Riley at 9 is by far the strongest and makes sure that I don't forget it! =)He is a handsome beast with a very full golden coat and has an adoration for pre-school kids. Every morning we walk by the Montessori school and he'll jam his nose as far as he can into the bars and just stand there watching them play and go on about how cute he is. I think if he were given the choice, he'd stay there all day! He is also the most vocal and talks to me everyday when I get in letting me know that he would like to go first!

PJ has a sweet smile and a quite confidence that leads her in every move she makes. She constantly looks up during walks smiling at me and can always be trusted to be right at my side.... well unless she see's a cat then the huntress in her comes out! She is a role model to her daughter Dixie and on walks together trys her best to re enforce the rules of being "walked." She is also very comforting to Dixie as she will lick her cheek when Dixie gets put to short lead for redirection. Great temperament, great momma, great dog!

Dixie is young, restless,a ball of energy but also very eager to please. Just in our first 2 weeks together she has taken to simple commands such as, "with me" and she knows her " Sit- Stay." While her mom has a liking to ground dwelling creatures, Dixie has a fascination with birds and water - she'd make a great Duck huntress( although I am personally not big on killing ducks) Dixie would thrive in that field! Anything that had a flying object involved she would excel in and water would be a welcomed bonus!

Journey is quite, shy at first, easy going and accommodating. Gorgeous coat, VERY smart, infact Journey did agility for years before becoming part of the Miller family. It is nice to know that after so much hard work in his youth, he can now sit back and lounge in his older years. At 10 he is much more docile than his housemates and is just enjoying each day to the fullest even if it only involves food ,a nap and a walk to the mailbox !

** Update Sept 09

PJ's daughter Ellie Mae has returned for a 3 week visit. Dixie, her littermate and sister, wasn't so sure about Ellie return at first but after a few days together and walks together the girls are having a great time.It is really something to see these two, born from the same litter, side by side after almost a yr! LOOK FOR PICS OF ELLIE IN THE GALLERY

May 2010

PJ has earned her self the right to be called a THERAPY DOG!! Good work by both PJ and Trish to make this happen and I can't wait to hear all the lives these 2 will touch in the future!! WAY TO GO!!

April 2011

Dixie has become a very accomplished show dog and has earned herself points in her class!! Great work Trish and Dixie!!

December 2011

Dixie is currently under medical care for Histiocytic Sarcoma (cancer) Her mom and I are working with many different specialist ranging from opthamologist,oncologist and eastern medicine doctors to do everything we can to prolong and give value and joy to Dixie's time left with us. She underwent a debulking surgery early December to remove a large cancerous mass from her sternum. I was able to visit with her the day after surgery and have been with her monday thru fri post op administering her pain management and antibiotics as well as taking care of her surgical site. Dixie is currently receiving twice weekly IV infusions of vitamin C which I transport her to and from and stay with her during her treatments. Her owner and I are hopeful in it's ability to help this form of cancer.

UPDATE!

Dixie did well with the IV Vit C treatment but her cancer kept progressing. Her Mom took her back to UCD and put her on a CCNU and has been following a strict diet with herbs and Dixie's appetite and attitude are fantastic. Scans will be done with in a month to see if the combination of the two methods have been able to stop Dixie's cancer!

Riley recently had a lumpectomy to remove 4 masses. I cared for him post op and he was great! He was not a fan of the Cone, but who is?! He did great for his suture removal and Owner reports all masses were cancer free!! What great news!! The Miller house needs a breaks!!

*** It is with Great sadness that I update this blog to post about the passing of Dixie Miller to Cancer. Dixie lost her Battle in Late 2012. She is grieved by her owner Trish and fellow K9 housemates, Journey,Reilly and her actual mother, PJ.

Your PawPal

~ Heather

The bunnies are a riot! I don't think hey realize they are bunnies, they act more like cats. Greeting me when I walk in their room, rubbing on me in hopes of more treats and hopping in my lap for attention. They all have varied personalities. Dakota is more reserved and sees me primarily as a food and treat giver. Scooter is a lovebug. He hops in my lap constantly and loves a good ear rub, Apache is feisty and sneaky but adorable so I can't help but laugh when I am making breakfast and he sneaks into someone else's dish. Joey is the cleanest. Sounds insignificant but we are talking bunnies here and this guy keeps his part of the room clean! He is very gentle and makes sure he takes his treat gently.

