You are a familiar sight in the neighborhood when all the neighbors begin to wave. 

You know that you've chosen an interesting profession when you husband asks more about the pets than he talks about how his day went.

This week was pretty  uneventful in the pet sitting arena.  One of my little friends did find a dead bird on her property and proudly brought it over to Auntie Roberta as a Valentine's Day present.  In all honesty is was the only V-Day present I received, so I suppose I should be grateful.  Fortunately she didn't eat it, just carried it around.  The owner was instructed to watch for any digestive upset, vomiting or worms in the stool.  She seems to have been unaffected.  As her owner said, she is such a keen hunter!

We did rescue a young female Mastiff who needed to find a new home.  Her owners also had a beautiful little (relatively speaking) 8-week old brindle Mastiff pup, and she is now finding her way around our place with two Chihuahuas, two Dachsies and her older Mastiff "brother."  We named her Brynleigh.  I had forgotten the challenges of bringing up a baby with the potty training and working hard to assimilate her into the family where the hierarchy is already established.  I certainly upset the apple cart and confused all my four-legged (and three-legged) friends.  She has the usual puppy problem with Roundworms but also has a healthy case of Coccidia which is not good news. 

Valentine’s Day Tips
(from ASPCA website)

Valentine’s Day can be as much fun for pets as it is for humans if dangerous foods, flora and other items are kept out of paws’ reach. Each year our poison control experts see a rise in cases around February 14, many involving chocolate and lilies, a flower that’s potentially fatal to cats. So please heed our experts’ advice—don’t leave the goodies lying around on Lover’s Day.

Pet-Safe Bouquets
Many pet owners are still unaware that all species of lily are potentially fatal to cats. When sending a floral arrangement, specify that it contain no lilies if the recipient has a cat—and when receiving an arrangement, sift through and remove all dangerous flora. If your pet is suffering from symptoms such as stomach upset, vomiting or diarrhea, he may have ingested an offending flower or plant. Use our online toxic and nontoxic plant libraries as visual guides of what and what not should be in your bouquets.

Forbidden Chocolate
Seasoned pet lovers know the potentially life-threatening dangers of chocolate, including baker’s, semi sweet, milk and dark. In darker chocolates, methylxanthines—caffeine-like stimulants that affect gastrointestinal, neurologic and cardiac function—can cause vomiting/diarrhea, hyperactivity, seizures and an abnormally elevated heart rate. The high-fat content in lighter chocolates can potentially lead to a life-threatening inflammation of the pancreas. Go ahead and indulge, but don’t leave chocolate out for chowhounds to find.

Careful with Cocktails
Spilled wine, half a glass of champagne, some leftover liquor are nothing to cry over until a curious pet laps them up. Because animals are smaller than humans, a little bit of alcohol can do a lot of harm, causing vomiting, diarrhea, lack of coordination, central nervous system depression, tremors, difficulty breathing, metabolic disturbances and even coma. Potentially fatal respiratory failure can also occur if a large enough amount is ingested.

Life Is Sweet
So don’t let pets near treats sweetened with xylitol. If ingested, gum, candy and other treats that include this sweetener can result in a sudden drop in blood sugar known as hypoglycemia. This can cause your pet to suffer depression, loss of coordination and seizures.

Every Rose Has Its Thorn
Don’t let pets near roses or other thorny stemmed flowers. Biting, stepping on or swallowing their sharp, woody spines can cause serious infection if a puncture occurs. “It’s all too easy for pets to step on thorns that fall to the ground as a flower arrangement is being created,” says Dr. Louise Murray, Director of Medicine for the ASPCA’s Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital. De-thorn your roses far away from pets.

Playing with Fire
It’s nice to set your evening a-glow with candlelight, but put out the fire when you leave the room. Pawing kittens and nosy pooches can burn themselves or cause a fire by knocking over unattended candles.

Wrap it Up
Gather up tape, ribbons, bows, wrapping paper, cellophane and balloons after presents have been opened—if swallowed, these long, stringy and “fun-to-chew” items can get lodged in your pet’s throat or digestive tract, causing her to choke or vomit.

The Furry Gift of Life?
Giving a cuddly puppy or kitten may seem a fitting Valentine’s Day gift—however, returning a pet you hadn’t planned on is anything but romantic. Companion animals bring with them a lifelong commitment, and choosing a pet for someone else doesn’t always turn out right.  Check with your local animal shelter for a forever friend.

