Tag Archive for: sidehill sitters

4 Ways You Can Help Animals In Shelters

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According to the ASPCA, there are about 7.6 million dogs and cats in United States shelters each year. As much as you and I may want to, we can’t take home 7.6 million dogs and cats. So what can you do to help animals in shelters and the community?

1.Walk

If you walk your dog(or any dog) frequently you can earn credits(which turn into monetary donations) for a local shelter of your choice using a smartphone app called “Walk for a Dog”. You can use this app to log miles walked with your pooch, and share it with other walkers to increase the amount of credit earned for your shelter.

Check out the website here: http://www.wooftrax.com/

2.Donate

In addition to monetary donations, shelters always need supplies like bleach, paper towels, and other odds and ends.Most shelters have a wish list on their website of items they need donated. I generally make these donations after I go shopping at big box stores(like Costco). I usually buy more paper towels than I can keep in my house, so I donate half to a local shelter.

The Fort Collins Cat Rescue also has a kibble supply program. This program gives food donated by local pet stores and individuals to low income pet owners in the community. The rescue takes donations of both kibble and wet dog and cat food. They will take partially opened bags in original packaging. This is a great use for the rest of that bag of food your kitty does not like. Call the Fort Collins Cat Rescue and Spay Neuter Clinic for more information.

Here are some wish lists for shelters in the Fort Collins area:

Fort Collins Cat Rescue and Spay Neuter Clinic: https://www.fccrsnc.org/Donate_MoneyandItems.php

Larimer Humane Society:http://www.larimerhumane.org/donate/wish-list

Animal House:http://www.animalhousehelp.org/wishlist.php

3. Shop for a cause

Amazon has a program called Amazonsmile, which donates 0.5% of your purchase for most items to a charitable organization of your choice. If you shop on amazon a lot that 0.5% of each purchase can really make a difference.

4. Projects at home

These are really fun projects and are great if you have a group of animal loving kids(or adults) to entertain. The United Way of Larimer County has directions for items you can make at home and donate to animal shelters. These projects are simple, low in cost and can make a big difference. Contact the shelter of your choice to see if they will take what you make or have similar projects.

Fleece dog toys:http://uwaylc.org/wp-content/uploads/wordpress/Service-to-go-Fleece-Rope-Dog-Toy.pdf

Cat Blankets:http://uwaylc.org/wp-content/uploads/wordpress/Service-to-go-Cat-Blankets.pdf

Kitty Forts:http://uwaylc.org/wp-content/uploads/wordpress/Service-to-go-Kitty-Forts.pdf

So, while we can’t take every animal in a shelter home, these activities are a great way to help. Also consider volunteering or fostering for a local shelter if you can. Small things make a big diffrence in the life of shelter pets.

 

 

Tips to Break Up a Dog Fight

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Recently, one of the scariest things that can happen to a dog owner happened to me: my dog got into a fight. This fight was quickly broken up, but I realized that few people know the safe way to break up a dog fight.

 

So what do you do to safely break up a fight between dogs?

Well first take a deep breath. Your nervousness will be sensed by the dogs and may rile them up more.

Also, do not try and grab your dog by the collar, he may turn around and bite you. Even the sweetest dog will bite their owner if they are in the middle of a fight.

There are a few methods you can use to break up a fight between dogs quickly and with the minimal amount of risk for yourself.

 

Distract the dogs from each other 

This method relies on distracting your dog from the fight so that you can safely separate the dogs. You can do this with a loud noise, water, or something physical.

1. Noise

You can clap your hands or bang pots to startle the dogs, they usually will look up and freeze. Take this time separate the dogs. If you are concerned about fights happening while out on walks, carry a whistle.

2.Water

Most of use do not keep filled up water guns around, however wetting your dog is a great option to distract him from a fight. If you are seriously concerned about your dogs fighting in the house, keep a water gun around in case a dog fight breaks out. You can also use a hose or glass of water, if you have that available.

3. Physical 

While the dogs are fighting do not try and grab or touch them with your hands, this really increases your risk of being bitten or hurt.  The physical distraction method typically involves covering the dog’s head. The goal of this is that the dog becomes disoriented and stops fighting. This can really be anything, a blanket, shirt or other fabric, but most people use a towel. Just be sure to move quickly before the dogs can reorient themselves.

 

What to do after the fight has stopped 

If the fight happens in your home

-Separate the dogs as much as possible and give them time to cool down.

-Check the dogs for wounds or injuries, and perform first aid or call the vet as needed.

-Think about why the fight began,was it over food, a toy or something else. Take steps to prevent the dogs from fighting over this in the future.

