Dear Labby, Business Help for Pet Sitters & Dog Daycare Owners

Tips for dog walkers

2011-10-27T16:29:00.000-07:00

My friend Judy laughed when I asked her to pose for photos that show how to hold a leash. “How simple is that? Who needs a photo?” Well, maybe nobody, but just in case…

Back when I was learning to train dogs professionally, I quickly realized that many dogs are stronger than me, that they see things to chase before I do, and that they can easily rip a leash right out of my hand in an instant. So I figured out how to better hang on and lessen the risk of a nasty accident.

First, stick your hand through the loop at the end of the leash. I want to add here that leather leashes are much softer and don’t burn your hands when a dog pulls.

Grasp the leash itself with your hand while it is still through the loop. Poor Tyson wants to know why he's on a leash if we don't get to go anywhere...

Now you have a good grip on the situation. The only risk is being pulled off your feet if the dog suddenly takes off. I recommend you pay careful attention if your canine client is likely to pull this stunt. You probably need more help than a good hold on the leash will provide.

No pull harnesses

My recent trip to the Association of Pet Dog Trainers annual conference here in San Diego introduced me to a multitude of so-called “no-pull” harnesses for dogs. I can see where these products would be handy for a pet sitter. After all, we are not being paid to train the client’s dogs.

Some of my clients provide a no-pull harness for their wannabe sled dogs. I’ve learned that every harness is different, and it takes a puzzle master to put most of them on correctly. Most still allow the dog to pull, he just doesn’t crush his trachea during the process.

If you’re going to be walking a dog every day, it is worth taking the time to teach the dog to walk properly on a leash, even if the owner hasn’t mastered this skill. It’s not easy to teach, and some dogs pull all their lives.

Next time…

It ain’t easy, but we’ll talk about how to teach a dog this vital skill.

Dog Daycare rules: To spay or to to spay?

2011-10-21T15:56:00.000-07:00

I have wrestled with a decision for months. Most dog daycares and in-home boarding businesses do not allow unaltered dogs (meaning all dogs must be spayed or neutered). I have been lax with this requirement and now it has gotten me in trouble.

I’m not really into proclaiming myself the Pet Police. It’s a free country and I don’t think anyone should be forced to alter their pet. That being said, these dogs are not easy to have around in a group play setting. I have gradually weakened and allowed dogs under a year old come in even if they aren’t altered.

I should qualify my remarks and point out that these are my own observations, not proven scientific fact. Unneutered males are generally very active and pushy, jumping on all the dogs and humping everyone in sight while peeing on everything else. They don’t start fights; they are just agitated. Many of them pester and mount spayed females. Then the females turn around and get pretty nasty.

Unspayed females seem to be less tolerant of other dogs, especially other females.

Nightmare scenario

This week one of my female canine clients showed up in heat. Worse, a ten-month-old intact puggle was coming to stay. I was mad at myself for getting into this mess, not at the customers. Determined dogs will jump gates and mate through a chain link fence. I had to put solid barriers between them. I decided to let the girl stay in my back bedroom and the puggle could cool his jets in the garage, where he loves napping in an open crate with his spayed female roommate. Then I can just switch out every few hours, letting one of them loose with the group.

Nightmare gone wrong

Great idea. But in the morning commotion of letting everyone out and fixing meals, I put Mr Puggle in the garage and forgot to close the dog door. About five minutes later, I walk out the back door with bowls of dog food, and the little girl races by with him hot on her heels. You can imagine what I said…

I have no idea if anything happened, but we’ll know for sure in a few weeks. I’m hoping that, since he was still pursuing her frantically, she hadn’t accepted his overtures. She’s never been bred.

I am totally disgusted with myself. Confessing to her owner was hard; I’m beating myself up for letting it happen. I can only say that if I dodge a bullet on this incident – or I guess I should say SHE dodges a bullet – that I will never let it happen again.

And now I understand why dog daycare owners make these rules…

The september pet sitting business slump

2011-09-22T15:51:00.000-07:00

Kiva and Guiness needed a vacation too!

The kids are back in school, Labor Day is over, and everyone is settling into their fall routine. As a result, the pet sitting business usually slows down dramatically in September. As you see, I haven’t posted for a few weeks, and that is because I decided to take a vacation. I plan at least a week off every September. This year I traveled for one week and had a very slow week when I got home, with only two clients. This weekend (the 23-25th of Sept) it all starts back up again. Which is fine. I’m ready to make some money.

Couples with no kids often choose September to travel, so I usually have a few clients this month, often taking long trips.

January and February are also slow months. Some dedicated skiers keep me working, and the Martin Luther King and President’s Day holidays always fill up, but overall, it’s a nice break. I usually watch lots of movies.

What do you do during slow periods?

Since our quiet times are somewhat predictable, we can plan ahead to take advantage of the break. I used to panic and consider getting a second job., worried about how I would pay the bills. Now I have learned to set aside a little extra during the busy season to get me through slow times. I’ve also learned that business always picks back up again, so I can enjoy my time off.

Besides taking a vacation, this is a great time to take steps to build your business and get ready for the busy holidays to come:

Call regular clients and ask if they are planning holiday trips. They may not know the exact dates, but you can pencil them in and get an idea of how many openings you’ll have for new clients. Now is also a great time to thank your existing customers for their business.
Network with other pet sitters. Call, visit, or get together for lunch. Compare notes, exchange ideas and refresh your perspective.
Give your website a check up. Is it getting stale? Are the photos current? Is it optimized for search engines? Do a Google search for pet sitters in your area and see who comes up. Does your site show up on the first page of results?
Visit other pet businesses in your town. Groomers, kennels, training centers and pet supply stores will be more likely to refer people if they’ve met you and like you. Even your competitors like to have someone to refer clients to when they are full.
If you board dogs, now is the time to catch up on repairs and maintenance, especially before the weather gets cold.
Get the car tuned up, the tires checked and other maintenance items so you won't have a breakdown at the height of the holidays.

Flee, Fleas...please!

2011-08-16T18:23:00.000-07:00

Flea outbreak!

Several weeks ago, golden retriever Indy arrived for his stay at my house, and within a day he was covered with fleas. I can’t think of anything much worse than fleas infesting every dog (and cat). With seven visiting dogs, my four dogs and three cats, it could take months to get rid of these pests! I hadn’t seen a single flea in over a year here. My vet tells me it has been a really bad year for fleas in Southern California.

Indy had been treated with Frontline, but it just wasn’t working anymore. Another owner, of Oliver the terrier, reported the same problem. It appears that some dogs (or their fleas, actually) are building up a resistance to the miracle flea treatments that appeared on the market less than 20 years ago.

I remember the days. I had to wash down my countertops every night because the cats had been up there during the day, and there were disgusting flea eggs and dirt all over. I had to bathe and dip the dogs and cats every week, powder them, spray them, and put flea collars on them. Nothing really worked.

Then Fleabusters was invented. A fantastic product that was brushed into your carpet, it dried out the larvae and eggs while killing live fleas. Shortly after that, Advantage and Frontline were developed. Then monthly pills like Program and Sentinel, became available.

Our pets were finally free of these awful pests. I hope it lasts, and scientists will continue to develop new formulas.

Capstar

My fellow pet writers recommended Capstar, an oral medication that starts killing fleas within an hour. I had never heard of it. I dosed everyone, vacuumed, washed dog beds and cleaned. I haven’t seen evidence of fleas in three weeks now.

The good news is you can give Capstar to animals that have been treated with Frontline or Advantage, and as often as every day. It is available over-the-counter at pet supply retail stores.

Please don’t take my word for it. I am not a veterinarian. Talk to your vet, as I did, and make sure Capstar is safe for your animals.

I informed each owner, so they could keep an eye on their dogs and stop any outbreaks as soon as they occur. I will be keeping this product on hand in case future flea-infested pets arrive to stay at my house.

Sammy, before

Sammy, after

Capstar for cats

Good news, Capstar works on cats too. Christine Davis, of Lighthearted Press, tells about Sammy, a feral cat she adopted. Sammy was covered with sores, and had lost big patches of fur because of fleas. She started him on regular doses of Capstar, and his fur is starting to grow in and he is feeling much better.

This is what she said:

From the moment I started him on the Capstar (12 days ago) he never had another bloody sore. The existing patches have all closed up, and what you see in this picture is the last few places where fur is starting to grow back.

I can see where this product will be a big help to rescues and shelters, stopping infestations before they get started.

Not a paid announcement

I’m really not trying to do a commercial here! But I do like to pass along info about products that make pet owners’, pet sitters’, dog daycare owners’, and rescuers’ lives easier!

AKA, DBA…who cares? You should.

2011-08-06T16:50:00.000-07:00

Indy and Luke play with
a rope while Portia supervises

In order to put my business name on my checks, my bank required that I run a DBA (Doing Business As) notice in the local paper. In order to run the DBA, the paper required I get a business license from the city. Because I have two businesses, Tiger Mountain Graphics and Poway Pet Care, I had to go through this rigamarole twice.

On my tax return, I file two Schedule Cs each year, one for each business. So I figured I had my business house in order when I recently applied to refinance my home. If you are self-employed, as most pet sitters are, you know exactly where this post is going.

Just because I think I’m organized, and just because I think I make enough money to pay my house payment, doesn’t mean the banks agree with me. I’m sure the underwriters see “petsitter” and “artist” on my application, and roll their eyes. And sure enough, my application was refused because I don’t make enough money. My house payment was going to go DOWN $400 a month, but no matter, I couldn’t afford it. Just ask them. They certainly didn’t believe me.

I protested, and the bank gave it another look-see. I have never provided so much documentation in my life. And some of the confusion was of my own doing.

At some point, I have called my art business Pet Portraits. That name doesn’t encompass everything I do, since I also do graphic design, web site design, and writing. So I have used Tiger Mountain Graphics since about 1992.

Somewhere deep in my credit report, a business has me on file as Pet Portraits. I don’t even have any business credit accounts, but I do purchase items like framing and art supplies through wholesale outlets. What’s this, asks the bank? How do I explain it? How do I prove it is my business if I’ve never used that name on a tax return or my business license?

They asked me to have my tax accountant send them a letter verifying the business. If you are self-employed, you really need an accountant, by the way. Finally, I convinced them by showing them my re-sellers permit from the State of California, which says “Pet Portraits/Tiger Mountain Graphics.”

Yay! At last! PROOF! Since it was issued in 1997, I had to show that I’m still in business, so my tax accountant still had to write the letter, even though they have copies of my tax returns for several years.

AKA

Also Known As. I have gone by the nickname Terry for almost 40 years. But my given name is Teresa. That also required some explaining.

The Lesson of the story…

If you offer and assortment of services under your business name, like pet taxi, boarding, grooming, etc., be sure you use the same business name for everything. If you rename or alter the business, be sure you have your tax returns, licensing, and other paperwork all in agreement. It’s hard enough to get a bank loan when you are self-employed, much less when your business (like mine) is an assortment of businesses all rolled into one.

Keep legal documents simple and consistent. You’ll save yourself a lot of grief down the road.

And yes, the refinance was approved.

Two great pet products

2011-07-23T18:57:00.000-07:00

Over the years I have tried an assortment of pet care products, and many of them lie unused in a cupboard out in the garage. I have found two items that I’d like to share with you. I like them so much I’ve given them to many of my pet sitting clients. Both are inexpensive and practical.

Litter Lifter

Years ago, I would complain to my husband that none of the litter scoops were heavy duty enough for cleaning multi-cat litter boxes. Since he worked for Petco, he started brining home samples for me to try. Inspired, he fashioned a metal prototype, which I found to be so heavy I was going to end up with carpal tunnel syndrome. On the other side of the problem, many of the plastic scoops were flimsy and the tines broke easily.

The Litter Lifter is the answer to my prayers. It is large and made of heavy-duty plastic, with peaked tines that allow the sand to flow through easily. It’s not heavy, but it deals with even the biggest clumps. When I have a client who needs it, I usually “gift” one to them while they are on vacation. They’ve all loved it.

I found the Litter Lifter at a pet expo and bought a dozen for my clients. Now I’m happy to report it is available at Petco. Price: $5.50

The Tangle Wrangler

This item is a horse supply, and you will probably have to order it online or go to a tack and feed store. I love this brush because the rows of plastic tines fan out as you brush through the dog’s coat (or the horse’s mane).

I use the Tangle Wrangler on Golden retrievers, Aussies, Cavalier Spaniels and other dogs with long silky coats. It also removes a lot of undercoat on my shelties. My only complaint is the tines start to break after a few months of use. Then again, mine looks like it was chewed on, so that may be the problem! Price: About $5.95.

I don't get paid for plugging these products. I just like them.

How I almost killed myself while cleaning the cat box

2011-07-02T13:40:00.000-07:00

I have huge litter boxes for my cats. The sides are high, and they rarely miss the box when peeing. I keep the cat boxes in the unused shower, the one with broken tiles and a leaking drain pan. This handy setup is one of the benefits of living in a 60-year-old house.

My cat Whisper © Terry Albert

This morning when I went to sweep up some litter they had tracked on the shower floor, I realized it was wet. I carried the litter box outside, and saw that the underside was wet, and it smelled awful. I washed the box and left it outside to air-dry while I went in to clean up the shower.

The shower clearly could use disinfecting, so I grabbed the cleaner-with-bleach and headed down the hall with a roll of paper towels. I couldn’t rinse out the shower because of the leaks, so I needed to clean up the mess and wipe it out.

As soon as the cleaning spray hit the shower floor, I knew I was in trouble. The fumes of the bleach cleaner mixed with the ammonia in the urine and IMMEDIATELY created an extremely toxic chloramine gas. My nose, eyes and throat burned. My lungs felt like I’d swallowed a torch. I dropped everything and ran from the room.

Now, a couple hours later, my chest still hurts, and I realize how much danger I was in. If I hadn’t left the room, I would have quickly lost consciousness, and could have even died.

