The Pet Sitter of Boise - Wire fox terrier puppy playing tug o war

The Cutest Puppy in the World!

I recently had the honor and priviledge to foster the cutest puppy in the world...Rosie Posie! She is an 8 month old wire fox terrier female puppy who was relinquished because her 73 year old owner did not see any humor in Rosie's terrier antics! It does take a warped person to appreciate a wire fox terrier puppy...I am one of those people. Rosie got a wonderful home with a couple in Seattle...where she continues to challenge her new owners....good thing she is so dang cute! Yay Rosie!

Lost Dog...We're Bummed....

My sister's dog ran away from their home in Prosper, TX on May 18. She normally stays very close, so everyone is stunned by her disappearance. My sister posted flyers everywhere, but there has been only one sighting. If anyone has any advice, please respond to this post. Thanks.

Holiday Pet Sitting

I just finished a busy weekend of pet sitting. It was Memorial Day weekend. It was exhausting, but really fun as I had some dogs to walk and that always gets me out and about, which is a good thing. I wonder if other pet sitters enjoy the cat or the dog clients better. I can say that I have my favorites, both cats and dogs, but I do like the added bonus that I get from the dog jobs. I get paid to get some exercise. How cool is that? Dog walking is always enjoyable, except if it is too cold or rainy. I am fortunate that all of my dog walking clients live in nice walking areas, such as Park Center, Boise's North End, or just nice subdivisions with good walking paths.

I had another unexpected adventure this weekend. I walked into one home and into a flood! The line going to the toilet in the master bathroom had burst and the bedroom carpet was saturated. What a mess. I called the owner and he got a professional service out to handle the damage, which was pretty extensive to the bathroom, bedroom, and walk in closet. Good thing he had a pet sitter coming in...this happened on Sunday and he wasn't getting in until Wednesday!

Other than that, the weekend went pretty smoothly. Now comes summer...I'm already pretty booked up for the summer and I think it's going to be a busy one!

Bobbie's New Friend

Bobbie made a new friend, Patrick. He came over and walked her and played with her as part of his community service project. It was very cute. She really seemed to like Patrick...a kid...something she doesn't see around my house very often.

We went to the park near my house and Bobbie got to run around and have a great time. There were other dogs there and she played with them a little, but mostly just enjoyed running around with Nikki.

Thanks for your help Patrick!

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!