A typical petsitting visit: Tink and Gregory

As anyone who works with animals can tell you, there's no such thing as a "typical" day. Each visit is as unique as the pet I'm caring for. Here's an example of what I do during a petsitting visit, based on real clients. (I've changed names and certain details to protect their privacy, and all pictures are from Google.)

My stop is a dinnertime visit to a single-family home with a fenced yard. My clients are Tink, a 14 year old black lab who is mostly deaf, and Gregory, a recently-adopted tabby cat they think is about 3 years old.

I ring the doorbell and knock before entering. I'm not sure how well Tink can hear, and I don't want to surprise her. As I enter, I stomp my feet on the mat by the door so she can feel the vibrations. Sure enough, I hear dog tags jingle in the living room, and Tink comes down the hall to greet me. Hi, girl! Do you need to go outside? Let's do that first thing. Tink doesn't go for walks anymore, her hips get too sore, so she gets yard time instead. Her humans left about four hours ago, so she probably needs to pee and I con't like to keep an old dog waiting.

I make sure the front door is closed and locked behind me. Tink and I walk through the kitchen to the back door and we go out into the yard together. I close the sliding door. Gregory is an indoor-only cat, and I don't want him sneaking outside. I make a visual check that both gates are shut and secure. Usually I'll do this before letting a dog out, to prevent a possible escape, but Tink's old hips are a little stiff and I'm not too concerned about her running anywhere. Tink sniffs around for a while, squats and pees, and then lays down on the patio in the sun. It's a nice day, so I decide to let her enjoy that while I go check on Gregory.

Gregory has his food bowls on top of the washer in the hall by the garage so that Tink can't get to the cat food. My instructions say he gets one scoop of dry food and a half can of wet every day. I scoop the kibble into his bowl and then go to the kitchen to wash his wet food dish and check the fridge for an open can. There isn't one. I open a new can, put half in his clean dish, and put the rest of the can in the fridge with a plastic lid on it. Gregory! Kitty-kitty! Chow time! Come and get it! 

...Gregory? Where are you, puss-cat?

I walk through the house, looking in every room. No sign of the cat. I check my notes. The owner hasn't mentioned any favorite hiding spots, but under a bed is a pretty good guess. The master bedroom door is open. I call softly, and look under the bed. Two green eyes glow back at me from the farthest corner. It's okay, Gregory, it's just me. We've met before. Your dinner's ready. I'll go away so you can go eat.

Tink doesn't want to leave her warm spot in the sun, but she changes her mind when I bang a fork on her metal dog dish. She can hear that, well enough! One scoop of dry kibble, one can of wet food, a measure of her hip supplement and some warm water to mix it all together. Top it off with her prescription pill hidden in a pill-pocket, and it's dinnertime. Bon appetit, pupper! 

While she eats, it's time to clean Gregory's litter box in the basement. In the past, they were having trouble: he would pee in the box, but preferred to poop a few feet away. What the heck? They were using a box with a cover, so I suggested taking the cover off to see if that changed anything. Then they noticed he'd stand in the box, and poop over the side onto the floor. He's a pretty big cat, and I don't think he realized he was missing the mark. They said they had gotten a bigger box for him recently, so I'm interested to see how things are going now.

Oh, wow! They're using an under-bed storage box for his litter! It's really big -- 18" x 36", I'd guess, and the litter is about six inches deep. I whip out my blacklight flashlight to see if there have been any misses, but the floor shows nothing, nice and clean. Good kitty, Gregory! I'm so glad. I scoop his deposits into a plastic bag and tie it shut to carry out to the trash bin.

Done eating, Tink? Right on. Let's go back outside. Dogs usually want to poop after they eat, and Tink is pretty predictable. There we go. Thank you! I pick up her deposit with a plastic bag, tie it shut, and put it in the trash bin along with Gregory's litter box scoopings. 

Back inside, Tink goes to lie down on her bed. All this activity is tiring for her. I look down the hallway to the garage and see that Gregory is eating the wet food. Good deal. Both pets have fresh food and water, their bathroom needs have been met, and they seem comfortable and content. I think my work here is finished!

Okay, you two. I'll see you in the morning for breakfast. Be good! I check to make sure the back door is secure and locked, then shut and lock the front door as I leave.

I hope you've enjoyed this insight into what I do. I'll be doing a few more in the coming weeks featuring different pet care situations. Thanks for reading! 

Happy Wolfenoot!