A search on the Internet confirmed my suspicions. Here’s what I found on chemistry.about.com:

If you find someone who you think has mixed bleach and ammonia, chances are he or she will be unconscious. If you can, remove the person to fresh air, preferably outdoors. Call 911 for emergency assistance.
Thoroughly ventilate the area before returning to dispose of the liquid. Seek specific instructions from Poison Control so that you don't hurt yourself. You're most likely to make this mistake in a bathroom or kitchen, so leave and seek assistance, return later to open a window, allow time for the fumes to dissipate, and then go back to clean up. Dilute the chemical mixture with plenty of water. Wear gloves, just as you would for either bleach or ammonia.

Just to be sure, I called poison control 800-222-1222. They told me as long as I was breathing okay, to just drink something cold or eat some ice cream to soothe my throat. If I had trouble breathing, I would need to go to the hospital for oxygen and supportive care.

I knew not to mix household cleaners, but didn’t stop to think about the ammonia in urine. There’s no reason to create chemical weapons in your home and release them on yourself. Good God, it’s hard to imagine such a silly thing could kill me.

Note: Another toxic mixture is bleach and vinegar, which releases chlorine gas.

Accepting credit cards on the go

2011-06-28T08:33:00.000-07:00

I am also an artist, and I just read an interesting article directed at artists who accept credit cards while they are at art shows. This device, called the Squareup, attaches to your cell phone so that you can process payments anywhere, anytime.

This device might also be a helpful item for pet sitters, so I am passing the information along to you.

Here's the article about the Squareup.

Pet sitter personal safety tips and helpful products

2011-06-17T10:24:00.000-07:00

It’s 8 pm and I am walking a dog in an unfamiliar neighborhood. It occurs to me that if I get hit by a car or have a heart attack, no one will know who I am or where I belong. The subject came up recently on one of the Internet pet sitter lists I subscribe to, PPSU. Some interesting and helpful suggestions came up, and I’d like to pass them along to you.

Identification

If you aren’t carrying business cards, do you have some other form of ID on you? RoadID.com sells attractive ID bracelets, the human equivalent of dog tags. Originally developed for bikers and joggers, their products are perfect for pet sitters too. RoadID also offers small pouches that attach to your shoe, perfect to carry a key.

Another handy item for nighttime walks is the Firefly^® security light. They offer clip-on or wrist strap styles, which can be seen by motorists for up to a mile away.

ICE

ICE stands for “In Case of Emergency. “ Everyone should program an ICE number into his or her cell phone. Mine says ICE Dan, which has my brother’s number. He doesn’t live nearby, so I also have another ICE number, of a friend in my local area that could step in and take care of my home and animals if I’m out of commission.

Your Car

While you’re in the client’s house or out walking a dog, where is your purse? Sitting on the front seat of the car? Bring it in with you and lock the house while you walk. I am fortunate that I work in pretty safe neighborhoods, but even the nicest area can be a target for criminals, especially at night.

Carry all your stuff while pet sitting

Cargo vests, pants, fanny packs

Some of us carry a load of stuff when we are on the job: keys, poop bags, treats, flashlight, cell phone, business cards, leashes, pepper spray– and on and on. Where to put it all? A cargo vest, or fishing vest, has multiple pockets so you can keep things organized and easy to get to. Fanny packs are helpful, but not as convenient if they only have one compartment. I know I hate digging through keys and other paraphernalia while trying to find a poop pickup bag. And the dog I’m walking is usually anxious to continue his walk, merrily wrapping the leash around my legs while I struggle. I always wear jeans or cargo pants (same benefit– multiple pockets).

Help your pets keep their cool in summer heat

2011-06-14T07:12:00.000-07:00

This is an excellent post worth sharing.

http://www.petsitusa.com/blog/?p=4132

Every pet sitter should be able to recognize the signs of heatstroke, and know what to do about it. In these hot summer months, be prepared!

When strangers show up during your pet sitting visit

2011-06-07T10:02:00.000-07:00

Play date

I pulled up to the front driveway at 8 am on Saturday morning. A row of trucks awaited me out in the street. Contractors huddled around cars, waiting for something… or someone.

Me?

The client’s home is newly built, and there is detail work to be finished inside. These guys were here to install the baseboards. The client wasn’t expecting them.

The men had opened the door and gone in, setting off the alarm. “Don’t worry,” one of them told me, “It turned off.” Not likely, I thought. I went in and disarmed it, since they didn’t have the code.

And then we waited for the police, while I walked the dog.

Be prepared

When discussing the visit schedule with your clients, ask them if anyone might be entering the home. It is frightening to walk in on someone. And you need to know if the intruder is authorized to be there.

I get surprised all the time, and I hate it. Last week I got a call from a friend of a client’s. She told me she was going over to take the dog for a few hours. I was so glad she told me, as I would have panicked if I’d arrived and the dog was gone. I checked with the owner, and all was well.

I’ve walked in on teenagers the morning after a big party, a grandma washing vegetables in the kitchen sink, and clients who arrived home early. You can’t always know everything in advance, but it will help your peace of mind if you have at least asked.

One time I got a call from a client’s security alarm company. The guy explained he didn’t think the alarm was functioning properly. Could I meet him at the house and go through the alarm test with him?

No. I couldn’t contact the clients because they were out of the country. I wasn’t comfortable letting a strange man in the house and working there alone with him. So I said no. When the client returned, they understood completely.

The contractors

In the example at the beginning of this post, I spoke with the police and gave them my ID. I called the client and got authorization for the contractors to work in the home. I moved the cat and dog to a room where they wouldn’t be able to escape. It all worked out, but if I hadn’t shown up just then, what would have happened? The contractors didn’t have the client’s phone number.

Be safe, not sorry

Listen to your gut. If the stranger in the house makes you uncomfortable, don’t go in. I strongly recommend you read the book “The Gift of Fear” by Gavin de Becker.

The busy summer season is upon us!

2011-05-28T18:45:00.000-07:00

Are you ready for the summer rush? School is out, and family vacations are already in full swing. I can tell when school is over because my schedule is crammed that first week every summer.

So how do you prepare? Here's some of the things I do:

Update my website. Make sure it is accurate, maybe add some fresh information or photos. I just raised my price for visits.
Give my car a checkup: air in the tires, oil change. I realized my registration tags had expired, and the new ones never arrived. Off to the DMV to get them replaced.
Check my pet sitting supplies in the car. I discovered this week I didn't have a leash for big dogs, just a little thin one. That won't work when walking a pit bull. I also added some poop pick-up bags.
Update my iPod Touch with current client info. I use Bento, and love this program for all my pet sitting client files. I input them on my Mac, and then sync the program with my iPod. It is very handy to have phone numbers at my fingertips while out on the road.
Buy new tennis shoes. Slip-on mules just don't work for long walks; I walk right out of them. So I bought some new walking tennies as a treat to start the summer.
Check my supply of business cards. I had to reorder. I like to give two to each customer: one for home, one for their wallet. It has my home phone number, cell, email and website so they can check in with me whenever they want to see how their pets are doing or have a schedule change. I also like to leave a card on the counter at the house in case someone comes in while the client is away. They know I've been there, and can contact me if there is a problem. One time I had to go over and shut off the burglar alarm for a housekeeper.
Take a break. I am taking it easy for a few days, taking advantage of a lull in business. Where I used to panic, I now am grateful for a slow day. I know that within two weeks, my schedule is COMPLETELY full.
If you are looking for new clients, now is a great time to remind vets and kennels that you are available. Network with other pet sitters too. As your competition fills up, they'll refer clients to you.

My business card

I'm sure you can add some of your own tips. If you've heard the saying "shoot while the ducks are flying," now is the time. No point in shooting in the off season. Now is time to take aim and be ready to work.

Situation desperate. Cat needs a new home

2011-05-17T11:30:00.000-07:00

Wally needs a new home

I hope you will go over to my other blog and read about Wally the cat who needs a home. Pet sitters are a compassionate bunch, and have a wide reach with their clients and contacts. Please help me spread the word.

Many pet sitters are also rescuers (I fostered dogs for about 15 years). In these tough economic times, more and more pets are losing their homes. This is our opportunity to help people and pets that have fallen on hard times. Not every pet that is given up is the result of an irresponsible owner.

Here's Wally's story

Remembering Hannah

2011-05-08T09:19:00.000-07:00

Hannah
September 17, 1996- April 16, 2011

For over ten years, I have cared for Jody’s pets, and Hannah has always been part of the family. She was one of my first California pet sitting clients, and I learned a lot from my visits to Hannah’s home. Hannah was the one consistent thing I encountered on every visit, while at times chaos swirled around her. (More on that in a second)

Hannah has passed away, and Jody is heartbroken. So am I. I remember our long walks around the neighborhood, inspecting gardens and gathering clippings from friendly neighbors. Hannah was always wary of me at first, but once I brought out the leash, she was ready to go. Our last few months, our walks were only to the mailbox and back. That was enough for our dear old girl.

I watched as Jody’s two kids grew up, Jody’s trials as a single mom, her working through nursing school, and most recently, as she fell in love and married. Jody commented that Hannah always watched over her. I told her maybe Hannah felt it was okay to go, now that Jody has Rick to care for her.

The adventures

Over the years, I cared for snakes, rats, fish and bunnies in Hannah and Jody’s household. I have pages of notes about their care.

Lesson #1: I remember putting a towel over the rat cage to keep them warm. The next morning, the towel was inside the cage and shredded to bits.

Lesson #2: Jody’s first cat was a white kitty named Molly with diabetes. I quickly learned that Molly turned into Cujo when she saw the needle coming. I learned to give her the insulin injection while she was eating. Quick and decisive, before she had the opportunity to turn and bite or scratch me. Ultimately, I wore a heavy jacket and garden gloves while I gave Molly her shot!

Lesson #3: Learn where the water main shut off is for each house you visit. New Year’s morning, I walk in the door and water is running down the stairs. The popcorn ceiling in the family room is soggy and dripping, with clods of stucco globbing up on the hardwood floor…which was buckled a foot into the air from all the moisture.

A bathroom pipe had broken in the night. Thanks to a helpful neighbor, I found the water shutoff behind a shelving unit in the garage. We called Jody, and the neighbor arranged for flood cleanup before Jody got home that night.

Lesson #4: Don’t blame the dog. Another morning visit. As I came in the front door, the house was in chaos. Cushions off the couch, wet carpet. “Hannah!” I chided her, “what did you do?” Then I spied the beer cans in the corner. Well, she obviously didn’t drink those herself.

Further on, in the family room, a window was broken, the TV screen was shattered. A toilet seat had been torn off and was in the hallway. I called the neighbor to see if they’d seen anything the night before. I started to leave a message saying I was going to call the police. Neighbor picks up and tells me the police came last night, and arrested a bunch of kids. Whew… Hannah looked at me like she was the guilty one. I’m sure the break-in upset her. She looked sorry that she couldn’t stop it.

Out back, there was a patio chair on top of the patio cover. Okay, I thought. There really must be easier ways to get in the house. The culprits were school friends that knew the family would be out of town.

Things calmed substantially as Jody’s kids grew up and went away to college. No more of the son’s snakes and fish tanks, no more high school shenanigans.

And sadly, no more Hannah. I will miss her. But I still get to visit the bunnies and the cats.

Jody talks about Hannah

Hannah came into my life, our lives, and it has been one of the best decisions I ever made. She has been my loyal companion for almost 15 years. She was there by my side every step of the way. Those who knew her well know of her issue with the vacuum, total knee shaking fear, to her stalking, I had to be in eye sight at all times, to her inability to walk on wood floors and her coping mechanism of walking backwards across them to get to safe ground aka the carpet.

She never bit, barked inappropriately, or caused any major damage. She loved the kids, and all women. Although for some reason she was always shy of men. Except for one, my husband Rick. From the minute he stepped through the door she fell immediately in love. I knew then that he really was a good man, because if Hannah like him he must really be as good as he seemed. It became increasingly clear as time went by that she preferred his company to mine. But I didn’t mind. Who could blame her. She was as love struck as I was.

And so it goes, that life as a dog owner was as good as it gets.

I was going to write about the last weeks we had together but I think I will stop here.

I want people to know that she went quietly to where dogs go. We held her, and we looked into each others eyes until the end. We told her how much we loved her and how good she was. And then she was gone. The doctor said that she was ready. That in all his experience he knew by watching her that she was ready. Some people say that some dogs stay longer than they want to because they are worried about their human. I think Hannah was staying because she was worried about all of us.

The past couple of days have been sad but I am somewhat relieved that she is comfortable now. That life is no longer a struggle for her.

The sounds in the house come and go. A sigh, a bark. I think she is checking in on us. Watching over us as she always did. She was a really good dog.

Pet sitting price increases and the cost of gasoline

2011-05-01T08:32:00.000-07:00

A pair of hound mixes (look at those tails and tucked up tummies) Lela and Kona

My gasoline expense this month was $290. Some days I drove over 100 miles and never left Poway. With the huge increase in gas prices, I’m sure you are experiencing similar sticker shock. So what can you do about it?

A few years ago, one pet sitter I know increased her prices temporarily, $2 per visit, to cover the increase in gas prices. When prices settled down after the summer, she dropped the surcharge.

I have limited my service area. I used to cover Rancho Bernardo, which was 8 miles or more each way. Since I live in the far southeast corner of Poway, CA, I charged $20 per visit. In the Poway city limits, I charge $17. I still cover my existing clients in Rancho Bernardo, but am not accepting new ones. I refer to fellow pet sitters who are closer to that edge of town.

Poway is pretty spread out, and I soon realized that some of my Poway customers are also more than 8 miles away. A good rule of thumb is to limit your service area to a five-mile radius. My problem is that less than 1 mile south of me, there are no more homes, so there is no radius to serve, just sagebrush and coyotes. So I chose “city limits” as my service area.

If you live in the country, you will naturally have to serve a bigger area in order to have enough clientele to make a living. You may also have to care for farm animals.

Jilly, golden retriever

You can’t charge more than the market will bear. In other words, if all the other pet sitters in your area charge $12 a visit, you’ll price yourself out of the market at $15. Do a price survey at least once a year. Network with other pet sitters; they can be your friends as well as your competition.

