This is Zeke.

Zeke needed a pet taxi last week while his mom was caught up in work.  He is such an AWESOME dog! He actually runs out the front door and grabs the newspaper to bring it in the house in the morning.   

Poor Zeke managed to break his front leg and needed his cast taken off and a split put on. His Mom had a full day of work so Bella’s stepped in and helped out. This is a pic of Zeke and I off to the Animal Medical Surgical Center. It was the first time I actually had been in there and it is quite amazing! Dr. Pullen (who built the facility and head vet) actually spoke with me about Zeke. While in the waiting room I saw all the awards this hospital has received. Very impressive! I would suggest checking them out sometime.

See his cast at the bottom of the screen? He doesn’t even notice it is on. In fact when I picked him up it was quite the sight. He was dragging the vet tec behind his because he was running out to the lobby to see me! It was priceless.

Anyhow, if you EVER need to get your four legged loved one to the VET, or picked up from BOARDING because you are arriving home at a time they are closed, or just need them picked up or dropped off to doggy day care – give us a call! We are here to help and provide you with our PET TAXI SERVCIE!

This information has been provided to you by Danielle Vasta, Owner of Bella’s House & Pet Sitting. Please contact her at: (480)330-4552 or www.BellasHouseAndPets.com for any of your pet sitting needs.

By Tracie Hotchner, The Dog Bible

Dogs can suffer from heatstroke easily: conditions that may not even be uncomfortable for you may be life threatening to your pooch. [Especially pets in Scottsdale, AZ where it is so hot!] Jogging with an owner on a hot day is defiantly dangerous: even going for a walk with him when it’s very hot can cause heatstroke. There are times when exposing a dog to direct sun through the window of a moving car even an air-conditioned one can be risky. There have been cases of small dogs actually dying in a car being driven by their owners in very hot, sunny conditions.

Dogs are susceptible to the effects of heat because their skin works differently than ours. We have many sweat glands and tiny capillaries in our skin, and the sweat we produce when we get overheated evaporates, which cools the blood in those capillaries. Dog skin has neither sweat glands nor blood-cooling capillaries.

Dogs cool themselves by panting, which allows cooler air into their lungs to dissipate their body heat. Blood vessels in the tough and mouth are cooled as the saliva evaporates. Panting is not an efficient cooling system, and a dog can easily enter the danger zone: the point at which he cannot cool himself down.

Ways to keep your dog cool in the heat:

1. Walk your dog in the cool of the day, preferably early in the morning. Even by the end of the day when the sun has gone down, the pavement is still very hot.
2. Stand on grass or shaded surfaces when outdoors with your dog: asphalt and concrete absorb heat and can burn footpads.
3. Always take along water and a bowl anytime you’re out and about with your dog, but especially in hot weather.
4. Don’t shave off all your dogs hair. You may think that fur is hotter, but a pets fur actually helps insulate him from the heat (and can help prevent sunburn). Try a puppy cut instead.
5. Fill a hard-sided plastic kiddie-pool with water: your dog(s) can use it to drink from and to walk or lie down to cool off, especially after walking or playing.
6. Leave your dog home when you run errands-your car turns into an oven in minutes. (Even when it is 70 out!!!)

Did you know???  Dogs body temperature should be 104F

This information has been provided to you by Danielle Vasta, Owner of Bella’s House & Pet Sitting. Please contact her at: (480)330-4552 or www.BellasHouseAndPets.com for any of your pet sitting needs!

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.

I had a really great lunch yesterday at Christopher’s at the Biltmore. If you have not been there yet – I would suggest you try it! It is fabulous, AND they allow pets on their shaded posh patio called Crush! www.christophersaz.com

While enjoying our delicious lunch (might I recommend the Lamb Lollipops?) I had a stomach workout from laughing so hard when I heard a pet sitting story from one of the gals, because it was just so funny.

It seemed as though her friend asked her to care for her pet while she was gone for a week. “Of course!” she said. Well each day she arrived all the dogs’ food and water were gone. This was alarming to her and she felt bad for the dog because she didn’t want him to go hungry. So she dragged the bag out of the closet, tore it open and said, “Here doggie, eat as much as you like.” She then took the hose outside and left it on very lightly thinking that the pet would drink from the hose instead of his water bowl.

