I have to admit – I never thought about it for my pets. My mother certainly scared me as a child; I knew NEVER to place a plastic bag over my head but a dog is even far more likely than a toddler to bury their snuffle into a plastic bag, especially one containing food. Pet suffocation is more common …
Professional Pet Sitters Week
While this week comes around the same time every year, this year more than ever it seems poignant. There is a divide occurring within the pet care space and the lines are starting to blur. The History of Professional Pet Sitters Week Pet Sitters International started observing Professional Pet Sitters Week back in 1995, just a year after the founder, Patti …
Why Do Dogs Eat Grass
I spend a good portion of my week talking to someone about the anatomy and physiology of a dog’s mouth. I explain how the scissor bite and enzymes in the salvia are specifically designed to tear through and digest meat. I have had this discussion while my own meat-eating canine friend stands beside me chomping down on grass! Why the Heck …
Xylitol – What Is It and Why Is It so Dangerous for Our Pets?
Most pet owners know that chocolate is a no-no for dogs, that warning seems to go over well but recently despite being deadlier, I’m finding that not enough people know about Xylitol. What Is Xylitol? Before I did research on the chemical, I assumed it was a human created conundrum. While it is manufactured as a sugar substitute from corn, …
What’s Up Wednesday – PUPPIES!
Wow, what a whirlwind of a holiday season! On November 14th we were blessed with a litter of four beautiful Boxer girls. Excited for a smaller litter, we thought managing four might just be easier than the seven we had almost exactly two years ago on November 24th, 2015 – it wasn’t. Labor lasted longer this round and after only …
New Year’s Resolutions for You and Your Pet
The start of a new year always brings about thoughts of planning, changing and how to be better at life. I’m not here to discuss another New Year’s Resolution, but rather just a positive and consistent change we should think about making for our pets. The Plan to Change So They Have a Better Life We brought our dogs and …
Tips on Healing Paws Hurt by Winter
Winter is harsh for a myriad of reasons. For our pets, particularly our pups, it can be brutal on their paws. I’ve tried and tested a paw-safe ice melt that helps prevent the cracks and sores that can develop from the extreme cold and of course road salt. But the question I get asked most often is not how to prevent …
What’s Up Wednesday – Bark n’ Roll Canine Care
You know I love to talk to fellow pet sitters in the industry, especially anyone local that understands the nuances we deal with here in New England with the weather, not even mentioning the driving – OK I mentioned the driving. Today was especially nice because I got to share a part of my morning with Francine Coughlin from Bark …
Veterans Day – Feline Fighters and Canine Colonels
Because we are a pet-centric first aid & CPR course I won’t be spending much time honoring the human veterans that have served and protected us (not because they do not absolutely deserve it), I will focus on the feline and canine veterans – yes I said feline meaning cat. Feline Fighters? I was impressed to learn just about a …
Daylight Savings Ends and the Safety Concerns for Our Pets
*reposted and edited from my 2016 Fall Back post Fall Back; darkness is falling We made it past Halloween now we have another dark and scary time upon us – the end of daylight savings!!! Get ready to give up an hour of your light, which for those of us with dogs means fewer hours in the safety of the …