I'm Back

Hi There,

It's been awhile since I've blogged. It's not for lack of material to write about, that's for sure! The truth is that I've just been busy. While there is usually a lag in pet sitting after Christmas, this was not the case this year. I'm thankful to have great, active clients who don't let a little snow and cold slow them down. In fact, it seemed to motivate them even more to either get out and enjoy it or get out of Dodge...into tropical climates! Ah, yes, I do live vicariously through my pet sitting clients. Some day I will start checking off the items on my bucket list....inspired by reports you all have given me of great places to see or experience!

Back to pet sitting....I'm sorry to say I experienced the first pet dieing on my watch. Yep, that's right...besides a few baby African frogs and a beta fish, a real mammal died on me. Chantal the kitty. She was very old...blind, deaf, thin. She lived for two things...breakfast and dinner! I admired her great attitude...she just kept going and did not think about her body breaking down. So, I did not think too much about Chantal looking a bit droopy the Friday that I went to care for her and her kitty siblings. I noticed that she had gotten even thinner since I saw her a few weeks prior. I put her wet food down in front of her, and she ate it all up, so I figured she was fine. Before I left, I put her into her little bed, as I always did, because she can't see. Well, the next morning, she was dead in her bed. She had passed away in the night. I called her owners to let them know. They were not surprised. We were all thankful that she died in her sleep, apparently peacefully. So, I hope that's the only pet the dies while in my care.

Back to pet sitting. I could fill this blog with the stories that happen daily, and I will try to do that this summer. For now, I'll just say I'm back....stay tuned!

Last Weekend

Last night I finally finished everything I needed to do at 11:40 pm. I dropped into bed and immediately fell into a beautiful deep sleep...the kind you get when you are totally and completely spent and exhausted! It's a good feeling in a way, and finally laying down and closing your eyes feels like a luxury...and it is!

As I've mentioned in earlier blog posts, summer pet sitting is very busy and this weekend was no exception. Along with the pre-scheduled pet sitting appointments I had 3 new client consultations and rented the Rug Doctor.

As crazy and exhausting as this sounds, I had a smile on my face all weekend. I love pet sitting.

Here Comes the Weekend!

I guess I'm an odd person. I love a busy pet sitting weekend, like the one coming up. My day will start at 5:30 because I have three sets of dogs that need to get out first thing in the morning. First, I will go see my buddy, Fred. Fred is a 12 year old Pointer that acts like a puppy. Fred loves his tennis ball. When he's not chasing it, he keeps it on top of his dry food in his dish. Fred and I will go down to the common area with the tennis ball and Chuck-It. As much as Fred loves the whole fetching thing, he's only good for about 2 throws these days. After he fetches it for the second time, he runs home. He's so funny. He is definitely a dog that loves routine.

Next on my agenda are four dogs in Kuna...all beautiful, sweet boxers. Ike, Max, Lulu, and Sadie. They are crated in the garage at night, so I like to get there as late as possible at night and as early as possible in the morning so they don't have to hold it. (-; They have a huge, 1 acre shaded back yard that they get to romp around in all day long. Ike is so sweet. He likes to follow me around. I also walk the dogs. After my Kuna stop, it's off to Chinden and Eagle to let Pistol and Simba out of their crates. One of my other sitters crates them up at 10 pm, so they are crated the minimal amount of time as well. Pistol and Simba are Brittany Spaniels. They are very well trained, but Pistol is high strung. I usually let Simba have time in the back yard while I take Pistol for a walk. I really enjoy walking Pistol.

That is just the start of my pet sitting day tomorrow. After the dogs, I continue on my route to care for cats and I also have two new client consultations, one for chickens! Yeah! My first job as a chicken sitter! I get to collect eggs and everything! Stay tuned!.

Ranger the Smooth Fox Terrier

Pet sitting is not just about the pet care business. It is about community involvement and a true love of pets. I believe that's what sets some pet sitters apart from others. Not that someone in it just for the business can't do a good job, but those of us with our hearts and lives invested in animal welfare provide the true essence of what a pet sitter is, in my humble opinion.

I recently took on my new foster dog, Ranger. Ranger is a smooth fox terrier that was getting in fights with his littermate brother, Lucky. Both dogs were 3 years old before the fights started. This, unfortunately, is not all that uncommon with this breed. Ranger is such a sweet, submissive boy that it's hard to imagine that he has ever picked a fight with another dog. He was so sad the first day at my house, but now he has adapted and is growing happier day by day. If you are interested in adopting this sweetheart, please contact me!

Quiet Time in Pet Sitting

The past couple of weeks have been eerily quiet. This is a slow time of year for pet sitting. People are laying low before the holidays. I call it the quiet before the storm. I am savoring the time alone with my dogs and few emails coming in. This is a great time to recharge and relax. My dogs, Nikki and Lucy, are enjoying having mom home. I think I will take them to the Nampa dog park this weekend. If you haven't been there, I highly recommend going. It is 6 acres of fenced, grassy land. Nampa should get a gold metal for pulling this off. It's not easy to find a good location, get the surrounding neighbors to allow it, and to get the funds to get it up and running and keep it maintained...thus Boise has failed to get a dog park as nice...not for lack of effort by many groups.

So, everyone....follow my example...lay low, enjoy some rest and relaxation before the holiday madness begins!

Mr. Boots

Mr. Boots is one of my favorite kitties to visit. OK...I say that about all my client pet friends, don't I? I really do love Boots though! He is a funny guy. When I arrived this weekend, Boots came down from upstairs to greet me. I knew exactly where he was...in the bathtub. You see, Boots loves playing in the little puddle of water his owner keeps in the bathtub for him. And sure enough, Boots' paws were wet! We went back upstairs and I refreshed his puddle...oh glory! Next, I picked Boots up and he pressed into my chest as he always does... gotta get the sweet cuddles in. Such a love this boy is! Onto treats and more snuggles and play-time. It was nice to get a Boots' fix this weekend...such a buddy.