My friend returned a few DAYS later to find that the backyard was flooded and the dog ate all the food. She was mortified, thinking – how can this dog eat that much?!?!? She went to find out what kind of food it was so she could buy more, but the dog had chewed through the bag and scattered it all over the yard. So she went into the pet food store and just chose any brand, thinking they are all pretty much the same.

This friend of my mine then told her friend that she had “indulged” her pet and “spoiled” him because she didn’t want the dog to go hungry. Never really telling her the whole truth.

Now this is a pretty funny story from the outside looking in. However, this could have resulted in numerous EXPENSIVE consequences:

1. The dog could have eaten so much that his intestines could have flipped or bloat could have happened. Both are life threatening.
2. The water could have seeped into the home and flooded the house, or even the neighbors home! Water damage equals LOTS of DAMAGE resulting in LOTS OF MONEY!
3. The pet could have eaten something ELSE and choked or it could have been toxic.
4. The water seeping out of the yard could have been an alert to burglars that the house was unattended and they could have broken in.
5. …and much more.

With Bella’s House & Pet Sitting we are pet EXPERTS that care properly for your pet. Their health and safety are two of the most important things to us. The security of your home is crucial while you are away and when you travel. Professionals should be caring for these important parts of your life – Not a friend, neighbor, or the kid next door. They are not qualified.

Just another service offered by Bella’s House & Pet Sitting to help promote our customized packages and care for your home when you can not be there.  Currently I am sitting with Abby and JHawk and the cleaning ladies are here as well as the TV repair men. This is JHawk (Golden) looking at me like, “when is my TV going to be done and these vacuums’ be off?” Abby asking me, “Why aren’t they here to play and love on me like you are?” Just adorable!

Let us know anytime when you need to be two places at once. We will wait when you can’t. Bella’s House & Pet Sitting in Scottsdale AZ always strives to be the best!

http://www.BellasHouseAndPets.com

By Danielle Vasta

Is your dog responsible for the disruption of your neighbors peaceful day while you are at work or running errands? I know this can be a huge problem here on the ranch, and we have serviced residents that have had these problems. Barking dogs can result in noise complaints to authorities and conflicts with neighbors. Good news is, it is a behavioral problem and there is a fix for this! It takes some time, but try these tips if you encounter this problem:
 

1) Dogs bark to get your attention. Next time he does this when you are home, ignore it!

2) If they are barking, it could be because they are not used to being left alone. Practice leaving them alone and sneak back to your house to determine when the barking is happening.

3) If he barks when you leave, do not make a big deal (or say good bye) when you leave the house. Turn the tv or radio on so he still hears sound.

4) If he barks after a long while, they are board. Leave them a doggy popsicle in a kong or chew for them to gnaw on for hours. (contact me for free recipes!)

5) Hire a pet sitter to come into your home and exercise and play with your dog. Chances are they are board because you are gone for 8+ hours a day!

Remember, this is a serious problem and should not be taken lightly. It is getting to heat up this time of year and leaving pets alone outside and unattended could be fatal. Keep them indoors and consider giving them a friend at Bella’s to keep them company! Special discount if you mention this article. This article has been provided to you from Bella’s House & Pet Sitting (480)330-4552. See our website for more information. www.BellasHouseAndPets.com

See Jenny, my dear friend, and inventor of Bowser beer on AzFamily 3TV:

http://www.azfamily.com/video/index.html?nvid=262743&shu=1

Is Your Dog Drinking Responsibly?

1. Does he need a ‘designated walker’ to return home from parties?
2. Does he take sips of your beer?
3. Does he evoke pangs of guilt in you when he looks longingly at your cold, frosty, beer?
4. Do you give in to those pangs of guilt?
5. Does he feel inadequate when the invitation says ‘BYOB’?
6. Do you find tell-tale nose/tongue prints on your drink glass when you aren’t looking?
7. Has his Santa wish-list outgrown tennis balls and dog cookies?
8. Does he get excited when your favorite team scores, requiring yet another trip to the water bowl?
9. Does he think life is just one big party?
10. Are you the center of his universe?

