Pet Sitting, Dog Walking, Scottsdale, AZ

We have all heard comments referring to dogs as being less intelligent than cats.  Comments that are usually said in an endearing

Photo: CWLife Photography

fashion regarding the silly antics of dogs and their happy, go-lucky attitudes.  However, everyone who has a pooch in their family knows they are more intelligent than we give them credit for.

Doggie Knowledge

1.  Wagging your tail reduces stress

2.  Humans often throw things they are holding and then use the expletive “fetch”.  The polite thing to do is retrieve it and bring it back to them.  Don’t be suprised if they just end up throwing it again.

3.  If you feel like you are not getting enough attention try chewing on the couch.  It works every time.

4.  A “good dog” gets the most treats.

5.  Dog park etiquette dictates you must sniff your fellow dog in introduction before engaging in play.

6.  Whatever food falls from the table is automatically yours.  For the most scraps station yourself near children and babies.

7.  Don’t let the cat fool you.  If it is pretending it wants to play with you it is only setting a trap to get in you in trouble.

8.  The best place to store your valuables is in self dug holes in the backyard.  Be on the lookout for pesky squirrels who love digging for treasure. This is the reason dogs are forever chasing them.

If you liked this one, check out what the cat’s that we are cat sitting in Scottsdale are saying

So many times I am told, “My cat doesn’t need to be visited every 24 hours. Can you do every other day? Or maybe every 3 days?” When

I respond that we can not due to our policy, sometimes people don’t quite understand why we have the “We must visit cats every 24 hour policy”  We actually have a lot of clients who understand this and hire us to visit them twice a day and even overnights and day visits.

So, I asked all my pat sitting friends around the WORLD about all the things that they have walked in on. Below there are real life examples from pet sitters in USA, Canada, UK, Ireland, and Australia. Here are 25 reasons why it is important to visit cats at least every 24 hours :

1. Trapped in the closet by the cleaning crew
2. Shut off in a bedroom and unable to get to food, water or litter box by cleaning crew.
3. The client had shut the door to the bedroom without realizing the cat was still in there. It had no food,water, or litter box for 24 hours.
4. A cat who managed to crawl into a vent and got trapped into a wall inside the client’s closet.
5. We took care of a client’s pets for 10 days. They had two large dogs and a bunny rabbit (who lived outside). One of the dogs had bad diarrhea on the 4th day so while searching for more paper towels my sitter discovered two cats locked up in the basement. One of the cats was trapped in a back bedroom without food, water or litter box for days. He was very lethargic, limp and dehydrated. The clients said they didn’t tell us because they were self sufficient!
6. I look after a lot of cats. In my 20 or so months of business I’ve had: cat trapped behind refridgerator (long hair became caught in old style fridge coil); kitten down in-floor heating vent where the cover had come off (basement vent had to be dismantled to free her) – this also happened to my own kitten a few months earlier while I was sitting 3 feet away; heating failure in house (battery in thermostat ran out of juice!) – temperature was easily minus 20 when I got there (outside temp of minus 30+); sudden illness – kidney infection – cat fine one day, next visit was laying on the floor breathless with temperature and needed emergency vet visit. This last case was a twice a day visit so the illness started showing between evening visit and early AM the next day – imagine what had happened if I wasn’t visiting for 48 hours! All kits ended up being fine thank goodness.
7.  I have found cats been shut in closed bedroooms by error. Clients were in hurry to leave. Luckly we ID that were missing, and searched for them
8. Two kittens, only in the home 3 weeks Both “found” their way behind walls. We had to get a contractor over to cut holes in the wall the size of pizzas to save them.
9. It was actually my cats while we were away. A cat decided to not get along with the other two when we were gone and the other two got underneath the kitchen cabinets and stayed there – pee/pooped there, had no food, water.
10.  One cat got it’s stretchy collar stuck onto it’s lower jaw. He couldn’t have ever gotten it off by himself. My Mother’s cat got a hold of a glue strip meant for bugs. Got all four paws stuck!
11. frozen ac pipe so house HOT, trapped in closet by cleaning service, two cat household where one shut the other in the bathroom with the litter box (so one had the litter box and the other had food/water), cat knocked only water bowl to the floor, and urinary tract infection where cat was blocked and needed to see the vet asap.
12. Client shut the cat in a dresser drawer. Cat got into kitchen cabinet and other cat shut the door. Housekeepers closed cat into a room (happens all the time). Worst one was a cat who got “The Bird” toy wrapped around her front leg and it was knotted. If that had been EOD I’d have found a dead cat or the leg would have had to have been amputated.
13.  Trapped in a suitcase by movers.
14. Ate a plant and started throwing up.
15. Couple had just mover into their new home. Left for their honeymoon hadn’t unpacked anything. Cat jumped off the counter behind the fridge. Looked everywhere. At 11pm I figured where he was drove back to the house.
16. Closet by cleaning people a couple times, I found a clients cat trapped in a sofa cover. Luckily that was a twice a day client.
17. Cat had its head stuck between the rungs on the stairs.
    

    I Want A Cat Sitter Mom!