When did you last increase your prices? If it’s been three or more years, your clients will probably not object. If they love and trust you, they will understand and be happy to pay.

Whatever you charge for visits, provide above–standard service. Go the extra mile. Clean up the yard even if they didn’t ask you to. Wash out the pet’s dishes so they are spotless when the client returns. Make your pet sitting service worth the extra two bucks.

Pet sitting is fun!

2011-04-23T09:23:00.000-07:00

Jilly and Bailey wait for me to come up the stairs

The past three weeks I have cared for a kitty named, aptly, Sweet Pea. She is the kind of client we all dream about when we decide to go into the pet sitting business.

Every day when I arrived, she’d roll around on the Oriental rug in the entry hall, meowing and asking for a scratch. We’d play with her feathers and balls, and I’d brush her for a few minutes. After cleaning her litter box and giving her fresh water and food, we’d head for the kitchen, where she’d get a teaspoon of yogurt. I’d scatter a few treats around the family room, which she would promptly devour. She’d save her yogurt for after I left.

So many cats hide from me. Others don’t like the intrusion of my visits, watching suspiciously as I tend to their needs. Some warm up after a few days, as they get progressively lonelier in their empty house. Every one is different, and I adapt to their unique personalities.

Bailey and Jilly are two golden retrievers I’m also visiting. Bailey runs for his toy box as I arrive, and presents me with a different un-stuffed animal every time I come in the door. The house is now strewn with fluffy carcasses. We hang around outside. I bring my crossword puzzle in the mornings, sitting on the patio while they plop their heads in my lap. We hike to the bottom of the hill out back and struggle back up together. It’s a beautiful setting, and they are beautiful dogs.

Sometimes I get so wrapped up in the stress and responsibility, I forget how nice it is to spend time with the animals, and just enjoy them for who they are.

Small dogs

2011-04-08T18:21:00.000-07:00

My guests, Izzy and Charlie

So which are easier to pet sit, big or small dogs? I’ve had potential clients ask me if I charge less for small dogs. HAH! Sometimes I think they are twice as much work!

Small dogs are notoriously harder to housetrain. Small dogs seem less likely to eat their food at one sitting, and less likely to comply with my request to PLEASE go-outside-and-go-potty-so-we-can-go-to-bed… It’s the little ones that get into the wastebaskets and dig up the houseplants. I think people are less comfortable boarding a toy dog at a kennel. Big dogs that are destructive…well, the owners know better than to leave those guys home alone.

I have a sweet little Yorkie, Charlie, staying with me right now. He plays an interesting game. He wants to get up in my lap, and won’t jump up, which his owner told me. I have to pick him up and lift him into my lap. Fine. Except he bounces all around asking me to pick him up, and then when I lean down to get him, he moves away, just out of reach.

I wonder if Charlie is used to being picked up and taken somewhere he doesn’t want to go, like outside or in his crate. He certainly doesn’t think getting picked up is a good thing. So we play the game until I corner him. I could just forget it and leave him on the floor, but he keeps asking to get in the chair with me. A friend once described a condition that is diagnosed in kids: “oppositional defiance disorder” (something all teenagers probably have). Well that sounds like Charlie. If I want him in, he stays out. If I want him out, he stays in.

A diligent retraining effort could fix his recall. I should call him to me, offer lots of positive reinforcement and treats, then let him go away with out doing anything to him. Eventually I could touch him and let him go, then hold him for a second and let him go, and ultimately, pick him and let him go, all reinforced with treats and other positive things. He’s not too motivated by food so the treats need to be something fabulous, like cheese bits or peanut butter.

It’s hard to do when you are the temporary caregiver, but even one week of work would get him off to a good start. Chances are his owners face the same issues with Charlie.

Next time, Charlie. I’m on to ya.

Izzy, Charlie, Desi, Blaze and Pepper

R.I.P. Casey

2011-04-01T16:34:00.000-07:00

Casey with miniature schnauzer Pepper and her owner, Karla

As I look back through my posts on both of my blogs, I see Casey the Giant Schnauzer featured often. Today I write about him again, but this time with some sad news. My big buddy died this week at 9 years old, from a fast growing tumor in his mouth that made it impossible for him to drink and eat.

I only found out on Saturday that he was ill, when his owner Maria emailed me. I planned to go see him this week. By Tuesday it was too late. I can tell I've been pet sitting for a long time. These days it seems a lot of my canine clients are getting old and passing on. It's a fact of life, but it sure is hard to lose them. It's almost like I've lost my own dog.

I like to look back on the good times, and Casey provided many. People reacted dramatically to him. If I took him for a walk, someone would say, “Nice pony you’ve got there.” People wondered what kind of dog he was, because Giants are fairly rare.

If you approached Maria’s front door, her security screen door blocked your view into the house. But you would be face to face with a huge, suspicious black dog–one that had no intention of letting you in without Maria’s approval. Maria was a wonderful owner. She was dominant without being rough. She knew that a big guard dog breed needs a firm hand, and she trained and socialized him well. She plans to get another Giant Schnauzer in a few months.

I’ll miss the big galoot.

Here’s a post I wrote featuring Casey: The dominance dance

He often appeared in photos, too: What breed should I get? I think I could post 100 pictures.

Casey with Cowboy, another big guy who stays here

With Klondike and Makaso

Playing with Gracie

Careers with Dogs

2011-03-27T10:17:00.000-07:00

When I was an animal-loving kid, it never crossed my mind that I would have a career with animals. I never went to a dog show or an obedience class until I was an adult, at least 30 years old. I had absolutely no exposure to that world. I vaguely longed to be a veterinarian but knew UC Davis was out of my financial reach. And graduate school? Not a chance.

Kids didn’t get exposed to the possibilities in life back when I was a kid. For my parents, who never went to college, the ultimate achievement was a college degree…and of course I would become a teacher.

Well, I got the degree, and became an artist, something they deemed “impossible.” Teaching was of no interest to me at all. Today I paint pet portraits, board dogs in my home, and pet sit. I’m not rich, but I’m supporting myself. If only…

Careers with Dogs by Kim Campbell Thornton

This book would have opened my eyes to a whole new world way back when. Today, I hope every animal-loving kid gets to read it. Besides describing different animal related careers, Kim interviews people who are actually making a living at it. I was excited as I leafed through it, seeing photos and reading stories about an incredible array of opportunites.

My 15 minutes of fame

I’m proud to say that I am one of the professionals featured in the book, in two chapters. On page 228, Kim retells the story of my first pet portrait, of Mac, my grandpa’s dog, painted when I was in college. The picture hung in their dining room behind his favorite chair for many years. I wish I had a photo of it to compare to what I do today.

On page 327, I talk about my life as a pet sitter, the skills needed, and what a typical day’s work is like. There’s a small photo of me with my cats, Sterling and Whisper. I am so proud to be featured in such a great book!

Dogs bite

2011-03-02T13:15:00.000-08:00

On my questionnaire for pet sitting and dog boarding, I include two questions: 1) Has your dog ever bitten? 2) Has your dog ever been in a dog fight?

On a recent new Siberian Husky’s form, I had written “no” answers to both questions. I found out the hard way that the dog had been in a fight before, and severely bitten her owner.

The owner was picking up her dog. I put all of the other dogs outside except for one, a dominant Lab who didn’t want to go out, so I just let her stay in. The Siberian and the Lab had gotten along fine all week. But when the Sib’s owner was added into the mix, things subtly changed… so subtly that I didn’t see it coming.

In retrospect, the Sib was annoyed at the Lab, who was pestering the owner for some attention. The Sib was jealous and protective of her owner, and the Lab didn’t read the signals, or ignored them, and all of a sudden it was WWIII at our feet.

In the heat of the moment, I did everything wrong. I dove right in and grabbed collars and pulled. A dog–and I don’t actually know which one–turned around and NAILED me on the inside of my thigh. I have never felt such burning pain. The owner got scraped skin but no puncture wound when her dog bit her hand.

We finally got them apart, and threw the Sib in a crate and the Lab outside, then turned to assess the damage. I had four puncture wounds on my leg, but minimal bleeding. The pain was spectacular. The dogs were uninjured.

I went to the doctor and got antibiotics, because any kind of dog bite ALWAYS gets infected. That visit triggered a report to Animal Control, and the officer showed up on my doorstep the next morning. I was in mortal fear that I would be out of business.

The good news

Both dogs were licensed and I had their shot records, showing they were current on all vaccines. The dogs both had to be quarantined for 10 days in their homes or at my house, since we weren’t sure who the culprit was. The Animal Control officer was very cooperative and understood that a dog will unknowingly bite a person when grabbed from behind while fighting. For all the dog knows, another dog is grabbing his neck, where most dogs attack.

The bad news

The fact that this was a “redirected bite” isn’t much comfort to me, since the dog had no bite inhibition whatsoever. She clearly meant to do some serious damage.

The Siberian’s owner told me after the fact that the dog had gotten in a fight a few months ago and had broken her finger…biting her when she tried to break it up. Since then, I’ve been trying to remain neutral, but I can’t help but think the Sib is the one who bit me, since she has a bite history.

More important, I hope this owner doesn’t delude herself into thinking it won’t happen again. She is an inexperienced dog owner, and I believe the dog is on a disastrous course.

Two weeks later, I have a lump on my thigh the size of half a baseball, and the bruise goes from my crotch to well below my knee, and almost entirely around my leg. The color is finally fading, but the memory hasn’t.

Holiday surcharges for pet sitting and boarding

2011-02-06T09:04:00.000-08:00

Dear Labby,

I had a question for you. I own a non-traditional boarding kennel in my home and I had been thinking that I needed to charge more for holidays. I noticed that you also have a surcharge for holidays:

$5 surcharge for major holiday weekends, per dog per day, on New Year’s Eve and New Year's Day, Easter weekend, Memorial Day weekend, 4th of July, Labor Day weekend, Thanksgiving weekend, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

How do you explain this to clients? That is the part I have trouble with. Any advice you could offer would be greatly appreciated.

Heather

Orissarun - The Crate Escape

Dear Heather:

Well, you are giving up your holidays for them, so it's much like making time and a half if you work at a store or restaurant on a holiday. It's not much more in comparison.

I just instituted this, and haven't enforced it at all yet. I'm shy about charging what I'm worth–a problem many of us have. I would just remind them when they book.

Sincerely,

Labby

Dear readers:

This exchange tells me something about myself. Yes, I added the surcharge last summer, and when the holidays rolled around I didn’t charge one single person. What the heck is wrong with me?

I need my own pep talk. I love my customers, and HATE to raise rates or add on extra charges. And I especially don’t want to ambush anyone by charging more at the end of visits without telling them.

But seriously folks, you are giving up your holidays and working your butt off while everyone else is enjoying their families and celebrating. This is a business, not a hobby, and so many women (myself included) hate to bring up anything unpleasant (like money) or have someone get mad at them (heaven forbid).

Why are we afraid to tell our customers what we charge? Will the client get mad? No one likes to pay more, but price increases are a fact of life. As costs go up, so do prices. I haven’t raised any prices since 2004. And then I added a discount for longer visits. And I charge less for boarding than anyone else in this area…probably less than anyone in San Diego County. A $5 surcharge on holidays is starting to look reasonable.

That being said, there is always going to be some client turnover. Few clients are with your forever and ever, and even the best clients may move away or get a neighbor to help them, and you may never know why they disappeared. The good news is that if you lose a few, you ultimately replace them with new customers who are equally as nice.

So, sit down and practice your spiel. Anticipate questions and objections, formulate your answers, and realize that charging a certain price or adding a surcharge for holidays is perfectly reasonable. Don’t devalue your own business by thinking you are not worth it.

Let’s go make a living,

Pet Sitters associations membership- worth it?

2011-01-30T10:48:00.000-08:00

Dear Labby- I am a reader of your pet sitting blog and had a question for you. I have just started my own dog running, dog walking and pet sitting business. I am looking to secure insurance and was curious if you saw a reason to join Pet Sitters Associates LLC AND Pet Sitters International? It seems Pet Sitters Associates offers insurance at a much lower rate than PSI but I see that you are a member of both. Any reason why the huge difference in insurance cost between the two? From what I can tell, membership in Associates LLC is somewhere under $200 and includes insurance while PSI is $140 plus for membership and then around $400 for insurance.

Thanks for your help!

Beth

www.rockymountaindogrunner.com

Dear Beth:

Good question- I have my insurance through Pet Sitters Assoc. for exactly that reason. It is cheaper. PSI tries to sell you on the benefits of membership, and if you are a new petsitter, their magazine is nice and so are their certification classes, etc. Pet Sitters Assoc is purely insurance, no other marketing foo foo stuff. One thing that got on my nerves with PSI is that they are ALWAYS selling you something. Their magazine and website are marketing tools, and I have sometimes wondered about the educational benefits of PSI's articles, as I discuss in this post about caring for horses. So maybe if you don't have much experience, PSI is good. I was a member for two years, then decided I didn't need it.

You can buy your insurance from PSA, and just be a member of PSI, which was what I did.

Both have a referral service- PSA's is $10 a year, PSI's comes with your membership.

Hope this helps!

Sincerely,

Labby

Follow-up to Bella the Cavalier's story

2011-01-19T09:50:00.000-08:00

The Thornton family with their dogs and a few of mine!

Last September I had the scare of a lifetime when a 14 year old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Bella had seizures on a Saturday afternoon. Her owners were out the country, and I was in charge of life and death decisions. I wrote about it here.

I am happy to update you, as today Bella celebrates her 15th birthday. Her owner, Kim Thornton, wrote this blog about Bella's health challenges and miraculous recoveries. I am so grateful everything worked out okay. I am also grateful that Kim trusted me with her precious pet. There is no greater compliment.

