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 pet Dating?

Ok, so I know what you are thinking, but I am serious – who is your pet’s best animal friend?  Or maybe you’re an owner of a single pet and have been looking for a best pal for your beloved dog or cat – well you do not have to look any further.  PetsDating.com is a new website getting attention from pet owners as the place to find their pet a date or play date – and maybe even one for themselves. 

New Jersey resident Robert Faynblut and Co-Founder of PetsDating.com was inspired to create the website a few months ago after watching a TV show about a man who said he wished that his dog had another dog to hang out with regularly.  Faynblut, an avid pet-lover who owns a Bichon Frise, Snoopy, said, “That’s what really got me to realize that if people seek and enjoy companionship shouldn’t our pets deserve the same thing?” 

Faynblut researched other pet sites and wanted to come up with the best free service for pet owners, and PetsDating.com was born.  The site was set up for anyone looking to find love for their pets, play dates, share valuable pet information and more.  It’s simple to sign up and navigate the site too –pet owners that are not that tech savvy will be able to do so easily and have fun while meeting other pet owners on the site.   

Mr. Faynblut makes it clear that he has nothing against other websites that allow pet owners to find each other for romance, using love for pets as the basis for compatibility.  He also commends websites that promote the rights of pets as we are still a long way from being a society that really cares enough for these helpless creatures.  Still, he wants to provide pet owners with a service that really focuses on the needs of their pets.   

And when asked what if love blooms between the pet owners, “Well, I’m all for it as long as their pets get along well.” Mr. Faynblut said.

To get started on finding love, a friend for you or your pet, simply go to www.PetsDating.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!

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!

by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

After Thanksgiving meals are over, (leftovers and all), and the family and friends have gone home, don’t forget about your dog – who may be in desperate need of a nice long walk or hike. Dogs can get stressed out during the holidays with new noises, crowds, traveling and unfamiliar people coming and going. Help relieve that stress by going for a hike with your canine pal. Keep these tips in mind when out:

• Make sure you have your dogs appropriate collar on that has his or her name tags, license and rabies tag. Even if you are using a training collar to walk your dog, you want identification on your dog at all times. *Don’t have tags on a choke or prong collar – these are training collars that should be taken off when at home.  A flat cotton, leather or nylon collar is best for dog tags.
• Use a good leash. A sturdy leather or cotton 6-foot lead is best, especially if you don’t often walk your dog. Retractable leashes are not the best if in a heavily populated park or if you have no verbal control of your dog. Your dog should be close to you, not 15 – 30 feet ahead wandering around with no direction from you. (And people coming towards you can’t see if your dog is on a leash or not and it could be unnerving for them).
• Bring water, and treats with you if you are going on a longer walk.
• Check to make sure you can legally walk your dog in the park you are planning on going to. Don’t take your dog off leash if it is not allowed, obey the park rules, and it will be a more enjoyable day for everyone.
• When approaching an oncoming dog and owner, ask if the dog is friendly and if your dog can say hello. Not all dogs are dog friendly, if you just let your dog wander up to any dog without asking, you could very well be asking for trouble. If they say no, don’t be offended, just move on.
• Don’t over do it – if your dog is primarily a yard dog, an 8-mile hike might be too much. Go for a shorter mile or two.  Keep a pet first aid kit in your car also.
• Invite a friend or two with their dogs and go together, dogs like to be social and enjoy walking with their canine pals.
• If it is cold out and your dog has short hair, a dog coat will help him keep warm during the walk. 
• If you live on the East End of Long Island be careful where you walk, as it is unfortunately hunting season, and often times areas where hunting is happening may not be marked.  Or signs can be confusing, i.e. one sign may say, ‘Nature Preserve No Hunting’ and 50-feet away is a private game hunting area, crazy!  Call your local town hall to find out more information on where you can safely walk or hike with your dog.
• Most of all have fun and walk your dog often, not just after Thanksgiving! Walking with your dog is a wonderful way to bond, work on training techniques and drain some energy both physically and mentally for your dog.  You know what they say, “A tired dog is a good dog!”

Suffolk County Parks are Dog Friendly, leashed of course.  Some are seasonal, click her for more info. http://www.co.suffolk.ny.us/Home/departments/parks/Parks.aspx