5 Star Housesitters

Tag: dog sitting

Senior Wieners – An Adorable Troika!

Our time dog sitting Bubba, Lucy and Big Daddy, the senior wieners

A wonderful doggie mom contacted us about dogsitting her dachshunds during her mother-daughter European vacation. She’s a very caring soul, and in her good-heartedness, rescues dogs that are difficult to place. That’s how we had the opportunity to love Bubba, Lucy, and Big Daddy. (pictured left, left to right)

All seniors (around mid-teens) these three are like a little sibling family, each very different, but bound together emotionally. Big Daddy is on the giant end for a standard smooth dachshund, pushing 30 pounds and built very low to the ground. Perhaps not an Einstein in doggie intelligence, he has such a sweet, undemanding demeanor. But first, you’ve got to get past Bubba to be part of the “circle of trust.” Besides being the oldest, Bubba is the protector of them all. Until he knows and trusts you, he will put himself in between you and his family – barking, snapping, and even biting to keep you away. He is a toughie, until you figure out his “kryptonite” — his teeth are so worn and sparse, he can’t hurt you. 🙂

The trials of puppy mill rescues

I tell it as a light-hearted anecdote, but his back story isn’t a happy one — he and Lucy, his mate? daughter? (their unique and similar coloring, and their attachment to each other, make it likely they come from the same breeder), apparently were discarded from a puppy mill once they reached old age. Bubba has an ineffective bite, but Lucy’s teeth were so bad, many of them had to be removed. Now, in a darling but sad way, her little tongue slips out when she’s asleep or resting. It’s not hard to empathize with Bubba’s distrust, aggression and protectiveness when you have a sense of what they’ve been through.

Still, they’re happy kids, once you break through. They love snuggling on the couch together, they LOVE LOVE LOVE mealtime, and, getting them out for a short walk is like doggie nirvana for them. These usually sedentary elders get all puppy hippy hoppy when they see their harnesses and leashes, especially Big Daddy. It is seriously hard to get Big Daddy off the couch, but not when he thinks he’s going for a walk!

One of the other “bless her heart” issues their kind owner has to deal with is accidents. It doesn’t appear to be age-related incontinence, it seems as if there are just times they decide to “release,” and it’s not always outside the doggie door. We have heard that’s pretty characteristic of puppy mill dogs, because for years, they’re just kept in cages until they’re called upon to “perform.” (It really is remarkable how these little ones can come through so much and still have the capacity to love and be happy in a good environment).

Even with all the “extra” that comes with dog sitting elderly dachshunds, it’s impossible not to love this trio and deeply appreciate good people with big hearts! 🙂

July 24, 2016
Three’s company! (and great companionship, too)

Three beautiful little ones to enjoy, how does it get better than that! This mixed trio of two cats and a dog (the smallest of which was the dog) came to us when their wonderful parents looked for some “live-in” pet care while they vacationed. Dogsitting for this fox terrier mix and providing cat care for her two feline housemates, kept us busy, in a fun way!

Sprocket at 11 months was all of about six pounds, and just a handful of puppy spunk and love. Although she was much smaller than either of the cats, she worked tirelessly at establishing her alpha position with them. (Not that cats care about who’s the leader — they tend to be rather libertarian and prefer everyone just go about their own lives and leave them alone 🙂 ). All the dust-ups between Sprocket and the cats needed some attention — occasionally a cat would get very annoyed and claw back, but they generally just gave her the “whatever” look cats have and moved on.

Caring for a six-pound dog can be a lot of fun because they are so transportable, you can take them with on any excursion! (Not saying we hid her in pack-along bags and took her places dogs aren’t technically allowed, but hypothetically, if we did, she’d be hard to notice!) Sprocket is an excellent traveler, up for any experience, very well-behaved for a puppy, and oh so affectionate.

And of course, as a fox terrier, chasing and retrieving “prey” is her favorite game, which can be pretty hilarious when most of her toys are almost as big as she is! Terriers, however, are tenacious, and size doesn’t matter when it comes to getting the “job” done!

The two cats were unique personalities, too. Sedona is a beautiful silver bengal, very confident, curious and affectionate. She enjoys being brushed, and just luxuriates in the feeling of the bristles along her skin. People are very interesting for her, she often hangs around to see what’s up and pick up some loving, too. She is an indoor only cat — you do have to watch as she would LOVE to sneak outside — but she does have a second story deck she can use to enjoy the world.

