Folks, please never leave a key outside for someone to pick up. This is WAY too dangerous. Thieves and others who are up to no good are waiting to take advantage of that situation. They know all the tricks people use to hide keys like: fake rocks, fake sprinklers etc. and they sniff them out like a Bloodhound. If it is necessary to transfer a key then hand it to someone in person.
Holiday Pet Safety
Holiday Pet Safety
I am a professional Pet Sitter and have been involved in the animal care field for over twenty five years. My scope of experience includes employment as a Zoo Keeper, an Animal Services Officer, Veterinary Technician and a professional pet sitter with an Associate of Science degree in Animal Science.
HOLIDAY PET SAFETY
FOR CATS
- Do not use tinsel on your tree tinsel is not a cat toy-cats are prone to ingest it causing a veterinary emergency
- Do not leave chocolate and candy out where cats may get it-It is toxic to them and will cause a veterinary emergency
- After cooking holiday foods move them to a safe place where your cat can not get to them or burn themselves
- Do not allow cats around the tree-there is too much danger of them knocking bulbs off, becoming entangled in lights, being burned by lights or even knocking the tree itself over
- Keep string type garlands out of your cat’s reach- your cat is prone to being entangled in them and could choke or be cut
- Poinsettias are toxic to cats do not allow your cats access to them
- When lighting the Menorah make sure it is out of your cat’s reach so they can not burn themselves or start a fire
- Do buy your cat appropriate cat toys designed for cats and to avoid toxic contaminants that will make your cat sick look for toys made in the U.S.A.
FOR DOGS
- Do not allow dogs to drink the tree water, it will make them ill
- Make sure toys are large enough that your dog can not ingest them this can cause a veterinary emergency.
- Buy your dog toys that are designed for their size and to avoid toxic contaminants that will make your dog sick look for dog toys made in the U.S.A.
- Do not allow dogs around the tree-they are too prone to knocking bulbs off, becoming entangled in lights,being burned by lights or even knocking the tree itself over
- Do not leave edible gifts around the tree-Too much temptation for pooches
- Do not use popcorn garland on tree your dog will be attracted to it, your dog may become entangled and choke or be cut
- After cooking holiday foods move them to a safe place where your dog can not get to them or burn themselves
- Keep string type garlands out of your dog’s reach- your dog is prone to being entangled in them and could choke or be cut
- Do not allow dogs to have candy or chocolate- It’s toxic to them and will cause a veterinary emergency
- Poinsettias are toxic to dogs do not allow your dogs access to them
- When lighting the Menorah make sure it is out of your dog’s reach so they can not burn themselves or start a fire
FOR BIRDS
- Birds respiratory systems are very sensitive to anything in the air. Smoke can be DEADLY to them especially fumes from non-stick cookware. To be safe do not cook while your bird is in the area.
- birds may also be burned by hot burners and pans
- Spend time with your pet/family member daily and you will be rewarded ten fold!
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Please don’t buy a family member. ADOPT! Prefer a particular breed? Contact a purebreed rescue group. like these The American Kennel Club http://www.akc.org/breeds/rescue.cfm
The Bulldog club of America http://www.rescuebulldogs.org/
The American German Shepherd Rescue Association http://www.agsra.com/ or contact me at https://bobspetsitting.com/ and I will be happy to help you.
I wish you and your dog many happy years together. Contact me I will be happy to help you.
Key Safety
Folks, please never leave a key outside for someone to pick up. This is WAY too dangerous. Thieves and others who are up to no good are waiting to take advantage of that situation. They know all the tricks people use to hide keys like: fake rocks, fake sprinklers etc. and they sniff them out like a Bloodhound. If it is necessary to transfer a key then hand it to someone in person.
Pet Food and Pet Diet
You may have seen the recent Consumer Reports article on pet related issues, although I generally find their articles well researched and well written this one fell well below their standard and in fact did a disservice to pets and their owners. The section on pet nutrition simply did not provide any useful guidance. The suggestion that Ol Roy or any other generic brand of pet food should be an option simply because it is cheaper is a mistake.
The assertion that the standards set by the Association of American Feed Control Officials are adequate is misleading, their standards do not reflect appropriate nutrition for your pets.
Feeding generic brands such as Ol Roy simply does not provide your pet with an appropriate diet. Because Big Macs are edible does not mean they provide adequate nutrition for you and because cheap pet food is edible does not mean it provides adequate nutrition for your pet.I am not going to tell you what food is best for your pet and you should run not walk from anyone who tells you there is only a single brand of pet food for your pet, but I am going to provide you with the resources you need to make the best decisions for your pets. Here are some links relating to pet nutrition. http://www.acvn.org/ ;http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/SafetyHealth/RecallsWithdrawals/default.htm
As always feel free to call or write me if you have any questions or would like any help.Please also see http://nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/ regarding the canine human bond.
