Tidy Tips NEW BABIES!August 13, 2019Introductions!! Two new babies to take care. My first one I have already started is Moose, a standard Bulldog, whom just happens to be the sweetest big boy. Moose loving his walk! He has a heart condition and digestion problems, PLUS he is 11 years old but just a puppy at heart. I have the pleasure of opening his BIG, HUGE MOUTH WITH TEETH, and SHOVE his heart pill down his throat daily. MEDS This may be a tidy tip; if your dog will not take a pill with a treat, you may have to open their mouth by grabbing their lower jaw and prying it open and place the pill or capsule at the back of their tongue so they swallow on impulse. Always, always have a special treat ready afterwards. But Moose then gets the best part, loves and rubs from me and FRESH cooked chicken from his awesome Mom. Talk about a spoiled baby! Picture, stuffed animal AND the real dog, MOOSE He also requests FRESH, COLD, FILTERED water from the fridge. His mom’s description of him is, “80% of the time he is a love, old man style and 20% of the time he is anxious. On the street 1:1 he may get his feathers ruffled.” So far, Moose and I have had a ball together! JACK Then there is Jack, ANOTHER STANDARD POODLE PUPPY! I will only see him a couple times a week, but he already has his doodle cut going on, and he is a SILVER puppy!! Otis So rare to see, and he is just as sweet as my other standard poodle puppy, Otis. I cannot wait to start with him this week!... Read more...More Ginger Snaps, please!July 26, 2019I recently found out ginger is good for your dog, in moderation of course! Ginger has been used for many years in pets in the treatment of vomiting and cardiovascular disorders. It may be expanded to the treatment of bloat (GDV) in dogs. The article (www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com) also suggested it may help with gas; which I can add my own personal testimony to – IT IS WORKING! Tre and Freddy I don’t usually talk about my own baby, but once I discovered he LOVES Ginger Snaps AND they will help his “poot” issue I was all in. He has been eating Ginger Snaps daily now (he is only allowed three cookies a day). He gets ½ a cookie in each meal crumbled on top which just so happens to include “Lucky Charms”; the mini-marshmallows. {Yep, he is VERY spoiled} Then if he is a “good boy” he gets one cookie in the morning and another one at night. His gas has been reduced by half, if not more. I am very pleased and he is a happy tail dog!... Read more...Treats in ThreesFebruary 21, 2019Snow, sleet, ice, rain… We had it all today! All in the day of a dog walker. Most of my babies were just happy to see me, get out and take care of their “business” and then get down to the serious “BUSINESS” of cuddles, snuggles, loves, playtime and in some visits a surprise in their treat. Occasionally a client will ask me to give their pet a pill. This can be a tricky task, especially if their dog is a picky eater, sneaky, or has been through the routine too many times and has begun to outsmart me. Tidy-Tip: I always administer my pill in treats of threes. Your choice of what the treat is, peanut-butter, soft-chew treat, pill-pocket, cheese, lunch meat… You get the idea, whatever your sweet furry friend will eat is what I would use. You may have to mix it up to give your baby variety if the pill is a long-term prescription. So, back to treats in threes. I have them all lined up. The first treat is clean, no pill. The second one has the pill hidden inside. The third treat is again, clean, no pill. I give the first treat and let them enjoy it. I then have the second and third treats ready to go. I give the second treat with the pill and have the third treat almost in their mouth as they are eating the second treat so they are reaching for the third treat as they swallow the second treat with the pill in it. I pull the third treat back just a bit to make sure they fully swallow the second treat with the pill, then give them the third treat immediately with a TON of praise. Treats in Threes! This method usually works for me. Contact me with what has worked for you! I would love to hear your ideas.... Read more...HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAYFebruary 15, 2019Tidy-Tip: In my last post I had mentioned a secret tip I was going to share with you for getting MOST major mud off your pet’s paws. You will need an area rug (appropriately sized to contain your dog turning in circles), a laser light, and muddy paws. All the wild weather we have had in the last two weeks has definitely provided the mud element! Some of my crazy characters do not mind getting muddy and wet, so we go through the