estate agents know a lot about your area and know people in all sorts of different industries. Generally, they want to help you feel at home and will find the answer to your problem, even if they have to check with everyone in the office and several past clients.

6. Be observant. Do you see someone happily walking a dog everyday around lunch time, rain or shine, heat or snow? Pay attention. While pet sitters usually don’t smile all the time while walking dogs, you can still tell if they’re having a good time or if they’re bored. If they’re always on the cell phone keep on going, but if you like what you see stop and ask if they’re a pet sitter and if they’re available to take care of your pets.

7. If you call a pet sitter and they are not taking on new clients, ask them to refer a couple of dependable pet sitters to you. Who does this pet sitter use for their own pets? You can also ask them if there is a pet sitting organization for your town that you can contact. Sometimes finding a great pet sitter can be like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack, but usually all it takes is knowing who and where to ask. With these tips you should find a pet sitter you’re happy with, and you can then turn your thoughts to other matters, like what you should pack for your trip.

Small Dog Walking Pleasures

A funny thing happened yesterday. I had just started walking one of my favorite dogs at an apartment complex and noticed someone else walking a dog a little farther up the sidewalk. Well, I wasn't really paying attention because I was more focused on where my sandal was hitting my fresh mosquito bite and trying to rearrange my foot so it wouldn't rub and make the mosquito bite as big as Kansas.

"Peggy?" I hear. I looked up and it was a fellow petsitter, Mary. She was walking one of her dogs too. We couldn't get too close because the dogs didn't want to be friendly, but we were able to walk along and talk for a little bit. Petsitters don't usually get to see and talk to other petsitters while on the job, so this was a pleasant surprise.

Mary promised she'd tell the story here about how her watch saved her life. Stay tuned!

Homemade Dog Biscuits

Do you like to make cookies? Here's some healthy dog treats that are easy to make and taste oh-so-good (according to dogs, I haven't tried them personally.) Just get yourself a bone-shaped cookie cutter and your dogs will love you.

Peanut Butter Dog Biscuit
2 1/2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 Cup Powdered Milk -- non-fat
1 1/2 Teaspoons Sugar
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Whole Egg
8 Ounces Peanut Butter -- (1 jar)
1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
1/2 Cup Cold Water
Mix above ingredients together, adding water after other ingredients are mixed. Knead for 3 to 5 minutes. Dough should form a ball. Roll to 1/2 inch thick and cut into doggie bone shapes. Bake on a lightly greased cookie sheet for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.


Cheesey Garlic Dog Cookie Recipe
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cups cheddar cheese -- grated
1/4 pound margarine -- corn oil
1 clove garlic -- crushed
1 Pinch salt
Cream the cheese with the softened margarine, garlic, salt, and flour. Add enough milk to form into a ball. Chill for 1/2 hour. Roll onto floured board. Cut into shapes and bake at 375 for 15 minutes or until slightly brown, and firm. Makes 2 to 3 dozen.


Veggie Carrot Dog Cookie Recipe
2 cups carrots -- boiled and pureed
2 eggs
2 tablespoons garlic -- minced
2 cups unbleached flour -- or rice flour or rye flour
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup wheat germ
Combine carrots, eggs and garlic. Mix until smooth. Add dry ingredients. Roll out on heavily floured surface and cut into bars or desired shapes. Bake at 300 degrees for 45 minutes or to desired crunchiness. The centers will continue to harden as they cool. Brush with egg white before baking for a glossy finish.

http://makedogfoodathome.homestead.com/

Beat The Heat

So what I started to say last post is that it's gotten darn hot! Petsitters have all sorts of ways they keep cool. Here's one I use almost every day in the summer because I'm a heat wimp:

I fill a water bottle half full and leave it laying on its side in the freezer the night before. When I go out on my midday walks I take the bottle which I've filled the rest of the way with water. As I walk I nonchalantly hold the water bottle against my leg, in the crook of my arm (for maximum skin touchage), at my throat, and sometimes the back of my neck. Okay, so the last two aren't so nonchalant, but it works. The icy cold brings down my body temperature and gives me a more pleasant outlook on life. I switch hands when one gets numb and impervious to the cold temperature.

I bet I could learn a thing or two from those construction workers I drive by everyday. What tricks do you use?

Dog Days of Summer

We're into the dog days of summer and.... where did that expression come from and what does it really mean anyway?

"The term "Dog Days" was coined by the ancient Romans, who called these days caniculares dies (days of the dogs) after Sirius (the "Dog Star"), the brightest star in the heavens besides the Sun.
Popularly believed to be an evil time "when the seas boiled, wine turned sour, dogs grew mad, and all creatures became languid, causing to man burning fevers, hysterics, and phrensies" - Brady’s Clavis Calendarium, 1813.