My hubby tells me I'm beginning to talk in my sleep telling stories about the pets I sit!

It's been a fairly uneventful week, for which I'm quite grateful.  The craziness of the holidays has ended, and I'm looking forward to a more regulated schedule allowing me (and my family) a bit more sleep.

I spent the majority of my time this week with two of my clients, "Chance" and "Zoe."  They are delightful pets who were rescued from a certain death in a high-kill shelter.  They have a happy and loving home, and I couldn't be happier to be their sitter.  Zoe is a playful one who frequently breaks out of her kennel to run rampant throughout her dad's house playing with his video equipment and sharpening her incisors on her dad's DVDs and CDs.  Chance on the other hand is left trapped trying to figure out the secret of her escape.  I have nicknamed her "Houdini" which describes the level of her talent.  I'm happy for every day when I arrive to find her safe and secure in her kennel and the house in good order.  No incidents this week which means I don't have to be the bearer of surprising news to her dad.  He's a great sport, though, and loves his "kids."

The only real challenge this week was getting to their house which is quite a distance from the road and down (and up) a long and winding driveway.  I mistrusted my car's ability to ever emerge from the deepening and driving snow in the driveway after my visit, so I never made the attempt.  Instead I parked at the top of the driveway and trudged through the snow.

The decision to become a pet sitter should not be taken lightly.  It is not just a quick way to make a few easy bucks.  You have an obligation to the pets and their owner.  You are required to make that visit - come hell, high water, or high snow.  Not only is the owner depending on you but, more importantly in my mind, the pet is depending on you.  Although you can phone the owner and explain that you have a conflict, illness or predicament, you cannot phone the pet.  They won't, don't and cannot understand why their beloved and trusted friend is not there when they need you.  I have the sweat on my brow from the trudge through the snow as evidence of a very strong commitment to the fur-babies in my care.  I have the wags of happy tails and the looks of gratitude and love in those deep brown eyes which is more than compensation, so I trudge on with a smile on my face and a full heart.

Happy New Year to all! 

Make a resolution to help your pet.  As we begin a new year, take time to make your home safe for your pets.  Dogs, cats, ferrets have a natural curiosity that results in their finding as my hubby says, "where the devil keeps his young ones."   I really can't emphasize enough to pet proof your home.

• If you had a baby, I would recommend getting down on your hands and knees and from this new perspective survey your home for dangers and remove all small items that could be placed in a mouth.  A pet can go places and crawl under things a baby can't, so you must be extra diligent in removing small items that may be found by your pet.
  • Remove rubberbands, hair bands, paperclips, twist ties from any plastic bags, sewing needles out of harm's way.  Remove all plants that may be munched on.  Many are toxic to pets.  Remember, items we would not consider placing in our mouths are the most intriguing things possible to a pet.
  • Ensure that items on your vanity, tables and countertops are far enough from edges not to be pulled down by an eager jumping pup, or items that may be pushed over the edge by a curious cat or ferret.
  • Recently I went to a home with a couple of cats where the owner had glasses placed close to the edge of her countertop.  Unfortunately, the kitties knocked a glass to the floor which shattered into pieces.  This could have resulted in injury to a cat who may have found himself under the falling glass, in injury to paw pads, or in injury to eyes or skin as the glass shattered and flew as shrapnel.
• When preparing foods remember that cats can leap onto countertops and dogs - even the small breeds - can leap incredibly high when they find an irresistible scent.  Keep all plates and cookware far away from the stove edge and countertop edge.  Knocking over a bowl or a fry pan containing scalding hot liquids can seriously injur or kill your pet.
• Make every effort to keep cats away from stovetops.  They will jump into a flame.  One of my cats years ago had singed whiskers as a momento of this accident.
• Keep your trash cans securely covered or out of reach.
• Keep all medicines and cleaning products stored securely away. 
• Dogs love anti-freeze.  It's sweet - and highly toxic.  Remove any spills from areas where you pets may access.

I confess I'm not perfect, and I'm frequently extracting items from the mouths of my curious fur-babies.  Their health and their lives are our responsibility.  They love you and trust you to protect them from harm.

Welcome!  This is a work in progress and my first attempt a blogging, so thank you in advance for your patience and understanding as I - likely - make a lot of first time mistakes.