If you have answered ‘Yes’ to any or all of these, it’s time to pick up a 6-pack of Bowser Beer™!
For more information please visit: www.3busydogs.com

Bowser Beer is apart of Bella’s House & Pet Sitting’s Concierge Program.

www.BellasHouseAndPets.com

Recently there was a terrible tragedy that all parents brining new born into the home can learn from. This story features Bella’s House & Pet Sitting’s preferred dog trainer, Mark Siebel of Doggy Steps Dog Training (www.doggiestepsdogtraining.com) as an expert that the news looks to for an answer. Mark’s services are the very best in the valley and we highly recommend his service.

Follow this link: http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/dpp/news/dog_behavior_030509

Follow this link: http://www.azfamily.com/video/localnews-index.html?nvid=338964

This information has been provided to you via Bella’s House & Pet Sitting www.BellasHouseAndPets.com

http://mcdowellmtnvet.com/

(480) 419-6300

Written by: Carol Kaplan to be seen in the next addition of Helene’s Newsletter. Or you can go online to view it at: http://www.mmr-homes.com/newsletters_current.asp?type=Current

The hospital, which is located behind the CVS Drugstore in the Windgate Crossing Center (on the NW corner of Thompson Peak Parkway and Bell Road), is a full service clinic providing all phases of medicine – routine care, surgery, dental, hospitalization, full diagnostic lab and in-house testing, radiology, pharmacy, ophthalmology, dermatology, bathing, medical boarding and ER services – for dogs, cats and an array of “pocket pets” (i.e. rabbits, gerbils, hamsters, guinea pigs and ferrets).

As you might imagine, the facility is absolutely state-of-the-art and even includes a neo-natal ICU, ultra sound equipment and digital dental x-ray machinery.

The chief caregiver is Dr Caroline “Casey” Magargle. Dr. Casey (as she prefers to be called) has an extensive medical background for someone so young. Indications are that began her practice at age 4 by bandaging all her stuffed animals and establishing a recovery ward in her bedroom. By age 14, she elected to build on that experience by working in the kennels of local veterinary and that exposure pretty much “locked in” her career path.

hospitals

The next step was ASU where she graduated summa cum laude with a pre-veterinary major. From there she proceeded to obtain a degree from the highly respected Veterinary Medical School at Colorado State University and followed that with an internship in ultrasound technology. Over the next five years she honed her skills at a very nice animal hospital in south Scottsdale while working toward her long term goal —establishing a practice of her own here in North Scottsdale where she lives with her husband, Todd, and three rescue animals — two cats and a dog.

Given that the hospital has just debuted, it was extremely reassuring to discover that it is already well on its way to accreditation by the American Animal Hospital Association. This organization evaluates hospitals based on quality of care, the diagnostic skills of the staff and the availability of cutting edge technology. The guidelines for receiving this accreditation are so strict that thus far, only 19% of the hospitals in the country have actually qualified.

Still, technical competence is only one part of the picture. Compassion and customer service are just as important and we’re please to say that  Dr. Casey and her staff offer gentle, compassionate care and the kind of personal attention we wish were available everywhere.

Not only will you be recognized and welcomed when you walk in but the doctor always makes it a point to speak with you directly regardless of the reason for your visit. She believes that getting to know pets and their parents on a personal level is a key element in providing proper care.

Appointments are generally a 1/2 hour, and every effort is taken to minimize anxiety and pain for animals — without resorting to physical restraints. Dr Casey firmly believes that pets do not heal as effectively if they are nervous or in pain.

Why not stop by and get acquainted with Dr. Casey and her very professional staff.

In fact, bring your furry friends and let them check out the facility as well. After all, families should make these kind of care decisions collectively. Incidentally, the hospital even has a behaviorist/trainer on call who will be offering both general classes and one-on-one sessions with clients.

McDowell Mountain
Animal Hospital

http://mcdowellmtnvet.com/

(480) 419-6300