Archive for the ‘Pet Care’ Category

Professional pet sitters are experienced, insured and full time pet care providers. There are many reasons to hire a professional pet sitter or dog walker.

Instead of dropping your dog off at the local kennel or at the veterinarian’s office, a professional pet sitter comes to your house and cares for your pet in the environment that they are most comfortable in. Some pet sitters also provide boarding in their homes. Terry Albert of Poway Pet Care is a perfect example of this. She provides in your home pet sitting, and in her home pet boarding.

Most professional pet sitters also provide dog walking services. This is great for people who work long hours, have an appointment after work, or just want their dog to get some extra exercise.

There are many benefits for you and your pet to hiring a professional pet sitter and dog walker.

• Your pets gets to stay in familiar surroundings with all of the smells and comforts that they are accustomed to
• Your pets get to keep their eating, exercising and bathroom routines, there is no risk of someone feeding your pet the wrong food
• Your pets get one on one play time, snuggle time and quality time
• Your pets’ health, happiness and well being will be monitored closely
• Professional pet sitters can administer medications and injections that your pet may need and there is no worry that your pet will get the wrong medicine, too much or too little of their medicine, or the wrong pet’s medicine
• No exposure to other animal’s illnesses (kennel cough, parvo) or parasites (fleas, worms, etc)
• No travel time or trauma (not all pets travel well)
• Having your home being cared for while you’re away; burglars are less likely to target a home with a person coming in and out
• Pet sitters can water your plants and lawn, bring in your newspapers and mail, bring in packages, check doors and windows to be sure everything is secure, alternate opening blinds and turning on lights to give your home a lived in look, and many other functions
• Having the confidence that your pets are in professional hands and can handle any issue that may arise calmly, efficiently and assertively
• And last but not least, you don’t have to feel as if you are imposing on neighbors, friends and relatives

Before You Hire A Pet Sitter:

There are a lot of resources where you can find professional pet sitters in your area. A great one in Georgia is Georgia Network of Professional Pet Sitters (GNPP) . You can use their zip code or city finder and find a great professional in your area.

Make sure you get a warm and fuzzy feeling from your sitter. If the person doesn’t insist upon meeting you and your pets before your trip, this is a big red flag. Professional pet sitters want to meet and get to know you and your pets before agreeing on service. When you meet, the sitter should be very interested in your pets, interacting with them and asking questions about your pets.

A professional pet sitter will be able to provide you with a copy of their insurance policy and a list of references. They will have informational sheets about you and your pets for you to fill out and also a contract of service.

When you’re telling the sitter about your pets and their routine, eating habits, etc., watch to see if they are engaged in what you’re saying and paying attention. During this “meet and greet,” make sure to tell the pet sitter about any special needs you pet may have, such as medications, illnesses or conditions or special dietary needs.

Please look into all avenues before deciding what to do with your pet while you’re out of town or working all day. It depends on your pet’s personality where they’ll be happiest. If you decide on a doggy daycare or boarding kennel, please stop in there randomly and ask to see the back where the dogs are. If they won’t let you, that’s a red flag. In my humble opinion, pets are happiest at home.

The ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned.  – Maya Angelou

While researching this subject, I found that there are MANY toxic dangers out there for your pets. I did my best to collect them all and put them in a readable and organized list. Please let me know if I left anything out and I’ll add it. There is so much, make sure that if you think that your pet has ingested or breathed or touched something that is making them act weird or feel bad, get them to the vet first and ask questions later. You could save their life.

PLANTS

Aloe Vera
Amaryllis
Apple (seeds)
Apricot (pit)
Arrowhead
Asparagus Fern
Avocado
Autumn Crocus
Azalea
Baneberry
Begonia
Bird of Paradise
Black Locust
Black Walnut
Bleeding Heart
Boston Ivy
Caladium
California Poppy
Calla Lily
Carnation
Castor Bean
Ceriman
Cherry (seeds, wilting leaves, and pit)
Chinese Evergreen
Chives
Christmas Rose
Chrysanthemum
Clematis
Corn Plant
Crocus
Croton
Crown of Thorns
Crown Vetch
Cyclamen
Daffodil
Delphinium
Devil’s Ivy
Dicentra
Dieffenbachia
Donkey Tail
Dumb Cane
Dutchman’s Breeches
Easter Lily
Elderberry
Elephant Ears
English Ivy
Eucalyptus
Fiddle-leaf Fig
Florida Beauty
Four O’Clock
Foxglove
Foxtail
Fruit Salad Plant
German Ivy
Gladiola
Hemlock
Holly
Honeysuckle
Hurricane Plant
Hyacinth
Hydrangea
Iris
Ivy
Jack in the Pulpit
Japanese Yew
Jerusalem Cherry
Jimson Weed
Jonquil
Kalanchoe
Lamb’s quarter
Lantana
Larkspur
Laurel
Lily
Lily of the Valley
Lobelia
Locoweed
Lords-and-Ladies
Lupine
Marigold (Marsh Marigold)
Marijuana
Mayapple
Mexican Breadfruit
Milkweed
Mistletoe
Monkshood
Morning Glory
Mother-in-Law plant
Mother-in-Law’s Tongue
Mountain Laurel
Mushrooms
Narcissus
Nephthytis
Nightshade
Oak Tree (buds and acorns)
Oleander
Onion
Peace Lily
Peach (wilting leaves and pits)
Pencil Tree
Philodendron
Pigweed
Poinsettia
Poison Ivy
Poison Hemlock
Poison Oak
Poison Sumac
Poppy
Potato (all green parts)
Pothos
Precatory Bean
Rhododendron
Rhubarb
Ribbon Cactus
Rubber Tree
Sago Palm
Schefflera
Shamrock Plant
Snake Plant
Snow on the Mountain
Sorghum
Star of Bethlehem
Stinging Nettle
Stinkweed
Swiss Cheese Plant
Taro Vine
Toadstools
Tobacco
Tomato Plant (entire plant except ripe fruit)
Umbrella Tree
Water Hemlock
Weeping Fig
Wisteria
Yew

FOODS
Alcoholic beverages
Apple seeds
Apricot pits
Avocados—toxic to birds, mice, rabbits, horses, cattle and dairy goats
Cherry pits
Candy (particularly chocolate, which is toxic to dogs, cats and ferrets, and any candy containing the sweetener Xylitol)
Coffee (grounds, beans, chocolate covered espresso beans)
Garlic
Grapes
Hops (used in home beer brewing)
Macadamia nuts
Moldy foods
Mushroom plants
Mustard seeds
Onions and onion powder
Peach pits
Potato leaves and stems (green parts)
Raisins
Rhubarb leaves
Salt
Tea (caffeine)
Tomato leaves and stems (green parts)
Walnuts
Yeast dough

This information was gathered from several sources.

The kind man feeds his beast before sitting down to dinner. ~Hebrew Proverb