Tomorrow everyone is getting a mani/pedi courtesy of yours truly. I will be the true test of how much the bunnies like me! =)

10/4

Toe nail trims went great! The bunnies were great and so was Kai! Their mom comes home tomorrow and this week with them has been so fun I will surely miss them and be hoping to come back soon!!

** As of christmas 2009 "Bella" has joined the family. I have yet to meet her but I am excited to see the new family member! 

April 2011

Just got back from another wonderful visit with Kai and Bella! The household has changed a bit as the bunnies have found new homes and the girls are now living next to Folsom lake which Bella loves! She is a true duck huntress and loves finding and seeking out any fowl she can- Look foward to the weather staying warm and swimming Bella in the lake with plenty of bouy's so she can avoid hunting the real deal!! Kai is just as spunky as she ever was and I am making plans with her mom, The Echols crew mom and myself to take all of our dogs on a hike and mountain trip!! I hear Kai can keep a campground up with her snoring after a long hike! Looking forward to my week with the girls in may!

August 2012

What a difference a few years make!! I am so happy to still be watching these girls. Bella has gone from a rascal pup to an avid swimmer, loyal hike partner and wonderful grown dog. Kai went through the ringer with her coat and dietary needs but she has since found a food and RX that works for her and she has maintaineda beautiful coat for over a year now. She still will get after her feet but seeing the difference in how far she has comes brings me great joy!! Another weekend coming up with them both soon!!

Zee Dog is an 11 year old Boston Mix with a snaggle tooth you immediately love! Unfortunately, he also has a luxating Patella and is in need of Cruciate (knee) Surgery. I took him to his first appointment on Monday while his Mom was working and after a quick snap of the xray and a few developing moments it was clear Zee would be going under the knife. The recovery from any Orthopedic surgery is more involved than say a spay where as long as you keep the "cone" on and keep a watchful eye all should be ok in 7-10 days. Recovery from Ortho surgery is just that - Recovery, just as in humans it requires some special rehab work. Today Zee's mom told me surgery will be this Thursday and I am glad there is finally a date. Since both of Zee Dog's parent work full time I will be recovering Zee through the day and working on his rehabilitation with him. I am looking forward to making sure he has a beneficial  recovery experience. This is where the years of working in the hospitals comes in handy. Keep an eye open for pictures and updates to this blog as I chronicle the recovery process for you all to be part of! 

Thursday April 23

700am. I am off to pick up Zee's mom Cindy because Surgery day is finally here! 

830am  Zee has (reluctantly) let the nice Ortho Dr take him back for Sx. I am anxious to see what the post op call reveals about the extent of his injuries.

245 pm - Zee is out of Sx! His mom just called me and said that not only was the cruciate shot to pieces but the meniscus was torn as well. I am glad that today starts his road to recovery!

Friday  April 24th

1030am On my way to pick up Cindy and head out to Loomis Basin to get Zee. They are letting him come home and I am glad he no longer has to be in a cage and can be home and on his way to recouping and recovering!

1pm Zee is clearly happy to be away from the hospital and all sharp objects =) The team at Loomis has been gracious enough to let me take over the first 2 weeks of care as far as removing his Morphine patch, sutures and bandages. His next recheck will be the first week of May to check on progress.

6pm. Left Zee dog for the night with his Mom and Dad. He still didn't have much of an appetite so I had to pill him his antibiotic. I hope tomorrow he will want to eat.

Saturday 10am

Just got back from a Zee check and talking with Zee's mom. He has taken to the belly bands great. These are actually yoga resistant bands that you sling underneath your dog to help guide them out to potty/walk so that they don't fall/put too much pressure on or injure their newly fixed leg. The bands I find work much better than towels, they are longer, offer more or less resistance depending on your needs, are better for your own personal back and  hey, if the pups pee on them, no problem, rinse and dry- no laundry to be done! He ate today which is a great indicator that the anesthesia is making it's way out of his body and he is getting back to feeling better.