Wolfenoot is a holiday that was invented by a seven year old boy. His mother thought the idea was charming, and posted about it on Facebook in 2018, and since then it's attracted a band of celebrants. You can learn all the details by clicking here.

It's a holiday that celebrates the spirit of wolves and our love of dogs. What a great idea!

It is technically celebrated on November 23, and that's right around Thanksgiving Day in America, which makes it difficult to plan a party that everyone can attend. My Wolfenoot tends to move around a little on the calendar so all my friends can come and play. 

You can tell a child invented the way of celebrating, because it involves gift-giving. And I can understand that; the giving of presents to mark special occasions is an ancient tradition, and who doesn't like getting presents? My family's observance doesn't emphasize the gift aspect, however,  preferring to focus mainly on eating and playing a few "traditional" games. (Can you call something a tradition if you've only done it for two years?) Our celebration goes something like this:

The guests arrive, wearing their wolf-iest apparel: hats with wolf ears and clothing that includes wolf designs. The table is set with wolf-approved snacks of meat, golden cheese, and a spice cake meant to resemble a full moon. Decorations are inspired by nature, autumn, nighttime, and the full moon. Wolves abound! 

Once everyone has arrived and enjoyed their snacks, the games begin. We play a game of Pin the Tail on the Wolf that in hindsight (pardon the pun) seems a little dark. I've seen a similar game called "Boop The Snoot" where the blindfolded player attempts to pin a paper heart onto the wolf's nose. Much cuter than a tailless wolf! 

Then we play a game I call "Wolfie", a variation on the old Cootie game. Everyone gets a sheet of paper and a marker. Players roll a die to win body parts and the first to complete a drawing of an entire wolf wins. It doesn't matter if your drawing skills are good or bad-- this isn't an art contest. In fact, that's what makes it so hilarious and fun: watching everyone's wolves take shape in surprising ways! This is how our dice rolls went:

Everyone wanted to finish their drawings, even after we had our first winner, so we continued playing until everyone had a complete wolf to show off. Look at these beauties! 

How do you celebrate Wolfenoot? 

Oh No, I'm LOST!

It's a terrible feeling to lose a pet. Where are they? Are they okay? Will they come back? The anxiety and uncertainty is awful. 

But according to an ASPCA survey, about 85% of lost pets are recovered. There are some things you can do to help your pet get back home. 

The most important thing you can do to protect your pet is to microchip your pet, and make sure it wears a collar with an identification tag with the owner's name and phone number. Animal shelters  routinely scan for microchips when an animal comes in, and any veterinarian will check for one if asked. 

Speaking of veterinarians and animal shelters: let them know your pet is missing. Start right away, as soon as you suspect your pet is missing. Check back often, especially with the shelters. Some only give found pets 72 hours to be claimed by an owner before they are put up for adoption or euthanized, so don't delay. Bring in a poster that includes the date your pet was lost, and from what area. Make sure it has your name and phone number, and mention any identifying characteristics that might make your pet stand out. If your pet has any special needs, put them in. Here's an example:

MISSING PET: Arlo is a neutered three year old male black lab. He was last seen on July 23, near the Walmart on Maple Street. He has a white tip on his tail. He is friendly, but might be scared. Do not chase! Call Brenda and Don at 123-555-1234

Add a good, clear, up-close picture of your pet. If you have a dog that gets groomed and clipped, take pictures showing what he looks like before and after grooming. 

A clean, clipped dog can look very different between haircuts and after a few nights sleeping rough. 

Put these flyers up around where the pet was lost, and around your neighborhood, and don't forget the power of social media. Facebook is great for getting the word out. Nextdoor is a social media site that posts to people in your area; easy to use and a good resource for getting those lost and found critters back home.

Fortunately, animals have a natural homing instinct and if they stray from their yard and home, they can usually find their way back. A slightly different situation is the indoor cat that gets outside. Because they haven't established their scent outside the house, they have difficulty recognizing what is home. If your indoor cat gets outside, they often find a place to hide and lay low. The first thing to do is to put their litterbox outside. The familiar scent will guide them. Because they want a place to hide and be safe, put a box or crate outside with a towel, blanket, or shirt inside that has your scent on it. 

Something as simple as this works just fine. 

I used this strategy myself when our cat Speck streaked outside through the screen door late one night. She was gone over a month, and then one day I came home and she was sitting inside the shelter box, waiting for someone to let her in. She had lost a lot of weight, and we think she probably hid in someone's shed and got shut in accidentally. When a cat goes missing, it's a good idea to go around to your neighbor's homes and ask them to check any outbuildings, to make sure the cat isn't trapped inside. 

