Friday, October 31, 2014

Halloween Safety Tips and Some Cute Cat Costumes




Happy Halloween everyone! It's a gloomy, rainy day in the Bay Area, perfect Halloween weather. But with all the fun we humans have on this costume wearing and candy filled day, it can be truly frightening to our pets. 

The door bell rings and knocking at the door repeatedly, at night, and we open it up to small "creatures" dressed up as zombies, princesses, ninja's etc, etc, etc screaming "TRICK OR TREAT!!!". Wow, now read that sentence again imagining the same scenario from your pet's eyes. Pretty scary huh?! Over the weeks, as neighbors have decorated their house in ghoulish designs, some of the dogs I've been walking have stared at these decorations in true confusion and worry. Our pets don't know what's going on and this seemingly innocent and fun tradition can scare them so much that they may run away from home and can end up hit by a car or, if they are lucky, in a shelter. Black cats especially need to be kept inside tonight as sometimes they are captured to be used in sick, depraved and torturous evil rituals. Below, I've included several links to tips about keeping your pets safe this Halloween. 






Dogs Gone Boo
This is a great list of 13 tips to keep your dog calm tonight as trick or treaters stop by.   

5 Halloween Pet Dangers
Straight from the vet's mouth. Here are 5 things that are dangerous to our pets during Halloween.

28 Halloween Costumes for Cats
And now for something cute!

Just remember, while we love Halloween, it can be a real nightmare to our pets. Please consider their safety tonight as you go on the hunt for candy, or as you are handing out candy. 

If you dressed up your pet this Halloween, please post a pic to my Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/jennspettlc

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

October already?!!



 -autumn-clipart-2



Wow! Is it really October already?! I can’t believe how fast this year is flying by. I hope you all had a lovely summer. I was working for most of it. A lot of my clients took long vacations this year. My vacation will come later…I hope :) Anyway I wanted to use this blog post to update you all on some changes I’m thinking about for Jenn’s Pet TLC and an update about Pet Sparkle.

For Jenn’s Pet TLC:

1.   I have changed how I do the daily dog walks. Up until this week, I did individual walks and went from house to house to walk dogs in their neighborhood. And in the beginning, when I didn’t have many stops to make, it was a great way to utilize my time. However, 5 years later and many more dog walks later, the individual model is not really working anymore. It’s tough to get everyone out before the heat of the day, especially in the summer and in the winter it’s hard to get everyone out in the day light hours. So, I am starting pack walks instead of the individual walks. I won’t completely be quitting the individual walks (I know some dogs don’t get along with others) and I believe most of my dogs can handle the pack walk. With the pack walk, the dogs get the socialization they need along with the exercise they need and it takes less of a toll on me. Group dog park visits are also going to be an option.  

2.  I will also be starting contracts at the beginning of the year. I want to make absolutely sure that everyone (me, my contractors and owners) is on the same page and have the same understanding about the expectations regarding pet sitting and/or dog walking. Please don’t take offense to the contract; I am simply taking out all the guess work in caring for your pet. I have had a few instances of miscommunication and misunderstanding between myself and/or a contractors and owners. I want to avoid this in the future by having everything in writing. I will probably mail them in December to current clients and I will start now for new clients. Please sign and return by mail to P.O. Box 4070 San Jose, CA 95150.
  
3. I will also soon be uploading my policies to my website. You all are great! I just want to make sure we are all on the same page again and ensure that no one is unclear about what is to be expected. I will not be publishing my prices online, but I will be creating a hard copy price chart that is available upon request.

      4. I would also like to add a “testimonials” page to my website. I would love for those of you who have used my services to share your experiences with others who happen upon my site. In my experience, word of mouth is the best way to get great service providers.
 
      5. And one final thing I will be starting at the beginning of the year is a quarterly newsletter sent via email. It won’t be very long or annoying; it will include things like my days off, pet tips, pictures, upcoming events, etc.


So Pet Sparkle had a nice little bump in sales over the summer, which was really awesome! It was really fun creating the key chains for all the orders and mailing them off. Making them was a nice break from the crazy of pet sits all summer. I’ve added pictures of all the orders (well all but one, I forgot to take a picture before I sent it) on my Facebook page and on my shop page. All the profits from the sales are going towards the down payment of a manufactured home we are hoping to get.   