 Thursday April 30th

It has been an eventful week with Zee. I have removed his compression wrap and his surgery site looks great! After 3 days babying the leg he has been toe touching the last 2 days and these small progressions are huge miles in my eyes. His parents have sacrificed the nice plush pillowtop upstairs for the air mattress downstairs. I say it all the time - owners and their compassion and love really do greatly effect their "kids!" The storm that is coming through this weekend is going to prohibit any sunbathing that I have been trying to get out of him, we all need a little sun every day! This is most likely the best scenario though as I hope to remove his sutures this Sunday on day 10! Zee is a tough cookie that is for sure! He whines and complains very infrequently ( well with me at least, from what I understand his parents sure get the boo boo lip service from good ol Zee dog) and his temperament is very docile towards me, even when I am having to manipulate the surgery site. I look forward to suture removal day, small walks and eventually water rehab!!!

May 6th

Well Zee is into week 2 and doing fantastic! He is toe touching and getting less pain management. He has been doing well at night without his e collar so tomorrow will be day one of leaving it off with no supervision for 2 hours at a time in between my check ins. Next week I will start doing 1 minute leash walks with him in the backyard because at 6 weeks they should start on 5 minute leash walks to regain strength with more toe touching. As long as he is comfortable, working him up to 5 minutes will help him ease into his active recovery phase.

May 15th

Zee has now reached into his 3rd week of recovery. His doctor is VERY pleased with his recovery and how well it is going. He is now almost steady walking on the surgery leg and is down to 1/2 of his pain medication and doing excellent. Zee's recovery has been a great experience for me as well, not only having a large hand in it but I was always on the other end and was secluded to only seeing the hospital part of things.

Zee's Mom and Dad are off to a cruise get-a-way for the next week so I will have full care of him. I am looking forward to bumping our 1 minute leash walks to 2 minutes this week.

~ Slow and steady wins the race!

June 5th

Zee went for his final post surgical check up today and his Doctor is very pleased with how he is doing. Zee has been released to do 20-30 minute walks and I have been grateful to be part of this healing journey and I know that the dedication to committed care helped Zee's swift recovery!

July 21st

I still do daily checks in on Zee while his parents are at work and today when I walked in and saw him sitting in his chair, a colbalt blue lazy boy, I thought - Jeez I can't believe just 14 weeks ago I was sitting with Zee's mom at Loomis discussing options and contemplating how Zee would recover from this at age 11. As I look at Zee who has now jumped off his chair and made his way to the back door to be let out I realize his walk is no different than his pre- injury walk and just how well his recovery went. It made me happy for him that he was so fortunate to have his quality of life back to the way he was accustom to it. Big Kudos to his Mom and Dad for hanging in there, sleeping on an air mattress downstairs,continuing to block stairs and altering little things in life to help in the recovery process, and to Zee, for putting up with all restrictions and letting us help him! 

Feb 2011

Zee has passed away after many months of life prolonging endeavors. At 13 years old he lives a great long life and was very loved by his family. I had the honor of being there as he passed on and went to Rainbow Bridge. The house feels empty without him but his owners are actively looking at local rescues in hope to give a great new home to a pet in need!

* Look for pictures in the gallery

12/25-1/1

NEW addition to the Hamid house! Welcome Nacho, a shepard mix that showed up at Mr. Hamid's business rail thin and starving and has now flourished into a healthy and husky playmate for Saffy! Christmas and New Year's break went great with them! Nacho has a strong affection for the Hamid Chickens and hopefully with some redirection and conditioning can be broken of his high prey drive towards these feathered pets. Nacho got skunked one morning and that smell is no joke. Poor Nacho!

April 2011

Linda has been hard at work and the Chickens has beautiful new coops and runs to call home!! Nacho has been trained not to chase and catch the chickens anymore! In sadder news the beautiful Apollo, my favorite rooster, has passed away. I will miss his greating in the morning. The new young rooster has a lot to live up too!

