by Robyn Elman, President of In Home Pet Services, Inc.

What do Pet Sitters do in a Blizzard?

This has been a rough winter so far with two big storms a rain and ice storm and more snow forecasted to hit our area again.  They mayor says to stay off the roads. The schools are all closed and kids get to stay home with their parents or people are away on vacations. So what is a pet sitter to do?

When pet sitters have clients that are away on vacation they, and more importantly their pets, are depending on the sitter to come for their care. Dogs like Sophie the beagle still has to go outside to do her business, get feed, fresh water, love and attention, and cats like Bella needs her daily medications, litter changed, etc.

Dedicated professional pet sitters go with shovels in their cars to each appointment, and if the roads are not plowed they take the train or bus; and if that fails – as in the last blizzard in New York when there was no public transportation – they walked!   But pet owners who are hiring pet sitters should also take into consideration the following tips to ensure safety for their pets and their pet sitters:

If you are away during the winter and are relying on a pet sitter, you can make things safer for them, ensuring your pet can get their care.

• Have someone “pre-hired” to shovel in case it snows. Have them shovel your driveway with a path to the road as well as the sidewalk in front of the house, and a path to the door.
• Leave pet safe salt containers for the people shoveling your walk and driveways (with directions to only use that type of salt) – and leave an extra container or two inside incase the pet sitter needs to add additional salt to ice or snow.
• Always have the numbers to your power company and/or heating company displayed for the sitter to call if there is an outage.
• If there is a power outage, or no heat at your home, make sure you have arrangements with your pet sitter so that they can take the dog, cat or bird home with them to board in case of a no heat emergency.
• Extra leashes, collars, dog or cat carrier is great to have available in case the sitter does have to take the pet with them.
• Have the number to the nearest 24-hour vet emergency hospital displayed as well.
• Keep a shovel handy for your sitter to maintain the paths.
• If you have a regularly scheduled dog walker and you are staying home from work – remember to call them to cancel.
• Make sure you have enough pet food, litter, pet medication and bottled water in case you’re stuck and can’t get back on your schedule day due to weather.

Pet Sitters and Dog Walkers truly work through rain, and snow, day and night. Planning ahead during the winter will make the care of your pet a little easier for your sitter to stay safe while caring for your pet.  The tips above will make a big difference in the life of your pet and pet sitter during another blizzard.

Dangerous roadways are tough enough on pet sitters.

Don't leave it up to your pet sitter to shovel your house out.

by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

Is your dog BORED?

Long Island is now covered with a lot of snow and while most of our dogs love it – they all can’t stay out too long in it.  The weather and shorter days changes all of our routines, and often our dogs don’t get the long walks they need to drain that mental and physical energy.  So if you think your dog is bored or getting a serious case of cabin fever, here are a few fun tips that can’t help break up the monotony of the long cold winter.

• Dogs love to play “hide-n-go seek.” Now I know what you’re thinking, it seems silly, but they love it. Also it helps with training dogs to “sit and stay.” (And if you have kids, they love it too!) Here is how you do it: Teach your dog to sit and stay, and go hide in a somewhat obvious spot so the dog can find you. Call the dog, and when he finds you, make a big fuss, “Good boy, great job!” Do this a few times in easy spots for the dog to find you, so he gets the hang of the game. Then make him sit and stay, and go hide in a different spot (a little more difficult for him to find you this time) and call him. This fun exercise will help the dog in training, it will challenge him mentally, and most of all add exercise and fun to his day, and yours.

• Another fun game is the “find it” game. This can be done a few different ways, but the easiest is to take a few treats, break them into smaller treats (or use a handful of kibble) and have your dog sit and stay. Put a couple treats about 6-feet in front of him, but in plain site and say, “Buddy, find it,” and point to the treats. When he trots over to eat them, tell him, “Good job, good find it!” Then continue to do this making the treats further away, and not so obvious. Dogs get the hang of this pretty quickly, and love this game too. You can make it harder by having the dog sit and stay in another room, and hide the treats throughout the house. Just be sure to deduct the kibble or treats from what you normally feed the dog. You don’t want to make the dog overweight!

• Take him or her to a training class or agility class. Some training centers have indoor facilities like, Doggie U K9 Academy in Bay Shore, or the new Fido Fitness Club in Woodmere.  You can also set up an indoor play date with your dog’s best pal in your home, just make sure it’s doggy proofed and safe for them to play.

• There are now also board games you can play with your family and your dog. DARF Inc. offers various different games to keep your family and the dog entertained and interactive. www.darfinc.com

• Watching too much TV while snowed in?  Use the commercial breaks to do short and fun training sessions with your dog. 

• And of course one of our favorites are Kong toys, which can keep a dog entertained for quite a while. Your dog should be supervised with any toy, same goes for the Kong. Try stuffing it with a few pieces of kibble that fall out easily and one larger biscuit that will take longer for Fido to get to. Kongs come in all shapes and sizes, and different levels of toughness from: Puppy, Classic, Senior and Extreme. Be sure to get the right size and level for your chewer, and always supervise. www.kongcompany.com.

by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

Don’t forget the Pets!