Feeding generic brands such as Ol Roy simply does not provide your pet with an appropriate diet. Because Big Macs are edible does not mean they provide adequate nutrition for you and because cheap pet food is edible does not mean it provides adequate nutrition for your pet.I am not going to tell you what food is best for your pet and you should run not walk from anyone who tells you there is only a single brand of pet food for your pet, but I am going to provide you with the resources you need to make the best decisions for your pets. Here are some links relating to pet nutrition. http://www.acvn.org/ ;http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/SafetyHealth/RecallsWithdrawals/default.htm
As always feel free to call or write me if you have any questions or would like any help.Please also see http://nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/ regarding the canine human bond.
The Poop Scoop
I am a professional Pet Sitter and have been involved in the animal care field for over twenty years. My scope of experience includes employment as a Zoo Keeper, an Animal Services Officer, Veterinary Technician and a professional pet sitter with an Associate of Science degree in Animal Science.
Folks we as dog owners have a responsibility not only to our community and environment, but to our dogs to pick up after them and as members of society we have a responsibility to keep our communities clean and not impose our waste on the rest of the community.
As dog owners we have the responsibility to see to it that we do not reflect negatively on fellow dog owners because of our actions. For example you let your dog out to poop in your neighbors yard and another dog owner sees that and takes the cue that it’s appropriate to do the same. The other neighbors may now have a negative opinion of dog owners in general because of your actions. We have seen a similar scenario occur with the “Pitbull” group. A small group of irresponsible individuals treats their “Pitbulls” poorly and the entire group of dogs receives unjustified discrimination because of their owners actions. As dog owners we must police our own in order to avoid the draconian breed specific legislation that is now sweeping the country.
Be responsible- scoop the poop, train your dog to be a canine good citizen and keep your community a clean and enjoyable place to live.
Summertime dog news and blues keep your dog safe from the heat
My scope of experience includes employment as a Zoo Keeper, an Animal Services Officer, Veterinary Technician and a professional pet sitter with an Associate of Science degree in Animal Science.
Well… the heat is upon us and we need to watch our canine friends closely to avoid heat related illness. Here are some recommendations that will help you keep your friends safe.
- In the hottest part of the day 9:00 AM-5:00 PM limit your canine companion’s activity in the direct sun to twenty minutes
- Spray your companion down with cool water before going out
- Avoid pavement
- Seek frequent shade
- Have water available at all times.
- If your companion has rapid breathing that does not subside or/and has excessive salivation bring them indoors immediately continue to monitor and apply cool water (not cold) if there is no change transport to your veterinarian .
- Ask your veterinarian to show you how to monitor capillary refill.
- I’ve found that an easy way to carry water with me when I walk dogs is using a camelbak water container.
- Because you have left your canine companion out in the heat for extended periods before does not mean it is safe.
If you have a dog door that allows your canine companion to move freely from the house to the yard be sure to provide shade and plenty of water. It would be best to have an automatic waterer outside that can be secured to the ground or wall so that your companion never runs out of water and the water is always cool and clean.
If you have any suggestions as to how the process can be improved I’m all ears. Please let me know your suggestions.
Puppy safety
I have been caring for your pets for more than twenty five years as a Zoo Keeper, an Animal Services Officer, Veterinary Technician and a professional pet sitter with an Associate of Science degree in Animal Science. I have seen well intentioned people bring home a beautiful new puppy only to mourn his or her death from ingesting toxic plants or objects.
Puppies are very orally oriented. That means they like to mouth EVERYTHING including things that are not safe for them. Before you bring them home you should look around both your home and yard and remove as many hazards as possible including toxic plants, you can find a list of toxic plants here http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/plants/ Even after removing toxic plants you should not allow your puppy to chew on any plants. Also make sure any containers of chemicals or hazardous objects are removed or out of your puppy’s reach.Coco bark mulch has become the subject of concern recently, but you should not only keep your puppy from mouthing coco bark mulch, but all mulch and anything else that is not intended for a puppy. You need to be hyper-vigilant when bringing home your new family member. You absolutely must supervise them at all times when they are not crated or in a puppy-proof room. Even when your puppy is on a leash they are going to try to mouth anything they can. Keep them on a short non-retractable leash that will not allow them to wander. You should be prepared if your puppy or any dog for that matter should put something in their mouth that may be harmful to them. DO NOT try to remove the object from their mouth immediately. First make an abrupt sound like AH AH! To distract them then offer them a treat which you have previously determined they like better than any other. This will let you trade the hazard for the treat. Be sure to pick up and remove the object after they drop it. You should also keep the ASPCA Poison Control Center telephone number 888-426-4435, your veterinarians phone number and your veterinary emergency clinic’s phone number immediately available, you can do this by putting the numbers on your refrigerator. Ask each of the clinics and the poison control center if they have their information on a magnet.