May 12th  Overnight with the Boys

My overnight stay with the boys went well. We started off on Monday by having an early walk so we were not walking in the hot sun. We got back to the house and I turned the hose on them for some water play. Zach seemed intrigued and played for a bit,Cooper was already napping on the comfort of the cool tile and Logan was looking at me as if to say "this is where I draw the line lady."The weather stayed under 90 degrees and offered Zach numerous opportunities to play ball in the back yard and for Logan and Cooper to wrestle with eachother.

The boys have a strict line up schedule at dinner time and by the time I had poured the first scoop everyone was in place ready to be released to eat! Bed time was laughable, in a GOOD way. I had been forewarned that I would end up with a small piece of blanket for my ankle and before I was even in bed, Logan had claimed his side of the bed! I had no problem snuggling in and Zach and Cooper took turns being on and off the bed. Zach cracked me up when at 330am I heard him grab his bowl and he promptly tapped me on the face with it.... I got the hint and we were up for breakfast.

Mom and Dad were home by 7am and the boys were happy to see them and were they happy to see their boys! I am very excited that I am able to be with the boys 5 days a week for walks and play because they are genuinely a lovable trio!

CHECK OUT THE NEW GALLERY PHOTOS OF THE OVERNIGHT STAY!

June 10th

Since this visit I have had the pleasure of walking the boys on a monday thru friday schedule on a consistant weekly basis and it has been great. The boys are always up for a good romp early when the weather is still cool and they are even more excited now that the school age kids are out for summer and they have more hands to love on them when we pass the park.

Cooper is doing great, he had a current heart assessment a few weeks ago and all is well and we are all happy about that. It seems his daily walks are helping him take off his "baby" weight and we are only a pound or two away from his ideal weight! He always impresses me the way he hangs in there when his brothers want to walk just.one.more.block. Cooper will look at you like, "ok, one more but after that you are carrying me!" - Gladly Cooper, Gladly!

Zach is a bowl carrying, ball chasing, snake hunting ( oh my that day ) piece of well ironed dog. He is just the right amount of calm and energy in this trio and I know everyday when I walk in Zach will meet me at the door with a wagging tail, zest to walk and bowl in mouth!

Logan is GREAT! Don't tell this guy he is 9, he will quickly show you differently. He and Cooper get playing and there is nothing 9 about Logan. He is not only physically the biggest of the 3 but has the biggest heart! You watch him protect Zach who does not like Coopers invites to rough house and walks side by side with Cooper at the last leg of the walk when Cooper starts to fall behind a bit. He is the first one I see when I enter and the last one to see me out of the door.

This is a great Trio and I hope to work with them for a long time to come!

July1,2009

Today was a fun day with the boys! Their Humans are in Vegas and so I am doing some extended days with them so they get in some extra love. Today started with the mobile pet Groomer for Cooper who was first to go in while I brought around the plastic Kiddies pools and Nerf water play balls that I had picked up them to play in. Zach loves Ball so I thought he would LOVE the nerf balls that hold water, he did! Unfortunately so did Logan who promptly decided I had given it to him to see how fast he could destroy it- WORLD RECORD LOGAN =) Zach guarded his last Nerf ball very well! I filled up the kiddies pools and in no time Zach was running through them to get his ball and I even threw in some carrots so they could Bob for Carrots!

Logan went in next and Cooper swiftly figured out he too like the pools and started to walk around in them. There is nothing more silly than a freshly groomed Cooper, 4th of July handkerchief and all, standing in a kiddie pool! At least that is what I thought until it was Zach's turn in and Logan came in the house, same nifty bandana on and proceeded to rub on anything and everything he could. I think he was trying to rub off the new clean scent and re establish his old scent!

Zach was the quickest groom, the groomer said he was very well behaved. In fact, if he knew Zach he would know that he wasn't necessarily being "good" he was frozen with anxiety and fear because a random stranger was spraying him with water and them blow drying him off. Upon returning in, he picked up every comfort item he could, his bowl, balls and a human's lap =)! All in all a fabulous day! I am so lucky to have these 3 as clients. They are the joy, silliness and comfort in my day!

