Professional Pet Sitting + Dog Walking

Think the summer is already over, and vacations are a thing of the past?  Think again!  There are still a bunch of travel bargins to be scored, especially if you don’t mind waiting til the last minute.  If you already have a relationship with a local pet sitting company (like us!) it will be no problem making sure that your pet is taken care of while you relax on the beach!

Check out this article on some of the latest travel bargins:

It’s July already, but late summer travel deals haven’t wilted in the heat.

Whether it’s Ireland or Argentina for a cool getaway, Southern California, Florida, Costa Rica or Mexico for hot bargains, or New York and Chicago for midsummer urban interludes, the carpet is out for price-conscious travelers, travel industry executives said.

“Different destinations present both opportunities and challenges that depend on the time of the year,” said Angela Lyda, senior editor of Travel Ticker (tulsaworld.com/travelticker ), a travel website. “For example, some off-seasons still have great weather, and some peak seasons still have amazing prices.”

Travel Ticker’s “Where to Go Now & How Guide” highlights the best mid-to-late-summer travel destinations.

Three destinations in Travel Ticker’s summer 2011 guide are:

• Chicago: big value at peak season

“From the summer festivals, Wrigley Field bleacher seats, Millennium Park concerts, walking along Lake Michigan, to outdoor shopping and dining – it’s no secret that Chicago is enjoyed to its fullest in the peak summer months,” Travel Ticker’s guide says, “And with Chicago surrounded by numerous unique neighborhoods, there is plenty of this city to go around for each visitor.”

Bargains this time of year in Chicago range from some of the lower priced air fares of major cities to hotel rates that are only $20 to $30 higher than off-season. The Amalfi Hotel Chicago, near the Magnificent Mile, starts at $139 on select dates until Sept. 9, with a complimentary room upgrade, breakfast, cocktails and Wi-Fi, Travel Ticker says.

• Peru: off-season means exotic savings

“Our summer is Peru’s winter and off-season, which equates to great travel values,” TT’s guide says. “The weather averages 65 degrees in Peru during the winter months but is still pleasantly tropical in many places. There are also fewer tourists, so you can experience local culture to its fullest in spots like Machu Picchu, Lima and the Inca ruins.”

A 10-day Peru excursion (www.travel-ticker.com/Destination/Peru ) includes a flight to Lima, hotels in four cities, transfers, breakfast and tours (including Machu Picchu) starts at $1,699 through Dec. 30.

• Guatemala: adventurous and budget-friendly

“The summer months translate to the rainy season in Guatemala, but the rain is reliably tropical and light,” TT’s guide says. “This makes for the perfect time to explore Guatemala City and Chichicastenango (try saying that three times fast), tour Antigua, the ancient church of Santo Tomas or go on an excursion to the picturesque Lake Atitlan.”

A round-trip flight to Guatemala, four nights in two cities, transfers, breakfast and tours starts at $599 (www.travel-ticker.com/Destination/Guatemala ) through Dec. 27.

Other deals

This week, Travel Ticker features a seven-night air-hotel-rental car-and-breakfast package to Costa Rica, which has gorgeous beaches on both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts, spectacular national parks and San Jose, its culturally rich capital, which starts at $599.

“You’ll stay three nights at the Arenal Paraiso Resort, known for its hot springs and views of Arenal Volcano, three nights at the beachfront all-inclusive Villas Sol and one night at the Best Western Irazu Hotel & Casino near downtown San Jose,” TT says.

The package includes round-trip air fare from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

Virgin Vacations (www.virgin-vacations.com/europe-travel/ireland-self-drive ) is offering an eight-day fly-and-drive vacation in Ireland from $899. The package includes round-trip flight from New York to Dublin, six nights in your choice of hotels (two nights each in Dublin, Killarney and Galway), seven-day car rental and daily breakfast.

Travelocity (www.travelocity.com/Promotions ) offers air/hotel packages to Orlando and Kissimmee, Fla., from $293 to $897 per person through October. It also has an air/hotel package to Anaheim, Calif., home of Disneyland, for $1,025 per person through October.

