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Springtime Safety Tips for Pets

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Now that spring has officially sprung, it’s time we begin to prepare our homes, our bodies, and our goals for the new season. Often times we forget that our pets too need some extra care for the change in seasons. Before you get carried away with the season’s chores, take a minute to understand the potential hazards that may be lying around.

Easter decorations and treats

We all know chocolate is toxic to dogs and cats, but this time of year is when they can accidentally ingest it. Chocolate and other Easter treats usually lay around hidden, making it a perfect opportunity for unsupervised puppies or kitties to get into. Decorations such as lilies can be fatal to cats if ingested. Also, kittens love to play with and chew the colorful plastic grass, which can obstruct the digestive tract, leading to vomiting and dehydration.

Spring cleaning

Spring cleaning is one of the major chores that comes with the season, but this is also a potential hazard for younger pets. Cleaning products have harmful chemicals for animals, even the all natural ones. We are often distracted when cleaning our home, making it hard to supervise our pets. Next time you’re on a cleaning spree, make sure all cleaning supplies are out of reach of your pets.

Pet allergies

Just like humans, pets can get allergies in the spring as well. Foods, dust, plants, and pollen all cause allergic reactions such as itching, sniffling, and sneezing. The best treatment for your pets is prevention. Bathing your animal once a week will help relieve itching and help clean them of any allergens. If dust is the problem, make sure to wash your pet’s bedding once a week and to vacuum twice a week. If you suspect food to be a problem, speak with your vet about possible dietary changes.

Grow your garden with care

Springtime also means you’ll be doing a lot more yard work. Fertilizers, insecticides, and herbicides are helpful for growing your gardens, but can be harmful to your pets, if ingested. Always put your gardening products in a safe, out-of-reach place that you know your animals can’t get into. Certain plants can also be harmful, like rhododendron and azaleas, which have proven to be fatal if eaten. For a complete list of toxic and non-toxic plants, check out the ASPCA’s website.

Bugs

Along with flowers, spring brings an onslaught of insects out. Make sure you are keeping up with your pet’s heartworm medications and their tick and flea medication. Ask your vet about prevention plan that is best for your pet.

5 Ways To Make Sure You Never Lose Your Pet

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One of our biggest fears as pet owners are losing our furry loved one and not being able to find him. Every year, animal shelters receive lost or stranded dogs and cats and unfortunately, a small percentage are returned home. To make sure this never happens to your pets, here are a few tips you can do to ensure your dog doesn’t end up at an animal shelter, unidentified.

1. Collar and Identification tag

This is probably one of the more obvious and traditional forms of identification, but your dogs and cats should have a collar with ID tags at all times, especially if they are outdoors often. Make sure the collar is a non-choke collar as those are dangerous and can lead to injury. Your pets should be wearing these collars at all times because you may never know when they are going to get out, especially if you’re not home most of the day.

2. Microchip

Microchipping your dog should not be the only form of identification, but definitely, should be a backup. Collars and ID tags can easily fall off or be taken off. Microchipping is a permanent and effective form of ID. The cost is definitely worth the piece of mind.

3. Keep your dog on a leash or in a fenced location

Squirrel! If you’ve ever seen UP or have owned a dog, you know they can be unpredictable, especially around fast moving, furry creatures. It’s best to be safe and leave your dog in an enclosed space or tied up when they are unsupervised. Even some of the best behaved dogs can’t help themselves when they see a squirrel dart up a tree.

4. Keep your cat indoors

Cats are very sneaky, one moment they are there and next they are gone. The best way to keep track of them is by keeping them indoors and out of trouble. Less than two percent of cats are claimed by their owners at shelters. Also, you never know what other animals are out there hunting them like dogs or coyotes.

5. Teach your pet a reliable recall command

Pets get out, regardless of how careful you are. Calling their name over and over again with no response is not helping anyone. Come up with a recall command that is not often used and train them to respond to that word. “Here” or “come” are fairly common recall command words, try using ones that are not so popular like “hier,” which is German for here. When he responds correctly, reward him with treats and pets.

7 Ways to Comfort your Dog’s Thunderstorms

El Niño has finally arrived in Southern California. This month was filled with rain, thunderstorms, and tornado watches. This stormy season is expected to last well into March, so we have some time before the weather calms down. As you know, most of our dogs fear the howling winds, plummeting barometric pressures, and of course, the loud rumbling of thunder. Many times, we try to comfort our dogs with no avail. Dogs can not only damage your home when they’re scared, but can injure themselves. Here are some ways in which you can help comfort your dog during a thunderstorm.

1. START YOUNG
Just because your dogs doesn’t take any drastic measures when they are afraid, doesn’t mean they aren’t suffering. It’s best to act when your dogs are young, or when they experience their first thunderstorm. “Storm phobia” is considered a progressive disease and can worsen with time.

2. COMFORT YOUR DOG WITH TREATS AND CUDDLES
Start when your pup is young. When there is excessively loud thunder, cuddle you dog and give him or her treats. Associating thunder with cuddles and love will help fight storm phobia.

