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Why crates are a dog owners best friend

Crating a dog is useful in many ways.  From potty training puppies, quarantining sick dogs, emergency evacuations, or just providing a quiet space that your furry kid can call their own, crating is a valuable asset in the dog owner toolbag.  Contact Professional Dog Mom at 775.800.6710 or 866.K9.Nanny for a free over the phone consultation. 

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Play with your dog

Everyone in the family, including children, should play with their dogs. Even young children can be suitable playmates for many dogs, with some important caveats. Assuming your dog likes to play, the more humans she gets to play with, the more humans she'll think are wonderful because they make good stuff happen, and the better socialized she'll be. Dogs who are well-socialized are far less likely to bite or otherwise engage in behaviors that are likely to get them into serious trouble. In addition, the more that each family member has fun interacting with the dog, the more likely it is that the dog will stay in that home for her entire life. Play helps build strong bonds, and relationships that support lifelong loving homes for canine family members.

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DOG FOODS TO AVOID

Beneful. The package makes it look like manna from heaven with a healthy pup, fresh veggies, and what look like real chunks of meat. Unfortunately, the pictures make the food seem better than it is. The reality is this stuff is AWFUL for your dog. It's full of sugar, artificial colors, and 3 unnamed animal sources. And very little vegetables. Or look at Kibbles 'n Bits Bistro Meals Grilled Chicken Flavor. If only it contained the grilled chicken they show on the bag instead of loads of low-quality ingredients and "animal digest" - the real source of the chicken flavor. Another terrible food is Pedigree Complete Nutrition for Adult Dogs. Made with an inferior, cheap source of protein, it's a wonder it could maintain any dog's health - much less an adult dog's.

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Lighting doesn’t strike twice

So I wake up this morning about 6am to let the dogs out, as normal.  After they finish their business we call crawl back up on the couch and I am thankful for being able to catch a couple more hours of sleep.  Unfortunately today was not the day for extra sleep, the phone rang.  I answered it, although I never answer my other clients phones, and found myself talking to the neighbor just over the south hill from the house I am staying in.  He advised me that he could see smoke down in the ravine just east of my house.  In my sweats and sleepy eyes, and with 5 dogs in tow, I jumped up off the couch, slipped on my flip flops and headed out towards to eastern edge of the property.  I probably should have mentioned, I’m sitting with 5 dogs out in Curnow Canyon, 13 miles off a paved road.  My nearest neighbors couldn’t hear me if I had Deftones over for a concert. Anyway, I couldn’t see anything so he suggested to come over and we’d hike down together.  I ran back to the house, dressed, and grabbed a shovel.  Honestly, I didn’t know what else to do expect call the fire department but he assured me that his wife had already done that.  He arrives, we hike, and an hour later I’m exhausted from shoveling dirt and rock around this poor lightening struck tree.  It’s amazing how nature can quickly change a strong sturdy tree into a smoldering mess.  The neighbor guy and I did a fantastic job of smothering said the fireman, yeah I thought, but I’d never want to be a fireman.  That shit is dangerous and freakin hard work!  Kudo’s to Station 17 in Spanish Springs for saving the day, and thank you to Wayne (the neighbor) for saving the house and animals where I’m sitting.  WOW, just WOW! Full photo album at Facebook/professionaldogmom

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The Pack

I have several customers who have more then 1 dog, often times 4 or more.  In these situations, the pack roles and various personalities seem to be mimicked throughout every pack.  It’s so strange the way it becomes so clear, it’s incredible to watch and experience.  The Leader - the pack Alpha, the one who dictates most situations and all the others seem to follow in some way.  The Aloof - the laid back, sometimes grumpy, almost to the extent of “loner” one, the one who remains close enough and follows just subtly enough to remain a pack member but truly doesn’t care and doesn’t show much interest in pack related activities.  Often, this is the dog who prefers to be with humans more then other dogs.  The Hyper Puppy - Usually the baby of the group who is constantly trying to play with one of the others, the life of the party, the most energetic, and often times the one who causes all the trouble, and guaranteed he’s also the one who will push boundaries, constantly!

Of course every pack has their hierarchy, and I respect and appreciate it for all it’s purpose, function, and order maintenance but it just “wows” me sometimes to see it happening, recognizing it in all it’s beauty.