With barely a day left to shop for Christmas, don’t forget gifts for the pets or pet lovers in your life.  Going to a Holiday party to someone’s house that has a cat, dog or bird?  Instead of the dreaded fruitcake or another needless dessert, bring the hostess a gift that is for their pet.  Giving a pet owner a fabulous pet product for their beloved pet will go a long way, they will remember that probably more than another sweater!  So with that said, here are some suggestions for you to go out and get today for that pet owner you have absolutely no idea what to get.

If you know what their favorite local pet store is or who their groomer is – why not get them a gift certificate.  Or if you know they will appreciate a donation made in their name to a local non-for-profit animal rescue, you will be giving more than one present that way.  Some great pet non-for-profits here on Long Island are:

Amaryllis Horse Farm; Kent Animal Shelter; Long Island Parrot Society; Long Island Dog Owners Group; Pet Safe Coalition; Shelter Link; The Shelter Connection and one close to my heart is, Special Needs Dobermans, not based on LI, but have helped many Dobermans on our Island over the years.

Did a loved one adopt a new dog or puppy recently?  Maybe that pup needs some training, or in most cases the owners need the training – get them a gift certificate for a dog trainer or dog training school to help them with their new dog. Long Island is lucky to have some fantastic trainers, so really there is no excuse for a bad dog owner!  You can also let them know about a free dog training and education class the Town of Islip offers once a month to all residents on LI.

Some fail safe pet products that any pet owner will love are: Organic or holistic treats for their dog, cat or bird.  A new pet bed – try to find a bed that will match or compliment the owner’s house.  Set up a photo session with a professional pet photographer to capture precious moments of one’s pets.  Or frame a picture you have taken of their pet in a beautiful frame that they will be proud to display.  Quality products that are a must have for any dog owner are:

The Furminator is a great product for de-shedding your pet, keeping his coat healthy and tangle free – especially in between a grooming appointment.  Furminator also has a new short hair deshedder which is designed for dogs with hair length of 2-inches or shorter.  Works great on my Pit Bull, and he loves, loves, loves to be “furminated.”  The Kong toy is a classic for any dog owner.  The Kong comes in different sizes and toughness based on the chew power of your dog or puppy.  It is a wonderful product to keep your dog active, mentally stimulated and busy.  Both products can be easily found at local pet shops.  Or if you have a dog walker or trainer you are looking to get a great gift for, check out this reflective cap made by WalkMeWear™ for anyone out walking their dog in low or no light.

Don’t forget to shop at smaller pet mom & pop type pet stores you will get much better customer service, better prices and have knowledgeable staff and/or owners at the store to help guide you.  Pets are our family members, and while they may not “know” it’s the Holiday’s, they do know when they are getting something just for them!  So don’t forget the pet owners in your life and get them a nice gift for their beloved pet.  Happy Holidays!

When we think of Morton’s salt we usually think of seasoning our food with it.  But this year they have a new product just for pets Morton’s Safe-T-Pet™ which is a safe non-toxic ice melt to de-ice the winter wonderland outside your door.  Morton Salt, the brand consumers have trusted and welcomed into their homes for more than 100 years, has developed a full line of specialty ice melt blends and salt-free ice melt products to help make your winter season more manageable and less stressful for you and your pets.  See below for some excellent tips for keeping your pets safe through the winter and be on the lookout for our upcoming photo contest where you can win an 8lb container, (and lots of other prizes), of Morton’s pet and people friendly ice melt.

Keeping Pets Safe This Winter

Walking in a winter wonderland can be hazardous for our four-legged friends. “The winter months can be a very dangerous and uncomfortable period for pets,” says Dr. Sharon Gwaltney-Brant, a veterinarian and board-certified toxicologist.  With the help of Dr. Gwaltney-Brant, Morton Salt, Inc. provides a few tips for keeping your pets safe this snowy season:

•  Remember Their Tags – Dogs may love to frolic in the snow, but they can easily lose their scent and become lost in all that white. More dogs go missing in the winter than any other season, so keep them on a leash and ensure they are always wearing an ID tag.
• Protect Those Paws – The salted sidewalks and streets are very hard on pets’ paws – but there is a solution.  Morton® Safe-T-Pet™, developed with veterinarians, is a salt free and chloride free ice melter which melts below 15 degrees Fahrenheit.  Its urea-based, organic formula is non-toxic and non-irritating to pet’s paws and stomachs. Some other ice melters on the market mislead consumers regarding how well the product melts and how safe the product is.  For example, when testing was conducted by Michigan Technological University Keweenah Snow Research Center, the Safe Paw™ ice melt product did not melt snow and ice at sub-zero temperatures as claimed.  Other brands claim to be pet-safe but actually contain chlorides which can be harmful to pets digestive systems if ingested and which can be painful or irritating to pets’ paws. So make sure you look for a chloride free melter from a company you can trust to validate claims and put safety first.
•  Avoid Toxic Temptations – The sweet taste of antifreeze solution is attractive to pets, but is highly toxic even in the smallest amounts. Be sure to keep all chemicals sealed on a high shelf, away from your furry friends, and clean up spills as soon as they happen.
• Winter Weight, Be Gone – Just like humans, animals are less active in the winter and don’t burn as many calories. Keep your pets healthy by reducing their diet to avoid winter weight gain. Speak with your veterinarian about proper diets during “hibernation” season.
• Warm Home, Cold Floors – It is important to remember that although your home may be warm, there may still be drafty areas. Make sure your pets have something soft to sleep on (away from drafts) to protect them from the cold floor.
• Holiday Treats for Humans Only – When throwing those much anticipated holiday parties, be sure to keep all chocolate, macadamia nuts, alcohol and even mistletoe and holly berries out of reach. Although seemingly harmless –these can be dangerous if ingested by pets. 
• Running Out, Be Back Soon – Do not leave your dog in a car during the winter months. This enclosed space freezes fast, so if you are running errands be sure to leave your pet at home in the warmth of your home or keep them by your side when out and about.
• Wipe Down To Stop Whining – In addition to selecting a pet-friendly ice melter, be sure to towel off your pet after time outside to remove salt and other irritants from their paws and skin.  At the same time, inspect the paw pads for any collection of snow or ice to ward off winter weather problems.

by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

Dog training for Winter safety

Here on Long Island we are so lucky to be surrounded by water, have many lakes, ponds streams and natural areas to enjoy with our pets. Recently after reading a story in Newsday about a Shirley man who’s 2 off leash Husky’s ran after some geese over the thin ice of a pond and fell through. In an effort to save his dogs the owner also fell through into the cold water. The owner admitted it wasn’t too smart, not thinking the ice was too thin or the cold water too deep and found himself in, well, deep water. Thankfully this story has a happy ending where a neighbor happened to hear the man yelling for help and the man and his dogs were all rescued and are all okay. But it made me think, how many people teach their dogs not to go on the ice? It’s not something you think about every day, especially if you get adopt a puppy or dog in the spring, summer or fall. It made me think back to how I taught my first dog, and dog I currently own to be safe near ice.

When I got my first dog as an adult, a young female puppy Doberman in the late summer of 1995, I did a lot of training with her in many different places. One place more than others, happened to be a park with wooded trails, streams and a lake. That first winter, the then 8-month old puppy was very curious about the strange frozen occurrence that the lake had become. While wanting to show her the ice, I also didn’t want her to think it was safe to walk out onto. So without taking a dog training course on winter safety and going on my instincts, I let her sniff the ice, put a front paw or two on it, but never ever let her walk out onto the ice. Using various commands, “off” if she ventured more than one paw onto the ice, or “stay” to keep her by me, or using “eh ah” if she tried to step on it. Of course this was all done while she was on a leash and giving her verbal praise as a reward. I also let her step on a frozen part right near the edge that I knew would break apart, you know those couple inches of water at the edge that freeze but can still be cracked pretty easily – showing her that it would break. Doing this repeatedly throughout the winter months, trained her not to ever step out onto the ice. Each winter after that I would do a refresher near the first frozen body of water we came upon. I was lucky to have one ridiculously smart dog, who learned quickly and seemed to understand the danger. She was also trained to heel, so when in the presence of ducks, geese or any other wildlife she would not chase an animal. Of course a dog being a dog, she still had instincts to want to chase but having her trained on a verbal recall, helped in having to worry if she did get off leash near ice. I did all these same winter training rituals with my current dog, and he too learned quickly, and it didn’t hurt that he was scared of the ice to begin with. (He also learned by watching her not go on the ice.)

You also have to keep in mind what breed of dog you have too. If your dog was specifically bred for hunting, chasing out birds or is a water dog, you still want to teach your dog winter safety training. Just because your have a Chesapeake Bay Retriever doesn’t mean it can get out of a dangerous situation like falling through ice in a middle of a lake.

Winter can be a lot of fun for us and our dogs, but teaching a dog to stay, come on command and never letting your dog off leash near thin or thick ice, are vital to keeping our dogs safe – and ourselves for that matter. Now that the weather is getting cold enough for ice to begin to form across many of our lakes, ponds, and bays – think about training your dog with winter safety in mind. If you are not sure how to do this properly, consult a dog trainer and ask them for a winter safety training session or two.

Another thing a pet owner should know, whether your pet is a dog or a cat is pet first aid and CPR – especially if your pet falls through ice. We are fortunate to have a local certified Pet Tech, Robyn Elman that teaches a class in pet first aid and CPR, including what to do if your pet gets frostbite and hypothermia. The vital information taught in the class has already saved the lives of a few pets of past class participants. These pet owners who knew what to do in an emergency situation, all thanks to the information they learned in Robyn’s class. To find out more information on the upcoming January 22, 2011 class click here.  Interested parties should sign up soon, as this course fills up fast and is offered about every six weeks.

This dog should be leashed!