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[contextly_auto_sidebar id="2BrFuK7Ht6J4j297GKMjiv7oxD7UYyv9"] Hi, I'm your friendly neighborhood pet sitter in Chandler! I'd love to share some thoughts to talk about why we might be THE best pet sitting company in Chandler for you. ...

Maybe you’ve heard the mantra of the animal activists: Adopt don’t shop.  What is the deal with that anyway?  What does it mean?  Your dog sitter in Chandler wants you to know!  Below are 5 reasons to adopt a rescue animal rather than buy one from a breeder or pet store.  Mixed-breed animals tend to have less health problems in general than purebred animals.  However, there are still MANY purebred furkids looking for loving homes at your local shelter or rescue. Pet overpopulation is a MAJOR problem here in Arizona.  After California, we have the second highest rate of euthanasia in the entire country!  By adopting a rescue, you are saving a life that may have otherwise been euthanized or suffered needlessly on the streets.  There are 1000’s of animals looking for a home, and you help make space for another animal in a no-kill shelter by adopting.  If you find your next furry friend at a pet store or with...

Being a cat owner, I know the question comes up for you when planning a vacation or a business trip: “Should I board my cat?”  As your Chandler pet sitter, I encourage you to think about this: Just how “easy” of a time DO you have getting your cat in a carrier to begin with? (They probably think they’re going to the vet!) And that is only the beginning of the hassle for your cute, yet overly independent furry friend if you choose cat boarding in Chandler! Cat owners know cats love their space. And shame on any of us who would consider sitting in the cats spot on the couch, or floor, or bed! They love the homes we give them and really dislike change! So imagine that you do succeed in safely securing Fluffy in her carrier without a big hassle. You still have to listen to her guilt...

I’m sure many of you have heard just how important it is to train your dog. In fact most of us were taught or told to push down on a dogs butt to “train” them to sit and that kneeing a dog in the chest to stop them from jumping is the most effective way. But are these methods the best way to train your new puppy or dog? Are there other ways? And how do these other ways work? Your Chandler dog sitter is here to explain and help you understand the benefits of positive Reinforcement training. BUT….What is it??? Positive reinforcement training is a way of rewarding your dog for GOOD behavior (instead of punishing them for behavior you don't want),  and showing them acceptable ways to behave and listen. Using this method of training, dogs are not scolded, hit, or forced in to listening. They usually start out...

Imagine this...

Have you ever seen your cat or dog scratching incessantly?  Maybe an ear or a belly, maybe a chin, maybe frequent paw-licking.  There are SO many reasons this could be happening, and your pet sitters in Chandler have some experience to share in this area. Upon moving from Arizona to California with my senior kitty in 2004, I discovered her chewing her fur and pulling it out on her legs.  She looked like she was wearing shorts after a while!  A trip to the vet and several hundred dollars later, we sent out a blood sample to test her for allergies.  Eureka!  The major allergens came back as timothy grass, soy, human dander, fleas, rice, eggs, and a few other random things.  We got her started on allergy shots which were similar to human allergy shots, containing a very dilute amount of the allergen itself to desensitize her system.  We also started reading every label on every bag or...

Have you ever poured fresh litter into your cat’s litterbox and seen or smelled the cloud of dust that plumes up?  I’m sure you’ve coughed a few times if you were too close!  This could actually be potentially detrimental to your health or your kitty’s health.  Not only do you both inhale this dust, but your cat will also groom her paws and ingest the dust and possibly litter from her box.  So what’s the big deal?   Well your Chandler pet sitter wants you to know exactly that!  Just imagine how litter is supposed to clump and absorb moisture.  Now imagine it doing so inside of your kitty.  It can coat her digestive tract and prevent minerals and nutrients from being utilized as well as cause respiratory issues and dehydration. Some clay litters have sodium bentonite which expands to 15 times its original size when wet.  It can block your plumbing if you flush it, so one can only imagine...

Ohhh ferrets. They truly are adorable. Those cute little faces and whiskers, the tiny soft bodies, and inquisitive eyes. What's not to love?! But before you go rushing to your nearest pet store to purchase a new friend this Chandler pet sitter wanted you to have the lowdown on all things ferrets. As the previous owner of 2 ferrets, I have the inside scoop on what it's like to have a ferret as a pet companion. First of all ferrets require a LOT of attention. They are not an animal that should be kept in cages for hours on end and if this is your idea of what a ferret's life is, then they are definitely not for you.  Ferrets are very curious and exploratory little guys and they need several hours a day out of their cages. In fact the word ferret means thief in Latin - which brings me to...

If you've never experienced your cat around cat nip, you're in for a treat. What exactly IS cat nip anyway? Is it cat drugs? No, not really. It's just that while cat sitting in Chandler, we get to watch your feline friends *act* as if they are on drugs, if we give them cat nip. :)   Cat nip is actually an herb that is a member of the mint family and you can even grow it for yourself. So how does it work? The cat nip contains an essential oil, nepetalactone, that is mainly what drives them wild. Interestingly enough not all cats are effected by cat nip. In fact, only about 50-70% of cats will react to the smell. And generally speaking it doesn't effect kittens under 12 weeks. There also appears to be a hereditary component, so if you have a family of cats and momma likes it, well...

Your cat sitters in Chandler want you to picture this: You just brought home a new kitten, and turn the corner to enter your living room to find her scratching up your $500 couch.  Yikes!  Your mind instantly goes to trying to prevent this behavior in the future and protecting all your valuable belongings.  But is declawing the way to go?  Your Chandler pet sitter wants you to be aware of several things before you decide to pursue this surgery. -First, cats are digitigrades.  This simply means that they walk on their toes.  Their entire body structure is designed for this type of gait.  Altering this via surgery is similar to if a person was wearing shoes that didn’t fit right, permanently.  It would give you back pain, sore muscles, arthritis, and possibly other longterm damage. -Second, declawing is NOT a simple nail trim.  It is 10 separation amputations comparable to removing the tips of a person’s fingers at the first...