towel, paw wipe every visit. I happened upon the laser light game by accident one morning when my baby, Tre came in from our backyard absolutely covered from nose to tail with mud splatter; from the tips of his nails to his knees caked in mud globs…I am guessing he had slid into home base a few times. It was dark, he is black so I did not notice until he was already in the house. Freddy, my kitty, and I had just finished playing our laser light chase game, and I had the laser light in my hand. Tre loves the light as much as Freddy does, so I flashed it down on the area rug I have right inside the back, kitchen door… Tre started chasing it, and the mud started falling off, onto the carpet! I continued, Tre continued chasing and spinning and within 3-5 minutes I had a much cleaner dog without the major fight of cleaning his paws. All that was left was a quick vacuum, and the job was complete. Whew, catastrophe avoided! This secret has saved me so many days of wet, muddy towels and all the grief and drama as I wrestle with Tre and his phobia of “paw-touching”. It is truly fun for everyone! There are some of my babies though, that no matter how much I try to convince them we will have a fun-tastic walk, they try to persuade me every day that playing inside is a much better choice. I have to admit, I usually relent with these precious eyes, and we walk for most of my visit, and play the last few minutes. Again, it’s fun for everyone in the end!... Read more...Rain, rain and more rain…February 9, 2019wet tail wagging Wacky Weather! We went from pouring rain and I mean, POURING DOWN RAIN and mud puddles deep enough for swimming and almost 70-degrees to 24 hours later we were dealing with single digit windchill temps and FROZEN MUD (my favorite kind!). caught in mid-stride full speed run! Some of my babies do not mind the rain and mud at all, as long as I will through his ball for him, he is a happy camper. I, on the other hand, am not a happy dog walker when I have to dry off all the paws and wet fur… Tidy-Tip: Coats may be the answer for YOU and your furry friend. I was never a big fan of coats, until I became a professional dog walker. Now that I am responsible for drying off and the comfort of more than just my own dog, coats have been a life saver in my life. They not only keep your baby warm, if they are short-haired and sensitive to the cold temperatures, but they keep them a bit dryer! Especially their bellies which pick up all the water from the streets and grass and…EVERYTHING! Not all my clients have coats available to use, so in this case, it was the towel, which this guy just happens to LOVE almost as much as the ball play. A second tip for their muddy paws is a laser light and a rug… more on that tip tomorrow.... Read more...Winnie the PoohFebruary 9, 2019After all the rain on Thursday, Cally and I finally had a chance to really get out for our walk… What a surprise for us when she found a Winnie the Pooh bear for amusement. She may be a Rottweiler, but as most Rottys are, she is just a big sweet baby, and was so pleased with herself. I convinced her we should leave it where we found it, in case whomever lost it came back for it. She obliged my wishes and we moved on to the next new and exciting smell. Tidy-Tip: You may notice in the pictures I have two leashes on Cally. She is a big girl, and very strong. When she decides she wants to go somewhere she just goes. I have the gentle leader on her (harness on the nose) because she responds extremely well to it (and most dogs do) with just a very gentle tug I have her going any direction I desire. BUT I have the heavy pinch collar on as a back-up because Cally has pulled a trick on me and pulled out of her gentle leader and been free!! Oh my, that was a heart stopping moment in my life as a dog walker. A loose dog, and not only a loose dog, but a loose Rottweiler chasing after a jogger! AGH!!! I called Cally back that day, and she came (because we have built a trust/respect relationship) and I grabbed her leather collar and just held her as the jogger left the scene. Just to say, Cally and I had a VERY LONG heart to heart conversation that day. Whew! It was from that day on I started double leashing her for safety. Her safety, other’s safety and my peace of mind!... Read more...Booties?February 7, 2019If you are following my blog, yesterday Zoe and I had the “bad” poo experience. (you can read more about that situation in my Bang, Bang, Bang post) Today Emma was home so Zoe and I filled Emma in on what happened; all three of us had a serious conversation before the walk and then decided to go the other direction today! Conflict avoided. We had a spectacular