-After a fight between two dogs who live together, supervise interactions between the dogs until you can learn how to prevent them from fighting in the future.

The majority of fights between dogs who live with each other tend to be related to resource (food,toys or other things) guarding. An experienced dog trainer will be able to help you and your dogs with this issue and prevent future fights.

 

If the fight happens on a walk or in a park 

-Put as much distance between your dog and the other dog as possible.

-Check the dogs for wounds or injuries, and perform first aid or call the vet as needed.

-Get contact information from the other dog’s owner and check that the other dog is current on shots.

 

Breaking up a dog fight can be very scary as a dog owner, however if done safely and quickly both you and your dog will remain safe.

 

4 Tips for Keeping your Cat Entertained

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If you are away from home for a few hours or a few weeks, your cat is bound to notice. Even laid back, lazy cats need something to keep them entertained. Bored cats will often develop “problem behaviors” to keep themselves entertained, like scratching inappropriately. So short of playing with your cat 24/7 what can you do to keep your cat entertained?

1. Cat TV

Most cat owners know the fascination their kitty has with the small animals outside the window, you can easily capitalize on that and keep your kitty entertained for hours. Pick a window you don’t mind turning into your cat’s zone and place a bird feeder within sight, and very close to the window. Fill the bird feeder with seeds and other foods to attract wildlife. Put a cat tree or other area for your cat to sit and watch the bird show.

Just keep an eye on this if you live in an area with free roaming outdoor cats, because they may come to see your kitty and upset her.

2. New Objects 

Most pet parents and human parents are familiar with this situation: you buy an expensive, cool new toy and your pet (or kid) plays with the box. While this can be disappointing, seize this opportunity to find new ways to entertain your cat.

Cardboard Boxes

Give your cat cardboard boxes, newspaper or non-glossy paper and paper bags. For cardboard boxes, be sure to remove any staples, or other dangerous objects of the box including loose tape. I generally like to use food boxes because they have lots of interesting smells in them too, just make sure there is no actual human food left in the box.

Paper

You can give your cat newspaper or other types of non-glossy paper. Most newspaper ink is soy based and is safe for use around animals. You can try leaving the paper on the ground for your cat to step on (it makes a cool noise) or crinkling it into balls for you cat to bat around. 

Paper Bags 

Paper bags can be very fun toys for cats, they can hide in them, bat them around and sit on them. You can use the paper bags from the grocery store (just rip the handles off so your cat cannot get caught in them) or the smaller paper lunch sacks.

3. Hiding food 

Wild cats spend most of their time hunting and looking for food. Domestic cats, not so much.One way to keep your cat entertained is to make getting her food a bit hard then just finding the bowl.  There are lots of toys on the market for cats that can be used to make your cat work for her food ( think the cat version of a kong). These are a great option. You can also hide food in the boxes, paper and paper bags from above. Use dry food or treats, as wet food can be messy outside of a bowl. I recommend letting your cat watch you hide the food the first few times so that she gets the idea and make the food easy to get to (leave the box open). You can also you strong smelling treats to help your cat find the food more easily.

4. New Smells 

Cats, as territorial animals, are very interested in new smells of any kind. The key thing with introducing new scents is making sure that they are not toxic if your cat licks the scented area. Keep in mind that your cat may spray urine on the scented spot to mark over the new smell. If he does this then scents are not a good enrichment option. You can use a variety of smells, food and natural. Something I find works really well is microwaving a hot dog in a paper towel, the hot dog juices will get on the paper towel and you can wipe this on the surface you want to scent, like a cardboard box. You can use a similar method for most types of meat, or use the juice in wet cat food. Herbs are also an option. Most types of mint, like catnip, are safe for cats and some other herbs and flowers are.

This is an incomplete list of some safe plants:

  • Lemongrass
  • Parsley
  • Zinnias
  • Thyme
  • Rosemary
  • Lavender

For herbs, you can either rub them on surfaces or place them in satchels (just make sure your cat does not try to eat the satchel).

5. Hire a Cat Sitter!

Just like a dog walker, you can have a cat sitter come to your home and play with your kitties when you are out of town or just busy. Our sitters are experts at making friends with new cats and devising ways to keep them entertained, including bringing fresh catnip that we grow just for our clients. Contact Us to discuss some options that work well for your cat!

The Dangers of Xylitol in Peanut Butter

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The Dangers of Xylitol in Peanut Butter Header

The Dangers of Xylitol in Peanut Butter

Recently, there has been a post going around Facebook telling dog parents not to give their dogs peanut butter. If you look further into why peanut butter can be deadly to your pup, you will find xylitol to blame.