The bed gets a little crowded at night — “princess” Sprocket, of course, takes the center, and Sedona has to find a nook or bent leg somewhere to get that contact she enjoys at night. Oh, and did I mention this cat likes belly rubs in the morning, too?

And then, there’s Marley, the “ghost.” 🙂 I’m not sure if it’s a tuxedo cat specific thing, but it seems that all the tuxedo cats we’ve watched are, well, scaredy-cats. It can take days for their curiosity to overcome their aversion to new people. Finding a hiding, black “ghost” can sometimes be a bit problematic, so we’ve learned to check with owners about favorite hiding places before they leave (Marley’s favorite was under their bed.)
Good thing Marley enjoyed being brushed, too, or we might never have gotten to enjoy him. Banging the brush vigorously next to the bed eventually got him to poke his head out and enjoy some brushing — that is, until the little terror, Sprocket, would figure out what was going on and come in to assert her “leadership!” And then Marley would dash for cover, Sedona would come in to see what the ruckus was, Sprocket would start with her and…a wonderful, raucous time was had by all! 🙂
Although it was a relatively short dogsitting and cat care engagement, we thoroughly enjoyed, and absolutely fell in love with, all three. Wish we had some video of the cats, but, we do at least have a clip at the beach with Sprocket, at “work!” (Click here, or on the picture.)

May 19, 2016
Sprocket, the fox terrier mix, at “work!”

Sprocket at 11 months was such a joy to be dogsitting! Terriers, (including fox terriers) are notorious diggers (the development of the class involved ground activities, such as burrowing to flush rodents, and, “earth” being “terra” the class is known as “terrier”). So, in our first meeting with her parents, we’re in the backyard and a flash of 6 lb mighty terrier merrily runs by with a dead sparrow in her mouth, to her mom’s horror and our bemusement. After proudly displaying her “find,” she of course promptly went to bury it, (which was actually convenient as the dead bird could then be removed and disposed of).

We didn’t get that on video, but she’s so intense “at work,” we put together a clip of her time at the beach. Can’t help it, we love cute dog videos!

May 18, 2016
Crazy for Coco and Loco for Lulu!

We had the opportunity to do some dogsitting and cat care in the Monterey area for two wonderful pet parents. They entrusted us with their little Coco, an adorable two year old girl of mixed breed, and Lulu, the male orange tabby. “Mixed” households can be interesting — sometimes dogs and cats don’t play together well, but there two were fun to be around, individually and together (although Coco gets very jealous when Lulu’s getting the attention!).

Dogs have a wonderful gift of making an open heart sing — their innocence and openness to experience really connects with that memory of being a child in love with life. Little Coco girl has the special gift of giving that momentary connection to virtually everyone she meets — watching people who caught eye of her brighten with joy became a wonderful add-on to the fun of being out with her.

Coco is an intriguing breed mix (Tibetan spaniel?) that just turned out to be practically perfect in every way :). At about 15 to 20 lbs., she’s sturdy, athletic, endlessly cuddle-able, and very transportable, besides being highly intelligent, social, and eager to please, with a sunny disposition to boot.

Coco has a housemate, Lulu, an affectionate, yet independent, and very curious orange tabby. Lulu will keep to himself as the situation requires (he has a doggy door for indoor/outdoor access as he chooses), but he certainly seems to prefer engaging with people — we moved one of his toys into the room where we watched movies, and it was so much fun watching him discover ways to play with it when we were there! Like many cats, he also enjoyed being in physical contact with us at night, sleeping in the crook of a bent leg until his internal alarm clock rang his “I’m hungry, right now!” bell (usually pre-dawn, of course).

When people hear we watch cats, too, we often get the question about cats and “gifts,” a particular hazard with indoor/outdoor pets. It’s not a regular occurrence, but, yes, Lulu was very demonstrative about his affection. How thoughtful, in cat world, to forego a tasty mouse you’ve killed to offer it as tribute, you would think “they” would be more appreciative! Although we understand the nature of the compliment, we could have done without Lulu’s rodent cuisine!

Coco’s beach video

The Monterey area has a terrific amenity — in addition to dog parks and off-leash open space, they have a beautiful and spacious beach where off-leash dogs are welcome! Coco’s enthusiasm for beach play is infectious — that ecstatic smile and uninhibited romping made many beach goers’ faces light up. This is a link to a video we shot of her (or you can just click the picture!)