Last Minute Travel (www.lastminutetravel.com ) invites Orlando visitors to rent a four-bedroom, three-bath vacation home with a swimming pool in the gated Solana Resort community in Orlando, 15 minutes from Disney World, for $140.74 per night. The completely furnished home includes cable TV, DVD, CD stereo system, flat-screen TVs in each bedroom and a laundry room with washer and dryer.

“The Space Coast and Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex are only about an hour away and the fabulous beaches of the Gulf Coast just over an hour,” the travel website says.

Greg Spears, CEO of Travel Leaders/Spears Travel in Tulsa, said summer is the low season and bargains abound in Cancun, Cozumel and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

“With summer travel, it’s the busy travel season for flights,” Spears said. “Book early in the day so if your flight is canceled, you have some protection to get a flight later in the day.

“Be flexible is the key. If you can slide your trip from one side or the other or another week” travelers have the best chance of finding bargains, Spears said.

Credit: D.R. Stewart at Tulsa World

Now I lay me down to sleep,
the king-size bed is soft and deep.
I sleep right in the center groove.
My human can hardly move!

I’ve trapped her legs, she’s tucked in tight,
and here is where I pass the night.
No one disturbs me or dares intrude
’til morning comes and “I want food!”

I sneak up slowly to begin
my nibbles on my human’s chin.
She wakes up quickly, I have sharp teeth
and my claws I will unsheath.

For the morning’s here and it’s time to play.
I always seem to get my way.
So thank you Lord for giving me
this human person that I see.

The one who hugs me and holds me tight
And sacrifices her bed at night.

~ Author Unknown ~

Ever wonder about the life of a pet sitter?  Take a look at this article to find out why all your friends and neighbors are using pet sitters and why you should too!

Courtesy of: ToledoBlade.com, Rod Lockwood

Marilyn Schnapp’s clients greet her every day with big toothy grins, some of them jumping with unrestrained joy when they see her walk in the door. Others yowl excitedly and rub themselves against her legs.

Just imagine how cool it would be if you walked into work every morning to this: “YOU’RE HERE!!!! YOU’RE HERE!!!! OH MY GOSH, I’M SO HAPPY TO SEE YOU!!!!!!!!!”

For a professional pet sitter it’s the daily routine, and for many of them that reaction is the biggest fringe benefit of a job that requires relentlessly adhering to a schedule, maintaining the finely detailed logistical coordination of an army on the move, and possessing a unique combination of people and pet skills.

“When you walk in the door everybody goes, ‘Yay, she’s here,’ so that part is really cool,” said Lisa Damschroder, who has operated Pet Valet in the Toledo area for 10 years. “And it’s a very personal business because people are letting you into their homes to take care of their babies, their living creatures, and I take that very seriously.”

Her attitude was echoed by Ms. Schnapp, who has owned Luv’n Your Pets for 12 years.

“They’re all glad to see me, every one of them. I just enjoy being around animals, I’ve always had animals and I enjoy teaching them new things.”

Not surprisingly in a country where there are an estimated 77 million dogs and about the same number of cats — not to mention birds, rabbits, turtles, hamsters, and who-knows-what — pet sitting has become a fairly bustling business. The trade association Pet Sitters International has 8,000 members and a third of them make $40,000 a year or more caring for pets in the animals’ homes.

There are nine pet sitting services listed in the Toledo-area AT&T Yellow Pages catering to pet owners who need someone to check in on their animals while they’re on vacation, unexpectedly out of town, or dealing with long hours at work. These are generally people who don’t want to take their animals — dogs especially — to kennels.

Comfort factor

Chris Davies of Sylvania has utilized Ms. Schnapp’s services for about nine years. She has four dogs, four cats, and a bird and she said she has complete trust in the pet sitter to ensure that if she’s gone, the animals are in good hands.

“The thing I like about Marilyn is she doesn’t come in and say, ‘Go potty’ and leave. She spends time with the animals,” Ms. Davies said.

Over time they’ve developed a strong personal friendship that grows from trusting someone to look after pets that in some cases need medical treatment — Ms. Schnapp has given insulin shots to Ms. Davies’ diabetic cat — a theme that was repeated by other pet sitters in the area.