3. LET THEM HIDE IN THEIR CRATE
Make their crate into a cave by covering it with towels or blankets. Hiding in a cavelike structure will ease the dog’s fear, giving them a sense of safety. Crate training them as a puppy will help them when they are older. Their crate becomes a safe place for them, helping them psychologically. Even if you didn’t crate train them as a puppy, it’s never too late to give it a try.

4. MASK THE NOISE
The loud noise is what is scaring your dog. You should put them in a room that is centrally located away from the outside. A big closet or a bathroom works perfectly. Also, mask the noise with music or a noise machine. Anything that will distract the dogs from the thunder will help.

5. DESENSITIZE THEM
You can desensitize your dog to thunder by playing thunder sound CDs or MP3s. Start off at a low volume so your dog can get use to the sound. Comfort them throughout the process with pets and affirmation. Slowly increase the volume as you’re comforting him.

6. ASK YOUR VETERINARIAN ABOUT DRUGS
It’s best to keep your dog off drugs, but if he’s having a hard time with the weather, it’s better to have relaxants than stress. All dogs are different and some may never feel comfortable during a thunderstorm. Your vet will know which drugs are best to help your dog relax during the next storm.

7. NATURAL THERAPIES
If you’re not comfortable giving your dogs drugs try a more natural approach. You can start by giving your dog chamomile tea. To get your dog to drink the tea, place a piece of meat in their bowl and pour the tea over the top. Your dog will then drink the tea to get to the meat, but be careful the tea is not too hot. You can also try lavender oil, bach flower extract (Rescue Remedy) or dog appeasing pheromones.

5 Nutrition Tips to Keep Your Dog Healthy This Winter

Golden Retriever Puppy Eating Preparing your dog for winter goes far beyond making sure they are warm and dry. Animals, much like humans, need to switch up their diet to accommodate the changing weather. Sadly, many pet parents do not understand the importance of their pet’s dietary needs. Dogs can experience both weight loss and weight gain during the winter months, fixing their diets based on their needs is most important. Here are 5 tips to keeping your dog healthy this winter.

1. Increase their calorie intake

For dogs that spend most of their time outdoors, consider increasing the amount of calories they consume. Colder weather means your dog is using more energy to stay warm. Feeding your dog an extra meal a day can make up for the lost calories. You can also add chicken broth to their dry food for about a 10% calorie increase. Also, switching to a higher calorie dog food is a simple way to ensure your dog is getting the right about of calories per day.

 2. Reduce

Obesity is not only a human disease, dogs can suffer from it too. In the United States, the percentage of obese dogs is going up. It is important to your dog’s health that you keep them trim and in good shape. You can cut calories for your dog by feeding them fewer treats or switching to a low-calorie treat. Also, measure out the amount of food you give to your dog and pour enough food for one meal, don’t simply pour food for the whole day.

 3. Choose Diet Food

Dogs are much like humans, they don’t want to starve to lose weight. If your dog is overweight, switch them to diet dog food. Dogs should lose their weight gradually in order for it to be healthy. Be aware, not all dog food is the same. Diet food may have the same calorie count as another brand’s regular food. The only time dog food can be considered diet is if the diet food has fewer calories than the same brand’s regular food.

 4. Give your dog supplements

Many dog food brands claim their food has a complete balanced nutrition, but your dog many need more than this. There are supplements out there for every need from digestion to vision to arthritic joints.

 5. Change your dog’s diet gradually

If you do plan to switch your dog’s food this winter make sure you do it at a gradual pace. If you switch your dog’s food too fast it may cause your dog to become sick or he may not eat his food. You should slowly mix the old and new food together, slowly mixing less and less of the old food. It should take about a week to ten days to fully switch foods.

5 Cold Weather Tips For Your Pets This Winter

Temperatures are quickly dropping and with El Nino on its way, it’s about to be a cold, wet winter. Your pets, much like yourself, are probably not use to cold weather. Here are some tips to keep in mind to help keep your pets warm this winter.

Keep your pets inside 

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This may seem like an obvious one, but keep your pet indoors, especially at night. Temperature can drop to freezing during the night and that’s not fun for anyone. Pets can get sick too, if they’re exposed to cold and wet weather.

Keep your pets hydrated & well fed

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It takes your pets extra energy to stay warm, so increase their water and food consumption to match. Making sure there is fresh water all the times is most important.

Dress for the season

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Dress your pets in sweaters for walks in the early morning or late evening. Especially if your pet has short hair, it’s important to keep them warm. Look for sweaters with a high collar that cover their necks and goes far enough down to cover their bellies.

Heading up to the mountains for a ski trip?

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Remember to keep an eye on your dogs. It’s probably best not to let them off their leash. Dogs can lose their scent easily in the snow and become lost. Also, make sure they are properly equipped with identification, such as ID tags or a microchips, before you leave.

