DOG WALKING TIPS AND ETIQUETTE

 

During my 10+ years of petsitting and dogwalking I have been pulled down, dragged through grass and trees, tripped over, jumped on, knocked down, and gotten skinned knees and bruises galore.  And now that I have an 80 lb. dog of my own that gets super excited when he sees another dog on a walk, I thought it was time to write about the proper etiquette of walking a dog and give some tips for when we walk with our dogs.

I have to do a few things to properly prepare for when another dog comes towards us when walking my dog or another dog.  I move completely off of the trail or sidewalk and as far away from the trail/sidewalk as possible, or I get my dog to sit while the other dog passes, or I have even gone behind a tree to use the tree for bracing myself when the dog pulls and/or lunges.  Since I have gotten my very hyper 80 lb. dog, I have become very hyperaware of what the other person and dog are doing.  And what I have noticed is that people don’t care or think about if I am struggling.  Is it their responsibility to do so?  No, but if their dog is friendly, then they just keep moving forward and this is the message that I want to get out.  Pay attention to your surroundings and think about all that could possibly occur.  Even though my dogs are friendly, I have a huge fear of being pulled down by my big dog and I have a huge fear of being hurt.

Now that I have gotten my experiences out of the way; here are some dog walking etiquette tips that are very common but need to be said none the less.

1. Always pick up your dog’s poop.  This means that you have to remember to carry poop bags.  The best way to remember poop bags is to have them attached to your dog’s leash.  And teach your children how to use poop bags and to pick up the dog’s poop.  I know this sounds like common sense but a young child who is walking their dog is less likely to pick up their dog’s poop. I just think it is common courtesy to pick up your dog’s poop when walking your dog.
2. Be safe! Always keep your dog on a leash while walking.  Your dog may be friendly but other dogs along the way may not be.  And keeping your dog on a leash also prevents the dog from going into people’s yards or out into the street.
3. Another way to stay safe is to be very aware of your surroundings. Yes, hard to do when we have our eyes glued to our phones or our phones in our hand, but it is vital to stay very aware of your surroundings.  Be aware of other dogs and people.  Or notice potential hazards like broken glass or holes in the ground or a raised sidewalk (we have all tripped over a rise in a sidewalk before).
4. If you see another dog coming towards you, do not just allow your dog to go up to the other dog. It is proper etiquette to ask the owner of the other dog if their dog is friendly and ask if they can meet.  Don’t be offended if they say no.  My dog LOVES other dogs, but will pull me down and drag me if I were to go up to another dog.
5. This is a hard one, especially with small dogs. But don’t let your dog jump on other people.  Nobody likes a dog that jumps up on you especially when you don’t know the dog.  And don’t let your dog jump up on a dog that you go up to (with permission).  This can be a sign of dominance and shouldn’t be allowed.
6. So I know it is very hard to fathom, but not everybody likes dogs. Some people may be afraid of dogs or just not like interacting with them.  Respect other people’s personal space and respect them when they tell you they are afraid of dogs.  Always ask before going up to another person (with or without a dog) and respect their answer.
7. If you are going to an area that allows off leash dogs (not a dog park with barriers), then make sure that your dog is well trained and responds well with commands. If not well trained, they could run off and get lost or even worse get hit by a car, and they could also get into fights with other dogs, especially those that are on a leash.
8. If you have a dog that barks at everything while on a walk, pay attention to the time of day so as not to be a nuisance to others while others are sleeping.
9. And finally, just pay attention to your surroundings and be respectful of others and keep your dog under control. By following the dogwalking etiquette tips, you can ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone involved.