Followup to previous post about Petco Unleashed

2011-01-17T15:43:00.000-08:00

In a previous post in May of last year, I reported that an owner of a dog daycare in Massachusetts was suing Petco over the name of new upscale boutique chain, Petco Unleashed. Unleashed Doggie Daycare has lost the suit. The judge pointed out that there hundreds of companies across the US that use the term "unleashed." Too bad they couldn't all band together for a class action lawsuit. Then again, the little guy rarely wins against the corporate giant. But Unleashed Doggie Daycare does get to keep his name, and appears to still be in business.

Here's the story:
http://bostonipblog.typepad.com/dmass-ip-blog/2010/12/petco-unleashed.html

Independent Contractors and the IRS

2011-01-16T08:10:00.000-08:00

Dear Labby,

How do I go about adding "Independent Contractors" to my pet sitting business and avoid having them being classified as "Employees"? This has not been an issue in 2010, my first year in business, but I can see a need coming in 2011.

Any advice you can give would be most helpful ... thx! Cynthia

Dear Cynthia,

Excellent question! Here are the guidelines I have followed:

• ICs invoice me for their work, clients pay me. IC usually picks up the check and gives or sends it to me, or I bill to client's credit card.

• Clients book through me

• I do not supply any materials like crates, food, etc. or reimburse for gas. I do supply forms and all have my business name on them.

• ICs buy their own insurance- though I am able to add them on my policy at a reduced rate, they pay it.

• ICs must file their own Schedule C on their taxes, and I supply a 1099 form to them at the end of the year

• ICs are able to pursue their own clients separate from mine, under their own business name

• ICs sign a non-solicitation agreement, in other words they can't suddenly convert one of my clients into theirs. The agreement also states that they understand they are an Independent Contractor and responsible for their own taxes, insurance and expenses.

For a more official answer, the IRS has guidelines posted on their website, and each state has its own requirements also. For example, here is California’s site: http://www.taxes.ca.gov/iCorE.bus.shtml

From the IRS website:

If you paid someone who is not your employee, such as a subcontractor, attorney or accountant $600 or more for services provided during the year, a Form 1099-MISC (PDF) needs to be completed, and a copy of 1099-MISC (PDF) must be provided to the independent contractor by January 31 of the year following payment. You must also send a copy of this form to the IRS by February 28.

Good luck with your pet sitting business in 2011!

Sincerely,

Labby

My pet sitting goal for 2011: Just Do It!

2010-12-31T11:41:00.000-08:00

Kiva and Guiness relax at Judy's

As I thought about the new year for this post, I remembered something a SCORE counselor said to me early last year. I was hemming and hawing about adding independent contractors, afraid to get started.

His comment: “Just do it. Add one person, and get going. The rest will follow.”

Now I look back and realize he was right. He even knew someone who might be a good match, and my helper Judy has turned out to be the perfect person to add to my business. She has been a lifesaver to my (our) clients and me.

This weekend I will have nine dogs staying at my house and four visits a day. She has two more dogs at her house. At this point I have a couple of tentative new people lined up to help out.

During the busy season I certainly need more help, but the rest of the year, I like being a small one-woman show. I’ve decided to keep it small and let it grow only if the perfect people, like Judy, show up. Not an aggressive business plan I know, but I’ve decided I like it that way.

Dottie

I realized that to make more money, I can always start doing more pet sitting visits again. I had cut back to focus on boarding. Now I’d like to keep the boarding where it is and add visits to add to my income. My plan a year ago was to quit doing visits. This year I revised that plan, because visits are at least 30% of my business, and I don’t want to lose that.

To compensate for the hassle of late night and early morning pet sitting visits, I have shrunk my service area a little. I no longer add new clients in Rancho Bernardo, which is at least an 8-mile drive each way. I’m keeping my current clients (because they are such nice people) but not adding new ones that involve that much driving late at night.

So that’s my business plan for the coming year. Have you thought about where you want your business to grow?

The weather outside is stormy

2010-12-22T08:24:00.000-08:00

Star and Ari share a Christmas kiss

Happy Holidays everybody! If you're like me, you are dealing with a lot of wet dogs this week. One of my clients asked me to wipe their paws when I let the dogs in every night. We've had so much rain that they were soaked from head to toe. When all three, giant schnauzer, mini schnauzer, and shih tzu crash through the door at once and immediately start shaking off the rain, you've got a huge mess on your hands. Then the schnauzer starts rubbing along the wall. UGH!

Optimists that they are, my clients left me two bath towels. I brought more from home. Their new hardwood floors are now covered with drying paw prints. And they'd already scheduled a carpet cleaning for the white dining room carpet. Wise move.

Warm and cozy at my house: Lily, Desi, Blaze, Izzy, Bonnie

We settled on letting the dogs stay in during the day with the back door open to the yard so they could get out if they needed to. The shih tzu, age 12, just shouldn't have to sit out there and get soaked to the skin. For that matter, none of them should have to. The wind was so bad their makeshift shelter (umbrellas and tarps) didn't keep them dry.

One of my other clients said to me once, "But they love the rain!" No dog house, no shelter, and he didn't want them in his pristine garage. I hated him. Malamute or not, they deserved better. I brought over a dog house of my own, and the dogs used it for the rest of their lives.

So stay as dry as possible, carry chains if there's snow; heck, carry a chain saw. My husband used to go with me sometimes on winter pet sits in Seattle. He had to cut through a fallen tree, fix a broken heater (poor kitties- it was only 19 degrees in the house), and tow me out of a ditch once when I ventured out on my own.

Happy Holidays! :)

What if you forget a pet sitting visit?

2010-12-12T14:18:00.000-08:00

Nate and Roup destroy a dog bed

One of the discussion groups I am on recently featured a question from a distraught pet sitter. She missed a visit, and felt TERRIBLE about it. How could she ever make it up to the owner, and how could they ever trust her again?

Her excuses weren’t extraordinary. She had a cold, was tired, had a busy day, and just plain forgot to go let the dog out. She was pretty hard on herself, and the rest of us were sympathetic.

Why? Because many of us have done the exact same thing. We are human, and humans sometimes make mistakes. So how should you handle it when you screw up?

• Admit it and apologize. Tell the clients, and make no elaborate excuses. Unless you were in the hospital, anything else you say isn’t going to impress them much. Eat crow and be humble. Don't lie.

• Don’t charge them. Either give them a free day or the entire assignment at no charge, depending on how much trouble your mistake caused. Did the dog mess on the carpet? It is your responsibility to pay for cleaning. Did the cat have to go to the vet because of missed meds? Pay for the vet visit. Accept responsibility and do what you can to salvage the situation.

• Let go of it. Either they forgive you or they don’t. If they never book you again, there’s not much you can do about it.

One thing I learned from the time I forgot a visit, similar to the time I locked myself out. You’ll pay more attention and won’t let it happen again anytime soon.

The week after the pet-sitting rush

2010-12-03T07:58:00.000-08:00

Mac, Labrador retriever by Terry Albert

So are you sitting back and counting all that lovely money? Taking long naps? Me too. But this week is so quiet I immediately worry that I’m not going to make enough money in December to pay the bills.

This back and forth feast-or-famine cycle is the norm in pet sitting. It is sure hard on the nerves. Over the years I have learned that the business WILL come, and to take it easy and enjoy a few days off while I can get them.

“Days off” is relative, since I have three dogs staying here. But three is a lot less than nine, so it seems quiet. This is the week to get my car washed, my hair cut, the house cleaned, the corrals spiffed up, and do some Christmas shopping. This is the week I spend time with my horses, who were virtually ignored last week. And this week I paint, since I have three pictures to get done before Christmas (see the first one, above). So it’s not like I’m bored.

The Thanksgiving rush enabled me to pay my property taxes without going into savings this year, which is a blessing. I usually count on the holiday income to get me through January and February, which are always slow.

So don’t go on a spending spree; the rush will be over in another month and you have to pay the rent all year round.

The table is set for Thanksgiving dinner

2010-11-25T11:49:00.000-08:00

As you see, even though I am not cooking a Thanksgiving feast, I am preparing a large meal for some of my friends! Everyone gets a little piece of sweet potato in their dish tonight.

Willa, Tally, Beau, Desi, Casey, Lucee, Portia, Ginger, Bonnie, Lily, Tux, Sammie, Pepper

Pet sitters prepare for the holiday rush

2010-11-21T11:40:00.000-08:00

Oliver's feet never touch the floor

I thought I would look back to a post I wrote two years ago in anticipation of the holidays. Are you ready for your big week?

I was reminded of this when the time changed a few weeks ago. The first time I took out the flashlight to use it, the batteries were dead. This weekend, I realized I don't have an umbrella in the car. And the air pressure light for my tires is flashing. Tomorrow I will catch up on these chores before I hit the rest of my busy pet sitting week!

Riley models the new pillow

This morning I hit a couple of estate sales while out on my rounds (I do love weekend pet sits- garage sales are my bonus for getting up early). I got two giant faux fur pillows with removable washable covers for $5. Perfect for dog beds!

Best wishes for a busy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-17T08:35:00.000-08:00

As you can see above, my calendar for next week is a tad full. And that's good news! 9 visits a day plus 7 dogs staying here. My family get together is Saturday afternoon, so I will spend Thanksgiving evening with friends here in Poway.

For the next week just about all I will do is petsit, feed dogs and sleep. The laundry is done, the groceries are in the frig. I'll clean house the FOLLOWING week!

I am very thankful that over the past seven years I have been able to build my business enough to remain self employed and able to pay the bills. There were many times I wondered if I would be able to make it, and I finally feel secure and happy.

I am so lucky to have such wonderful clients. They are really nice people that I enjoy doing business with, and I count them as friends as well as customers. You can tell I am doing what I love, and I hope you are too!

Thank you for reading and supporting me in my journey!

Petsitting- a 24/7 job and then some

2010-11-11T16:35:00.000-08:00

The view of the pool

“Honey,” she said as she passed her husband the phone, “It’s the cat lady…”

What a great name for a business, I mused: The Cat Lady. Except most people would call me the dog lady instead. On this day I was the cat lady, and I was visiting a new client to arrange care for their cat, Sweetie, over Thanksgiving.

Pet sitters can make a lot of money this time of year, but it is a lot of work too. Every morning this week I have been out before 7 am, letting two dogs out for a run and feeding them breakfast. Their owner invited me to make myself at home, and I did. I enjoyed my coffee and the hilltop view of the pool and the city while Lily and Whitty ran laps around the yard.

Lily and Whitty and the view

Each evening at dinnertime I am back, feeding them and giving them another run. A neighbor comes over before bedtime to let them out, or I would be back at 9 or 10 pm for one last outing.

Whenever I have dogs that need to be let out, I am out early and late every day, and sometimes a third visit in between. Then I do all my once-a-day kitty visits and come home and relax awhile before the afternoon rounds.

When I was married, this was a harder schedule to keep. I used to do my late-night visits after my husband went to bed at 9 pm. Sometimes I had to be out at dinnertime. I’m sure having kids would make it even harder to schedule pet sitting and still have a family life.

Last night as I sat watching the Country Music Awards, thinking my workday was done, I got a call. My client was stranded in San Francisco, and they didn’t want their old dog outside all night. Could I go get her? Of course. So off I went. I was tired, but I like the people and the dog a lot, and I wanted to help them out. “Pet care” is also “caring.”

Boarding dogs at my home has eased up some of the running around, but now I never get away from my client dogs. I have to care for all of them–and my own dogs and horses–before I head out on that 7 am visit.

Holidays

Holidays are even tougher. This is when we make our most money, but we end up sacrificing our holiday with the family. I always give myself a few hours in the evening to have dinner with friends, and my family comes down on another day to celebrate. It’s hard to leave a party and head out to do petsits, but that is what we signed up for, and those pets and their owners are counting on us. You can take time off in January.

Meanwhile, plan a few hours off here and there over the holidays so you don’t burn out, so you can see your family and friends, and so you have some fun!

Sharing an interesting article from Whole Dog Journal

2010-11-01T10:18:00.000-07:00

Read the Whole Dog Journal's take on dog daycare, by Pat Miller:

http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/13_11/features/Doggie-Daycare-For-Canine-Socialization_20127-1.html

I am happy she points out that not all dogs are appropriate for group situations. We wish all dogs could get along, but some just get too stimulated, too aggressive or too overwhelmed to be comfortable.

Small dogs+cute clothes=danger!

2010-10-30T19:28:00.000-07:00

Sammie is an adorable toy poodle who stays with me often. Her little dress says "Princess" on the back, and she has an assortment of outfits that she brings along on her vacations here! She has another little dress that says "Fierce!"

Sammie does well with the big dogs, though I never leave her alone with them. I had an interesting experience this week with a couple of Labs that were visiting. First Luke, a happy-go-lucky chocolate Lab, arrived. He just wouldn't leave Sammie alone. He didn't try to hurt her–he was trying to get her to play. He would play-bow and bark endlessly at her, and she'd just turn her back on him or come over to me. He's never done this before, and he was totally ignoring the pug that was staying here, so it wasn't because she's a small dog.

I finally figured it out. He thought Sammie was a stuffed toy. Her outfit had him baffled! I took off her dress and he immediately forgot about her and treated her like a normal dog for the rest of his visit.

When Luke went home, I put Sammie's dress back on her (she's just too cute, I couldn't resist). Then Nate the yellow Lab arrived. Same thing. He was fascinated, wagging his tail and following her around. A huge, tall dog, Nate outweighs her by at least a hundred pounds. Off came the dress, stored away in her suitcase until her owner returns.

There's a good lesson to learn here. A less friendly dog with a high prey drive might attack a cute little dog in an outfit. thinking he can pounce on this squeaky little thing and kill it.

Pet sitters and dog owners, beware.

Meanwhile, everyone has calmed down, and here is a photo of Sammie, Desi and Roup in the foreground, with Bonnie, Lily and Nate carpeting the rest of my living room.

Dog carpeting, literally!

SpawZ: Seattle dog daycare and water therapy

2010-10-26T18:19:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I wrote about From the Heart Doggie Daycare in Laurel, Maryland. Now I want to switch way to the west coast and introduce SpawZ, a dog daycare and water therapy center in Seattle.