Be cautious when you start your car

Outdoor cats love the warmth that comes from you engine. Especially when it’s cold out, cats love to sleep underneath the hood of your car. When you start the engine, the cat can be severely injured or killed. Bang on the hood of your car in the morning before ignition. 

Get Ready For The New Year With The 2016 Pet Sit Pros Calendar!

Thank you to everyone who entered our competition for a chance to make your pet a Pet Sit Pros model. The response was astounding and we are happy to announce the top 13 winners who received the highest number of likes. Your pet star is featured in our 2016 calendar and can be downloaded here in pdf format. To view your pets calendar debut, keep scrolling down!

001 First Page

001 January (1)

002 February (1)

003 March (1)

004 April (1)

005 May (1)

006 June (1)

007 July (1)

008 August (1)

009 September (1)

010 October (1)

011 November (1)

012 December (1)

013 Last Page

Thanks for participating in our contest and have a wonderful new year!

10 Times Your Pet Was Winning At Winter

You’re not the only one that is preparing for winter. Now that the season has finally arrived in Southern California, your pets are probably doing a better job winning at winter than you.

1. Winning at being lazy and looking good  unnamed-1

2. Winning at cozily eating Santa’s cookies

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3. Winning at being Santa’s little helper

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4.Winning at matching his scarf with his fur

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5. Thelma and Louise winning at winter

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6. Winning at building his first snowman

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7. Winning at cuddling for warmth

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8. Winning at Netflix and chill

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9. Winning with his fall fashion on point

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10. Winning at just being cute

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Thanksgiving Dishes Your Can Enjoy With Your Pet

This thanksgiving don’t leave your pet out of the loop. Here are some tasty dishes that you could create for your pet using some of the leftover food you already have from thanksgiving.

Mini Muttballs & Ditalini

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6 cups chicken broth Salt 3/4 pound ground beef, pork and veal 2 large eggs 1/3 cup chopped shredded carrots Read more of the recipe here: http://www.entirelypets.com/5dethpetre.html#a

Pumpkin Smoothy

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1/2 c. canned pumpkin puree 1/2 c. plain non-fat yogurt

Read more of the recipe here: http://www.gopetplan.com/thanksgiving-treat-recipes.aspx

Turkey Loaf for Dogs

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2 pounds ground turkey 1/2 cup cooked mixed vegetables 1 T. garlic powder

Read more of the recipe here: http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art25672.asp

Thanksgiving Hash

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1 sweet potato, peeled and coarsely chopped 1/2 cup leftover skinless roast turkey meat, shredded 1/2 cup leftover stuffing* or 1 piece toast, coarsely chopped

Read more of the recipe here: http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/pet-friendly-dog-recipes/leftover-thanksgiving-hash

Safety Tips: Keep Your Pet Safe This Holiday Season

The holiday season is upon us and along with family and friends may come unwanted mischief. This Thanksgiving keep your pet safe by knowing what circumstances to avoid. There are certain foods and decorations that your pet should stay away from. Here are a few items you should keep away from your pet.

The Turkey Type

If you wish to feed your dog any bits of turkey this Thanksgiving make sure it is properly cooked. Be sure to cook the turkey fully to avoid exposing your pet to salmonella bacteria. This bacteria could potentially make your pet sick. Make sure you thoroughly check for bones as they cause be rather hazardous to your pet.

You may think that feeding your pet turkey skin would be a little healthier; however, it can be fattening and hard to digest. When feeding your dong any bits of turkey make sure that you peel the skin off to help trim some of the excess fat.

No Sweets

I know you may want to indulge your little one with a tasty treat such as cake; however, keep your pet away from cake batter, any raw eggs in the batter may lead to salmonella bacteria and even food poisoning.

Also remember that chocolate is toxic to our pets. Make sure that any pieces of candy that are left out can not be easily accessible to your pet.

Holiday Decorations

We all know that pets have no filter when it comes to playing around with our things so make sure that you keep all decorations away from your pet. If your pet tries to chew on any decorations they might swallow items hazardous to them. Some plants have chemicals in them to help preserve them a little longer. If your pet has access to the water it can be rather damaging. The chemicals that are seeping down from the tree or plant could be quit poisonous, make sure you are watching over your pets properly!

To Our Top 13 Winners

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Thank you to everyone who entered our competition for a chance to make your pet a Pet Sit Pros model. Your star will be featured in our upcoming calendar. The response was astounding and we are happy to announce the top 13 winners who received the highest number of likes. Here are your winners in no particular order:

Jennifer Shatwell / Axle

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Margauxism Marxism

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Kristiana Turko / Tootsie

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Mallory Alexandria / Finley

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Kristin Kilmer-Moat / Dallas

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Yolanda Zalapa Sierra / Novi

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Maria Martinez / Fifi

Katherine Gebhardt Golhofer

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Sunny Munoz / Irie Valentine

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Da Da Obey / Schults

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Bill Thompson /Lux

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Anita Rodriguez

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