Leaving these two after our dogsitting and cat care duties were complete wasn’t easy (even when the owners came back, both Coco and Lulu spent one more night cuddling with us in bed!), but they have such wonderful, loving parents, we’re just happy we have the opportunity to spend time with them!

May 16, 2016
Coco’s Beach! 🙂

Well, it’s not really HER beach, but all the little doggies in the Monterey area are welcome to frolic here! When we were dogsitting in the Monterey area, we shot some video — Coco makes us smile, hope she brings a smile to your face, too!

May 15, 2016
Parson Russell or Jack Russell, these Terrier antics are adorable!

How does it get any better than a Santa Fe dog sitting engagement with two “wild and crazy” (and sweet and wonderful) Parson Russell terriers! (or Jack Russell terriers, for those of us not familiar with the new distinctions) we put together a little video of their very fun day…

May 2, 2016
Parson Russell or Jack Russell, these are terrier-ific companions!

We had the pleasure of dog sitting two Parson Russell terriers in Santa Fe, and what a treat they were! (Apparently Parson Russell terriers have relatively recently been designated a breed separate from their “cousins,” Jack Russell terriers, for dog show purposes, and the Parson Russell terriers term seemed to be favored by the owners, so we’ll go with that). On top of the bonus of these two having delightful parents and a wonderful home environment near the Canyon Road area of Santa Fe, Hedy and Bing (Lamar and Crosby, of course) were a joyous riot -they play hard, play harder, then collapse lovingly into a welcoming lap at the end of a happy day.

Jack Russell terriers (and their Parson Russell cousins) are easily recognizable dog breeds, and popular, but they should come with a caution label – “I am high energy and I must play hard or I will be mischievous.” Give them plenty of exercise and stimulation and they are some of the most lovable dogs in the world. However, a bored Jack Russell (or Parson Russell) could have been what put the word “terror” in “terrier” (just kidding, of course – terrier comes from “terra,” earth, and refers to the above- or below- ground activities terriers were used for, such as flushing prey, hunting rodents, and the like).

These dogs are incredible athletes, known for jumping ability, speed, tenaciousness and intelligence. We were so amused with their antics, we videoed Bing and Hedy on a normal days play (click here, or on Bing’s “tree hang,” for the video post) — favorite activities include tug, running at full speed, bouncing off walls (for real), and hanging from branches (Bing favors the mouth grip hang). On nice days, this brother/sister duo (yes, they really did come from the same litter) would be at the games full tilt for as long as we’d let them, out in the courtyard. The challenge was getting them in, which required an artful exploitation of Hedy’s fondness for treats and Bing’s curiosity — Hedy could be lured in with a treat, and if you left the door open enough to trick curious Bing into coming in to see what was going on, AND if you could get in position to close the door behind him before he caught sight of you, success!

Bing’s “Tree Hang”

Mental exercise is also really important for all dogs, particularly those with high intelligence, and these two loved their long walks to explore new sights, sounds and smells. Both were very well-behaved on leash, except for Bing’s reactivity with other dogs — fortunately, being a little guy, it was easy enough to just pick him up and get him interested in something else before resuming the walk. As handsome and as different as they are, our walks along Canyon Road were even longer as so many people in the stream of passers-by just had to stop us to enjoy the two beautiful rascals.

Hedy, camera ready!

Even more memorable than their energy and antics is Bing’s and Hedy’s cuddle-ability — we so love snuggling with dogs, and these two enjoy nothing more than being physically close to their pack leaders after a full day of play.

Saying goodbye till next time to our “terrier-ific” twosome leaves us longing for the next time we can get back to Santa Fe, dog sitting Parson Russell terriers!

May 2, 2016
The beauties and the beasts 🙂 in Durango

On our dog sitting and cat care ventures, we had the opportunity to visit an 80 acre ranch in Durango and care for some “beauties” and some “beasts” — Willow, a black lab, Abbie, an English lab, Kiki, a silver bengal cat and Sammy, a shy tuxedo cat, plus feed around 20 feral cats being housed in a stable adjacent to the guest house where we stayed (well, the feral kittens were cute, but some of the older ferals were a little “beastly!”)

