We don’t like shock collars. We haven’t made a policy that we won’t accept clients who use them, but we certainly do not approve. In some countries they are illegal. We see them mostly for invisible fence use.
Recently a man was arrested for using shock collars on his children. It was clearly abuse and a horrible story. Why do we continue to use them on our beloved pets?
Here is the blog article link link from Animal defense league: http://aldf.org/article.php?id=1011 We hope to inform those who continue to use these. They hurt. There are wonderful ways to train your dog that don’t involve hurting them.

Double pet names

I have enjoyed the trend of folks giving their pets a second name, or middle name if we count their surname. Jerry Douglas, John Creighton, Chocolate Jinx, Middnight Nutmeg, Caramel Corn are a few names I know. Tell me your pet’s double name.

Sometimes pet sitters cry at work

We become very attached to our pet clients. When they pass away its hard on us. Not only do we have our own pets  but dozens and dozens of other pets that we are fond of.  When they are gone we might hear the news over the phone or by email. Going to the house the next time and that sweet pet isn’t there is heartbreaking.

Recently I lost my own 15 1/2 year old Labrador. I had two sisters, one was dark brown the other was chocolate.  They passed away within 6 months of each other.  A few days after I lost Duchess, I found myself walking two chocolate labs. With them in my periphery vision looking just like my own lost pair, I wept. Tears streamed down my face for the duration of our walk. I was grateful it was sunny and that my sun glasses hid my eyes. 

I have wept like this for client dogs -recently Baily and Charli. It was when I returned to Charli’s house after she was gone that I was overcome. Her two rhodesian ridgeback roommates did their best to cheer me up- and they did, but the absence of Charli’s welcoming bark, wiggling body wag and happy grin was too much for me.

Baily had cancer. I cried for her while we walked near the end of her life. Her body grew almost daily. Her mind was still sharp. She was still determined to hunt squirrels. Even with the cancer making her unsteady she would trot ungracefully at a tree to scare the squirrel. It was hard to watch and yet I so admired her.

Sometimes I don’t think I can take another notification  of a pet’s death. Yet, I am  flattered that people include me in their lives and their heartache. Each animal that we visit and grow fond of has a special place in my ever expanding heart. I wouldn’t have it any other way.