So what the heck is it? Xylitol is a food additive that is used to replace sugar in many foods. It is found in hundreds of food and health products, such as gum, human toothpaste, vitamins, and now peanut butter. While xylitol is perfectly safe for humans it is extremely toxic to dogs. Potentially more toxic than chocolate.

When minimal amounts of xylitol is used are used  (like doggie mouth wash) it is perfectly safe for your dog. However, the concentrations of the sweetener in most human food is very dangerous to your dog and can cause poisoning.

Dog being fed peanut butter

What are the symptoms of xylitol poisoning in dogs?

  • Vomiting
  • Weakness
  • Incoordination or difficulty walking or standing (walking like drunk)
  • Depression or lethargy
  • Tremors
  • Seizures
  • Coma

Left untreated poisoning can lead to liver damage. These symptoms typically show up 10-60 minutes after eating it.

What should you do?

1. Always read the labels of any product you giver your pooch and look for potentially poisonous things. Only some brands of peanut butter have this type of deadly sweetener in them.
2. Do not leave gum or toothpaste where your dog can get to them.
3. If your dog does eat xylitol, call your vet right away.

With veterinary care arriving quickly, your dog will hopefully be able to have a full recovery.

What peanut butter is safe?

Many brands don’t contain xylitol but if you want to be extra cautious you should purchase a dog-safe peanut butter. Here are a few brands on the market that all fit different pet owners needs.

Pawnut Butter

Green Coast Pet Pawnut Butter @ $9.99

Super Snouts Nutty Dog CBD Spread @ $29.99

Natural Peanut Butter For Dogs | Woof Butter – woofbutter.com

woof butter Natural Peanut Butter @ £3.99

What about birch sugar?

Did you know another name for xylitol in peanut butter is birch sugar? With more companies being aware of consumers hesitancy towards purchasing products containing xylitol they have come up with other ways to label xylitol-containing products.

Birch Sugar is another name for Xylitol

Once you’ve checked your peanut butter labels, why not try our Peanut Butter Molasses Dog Treats. Did we miss something? Let us know in the comments or @WetNosesPetSitting.

I Love Walking Dogs for Wet Noses Pet Sitting

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Ok, maybe it seems a little obvious because I own a dog walking company, but the fact is that I do love walking dogs. Even in the rain and the snow, in the heat, at dawn and at dusk. My favorite time to walk a dog is during the summer after the sun has gone down when the weather is warm, but not as hot and there are fewer bugs. But really, it is not about me, is it? It is about the dog!

Some people do not enjoy going for a dog walk, (which is part of why we have a job) so our Wet Noses Pet Sitting get many chances to walk a variety of dogs around Fort Collins and Loveland. Some dogs are small, some are large. Some dogs walk nicely by our side and some dash from one end of the leash to another. Some dogs watch everything that goes by with their heads held high and some have their noses glued to the ground, sniffing each scent we come across. No matter which dog we walk they all have one thing in common: they all are thrilled to be out with us on a wonderful walk that day! Dogs are not prone to hide their feelings and they are pleased to show us how much they enjoy going on a walk. Whether they prance or plod along we know as the dog walker that we are in the company of a dog that is thrilled to be with us, and we are thrilled to be with them! There are few things better than knowing that when you go to work that day you are going to be spending it with animals whose days are made better by your appearance. I would not want to do anything else!

Merry Christmas from Your Wet Noses Pet Sitting!

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All of your Wet Noses Pet Sitting hope you have a wonderful Christmas with your family and friends!

The Benefits of Regular Dog Walks for You

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Last blog we talked about the benefits of dog walks for your dog and now we want to talk about the benefits for you.  Don’t get me wrong, we would be happy to come and walk your dogs on a regular basis, and that is a wonderful idea when you are short on time or if you dog needs way more exercise than you can manage (sometimes even I feel that way), but if you have the time in your day then dog walks for you are also a great idea.

Benefits of dog walks for you:

  • Helps keep you active and in shape.
  • Walking time gives you a chance to bond with your dog.
  • Regular walks remind you if your dog need a training session, or maybe an obedience class!
  • A walk in the morning or evening is a great start or end to a long day.
  • A walk after meals is proven to help with digestion.
  • A nice walk during the middle of the day can break up a long work day and help your mind reset.
  • Really there is nothing better than spending some peaceful time with your dog.  Do you need another reason?

 

So put on your walking shoes and get out there with your dog!  If you don’t have the time you need to walk your dogs as much as they would like give us a call and a Sidehill Sitter will help you out, that is what we are here for!  Truth be told, when times are busy for me I bring in a dog walker just like you.  My dog Podrick (pictured above) has been walked by most of my Wet Noses Pet Sitting at one point and he loves showing off his neighborhood to new friends!