 

 

 

 

 

So the last blog was an introduction to my personal pets.  My 4 legged family members.  This time I wanted to share about the financial cost of owning pets.  It has gotten VERY expensive to own even one pet and I want to make sure that you are prepared for what may lie ahead in owning a pet.  I belonged (past tense, had to unjoin) to the group on Facebook called Pet Vet Corner.  Only veterinarians are allowed to respond to posts and questions.  It is an invaluable tool and I knew I could learn a lot and maybe even help my client’s with their pets or at the very least recognize what is going on with a pet.  What I mostly saw on this group were people asking questions and then following it up with that they had no funds to take their pet to the vet or the emergency vet.  I felt for these people that had emergencies with their pets and could not do anything for their pet because of the lack of money.  I have certainly been there before with past pets.  I can tell you that what really got to me though were the people that got puppies and had no money to take them to a regular vet for their initial check up and shots.  A lot, and I mean a lot, of people posted on the Facebook group symptoms that their puppy was having and it sounded like, and the vets said, it was parvo and inevitably the person said that the puppy had not had their parvo shot because they had no money to take the dog to the vet.  Now just like I understand that we all don’t have the money for emergencies, I also understand that puppies or dogs or cats or other animals can sometimes just show up in our lives.  Maybe we found a stray tiny kitten or puppy in our backyard looking all hungry or maybe even hurt.  And instantly we fall in love and want to keep the animal.  I SOOOOO get it!!  But if we don’t have the funds to properly take care of the pet, then we should do the right thing and find the pet a great home.  Parvo is a very painful and slow death.  It is horrible.  I would rather give up a pet that I have already fallen in love with if I know I cannot get the appropriate shots.

And of course I have just talked about the cost of vet care so far with owning a pet.  All of the shots that are required for the new pet.  Spaying or neutering your pet.  But then you have to add the food, the bowls for feeding, the crate, and the toys.  And adding on we have the training which has gotten very expensive.  The grooming if needed which has gotten very expensive.  And then what I do which is the petsitting.  You will have to take into consideration what you will do with your pet if and when you go out of town.  Will you board your dog?  Will you have someone come into your home to look after your pets?  Can you get the teenager next door to take care of your 4 legged family member to save money?  Sure.  Will they be reliable and trustworthy?  Well that is a little scary.  I have heard way too many stories of people needing last minute petcare because their teenage neighbor bailed on them or backed out last minute.  That is why I will ALWAYS recommend a professional petsitter like myself.

So below is what I have had to do for my pets in the last couple of years.  It is outrageous and you just never know what can or will come up with your pets.

Iddy, my 10 year old cat:

When he was around 7 years old, he got a blocked urethra.  It is very common in male cats under 2, so it was unusual for my Iddy to be blocked but nonetheless he was so I had to rush him to the emergency vet.  He is on prescription food very expensive and loves to eat and has not had any problems since being on the special diet.  $4000 for that emergency visit.

Oliver, my 10 year old cat:

At about age 6 almost 7, Oliver was diagnosed with diabetes.  At age 7, after Iddy’s mishap, he went into a diabetic crisis and had to be rushed to the emergency vet.  It has to do with the pancreas not being able to process the insulin and so the vet and I had to monitor his insulin very closely for the first 6 months after he got out of the emergency vet to see what worked for him and his pancreas in terms of managing his diabetes.  It turns out 6 units of insulin 2 times a day is the magic number and is what he is still on today.  That is a lot of insulin!  And then of course he is on special prescription food.  While he was at the emergency vet the doctor told me that this WILL happen again.  I think he was giving me an out because it was very expensive to save Oliver’s life.  It has been almost 3 years and Oliver has certainly proven the doctor wrong.  My Oliver is so healthy!  $7200 for that emergency visit.

Hawkeye, my 13 year old dog:

The first year that I got Hawkeye he tore his ACL running.  Not as expensive as Iddy and Oliver though.  $2400 for surgery.

Molly, my 5ish year old dog:

At the beginning of the summer of 2022, Molly had “bad” bloodwork and had to be seen by an oncologist.  We went to Triangle Referral Specialty Hospital in Durham which is awesome so shout out to them.  She had an over 5 cm tumor on her left lung.  She had major surgery to remove the tumor, had 4 chemo sessions at the vet, is on at home pill chemo and will be for the next 2 years, and has had numerous bloodwork done in between every chemo so about every 6 weeks or so.  So after it is all said and done, she will cost more than the first 3 of my four legged children combined.  Thank goodness for a couple of credit cards which I will be paying off for years to come but it has been worth every penny.  She is still so young and just full of energy.  To date:  $11,000.