I have known Spawz owner Ann Marie Shields since I lived in the Northwest well over a decade ago. Ann Marie has been in the dog-care business since 1996 when she started the Doggie Bed and Biscuit in Snohomish. It was one of the first upscale, cage-free dog care businesses in the country—where canine guests enjoyed private “bedrooms” with futons and couches, private yards, and a huge pasture for running and playing. Doggie BnB provided what many dog owners want—a safe, homey, loving place for their dog to stay during the day or for extended periods of time.

Why warm-water therapy for dogs?

Armani, a rescued greyhound

In 2002, Ann Marie moved to Seattle and went to work in the human health care industry. But she continued to pet sit for a few long-time clients with older and mellow dogs. And then, in 2005, a couple of events occurred that led her to create SpawZ. First, she had knee-replacement surgery and was at home recovering for 7 months. And second, just a few weeks after her surgery, one of her greyhounds, Armani, broke his foot and ankle in 18 places.

Armani was in a full-leg cast for three months, and when the cast came off he had significant and disabling muscle atrophy. While Ann Marie was going through rigorous physical therapy and a warm-water exercise program that proved to be the keys to the recovery of her knee, Armani was struggling. It was difficult for him to walk on hard surfaces, so he had no way to regain his strength and muscle tone.

“That’s when it struck me that warm-water exercise might help him, too—and it did,” says Ann Marie. “Plus a vet suggested I try massage, so I went back to school and got my license as a Small Animal Massage Practitioner. Thanks to both water exercise and massage, Armani made an amazing recovery, just recently passing away at the age of 12.

SpawZ today

The tough economy has been a challenge for all of us, but SpawZ has been able to survive and thrive by offering multiple services for its clients. Whether a dog wants to lounge in a private room, exercise on the underwater treadmill or in the pool, enjoy a massage, play with other dogs, or cuddle with a staff member, Ann Marie has brought it all together under one roof at SpawZ. She also offers boarding and a number of special swim camp packages for her canine guests.

Television coverage

Spawz was recently featured on King 5 News, a story that is shown here, above. I asked Ann Marie how she got such great free publicity, and she said it was more luck than anything. She offers something unique, and the reporter at the station had just gotten a new puppy, and wanted to learn more. King 5 does fun segments every morning on the news show, and that is where this story ran.

Publicity like this is worth more than all the paid advertising in the world. SpawZ has been featured several times in the media, and as you can see, the stories make great entertainment and really showcase her facility.

I hope her success gives you some ideas for your doggie business!

A miscellaneous post

2010-10-16T11:42:00.000-07:00

If you own or care for Labs, something about this photo will make you laugh. That flowerpot has had a hard life! The owner's lucky the tree is still standing, since a Lab would happily dig it up and chew it to sawdust.

These dogs, Nate and Rex, actually didn't do the damage. They are guests at my helper Judy's house this week. We'll have to have a talk with her dogs about that pot.

Sad news

On a somber note, I lost my rescued mare, Honey, this past week. I wrote about her on my other blog, Everything Pets. I also wrote about the great veterinarian who treated her, and how we sometimes torture (and insult) our vets while trying to do everything possible for our animals.

A new iPod/iPhone/iPad app for pet sitters and pet owners

This new app is offered by PetTech, and offers portable pet care and first aid information. You can download it for $4.99 from iTunes, which is a great price for so much info. It includes easy to follow step-by-step instructions for CPR, first aid and daily care information. There are separate sections for dogs and cats with specific information for each type of animal.

This is just one more reason I love my iPod Touch. With the Bento app I have all of my client info at my fingertips, and now I'll have first aid info when I need it too.

New dog daycare business in Laurel Maryland gets great PR coverage

2010-10-09T12:14:00.000-07:00

In addition to my work as a pet-sitter, I design websites, and I have a client who just opened July 4th in Laurel, Maryland. From the Heart Doggie Daycare was featured in a wonderful article in a local paper this week. You can't buy advertising this good or this effective. Here's the link:

http://www.explorehoward.com/news/75547/dog-day-care-lets-pets-feel-right-home/

I asked Maria how she got the reporter to write about her dog day care business:

I saw an article about a new baker in town just two weeks ago. So I called the reporter and said, "Hey, I think I have a good story for you." I wrote a brief note, sent her a link to my webpage, and hoped for the best. This was on a Thursday. She called me the next Wednesday to set up an appt for last Friday. The photographer was here Monday and the story came out Thursday.

You are right - it is great advertising. I had no idea I would get it, but you don't get anything if you don't ask :-) The worst she could do was say no.

That's the spirit! I think one thing that helped her is From the Heart has a Halloween open house and party coming up, so the story has an urgency to it.

So what can we learn from Maria?

You won't get any press if you don't ask for it. Do some of the reporter's work for him or her. If you have a website, pre-written press releases or photos you can supply, you make their job a lot easier.
Special events give reporters a reason to write about your pet sitting business.
If you have something newsworthy to say, you are more likely to be interviewed. The article about Maria's business mentions she lost her job when her company downsized, which is timely due to the nation's economic woes of the past two years.
Is there an angle that makes your business different? Maria's daycare and boarding is cage-free and set up like a children's daycare with bright colors and a fun atmosphere.

Congratulations on the coverage, Maria. I hope it brings you tons of business.

P.S. Blogger is not letting me add images. Sorry!

The conversation pet sitters need to have with clients

2010-09-27T09:37:00.000-07:00

My friends Kim and Jerry left their three Cavalier King Charles Spaniels in my care while they went on a diving trip to the Cayman Islands. One of the dogs, Bella, is 15 years old, and like many Cavaliers, has heart disease.

I asked Kim before she left what I should do if Bella became ill. “Oh, she should be fine. She’s been doing really well lately,” Kim replied. But, with a dog this age, I knew things could go suddenly south at any moment. So I pressed her for instructions.

Kim didn’t want heroics, but she did want me to take Bella to the vet if anything went wrong, and to try and save her.

Bella

A crisis

Something did go very, very wrong. On Saturday at 3 pm, I was relaxing in my recliner with a book, and I suddenly heard thumping in the kitchen. Bella was having a seizure under the kitchen table and kicking the wall. I called my vet’s office, praying he was still in. His vet tech, Terri, called him at home and he agreed to meet me at the hospital.

45 minutes later, Bella had not stopped seizing. By this time I had called Kim’s cell phone, in desperate hope I’d be able to reach her. My vet, Dr. Singh, of the Animal Medical Hospital, told me this was going to be expensive, and Bella would have to go on to the emergency vet to be monitored overnight. Did I want to proceed?

Yes I did. I was sure that was what Kim would want. I admit that if Bella had been my dog I would have thrown in the towel and let her go. But she wasn’t mine, and until I talked to Kim, I wasn’t going to take matters into my own hands.

An injection of phenobarbitol finally stopped the seizure, and as Bella dozed, Dr Singh did blood work and took an x-ray. All was normal. He called the emergency clinic and told them exactly what to do and NOT to do, which I am sure helped me save a lot of money.

Then Kim called. Thank God. She talked to Dr Singh, and agreed with the treatment plan, so off we went to the ER. Bella recovered fully and came home to my house the next day, and was fine the rest of the week. Amazing.

Talk to your pet sitting clients

Now that Bella’s gone home and I’ve had a chance to think, I realize how important it is to have a discussion with your clients, especially if they are going to be out of the country and hard to reach.

Haper, Bella's best buddy

How much are they willing to spend in a medical emergency, like bloat? If a dog is injured at my house, I figure it’s my fault and my insurance will have to cover it. But, a health emergency is not my financial responsibility, and I need to make decisions about spending the client’s money.

At what point is it okay to euthanize the pet? Most people don’t want to discuss it. They are horrified at the thought. I am too.

Get it in writing. Your care contract should have a clause giving you permission to seek veterinary treatment, and the client should fill in an amount they are willing to spend. We all hate to think that we’re not willing to spend $1,000 on our dog, but the cold hard truth is not everyone can afford to do that. It’s not your decision, it’s theirs, and don’t judge them for it.

Keep in touch

In this day of cell phones and email, it is easier to stay connected with your clients, even when they are out of the country. In an emergency, the first rule is to try to contact them. Have them give you a local contact number of someone who has the authority to make decisions if they are unreachable.

Front the money?

I paid the emergency animal hospital with my credit card, and the client reimbursed me. My vet was willing to wait for payment until Kim returned. Several pet sitters have said to me that they don’t have the resources to pay a $1,500 vet bill. Tell your clients that you can’t advance the money. They may leave a credit card on file with the vet’s office for unexpected expenses.

The emergency animal hospital would not accept a number from someone else’s credit card. The owner of the card had to be present. I understand their reasoning. In a crisis, some people will do whatever they can to get the care for the animal, even something illegal.

You also run the danger of the clients not agreeing with your decisions, and leaving you stuck paying the full amount, or a portion of it. Talk to your insurance company to see what is covered in this circumstance.

It’s a lot to think about. Plan in advance, so when you are faced with an emergency (and you will be at some point) you are prepared and know what to do. I was a nervous wreck through the entire crisis, trembling so hard I could barely dial the phone. That’s not the time to try and think straight.

Pet sitter and dog daycare web sites

2010-09-15T10:04:00.000-07:00

In addition to pet sitting, I also build web sites for small businesses, including pet sitters. Yes, even for my competition. There is plenty of business for everyone these days, and I love coming up with new ways to help other pet sitters get established.

Your website is your Number One marketing tool. I don’t advertise at all; all of my business is from my website or referrals. A website is the place you get to explain your services, the areas you cover, and introduce yourself. If a potential client likes what they read, then you get the call or email, and you’re in business.

Sue's Critter Care pet sitting

With that in mind, here are some of my tips for a professional-looking web site:

• Short and to the point. Don’t start with a lot of rambling text about how you have loved animals since you were a kid. Everyone says that. Say that at the end or on the “About me” page. Start on page one with the basics: area covered, services.

• Make links easy to find. Don’t bury them in cute graphics or somewhere where the client can’t find them. Make it screaming obvious that THIS IS A LINK. People expect links on the left side or across the top. Don’t make them think.

If you use graphic links, add text links at the bottom of the page so the search engines will index them. Search engines don’t read graphics, though they do read alt tags (hidden description of images).

• Use your name and a photo. Let people get to know you. It is worth having a professional photo done. This is a personal service business.

Annie's Critter Care

• Phone number and email address easy to find, and on every page. This is critical. You want them to contact you, don’t you? Make it idiot-proof. I put large phone numbers on every page at the top somewhere. It is worth repeating the number in several places. Include the area code.

• Be sure your web developer has added a title and key words, and they are both very carefully worded in “consumer language,” using words a customer is likely to use when searching for your service.

• Make all of your pages potential "entry" pages. My pet sitting page is just one of many on my site. Although it is not my main page, it consistently comes up on the first page in Google searches. People enter my site at the pet sitting webpage if that is the service they are looking for.

• Accuracy. Nothing is worse than spelling errors, pages that won’t load and links that don’t work. Project a professional image. Your web site is YOU.

From the Heart Doggie Daycare

A web site is not going to show up in the search engines the day after you go live with it, so be patient. It takes several weeks, even a month, for them to find you and add you to the list.

Read a post I wrote last year about how to optimize your website for search engines.

Here are some sites I’ve designed:

Sue’s Critter Care: http://www.suescrittercare.com/

Annie’s Critter Care: http://www.anniescrittercare.com/

From the Heart Doggie Daycare: http://fromtheheartdogs.com/

SpawZ doggie daycare: http://www.spawzdog.com/

This client built her own site from a template and had me help her refine it and get everything working correctly.

Tails Wag 4 Us: http://www.tailswag4uspetsitting.com/

And my own site:

Poway Pet Care: http://www.terryalbert.com/powaypetcare.html

Tails Wag 4 Us pet sitter, dog walker

SpawZ Doggie Daycare

Poway Pet Care

Evaluating personal safety risk while pet sitting

2010-09-05T14:17:00.000-07:00

Maybe I’ve been watching too many crime shows, but I had a creepy experience last week, and scared myself out of helping my client with a problem. I sit here now and say “it was probably nothing,” but at the time, I trusted my gut and said no.

My clients had just moved into their new house, rebuilt after the 2007 fires. They’d only been there a week when they left for a three-week tour of Africa. The security company had my phone number, and I got a call one day.

The guy told me that the signals weren’t transmitting properly from the house, and he was afraid they wouldn’t get the alarm signal if someone broke in. I told him the system was arming and disarming fine, and I had just left there.

He wanted to meet me at the house, come inside and test the system. I didn’t feel good about that. At all. Meet a strange man, in a big empty house, alone, and no one knows I’m there with him? Not.

I looked up the company’s phone number, and sure enough, that was the number he had called from. He was probably legitimate; after all, he had my number and knew all about the house. Still…

On my next visit I ran into the builder, who was there doing some repairs with the garage door company. New construction always needs some tweaking, and the house was bustling with activity. I should have had Mr. Security Man meet me here now, I thought. I chatted with the builder, Scott, and he said the system seemed to be working fine, and he wouldn’t worry about it.

Still paranoid, I asked my retired FBI agent-friend what he thought. Probably fine to meet the guy, he said. I was tempted to ask him to go with me.

In the end, I decided no, I wasn’t going to do it. It was only three more days before the client was due to return. I figured I’d risk a break-in before I’d risk my personal safety.

When they returned, I told the client about it. “No,” was her immediate reaction, “I’m glad you didn’t let him in. He came out and tested the alarms before we left.”

It was probably nothing; I probably would have been fine. Still…

When your gut instinct talks: listen.

No-pull harnesses from a pet sitter’s perspective

2010-08-25T15:16:00.000-07:00

Melvin and Buddy greeted me at the door, ecstatic to have company after 12 long hours alone. After I fed them, refreshed their water and gave Buddy his nightly thyroid pill, it was walk time. They went nuts as soon as I reached for the leashes.

Because they pull so hard, their owners recommended I walk them separately, once around the block for each dog. Melvin is also aggressive to dogs they meet, which makes him even harder to keep under control.