“It’s just a comfort you have to have because your dogs are part of your family,” Ms. Davies said. “I love those people who do that kind of stuff. It’s a comforting thing for me to go away and have her here.”

What you need to know

Hiring a pet sitter starts with determining how often you will need the person, whether it’s every day or just a couple of times a year for vacation. Of course, you need to make sure that your animals are friendly with strangers and that they’ll accept someone coming into the home when you’re gone.

Professional pet sitters are bonded and insured, which means if anything turns up missing in your home or your pet is injured or lost, those costs are covered. If the pet sitter is not bonded or insured, you might want to look for one who is because it is a general professional standard.

You should always interview the prospective sitter before making a decision to make sure you have a good feel for the person, that he or she meets your animals in advance, and that you feel comfortable about the relationship. After all, you’re giving this person a key to your house and entrusting your animal to him or her.

Sally Jeffrey of We Share Pet Care in Toledo recommends checking the Better Business Bureau and doing some simple Google searches to double-check the sitter’s qualifications and see if any complaints have been registered. She also said it helps if the sitter has his or her own animals.

“It doesn’t really take a lot of training to do this, it just takes common sense, but I probably wouldn’t trust somebody who doesn’t have pets,” Ms. Jeffrey said.

The fees for pet sitters are generally $15-$20 a visit, but they vary based on factors such as how many animals you have and what’s required.

One major advantage of hiring a sitter is that your animals don’t have to be kenneled. While many kennels are fine, they involve taking the pet — usually a dog — out of his element into one that can be strange and potentially stressful. For some dogs this isn’t a problem, while others don’t react well.

Dorothy Ashley of West Toledo hired Ms. Schnapp several years ago to watch her five Labrador retrievers when she and her family go on vacation because she was tired of kenneling them.

“They get real depressed; they were outside their environment and [at home] they get excellent care by Marilyn and they’re in their own environment and that’s a comfort for me,” Ms. Ashley said.

Hard work

Working as a pet sitter is a surprisingly demanding job. Your schedule has to be finely tuned so you don’t have too many clients and each morning, afternoon, and evening you have to coordinate your visits so the animals get outside to do their business, have some time to stretch and play or walk, and eat.

Cat litter boxes need to be checked and sometimes animals require medication.

Ms. Damschroder said summers and holidays are hectic.

“Summertime is always extremely busy for me. On a busy day I basically do three shifts where I’m doing a group of pet visits in the morning, the afternoon, and the evening,” she said. “It’s extremely busy. I would not recommend trying pet sitting if you have another job because it’s impossible. This is a seven-day-a-week job and you have to be available all the time.”

Ms. Schnapp said the job is “24/7″ and she has as many as 50 active clients at a time. Of course they don’t need her all at once, but she has everything from regulars who have her come over and walk their dog a couple of times a day to people who are vacationing or need last-minute help.

Ms. Jeffrey has been running her business for four years and, like Ms. Damschroder and Ms. Schnapp, she said the most rewarding part is the relationships you develop with the clients and the animals.

But, she added one piece of advice for cleaning up after your “customers.”

“I had a part-time job and quit that to do this full-time because I’ve become that busy, which is wonderful. I’d much rather do pet-sitting than anything. And you can’t be allergic to poop, that’s for sure. You have to be poop-friendly,” she said, laughing.

Planning on some hiking this summer?  Why not take your dog?  Hiking is a great way to reconnect with both nature and your dog.  In fact Knox County has some great trails that you can try out right in your backyard, including House Mountain and Ijams Nature Center.  To enjoy the safety of your furry companion, be sure that you have taken care of the Ten Canine Essentials:

1. Obedience training. Before you set foot on a trail, make sure your dog is trained and can be trusted to behave when faced with other hikers, other dogs, wildlife and an assortment of strange scents and sights in the backcountry. If he can’t behave, don’t take him hiking.

2. Doggy backpack (for longer hikes). Let the dog carry his own gear. Dogs can be trained to carry gear in their backpacks, but, to avoid developmental problems, don’t put packs on dogs younger than a year old.

3. Basic first aid kit. The American Veterinary Medical Association recommends a checklist of items for your dog’s first aid kit. The Red Cross also offers classes in pet first aid.

