Ranger's Happy Home

Ranger was adopted to a wonderful active retired couple in Portland. Ranger now lives on a floating house and his owner is an avid kayaker. Ranger is shown here in his kayaking gear. I am thrilled for Ranger. He is a good boy!

Summer Pet Sitting

Summer Pet Sitting

It seems as though I did not have a slow period in pet sitting in Boise this past year. So, I am gearing up for a busy pet sitting summer season here in Boise as families plan vacations and other things that will take them out of town.

For those planning to use a pet sitter this summer, I have the following tips:
-Plan early! Get your pet sitter lined up now! I have bookings as far out as the end of July and early August. Those clients are smart as they have already taken the prime time spots. If you do not already have a pet sitter, make sure you hire a reputable one. Here are some things to ask:
- Does the pet sitter have insurance?
- How long has the pet sitter been in business?
- Does the pet sitter have a back-up plan or other sitters who have access to all client info and schedules should an unforseen emergency come up.
- Will the pet sitter be bringing children along on pet sitting assignments? Many pet sitters with children find they have no other choice but to bring young children along with them on pet sitting assignments as children are home for the summer. Note that although many pet sitters do have insurance against damage to your home or pet caused by their children, they do not have insurance against injury to their child. It is possible that if a child is bit or injured (by pet or in your home), you are liable and your home owner's policy would be covering this. Are you willing to take on that risk? If so, I recommend purchasing an additional umbrella policy for your home. Another thing to consider is that the focus will always be on the children first and then your pets. Therefore, I highly recommend hiring a pet sitter that does not bring children or any other person along with them on the pet sitting visit.
- Does your pet sitter have black-out dates? Find a sitter that has coverage 24x7x365. You do not want to plan a trip and then get bumped due to an emergency or change in summer vacation plans of the sitter.
- Adjust pet's routine to consider hot weather, long time without a person there, etc. ie. keep air conditioning on, no long periods outside, plenty of shade and water for outdoor pets.
- Check references.
- ask for proof of a criminal background check. Many ex-felons go into business for themselves because they cannot find work with traditional employers.
- Ask for the FICO score of your sitter. Money management can be an indication of level of maturity and responsibility.

These are the main things that pertain to summer pet sitting.

Have a great summer!

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!

Survived Spring Break

Well, looks like I survived spring break pet sitting for the most part! I am still pretty exhuasted for sure. I do have a busy weekend coming up and then, after that, my calendar is pretty sparse. But, as most pet sitters know, that can change pretty quickly. As the weather gets nicer, clients start waking up and spontaneously start planning little get away vacations. And they should! Seems like McCall and Sun Valley are popular right now as folks are getting in some last minute spring skiing and Mother Nature just dumped some great powder on them! So, my pet sitting adventures continue, as always!

Spring Break

Spring break is one of the busiest weeks of the year for most pet sitters. It kind of hits me from left field. There is an errie quiet before the storm right before it. Then, it just sort of hits from out of nowhere. Some of my clients plan ahead, but others call at the last minute and my schedule fills up in an instant.

The funny thing is that I love spring break. It's like reuniting with old friends. My pet friends...Boots M and Boots P, Doug, Hilda, Candy, Anna, Zoe, Sampson...the list goes on. It is also a great time for me to remember how lucky I am to be paid for dog walking in beautiful neighborhoods with great dogs. It is a very exhausting time, but fun too.

Koko the Burmese Kitty

I just finished a pet sitting job caring for Koko, a 16 year old Burmese cat. I adored her not because she was sweet and affectionate, but because she was old and wise. The first day she talked at me and told me she was not happy about me being there...filling in for her people. It was obvious that she was not happy. As the days passed, I usually arrived to a hiding Koko, or a kitty that really didn't want to be bothered by me...she would hiss at me. But, after about the 4th visit, a break-though. Koko was hiding on me and I could not find her. Suddenly, as I searched the master bedroom closet, she gave me a very faint "meow". I don't think I would have found her had she not given me that sweet clue. From there on out, she accepted me. I had to put her ever so gently and stroke her chin just right. She purred very faintly and her tail swished. She stayed on my lap and when it was time to go and I put her on the carpet, she stretched out. These baby steps meant so much to me! I adore Koko.

Skippy the English Setter

Just when I said I was taking a break from fostering, along came Skippy. Skippy is an orange belton English Setter. He was basically being 'warehoused' in a no-kill shelter in Nevada for the past 7 months. Yes, I said SEVEN months. This is my beef against no-kill shelters. They just keep dogs forever sometimes. I don't believe in this kind of life for any pet. To top things off, poor Skippy fell through the cracks and was never advertised on petfinder.com Unbelievable.

Kelley Moore rescued him and brought him to me for fostering. He is a bright, happy boy who is happy to be stretching his legs again and chasing birds in the backyard. He is being shown to a prospective adopter today, so keep your fingers crossed. He is 2 years old and it's time for him to enter the next, happier chapter of his life.