Well no post would be complete without a tip from your friendly neighborhood pet sitter, so here it is. With school back in swing and schedules getting crazy, don’t forget to make sure your pet gets its exercise. If you simply have no time between work, kids, sports/scouts/clubs etc, hire someone like me to take them out, or take them to doggie day care. You can do just a few hours or all day. 


Heads up...Halloween is coming. Be on the lookout for a Halloween tips blog soon.
Happy Fall!!
 Jack-O-Lantern With Black Cat

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Happy Birthday Jenn's Pet TLC and Happy 4th of July America!!!



 

Wow, I can't believe it!! In June, Jenn's Pet TLC celebrated 5 years of being in business! It's been an exciting 5 years with lots of lessons learned. Of course I have also met a lot of awesome pets and their pet parents. I'm proud to say that I have most of my original clientele and I'm adding awesome pets all the time. In fact, I've added so many awesome pets, that I've I hired my first independent contractors in June as well to help me care for everyone. Things are going nothing but up for Jenn's Pet TLC and I'm super excited to see what the future has in store. The pet industry is only expanding and we're expanding with it. Of course none of this would be possible if I didn't have such great clients. A huge THANK YOU to all of you!! Wish us luck and may the next 5 years be more amazing than the last 5 years!!


This has to be one of my favorite pictures of all time! Thank you veterans and current service members for your service to our country!! photo credit

But now it's July and that means the 4th of July is right around the corner, literally it's this Friday! While we may love all the festivities and showing our pride for this amazing country we live in, remember that your pets don't understand what's going on and they can easily become frightened. If need be, ask the vet for a sedative that you can give your pet if they are very frightened by the fireworks. It's better for them to be groggy than panicked. Another product that has had mixed reviews is the Thunder Shirt. Their products are aimed at helping to alleviate your dogs anxiety. It's worth a look. Here is a top ten list of 4th of July pet safety tips. A more detailed list is in the link below.

10. Keep pets in at all times during the 4th
9. Don't put insect repellent on unless it's specifically for pets
8. No alcohol for pets
7. Leave your pet at home (and inside) if going to see a fireworks display
6. Have your pet properly identified
5. Keep pets from glow jewelery
4. NEVER use fireworks around pets
3. No table food
2. Be aware of where the lighter fluid and matches are, they are harmful to your pet
1. Citronella insect control devices are harmful to pets

Top 10 4th of July Pet Safety Tips

Check out this graphic too.
So by all means Have fun! Celebrate USA's 238th birthday. We have a lot of reasons to celebrate, but please remember to keep your pet(s) safe. So many pets go missing during the 4th of July, don't let your pet be one of them.

Saturday, May 31, 2014

Behavior: Your Dog or Cat and Part of My Journey

I must admit that this post is a bit of a rant so if you don't want to read my rant, please feel free to pass on this post but this is something that has been bothering me for quite a long time now. So now that you have been warned, here we go...

Behavior has always been something that I have been interested in; both in animals and in people. What we do and why we do it. In fact, my major in college was Social and Behavioral Sciences. I have learned over the years that understanding behavior in animals is leaps and bounds easier to figure out than the behavior of people. So why then do most of the people I come across on a daily basis have little to no understanding of what their animal or my animal is doing?? Granted, animals cannot speak with words, but they scream with their body language. Even knowing the basic elements of animal body language can help us understand our animals. The biggest example I have of people completely missing an animal's behavior is this: I take a few dogs to the dog park during the week, one of the dogs is totally insecure and has almost zero confidence in herself. In order to feel secure, she will attach herself to the nearest person and demand to be petted, to the point of being pushy and going between peoples legs. 99% of the people at the park think she is "so sweet", "so cute" or "oh you just love to be petted". My answer to that is NO!, well ok she is cute, but she is insecure with no confidence and she is looking for someone to validate these feelings. When someone pets her while her tail is between her legs and panting nervously, you are telling her "it's ok to feel this way", "you don't need to be secure". It makes me crazy when people give her affection while she is in this state because they are making her worse. I try to help her gain confidence at the park, but I get dirty/weird looks when I do. So frustrating!! By now you're probably thinking, well 'miss know it all', how in the heck am I supposed to know what a dog looks like when they are nervous? I'm glad you asked, please reference the picture below.

               Here is another chart about dog body language.

 


Please look over these charts to better understand what your dog's behavior means. It will lead to a stronger connection with your dog, guaranteed!