Willow and Abbie exemplify what everyone loves about labs – affectionate, playful, well-behaved (because they’re eager to please), athletic, and great companions. What a great environment for them – 80 fenced acres to run, roam and explore, interesting other characters to interact with, such as the 9 cows on the pasture land, the cats, particularly the young ones that sleep in the stables and wander the property, the deer that amble around close to the house, even a skunk (that one occurred before we got there — predicatable ending to the story, hope there isn’t a repeat).

Haven’t had many experiences with feral cats before — these were being quartered because of the generous good nature of the homeowner, who inherited the first few when they first purchased the property and then had to deal with a couple of wild litters before all the original cats were able to be neutered. The last batch of kittens were about 5 or 6 months old when we arrived, and were very used to human contact, having been extensively handled by the property owner throughout their kitten-hood. Extremely endearing — love to play, love hanging around people, hanging around for walks with the dog, even jumping (unexpectedly) in your lap, always wanting to check out the inside where the people go. In terms of pet sitting, particularly cat care, a little bit of a challenge (especially keeping track of them), but a very unique experience.

What was most special for us was the simple majesty of the environment, and being able to share it with the other non-human occupants!

April 4, 2016
Even happier trails, hiking with Barnegat!

Barnegat is a German shorthaired pointer and lab mix who is almost magical in his effect on people. See those beautiful, soulful eyes? We’ve read it’s an animal equivalent of a hug when a dog makes long, relaxed eye contact with you, and that’s just what it feels like with Barnegat, a soul-to-soul hug!

We had the pleasure of spending three weeks with him, in the hills around Santa Fe, on a long term house sitting and dog sitting engagement over the fall. At 13, he is in great shape and still very puppy-like, loves playing keep away with his “Bear” (which is actually either a stuffed toy sheep or pink flamingo), long walks in the woods :), and, EATING! 🙂

There is food motivated and very food motivated — Barnegat is in the latter category. His internal alarm clock about feeding time is always way ahead of what the clock says, which leads to a twice daily “conversation,” with him insisting that the clock is wrong, again! Because we never seemed to notice the clock defect 🙂 he uses the nose flip to tell us it’s time– he’s found if he wedges his (healthy) cold wet nose under your hand, or under your elbow, or even under your notebook, giving it a strong flip up is a very effective communication that he has unmet expectations for you to fulfill!.

Besides being a lovable goof, Barnegat is a great hiking buddy, too. He enjoys hiking as much as he enjoys food, judging by the little happy circle dance he breaks out when all the signs are in place — shoes on? Yes! Water bottle filled? YES! Fanny pack with treats strapped on? YES!!!

The owner’s requested we give him the time on the trails off-leash, which can be a little dicey if excellent recall isn’t in place, but fortunately, not an issue with Barnegat. On the trail, he’s incredibly mindful of staying with the peeps, even as he’s relishing the smell of every pinon pine or rock that’s been marked (or anything else that interests him, which is pretty much, everything). There are so many beautiful places to hike around Santa Fe, and there’s something about sharing that experience with a joyful canine companion that so amplifies our appreciation, too.

As are many working dog breeds, Barnegat is a happy companion. Whether it’s running errands (LOVES car rides), hanging out watching a movie or just moseying around outside, it’s very sweet and comforting having him by your side.

He’s also quite the card (probably not intentionally) — watching him in his very intense positioning of the dog bed (which we dubbed Mr. Pillow) is incredibly cute (click for the quick video). At odd times throughout the day, we’d hear rustling, and come in to watch Barnegat in an active wrestling match with Mr. Pillow — picking it up, turning it around to slam it to the ground, rolling it over, standing it up and straddling it, yet somehow, always coming out on top with the win (we think the match is rigged 🙂 )

It is such a privilege being entrusted with long term house sitting and dog sitting precious little ones such as Barnegat – it’s why we love what we do, and are grateful for the opportunity to provide in home pet care for owners traveling for a few weeks or more!

November 29, 2015
Big Time Wrestling, Barnegat versus Mister Pillow!

Barnegat is one of our favorite little boys, but, he becomes a raging beast 🙂 when it comes to a showdown with his nemesis, the PILLOW!

October 17, 2015
Two ways to say adorable – Frankie and Teddy!

Although our core business is medium- to long-term housesitting, dog sitting, (and cat care, too!), it’s often fun when it works out for us to help with shorter term needs, too. We were so fortunate to have the opportunity to care for two cockapoo brothers (litter mates) in Boulder — it’s a good thing it was for just a long weekend, the two were so enchanting, we could hardly stop ourselves from taking picture after picture after picture!

