my son has an admirer
It's bad enough when your son brings home his first gift from a girl.
What's worse? When you're a professional pet sitter and the gift your son brings home from this much-too-forward first-grade admirer is a dog bone-shaped calendar picture-frame magnet-ad from a competitor. No joke! What are the odds?
I'm sure the admirer is a lovely girl. In fact, I know her to be so. I also know her mom, a realtor. Let me see if I can dig up an old agent's notepad so that Porter can send a gift back to his lady friend...
so what about dog sharing?
Do you share well with others? Books? Food? Your dog? When I heard about dog sharing on the news several months ago, I was surprised and had mixed feelings about it. I didn't completely understand why a person would want to share their dog, so I checked it out.
Web sites such as City Dog Share of California are popping up for reasons of convenience, economics, and philanthropy. So what's this all about? At it's foundation, it is a pet sitting co-op. Owners seeking someone to watch their dog are paired with strangers who are looking to spend time with a dog. It's touted as a great way for people to test out a breed before taking the plunge. City Dog Share says:
People with or without dogs are encouraged to join. If you are looking to foster or adopt a dog, but still not sure which type of dog is right for you, maybe meeting up with someone and sharing their dog can help. They will help guide you with all the tips and tricks that are best for their dog. And maybe that can help you find a dog that's right for you.
Post a picture of your dog when you have a dog that needs to be watched. Include relevant details like the dates away, care needed, etc. Members can comment on the thread or send you a private message in response–it's that easy!
For many reasons, this seems like an awesome idea. In these troubled economic times, I'm all for helping each other out. In fact, I would have six inch gray roots, if it wasn't for the fact that I trade services with my hair dresser. She colors and cuts my hair, then I credit her pet sitting account with the value of the service. It works out great for both of us.
To think that strangers with complimentary objectives could be paired in the name of animal welfare is a pretty cool idea, however, I would be nervous about leaving my dog in the care of a stranger with no professional experience. It's not like trading landscaping services for housekeeping...this is a deeply loved member of the family! But, still...I love the concept and hope it can work. One person receives the dog care they need for free and the other gets to learn–before adopting or purchasing–what breed of dog might or might not work for them. How wonderful.
The City Dog Share Web site also includes sponsored services such as nonprofit foster and adoption organizations and professional services and currently have open groups in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles area, Humboldt County, Greater Portland, and Seattle Metro. They also facilitate adoptions and local canine social groups.
Under what circumstances would you be willing to share your dog?
Wordless Wednesday: Lounging Lexie
pet sitting: there are some things you just can't prepare yourself for
I pride myself on the fact that, as a professional pet sitter, if I don't know something that I need to know, I find out. If a client's pet has an illness I am unfamiliar with, I ask lots of questions and do independent research. Or if there is a behavior issue, I ask trainers and find out how I might be able to help. I come prepared. There are some things you just can't prepare yourself for.
About six years ago, I found myself taking care of two young, rambunctious, but lovable, large dogs. Their owners had just done a stunning backyard renovation that the pups loved almost as much as they did. They informed me about the situation and instructed me on how to handle it:
For some reason, they do fine when they are outside individually, but if they get outside together, they start tearing up the landscaping, and it's impossible to stop them. Please let them out one at a time and go outside with whoever is outside. That way, they will both have some outside time, but they won't tear anything up.
Sounded simple enough to me. I'd taken care of these dogs before, so I knew they could be a handful. I just didn't know how big a handful.
My clients left town, and we did just fine with the new instructions. I'd let the puppy out first because I thought he'd have a harder time "holding it," and then I'd put him inside and let his big sister out. The plan worked perfectly.
Until day three.
Upon arrival, I opened the door for the puppy as before, and stepped outside with him. He did his business and I gave him some time to run around. His big sister was typically pretty excited to see me, and this day was no exception. Through the sliding glass door, I could see her jumping up and down with anticipation. How cute. As she made her eighteenth decent to the floor, I heard, "click." She kept jumping. My mind started spinning.
I tried the door. I tried the door again. And again. It was really, actually, truly, officially locked. And the house key and my cell phone were in my bag inside the house.
Don't panic. Think.
I tried all of the windows I had access to. Maybe one would be open. No luck.
I paced and fretted while puppy frolicked, completely unconcerned with our predicament.
Luckily, I had some friends living about a mile away. I'd simply need to walk there and use the phone. Never mind the hundred-degree temps. Puppy would have to stay in the backyard unsupervised, and my nemesis would have to stay inside. It was then that I'd noticed what was going on inside. My indoor friend had tired of waiting and was bringing each piece of the client's bathroom trash to the window, bit by bit. I won't go into how I knew it was the bathroom trash.
I had no choice but to leave them both. I made it to my friends' home and called my husband, who brought me the back-up key to the client's home. (If you're a pet sitter, it's always a good idea to have a back-up copy of your client's house key. I get written permission from new clients to make a copy of their key at the initial consultation.)
When I returned, the dogs were just as I'd left them. I had a bit of a mess to clean up, but they were otherwise unscathed.
What did this ordeal teach me? Keep the house key with you, and keep your phone with you, even if you're just going into the back yard. I never could have imagined that a dog would be capable of locking me out of the house, but it happened. It happened.
