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Your Gilbert dog sitter takes the care of your dogs very seriously, especially in the dangerous heat of Arizona. Take this true/false quiz and see if you can pass with flying colors. 1)      It only takes 15 minutes for your car to become so hot your dog suffers serious physical harm. False –It only takes 10! 2)      Parking in the shade will keep your dog comfortably cool if left in a car. False – this only buys a few minutes at best to slow down the rising temperature. A shaded car will still reach very high internal temperatures dangerous to pets within minutes. 3)      A dog’s normal internal body temperature is normally 100 degrees- 102.5 degrees. True –Anything above 103 is generally seen as an emergency. Canine temperatures are best taken rectally for an accurate reading. If you have been exercising your dog and she seems listless afterwards, do you yourself a favor and check her...

Being a cat sitter in Chandler is great fun. We get to spend time snuggling fluffy faces, brushing soft fur babies, playing with mice and wand toys with your cats, and giving lots of treats (with pet parent permission, of course). But sometimes we have an 'adventure'. And that's just what happened last week to one of our cat sitters. She arrived at the client's home on the first day of the sit to a house that seemed very warm. The house was at about 86 degrees. Understanding that some clients will adjust the temperarture while they are gone, she responsibly checked in with the owner to see if that was the case. The owner wasn't concerned and explained how to adjust the temperature setting, which she did. Still feeling concerned for the cats' safety, she made an additional unpaid visit, of her own accord, I might mention. When she arrived...

After hearing about the terrible incident at Gilbert Green Acre boarding facility where at least 17 dogs lost their lives due to heat stroke, I felt it was important to address several things. First, I want to say how sorry we are to all the families who lost their pets due to what I personally believe to be gross negligence on the part of Green Acre Kennels.  I am shocked, saddened, heartbroken for the suffering of the dogs, and yes outraged! Rather than blow my top (and believe me, I want to) I am trying to look at this horrible tragedy and figure out how the deaths of those poor dogs can do some good (if that’s possible). I guess what I would like to say to any pet lover looking for pet care options for their beloved furry family members, regardless of what option you choose, you have to do your...

We know how HOT it’s getting out there! With the onset of summer, pet parents need ways to keep their dogs exercised, and also safely cool. As your Chandler dog walker and dog sitter, this topic is extremely important, since we do not walk your dogs when the temperature is over 90 degrees. So what can you do when it becomes to hot out to exercise and/or stimulate your dog so they aren’t bored? An ideal summer activity, of course, is playing in the pool or a lake.  Swimming or just splashing around with your pup is a wonderful way to bond and to exercise your pet. A classic game of fetch is fun for everyone in the pool! There are many different pool pet toys that are light and will float. For unsure swimmers, floating doggie vests are available. Another option is a kiddie pool and a hose; also great...

As a professional pet sitting company owner, I had considered the possibility of opening my home's second rooms to cats needing boarding, as I don't believe there are many cat boarding in Mesa facilities. And while I have always felt very strongly that boarding cats at a facility is really NOT the best option for cats, in my mind I thought that providing care for them in a comfy room with someone they knew would be ok. However, I recently had an experience that once again has changed my mind. One of our in home pet sitting clients' air conditioning decided to go on the fritz while we were caring for two cats in his home. With the temperature reaching over 90 by late afternoon, we knew we could not ethically leave the cats in the home with no air conditioning, even though the 'cooler' evening temps were coming. So we...

[contextly_auto_sidebar id="NiSWyiMHrlarmoh9bFll3gQga27NgCwb"] Summer has come to Chandler once again! Yes, it’s HOT, and you know the signs that tell you you’re overheated and may be headed for heatstroke, but can you tell when your kitty is in heat distress? Do cat's even get heat stroke? Your Chandler cat sitter can tell, and is here to help you identify the signs of heatstroke in your cat because just like people and dogs, cats can and do suffer from heat stroke. As the temperature rises, it’s just as important for kitty to have a cool place to relax, as it is for you. Your furry friend also needs constant access to fresh, cool water.  You know how much you sweat as your body temperature rises, you’ll see Kitty leaving sweaty footprints on the floor as she sweats through the pads in her paws.  She’ll pace around restlessly trying to find a cool place, and...

[contextly_auto_sidebar id="DqHYUM2RjyfiB10czSMGIKqJuxK6Vr8l"] We pet parents have all seen it at some point. As a Chandler pet sitter, I've seen it often. Our dog will start treating the cat's poop as a food group, or our kitty will decide that yarn is better chewed and swallowed than played with. What is going on when this occurs? This is a condition known as Pica. Pica is characterized by the chewing on and/or ingestion of non-food objects. It happens in both dogs and cats. Dogs tend to eat either their own or available cats' poop. I know, yuk! This type of Pica is called Coprophagy. Cats usually go for rubber bands, yarn, paper or plastic. There are various schools of thought on what causes Pica in our fur-kids. It may be that a dog is missing a nutrient in his diet, or that a cat is exhibiting separation anxiety. There's no definitive known reason yet for...

Most people really love the Fourth of July; a time to celebrate our freedom with family and friends, offically kick off our summer and enjoy some fireworks. However, your Chandler dog sitters want to warn you that chances are good your pets will not be enjoying the festivities. If you are going to be out of town for the 4th, it is incredibly important to use a professional pet sitter. Even if you are not out of town but will be gone for the evening you may want to consider hiring a pet sitter! Did you know that the 4th of July is when the MOST pets go missing and/or never return home??!! That's right, in fact animal control will typically see a 30% increase in lost pets between July 4th-6th! So what does a professional pet sitter have to do with that? Many people go out of town for just the weekend...

[contextly_auto_sidebar id="jlTX390tFrXZynlKCrYWakEDDRcbpoDW"] As a Chandler dog sitter I know that some dogs are not perfect walkers! What is a dog owner to do? Well, there is the option of using a different collar or harness while your dog learns to slow down his pace (After all, we only have 2 legs). One very effective option is a Gentle Leader. These go over the dog’s nose and clips behind their head. It is very similar to the way horses are trained. Your dog will not want to pull and therefore will slow down. If they start to speed up you can very gently tug on the leash. Not all dogs are happy with the Gentle Leader right away but this Chandler dog sitter has seen them come a long way with some patience and training to the Gentle Leader. Now when you first see these you may be concerned as some people think...

Let's face it. Cats are nowhere near as obvious or overt in their expressions of love for us as their dog counterparts. How ridiculous would it feel anyway if our favorite feline raced up to us then got in our face and slobbered on us welcoming us home from work...