4. Dog food and trail treats. You should pack more food than your dog normally consumes because he will be burning more calories than normal, and if you do end up having to spend an extra night out there, you need to keep the pup fed, too. Trail treats serve the same purpose for the dog as they do for you—quick energy and a pick-me-up during a strenuous day of hiking.

5. Water and water bowl. Don’t count on there being water along the trail for the dog. Pack enough extra water to meet all your dog’s drinking needs.

6. Leash and collar, or harness. Even if your dog is absolutely trained to voice command and stays at heel without a leash, sometimes leashes are required by law or just by common courtesy, so you should have one handy at all times.

7. Insect repellent. Be aware that some animals, and some people, have strong negative reactions to certain insect repellents. So, before leaving home, dab a little repellent on a patch of your dog’s fur to see your dog’s reaction to it. Look for signs of drowsiness, lethargy or nausea. Remember to restrict repellent applications to those places the dog can’t lick—the shoulders, the back of the neck, and around the ears (staying well clear of the ears and inner ears)—which are also near the most logical places mosquitoes will be looking for exposed skin (at the eyes, nose, and inner ears) to bite. And don’t forget to check your dog’s entire body for ticks, foxtails and other trail troublemakers after your hike.

8. ID tags and picture identification. Your dog should always wear ID tags, and since a dog lost in the woods can lose his or her collar, I’d heartily recommend microchipping her as well. Carry a photo of your dog in your pack. If your dog gets lost far from home, you can use the image to make flyers to post in the surrounding communities.

9. Dog booties. These help protect the dog’s feet from rough ground or harsh vegetation. They also keep bandages secure if the dog damages its pads.

10. Compact roll of plastic bags and trowel. You’ll need the bags to clean up after your dog on popular trails. When conditions warrant, you can use the trowel to take care of your dog’s waste. Just pretend you are a cat—dig a small hole six to eight inches deep in the forest duff, deposit the dog waste, and fill in the hole.

Happy trails to you and your dog!

Credit: The Bark

You may wonder why dogs and cats sometimes eat grass. When your pets start to chew on grass, there is no need to be concerned. It is a normal and natural behavior. Dogs are omnivores, and require both plants and meats to survive. When you find your dog eating grass, they are getting more roughage in their diet to aid in digestion. You may also find that some animals just enjoy the taste of grass.

Cats on the other hand, are carnivores. They do not need as much foliage in their diets like dogs do. When you find your cat eating grass, it may be to aid them in digestion as well. A lot of pet stores do carry catnip grass just for cats. Cats seem to enjoy the taste.

Both dogs and cats like to eat grass, and it does not mean they are sick. It is true you may find your dog eating grass before he vomits, but this again is to aid in digestion. He is probably eating the grass to help settle his stomach. Same goes for cats that may have eaten something that was hard to digest.

Be careful not to let your pets eat grass that has been fertilized, sprayed with chemicals, or has bug poisoning on it. This could be fatal to your pets. If you see your pets eating more grass then usual, and you are concerned about them eating a chemical, you can grow your own grass at home, and offer it to them once a month. You can do the same for your cats; however it is not necessary, as cats do not need it, they just like the taste.

When you see your pets eating grass, pay close attention to what they are eating. Make sure they do not eat a mushroom. Some mushrooms can be poisonous to dogs and cats. You will know right away if they did eat one, because they will begin to foam at the mouth, and start acting dizzy. You will need to take them to the veterinarian right away.

If you find your dog eating a lot of grass, you may want to switch their dog food to something that has more fiber, or plant material in it. This is not necessary as long as you don’t mind them eating the grass, but if you are worried about them eating a mushroom, or if your yard is sprayed with fertilizers, then I would switch the dog food, or offer grass that you grow yourself.

Cats sometimes eat grass to help them regurgitate a hairball. You should not prevent them from eating grass, unless you feel there are harmful chemicals on it. If this is the case, you can buy cat grass, and make it available to them. When you see them eating grass, let them be; only they know what their system needs. Grass eating is a very normal behavior in both cats and dogs, so when it occurs there is no need to be alarmed. They are just doing what comes naturally to them.