18. This wasn’t at a visit but my sister was taking care of someone’s cats in HER own home that they had recently moved into. The cats found a loose access panel in the wall and crawled in. They were walking all around inside the house walls and ceiling. It took a few days to get them out. My sister was about ready to cut a huge hole in her ceiling. YIKES!
19. Diabetic cat who was so scared of me he peed on the floor and the urine was brown — possibly sign of uti
20. Cat shut the door to his litter box located in the closet. This was a twice a day cat so I found this less than 12 hours after it happened. He sure was ready to use that litter box though when I came in the next morning.
21. Trapped behind a stove, fridge, in a bedroom a couple times, in the garage, outside…. Ya don’t even think about asking me for every other or every third day visits!! 12-24 hrs behind a stove or trapped in the spare room is long enough!!
22.  I have arrived to the first visit for a mostly outdoors cat, only to find him with a large hole in his cheek where presumably another cat had taken a chunk out of him. He healed with antibiotic cover from the vet.
23.  I’ve found cats locked in rooms without food, water or litter. I’ve found cats tangled in the cord of the mini blinds, I found indoor cats OUTDOORS when they managed to eat a hole in the window screen, found cats closed in the closet.
24. Our local e-vet posted on their FB page that a cat had to had it’s leg amputated due to getting caught in the mini blind cord. They did not say how long the cat was trapped.
25. Cat ran behind fridge when I arrived. If I had not seen this, she would have been trapped.

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After years of walking dogs, we have come up with some tips for you!

#1 -Leash

The essential in dog walking is a good leash. Many people opt for a simple collar with leash clipped on but for dogs who are pullers there are other options such as pinch collars and harnesses that give the walker added control. If you like your dog to have a varying amount of slack along the walk then retractable leashes are ideal because you can set a certain amount of leash line as you see fit while walking.

#2 – Water

Depending on the length of the walk you may want to bring along water and a container so your pooch can drink and not become dehydrated. Avid dog walkers seem to prefer the collapsible dishes as they are easy to fold up and pack around. It is also a good idea to bring along poop bags so you can clean up any business your dog may be leaving on the path. It is always important to make sure your pet has proper identification on his collar and is micro chipped just in case they slip their leash or run off when playing or swimming off leash.

#3 – Weather

Another important factor to think about when planning a walk with your dog includes weather conditions. If it is a cold brisk day then owners of small dogs or skinny dogs may consider equipping them with a dog jacket or sweater. On hot day you want to make sure to bring plenty of water and allow for breaks in shaded areas. If the temperature is in the 90′s or above it may be better to forgo a walk and instead exercise your dog indoors with toys and games.

#4 – Training

Last but not least is training your pet to walk on leash. It is important to teach them commands and control their behavior while on leash because you never know what situation may present itself. In Arizona we need to be on the look out for snakes and other dangerous wildlife. Running into an aggressive dog on a walk is also a concern and you will want to make sure that you will be able to maintain control of your dog and keep them safely by your side.

Walking with your dog is not only great exercise for you and your pet but it is also a fun way to spend time and bond. Being prepared before you set out will ensure a great experience for you and your furry companion. Happy Trails!
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Bailey (Photo credit: melfr99)

NOTE: Dog boarding and pet sitting are great for two different types of dogs. Luckily for us, we can offer you both services!  ALthough our boarding isn’t the type we are talking about below… it is personalized in your home!

If you have an upcoming vacation and your furry loved ones need to be cared for while you are away you have two options, hiring a pet sitter or boarding your animals, usually at a kennel facility.  There are pros and cons to each option and these can depend on your pets particular needs and temperaments.

Some dogs and cats do just fine at kennel facilities where as others not so much.  For many pets being moved out of their comfort zone to an unfamiliar place can produce a lot of stress.  Animals that suffer this stress can exhibit their anxiety by not eating and by being more susceptible to illness due to their discomfiture and the presence of other animals. Pet sitting is designed for these types of pets because they can stay in the comfort of their surroundings.  A trusted, reliable pet sitter will discuss with their clients the animals’ routine so feeding, playing, and potty schedules are kept as normal as possible.  They can accommodate specific requests such as medications and treats and give your pets more one on one care then they are likely to receive in a kennel where the caregivers are trying to balance the need of multiple pets.

A pet sitter will also perform extra services not related to pet care such as watering plants, collecting mail, and taking the trash to the curb.  They will give your home that lived in feel even while you are away.  For many pet owners this can give them an additional peace of mind knowing that their home is being looked after as well as their animals.

The con of hiring a pet sitter over boarding a pet is that it tends to be more expensive.  This higher cost is because the care giver is performing a more specialized service and is likely offering a full service.  Kennels often charge additional fees for add on services such as walks and medications where a pet sitter will include specific routines and pet needs in their standard rate.  They will also send you daily updates on your pet’s well being.

Last but not least there is the issue of convenience.  When you board your animal you have to make the trip to drop them off and pick them up when you return.  With a pet sitter you leave your pets and say your good byes in the comfort of your own home and are greeted with your pet’s happy faces as soon as you return.

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