A casual survey will usually find that many people believe the phrase is in reference to the conspicuous laziness of domesticated dogs (who are in danger of overheating with too much exercise) during the hottest days of the summer. When speaking of "Dog Days" there seems to be a connotation of lying or "dogging" around, or being "dog tired" on these hot and humid days."
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_Days

I didn't know that about the Romans and the Sirius dog star.

Here's to good wine and sane dogs in your life today.
Peggy

Funny Dog Video

Dog thinks its own foot is trying to steal his bone.

Video Provided by Funny Video Guy

This cracks me up! It's from my friend Claudia http://healthypets.happynutritionist.com

A Petsitter's World Revolves

Today is very muggy and overcast, certainly not typical for sunny Denver, Colorado. And you know what? I love it. I love the fact that the weather changes. Just when I get tired of sunny hot days, the clouds come for a day or two. Just when I get tired of snow and wearing snow boots(which was a lot this past winter!), a warm tropical-like day comes. I love that the seasons change. When I get to the point where I don't want to wear sandals and shorts anymore, the season changes to fall, then to winter, then to spring. Maybe it's my ADD tendencies, but I like change.

I also enjoy variations in my day to day routine. Just to mix it up a bit, I like to visit my pets in a different order. Sometimes it makes no sense to do it differently as I'll end up backtracking a bit, but I do it anyway, just for variety. I also try not to leave my house at exactly the same time everyday, or I'll run an errand before visiting my furry friends. Of course, I am still in the mid day time range.

Sometimes my routine is changed because clients move within town. That's okay with me - different places to walk the dogs, and different places for them to sniff. Other changes come from regular daily clients taking time off, vacation clients taking vacation and adding their pets to your routine, and new clients coming on board with new needs.

In my opinion, the variation in my day to day routine is one of the reasons I enjoy petsitting so much. Can you do that in a corporate job? Perhaps you could, but it probably depends on how high up the ladder you are.

Cambridge aka Goober

My aunt's dog. I see major personality written all over that face!

My Spoiled Dog and Spoiled Rugs

by Jan Gamm
Two thirds of the floors in my house are covered in ceramic tiles. The rest is carpeted. Tell me, why is it that my dog has to vomit on the carpet? I have actually observed him, in his nauseous quest for somewhere to throw up, search through the house for a convenient rug, then chuck up all over it, rather than stay where he was and be sick onto the tiles, which are oh so much easier to clean.

Dogs are strange creatures, I have decided. Our pooch is particularly spoiled, as we rescued him from an unhappy life and we believe we should somehow atone for his early misery. As a result he has grown in dignity and craftiness. He can hear a treat packet being opened from fifty yards, and he knows by instinct when his bath is being planned and manages to escape capture indefinitely.

There is one corner of our garden which is thickly covered with a bush giving out sticky burr-like woody beads, and these little beads can entwine themselves into our dog’s long fur and resist all efforts to extract them. He makes a bee line for this bush every time he goes out, in spite of going through numerous painful sessions of burr extractions from his face, legs and undercarriage. I am now certain he does it for attention, as he knows if he is covered in sticky burrs, then someone must remove them.

The latest foible of this spoilt mutt is to refuse to eat his dinner unless my husband and I are sitting next to him. This sounds little enough to do for him after his early traumas, but in fact it can be very inconvenient to give up that particular ten minutes of the day, especially as it coincides with the preparation time of our own meal. All the same, we do sit there like two idiots, totally in the control of this small furry despot.

Someone suggested to me we need to take him to obedience classes, but I really think that what we need is a doggie psychiatrist. Or perhaps just a psychiatrist.


Jan Gamm writes reflections on life with an emphasis on world travel. She has lived in many countries and traveled extensively in the Far East, the Middle East, America, South America and throughout the South Pacific. She writes for fun and for money whenever she can manage it.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jan_Gamm

Petsitting Testimonials

Do you have testimonials on your petsitting website?

Testimonials are wonderful! People come to my website who do not know me. They check out my site and think my terms of service and rates look fine, but how do they know they can trust me to do a good job? By what other people say. Testimonials show that others have used my services and are more than satisfied. Good words in testimonials are words like "trustworthy", "dependable" and "reliable."

For me, when teetering on the edge of whether to buy a product online, testimonials are usually what sell me. It's true that testimonials appeal to a person on an emotional rather than logical level, but they work!

You've probably found that happy customers often give you wonderful feedback, especially when it comes to taking care of their precious pets. Instead of just feeling all warm and fuzzy from client's compliments, add them to your website after asking them for permission to do so. If you're short on written comments, go ahead and ask some of your clients to write you a short, 2 or 3 sentence testimonial to use on your website. I've found that they're more than happy to be able to help you in some way after the great service they've recieved from you.

