Sunday, December 30, 2007
Bringing in the New Year
Posted by Dee at 9:15 AM 0 comments
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Playing in the Snow!
Posted by Dee at 10:43 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
White Christmas
Posted by Dee at 3:58 PM 0 comments
Monday, December 24, 2007
Christmas Eve
Posted by Dee at 4:31 PM 0 comments
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Not enough toys!
Posted by Dee at 7:09 PM 0 comments
Friday, December 21, 2007
Meet the Neighbors!
Katie is the talker. She loves to let you know she is there and will bark to her heart's content until you make sure she is noticed! Katja is more mellow. She will look at you with her big brown eyes as if to say 'Pet Me' - but when you do, she squeals as if you are hurting her. I have decided that her 'squeal' is pure pleasure and I just have to be persistent and pet her anyway.
Katie HATES to dress up. If you put anything on her back, she will lay down like a rug and not move. Katja will pretty much let you do anything within reason! So, it must have taken a whole lot of cookies for her mommy to be able to dress her up for Christmas. Oh yes.....They both LOVE treats!
Posted by Dee at 6:45 PM 0 comments
Thursday, December 20, 2007
If Dogs Could Talk!
Posted by Dee at 5:03 PM 1 comments
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Kira - The Huntress!
Kira lives on a tree-filled, woodsy piece of land. There are a lot of critters in her area. Kira thinks she is a hunting dog as she loves to chase rabbits, squirrels or anything else that crosses her path. Her mommy said she has a hard time walking her this time of year as she thinks all the life-size deer decorations are real! She is also fascinated by the miniature horses across the street. She will pull me to them and just sit and stare. She is mesmerized by them.
Kira is a joy to see. She is playful, comical and smart! However, she is completely a bed hog! I guess we can't all be perfect....but, she is close to it!
Posted by Dee at 11:21 AM 1 comments
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Monday, December 10, 2007
Meet the Gang
Posted by Dee at 1:49 PM 1 comments
Stay Tuned!
With Christmas coming up, Pet Sitting has been a little slow. However, it will be picking up in a week or so. I will spending the holidays with two of my favorite Pups. Abbie, a ten-year old Golden, and Kira, a 1.5 year-old Black Lab mix! Although Kira is just a day visit now and then, I always look forward to seeing her. I will be posting her 'Christmas' picture real soon. The same with Abbie...she is a love bug. I will actually be staying overnight with Abbie while her mommy and daddy are enjoying the sun shine in the Desert! Abbie will be seen on this blog site after the 19th of December. So, stay tuned for new and exciting news from the Animal Sanctuary otherwise knowsn as Washington!!!
Posted by Dee at 1:33 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Sometimes it just isn't your day.........
Dog: German, Long Haired Pointer
Got a call yesterday that a family needed to leave town unexpectedly due to a death in the family. They really didn't want to kennel their 'Mocha' and wondered how this whole pet-sitting thing worked. I explained that I generally have a couple of visits for those who have never had people in their home (first rule of a pet-sitter...never go in blind-meaning at LEAST two visits). They weren't completely comfortable with an overnight sit, but wanted periodic visits throughout the day. I told him I completely understood and asked when they were leaving. He said 'tomorrow' (which was today).
I went last night to meet the little family. Brand new home, Maple Valley, two very well-behaved little boys and a very friendly couple. When I arrived, Mocha came slowly around the corner and looked at me and growled. I got down on her level (2nd rule in pet sitting) and spoke to her in a monotone, yet friendly voice. She continued to growl for another five minutes and then quit. She allowed me to pet her, placed her head on my leg and acted as if we were old friends by the time I left.
