Bringing in the New Year

Abbie and I are ready for the new year....as you can see, she has no problem relaxing! We have spent a lot of time together this time as I am not working at the little consignment shop I used to work at. I want to dedicate all my time to my business and the store was getting in the way of that.

Abbie will probably be sick of me by the time I leave. Although I know she misses her mommy and daddy, she is quite relaxed and well-adjusted.

We will bring in the new year with two of Auntie Dee's friends. Abbie will get lots of attention and hopefully there will not be many fireworks at midnight to scare her.

This picture was taken before her grooming appointment. She will have her spa day on January 2nd so that she will be perfectly groomed when her mommy and daddy come home!

Playing in the Snow!

Abbie and I have been playing in the snow this morning. I get to spend a lot of time with her this visit and we have been enjoying the snow, the rain AND the wind! She loves it.....I am freezing!

This was one of her many trips outdoors. She thought she saw a rabbit and was frozen by the bushes for a while. I called out her name and she turned as if to say 'WHAT'! I apologized for breaking her focus!

Just 6 more nights together. One of the many reasons I went into this business was to alleviate Separation Anxiety in animals. I didn't realize, I am the one with Separation Anxiety when I have to leave! LOL.

White Christmas

Wow.....we had a White Christmas.

It began snowing at noon and continued for hours. It was really nice.

Abbie opened her stocking this morning. She went crazy for her Carob cookies. It wasn't until after she got a cookie that she gained any interest in her new chew toys. We played for a while...went for a walk in the freezing wind (before the snow) and when I left for a couple of hours, I gave her a new bone! I was surprised to find she had not chewed it while I was gone. When I returned, she had it in her mouth, and waited by the door. I let her out into the snow-filled back yard and she immediately hid her new bone.

I don't have a clue where it is!

Auntie Dee wanted to bring her a small piece of turkey, but knowing she has a little bit of a sensitive stomach, I refrained and gave her another Carob cookie. I left at 10:00, returned at 1:00 to

let her pee and then returned for good at 3:30.

She is a happy camper as you can see.

We are looking forward to Auntie Dee not having to do

anything tomorrow except an early appt.

That means more Abbie time------YiPEEEE!

Christmas Eve

Abbie is ready for Santa - as you can see. She can't wait to get her teeth on that stocking! Auntie Dee brought her something special too. Everything is peaceful and quiet as it should be on Christmas Eve. Abbie misses her Mommy and Daddy, but like her mommy said......she is in good hands.

We are getting up tomorrow morning and going for a long walk! I'll have to leave her for a while during the day, but I will make it up to her in the early part of the afternoon. She may get two walks tomorrow. She is enjoying her treat times, her outside time and rabbit chasing time.

She wanted to wish all her family a very Merry Christmas! Hope you are having fun!

Not enough toys!

Did I mention that Abbie was deprived. Seriously, she may not have enough toys! LOL. She is anything BUT deprived. This is just a few of her toys. She loves being surrounded by them and, as you can see, she has made a bed of them for herself!

Abbie is extremely smart. She knows how to speak, shake, roll over, sit, stay, and show you exactly where her Cookie jar is! In fact, she has ME trained. She will give me her little growl - letting me know that she wants something. I will say 'What is it Abbie'. She growls and starts walking towards the room that holds her Cookies. I'll say 'Show me what you want'. She immediately heads to the Cookie Jar. I really have to restrain and tell her 'No No....not any more' or she will weigh 200 pounds when her mommy and daddy come home.

We are now on day 4 together. We have been walking every day in-between the weather conditions. I had to leave her today to finish up some last minute Christmas shopping. She was very glad to see me when I returned. When I let her out, I walked with her and she spotted a rabbit on her property. Abbie might be ten years old, but she is still very spry! She went after that rabbit like she was a puppy! Of course the rabbit went outside her invisible fence perimeter and Abbie sat, turned to look at me as if to say....'Well, don't just sit there....go get that rabbit for me!'. She is so cute! Stay tuned for more adventures of Abbie!

Meet the Neighbors!

Katie and Katja! Two of the funniest, sweetest and most energetic Mini-Schnauzers you ever want to know. Katie and Katja live right next door to Abbie (where I am sitting now). These two have very nice parents as well. They are as close to being their children as it gets. Their mommy and daddy know every detail of their personality and love them as if they ARE their children! I had the pleasure of sitting them in October, while their mommy and daddy traveled to Italy! I was very jealous of all the REAL wine they got to drink, but had a blast taking care of Katie and Katja.
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!

If Dogs Could Talk!

It's Abbie and Me - And Christmas Makes Three!

Meet Abbie, a 10-year-old Golden Retriever. She is the sweetest fur child I have ever met! I have the privilege of spending the Christmas Holiday through New Year's with her. She lives in a very nice home with lots of land that she can roam. The problem is that I have spoiled her and she almost refuses to go out unless I go with her. But, that's what I get paid for. (I really know she is working me though). Abbie used to hunt with her Daddy. She is loved by both her parents and they take very good care of her!

When I arrived yesterday, Abbie was a ball of energy. She went to the door and barked to go outside. As I opened the door, she turned around and looked at me as if to say "Aren't you going with me?"....just like in the picture above!

Today, the weather has been crazy! Both pictures were taken today and as you can see there is rain, ice, hail and snow on the ground! Abbie is not very willing to go out in the hail....can't say as I blame her as neither am I.

Abbie keeps sniffing out the Christmas stocking her Mommy left her. She KNOWS there are bones in there and new chew toys! I let her sniff it in the picture and quickly put it up as I promised not to give it to her until Christmas.

Stay tuned for more adventures of Abbie the Wonder Dog. I have 16 days with sweet Abbie!

Kira - The Huntress!

Meet Kira - A black lab mix. She was rescued by caring and compassionate parents who gave her a loving home. I have been taking care of Kira since she came to her new home. She was energetic to say the least! She was a ball of energy and had a few issues that needed to be addressed. She had Kennel Cough and was rather scrawny, but all in all in pretty good health. Her mommy could see she needed some training and began working with her. Kira was a quick study ! With every visit I could see that she was improving. She is approximately a year and a half (?) now and she has really grown into her adult body. She is very black - almost blue - and has a very svelt figure.
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 has an invisible fence to allow her a lot of running room. I arrived one day to find a Hawk on the ground within her perimeter. I worried that Kira might go after the Hawk and get hurt. When I drove up the drive, the Hawk flew off. I looked over to the area where the Hawk had been and found it had just killed a jack rabbit. If I had arrived just five minutes earlier, the rabbit may have been saved. Feeling bad, I moved the rabbit out of the perimeter of Kira's invisible fence to dissuade the Hawk from returning to his prey. I understand that all wildlife needs nutrition, but my first concern is the animal I'm taking care of.
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!

Meet the Gang

What better time to remember old friends. Let me introduce my four faves! Ernie, Luna, Sugar and Marvy. They live on a big, beautiful piece of land and have all the running space anyone could ask for. They are LOVED beyond words. Their mommy built a $10,000. add-on to the house which is now known as the "Pooch Palace". These four fur children roam the property by day, saying hello to their neighbor Mr. Pig. There are (or used to be) Llamas on the property in front of them and they are just generally surrounded by nature. Its always a treat to see these four beauties! I love them all.

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!!!

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!