Archive for June, 2009
How to leave your dog without them chewing you out of your home!
Recently we have been pet sitting for a household that has a pet that has sever separation anxiety. Perhaps you have experienced this before? You leave the house for work or errands and come back to things destroyed. I don’t mean like your dog chewed up a toy…I mean like couches are eaten, holes in the wall, and anything they can get their paws on has been scratched, and teeth on has been chewed. This is separation anxiety.
As professional pet sitters we see this all the time. Dogs are den animals. I believe the American Humane Society describes it perfectly:
Why use a den?
Dogs are den animals. They need their own sanctuary that is just large enough for them to fit inside and feel secure. They need a “home away from home” where they can go when they are stressed. If you don’t provide your dog a “den” of its own, it may make do with whatever is around — a chair, the narrow place behind the couch, or the wedge of space between the bed and the wall.
A crate is an indoor doghouse that is used for brief periods of time. Its primary function is to serve as a bed or den. It can also be an ideal tool to housetrain your pet or to keep canines that suffer from separation anxiety from destroying the house while you run a few errands. However, the dog is not supposed to live in the crate. Endless hours in the crate can lead to severe social and isolation problems for your dog — and it will no longer see the crate as a special retreat.
When you are home, your dog needs to be out with you. In fact, the crate should be kept in the room where the family spends most of its time. That way, your dog can seek refuge from the hubbub of household activity, yet still feel like a part of the family.
Once your dog realizes that the crate is a sanctuary and that no one can bother it while it is in its “den,” your dog will begin to seek out the crate on its own. For more information on crate training, call your local animal shelter.
More information that you should read can be found here: http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/our_pets_for_life_program/dog_behavior_tip_sheets/separation_anxiety.html
The next time you consider leaving for long amounts of time and your pet experiences anxiety, consider crating them, sectioning off part of the home, or providing them with a “safe” place. This will help easy their fears when mom and dad is not there.
This information has been provided to you by Danielle Vasta, the Pack Leader for Bella’s House & Pet Sitting in Scottsdale AZ. Danielle has been recongnised as a pet sitting expert in The FabJob Guide to Becoming a Pet Sitter, Martha Stewarts Cat Chat Radio Show, NPRs Dog Talk Radio, East Valley Tribune, Arizona Republic and more. Danielle is also the founder of Bella’s Business Consulting and the co founder of The Business of Pet Sitting online community.
Playing ball, standing on hind legs, and drool = just another day of pet sitting at Bella’s!
Day visits are one of our most popular services at Bella’s House & Pet Sitting. Customizable programs for each client always result in drastically different routines, thrown in with each pets different personality, and you have quite the fun filled day if your working at Bella’s. For those of you who may wonder, “What do you actually do when pet sitting?” Here is a great recap of just some of what has happened over the weekend.
Blue and DeeDee have begged for treats after a walk….
Capone drooling for his breakfast (can you see the drool?) He is such a love bug!
And last but not least…the best dressed of them all – Idefix! Playing with his ball in the house! 
Each day is such a blessing being able to play, walk, feed, and love on all these fur kids For more services, view: www.BellasHouseAndPets.com/services
4 ways to GO GREEN with your pets!
The following was written by a PRO Member on The Business of Pet Sitting online communiuty by one of my members. It is a place where pet sitting business owners come together to be inspired, motivated, and challenged. www.TheBusinessofPetSitting.com
There are many ways you can help the environment when it comes to your pet. Here are four ways:
Clorox, Lysol and many other cleaning chemicals are common household items these days, but I’ve recently discovered that straight vinegar or various diluted versions can be used instead of most of these products. A quick internet search will provide you with more uses than you can imagine. See these articles for more info:
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/vin…old-germs.html
http://www.healthylegacy.org/consumer_cleaning.cfm
Disposing of Pet Waste
There are pros and cons to the different methods.Flushing: Pro – waste gets treated at the sewage treatment plant
Using biodegradable bags and throwing in trash: Pro – plastic bags are not sitting in landfills forever; Con – even biodegradable bags can remain intact for quite some time if not in the right conditions (exposure to air, etc), pet waste can enter the ground and contaminate fresh water sources
Composting/Burying: Pro – you are in control of where the waste goes; Con – since pet waste often contains parasites, MUCH CAUTION must be used in order to successfully use this method.
http://www.poopbags.com/Facts.html
http://www.greenstar.coop/greenleaf/…ty-litter.html
–My city lists the recyclable items it takes on their website. You may be surprised at what you find on your local list. Practically all plastics are recyclable these days…even plastic bags can be recycled in bins at grocery stores or Wal-Mart. (Here is Scottsdale’s: http://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/Recycle/RecycleList.asp)
–I often find myself filling a glass of water then never drinking it all, so rather than pouring it down the drain, I put it in the dog bowl. They don’t mind that it’s been sitting out all day.
–We all have home offices, so be sure to use natural light during the day when possible and energy efficient light bulbs.
–Unplug appliances/electronics when not in use.
This information has been written by:
Amanda Gomez-Vidal
AGV Pet Sitting & More
www.MyAZPetSitter.com
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