pet sitting: there are some things you just can't prepare yourself for

I pride myself on the fact that, as a professional pet sitter, if I don't know something that I need to know, I find out. If a client's pet has an illness I am unfamiliar with, I ask lots of questions and do independent research. Or if there is a behavior issue, I ask trainers and find out how I might be able to help. I come prepared. There are some things you just can't prepare yourself for.

About six years ago, I found myself taking care of two young, rambunctious, but lovable, large dogs. Their owners had just done a stunning backyard renovation that the pups loved almost as much as they did. They informed me about the situation and instructed me on how to handle it:

For some reason, they do fine when they are outside individually, but if they get outside together, they start tearing up the landscaping, and it's impossible to stop them. Please let them out one at a time and go outside with whoever is outside. That way, they will both have some outside time, but they won't tear anything up.

Sounded simple enough to me. I'd taken care of these dogs before, so I knew they could be a handful. I just didn't know how big a handful.

My clients left town, and we did just fine with the new instructions. I'd let the puppy out first because I thought he'd have a harder time "holding it," and then I'd put him inside and let his big sister out. The plan worked perfectly.

Until day three.

Upon arrival, I opened the door for the puppy as before, and stepped outside with him. He did his business and I gave him some time to run around. His big sister was typically pretty excited to see me, and this day was no exception. Through the sliding glass door, I could see her jumping up and down with anticipation. How cute. As she made her eighteenth decent to the floor, I heard, "click." She kept jumping. My mind started spinning.

I tried the door. I tried the door again. And again. It was really, actually, truly, officially locked. And the house key and my cell phone were in my bag inside the house.

Don't panic. Think.

I tried all of the windows I had access to. Maybe one would be open. No luck.

I paced and fretted while puppy frolicked, completely unconcerned with our predicament.

Luckily, I had some friends living about a mile away. I'd simply need to walk there and use the phone. Never mind the hundred-degree temps. Puppy would have to stay in the backyard unsupervised, and my nemesis would have to stay inside. It was then that I'd noticed what was going on inside. My indoor friend had tired of waiting and was bringing each piece of the client's bathroom trash to the window, bit by bit. I won't go into how I knew it was the bathroom trash.

I had no choice but to leave them both. I made it to my friends' home and called my husband, who brought me the back-up key to the client's home. (If you're a pet sitter, it's always a good idea to have a back-up copy of your client's house key. I get written permission from new clients to make a copy of their key at the initial consultation.)

When I returned, the dogs were just as I'd left them. I had a bit of a mess to clean up, but they were otherwise unscathed.

What did this ordeal teach me? Keep the house key with you, and keep your phone with you, even if you're just going into the back yard. I never could have imagined that a dog would be capable of locking me out of the house, but it happened. It happened.

photo source: mmageephotography.com

we're finally getting our chew on: C.E.T. chews for dogs from EntirelyPets

EntirelyPetsProductListN.A.S.H.A. has been on a chewing hiatus for a few years, but thanks to some awesome new dental chews we just discovered, she's back in the game, which is a great thing, because neither she or I is keen on brushing her teeth as regularly as we should. We received a package of C.E.T Home Dental Care Enzymatic Oral Hygiene Chews for Dogs from EntirelyPets.com, and we were anxious to tear it open. Why was N.A.S.H.A. on a chewing hiatus? My sister and her dogs lived with us for a couple of years, and her otherwise-practically-perfect-in-every-way golden retriever had just one flaw: chewie possessiveness/aggression. We had to remove all bone-like substances from the home in order to prevent WWIII and possible slaughter of all things actively chewing. I had not re-introduced dog chews–until now.

I was hopeful that N.A.S.H.A. would take to these new dog chews right away. She did and didn't. I gave her one, and she immediately hid it (under the shoes in my closet or amongst the "friends" in the littles' animal basket are top hiding places). That's a great sign because she only hides things she loves, but I wanted her teeth to get a workout, so I was disappointed. I pulled the bag out again. Opened it. And took out a second chew.

She started jumping around and licking her chops. She could hide one and have one to consume? She didn't know what to do with herself. But she quickly figured it out.