walk, with lots of doggie messages sent and received by both girls. We came home for a paw wipe down and, of course, the most important part of the adventure…. THE TREAT! Zoe and Emma Zoe and Emma Tidy-Tip: Today was a rainy, soggy, muddy day. There will be many days like this with our four-legged friends. A suggestion is to start early and as young as possible with your baby to get them accustomed to you playing, touching, and wiping off their paws or toweling them off. Try to make it fun and playful so they do not fear it, or resist it; the goal is for them to NOT nip at you during the process. Treats in one hand, towel in the other are a good place to start and then work from there until they are used to it. I suggest doing it every day, even if there is no rain or mud so when you REALLY need it, they think it is just normal routine. I have been successful with 4 out of 5 of my babies with this method. (There is always one, huh?) Some dogs will even allow you to put booties on them. And then there will be the super heroes of the dog world and they will even walk in them!! I rarely see this, so I had to capture this precious moment.... Read more...Body LanguageFebruary 6, 2019There are times when more than the tail wags and the whole body gets the better of them! At first “Finn” barked a real deep, “Woof!” when I entered and as I ran for the alarm and called his name, I could see his bark turn into a tail wag into a body wag of excitement. It truly brings a huge smile to my face every time I see it! Once I get the alarm off, I go open to gate for “Finn” and he plows his head through my legs for his loves and rubs like he does every time he sees me. Here’s the thing though, “Finn” is tall! So, when he goes through my legs, I am lifted up on one leg or the other as I ride him through to rub him. He is my funny big guy, for sure. Tidy Tip- The deep menacing bark “Finn” has doubled with his size can be intimidating. I respect every dog I meet, all sizes, but the larger ones I have learned to come in with an attitude of being the alpha in the pack. You are in charge, no arguments allowed. They will hear it in your voice along with the sweetness and the love you bring them. Remember, you are there to do what most dogs LOVE to do. GO FOR A WALK!! And then to top it off, they get a treat too! Happy tails are sure to follow…... Read more...Doggy Snow DayFebruary 5, 2019Friday was a surprise to me and the pups; SNOW DAY and PLAY DAY all rolled into one! Charlotte, whom is a Shepherd-Husky mix LOVES snow, and definitely had a blast running at full speed after our walk in her backyard. Charlotte She makes me laugh out loud, literally, when she does her ‘zoomies” helter-skelter around me at a full speed run. Charlotte Roofus Just as some dogs love the snow, others abhor it. Roofus is patiently waiting by the door as Rocko takes full advantage of the snow to get a good frolic in. Rocko Roofus always prefers the snuggles and cuddles over the walk from me any day, anytime. (Remember these are the babies that will “melt” if a rain drop touches them! Read more about R&R in “Meet the Dogs) CeCe Tidy Tip- A word of caution though, as fun as the snow is, our elderly ladies (or gentlemen) may “think” they can do more than they can so I take extra care to watch out for slippery spots. And just plain too much activity on old joints will cause them pain just as much as it does us. CeCe (14-year-old Schnauzer) tried to convince me she could run in the deepest part of the powder snow today… I suggested we take it a little slower and keep to the shoveled or snowplowed sidewalks. I guarantee she was happier that night!... Read more...HOT PINK FAUX FUR…January 30, 2019Today was a preview of what is to come, so beware and bundle up. I usually do not promote or even condone the use of coats on dogs but today I have changed my mind; completely. Really! They are not just for fashion anymore. Lily, my DIVA wore her hot pink faux fur hooded coat today for our walk. -5 with the windchill; it was COLD. Lily marched out like it was a normal day… We came back inside and I expected to warm her up with belly rubs before I left for the day, but when I removed her coat, she was toasty warm! She was warming ME up instead of the other way around. That hot pink parka works, and I will swear by it! Tidy Tip – Coats are great on dogs that get extremely wet in rain, or pick up moisture from wet streets on their bellies too. It really helps in the drying off process after a walk, or even just after they come in from going outside, and in from outside, and in from outside… You get the idea!... Read more...Poor “doodle” babies…January 26, 2019After 12 