There are differing views on how you should display them; dispersed throughout your site, or on a dedicated testimonial page. I have them on their own page, and I know from looking at my website stats that this page gets the exact number of hits as my rates page. That confirms to me the importance of testimonials. Wherever you put them, just do it because testimonials work!

Here's one of mine:
"I have two cats and travel often, so it's comforting to know that they are well cared for when I am gone. Peggy is very professional, reliable, and takes great care of my cats - whether it be the standard feeding, playing, and cleaning of litter boxes, or going the extra mile to give them medication when needed. It's nice to come home and read Peggy's care journal and know just what happened while I was gone and see two non-traumatized kitties."


Happy Petsitting,
Peggy

The Absent-minded Petsitter

Has this ever happened to you? My family was receiving very poor service at a busy restaurant one night. It was dinner hour and it was apparent the waiter was stressed out. Maybe a few people didn't show up for their shifts, because this waiter seemed to have just about every table in the room. He took our dinner order, eventually brought us our drinks and bread, and then forgot about us in his busyness. Although we were conversing and enjoying our bread and beverages, we were really beginning to wonder where our dinner was. Ah-hah, here comes the waiter and I think he's going to tell us our food is on it's way, but instead he says, "Would you care for dessert? No? Well here's your check. Thank you and have a nice evening." You can believe we set him straight!

I was reminded of this incident when an acquaintance told me a story about a petsitter friend of hers (it wasn't me, honest!) The petsitter had an overloaded schedule one day, but thought she could handle it. She was very preoccupied thinking about the rest of her day when she entered the house of one of her clients. She greeted the dog and petted him, glanced at the journal for any additional instructions, changed the water out, gave the dog a treat and left. As soon as she got in her car it hit her, she forgot to walk the dog!

Moral of the story? I guess it would be something like, keep your mind on your job and don't try to do more than you can honestly do well. Or maybe it's go ahead and get dessert if the waiter forgot to bring your dinner.

Punny Petsitting Names

Petsitters must be a different breed. They sure come up with some good names for their businesses. Why petsitters? Well, I think it's because we think outside the box. We have a job that's different, not part of corporate America, and therefore we can name our business whatever the heck we want. Got a catchy pun? Go for it!

pun (pŭn) n.
A play on words, sometimes on different senses of the same word and sometimes on the similar sense or sound of different words.intr.v., punned, pun·ning, puns.
http://answers.com/

Here's some of my favorite petsitting business names from around the US:

Paws and Relax
Purr-Furr'd Pet Sitting
Paws To Ponder
Have Leash, Will Travel
Walking The Paws
The Furry Godmother
Clawz and Pawz
Major Mutts and Meows
Love'm and Leave'm
Fur, Feathers, Fins and Fun
Dogs Day Out
Walkin' and Waggin'
Ruff'n Purr
Magic CarPet Ride Pet Taxi
Wholly Krap (pooper scooper service)
Scoopa da Poopa

And this one wins the wackiest name: Anything But Elephants

Funny Dogs 3

Funny 3 minutes. I love the cat and dog in Christmas hats, especially the cat. If looks could kill!

Petsitting - I get paid for this?

Lots of days are like that, aren't they? I'm not stuck in a cubicle watching the clock for quitting time and getting my exercise by taking the stairs instead of the elevator. I'm my own boss, and if I want to run an errand between 9-5, I can.

Today is one of those days when I think, man, I'm so lucky I get paid to do this! I get to go into a house and be greeted by a dog who is wagging his tail so hard I think he's going to pull a muscle. So much love for me! It compares so differently to coming home to my teenagers, but that's a different story. :)

I also get to enjoy the sunshine and my surroundings. At one house I stroll leisurely while I let the dog explore. I get to take in the beautiful flowers and he gets to sniff around all the trees. We both watch the golfers across the way. So what if I have to pick up his poo? It's a lot cleaner operation than when I used to clean up after my babies. And you know what I mean.

At another home the dog and I take a brisk walk for our exercise, and follow up with water games. The dog isn't the only one who likes the sprinkler and I take a run through it just because I want to. I get to dress how I want and it doesn't matter if I get a little wet. Try that in heels and a suit!

My lab, Sophie, with one of the toys she's mutilated

Peggy's Petsitting Blog Vision

I'm very excited to start this blog about petsitting. When researching petsitting blogs, I've mostly found that they're geared only to a particular petsitter's clients, or they're sadly out of date and not kept up with. My vision for this blog is to share with other petsitters, exchange information and tips, and answer any questions from those new to petsitting or those considering petsitting. I have so many ideas that I don't know where to start! I hope y'all will join me. Petsitters have some great stories - some heartwarming or heartbreaking, and plenty that are doggone funny (I'll try not to use too many Goofy puns.) There is so much information and many good ideas that we can share with one another. I'm sure I will learn lots here and that will make me a better petsitter!