August 26th

NEW DEVELOPMENTS~ It has been decided that Cooper will be moving back to NY with his current mom's good friend. In NY Cooper will be king of his house which I know he will like and have the love and adoration of someone who has know him since he was a pup. This choice has come after careful and thoughful consideration of Cooper's personality and character traits. Although I will miss him extremely bad, as will his current Mom and Dad, Cooper will Love being the center of attention and having a new Mom all to himself! He is set to leave at the end of September so I am now on the hunt for the best going away present a dog could have! I am going to miss his BIG eyes starring up at me......

Oct 2009

Mackenzie, a Bernese Mountain dog puppy had joined the pack after Cooper leaving. She is an 18 lb bundle of fluff and I can't wait to see how she grows!!

~ Look for updates on Kenzie first year in her own puppy blog!

May 2010

Max has joined the group, he was a rescue and he is proving to be a wonderful playmate to Kenzie and a Great addition to the pack here!!

March 2011

The Wallace clan has moved to Ohio and the kids are giddy at their new residence which is acres large and has a pond! I was sad to see the kids go but knowing they are enjoying every second of their new enviroment makes it much easy!!!

Sophie,Hanna,Tessa,Gracie and Ruby are their names and this trip their friends Emma and Chloe were hanging out too so all in total 7! I actually could have written The Petsitter and the 7 Dwarfs in the heading consider all these kids are under 2 1/2 ft tall and 30 lbs =)

Hanna had just had Surgery the day prior to her parents leaving and she was a great patient. She took her meds and wore her fancy e-collar in stride. Hanna is your typical Cow Dog Cocker, so cute!! She is spoiled, eats on the couch and is convinced that launching herself from the sofa onto your chest is no biggie and once you recover and your lungs are re winded, you'll find Hanna on your chest, curled up and dosing off and that Trust and love is what makes it worth the tackle!

Sophie is the leader and rightly so, she stands out in the pack as holding her ground and knowing just when and where to intervene in the days debacles. She has a prized football that she carries around like a trophy. She is a very calm, very classy girl! She isn't the girl that is going to show me her belly or buy for my attention but she has accepted me to HER pack and that means SO much!

Tessa... Tessa is love, all things sweet and dear. She needs you as much if not more than you need her. She loves her family, 4 leggers and 2 leggers equally.She is a daily meds girl and when called, plops her front paws right on your thigh and takes her pills with no complaints with the most trust that her humans are doing the best for her. I also think the spoonful of pudding helps the medicine goes down =)

Ruby is insane, and I say this with the most love and joy and I know her owners will laugh and not be offended. Ruby wakes up barking at nothing.. seriously- NOTHING, not even wind, she barks at pure silence. She sleeps where ever she is comfortable with no regard for the fact you may actually want to move in the middle of the night. In the course of the weekend Ruby slept on my back, across my legs, in my lap and across my head.... no worries Ruby, I was comfy =) But she's also the first one to greet you at the door and the first one to try to stop you from leaving and that is a GREAT feeling!

Gracie could get lost in the crowd if you let her. She tends to love her pack but love her space as well. She's always the last one asking for a treat, waiting in the back of the crowd and she's the one that at the end of the night you're tracking down to say goodnight too. She is passive and gentle and the epitome of a "GOOD DOG." She is a real light hearted gal who my heart is very attached too.

Chloe and Emma are friends of this pack. Bite Size pups who fit right in. I think they were happy a human was there to feed them but happier to have playtime with their friends. Chloe is funny and will bury herself under the blankets at night, while Emma is happy to curl up at the bottom with a pack mate.

It's amazing to me that all these dogs, whether from the Horner household or not know their place, they know their own food bowl and they have a hierarchy that they all respect and obey. I have never been privileged enough to be in the presences of such a large pack for an extended amount of time and I have to say that I learned more about dogs and thought more about our own society today watching this pack and sitting in silence. I always appreciate an enlightening experience like this where I walk away thinking about how I can be a better pack mate to my own humankind.. Thank you 7 Dwarfs for a wonderful weekend and a lighter soul when leaving you all! A big thank you to Lisa and Koleen for trusting me with a post Surgical Hanna. It means a lot that you still felt comfortable enjoying your trip!