walks, most of them a “doodle” of some sort I can say I have spent the better part of my day with snowballs!! Not making them, not throwing them, but melting them. Four paws per baby, well you can do the math; it’s a lot of snowballs and pawballs! A tidy tip is to warm the snowballs with your hands a bit until they turn slushy and then they pull right off. I suggest melting the ones between their toes first as they might be painful to your furry friend. Seems obvious but you would not believe the people I see that do not take the time for this and their fur baby.... Read more...Pitch a fit, I WILL leave you!January 26, 2019Josie and Ozzy. Where to begin…. Here is some back history on Josie and Ozzy! Josie is a black and tan hound and so, so, so sweet. Always ready for her walk, always ready to go. Always behaves, always, always, always…. Ozzy on the other hand is a wild man! He is a miniature dachshund (black and gray). The first time I went to take care of him I spent over an hour as he pitched a fit at me. And I mean pitched a fit. Snarling, growling, and snapping at me. I could not even get him out of his crate, let alone even attempt to get a harness on him for a walk. Short Ozzie and Tall Josie Josie was sitting next to me, just looking at me with pity in her eyes! I took her for a walk and came back to more barking, snarling and growling. Whew! Then the next time I came for a visit It was much of the same…. I took Josie for her sweet walk, came back and offered Ozzy a treat. I had tried this on the previous visit with no luck. He was a little calmer on this visit and took the treat but then retreated to the back of his crate and started growling and snapping again. I am a dog lover, but I am not crazy, so I did not attempt to try to get him out! I let the owner know I did not think this was going to work! On the third visit the owner was present (much like the Lily situation I mentioned last time) and he was a different dog!! Just as happy and friendly as could be. So, I said, OK, I can do this! On the fourth visit, the owners are out of town for the day, and Ozzy is playing is NON-FRIENDLY game again, so I shut the crate, grabbed Josie’s leash and in front of Ozzy say, “Josie, let’s go, Ozzy is not playing nice, so we will go without him.” He immediately stopped barking and just looked at me. I looked at him. I grabbed Josie’s leash and left the house. We were outside for about 5 minutes. Then I came back inside. I had Ozzy’s harness and leash behind my back with a treat in my hand. I left Josie’s leash on. I opened Ozzy’s crate door, and said, “Do you want to come out and play nice?” Ozzy came out, took a treat from my hand, and then flipped over on his back and proceeded to ask for a belly-rub!! I couldn’t believe it! And I didn’t really believe it either, so I put treats all around Ozzy so he was a little distracted on which treat to grab as I put the harness on him. Then we went on our walk. Whew…. What an experience that was. Now we are best friends… I went today, he barked twice at me, I opened the crate door, offered him a treat and reminded him I don’t play his games! ~TIDY TIP~ I have also noticed I need to lower the timber of my voice when talking to him by almost an octave! Once he came out, he took his treat, I leashed Josie up, then I rubbed Ozzy’s belly (tentatively to be sure!) and then put his harness on and we were off for our walk. Dog psychology 101! Ozzy Osbourne to Ozzie Harriet! Split Personalities!... Read more...They Will Not EatJanuary 18, 2019“No, you cannot live on treats alone!!!” “Please, just eat a little?” Sound familiar? If your furry best friend has decided to not eat and there is nothing wrong health wise, it may be something as simple as his bowl. They are “kinda” as particular as we are about where and how they eat. I say that in quotes because you know what I mean. Really?? We are talking about dogs here. But seriously though, if your baby is not eating, or only nibbling at their food, soak the bowl in soap and water, scrub out krustys, and then put fresh food in. You will be amazed at the results! Your sweetie will be so happy! And you will be too! ... Read more...Pet Friendly Ice MeltJanuary 17, 2019I have shoveled and shoveled this first snowfall, but more importantly wiped over 200 paws in the last three days! It is not only to dry them off or warm them up, but to get all the dangerously nasty ice treatments we humans use off their tender pads and feet. There are many pet-friendly, pet safe ice melt, ice salt blends on the market. I really have no preference on the brand, just make sure the little grains do not get stuck in your baby’s paws. ... Read more...