The owners supplied retractable flexi leads and a no-pull harness for each dog. The retractable leash was the first problem. Dogs that pull, pull even harder on one of these leashes and quickly drag themselves out to the end of the thin line. I worry it will break, and if they suddenly lunge at another dog, it’s hard to hold onto the awkward case that stores the line.

The two no-pull harnesses were a piece of work. Both were red and black, but different models, so they are put on each dog differently. I felt like I was trying to un-knit a sweater, just untangling the straps and the leash line, much less figuring out how to put it on the dog. Then I get to the second one, and it’s different, so I go through the same exercise over again. I am uncoordinated, and had to relearn the harnesses every night (I often go through similar gyrations with garden hoses and extension cords). Meanwhile both dogs are leaping in my lap and rolling on the floor, anxious to go, and begging to be first.

One night I decided to just put Melvin, a cattle dog mix, on a chain collar and a regular leash, which were both hanging by the door. By the time we got back I felt like my arm was going to come out of my shoulder socket, and we didn’t even meet any other dogs. Another night, I finally got both boys dressed, and decided to try them together. They really weren’t too bad, though I’d say they were still pulling pretty hard. Buddy, the Beagle, plows along, nose to the ground, oblivious that there is a person hanging on for dear life behind him.

I think no-pull harnesses work better when attached to a four or six foot leash. And they don’t alleviate the need for training, that’s for sure. Sled dogs wear harnesses–but they are supposed to pull.

Artwork above: Beagle by Terry Albert.

Pet sitters: customer service and the phone

2010-08-17T08:58:00.000-07:00

The best way to keep your customers is by providing good service, and the lifeline to your clients is the telephone. I have many customers I never see after the initial consultation visit. So we communicate by telephone.

There are times when I want to blow the thing up. When someone calls at 10 pm, I want to run screaming into the hills. But after they leave that message, the onus is on me to return their call first thing in the morning (at a reasonable hour). I have never set “hours” with my clients, because most of them are very thoughtful. Those late night calls are usually someone new who wants me to sit their pets tomorrow. No can do.

BUT, if the client’s flight was cancelled, they may need you to make another visit. Call them back to reassure them you got the message and will take care of it.

The way to build a good relationship is to return calls promptly. I am guilty of getting busy and then find myself sitting there at 9:30 at night with a pile of messages I haven’t answered. Bad dog.

If you can’t accommodate someone, they need to know so they can make other arrangements. If you have some contacts, be sure to recommend another pet sitter in the area whom you trust. Yes, you may lose the client, but if they were happy with you, they will usually come back. And either way, you’ll get some positive word of mouth for being helpful.

Follow up after pet sits with a phone call. People usually call or email to let you know they are home. If not, call them. Let them know you care that they got home okay and everything was satisfactory.

In this era of text messaging and email, communication with our clients is easier, but less personal. I don’t text people unless I know they use text messaging. If they don’t have a texting plan, receiving my messages gets expensive.

If you are on a pet sit and have a question, clients usually appreciate a call. I rarely use the client’s phone; I always have my cell in hand. They are reassured that you are at the house and everything is okay. They feel like they’ve checked up on you, even though you were the one that called. Now they have an idea what time you make your visits.

Although sometimes the phone can be a pest, it is also a vital tool in your pet sitter’s toolbox. Return calls promptly and keep in touch with your customers by phone. Hearing your voice adds a personal touch to your communication.

Photo above: One of my clients, Rylee, a goldendoodle, learns to surf.

Busy season!

2010-08-08T10:10:00.000-07:00

It will be over soon, and I will wonder what I’ve been complaining about. I did nine visits yesterday, and have 7 today. Wow… I realize that for some of you that is not even a full day. Because I also board dogs at home, it is enough for me!

I’m up at 6, and feed the four horses first, because that quiets the dogs down. Then I feed the dogs. Eight guests this weekend, plus my four. Then I get dressed, feed the cats, scoop litter boxes, then let all the dogs back out together when they are done eating.

By 7 or 7:30am I am off to do pet sits. Two homes with dogs (and bunnies) that have been in all night get to go out first, then I do cats and bird visits after that.

Home by 9 am, because an owner is picking up his dog. Back out to do another cat visit I didn’t have time for.

10-2: Play with dogs, referee dogs, sit with dogs, try to write a little on my book that is due to publisher Sept 1.

2 pm: new client brings her two dogs for a consultation.

4 pm: another dog goes home.

5 pm: the full feeding routine begins again.

6-7:30 pm: clean corrals and mess with horses before it gets dark. Training new Shetland pony.

8 pm: Pet sit visit 7 miles west of my house: cockatoo (Nilla), eclectus parrot (Betty) and a mealy Amazon parrot named Albert who always says “Hi Albert” when I come in (my last name, though I don’t think that’s what he means!).

8:45 pm: Pet sit 2 miles east of my house; walk two dogs and bring in for the night.

9:15 Home, glass of whine (that is not a typo!) and let the dogs out for last potty break of the night.

10 pm: Fall into bed; curl up with cats. Instantly asleep. School starts the last week of August and things will get quiet.

Photos: Sherlock the Shetland and Ari the Icelandic get acquainted over breakfast.

Cooper and Porter, both Labs, wrestle in the yard.

My new iPod Touch and how it helps my pet sitting business

2010-08-01T17:47:00.000-07:00

I finally made the leap and bought an iPod Touch. An iPhone would have done the same thing, but I didn’t want to pay the big monthly fee. Just because the phone is

tax deductible for business, doesn’t mean I want to spend the money. So now I have to carry two gadgets, the iPod and my cell phone. But I am happy; the Ipod Touch does everything that an iPhone does, without the phone, so there is no monthly fee. And when you are in range of a wifi hot spot, you can go online for free.

Several months ago I bought Bento, a Filemaker Pro application for the Mac. It was only $49. I have been using that for all of my client records, and I love it. I can customize the various fields to my own needs. There is an iPhone Bento app for only $4.99, and now I can sync all of my client files with the iPod Touch and carry them with me. All of the emergency phone numbers, care information, vet info, everything… is in my hands when I need it. No carrying around a bunch of paper anymore.

My address book is also synched with the iPod Touch, so I have that at my fingertips too. I also loaded photos of all my pets, past and present, and of course, all of my music, which I really don’t use. Yet…

I’ve finally caught up with 21^st century technology. But yes, I have hard copies of everything stuck in a file cabinet back in the bedroom, just in case. You can teach and old dog new tricks, but…

Photo above: Luke (standing) and Indy, two gorgeous goldens, visited my house this week. They love playing with an empty gallon water jug.

Holy water for pets: pet sitters get strange requests

2010-07-21T07:30:00.000-07:00

And you thought you spoiled your dogs:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38282753/ns/health-pet_health/?GT1=43001

I suppose the weirdest request I've ever received was from the client who provided london broil and organic butter for her Lhasa Apso. I was to cook the meat and drizzle melted butter over it. Then cut it into bite sized pieces and hand feed it to him. Ming was 18 years old, and couldn't find the food without help. So it wasn't as weird as you might think! He also got a tablespoon of Haagen Das ice cream before bedtime every night.

Feeding raw and home-cooked diets is always a challenge. By the time you are done mixing all the ingredients and pills and supplements, it's quite a concoction. And every owner does it differently. And sometimes every dog in the household gets a different recipe.

I once cared for a bullmastiff that I had to "put to bed" every night. Literally. The dog would go to her plush pillow and lie down. I would pull her blankie over her and give her a cookie and say goodnight.

Above: Pet portrait that I painted of Ming as an old man.

Dog-sitting by Draw the Dog

2010-07-19T10:31:00.000-07:00

My gang is famous! Jim George, an ex-Disney animator, featured my group in his daily Draw the Dog cartoon last week. He put a new twist on the term dog-sitting! I got a kick out his portrayal of the evil shelties, Lily and Bonnie, along with two of my clients' dogs, Tally the Lab and Twyla the Cavalier. He was way too accurate with the couch... one of the comments on his site pointed out that this is why they call it FURniture.

To watch the image "draw" itself, click here Jim is a fantastic cartoonist and has done some great art for dog rescue groups, which I profiled several months ago in my Everything-Pets blog.

Here's the photo I sent jim. His assistant, Bruce, emailed me and said I win the award for submitting the most photos! Who knows, maybe one day another of my canine friends will appear in Draw the Dog. Meanwhile, go to Jim's website and sign up to have his funnies emailed to you each day. I always get a good laugh to start my morning.

Why we have pet sitting insurance- pet sitter sued for $1 million

2010-07-18T07:21:00.000-07:00

http://www.free-online-veterinarian-advice.com/dog-sitter-sued-for-1-million.html

Pet sitter perks: Garage Sales!

2010-07-17T09:58:00.000-07:00

Saturday morning pet sits are fun for me, because I get to stop at garage sales along my route. I am visiting different parts of town every weekend, and explore neighborhoods in Poway that most people never see. You know how it is; we go where we go–the grocery store, school, library and post office– and never take the side streets along the way.

So every weekend I see different streets, and a garage sale sign usually tempts me to detour off my beaten path. The hardest part is resisting temptation, but lately I’ve made some wonderful finds. You might not agree!

My big $3 purchase for the yard was Carlos the turkey. Made from a tractor seat and other miscellaneous parts, he really is a creation by a modern day genius. The owner told me they bought it at a garage sale in Texas. I don’t usually buy knickknacks, but a friend who was moving unloaded a zillion different gnomes, statues and gazing balls recently, and they all appeared in my succulent garden one afternoon. I was hooked, and Carlos was a natural addition to the collection.

He is named after another Carlos who belongs to my friend Gunilla who runs a pet rescue and sanctuary in Rancho Santa Fe. I adopted Honey from her, and her Carlos is a big hit with all the visitors. He even made the local news recently.

Pet sitting a turkey

Have you ever taken care of a turkey? They are tough! One of my neighbors thought he was buying baby chicks for the kids for Easter and ended up with three very nasty huge turkeys in the back yard. I had to throw food into the pen; you didn’t dare go in there. Another turkey I met was so pretty I decided to take his picture. Well, he didn’t like the flash from my camera, and I spent the rest of my visit being chased and getting my butt pecked.

My next garage sale find

On Friday, a lady was doing an advance day for her garage sale, so I got in early for the good stuff. I picked up this Mexican made table for $5 and I love it. It has so much personality (So does Rylee, the goldendoodle who is investigating my latest purchase). You can't see it, but there are hobnails on the top. This one goes in the living room.

And my favorite purchase

You have to get to garage sales early, and on my pet sitting rounds, I am often on the road by 7 am to let dogs out that have been in all night. This sale was right around the corner, and I nabbed this windmill with the horse on top. Who could resist? Someday my toys are going to outnumber plants. The skull hanging on the windmill is one my collie Emma brought home one day from the neighbor’s. They had butchered their cow and thrown the head over the fence. Gross, yes, but 10 years later, it looks rather nice up there, don’t you think?

4th of July and pets

2010-07-03T09:55:00.000-07:00

The following email and photos say it all. I received this from one of my clients this morning, and it breaks my heart. PLEASE keep your animals indoors tomorrow. Don't let this happen to your beloved family member.

Dear family and friends,

We had to say goodbye to our beloved, sweet Lily last night. She was frightened by the fireworks and started to run. Tragically she was hit by a car. We would so much appreciate a prayer for our girls who are so very sad for our loss.

Jeff, Aimee, Emma, Madelynne & Goldie

Pet sitter mystery: finding the cat

2010-06-27T09:42:00.000-07:00

This week I covered a pet sit for a fellow pet sitter, Nancy, who dared to go on vacation in the summertime. The four kitties in my care were an easy assignment except for one little detail. CJ was missing!

Nancy told me that Marcelle used to be very aloof, but he spent the entire week stomping around on my lap, my shoulder, my head and any other place he could think of to get near me. Napping and purring on my lap were his favorite things, so we watched the Home Shopping Channel together (more on that later…). Meanwhile, Squeaky and Daisy looked out the front door.

By the third day I was getting worried. What if CJ had gotten out? I couldn’t imagine how that would happen, but I couldn’t find him either. The house was small and full of stuff. There wasn’t room to hide under the bed or in a closet. I made sure he hadn’t gotten closed in the garage or the daughter’s bedroom.

One day as I was leaving, a neighbor’s tabby was playing in their front yard. What if this was CJ? I’d only see him on the meet and greet visit, I couldn’t remember what he looked like, except my notes said he had a crooked, striped tail. The cat ignored my calls, so I prayed this wasn’t him.

A few days later, as I drove in the driveway, I saw a striped tail disappearing out of the front window. By the time I got in the house, he was nowhere to be seen. Was this the missing CJ? Squeaky followed me on my litterbox cleaning route, meowing and playing and asking to be petted. “Where the hell is your buddy?,” I asked him.

I finally called Nancy. I didn’t want to call the client, since there wasn’t much she could do from Hawaii, and I didn’t want to raise false alarms. “Oh, he’s there,” said Nancy, “It took him almost a year to come out when I started taking care of him.” I was relieved, but still worried.

I always do a head count when I visit cats. Sometimes I am just counting lumps under the bedspread, or poking around a hole in the bottom of a mattress, but I want to be sure I see everyone at least once!

When the client got home, she said the first cat she saw was CJ, slinking off to the back bedroom, undoubtedly afraid I was arriving again… whew.

TV shows for kitties

I mentioned the Home Shopping Channel. I never watch it at home, but when I am pet sitting and want to leave the TV on, I can be comfortable there will be no gunshots, violence, fireworks or other scary sounds to scare the animals.

I learned this from a bulldog owner. The sounds of the TV drown out outside noises that might make the pets anxious, and also make the place feel more like home even though the owners are gone.

Judy's first visitors

2010-06-20T12:23:00.000-07:00

Fannie and Luke enjoyed their vacation at Judy's house this week! They were her first guests and all went well. They are shown here relaxing with Ellie May the bloodhound, who is Judy's dog.