While we are on the subject of people at the dog park, I have found that there are 5 basic kinds of people that frequent the dog park. (1)The over protective dog parent. These are the people that bring their dog(s) to the park and don't let them behave like dogs. Yes, your dog will sniff other dogs butts, your dog will chase or be chased be other dogs. Yes, your dog will get dirty and slobbered on. Your dog's place on the pecking order will be challenged. Unless your dog is legitimately being attacked, leave the dog to behave like a dog! (2)The sit and forget dog parent. These are the people who bring their dog(s) to the park and then sit their butts in the chair the whole time never peeling their eyes away from their iphone until they want to go home. The dog poops...don't pick it up, the dog is a bully...don't care. The dog wants to play...whatever. Not good. (3)The housewives social hour dog parent. These are the people who bring their dog(s) to the park, and a few times check to make sure the dog isn't being bad, but the rest of time time they are chatting, gossiping and, in the evening, drinking with the other housewives. (4)The interactive dog parent. These are the people I love. They bring their dog(s), play with them and also let other dogs play with their dog. These people usually understand how dogs should behave and the dog leaves the park happy and tired. (5)The professional dog person and/or parent. I am included in this category but not all professionals are equal. I have ran into some professional dog people who have no clue how to control or understand the dogs in their care. Truly frustrating. But, I have also ran into professionals who know dog behavior and it's very refreshing.

Another great resource to understanding dog behavior and body language is Cesar Millan, the dog whisperer. He presents dog behavior in a very easy to understand way. I highly recommend any of his books or his shows The Dog Whisperer and Cesar 911. I have learned most of what I know about dog behavior from him and I have seen amazing results when I work with the dogs in my care. 

Now cats are easier to understand than dogs. If a cat's basic needs are met, they will be happy (barring any medical or psychological matters which need to be addressed by a vet). Cats are very territorial, so if they are secure in their territory, they will be happy. If there in nothing for them to claim, your cat will not be happy. Make sure your cat has something to claim as theirs. Also, there must also be enough litter boxes for each cat, plus one. A cat also needs a safe, quite place to call their own. Some cats are "tree dwellers" and some cats are "bush dwellers". Knowing which one your cat is is truly beneficial to helping your cat feel confident and secure. For "tree dwellers" high places are key, for "bush dwellers" low places are key. Feeding wet and dry food is also the best for kitty. Most cats will also love water fountains to drink from. To understand kitty body language, here is a chart:


 
If you've ever watched My Cat From Hell on Animal Planet, you then know about Jackson Galaxy. He is a great resource to understanding cat behavior. I always learn something new when I watch this show. I highly recommend it. 

Ok, well I feel better about getting this out. I feel that it is very important that if we are going to bring these pets into our lives, then we need to understand what they are telling us, why they behave the way they do and what makes them tick. No matter how hard you try, your dog will never be a human child nor will your cat. Your pet is an animal and will behave as such until your speak their language and communicate with them about how to properly behave. We owe it to our pets to communicate with them properly. Also, please remember that you are the leader of your pet. Become the Pack Leader! If all beings of the house understand each other, life becomes so peaceful. I'm not saying that you need to be an expert on pet behavior, but please, for your pets sake, gain a basic understanding to become a better pet parent. 

I could go on about every little thing that I've noticed while walking and caring for animals in the past 5 years, but that would be excessive and unnecessary.  You may have noticed that I didn't include anything about horses and that is because I could write an entire separate blog about horse body language and behavior. Maybe that will be next month's entry. I can't even find a chart like the ones above to reference. But the one chart I like to use was created by Parelli Natural Horsemanship, it helps determine horsenality (like personality but for horses). So I'll include that chart below as a preview for next month. 



 If you have any questions about your dog's or cat's behavior please feel free to ask me and I'll try and help you out.





Friday, April 4, 2014

Spring Toxins: Be Aware, How to Prepare.

Well I didn't post in March, but I'll make up for that by posting 2 blogs in April. This month I want to talk about potential Spring toxins that can harm our pets. With a change in the season comes an all new onslaught of new toxins and dangers. From plants to decorations  to cleaning chemicals, here are some of the things to watch out for:

This one is mainly for the cat owners. Lillies are VERY toxic to cats as you can see in the picture below


With Easter just around the corner, please be extra vigilant about Lilies during this time of year. 
Speaking of East here is a quick reference picture of some Easter toxins for dogs and cats.