Beckham, my 7 year old dog:

Beckham had been throwing up almost on a daily basis with the previous owners and had digestive issues ever since they got him at 3 months old.  According to his vet records they did not even bring it up as a concern.  I had him for about a week and I looked his symptoms up and immediately determined that he had IBD (irritable bowel disease).  So unfortunately he had to suffer and be in discomfort or even pain for the first 6 years of his life.  Not sure why the previous owners did not address it.  Maybe worried about the treatment being expensive??  Not sure.  But the vet confirmed my suspicions and said that he had IBD.  He was put on a special digestive precription food and has had no problems since being put on the food.  He does like to eat and drink everything in sight so when we go on an off leash hike sometimes 24 hours later he will throw up and it is always a clump of grass.  But that is rare.  I have decided to purchase a muzzle for him to wear so he can still be off leash and splash around in the water without eating and drinking everything in sight.  But so far (knock on wood) he has not needed anything major like the other 4.  But his food is mega expensive at $110 for a 27lb. bag.  Ouch!

So 3 out of my 5 pets as described above are on special food because of their special needs.  Around spring 2022, all 3 of my dogs had diarrhea and were throwing up.  The vet insisted that they did not have a virus and give it to each other.  The vet said that they all must have gotten into something.  After that craziness, and because Hawkeye and Molly seemed to be so picky about their food, the vet recommended that I just feed all 3 the Hills Prescription Diet digestive care I/D food that Beckham already eats.  So all 5 of my pets are on special food.

All 3 of my dogs require grooming.  Grooming plus tip: $330 every 6 weeks.

And finally, because I am determined to do the best job I can at being a parent to my pets, I have them all on the wellness plan at Banfield.  I love the wellness plan and I love Banfield!!  Each month the plans for all 5 of my pets equals about $200.  It is a lot of money but it gives me such great peace of mind and I get a discount on medication which helps.  I get Oliver’s insulin at a discount and I get Hawkeye and Molly’s Apoquel at a discount which as a lot of you probably know, is already expensive.

Some of you reading this may be thinking, “wow she must be very rich”.  Not even at all.  I did lose my dad in 2020 and that helped with the cats.  Like I said above, credit cards are paying for Molly.  And literally everything I make each month all goes to my pets.  I work for them!  Luckily I do not have a lot of other bills at this time too which helps.

So whew!  As great as it is to have a pet and I would not trade my family for anything, they can be very expensive and a lot of time and money is needed for a pet, especially a puppy.  Not just for vet care but for all of the tools and toys and grooming and training and petsitting and/or dogwalking.  So I hope this helps to put things in perspective for what a pet costs these days for those that are thinking about getting a pet.

 

 

 

One of the reasons that I decided to research and write about this topic is because I think socialization is absolutely vital to a pet’s physical and mental wellbeing. And as a petsitter and dog walker, I also don’t like seeing dogs and cats that have not been socialized. It makes it very difficult to do my job. I don’t like it when I see a person coming towards me with their dog and as soon as they see me they turn around because they don’t think it is right for their dog to interact or they are afraid of the dogs that I am walking. I especially don’t like it when I see a puppy wanting to meet the dogs that I am walking so bad and their owners won’t let them. So here are some important points to think about when getting a dog or cat.

Some people chose to adopt an older dog or cat and that pet may have issues that do not allow it to be as social with other animals or humans. For a dog or cat, the optimum age for socialization is 3-12 weeks of age. It is important for them to be around other people, other puppies and dogs, different social situations, and even car rides as often as possible. Exposing the pup or kitty to as many different social situations up to 12 weeks of age is vital because it can quell their fears and stop social anxieties.

The positive reasons for socializing your pets are:

• They will be less stressed around new situations.
• Their attitude is better.
• Their behaviors are much better in different settings.
• It teaches them to have self-confidence and acceptance of other people and other pets.