Another special situation is the dog out of place, like if you go hiking or hunting. An excited dog following a scent or running after wildlife might not respond to your calls, or might be farther away than you realize. Where's that dog gone off to?The worst part is when it's time to go home and you still haven't found your dog. How can you just leave? It feels like you're abandoning him! 

Again, use the power of scent recognition and tracking. Leave a blanket or jacket in the spot you were last together. (Don't leave food, as that might attract other wildlife.) If you have a crate, that's great. Attach a note to these items, if you can, saying that you're attempting to find a lost dog -- that way other people won't assume the stuff is litter. Come back and check often. My dad had to do this when our dog Duchess didn't respond to his calls. He came home after dark feeling just awful, but the next morning he went out to look some more and there she was, curled up on his hunting coat waiting for him. Where did you go, man? I've been here all night!

I sincerely hope your pet never gets lost, and is always safe and happy at home or right by your side.  

What's in your cat box?

When I was a kid, there was one kind of cat litter. It was grey and gravel-y and came in a heavy paper bag. When you dumped it into the catbox, a choking cloud of acrid dust would come up. When the cats were done with their business, it stank. In my childhood home, cats were encouraged to go outside, and the catbox was located in the basement if they needed it. Cleaning it was a horrible, hated chore. 

I'm sure the cats weren't too happy about the whole thing, either,

Then clumping litter came out, and that was just awesome because it made it easy to get all the yucky stuff out, leaving clean litter behind. I love a good clumping litter. It's what I use and recommend. And in the last twenty years or so, dozens of other litter varieties have come on the market.

So many kinds of litter! And these are only a few!

"Oh boy," you're thinking, "Now she's going to start telling us her opinions on all the things wrong with any other kind of litter."

But actually, I'm not. And here's why:

Cats are finicky. They like what they like and hate what they hate, and often make their feelings quite clear about preferences.

I will say that most cats seem to prefer finer-textured, unscented litter. They like it to be nice and deep for good digging and burying, and they like it to be clean.

I've got clients that use pine pellets, crushed walnut shells, recycled paper, ground corn cobs, wheat pellets -- all kinds of different litter. There are definitely some I find easier to keep clean than others but when it comes right down to it, if your cat is happy and healthy using it, it's a win. (However, I have heard the desiccant crystals can be hard on a cat's paws, causing dryness and cracking.) So find one that you and your cat like, and to heck with anyone else's opinion.

Because if your cat is unhappy with its litterbox, you're going to find out in a variety of awful ways.

-- They will find another place to do their business: laundry baskets, your bed, closets, etc. I guarantee you will not be happy with their choice, and it is very difficult to get the smell of cat whiz out of anything.

--They will not use the box as frequently as they need, preferring to "hold it" until they simply must. This can lead to bladder infections and other issues.

--They will do a "hit and run" where they spend as little time as possible in the box, leaving deposits unburied. Ahh, the aroma. It wafts, this bewitching scent, throughout the house.

"Welcome home. I hate this litter. Love, your cat."

Find one you both like. Keep it clean. That's pretty much it! 

Hooray for Kongs!

Dogs are all different when it comes to what they like to play with. Some are chewers, some are chasers, some like tugging and wrestling, most go wild for a squeaker. Sometimes a toy will be ignored for weeks and then overnight become a solid favorite.  But there are some toys that have become classics, and that's because almost all pups love them.

I wish I had stock in the company that makes Kong. They started in the 1970s but really seemed to explode in popularity in the 90s. Their classic Kong toy, resembling a red rubber snowman, is found in almost every dog owner's home -- and for good reason. Dogs love its wobbly, unpredictable bounce when thrown, and the hollow center can be stuffed with yummy treats. 

As a petsitter, I recommend Kongs to all my clients. A dog with a stuffed Kong in a crate or other enclosed, dog-safe area is set up for success when home alone: happily working away on their treat until they settle and fall asleep.

Kongs come in a lot of sizes, and it's important to get the right size that will be safe for your dog. If your dog is a champion chewer, you can get extra tough Kongs. Read the label and ask store staff if you need help picking the right one.

What makes a great Kong filler? You can buy specially-made stuff at the pet store, but it's much less expensive to make up your own things at home, based on what you know your dog likes. I find a combination of stuff works best, to keep the dog interested. You might be thinking cheese or peanut butter would be perfect, and boy, your dog would probably go wild for that! But it's awfully fatty, so you would only want to use a little. I like to put in three or four kibbles or small treats to start. Then a few spoonfuls of canned pumpkin. Dogs usually like the taste of pumpkin, and it's satisfying without a lot of calories. Maybe a spoonful of plain yogurt, then a few more kibbles, and just a smear of peanut butter to top it off. Then freeze that, and you've got the perfect "pupsicle".