I have personal experience with the potential harm of Easter grass. My childhood cat had one year decided that he would eat the plastic grass in my basket. We found he wandering around the house with something funny coming out of his hind-end, oh boy! Clearly he wasn't going to pass it on his own and he had to spend a night or two at the vets office to get it removed. From then on, we told family to only put paper grass in my baskets. He still tried to eat the grass, but at least the paper is somewhat digestible and won't cause and obstruction.

Pet Poison Helpline (petpoisonhelpline.com) has a more complete list of plants that are toxic to pets. Included in the list are tulips, daffodils, corcus, lily of the valley, plus the fertilizers we use. 
Complete List of Toxic Spring Plants 

Also with Spring, comes Spring Cleaning. All cleaning chemicals are dangerous to all pets. Sometimes our pets think that these colorful liquids are fun to drink. Make sure to keep all chemicals out of reach of pets (as well as human children too). If your pet has accidentally ingested a toxic chemical first thing to do is determine what he has ingested and then immediately call a vet. You can also call the National Animal Poison Control Center at 1-888-4-ANIHELP (426-4435). Observe your pet (vomiting, diarrhea, etc.), the vet will want to know what is going on with him.

Here is a quick reference of some of the other toxins year round that could put our pets in danger. Also add dryer sheets to the list.


Of course the best way to keep pets safe this Spring (an any season of the year) is prevention, prevention, prevention. If necessary put baby locks on cabinets if pets won't stay out of the cabinets with dangerous items in them or the trash under the sink. Close doors to keep pets out of rooms that have dangerous items in them. Make sure that if pets are in the garage that spills are cleaned up and nothing is dripping from cars. One or two licks can be deadly. Dog proof gardens to prevent dogs from ingesting plants and other things that can cause them harm.With just a few simple preventative measures, our pets will live long, healthy, toxic free lives.

Also, keep dogs from drinking puddles on the sidewalk or street during your walks. Water runoff can collect any number of toxic chemicals as it pools and can be potentially dangerous if your dog drinks from it. Only let them drink from water bowls/bottles or natural springs/ponds. 

A great thing to have on hand is a Pet Poison Safety Kit (recommended by Pet Sitters International) which should include:
  • Fresh bottle of 3% hydrogen peroxide
  • Can of soft dog or cat food
  • Turkey baster, bulb syringe or large medicine syringe
  • Saline eye solution
  • Artificial tear ointment
  • Mild grease-cutting dishwashing liquid
  • Rubber gloves
  • Forceps or tweezers to remove stingers or ticks
  • Muzzle (or length of gauze)
  • Pet carrier
With just a few easy precautions, your pet(s) can have a great spring and a great overall life. It doesn't take a lot of effort to ensure the safety of your pet from toxins and poisons. 

 
Happy Spring!!!

Friday, February 28, 2014

Spay/Neuter Awareness

Well there is 45 min left in February and I said I'd post at least one blog a month this year and darn it I'm going to keep that promise. You may or may not know that February is spay and neuter awareness month and this topic is something I think is pretty important. Basically, unless you're a legitimate breeder, spaying and neutering your pet is the best thing for them. It keeps them healthy longer by removing the risk of reproductive diseases, it keeps aggression and frustration down which makes for a happier animal and most important of all it reduces the amount of unwanted animals at the shelter. So please do the right thing and get your pet spayed or neutered. They won't know the difference, but you will and it will be for the better. Please remember to ask your vet when the best time in your animals life it is to do the procedure. It can vary by breed to reduce the risk of side effects.

Need a visual, check out the attached image.

Sunday, January 5, 2014

Happy New Year!!



Wow, can you believe that it's 2014 already?! 2013 was an interesting year for me and I'm really looking forward to 2014. I have high hopes for this year in regards to expanding my business to include hired help, an improved website and new products in my Etsy store. Please check it out.

www.etsy.com/shop/PetSparkle 

Anyway, are there any topics you would like me to cover this year in this blog? I have a few topics in mind but I would really like to get feedback from my audience...psst that means you :) Here is a list of topics I'm thinking of discussing:
  • Breed Specific Legislation
  • Seasonal Pet Safety
  • Jenn's Pet TLC Updates
  • Spay/Neuter

This year my goal is to blog at least once a month. My last blog was in June...kinda a long time ago, but with a new year comes a new start so here is the first blog of the year! At least 12 more to come!! Oh and this year is the year of the horse, so be aware that I may be posting a lot about horses on FB and twitter...and maybe some blogs too. Can you blame me??


 I love this guy so much!!!

May your 2014 be happy, healthy, prosperous and filled with many hours with your furry family members.