Frankie and Teddy are adorable, and it’s not just our biased perspective — just look at the pictures! 🙂 We loved being out with them — not only were they fun, well-mannered and easy to be with, the happiness they sparked in people was so wonderful to see! And such personality, too — Frankie act the “big brother,” pretty cautious, independent, watches out for “little brother”, Teddy, who is a little more open, accepting and generally good-natured.(However, Teddy can also be a little stubborn — f, for instance, you’re actually trying to get somewhere on a walk with him and he’s enjoying the smell of every plant, tree or pole along the way, you might have a bit of a challenge!)

Happily for us, Frankie’s and Teddy’s owners were part of a small dog meet-up group in the area, which had scheduled some morning meet-ups the dates we were there. It was just the perfect group for our little guys — we had expected them, particularly Teddy, to be a little reserved, but they were so excited to go romping, chasing and playing with their friends, the one morning we we weren’t able to take them, you could just feel their disappointment. (The day wasn’t a total bust for them though, because they got to go on a CAR RIDE!, another favorite past time).

It’s always a little sentimental to leave some of our favorites (actually, all of them steal our hearts in their own special way), and it was particularly tough to leave these little two, but knowing how loved and well-cared for they are makes it easier. We are so looking forward to the next time it works out for us to be housesitting and dog sitting for this great family!

September 19, 2015
Why do dogs “sing?”

Amstel is a 100 lb cross between a pyrenees-mastiff and an Australian cattle dog. Strikingly handsome, of course, and a “singer,” too! While we were dog sitting for him, we got to hear his beautiful voice, “singing” along with ambulance sirens. Now, where does that come from, why is this dog singing? Is he just joining in, is he annoyed or bothered? Wish we knew, but we enjoyed it, nonetheless!

September 18, 2015
Dog sitting Amstel– the Mighty in the Mini! 🙂

Ever have the experience of committing to something, then showing up and feeling “what have I gotten myself into?” Meeting Amstel, a 100 lb cross between a pyrenees-mastiff and an Australian cattle dog, was like that for us, but, fortunately, the story has a happy turn!

When we talked to his owner about long term house sitting and dog sitting Amstel for a month, he upfront told us Amstel was very protective, but a sweetheart once you knew him, so, he thought it best that we come in a couple nights early to get acquainted with him..

…and, my, was that first night a challenge! When you meet Amstel outside the house, even in the front yard, he’s a friendly, beautiful, calm boy who loves being petted. However, once you cross the threshold into “his” domain, you’re now a threat. Although he doesn’t have a history of biting, the snarling and nipping to herd you away is, unsettling, to say the least. As we headed to bed that night, both of us were thinking he’s never going to accept us and we’re just not going to be able to make this long term house sitting arrangement work. The next morning when we woke up, there was Amstel, 100 pounds of menace (it seemed to us) guarding his owner’s bedroom door — we felt the only safe option was just to stay in the room until his owner was up and around.

And now the story gets better, for us! As we spent more time with Amstel that day — accompanying him on his hour long walk in the park, being there for his morning piece of toast, getting him breakfast and dinner — we saw the beautiful, regal, playful boy he is to those in his “circle of trust.” By the next day, when the owner left, he had fully adopted us, and it just kept getting better from there!

Amstel is, of course, stunningly handsome, but he is a big boy who has to be careful. His daily routine starts with a trip to the park in “his” Mini Cooper convertible, top down whenever possible (the owner kindly instructed us to use the Cooper whenever we could take Amstel with us). The happiness on his face as the wind blew his fur back and offered his nose a constantly-changing menu of street and landscape smells was precious. People in other vehicles were constantly doing a double-take to see this human-sized beauty riding upright in the back — we often had people stop when we parked and come over to tell us how it made their day to see such a sight!

The hour or so we’d spend on his walk in the park was also a treat for us — clear summer mornings in Colorado are glorious, with crystalline blue skies, just a hint of cool in the air, and, in this park, shimmering sunlight on the large pond. Back at home was time for Amstel’s toast, a particularly heart warming ritual. This big boy was such a gentle giant with those in his “circle,” watching him rise on his hind legs and ever so gently take the piece of toast being offered was a special bonding ritual we loved.