May 17th 2010

YEAH another visit with the 7 dwarfs- Gosh I love these kids. Emma and Chloe are so adorable and the smile Emma gives you when she wants to be pet is irresistible! Sophie has been suffering from some facial paralysis and is undergoing test to try to determine what exactly is wrong and if it can be fixed. Right now her owners have heard everything from wait and see, to bells palsy to inner ear. Her MRI went well and now we are waiting on the spinal tap results. I'm surely keeping my fingers crossed and my hopes high for this Matriarch of the pack!!

April 2011

So much has happened since my last entry! Sophie had surgery but recovered very well and I've been up to stay with the girls twice. We spent a week together in November and I had so much fun! We spent a lot of time inside due to wind and rain but as usual I had a great time! Looking forward to June when I get to watch them again!

July 2011

Got to spend the 4th with the girls! It's always a joy!! Fireworks from the deck were gorgeous although Ruby and Emma did not appreciate the noise . =)

*** See these 2 beautiful cats in the Gallery!

May 27th

It's been about 2 weeks now that these cute cats have been back in my care with their mom on an extended trip. They are both happy and Koska especially waits for me to walk through the door for her daily LOVE session. Bussy is usually napping in his "spot" but once he hears that his sister is getting loved on he comes out and wants in the mix of things. They got a burst of energy when their mom gave permission for my daughter to visit and while Buddy decided he was better off napping ( I feel that way too sometimes buddy) Koska was very intrigued by little hands and a big smile. They played for a good long time and it made me feel good knowing that their interactions while mom is away are somewhat diverse and rich.

 http://youtube.com/watch?v=RLrqs1iJUyQ

I have been privileged enough to be in charge of Kobi's care this last week and I hope that I will see her again soon. She enjoys her walks and chasing the hose stream as I'm trying to water. Most of all Kobi loves to be loved! It is amazing to just sit and watch her studying the world. On our last night I ventured up to Kobi's Hill. A spot in her backyard that overlooks the road and part of the neighborhood. It was only a few yards away from the main yard but I now know why she sits there. It is PEACEFUL! I pulled up some dirt with her and listened to the rustle of leaves,thumbled some acrorns and breathed in the fresh Auburn air. I should have pulled up that piece of dirt on day one, it is good for the soul!If there is anyone still left out there who thinks animals do not have cognitive thought, Kobi is your nemesis =) She'll out smart out and find something hidden faster than you 100% of the time, I guarantee it! She is truly a joy and a REMARKABLE dog!

*** Pictures in Gallery ( You'll see what I mean about her always Seeking )

Their home is also home to several rescue dogs, the 4 main being Satchel, the smallest and oldest of the 4 and very attached to Mom and Dad. For 4 days she sat in the window sill before showing signs of getting back to the day to day normal while Mom and Dad were gone.

Cooper is next in line and the same can be said in size being just a little bigger than Satchel. Cooper LOVES treats and loves me beyond words when I have them. He'll smile and run circles at my feet like I was something special that needed impressing! Quickly he learned that I give treats for far less and he happily obliged to just stare at me until I gave him some tasty morsel.

Fuzzy and Shorty are next. Brothers by litter but vastly different personalities. Fuzzy was an easy win over, one treat and a play date with the hose and we were offically friends! Shorty on the other hand made me work for it all. The trust, the closeness that I could be to him and the eventual friendship. It took 3 days of patience, enduring the barking at my heels and the lack of trust ( countered by me with treats and calm words) until he finally gave in to me. That morning he played in the water with Fuzzy, came over to me for love and gave me a doggie smooch. It made my day!

This family also houses many Fosters and some super cute goats, sheep, ducks and one large and in charge Turkey!

