PawshPaws

A dog is more than just a pet. They are a friend that you can always count on when things go wrong and no one else seems to care. But having a dog for a pet is not just about feeding it and giving it a good home. It also takes daily exercise and maintenance to keep your dog fit and healthy.

Spending time with man’s best friend further deepens the relationship one has with a pet. It tells the dog that the owner loves being with it and by either playing or working together; it strengthens the communication, understanding and respect between man and animal.

There are many ways to teach a dog discipline and new tricks. But with a little imagination thrown in, you can teach them through games instead of the normal routine. This way it can be fun for both the dog and the owner.

For a change of pace, pet sitters often play these fungames with the dogs… and you can try them as well:

Remember the game “follow the leader”? Well, this activity can also be played with dogs. Here’s how…   By placing objects such as cones or cans on the ground and making the dogs go around these objects, the dog will learn to follow when it is called. You can further strengthen this behavior by switching who the leader is and doing the entire process all over again.

Another game to try is hide and seek. Children play this game with other children. But by teaching the dog to stay in one place, then have the dog search for the person when the dog’s name is called, it teaches the dog discipline and will make the dog learn to wait until being called.

You can modify this game by hiding a treat in a certain area and have your dog look for it. The animal will learn to use its keen sense of smell to search for things and be rewarded for it.

Dogs like to play often and by changing these games with a little twist, it can be fun for both the owner and the dog as well as physically beneficial for both.

Of course, the old standbys are also beneficial and provide a great opportunity to spend quality time with your pet.  Consider taking your dog along for a jog with youor other activities such as catching the Frisbee or fetching the stick. Each of these activities not only strengthens their limbs but also strengthens their mental functions.

Spending quality time with your dog through a variety of activities is fun. It gives the animal an opportunity to learn good manners, therefore making them easier to live with and lets you enjoy how wonderful the experience can be.

Pet sitting advice on what you should feed your pet rabbit…

If you own a pet rabbit, you may be confused as to what is best to feed it.

Learn what vets and professional pet sitters recommend. These are the best tips to keep your pet rabbit healthy.

These days, cats are among the most popular pet you can own.  There are several breeds available, with the most popular being Persian and Siamese.  Cats are a domesticated animal, with origins dating back some 8,000 years and beyond.  Like any other pet that you may own, including dogs, cats cost money to take care of properly.

When you get a cat, you’ll need to think about the costs.  You’ll obviously need food, and you’ll also need to plan ahead for vet costs.  You’ll also need litter, which can tend to get quite expensive as the years go by.  Your cat will need a
litter box, food dish, and water dish.  You should also invest in some toys as well, such as a scratching post, cat toys, a pet carrier, and a bed.  And you’ll want to look into getting an ID collar as well, just in case your cat ever gets lost.

Feeding your pet will depend a great deal on his age.  Older cats require two small meals or one large meal for the day.  Kittens on the other hand, require several feedings a day until they get around the age of 12 weeks.  Cats that are between three and six months of age need to be fed three times a day.

Canned food can be fed to cats, although any food that has been left out longer than 30 minutes needs to be disposed of.  Canned food can get expensive, and you should always keep in mind that some may need to be thrown away when you buy it.  Cats love canned food, although it doesn’t have any benefits to their dental health like dry food does.

As an alternative plan, you can always leave a supply of dry food out for your pet.  When you give your cat dry food, you should always make sure that they have enough water.  Dry food costs less than canned food, and it can also help to prevent the buildup of tartar on your cat’s teeth.

When you buy dry food, you should always look in terms of health and benefits, and stay away from generic food.  Even though generic food may be cheaper, it may not offer the nutrients your pet needs.

If you own a kitten, you should only give you them food designed for kittens.  You’ll also need to clean and refill their water dish every day.  Even though kittens and adult cats like cow’s milk, you should avoid giving it to them as it can cause diarrhea.

Treats are fine on occasion, although too many of them can cause your pet to get fat.  Feeding your kitten human food is good on occasion, although you may have to mix it in with their cat food.

By themselves, cats stay fairly clean.  Although you don’t have to bathe them that often, you’ll need to give them a brushing at least once a day.  Brushing will reduce the risk of hairballs and keep your cat’s coat nice and clean.

If you are keeping your cat indoors, you’ll need to have a litter box in an area that is easy for your cat to access.  You should always scoop it on a daily basis, and clean it out once a week.  Cats don’t like to use dirty litter boxes, they prefer for it to be nice and clean.

Although cats do require some work, they are great pets that will provide you with years and years of companionship.  As long as you take care of your cat and take them to the vet for their checkups, they should remain healthy.  Even though cats can get sick from time to time – knowing how to care for them will make a world of difference.