Besides going for car rides in “his” convertible whenever possible, Amstel’s other fun times included playing keep away with his ball (his excited breathing as he held the ball in his mouth made him sound like a raging animal, which took some getting used to), and occasionally playing with his best bud, Toosa, a small golden retriever owned by the owner’s daughter (who was always around to help out when needed). On his least favorite list of things is firecrackers (and of course we were there 4th of July season), people coming to the house (I thought we going right through the window) and ambulance sirens (although it’s hard to say whether the sirens bothered him or intrigued him — here’s a video of him howling with sirens, would be interesting to know Why do dogs sing?).

The month housesitting and dog sitting with Amstel flew by, but, he will always be one of our very special “little” friends, and we hope we have the opportunity to see him again, soon!

September 18, 2015
Our fun time housesitting and dogsitting in NC!

We had so much fun housesitting and dogs sitting ( 🙂 ) our happy labradoodle , Elle, and her “sister,” Gracie May, the cockapoo mix, that, we decided to put together a little video of our time together — hope you enjoy!

September 17, 2015
Louisville’s Darling, Duke!

We had the pleasure of watching Duke, a beautiful two year old English lab, on a long term house sitting and dog sitting engagement in Louisville. What a great personality! Duke was still very much a puppy (who doesn’t love puppy sitting? 🙂 ) and we loved watching him joyfully learning about the world.

Our time with Duke included highly structured walks. The owner had recently decided to work with a trainer on Duke’s leash reactivity and, asked us to incorporate the trainer’s techniques on our daily walks with Duke.

As a two year old, besides leash reactivity, Duke also was dealing with impulse control — his motto, ‘stop to smell…the mailbox pole, the tree stumps, the garbage cans, the candy wrapper…’ 🙂 . Being very food motivated, it was really easy to get his attention and focus, and we really enjoyed developing better communication with him as we practiced (and practiced!) ‘leave it.’

Leash reactivity is an interesting situation owners find themselves dealing with. We’re certainly not experts, but it’s always interesting for us trying to decipher what’s going on internally for the dog. In Duke’s case, while there seemed to be some component of intuitively reacting to the leash holder’s anticipation of an encounter, there also seemed to be an element of fear, although the owner didn’t specify any previous, traumatic dog encounters. For Duke, a big factor was the unnaturalness of the “meeting” environment — not being able to approach in a natural way and particularly direct eye contact, seemed really frustrating.

At least for the time we were with him, we were able to get Duke to sit and look at us when trigger stimuli were in view, and choose to pay attention to treats as we would walk past other dogs (at a distance), so good progress for the month we were with him! Because working dogs love to learn and “work,” we also taught him “shake” and “back” to reinforce the structure of how we were asking him to learn (pay attention, make an association between a word and the response we wanted from him, get a treat for success or a good effort!)

Duke, as are many labs of any color, loves ball — you could say perhaps he was even a little obsessed with it. He’s a terrific athlete, and it’s a joy to watch his elegance and coordination catching a ball careening off a slope. Here again, we always wonder what he’s thinking — he had an interesting quirk in his play expectation, if we were holding only one ball, he would catch the ball, sit down and chew on it! It took having a second ball in hand for him to return the first ball — you didn’t have to release the second ball, but having it in hand was somehow an incentive for him to bring the initial ball back to be thrown again.

Duke’s open heart. and loving, affectionate nature made him such a joy to spend time with! At two, he was still puppy playful, and loved physical contact — happily for us, this owner was comfortable with him curling up on the couch and sleeping in bed with us, too. (To be clear, we understand both sides of how close do you get to the dogs — dogs do get dirty on the one hand, and on the other hand, they are social “pack” animals that establish bonding with contact. Our rule — just keep it consistent!)

As always, we were so pleased this owner decided long term house sitting and in home dog sitting, was the best solution, for Duke — we loved our time in Louisville, and hope to reconnect with them again!

September 16, 2015
A Terrier Twosome to Love!

It’s wonderful how things work out…one day, between sits, we went to a dog park to get a “doggie fix” and happened upon a lovely couple with two little ones at play — a very independent and strikingly handsome West Highland white terrier (Augie) and a somewhat shy “mommy’s girl” cairn terrier mix (Abby).

As it turns out, the couple were going on a cruise, and were really concerned about kenneling them, particularly little Abby, who was a pretty recent rescue and very attached to her mom. Happy to find out there was a dog boarding alternative for their two, the couple kept in touch with us and in short time, we were seeing them off on their cruise!