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Other pet parents never thought it would happen to them. Whether your puppy is in Florida or somewhere else you can take steps to insure your puppies safety.
I encourage you to post comments that are relevant to the discussion, but please, only leave comments that are pertinent to the topic.
If you have any suggestions as to how the process can be improved I’m all ears. Please let me know your suggestions.
Please don’t buy a family member. ADOPT! Prefer a particular breed? Contact a rescue group. like these
Florida Pit Bull Rescue http://pitbull.rescueme.org/Florida
The American German Shepherd Rescue Association or contact me , and I will be happy to help you.
I wish you and your dog many happy years together. Contact me I will be happy to help you.
Stop dog bans and BSL
I have been caring for your pets for more than twenty five years as a Zoo Keeper, an Animal Services Officer, Veterinary Technician and a professional pet sitter with an Associate of Science degree in Animal Science.
There are two indisputable facts when it comes to banning pit bulls or any other breed of domesticated dog.
1. There is NO science based data that supports that any breed of dog is more predisposed to attack humans than any other breed.
2. Pit bulls pit bull dogs pit bull terriers regardless of the name you choose can only be properly identified through complicated genetic testing and hundreds of dogs are improperly identified as pit bulls.
What can we do to combat this misguided legislation?
1. Talk to your veterinarian and encourage them to take a stand against breed specific legislation and to make their position known by posting an announcement in their office and on their website.
2. Adopt a pit bull
3. If you own a pit bull make it your promise to train your dog and be an ambassador for the breed
4.Volunteer to take a pit bull out in your community and provide public education
What other subjects would you like to see?
I encourage you to post comments that are relevant to the discussion, but please, only leave relevant comments.
Please don’t buy a family member. ADOPT! Prefer a particular breed? Contact a rescue group like these
Florida Pit Bull Rescue http://pitbull.rescueme.org/Florida
The American Kennel Club http://www.akc.org/breeds/rescue.cfm
The Bulldog club of America http://www.rescuebulldogs.org/
The American German Shepherd Rescue Association http://www.agsra.com/ or contact me at https://bobspetsitting.com/ and I will be happy to help you.
I wish you and your dog many happy years together. Contact me I will be happy to help you.
HOW TO SAVE YOUR DOG’S LIFE
I have been caring for your pets for more than twenty five years as a Zoo Keeper, an Animal Services Officer and as a Veterinary Technician.
I have seen dozens of dogs needlessly hit by cars and attacked and killed by other dogs whose owners never thought it would happen to them. I have seen the suffering that the dogs experience and the heartbreak their owners go through. Please do not let this happen to you. Whether your dog is in Florida or somewhere else
You can save your dog’s life by following a few simple steps:
1. NEVER let your dog outside without you attached to one end of a leash and your dog secured to the other end in a harness. (Except in a fenced yard).
2.When taking your dog outside always use a harness and not a collar. You should avoid step in and expandable mesh harnesses. The expandable material in the mesh harnesses can not hold your dog securely and the step in harnesses are difficult to fit properly. An H style harness is your best choice. Remember it needs to fit tightly to work properly. Your dog can slip out of a collar in a few seconds and be gone forever
3. Do not rely solely on electric “Invisible fence” type fencing. It is not effective for all dogs and is not as reliable as a physical fence.
4. Inspect your fence regularly for any damage or gaps that would allow your dog to escape.
5. Always have your dog’s identification attached to their harness or collar at all times (yes even inside).
6. Use a collar only for the purpose of attaching your dog’s identification or a fashion statement, but never for attaching a leash.
7. Have your pet micro chipped. Make sure you choose a chip that is recognized by your local shelter.
8. Please keep your dog on a leash. Remember you can control your actions, but you can not control the actions of those who may harm your pet, like speeding cars,other dogs,coyotes, etc. Use a harness and leash.
I encourage you to post comments.
What do you like about this post?
What other subjects would you like to see?
Please don’t buy a family member. ADOPT! Prefer a particular breed? Contact a rescue group like these
Florida Pit Bull Rescue http://pitbull.rescueme.org/Florida
The American Kennel Club http://www.akc.org/breeds/rescue.cfm
The Bulldog club of America http://www.rescuebulldogs.org/
The American German Shepherd Rescue Association http://www.agsra.com/ or contact me at https://bobspetsitting.com/ and I will be happy to help you.
I wish you and your dog many happy years together. Contact me I will be happy to help you.
Specials And Promotions
50% off 20 litterbox cleanings that can be used at anytime if you mention this ad
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Please don’t buy a family member. ADOPT! Prefer a particular breed? Contact a purebreed rescue group. Contact me I will be happy to help you.