 

You can find lots of recipes and ideas for Kong stuffings all over the internet. They can be as plain or fancy as your dog likes! 

It's important to remember that a treat like this will add extra calories to your dog's diet. Keep it healthy, and adjust his regular mealtime rations to avoid overfeeding. 

A Little Bit of Home Grooming

I've spent the last week putting my hair up in sponge curlers every night, trying out hairstyles for an upcoming wedding reception. Curls and tangles and brushes and sprays -- and somehow I always end up looking like a cocker spaniel, with a poof of bangs and curls around my ears. Well, it's a cute look for a pup, anyway.

 I don't know a whole lot about styling my human hair, and I've never trained to be a professional groomer, but I do have some things to say about caring for your critter's coat.

There are dozens of styles of combs and brushes available. Which is best for your pet? A dog or cat with long hair is going to have different needs than a short-coated animal. 

Short hair/smooth coated dogs are pretty easy to keep neat:

I like to start with a soft rubber or silicone brush. I rub this in circles over the dog and it works loose all the shedding hairs. This kind of brush is also great for working shampoo into the coat during baths. 

Then go over the dog with a bristle brush to remove all the loose hair and smooth down the coat, leaving it neat and shiny. All done! Have a biscuit.

Long haired dogs and cats take a little more work, a little more often. Here's drawing I did to help show why:

"A" shows a clean coat, freshly brushed, with no undercoat. Air can flow freely through it, so it dries quickly and dirt doesn't get trapped. 

"B" shows the shorter undercoat, which is fluffy and fine, unlike the smoother, thicker hairs of the  topcoat. All cats have a soft undercoat, and most dogs do. Some dog breeds have more undercoat than others, especially huskies, shepherds and other cold-climate breeds. Undercoats are great because they help insulate and keep the animal warm. It's needed and necessary! 

"C" shows an undercoat that has become too thick and matted. Those fluffy, fine hairs get tangled together and can't shed out like they should. See how the long top coat looks the same? But underneath, that undercoat is trapping heat and dampness against the skin. This can cause skin irritation, and it makes it difficult for your pet to regulate his body heat. After a while the mats and tangles get larger and more easy to see, but are harder to remove. 

To groom long hair, you need something that will reach through the top coat and get down to help remove shedding hair out of the undercoat. You don't just smooth the surface!

The traditional wire brush might work if your pet has fine hair. The wire bristles can be sharp and scratchy, so some pets don't like them. (They're great for fake fur, though!)

The Furminator and its knock-offs were popular for a while, and are still out there. There are a few styles, but mostly I see this one: 

See how short and fine the teeth are, and how close together? They're only about a quarter of an inch long. Those teeth will never reach the undercoat. 

What I really like for grooming long hair is a metal comb like this one:

The long teeth reach right down to the skin, and allow you to pull the loose hair in the undercoat up and out. The metal teeth won't break, and the handle is comfortable. 

Now, some folks see a tangle or mat and reach for the scissors. But because those mats are usually just undercoat hair that's trapped, sometimes they will just pull loose when you start combing. If you feel you must use scissors, try cutting the mat in half in the direction of the hair and then see if you can comb it out. 

That... is a gross picture. But mats are gross!

Another trick to try is some de-tangling spray. It won't dissolve mats, but it will make the hair slippery so that clumps and knots slide out more easily. Go slow, be gentle and kind, and keep your grooming sessions short so your pet doesn't feel like its an ordeal. Treats are always helpful and appreciated.

A really good way to brush long hair is called "line brushing". You lift up sections of hair so you can brush right out from the roots. It's a little hard to describe so I found a video that shows it. It takes some time and your dog or cat needs to stand or lie still while you work. Try grooming a small section at a time -- maybe just one shoulder or hip-- being generous with praise, and then do another section the next day. 

If your pet is well and truly matted, a groomer can advise you on the best way to proceed. Sometimes clippers are the answer, and it's much better to have a clean, healthy. slightly-funny-looking pet than one that is uncomfortable and unhealthy. 

Want to see what a matted cat can look like? I promise this video is not gory or disturbing. Just a sweetly sedated kitty being gently cared for by a loving vet tech. You can see how a cat can look relatively normal on the outside, while growing a matted undercoat underneath. Just click here!