The negative consequences of not socializing your pets are:

• If you do not socialize your pet as a baby, you will not be able to change the behavior as they become adults (as those of us know who have adopted older pets).
• They may not get the best vet care because they will act out at the vet and the doctor may not be able to get accurate readings or accurate testing done because of the pet misbehaving.
• They may be scary to house guests, children, or other pets.
• When a dog or cat is unsocialized, they may respond out of fear causing damage to something or someone.
• The places that an owner can take their pet are limited and the activities that you might want to do with your pet are also limited.

Puppies and kittens are so adorable and can be a lot of fun. These pets are very trusting when they are young. In order to keep that trust and not have them become fearful, they should be exposed to as many pleasant and positive experiences as possible and to as many people and places as possible. So if you are going to get a puppy or kitten, investing time and energy into the socialization of your pet is one of the many ways to take care of your pet. Plan exposures to the various animals, people, places and activities that will be part of your pup or kitten’s new life. Providing positive and diverse experiences for your dog or cat will help them grow into adulthood without becoming fearful or aggressive.

Hi everybody! Welcome to my first ever blog!!! Today I want to talk about the benefits of having a team to take care of your furry loved ones.

It’s hard to believe that it’s been more than 7 years since I decided to start my own petsitting and dogwalking business! It was a perfect way for me to make a career out of my love of animals (I tell everyone that I have the best job on earth!). I am so grateful for my more than 70 amazing clients from Cary, Apex, Raleigh, Holly Springs, Fuquay Varina, Willow Springs, and Angier who have welcomed me into their lives and homes and trusted me with their over 100 amazing pets.

With my expanding client base I am very excited to announce that Comfy Critters is growing too as we welcome Marianne, Kelley, and Kim to our pet-sitting staff! When I started Comfy Critters, I set out to offer nothing short of the highest quality service. During every visit I try to cater to your pet’s every need and I want to be able to offer the same level of care to all of your pets.

Our new caregivers all share my passion for animals. I have personally trained each of them, and they all bring their own unique skillset to care for your pets, so you can be sure that your pets will get the Comfy Critter care that you have come to expect. Each went through an extensive hiring process, which included both phone and face-to-face interviews, and they have all been cleared through an ACUTRAQ background check. You can rest assured that our sitters are all professional, trustworthy, and compassionate.

Additional benefits to the client:

It’s been a busy year for Comfy Critters. My new team members are shadowing me to learn how to properly care for your pets. Especially for our new clients, me and a team member will come to your house for an initial meet-and-greet so that we will both be familiar with your home, your pets, and their routines. This insures that you are comfortable with your caregiver, but especially that your pets are too! While you are away, we take extra care to look out for any changes in behavior, eating, drinking, or play habits and will alert the owner immediately. We can also help out with other items around the house like bringing in the mail or taking care of plants. In my 7 years as a professional petsitter, I’ve experienced just about everything you can imagine, and I am confident that the team I’ve assembled will do everything they can to make sure your precious family members are safe and cared for in the best way possible. My hope is that our expansion can bring you extra peace of mind that should an emergency occur while you are away, there will be a team of trustworthy, qualified pet sitters to handle just about any situation. Our goal, as always, is to far exceed your expectations.

Additional benefits to the pets:

I’ve always been committed to visits that last at least 30 minutes to give your pets the love and attention that they deserve. While I am so excited to expand my client base, I would never want to feel like I need to “rush” through a visit in order to attend to all my pets. The benefit of having a petsitting team is that you can be sure your pets will still receive the same amount of time and attention that you expect from Comfy Critters – even during our busiest times of the year! We will also be able to provide you with more options for scheduled visits, so as to best cater to your pets’ routines and schedules to limit any stress that may come from having someone other than you caring for them. We will also do our best to prioritize consistency for visits (having the same team member come to your house). This should give you extra peace of mind that your pets will have a familiar face who knows their personalities, preferences, and any specialized health issues. As always, we maintain detailed records for each of our pet clients detailing their preferences and particular instructions regarding about your pet’s care.