I arrived this afternoon around noon to allow her to pee. I called her name from outside the door ( entering on the bottom level of the home)and she came barking. I stepped in and took her water bowl (this was her area) and began to fill it, talking to her like nothing was different than any other day and she continued to growl and bark. But.....in a different way than last night. I could tell she was protecting her territory. I walked slowly and deliberately through the house and up the stairs talking to her the whole time. She kept her distance and was very nervous about me being in the home. I tried to ignore her and read the notes left for me and left a note as if nothing were wrong for the owners. I sat on the couch and turned on the T.V. She still would have no part of me and continued to growl. I went back downstairs to get her lead and she stayed at the top and would not come down. I knew she HAD to go outside.....I walked up the stairs and attempted to place the lead on her collar and she attacked me. She managed to clip my hand with her teeth, but I was half way expecting this so I moved immediately away from her. I never let her have me pinned in and purposely placed myself at the top of the stairs so that I would have a way out. I kept speaking to her and turned slowly to retreat down the stairs....she followed, growling and barking the whole way. I continued the same pace until I met the downstairs entrance. Filled her bowl completely full of water and food and left!!!!
I called her owner but he was on a flight to Boston. I felt bad and decided to give this another attempt two hours later. This time I got the key in the door and she was right on the other side. I opened the door and she was very serious this time! I said 'Okay, Mocha...its all yours!" and left!
The owner called me back. I asked if there was someone that Mocha trusted and knew in the area. He said he had a buddy who knows Mocha. His buddy and I will meet later so that he can help Mocha out.
Mocha did nothing wrong. She was protecting her territory...we needed more time to bond!
Posted by Dee at 2:34 PM 1 comments
Labels: Mocha Choco Latte
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Ben, Ursa, Mia, Stanley and Ricky
Well, this day began interesting, to say the least. Six A.M., I'm in my socks and I take Ben out to the garage to feed him. The door closes and it is locked. No key to my truck, no key to the house, no cell phone...just me and Ben in the garage and the rest of the animals waiting to eat. I won't lie....I freaked in the beginning. Then I began ravaging the garage because I remember my client telling me the door does this and he would hide a key. Of course, WHERE was another question. It was pitch black outside and the nearest neighbor is not that 'near'...this house sits on a lot of land. Besides, they would have thought I was a lunatic in my socks, my hair desheveled and banging on their door to let me in a house in which I don't live. I almost gave up and thought..I'll just sit here and crack open all this wine. Perhaps I was a burglar in a past life because I remembered that this type of door lock can be opened with a credit card. No credit card. But there was this long, flat knife in the garage. After banging on the door trying to break in (sorry about the dents)...I thought I had nothing to lose and tried the knife and a hammer. Can you believe it....it popped right open. YEAHHHHHH. I was never so glad to see the inside of somebody else's house in all my life. You can bet your ass I will NEVER leave this house again without my keys.
The pups and cats are all well. They don't seem to be bothered that a crazy lady is sitting them...so, I guess I have done my job. This is our last night together. But, I will be back in April.
Posted by Dee at 8:09 PM 2 comments
Idgie, Sutton, Mocha and Latte
Day two with the four-legged children in Maple Valley. I freed Idgie as she was being crated up to five hours a day. Not believing in crates (although I know they are necessary at times), I rigged up a gate on the stairs so she could not ransack her mother's Italian shoes! Sutton is 10 yrs old and way over the chewing stage, but Idgie is still young and she gets bored. Mocha and Latte did not want to make an appearance today, however, I managed to get them out with bribery! Treats always do the trick! These fur children are pretty spoiled as they have their mommy home all day (work from home) so I just couldn't see keeping her crated all day! I visit them twice a day and to tell you the truth...I would visit more if I weren't sick with Strep Throat! Yeah...well, animals can't catch it, and they need me! Good Night Idgie, Sutton, Mocha and Latte. See you in the morning!
Posted by Dee at 8:03 PM 0 comments
Labels: Fur Children in Maple Valley
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
The North Bend Crew!!!
Posted by Dee at 8:34 PM 1 comments
Labels: Ben, Mia, Spencer and Ricky, Ursa
After Thanksgiving and Back to the PAWS!
Posted by Dee at 8:08 PM 0 comments
Labels: Idgie and Sutton