ReadySetGo

N.A.S.H.A. made her opinion clear:

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I used C.E.T. Home Dental Care Aquadent Drinking Water Additive a couple of years ago when our Corgi/Chihuahua Kermit, who has since passed, was having some mouth problems and was a bit too far gone for a thorough dental cleaning. I was really pleased with the results, so I felt like I could trust C.E.T. Home Dental Care. But when I looked at the ingredients and noticed "dextrose," a red flag went up. I did some research and found that, as the package stated, it is "a substrate necessary for the Enzyme System," which is a fancy way of saying that it's food for the live enzymes in the product that are helping to clean your dog's teeth as he chews. So don't stress. I've been accused of being overly-concerned about wellness, and I'm okay with it. There are so many benefits to these chews, and canine dental health is so important. Positives include:

• coated with enzymes

• abrasive surface scrubs teeth

• highly palatable poultry flavor

• removes plaque and tartar

• freshens your dog's breath (bonus for us dog-kissers)

The chews are digestible, but, as with any pet treat designed for chewing, you should always supervise your dog to be sure choking does not occur. Also be sure to provide access to plenty of fresh drinking water when your dog is chewing, and always.

We haven't been using the chews long enough to see results in N.A.S.H.A.'s teeth, but almost every review I read on the EntirelyPets Web site stated a remarkable positive difference in dogs' dental health after using them. For now, I'm very happy to see that N.A.S.H.A. is taking to them, finally getting her teeth and gums a good workout. And she's happy to take a satisfied siesta after getting her chew on. Always a sign of something good. The only real negative review I could find was about the inconsistent size of the chews, which, to me, means that they are a natural product that didn't come out of a cookie cutter. That's a good thing, in my book. And isn't variety the spice of life? The chews come in small (for dogs under 11 lbs), medium (11-25 lbs), large(26-50 lbs), and x-large (over 51lbs).

EntirelyPets is a vet-operated online retailer that offers a low-price and safe-shopping guarantee. They have the lowest price on the C.E.T. Home Dental Care Enzyme Oral Hygene Chews I could find and provided me with coupon code "ORASPECIAL" to share for a greater discount, $1.50 off single bags or $5.00 off three- and six-packs. Sweet.

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Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post, written on behalf of BlogPaws Pet Blogger Network and I was provided a supply of C.E.T. Home Dental Care Enzymatic Oral Hygiene Chews for Dogs from EntirelyPets.com in exchange for my honest opinion. 

the luxury of a pet room

Perhaps your kid has grown and moved and left you with an empty nest. Maybe you no longer need a home office since that laptop keeps you mobile. Or maybe you just have the extra space. Would you consider a pet room? Sounds like something for nutty animal freaks, right? Well, most of the people who read my blog are nutty animal freaks, so we're safe.

My clients of nearly two years, Matt and Connie,* have just such a room for their two pooches, Sneakers and Lanie.** When I came for the initial consult, Matt and Connie showed me around the house and presented the pet room. I couldn't initially determine if it was odd or fantastic, but as they explained the room's features and I got to know how down-to-earth they are, I settled on fantastic. And now that I've been working in that pet room on a regular basis for so long, I give it a five-woof rating, and not just because it's a cool luxury.

But it is a cool luxury. Let's go over the features of this particular room:

• laminate wood floor: looks great, wears well, and is super easy to clean

• large crate: the door is always open, but it's a small comforting space that the girls mostly use for toy storage

• toys, and lots of them: naturally

• ample food and water in attractive dishes: a must, as food always tastes better on pretty plates

• two custom potty pads: potty pads are held in place by frames and Matt cut a plastic "netted barrier" to place over the pads so that the girls would stop tearing up the pads. Genius.

• nightlight: to scare away monsters

• protective gate secured with bungee cords: to keep the girls from trying on clothes in the closet

• shelves to support small ammenities: help keep cords and things up and away from the girls' reach for safety reasons. Adds convenience for their caretakers.

• treat jar: because the girls are so good

• disinfecting wipes: for those surfaces that need disinfecting

• hand-vac: conveniently located for light vacuuming needs

• boom-box: so the girls can rock out when they get bored. I've caught them a few times.

• blinds and fan: to keep the girls cool in summer and well ventelated

• two video cameras: so Matt and Connie can see me stroll in like a zombie at 5:00 a.m. in my PJs (that uniform is a perk of being a professional pet sitter). And so they can have fun peeking in on their girls when they aren't home.

• doorway baby gate: Matt removed the door to the room and replaced it with a tall baby gate so the girls can see out

Whether you think it's awesome or you're rolling your eyes, you must know how happy these dogs are while their owners are away. They absolutely love that room! Though they are excited to see me when I arrive and we have a lot of fun together, they are happy as clams to go back in their room when it's time for me to leave, and sometimes, if they are really tired, they'll even spend time in the room while I'm there! The pet room provides them with a sense of security. They have plenty of room and more amenities than most animals I know. Lucky, lucky dogs.

Do you have the luxury of a pet room? I'd love to hear about it. I've one-upped the pet room. I have a multi-room pet house. My pets even allow me to share it with them.

*Names have been changed to protect the innocent from tomato-throwing non-animal-freaks.

**Names have been changed so their canine friends don't make fun of them for being spoiled.