** Check out Pictures in the Gallery!

When we reach the park it is Ball time for Buster and lounging/sniff time for Rex. Buster could and will play ball until you make him stop for a breather and some water. Rex although is much more interested in other dogs and their owners when they come into the park or walk by where as Buster has only tunnel vision for his neon orange ball. In our adventure we have found a group that meets at the park every weekday night at 7 and I have been trying to make sure we get out to that because Rex really enjoys the company and Buster just has more opportunity to chase more balls!

The last 4 days have been rough as temperatures have reached 108 and even when I wake up at 4am to get to them by 5 am it has been 80* and bad air quality. I am determined to get them out this saturday to Folsom's Dog park to expend any built up energy that has accumulated in these hot days past.

Saturday

WE MADE IT! Folsom Dog park is Great if you live close by. It has a separate large and small dog area and we were not in the small dog area but I can say that the large dog side is amazing. 3 separate pools, buckets for fresh water and a hose if your pups like to drink from hoses. It has a covered picnic area and then a large open run area. The front park is mostly dirt but it is soft and good for running (note to reader, avoid open toe shoe choices or flip flops) and then further back it has large grassy area. Due to the residential closeness to the Lexington Hills Community and other homes this park opens at 7am for courtesy to the neighborhood. We encountered only good dogs and owners there. Many Danes and a Mastiff. I think Rex was surprised to see dogs bigger than him. A Dane was trying to engage Rex in play and his paw landed right on Rex's head and I had to laugh when Rex gave him a look like- WHOA is your paw on my head dude, you are HUGE- It was great to see Rex here because he really engaged in play and it was a new, frisker side of him that was nice to see. Buster made friends with an agility dog who made him really work for his ball. We didn't get the other dogs name but he made a great playmate for Buster! The boys' family is scheduled back in from vacation tomorrow and I know they will be so happy to see the boys as the boys will be very happy to see them back home. In speaking with their mom I am happy to say I will be staying on at least one day a week with the boys even when they return and I am thrilled! They are typically my first clients of the day and seeing Buster's energy at 5am always puts me on a good track to my own day!

12/2009

I've been back up playing with these two awesome guys a few time this week and I am spending the weekend with them while mom and dad are out of town for Dad's SURPRISE b-day. Right now in El Dorado Hills there is plenty of snow left from our cold front and Buster LOVES it! Rex is not fond of this new found white and cold "stuff" on his paws.

Bedtime- how funny! After being told Rex more than likely would not sleep on the bed and he'd be down stairs that guy was snuggled in like my best friend while Buster kept my feet warm all night!!

Pictures in Gallery!!

The first week has gone really well! No accidents from an accident prone Chewie, no Seizures from a Seizure prone Sandy and Willy is just the easiest dog to get along with. Sandy had a Sz the Thursday before her humans were to go away and so her Mom promptly took her in for blood work and tests. The results were relayed to me on that Saturday and the Doc's increased anti Sz Rx and blood work is looking good. I have been keeping a special eye on her!

The pups all like to hang out on the deck on our visits, maybe take a dip in their kiddie pool and find a frog to bark at and then try to hunt. Chewie is a natural hunter by breed and has already welcomed me with various kill. You know you have dog approval when they'll kill for you =) Sandy is happy just to have someone sit in a deck chair so she can nap in your lap. I have the BEST job!

June 28th

Went on up to pups as usually this morning and I was excited to see my clients home and out and about in the garden. One thing about Your PAWPAL is that we will show up until we either see you are home or get a call that you are home. This is the best situation for the animals. We chatted about their trip, had some breakfast and coffee and I enjoyed a few last hours with the pups.. until October! Hopefully I will see them again before October! I have completely enjoyed working for this family- K9's obviously included- and I am happy I will be with them again in a few months. I was extremely proud that Chewie was accident free the whole time and that Sandy did not have any seizures! Until next time....

Pictures in gallery!

*** It's next time!***

I have missed this bunch! Well off the bat, Chewie has lost weight and is looking great and acting like a puppy again! Willy is still firey and loves his toys and his mom Sandy still doesn't know she is the oldest of the bunch and plays right along side a Willy! I am so happy I'll be with these kiddos for the month of the October!!

