Scottsdale Pet Expert

Author Archive

If you lost a dog in Scottsdale, Az, or anywhere for that matter it could be a really scary time.  Holding back the tears, you are crazed with what you should do. Time is of the essence and it is time to kick it into high gear to get the word out to everyone you know. Here are some tips to consider if this horrifying occurrence ever happens to you.

1. Immediately start posting on websites like: www.findingfido.com, www.petfinder.com, www.craigslist.com
2. Contact the local vets, groomers, and pet shops in your area.
3. Contact guard gates if you have them in your community.
4. Announce it on your Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin. These days you can really get your alert to spread virally.
5. If you are a client of Bella’s House & Pet Sitting contact us and we will help get the word out for you. You are a part of our family and we want to help. We will help put the word out on our social media and help you hang fliers.

Time is of the essence in these situations. To ensure that your pet IS returned to you safely please consider micro-chipping them. If your pet IS micro chipped confirm that your correct information is on record and that the company is still in business

Dog Tips Rattlesnake Aversion Trainingby Mark Siebel – Owner – DOGGIE STEPS Dog Training

Dogs are man’s best friend…NOT rattlesnakes. Snakes are an intricate component to our AZ desert ecosystem but can pose a threat to our dogs if confronted. As prey driven animals, dogs are naturally curious and driven to new scents, sounds, and motion.

If confronted with a snake, it is our goal to have control of our dog to ensure a snake bite does not follow.With this said, there are a few basic commands and procedures to take that better the odds of having more control of your dog upon meeting a snake.

Given the odds are higher of a snake encounter when living in the Southwest, take time to learn about the specific area in which you live and time of year when snakes will be more active. Below are a few tips to better your chances of a safe rattlesnake encounter:

1. “Leave it” and “stay” commands. “Leave it” is a simple “halt” or “wait” command. We want the dog to hear this and cease forward motion. Practice by gently holding your dogs collar, command “leave it”, drop a treat, wait 2 seconds, pick up the treat, pet your dog and reply “good leave it”. Also, the “stay” command is very effective in stopping your dog. Have your dog sit and then raise your hand and command “stay”. Walk to your dog and praise “good stay”. Both these commands will prove effective in controlling your dog from critters. If your dog is ever bitten by a snake, give them 1 Benadryl tab (25mg or less) and get them to the closest vet ASAP.

2. Simulated role play. Most snake training methods will use an E correction (shock) collar in the training of snake confrontation. I prefer to use this as a LAST resort. I’d recommend buying a $5 rubber snake from your local store. Then, with a metal pot and metal spoon, time it to where your dog approaches the snake and is within 4 feet of it, then RING THE POT WITH THE SPOON and command “leave it”. You want to condition or scare your dog into making the connection that snakes are not favorable to approach.

3. I always recommend LEASHING your dog on any desert hike for safety. Also, always look ahead on the trail for any visible movement OR sounds/rattles of a potential snake. So, lace up your boots and leash up your dog and hit the trails! Just be aware of any slithery varmints that may be out for a cruise.

Mark Siebel has trained over 900+ Arizona Valley dogs, has dog training tips published monthly in various AZ magazines, appears on NBC Arizona Midday, ABC Sonoran Living, Channel 3-AZ FAMILY, FOX 10 News, speaks regularly with local schools youth groups about the importance of dog safety and ownership, and donates time to kids who want to learn more about dogs. He is a member of APPSA (Arizona Professional Pet Sitters Association) and ASC of Arizona (Australian Shepherd Club of Arizona). Mark owns (2) Australian Shepherds named Leinie and Kugel. Voted 2008 runner-up, and 2009 WINNER “Best Dog Trainer in Phoenix” by SonoranTails Pet Magazine. DOGGIE STEPS Dog Training has services in Phoenix, Las Vegas, San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. For more information or general dog questions, go to: http://www.doggiestepsdogtraining.com/index.html or call Mark @602.318.0122.

It is said that it takes more energy to be angry than to be happy. Being in the pet industry, how could one ever be angry? Personally, I am greeted by wagging tails, sloppy kisses, and purring kitties most of the day. It is great!

As some of you may (or may not know) I am also a business coach. I coach people all over the United States and Canada on how to perfect their small home based, service providing business. (www.jumpconsulting.net) A few weeks ago I was helping a person with a billiard company and we “shopped” his competition by calling his biggest competitor. The first five minutes of the conversation was this other business owner trash talking his “competition.” I was appalled and honestly turned off listening to him. This person spent so much energy on being negative, and not highlighting the positives about his business that he actually came off as insecure. Next, we explored the advertising mediums. As suspected, this same person’s “cheery” disposition  was also reflected in the print media they were utilizing (NOT).

Most recently, I was searching through pet sitting websites. I am sad to say that I found a similar incident. It surprises me how some want to focus on (what they perceive to be) the negative’s of other businesses, while ignoring the fact that they should be spending their time, energy, and advertising opportunity to positively highlight the caliber of their business. How about highlighting the good things about your business and why you are different rather than bashing other companies? Take the high road. Be confident. Set yourself apart from the rest by being unique. Slinging mud is for the playground. Slinging mud shows immaturity in oneself, their business, and their integrity.

I am not sure how you all feel, and would love to know, but wouldn’t you feel a little put off if you were trying to research or buy from a company and all they were doing was bashing the other businesses in the industry? I don’t even want to call it competition, because clearly, the the two are on different levels. My impression was that this other billiard company (and pet sitting company) was highly insecure, and perhaps even bitter about something?

In any case I would not want either one working for me if I was looking for a company to hire. I would wonder how credible their business is if they are making the decision to invest their time into slinging mud on other companies instead of improving their own. Lets face it, in the world we live in…who needs more negative energy?

More energy spent on being angry =  less energy spent on the business?

One reader commented on this blog as soon as I posted it to my Facebook page saying,

“When I am talking to a business owner and all they want to do is slam their competition I get annoyed. There is a level of defensiveness that goes on in that situation that makes wonder if said business owner is doing that just to cover his own shortcomings JUST to make the sale. I am almost always 100% less likely to do business with someone who acts like this.”

Hmmmmm?

What do you think?