Fortunately, both dogs, particularly little Abby, were happy to have two new people to love! For them, everything other than mom and dad being out of the house was pretty normal — walks, morning brush outs, meal times, chasing lizards on the lanai :), copious belly rubs and cuddles, night treats, snuggling up at bed time, everything they’re used to, just different peeps on the “delivery” end!

And that’s exactly why we love providing an in home dog boarding service as a dog kennel alternative — of course animals are very sensitive, it can be very stressful when the hand that feeds them is gone, and compounding that with relocation and a total disruption in schedule can be a little (or a lot) traumantic for some!

For us, stepping into being a great dog parent and caring for people’s homes (and plants! The variety and abundance of indoor and outdoor flora was amazing!), is a challenge, and really personally rewarding. Abby and Augie are heart-stealers!

Abby is curious, a terrier-tenacious flusher of prey (on the ground and airborne, chasing birds in flight is on her wish list, for sure 🙂 ), a loving kisses-monster, and a crafty belly rub manipulator — if you make eye contact, she’s “in position” as you blink!

Augie…Augie, Augie, Augie. Handsome, joyful at play, inquisitive, persistent and willful (okay, stubborn), independent, good-natured (when he’s not on high-alert), and a loving snuggler — he’s kind of a Tom Sawyer of the dog world persona, endearing in his exploits even though and probably because of his tendency toward mischief!(we put together a little video of him, linked here).

We often tell people one of the hardest things for us in our in home pet sitting and is leaving the little ones we’ve grown to so love…we miss these two and their antics, but we know they have two of the most genuine dog parents two pups could have!

May 11, 2015
Westie’s Just Gotta Have Fun!

We learn a lot from the companions we care for! Our little Westie, Augie, is all about the “fun!” 🙂

This little Westie wasn’t keen on being kenneled, and we loved sharing his joy! Sure you can arrange (at additional cost) for a dog kennel to take your dog for a walk, but in home boarding keeps it part of their normal routine — less stress, happier dog! Particularly when you need to be away for extended periods, consider in your home pet sitting as a preferred dog boarding alternative!

May 4, 2015
A Pit with…Personality!

Deogi (not the exotic name it looks, just D-O-G!) is an 18 month old pit bull. I’ll say it — the breed has more than its share of well-publicized incidences, but you can’t but wonder whether it really is a breed issue or a training issue. These owners had a lot of experience with large dogs that needed a very firm hand, and because of their rigorous work with him, Deogi was a really loving little boy we were able to pet sit.

Now there may be something about pit bulls and other dogs, and for that reason alone we’re glad the owners chose us for in home pet sitting as a dog boarding alternative for the little guy. He’s still a young boy and very excited about everything, but with their diligent work, he had already established great relationships with a number of other dogs on the block, as well as kids and adults of all ages.

Deogi loves playing with the dog next door, a black lab, and we tried to find as many opportunities as possible to give them both play time (with the help and cooperation of really terrific neighbors, of course!). We were a little worried at first that the neighbors’ three year old boy would jump on both dogs in the middle of their tussling, but, as they say, a good time was had by all!

Most endearing about Deogi was his cuddling — this little guy wants to be with his “pack,” even slept with us (or on us) at night. Trust me, there’s nothing quite like waking up with a pit’s muzzle smacked up against your forehead, snoring like the angel he is! 🙂

We are really grateful we have the opportunity, and can provide a service, many dogs need when their owners are away for extended periods. In home pet sitting (at prices very competitive with kennels) is a perfect dog boarding alternative for many dogs (and cats) for whom kennels are just not a good option.

April 8, 2015
Golden doodle darling, Marley!

It’s no wonder the “doodles” (golden doodle, labradoodles, and all the variants in the genre) are so popular — they are intelligent, great learners, affectionate, and, no shedding! Marley’s parents selected us for in home pet sitting as a dog boarding alternative for their little girl, which gave us the opportunity to spend time with this elegant and well-mannered doodle!

Besides daily walks, Marley loved the water! Her parents are boaters, which gave her extra opportunities to enjoy swimming. Although we didn’t take her out on any boat, we did spend a lot of time with her doing another favorite water sport, ball toss in the pool!

Marley’s happy demeanor was a joy to be around — very patient, excellent on the leash (seriously, you could lay the leash over your arm and she wouldn’t pull it off) yet fun-loving and playful. There’s something about a poodle’s gait, too – I’m sure there’s a technical term, but their dancer-like leg and foot action is beautiful, we just call it sassy prancing!