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On a routine walk today, a walk I’ve taken at least 3 times a week for the past year I noticed a girl about 8 years old standing on the sidewalk holding an 8.5″ x 11″ white piece of paper with some pink writing.  I also noticed a small Hello Kitty table just near where she was standing and a pitcher of pink liquid and a small stack of blue plastic transparent cups.  I approached and asked if she was selling lemonade.  She held her sign perfectly still so I could read it properly and said, “Yes, I’m selling Lemonade.  It’s $1 per cup.  Would you like some?” with enthusiasm and a bright smile.  As I don’t carry money with me on walks I wasn’t able to purchase what sounded like a nice welcome on such a warm day.  So I told the girl, “I’m sorry but Good Luck” and Lucy, the 4 year old pit bull and I continued on our walk.  The girl and her sign stayed with me, haunting me. I admired her, I wanted to congratulate her and give her some business advice.  I wanted to help her make a better sign, relocate her to the park to attract more customers.  I couldn’t help my business drive from kicking in and wanting to initiate and execute various action plans.  I wanted to help her.  So I finished my walk with Lucy, getting back home and settled, and headed over to the make-shift Lemonade Stand.  I paid for my Lemonade with 4 quarters.  I felt proud, accomplished, and have rarely been more proud of myself then watching, hearing, and seeing the look on this girls face as each coin slowly dropped into her hand.  

Support local business by using your own individual purchasing power.  Every dollar, every penny spent goes on, getting recycled as cash flow for individuals and businesses, that is how an economy works. Do your part to ensure your dollars and cents are NOT supporting large corporations and ending up in the pockets of billionaire CEO’s where they sit and stop circulating.  Instead, support locally, keeping the middle and lower classes in todays economy, and not excluded and exploited them as large corporations do every day. 

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How do we hate foxtails? Let us count the ways...

Here on the West Coast, it’s foxtail time. This grassy weed is everywhere outdoors – in the wilderness areas where we hike, yes, of course, but also alongside suburban sidewalks and coming up in cracks in city parking lots. They are in my backyard and front yard and side yards. I spend hours each week pulling them up by the roots and carefully discarding them in the green waste bin, because there is a tiny seed at the base of every single strand on every waving frond on every plant that will grow another foxtail plant next year. If you have a very small yard, with enough years of dedicated weeding, you can eliminate them from your yard. I have a large yard and I will never see the end of them.

Why are they a problem? They are so pretty! You can run the fronds through your fingers and they are so soft – as long as you stroke them from bottom to top. If you try to reverse the direction of your caress, you learn instantly why they are the most reviled weed in the west.

Every single strand is lined with nearly microscopic barbs that catch on anything they touch, from fur to collars, clothing to bare skin. When the barbs come in contact with anything, they propel the strand forward, pushing the sharp-tipped seed at the end forward – relentlessly forward. The barbs can be felt when the grass is green, but as the plants dry out in the late spring – like, right now – they get sharper and more defined, like a brand new metal nail file. So when your dog walks through the drying grass, they practically fly off the plant and attach themselves to his fur, where they relentlessly drive those seeds into his flesh.

Top four favorite places for foxtails to invade: between dog toes and in dog noses, ears, and eyes. But they don’t discriminate; they are just as happy to burrow into dog armpits, urethras, vaginas (when girl dogs squat to pee) – anywhere there is a bend or soft, sensitive flesh.

The classic sign of a foxtail – the sign you actually want to see when you suspect a foxtail – is a little wet hole in the dog’s flesh, perhaps one that’s oozing a bit. That’s where the vet starts the search, with a little local anesthetic and a long, skinny alligator forceps. The foxtail will sometimes create a little track in the dog’s flesh, that the vet will try to follow to its end and pull it out backwards with the forceps.  That’s the best case scenario.

More often, a little pimple indicating where the foxtail seed may have entered his flesh, but no track to follow and no ooze indicating where the seed is causing an infection that can be lanced and cleaned. The vet will lance the spot, find nothing, and then you’ll have to wait and see. Was the piece of awn or seed small enough for his body to break it down and the swelling will subside? Or is the awn big enough to resist a quick disintegration? Will it keep traveling and cause trouble elsewhere? I’ve heard horror stories of foxtails traveling into dogs’ hearts, lungs, brains – you name it. I’m telling you, I HATE THESE PLANTS!

* To all of you who don’t know what the heck I’m talking about, count your blessings. On the other hand, those of you who live in chigger country, or where your ticks are epidemic and carry Lyme or Rocky Mountain Fever, you got me there.

*Edited from Whole Dog Journal May 17, 2017

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How Pets Can Help You Meditate and Be More Mindful

When it comes to improving your state of zen, furry friends come with benefits. "A number of studies support the relaxing effects of interacting with pets," says Sandra Barker, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry and director at the Center for Human-Animal Interaction at Virginia Commonwealth University's School of Medicine. One Harvard University study showed that 87 percent of people felt less angst-y after spending time with a pet. That's right—Fido can fetch and make you feel chill. Here are some more reasons to cuddle up to your pet tonight.

They reduce stress hormones.

In a sucky mood because of a spat with your boss? Annoying Bumble date? Put away the stress ball—and squeeze on your pet instead. In a study conducted by Barker and her colleagues, pets lowered the presence of the stress hormone cortisol. "We believe that by providing a nonjudgmental form of social support, pets may buffer the impact of stressful events," Barker says.

They boost feel-good chemicals.

