How To Find The Most Reliable & Trusting Pet Sitter Service

May 31, 2009 by Pet Advisor
Pet Health And Tips

Locating a reliable pet sitter to watch over your dog shouldn’t be too hard to find because there are many college students and other dog enthusiasts who are passionate about animals and enjoy pet sitting as a part-time job. There are even full time companies in communities where dog watching is in high demand.

If you are new to hiring someone to look over your animals when you are out of town, the following questions are important for you to ask the person or organization you hired. Your goal is to ensure that they will watch over your dogs while practicing positive treatment and has a good history with their previous clients.

1. Ask them if they are bonded and insured. Although being bonded or insured does not guarantee quality service, it does however protect you against the possibility of theft with your personal belongings. Remember, these pet sitters will be in your home so it is important to ask this question.

2. Ask the organization what their experience levels are and how long they have been pet sitting. College students and other young adults are not the only people who enjoy pet sitting as a way to make money. In fact, there are quite a few men and women who have been involved with animals all of their lives and are considered professionals in their field. Such examples are ex dog trainers and veterinary assistants. If you are lucky enough to find a person with these qualifications then take advantage of their services.

3. As with any service you are after, whether it’s seeking someone to watch your dogs, paint your house, or prepare a catering dinner, asking for references is commonplace, so do not be shy about this request. Once you have references and contact information of those previous clients, be sure to give them a phone call and thoroughly check out the history of the pet sitter you are considering to hire. There is no better way to find out how a pet sitter has treated a customer and their dog in the past.

4. Every city and state has specific laws that pertain to the care of animals. Although many are common sense, it is always a wise decision to ask the pet sitter if they are themselves aware of the federal, state, and city laws that have to do with animal care.

Tags: pet sitter

Flea Fighting Tips Every Dog Owner Should Know

May 31, 2009 by Pet Advisor
Pet Health And Tips

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Fleas are like small vampires that literally suck the blood out of your dog. Not only do they live by draining his blood and cause severe irritation, if they are eaten by your dog or puppy then they can cause internal worms. Obviously these little creatures are a menace and should be kept under control at all times.

If you are unsure whether your dog is a victim of fleas, simply purchase a flea comb from the nearest pet store and run it through your dog’s coat. Just one brush should help you detect whether or not there is a flea problem to deal with.

Sometimes a flea comb will pull up what appears to be dirt. However, don’t be too happy just yet. Take those particles of dirt and place them on a paper towel and then drop a little water on top. If it turns into a red color, then congratulations – you have discovered a flea excrement!

How to treat your dog or puppy for fleas

There are many ways to handle flea problems; you just have to find what works best for you and which protocol you are comfortable with. Other circumstances are involved with your choice of fleas fighting tools such as how large the infestation is, whether or not parts of your house are flea nesting areas, and how many pets you have in the house.

The best thing to do is talk directly with your veterinarian and give him all of this information so that he can make a recommendation on the appropriate way for you to combat the flea issue. Personally, I prefer to use more natural methods rather than spraying chemicals throughout the home and on my dogs. Such natural flea fighting examples would be using menthol, garlic, and eucalyptus.

If you choose the standard chemical shampoos and sprays, be sure to use caution when applying them to your dog. Avoid spraying or squeezing these products near your dog’s facial area and the underbelly near the scrotum. These are very sensitive areas of your dog’s body and allergic reactions could be a very real possibility.

Another tip is to ask your veterinarian about the possibility of using flea tablets or power. These products do not necessarily kill all of the fleas that you and your dog are having trouble with, but they do do a terrific job of sterilizing the entire army of fleas so that they cannot reproduce. And what’s more beneficial is that these products are not nearly as toxic as other shampoos and sprays that are designed to kill parasites on the spot.

Tags: dog fleas