The Purrfect Nanny & Purrfect Pet Health Blog

Being the owner and family of an animal has difficult moments. Not everyone can handle the stress, but often our critters can suprise us in amazing ways. Not only can they warm our hearts, but they can give us a good laugh.

 Pick this morning, for an example. With a migraine and a sore throat, I had no choice but to stay home. After taking  medicine and preparing tea, I set about the task of feeding six hungry pets, two of them having already gathered.  I assumed it would be a standard day, but they suprised me.

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I made it a priority to talk about the difference between professional pet sitters and those who are simply not that professional in my last BLOG.

There is a reason why I keep pondering the issue! Unfortunately, in this uncertain economy with high unemployment rates, many have turned to halfhearted efforts to make a few $$$ as fast as they can without being serious - or even worse, those con-artists who make you believe to be professional - who are a far cry from that!

As I  learned recently , there was an incident in Scottsdale Arizona, which did not end up as “purrfect” as the case The Purrfect Nanny was involved in. Read our story on our BLOG.

Now back to the case in Arizona. It was probably an easy decision to hire Amanda. Amanda, who represented herself as a professional pet sitter to the owners of four lovely dogs. Those owners trusted Amanda with the life or their dogs and the safety of their home. What could possibly go wrong? Amanda presented herself as a trustworthy individual with a professional website. I’m sure those folks thought they found the perfect person to take care of their pets. Instead they ran into a con-artist. Be aware, there is nothing easier nowadays than to create a website, many companies even provide free templates! A website alone, does not mean you are dealing with a professional!

Amanda did not do what she was supposed to do. Indeed, she is suspected of having locked out two of the dogs in the yard during the night, resulting in their horrible death.

Read the story, published by AZ Family below!

But before you do that, let me tell you what is an essential part of the hiring process, so you can make an educated decision, whether or not the company you are hiring is a professional pet sitting service.

1. Ask family and friends for recommendations.
2. Do a web search and find out as much as possible about the company you are planing to hire.
3. Invite the pet sitter for a complimentary visit and find out if you and the sitter are a fit.
4. Ask the company if there has been a background check performed on the sitter.
5. Ask the company for insurance and bonding. If you are not 100% sure you can trust them - let them show you prove of the aforementioned.
6. Check if the company is a member in good standing of professional associations, such as NAPPS and ASPE.
7. If you feel good about the pet sitter and the company they represent, don’t be shy to ask for references. Any company with good client relations will be able to provide you with at least 3 client recommendations.
8. Make sure you get a call, text, or e-mail a day or two before your sitting starts - confirming the sitting  one last time.
9. Make sure you read the company policies and pay your bill if the company requires payment upfront.
10. Ask your sitter to keep you update on your pets well-being while you are gone.

And now, read the story and let me know if you will follow my advise next time! Read the rest of this entry »

Imagine you are prepared for your trip out of the county. Everything is taken care off, you made sure your passport is up to date, the tickets are ordered and last not least it’s time to pack your luggage and leave for the airport.  You know you are leaving behind your best friend, your little dog and you think he’s well taken care of. You leave him behind with someone you feel he’s safe with - a friend or a cheap pet sitter found on Craigslist with no professional background. You can also call it a “one man band” Think twice!

Today I want to tell you about the importance to hire a professional pet sitter - instead of leaving your pet in the hand of a friend, neighbor, or unprofessional person.

We at The Purrfect Nanny, as well as most of our fellow pet sitting company owners in the Atlanta area are aware of the great responsibility which comes with taking care of our client’s pets. Many, just like The Purrfect Nanny have a great backup system, where we can check daily if our sitter made it to your home, or if we have to send someone else to back up for the sitter assigned to your pet. You might wonder now, why I’m writing this particular BLOG.

Let me tell you a story and you will understand! A few days ago we received a call from North Side Hospital in Sandy Springs, just outside Atlanta. We were asked by a nurse if we could back up for someone who has been in the hospital for 4 days and he now revealed to them, that he is currently house and dog sitting for a lady who is on a trip outside the US. Read the rest of this entry »

Pets are very special to the lives of many people. It is understandable that we would want the best care for our critter family, but sometimes this isn’t so easy. What happens when a vet cannot help your best friend, or you recieve medicine that doesn’t do exactly what it’s supposed to do?