Marley’s poodle intelligence and great training made it very easy to care for her — if we missed anything, such as her treat after a walk, she would very patiently “correct” us in an appropriate manner (standing in front of the treat cabinet until we figured it out, for instance!) She was so well-behaved, we were shocked when she tried to sit with us on a couch the first evening, as we had heard she wasn’t allowed on the furniture. Fortunately, we asked the owners as it was uncharacteristic of Marley to be wrong, and sure enough, she wasn’t — there was one couch, in one room where she was allowed, and was her favorite spot for cuddling (yeah!)

A dog kennel was never an option for these owners, and we’re grateful we made their acquaintance and had the opportunity to in home pet sit for Marley. Particularly as a dog boarding alternative, it’s hard to beat! (and, I might mention very competitively priced 🙂 )

April 8, 2015
Scrapbook slide show for our 70 lb pit bull!

February 27, 2015
Sweet Shih-Tzus Get to Stay Home for the Holiday!

It’s not always possible to keep your four-legged loved ones with you when you’re away from home. The owners of Bailey and Samie (short for Samantha) made the decision to get in home dog boarding instead of a dog kennel experience for their two!

Little Bailey is an aging Shih-Tzu, getting around but having some health issues which require a special diet and special care and handling. She still wants to cuddle on the bed and on the couch, but really doesn’t have the spring any more to get there on her own, even doing her business requires some assistance.

Bailey lost a long time companion awhile ago, and had a hard time thriving., so her owners picked up a tiny little puppy at a rescue shelter that was probably shih tzu (at least in part), and now Bailey has Samie to “liven up” her life.

Samie is just under a year old and 12 pounds of loving “let’s play!” which is usually a little more enthusiasm than Bailey’s up for! Besides being an excellent cuddler and super affectionate, Samie loves nothing more than playing (except maybe eating!) She has “Play!Play!Play!” puppy energy non-stop until she drops, and, because she still has those teeth that need to be worked out, she needs to be monitored — A LOT! Just like a little toddler, Samie is constantly finding new fun things she shouldn’t be getting into, but with such a sweet and affectionate temperament, it’s more charming than annoying.

It was wonderful being able to spend time with and care for these two bundles of love, and very satisfying to know that their time away from their parents is in their own home, with trusted, responsible loving caretakers. Dog boarding at a dog kennel is an option, but when you can provide them an “in their own home” experience, and have your home cared for, too, while your away, for about the same price, perhaps it’s an option you should look into, too!

January 2, 2015
New Guardians Instead of a Dog Kennel for Muxy and Sierra!

We really appreciate owners who choose in their own home pet sitting as their dog boarding alternative, especially when it involves, beautiful, sweet and fun “kids!”

Muxy is a “mixed parentage” 🙂 boy, with a sprinkling of pit bull and possible Rhodesian Ridge Back (he had the characteristic coarse line of fur down his spine which stands at attention when he’s on alert). Having picked him up as a stray puppy, his owner raised him with much love, and in return, he’s VERY affectionate (a downright snuggle-bunny), well-behaved, and a little precocious!

Muxy is a quick study when it comes to patterns — it doesn’t take him long to learn what comes next — and even in the short time we were with him we had to laugh at how clever he was about trying to train us up: letting us know when it was time for our daily walk; working a quick pat on the head into full belly rubs; reminding us to feed him by noisily flipping his bowl over until we got the message; and uncannily, always being first in bed to get the best position!

His “sister,” Sierra, is a beautiful Husky who was a rescue and has adapted beautifully to a loving and caring environment. The breed has a bit of a reputation for being somewhat aloof, but Sierra loves affection — being hugged and petted is obviously something she enjoys, but she’s reserved in “asking” for it, in contrast to Muxy who is unabashed in reminding you he’s right there and obviously way too cute not to love up.

I can tell you, we all had a wonderful time while Muxy’s and Sierra’s owners were away. We spent lots of time out on walks in Scottsdale’s beautiful mountain preserves (December is a great time to visit the valley!) and lots of time cuddling, all in the familiar environment and routines of their own home.

Dog boarding in a dog kennel is an option, and there are many really good operators out there, but if you can have them cared for as you would, and have your home more secure by being lived in while your gone, too, for about the same price, isn’t it something to consider?

December 29, 2014