10/14

The pups and I made it through the first storm together. Knowing their owners had no way to come home and prepare their home for the storm I threw on my rain boots, snowboarding clothes and headed out to do the dirty work of preparing the house and property for the 55+mph winds and major rains. A lot of people lost their fences, parts of roofs, trees destroyed houses and I am happy to report that being prepared once again paid off and no lawn furniture was lost and their property,besides the leaves and branches is perfect! 

    So, you're finally taking that weekend romp in Reno or maybe you want to fly to Utah to ski for the weekend.You hire a Pet Care provider, show them the food and water, leave a house key and bid them farewell and that you will see them in a week, but what happens when an foreseen emergency happens? Were you prepared? Did you have specific instruction on what to do or who to call should this happen? Prior to leaving you should always make emergency arrangements with your Pet Care provider. Think about if you want the provider to continue care, if so, for how long and decide on a price point not to go above. Is there a friend or relative that can take on the care and cost? We don't like to think that these things will happen but we are not the predictors of tomorrow and all we can do is prepare ourselves for any bumps ahead. Below are just a few key guidelines you should have in place and document with your pet care provider for an emergency situation. Just these few things can save a lot of heartache and headache post emergency when everyone is on the same page.

1. Should an emergency come into play who will keep care over the animals?

2. If it will be the Pet care provider specify an amount that you are comfortable with and after that amount has been reached in care and food,ect.. have at least 2 back up friends or relatives who can take over care.

3. Provide a reachable number and location of your visit to your provider. We don't need your hotel room number but knowing you are staying in "South Lake Tahoe" is better than "up north" should the news state a fire in South Lake Tahoe displaced hundreds and caused major delays for travelers.

4.After you have agreed upon terms, write them down and have 2 copies signed by both yourself and the Pet Care provider, each keep one and there will never be a situation of dispute later.

Prepare for the worst, hope for the best and I wish you all happy travels!

If you have a lot of land and your dog has free range of it you can take the following precautions

• Clear as much land as possible of weeds and foxtail beds
• Clear areas you know your dog likes to romp in the most
• If your dog will tolerate them, try booties. There are many companies that make them and they protect against the heat as well.

The following are measures every dog owner can take to prevent foxtail injuries

• After outdoor play check all paws, ears, eyes and nose. I have been the technician pulling a foxtail out of an eye- it happens!!
• If you forgot to check one day, make sure that when you do check you look for any small red round areas, areas that are red and hot to the touch or areas that look punctured
• Watch for a sudden on set of chewing at an appendage, sneezing, eye drainage or eye swelling and head shaking. All are indicators of a possible foxtail injury

 What to do if you see a foxtail end or a red, hot spot

• Call the vet and make an appointment for that day if possible
• DO NOT try to remove the foxtail yourself, you can cause more damage because of the natural shape of foxtails

Now that we know the safety precautions, let Spring begin!!

    When looking for a provider make sure you write a list of specific question you have and make sure they give you answers you are comfortable with before leaving your pet with them. Just for basics, your list should include :

• What is their education/ background in Pet care?
• How long have they been in business?
• Do they have any complaints against them? Do your back ground checks!!!
• What is their daily schedule? Do they have the FULL availability you want?
• How would they handle an emergency with your pet should it occur?
• Are they willing to keep your pet on it's own schedule or will they change it to accommodate feeding a few animals at once?
• Getting a list of references AND start calling them!

    Try to set up 1 or 2 meetings with you, your pet and the potential provider before you leave if possible. View their environment or have them to your home if that is where the care will take place. Pay attention to how they interact with your animal as well as how your animal is responding to them. If you sense that either they are your pet are not a match, DO NOT book. Just like humans, we all don't mesh well with eachother.

    If you are still nervous about a new pet provider or maybe you are just leaving for the first time ask a neighbor or two to keep an open eye and just be aware of the fact a pet provider should be coming during the day to walk, feed, play,ect with your pet. Then when you get home you can get a mini report from them about the pet providers consistency. And last but not least- HAVE FUN!!