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Whether your family exchanges gifts around a Christmas tree or exchanges gifts each night during Hanukkah, chances are your mind has recently turned to gift giving. For us pet lovers, that often includes our furry family members as well.

Particularly for dogs, the right ‘gift’ can make a huge difference in their happiness and fulfillment day-to-day.

Dogs are pack animals. They’re loyal and socially dependent on their ‘pack’ — which is you and your family! When you aren’t around, they may become lonely or even dreadfully bored! Many behavior problems like crying, barking, chewing, digging and other destructive behaviors can be a direct symptom of boredom.

Recently, while trying to solve a problem for a friend’s dog who is probably one of the world’s most TERRIBLE chewers, I came across a great article on how to keep dogs mentally stimulated. I’ve included excerpts below, as well as a link to the full article. Through the online article, you can further link to “Instructions on how to creatively stuff KONG toys!”, “How to clicker train your dog” and a chart on three common types of rawhide that the author feels are “Good” vs. “Dangerous”, including pictures of each.”

BORED DOGS ARE DESTRUCTIVE DOGS

After you’ve been gone for awhile, your dog quits sulking and starts looking for something to do other than lie around bored in an empty house all day.

Enter destructive behavior. They live for the moment their pack returns. But in the meantime…
They may help themselves to your socks, shoes, or clothing left lying around, your furniture, your kitchen cabinets, your child’s stuffed animals, or whatever they can find to relieve their boredom.
So your dog — who protects you and loves you — now creates frustration when you return home from wherever you’ve been.
What to do…?

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I loved this article, forwarded to me from a friend… It seems I’m not the only crazy pet owner who considers my pets part of the family!

When it comes to pampering pets, the sky’s the limit
BY JEFF SEIDEL
DETROIT FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

When the stock market took a nose dive this summer, Steve Sturn was bummed about the performance of his 401(k). But the uncertain economy didn’t stop him from splurging on Bruno, his French bulldog. Sturn bought a $15.95 bone-shaped cake from Three Dog Bakery in Plymouth to celebrate Bruno’s one-year birthday.

“He loved it,” said Sturn, 31, of Ann Arbor, who works for a mortgage company. “He went at it.”

Sturn, who is engaged, doesn’t have any children, unless you count Bruno and his other dog, Rod, a 10-month-old Boston terrier. “They are like family members,” Sturn said. “This is a special occasion. It’s like a kid’s birthday.”

Despite a weak economy, pet owners continue to spend big money on their pets, pampering them with everything from massages to treats to teeth whitening.
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I’d like to share a terrific “tip of the week” that just hit my inbox from the Whole Dog Journal.

Your Dog’s Drinking Water

The purity of your pet’s drinking water is a serious consideration. In his book Pet Allergies, Alfred Plechner lists contaminated drinking water as a common cause of health problems. The simple act of replacing tap water with distilled, bottled or filtered water can bring surprising, dramatic improvements.

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10 Tips on Making Cats Happy
CATalyst Council Offers SEPTEMBER IS HAPPY CAT MONTH

(ANNAPOLIS, Maryland) September 2, 2011—Yesterday marked the start of Happy Cat Month, dedicated to finding ways to keep our feline friends happy, healthy and purring all year long.

In honor of Happy Cat Month, the CATalyst Council, a national initiative comprised of animal health and welfare organizations working on behalf of cats, has released a list of the top 10 ways cat owners can keep their pets happy.

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Time to brighten your day…

The Purrfect Nanny thanks the wonderful parent/dog owner who originally took these photos and uploaded them onto the web. They’ve been circulating the web and emails for a while, but perhaps you haven’t yet seen this fantastic tutorial for dogs!

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PROPERLY HUGGING A BABY
(from a dog’s point of view):

1. Uh, find a baby.

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Whether you are a local Metro Atlanta citizen or you are traveling to Atlanta, The Purrfect Nanny could be your pet sitter! Lately we have had a few clients staying in local first class hotels who brought their pooches and called upon The Purrfect Nanny to spend some time with them while they were taking care of business or family affairs. It’s easy, just give us a call and we get everything organized for you. To put the icing on the cake, you can pay your bill with your credit card and collect your award points when you pay for your pet sitting services. How much better could it get? Read the rest of this entry »