Having a pet around keeps you in a haze of happiness. Research published in Science revealed that just by looking at your pet's eyes, you get a hit of oxytocin and prolactin, hormones that leave you feeling majorly blissed out. And Barker adds: If you really want to up the feel-good factor, go ahead and pet your cat or dog—the act of touching your animal activates even more serene-fueling hormones, like dopamine.

They're good for heart health.

Seeing your pet doesn't just make your heart skip a beat—it actually helps keep your heart rate from jumping up, Barker says. When your heart rate is elevated, it's easy to feel on edge, she says, but your cute creature may just be the cure.

Even better: The American Heart Association recently published research on the health perks of having a pet, and linked it to reduced heart disease, lower cholesterol and a greater chance at surviving a heart attack (although there is less data available to support that claim). It's believed that pet owners are more active, which helps keep your ticker healthy.

They make you more mindful.

If you're always spiraling into a worry zone, the same Harvard study shows that pets allow you to stay plugged into the moment.

They get you outside.

A relaxing byproduct of your pooch needing another walk? Being outdoors majorly improves your mood. In fact, according to a recent Stanford University study, escaping the indoors actually changes your mind and allows you to feel relaxed and more focused. So having an animal that always needs a daily dose of fresh air is constantly exposing you to exactly what you need to feel at peace.

Resource: PSI Weekly News Brief

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FIRST AID/CPR CERTIFIED

Professional Dog Mom - the K9 Nanny is now First Aid/CPR Certified for dogs and cats!

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NAPPS 2017

Today was Day 2 of the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters Conference in Chicago, IL.  Yesterday was great, motivational and informative speakers, excellent vendors, and the easiest networking with fellow pet sitters EVER.  Day 2 started out just as good, hiring and marketing tips, tools, and best practices, then after lunch came Dani.  Dr. Dani McVety, the founder and CEO of Lap of Love.  It’s now 9pm and I’ve been crying since the beginning of her talk.  That burning sensation that starts in the bottom of your throat and works its way up, growing as it comes, until you can’t swallow, you can’t speak, you can’t even breath without losing water from your leaky eyes.  Crap, the embarrassment.  I’m in a room full of perfect strangers trying to maintain a level of professionalism.  My fellow conference goers are seeing the real me, the true me, the me that I suppress deep, deep into the empty pit of my stomach.  My body has been slowly tightening the tension like a rope being pulled from both ends until it’s starts to frey from the weight. My stomach is as hard as a rock, I can’t control my sinuses, and my nerves are on the highest of high alerts causing spasms from my knees to my shoulders. I can’t feel my fingertips and my feet are dead weights attached to my hanging legs.  All of this because Lap of Love is the veterinary hospice company that Dr. Brad Bates worked for when he came to my apartment in Philadelphia on 22Nov2015.  It’s been a year and a half since Mitch was put down, since he took his final breath stretched out on his bed listening to me, feeling me hold him, falling asleep peacefully, never to suffer again.  Thank you so much to Lap of Love, to Dr. Brad, and to Dr. Dani McVety for revolutionizing the veterinarian world.  Now if we could all go in such a dignified way on our own terms I wouldn’t have to plan a 1-way trip to Switzerland. 

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Professional Dog Mom - the K9 Nanny will be at Reno Earth Day on Sun 23April.

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Raising the bar

Being a professional pet sitter today, 11Apr2017 is challenging.  It has it’s usual competitive and marketing challenges but it’s also challenging in that the profession itself has not truly been established.  There are no regulations, guidelines, or standards set.  Being a professional pet sitter is truly what you make of it, and that in itself is both an excellent opportunity and a curse. Customers who have never used a professional pet service have no idea what to expect and have natural inhibitions about leaving their pet family members and their home in the care of a perfect stranger.  And experienced customers who have hired a pet sitter could have had a bad experience.  I’m finding that my selling points aren’t about what activities I do, but the peace of mind that I provide.  This is also 2-fold, providing peace of mind to the owner is essential in building trust and establishing a comfort level but also providing peace of mind to the pet.  When an owner and pet are separated, there is a level of anxiety and stress that a pet experiences.  Obviously the level of stress differs from pet to pet but in every case, it’s there and it has an impact on the health and well being.  I’ve adopted my motto as “Providing Peace of Mind for Pets and People” and will continue to seek and discover new methods for ensuring this is conveyed.  Marketing myself ......  UGH, another challenge.   

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A stray dog in Bolivia joined a monastery and became a monk. The resident monks of St. Francis Monastery, named for the patron saint of animals, decided to adopt a dog they call ‘Friar Bigotón’ from the Cold Nose Project, which hopes the dog’s story will now inspire more monasteries to take in homeless pets. Source Source 2 Source 3

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Took the van out for a cruise today with these two lovables.

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Dog-feelings.

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Almost 5 months ago, your mom called me and asked if I was ok with watching pit bulls. Now I can't imagine life without our walks. I'm so happy to be your nanny. <3