Poway pet Care is expanding

2010-06-13T09:28:00.000-07:00

School is out this week, and I suddenly find myself fully booked, and then some. I’ve been planning to get some help, and have played around with the idea for the past six months. Finally, the deed is done and I have my first new helper on board!

I had a counseling session with SCORE (Senior Corps of Retired Executives) and while I was discussing my plans, one suggestion stood out. “Just do it. Add one person and get up and running, and gradually you will add more and it will get easier and easier. The first step is the hardest.”

No kidding. I stalled and stalled until I was desperate. In grave danger of burnout, I realized I couldn’t keep doing it all alone. Rob, the counselor, once owned a dog daycare. I was really fortunate to be able to talk to someone who knew the business. The bonus of using SCORE is that their counseling is 100% free. Can’t argue with that!

The plan:

So, in a continuing effort to better serve my clients and provide superior care for their pets, I will be adding additional caregivers (as independent contractors) to my business. These caregivers will be available to board one or two dogs at a time in their homes, providing a quieter environment for dogs that prefer it, and providing backup when I am fully booked.

I will still be boarding dogs in my home too, but now my clients will have a choice of where they would like their dog to stay. I will continue to handle all scheduling, payments, and will keep in regular contact with both clients and caregivers. Dog owners will meet with their chosen caregiver in the caregiver’s home to be sure the arrangement will work for both parties.

The caregiving team will grow slowly but surely. I will be very choosy about who cares for my client’s dogs. I have modeled my business after Pet Vacations, in Seattle. Lynda has been in business almost 20 years, and she has been a tremendous help to me.

Meet my first caregiver:

Judy Maraventano lives here in Poway and has worked for a doggie day care in Carlsbad. She used to work for Rob’s business in Carlsbad, so she comes highly recommended, and also will be filling in here at the house for me occasionally when I have to be away for a few hours. She shares her home with three sweet older dogs, Kiva, Giselle and Ellie May (great name for a bloodhound).

As time goes by and I add more caregivers, there will be fewer dogs at my house at a time, which gives my guest dogs more attention, especially during the busy season. I won’t fall apart when it gets busy, and I will have time to enjoy the job I love so much.

An outtake-- Ellie May wasn't sure she wanted her picture taken!

Be ready for heatstroke in dogs

2010-06-06T09:44:00.000-07:00

I am a volunteer reserve park ranger for the City of Poway. Yesterday morning, I was riding on patrol with another ranger and we met some women walking their dogs down in the canyon below Lake Poway. They were resting in the shade before heading back to their cars, about 1 1/2 miles away.

We chatted for a few minutes. They admired the horses, we admired the dogs. They were carrying water, and all seemed well. They headed out, and a few minutes later, we followed behind them.

As we rode into Blue Sky Reserve, we could see them hiking up ahead. Blue Sky is a beautiful riparian habitat, with lots of shade from gorgeous old oak tress. But it is recovering from the fire of 2007, and there are areas with bright, hot sun. Although it is not that hot yet this summer, it was about 75 degrees at 11 am.

We watched one of the dogs lie down in the middle of the trail. His owner gave him a little yank on the leash and he got up and trotted along, only to lie down again about 10 steps later. She repeated the jerk, and he got up and tried to follow. He quit almost immediately.

I couldn't stand it any longer. I trotted up behind her and said, "I am worried about your dog." Her pet was panting and exhausted, trying gamely to please her by keeping up. He was a Lhasa Apso type, with a long shaggy coat.

I explained the dangers of heat stroke, even in warm, not hot , weather, and I had her pour water over his paws to help cool him. She promised to give him a few minutes rest in the shade until he stopped panting, and then if he still had trouble keeping up, she would carry him the rest of the way to the car.

I see countless dogs on the trails in the heat, and always stop the owner to be sure they have water. That's not enough. They need to know what to do for their dog. I agonized about this little dog all day yesterday, hoping he was okay.

What to do if a dog shows signs of heatstroke
Pet sitters who do midday walks should be extra careful in the summer. The first symptom of heatstroke is elevated body temperature. Since you are not going to be carrying a thermometer in your pocket, here are some symptoms to look out for:

Excessive panting
Bright red gums or gums that are too white
Pounding fast pulse
Excessive salivation
The dog stops and lies down, reluctant to continue

Be proactive in treating heatstroke
It can't hurt to cool off the dog if you are unsure about his condition.

Let him rest in the shade.
Wet his paws, head abdomen and chest to cool down his body temperature. Use a wet towel if you have one, or even your shirt (Don't be shy, this is an emergency). Cool water from a garden hose is fine.
Take the dog to the vet- even if he appears to recover. Some of the consequences of heatstroke, for example kidney failure, may not show up for days.

Heatstroke is a life-threatening emergency. Don't let it happen to your dog or a dog in your care.

Should you give advice to pet owners?

2010-05-28T17:44:00.000-07:00

I adopted a Shetland pony this week. Although I’ve owned horses for 20 years, I’ve discovered that ponies are a horse of a different color. They have fragile digestive systems compared to a full size horse, and can easily colic or founder if overfed or fed food that is too rich, too sugary, too high in protein, or any one of dozen different “too muches…”

Everyone that walked in my door offered an opinion. The first one was “Don’t feed alfalfa,” which is what these ponies have been fed all their lives. The next was “no grain,” then “no molasses,” “no beet pulp,” “only one carrot per day,” and the list goes on. I was doing everything wrong.

After sorting through the advice and reading a lot of scary articles on the Internet, I called my vet and we worked out a feeding and health care plan for the next few weeks. Shetlands don’t appear to be as fragile as miniature horses, but they are still delicate. And who has ever seen a thin pony? They’re all fat little bowling balls.

Except for the two at my house. They need some careful TLC. My friend Mary Ann adopted one of these ponies too, and they are both here until they are gelded (Yes, they are stallions). They came from a situation of severe neglect. Here is their story:

http://keeblerelfrescue.blogspot.com/

I adopted Rod Stewart who is now named Sherlock, and Mary Ann adopted Ziggy Marley, who shall remain Ziggy.

Make your own decisions

When your clients ask you for advice, they trust you to give them accurate information, not just a biased opinion. I realize that all my well-meaning friends and advisors all have the ponies’ best interests at heart.

After being on the receiving end of so much advice, I understand the information overload that owners face when making decisions about their pets’ care. As pet sitters and dog daycare operators, owners assume we are animal experts, and they expect us to know what we are talking about.

So here’s what I want to recommend to pet owners:

• Research: Read books and look up the issue on the Internet. But don’t believe everything you read or everything you hear. Just because someone posts a fancy web page doesn’t mean they have any credentials on the subject. Check into the background of the writer.

• Ask questions: Your friends and family are often good sources of information, but it will be based on their particular experiences; valuable, but not necessarily applicable to your situation.

• Talk to the expert: when in doubt, ask your veterinarian, a certified behaviorist, or a trainer whom you respect. This was my final step in the great pony-feeding dilemma. I asked my trusted veterinarian, and will be following his advice.

Advice which, by the way, was exactly what some of my friends told me to do. It was nice to validate their input, and I hope our ponies quickly recover from the horrible conditions they lived in.

It made me stop and think about the advice I offer to my clients. Opinions are not facts, and it is important to know the difference. There’s nothing wrong with saying “I don’t know.” A closed mouth gathers no feet.

Small doggie daycare sues Petco over name

2010-05-19T08:24:00.000-07:00

Small independent businesses continue to snarl in frustration as Petco, a major national corporation, moves into their areas.

First it was the Petco alliance with Fetch Pet Care, a petsitting franchise company, that caused a ruckus. Pet sitting business owners were afraid that Fetch and Petco would compete with big advertising campaigns and run them out of business. So far that hasn't happened, partly because Fetch franchisees are our fellow small business owners. Each business has to survive on the quality of its service, and no amount of backing by big business will save them if the service just isn't there.

Now a dog daycare owner, Oliver Blumgart of Unleashed Doggie DayCare in the Rhode Island/New Hampshire area, is fuming because Unleashed by Petco, a new upscale format pet supply store, has opened nearby, causing customer confusion.

Here's an article about it: http://shar.es/mCZXw

I remember when, years ago, Wickes-owned Builders Emporium, a California based operation, decided to expand and open a store in Las Vegas. BE had to buy out the name of an independent hardware store with the same name that had operated in the area for years.

I am guessing the motivation behind this lawsuit is money. I'm sure Unleashed's owner would accept a couple mil to change his name. But what about all the other Unleashed businesses throughout the US? If you do a google search, you'll find there are many.

The trials and tribulations of dog care...

2010-05-16T10:52:00.000-07:00

I have a bearded collie sitting at my feet- she has a full coat, and diarrhea. She absolutely reeks. She got into her owner's take-out Mexican food the night before she came over here. Three burritos and 2 flautas later, her tummy is a little upset. This afternoon's project will be to hose her down. I have company coming for lunch, or I'd do it now-- don't want to get too disgustingly dirty before they get here!

This is such a fun job-- just play with dogs all day!

The quest for the perfect dog dish

2010-05-10T18:56:00.000-07:00

The folks at Petzazz probably never dreamed their dog food bowls would lead the fight against terrorism at our airports. As everyone tossed their keys, cell phones and wallets in the bowls at the security checkpoint, I was reading the bottom of the dish to find out the brand name. A non-slip bottom! Just what I was looking for!

Nate the Lab dives into his bowl of kibble and it slides across the tile floor as he follows, finishing his meal in less than 30 seconds. After watching him push it under the cabinet and up against the wall (across the floor, out the door, go Nate go!) I realized that if his dish had a rubber bottom on it, it wouldn’t slide so badly. Thus began my quest for the perfect dog food dish. And I thought I’d found it at the Alaska Airlines terminal.

I searched the Internet and found the bowls for sale at Petsmart, and bought one for each of my dogs. Alas, the fix was not so simple. Nate, who isn’t even my dog, loves to carry his dish around, and the bowl was shredded in no time. My own shelties and dachshund did some chewing of their own, too.

At last I found the solution. WalMart carries a stainless steel version of the non-slip bowl. Chew-proof (well, almost) and easy to clean, I now have a collection of assorted sizes. I think it is interesting that I couldn’t find them at Petco or Petsmart. Maybe the airlines bought them all.

Other bowls

I don’t like the so-called hound or spaniel bowls, with the angled sides and large bottom because they are hard to carry or store. They are the perfect solution for your long-eared dogs, though. If you buy the right size, the dog can throw his face into the bowl, and keep his ears clean because they fall outside the bowl. Cavalier spaniel owners are you listening? Plus, they don’t tip over.

I hate ceramic bowls. They are always really cute, and I have broken dozens. A happy Lab bouncing up in the air will crack the bottom of the bowl in two with his head. Or knock it out of my hand, or jump on it, push it off the porch and onto the sidewalk or even pick it up and carry it around. One of my more memorable pet sitting moments happened when I saw the dog with the ceramic bowl in his mouth, and I yelled “NO!” in my best pack leader voice. He immediately dropped it on the tile floor. What a good dog.

My water bowl solution involves tying a bucket to a tree or the fence, so that the water-loving retriever clients will quit dumping their water. It doesn’t stop them from playing in it. I often check the water to find the bucket still attached to the fence with a bunch of mud in the bottom. I think my next trick will be to install an automatic waterer like they put in horse corrals.

If you are fighting ants, there are bowls with a reservoir around the outside. You fill it with soapy water and the ants can’t cross it and get into the food. You can also fashion your own with a baking dish. I’ve been known to ransack a client’s kitchen to find the perfect ant-prevention bowl.

When a speed demon eater is the issue, buy a bowl with a big lump in the middle that slows him down because he has to eat around it. Or, you could put a large rock in the bowl. You could also just throw the food on the floor all over the room—one of my favorite solutions.

Treat balls or the Buster Cube (see the YouTube video above) also help slow down the fast eater. You put the meal in the ball and one bite falls out at a time while he rolls it around the room. This is also great entertainment for a bored dog.

So next time you are fighting with the food bowls at your client’s home, consider buying your favorite and giving them one for Rover.

Dogs that play too rough

2010-05-02T09:50:00.000-07:00

I love to take pictures. I had to laugh; my neighbor caught me out in the yard taking photos of my guest dogs the other day. So we took a photo of each other taking photos!

This weekend's big accomplishment is to get four dogs who didn't like each other much at first to become friends. At last, after a full day and night, everyone is getting along well. The mixed breed, Max, is only eight months old and a real pest. His dog manners needed some work, and he was aggravating everyone. He still gets a little wound up and has to come in for a time out, but overall he's made great progress.

Meanwhile, Willow the pit bull mix was playing too rough for the Labs, batting at them with her front paws. I've seen boxers do this. She just wouldn't let up, and the Labs, Rex and Nate, were getting sick of her. Gradually everyone got tired and calmed down. I let her out with each lab one at a time, and they started to play better. They've had a blast ever since, though I supervise carefully. I was relieved that they all worked it out, because they are all really nice dogs that usually play well with others. Sometimes meeting a new dog puts everyone on edge for awhile. Some dogs just get so wound up they don't know when to quit.

Photographing your pet sitting clients' pets

2010-04-29T16:29:00.000-07:00

I take hundreds of photos of the dogs that board at my house. But when it comes to pet sitting visits to my clients’ homes, I don’t feel it is ethical to walk around taking photos. There are ways to go about it without invading the client’s privacy.

It is a great idea to have a photo of the pet in case he gets out and you need to make flyers. The client contact program I use, Bento (made by Filemaker Pro), also allows me to post photos on each client’s page. I realized what a nice feature this was when my turtle vet took photos of my box turtles, Fred and Ethel, and added them to the patient file. Every time I call, they can pull up the photo and immediately remember their clients.

First, ask permission. Ask the client if you can do this, and maybe even bring your camera to the first meeting. Have them help you pose Fido and Fluffy, and then send them the photo later via email. This is a nice reason for follow-up contact after your initial get-together.