Your dog walking career might start slowly first, but don’t worry… as long as you are professional, punctual and trustworthy, your business will grow in no time.

Here are a few quick tips that every dog walker must know in order to run a productive dog walking business:

1. Have extra leashes, collars, dog toys, dog treats, etc.
2. Get a good backpack for storing extras as you walk, something that your dog clients can’t reach.
3. Take water for you and for the dogs you are walking and don’t forget to take a small bowl for the water.
4. Keep a raincoat handy at all times. It’ll bother you more than the dogs if it starts to pour.
5. Get police checks/clearance papers to show potential clients that you are trustworthy and that you are taking a professional approach. This is an important consideration since you are entering their homes during their work hours to take their dog for a walk and you will have access to their keys and their home.
6. Insurance is also a must. You never know what may happen. Dog Walking insurance is cheap.
7. Be sure to have a signed service agreement to be sure your business is covered against liability.

And here are a few warnings to consider:

1. Always be cautious around the dogs that you are not familiar with!
2. This is a job that will require good communication skills with both the dogs and the dog owners.
3. Be certain that you are in good physical shape because dog-walking can be a strenuous activity… especially with medium to large dogs.
4. DON’T let the dog off the leash unless you have a fenced area so the dog won’t run away, or until you have really gotten to know them and they listen well to you!
5. Remember this is NOT YOUR DOG, but take care of it like it is!

Here is a list of things you’ll need to run your dog walking business:

1. Leashes
2. Other equipment as required
3. Dog treats/cookies
4. Pooper Scooper or a plastic bag to pick up poop
5. Pet toys
6. Water & water bowl
7. Notebook with all clients emergency numbers
8. Current map of the area
9. Dogs to walk!

We’ve already discussed some tips on how to start your professional dog walking business, so now I want to cover some advanced tips to becoming a professional dog walker.

1. Get a Good Website. The internet is increasingly becoming people’s first port of call and aids them in their decision making. When choosing your domain name keep it simple and relevant.

For example, one site that clearly understood it’s target audience was www.thedogwalkerportland.com simply by choosing a domain with relevant keywords this website appears on the first page of google for the search term ‘dog walker portland’.

Consider the layout and design, first impressions count and if your website is a reflection upon your service it should depict your core values such as friendliness and professionalism.

2. Consider value-adding with other services. It might be worthwhile adding other dog-services to your skills-set. While these additional services will also add costs and some may even require business or home-office style space, if you are seriously considering make an entire career from dogs, this may be the key to a lucrative career. Consider extra services as:

• Dog-bathing and dog-grooming;
• Dog-sitting (either on client’s premises or at yours if you have space for boarding kennels);
• Dog-training (if you are properly qualified only);
• Dog-listening (if you are properly qualified only);
• Spending extra time after the walk at client’s home with a dog to simply be with it, play with it, feed it etc; and
• Dog medical attention – some owners can’t stay home from work to medicate their dogs; you could be the answer.

3. Love and understand your canine clients. You need to love dogs to have a successful career with dogs. It is as simple as that. Dogs sense non-dog people and it won’t be smooth riding if you aren’t truly comfortable around them.

There are some important considerations to think about:

• Do you know as much as possible about dogs? Know as much as you can, not just from your own experience with them but also from reading and speaking to the owners and to your local vet.
• How many dogs will you walk at any one time? Some dog-walkers can walk as many as ten dogs at once, all shapes and sizes. Consider whether you think this is a good thing or even achievable for you!
• Do you know which breeds of dogs might not be compatible or will be compatible with one another? Know this before teaming them up for a walk.
• Do you know what to do if a dog is in heat? It’ll attract more than its fair share of attention and you’ll need to be prepared.
• Do you know how to handle a dog that suddenly turns aggressive on you? Or on passers-by around you?
• Do you know how to poop-scoop? Do you know the local by-laws on walking dogs in certain areas etc? Read up! Your being well-informed will impress clients and will reassure them that you are not amateur and will help them to feel you are going to have their dog’s best interests at heart.

4. Understand your human clients. Realize that your human clients will have all sorts of expectations, based on their own beliefs in dog-care and often with a dose of guilt that they can’t spare the time to do what you are doing for them. Be generous in your compassion for their concerns (after all, they know their own pooch best) and be tolerant of the more difficult requests. Gentle persuasion and negotiation will often win the human client over!

5. Learn some basic dog first-aid. Ask at a local veterinary for some training in basic dog first-aid (expect to pay the vet for this advice). It will help you to fix some of the little problems that you may encounter. And while you’re at this, do you know thefirst-aid for a dog bite?