You can also post the photos on your web site. Don’t identify any personal information, which is why you shouldn’t include last names or pictures of the furniture or front of the house. Try to get a close-up of just the animal.

Some of my clients enjoy receiving photos via email while out of town. One client asked me to use Skype and set up their dog in front of the computer to say hi! Another asked me to put a live webcam in my house so they could check on their dog. Since I board dogs in my home, I decided that was too much information; I don’t want to be on-camera in my own living room! There are limits to customer service!

One time I emailed my client a photo of the wreckage his dogs wrought upon the dog beds during the night. Stuffing everywhere, and two dogs sitting happily in the middle of the room. He got a good laugh out of that one.

A camera is a great and fun tool for a pet sitter to have. Be sure you use it carefully and don’t invade you clients’ privacy.
Photo above: Cleo, a bullmastiff.

Can a pet sitter make a living?

2010-04-17T22:30:00.000-07:00

A doggie daycare owner complained on one of the discussion lists this week that he only has two clients so far and he has been open an entire month. People on a pet sitting discussion group got into a conversation the other day about what other jobs they have to help make ends meet.

Does this mean you can’t make a living as a pet sitter? Or as a dog daycare owner? Of course not. But the hard truth is you aren’t going to have a long list of clients the day you start. It took me three or four years before I felt like I had enough clients to keep me busy. And I still panic sometimes when I have a slow week.

As the years go by, I realize that the peaks and valleys are predictable, and I take advantage of the slow times to build my business or take a much-needed break. Starting your business in January or February is setting yourself up for a slow start, because it is a slow time of year for pet sitting. At the same time, you’d like to have a few months of experience once the summer rush starts.

Side jobs

So what do pet sitters do while they are waiting to make a living? My first career was as a graphic designer and now, in addition to pet sitting, I am a pet portrait artist, writer and web site designer. I started boarding dogs in my home and that has gradually gotten bigger than the pet sitting part of my business, and provides the bulk of my income now. Any one of these various jobs is not enough to pay the bills.

Pet sitters wrote about how they sell Avon, candles, groceries and other products on the side to supplement their income. Several pet sitters work as Mystery Shoppers, where they go to stores and report back to the company about the service they received. Maritz Research and Consumer Impressions are two companies that provide this service. One fellow pet sitter works as a bartender part time, and another cleans houses.

A number of pet sitters have other pet-related businesses, like making and selling gift products for cat lovers, dog trainer, selling homemade food and treats, pet taxi service, grooming or poop scooping (yes there really are businesses that do only that!).

Don’t give up on your career as a pet sitter. Do what you have to do to pay the bills, and patiently build your business. If you want to make a full-time salary, you have to work at it full-time. If you are not actually doing visits, work on marketing, networking, and building customer relations.

Pet sitters: When to call the client; when to go to the vet

2010-04-13T09:13:00.000-07:00

Example Number 1: the limping Aussie

A prospective client and I watched the dogs frolicking in my back yard as they got acquainted. An Australian Shepherd started to limp a little. The client asked, “What would you do about that?”

I answered that I would separate her from the other dogs and let her rest for a few hours and see how she is. If she still limped, I’d separate her overnight. At some point, I may decide she was actually injured rather than just sore from playing too hard. Then I would call the owner. If the owner says, “Oh yeah, she does that occasionally,” then I wouldn’t take her to the vet unless they requested it.

“Good,” the woman replied, “I wouldn’t want you running off to the vet for every little thing.”

Example Number 2: The Boston terriers

Yesterday I arrived at the home of two very active Boston Terriers, Bo and Bella. Bo is a slow eater, Bella wolfs down her food. This particular morning Bo didn’t eat at all, and just went over and got in his bed. I made a note of it, and left his food next to the bed for him.

When I returned last night, the food was gone (maybe thanks to Bella) and Bo ate his dinner normally. Since the owners were returning last night, I just left them a note about him skipping a meal. If he hadn’t eaten again, and they weren’t on their way home, I would have called them.

Assess the dog’s overall behavior before you decide he is sick. Many dogs will skip a meal. See if you can get him to get up and come to you, wag his tail, show interest in a treat, or go outside. Your evaluation will be subjective; it is your judgment call as to what you need to do.

Example Number 3: The cat

This one happened just a week ago, and it has happened to me before. I arrived and the cat was lying in an unnatural position, partly in and out of his food dish. He had lost control of his bowels, and was stiff and staring. Spooky was still alive, but clearly dying. I called the owner immediately. I took the cat to the vet and had him euthanized for the owners, and followed their wishes about disposal of the body. RIP, Spooky, who died at 19 years old.

Example Number 4: the poodle

Brandy was circling frantically, and I thought she needed to go out. Then I saw she had peed, something she never does in the house. Just a moment later, she fell over and had a seizure. I scooped her up, ran for the car and headed to the emergency vet.

The owners were out of the country and I had no way to reach them. I let the vet treat her, but declined major tests like an MRI. The next day (Monday) I took her to her regular vet, who said she had no history of seizures. He started her on medication.

When the owners came home, I had to present them with a $700 vet bill. They were grateful, and glad I had declined the additional tests. Brandy lived several more years with the medications, and had seizures for the rest of her life. I was glad I knew how far the owners would be willing to go in caring for their dog.

Age, health, and finances all enter into a decision to treat a critically ill pet. Be sure you discuss this with owners before they leave town. In this age of cell phones and email your clients are never completely out of reach, even when they are out of the country. I also ask for a local emergency contact person.

Horse care for set sitters, part 2

2010-04-04T09:32:00.000-07:00

Once you’ve accepting a pet sitting assignment caring for horses, you need to know the basics of feeding each particular animal, how to identify signs of illness, and what to do if a horse escapes.

Feeding basics for horses. Almost every horse gets hay twice a day. In a perfect world they would eat all day long. They have small stomachs and can’t digest a big meal, so they graze. Your client will tell you what kind of hay and how much to feed. Hay separates from the bale in “flakes” and a good rule of thumb is one flake per meal. A very large horse may get two. Some owners have a scale in their barn, and I weigh the hay to get the right amount.

There are many types of hay: bermuda, alfalfa, oat, timothy, orchard grass, and many more. If the owner feeds two different types of hay, be sure you understand which is which. Some hays are too high in protein for a particular horse. Other hay may be just for the horse to have something to munch on throughout the day. Feeding the wrong hay could make him sick.

Watch for mold in the hay. If it is blackened or powdery, pull that part out and don’t feed it. You might need to switch to another bale.

Pellets or bagged horse feed. Hay can also be compressed into pellets. Some owners will soak the pellets in water before feeding. You may be asked to feed a scoop of senior feed, supplemental grain, or even a bran mash (soaked bran). Get clear instructions, and be careful not to overfeed.

LOCK UP THE FOOD. If a horse can open a door, he will, and they are very good at it. Be sure you latch every gate and doorway completely. If a horse gets in and eats several pounds of grain, call the vet immediately. This is an emergency.

Treats. If the owner allows you to feed treats, hold your hand open with the palm flat, and the horse will use his lips to pick up the treat. Some common goodies are peppermints, carrots and apples. An apple is the perfect size and shape to get stuck in a horse’s throat so cut it in two or three pieces or make him take bite out of it rather than letting him take it whole. Most horses know how to do this already.

How to identify a sick horse. You may arrive and find horses lying down out in the pasture. They are not necessarily sick, though they sure look like it. Usually they will hop up as soon as they hear you.

The most common emergency is colic. A horse that eats too much fresh grass or high protein feed will get gas colic. This can usually be successfully treated.

Some horses get impaction colic, where sand in their gut gradually forms a stone until suddenly one day the intestinal tract is blocked. Surgery is the only hope to cure this horse.

Signs of either type of colic are similar. The horse will be uncomfortable, looking and biting at his sides and maybe kicking a little. He may stand with his head to the ground and his mouth open, like he’s trying to belch. As the pain gets worse he will lie down and roll.

What to do: Call the owner and veterinarian. While you wait, walk the horse, which may help get his bowels moving. Watch to see if he passes manure. This is critical, and is a very good sign. Observe whether it is soft and runny or solid and normal. The vet will want to know.

If the horse tries to roll, urge him to get up and walk. You’ll see him pause and buckle his front legs, maybe paw the ground first. Interrupt him before he goes down and keep him moving.

Don’t feed him any food or water. If it is gas colic, a simple shot of banamine may be all that the vet needs to do. The vet may also hydrate the horse with an IV or put oil down into his stomach to get things moving. You may be in for a long night.

If a horse escapes. This is no fun, but I have been lucky. It only happened once, and the horse just went over to the nearest stall and stood outside of it next to her buddy. May you be so fortunate.

Horses will usually try to find another horse if they get out when you aren’t there. Or they will stop at the nearest green, juicy grass (watch him for signs of colic if this happens). Hit the street with your halter and lead rope and talk to the neighbors. You may want to walk one of the other household’s horses with you, because they will call out to each other. Once you find him (really, they don’t usually go far) be ready with some cookies, apples, carrots or a little grain in a bucket, and you will catch him in no time. Food is magic.

If a horse gets away from you and bolts, he will usually go a couple hundred feet and stop. Use the same methods mentioned above to catch him. Food usually works. If he starts to take off again as you get near, stop and stand sideways instead of full front, so you won’t appear threatening, and don’t make eye contact (this also works with dogs). You could even kneel on the ground. Gradually move closer. If he drops his head and starts to lick and chew with his mouth, he is starting to relax. A high-headed horse is a scared horse. Remember to watch his ears for a hint as to what he is paying attention to (hopefully, you).

I hope this and my last article, about safety around horses, have been helpful to you. Contact me if you have questions about horse care!

Pet sitter safety with horses

2010-03-28T18:26:00.000-07:00

The most recent issue of Pet Sitter's World, published by PSI, focused on horse care. I was a little disappointed when I read the articles, because they didn’t really focus on what pet sitters need to know. General horse care information is helpful, but I decided I would write a couple of posts of my own. This first one covers safety around horses.

If you have never spent time with horses, your first impression will be that they are HUGE. Although I used to own quarter horses, I have small Icelandics now, so everyone else’s horses still seem big to me. Yes, they are big and powerful animals that can hurt you if you don’t know what you are doing. So you need to learn how to safely handle them.

Wear solid shoes. This is not the place to wear flip flops. If a horse steps on your foot, even if you are wearing tennis shoes, it will hurt like hell, and you could end up with several broken bones. If the horse has shoes on, he’ll do even worse damage. So don't even think about wearing sandals.

How to approach a horse. Make sure he knows you are there. Approach from the side, and talk to him. If you startle him, he will run first and ask questions later. You don’t want to be in his path. His eyes are on the sides of his head, so he can’t see you well if you approach straight on.

Watch his ears. They move independently and if an ear turns towards you, he is aware of you and paying attention. You can always get a clue as to what a horse is paying attention to by watching the ears.

Handling a horse. Horses love to smell your breath. Take a few moments to get acquainted; stand by his nose and let him sniff your breath while he checks you over. Stroke his chest. If you reach for his head, a hand-shy horse may jerk away and accidentally slam his head into you. You’ll be left with no teeth.

As you walk around a horse, in his stall or out in the pasture, keep your hand firmly on his body so he knows where you are even if he can’t see you. Continue to talk, so he knows it is you and not the boogie man back there.

Don’t stand directly behind a horse. He can’t see you. You can do anything you need to do at his side. Don’t crawl under his belly or under his neck. Keep your body where you can move away quickly if the horse spooks.

The horse owner. When you go to the home for your first consultation, be honest with the owner. Let them know if you do or don’t have any horse experience. Plan in advance to spend some time with the owner and the horse.

Blanketing, feeding, putting on a fly mask. If you are to blanket the horse at night, have the owner show you how she does it. Then you try it. There are lots of straps that wrap under the belly and through the legs.

Have her feed the horse, to see how he reacts when food is coming. Is he aggressive? What does she do about it? Does she allow you to hand-feed the horse a treat? Some horses are too pushy and it isn't safe.

In the summer, many horses wear a fly mask. Some wear them 24/7, others will have them removed at night. The mask is made of fine mesh that the horse can see through. Some masks have earpieces that also protect the horse’s ears from flies. Lots of people try to put fly masks on upside down, so don’t be embarrassed to ask the owner for a demonstration!

Will the horse be in the stall when you clean? Have the owner show you. If she can pick manure around his feet without him kicking or getting irritated, that’s a good sign.

Haltering and leading a horse safely. If you are to turn out the horse in an arena, have her show you how she puts on the halter, leads the horse, and how he reacts to all of it. He may get pretty worked up when he realizes he’s going out to play. Can you handle him?

Be careful how you carry a lead rope. Do NOT wrap it around your arm so he can’t pull it away from you. Carry the rope so you can drop it quickly if you have to. See the photos here for a clearer explanation.

Tying a horse. Tie high. You don’t want the rope down low where he can step over it and get tangled. Let him hold his head comfortably, not too high, not too low.

Calm an excited horse. A worried or excited horse will dance around and throw his head up in the air. The worst thing you can do is try to make him stand still. His next trick will be to explode and take off. Let him move a little, maybe in a tight circle around you. Face him toward something that scares him, but don’t make him get closer until he calms down. Watch his ears so you can identify the source of his discomfort.

The “flight or fight” response is deeply ingrained in a horse’s brain. He will react quickly, and if he can’t get away from something that scares him, he’ll strike out and fight. Let him work out his nerves by moving his feet until he calms down. Walk him away from the scary thing.

Have the owner show you how to work a quick-release snap on the lead rope. It’s better to let him get away than be injured. I’ll talk about how to catch a loose horse in my next post.

Is horse care right for you? If you decide all this is too much for you, say so. There are many calm, sweet horses that are easy to handle, and I hope you get to pet sit those! There are also flighty, spirited, “hot” horses that even the owner can barely deal with. You might want to pass on those assignments, unless you are just throwing hay in the stall. I’ve had horses for almost 20 years, and I’d still rather not care for a hard-to-handle horse.

Get a phone number of a local backup person to call if you need help, no matter how sweet and easy going your new equine client is.