Abbi the elusive.....

Abbie thinks I am part of the family. However, she knows she can 'play' me and does this every chance she gets. She is used to my crazy schedule and always greets me with open paws. I sometimes wonder if she puts on a few pounds from all the treats she gets from me. I know her mommy and daddy give her treats, but she knows she can look at me with those big soulful eyes and I give in every time. She has been escaping her yard lately. I have learned where she does this and have confined her to her back yard which is about an acre! Poor Abbi.....only an acre! But, she loves the front of her house so we walk often and spend time out there so she will not feel deprived.She is a gentle, comical and intelligent canine and she has my heart forever.

Meet the newest Additions!

These are the newest additions to the Playful Paw Family. Three Mini Aussies and one very lovable Golden Retriever.

Belle, a shy, kind of skiddish young lady has recently been adopted and is looking for a new home. Moby, the Retriever, Abby, a Mini Aussie, and Red Red Roxy.....also a Mini and full of energy.

All of the pups are doing awesome. Everyone is adjusting to the schedule of my being in and out.

We are bonding and they are very happy to know that I will be feeding them. They LOVE to eat and are getting lots of treats.

We are still here.....

Its been five days since my first post and it shocked me as it has only seemed like a couple of days. But, Ms. Abigail and I are doing fine. She has hated that it is raining every single day and she can't go outside while Auntie Dee goes to work, but she loves it when I come home mid-day and play with her and let her run. I am usually only gone six to seven hours for work, so she is only alone about four at a time. She is getting used to the routine and loves to run and play and especially loves the extra treats.

She and I have been playing at night. She loves to run like crazy after her squeak toy. But, like myself, she is aging and chasing that thing on the tile flooring isn't a good thing as she almost ran into the wall a couple of times.

She and I go for the mail once a day and she has to carry a piece of mail with her. She's no dummy as she knows everytime she does this, she gets a cookie. I sometimes wonder who is taking care of who!

We are watching television tonight. She is snoring (she has a princess snore) right now.

There is a pet store next to my store and I would like to take her there as they have free bathing equipment and on certain days, you can wash your pets for free. I will check into this and see if it fits our schedule. She can always go to the store with me at work for the rest of the day! I think she might like this!

All is well on the Abbi household.

Fall with Abbi

Abbi and I are spending some time together again. I always miss her when I am away awhile, but now I get to see her about every two weeks and that keeps our bond strong.

She is trying to work me tonight though. She keeps going to her cookie jar and she has had WAY too many today, so I am not giving in. She is standing beside me now giving me her little growl as if to say 'But, I Want a Cookie'.

The weather is kind of sucky right now so she can't stay outside. She has been getting out of her electric fence and I think I know why. There is an area on the property that she goes to every time and walks the same route and comes out by her mail box. So, there may be something wrong with the flag at that point. I won't leave her outside but I will go in the back and close both gates and stay out there with her and she seems to be okay with that.

Other than that, she is the best. She is just as loving as ever and I will enjoy the next two weeks with her!

Happy Howl-o-ween!

I just realized it has been a few weeks since my last posting. Pet sitting is a seasonal business and right now all of my clients are happily spending time with their animals. I can't fault them for that and it warms my heart that the clients that I have are so good to their animals.

I will spend some more time with Abbi beginning the ninth of November. I have some new pups on the horizon. Three mini-Aussies and an Aussi/Border mix. I will post pictures of this gang when I begin sitting with them. But, we have met and are ready to spend some time together.

For my loyal clients who check my blog from time to time, thank you for checking. I look forward to seeing all of your pets soon.

Abbi Knows What She Wants

I have been with my dear Abbi since last Tuesday, but I have been without a laptop until yesterday. So, here is a little update on Abbi. We have been very busy today as we wanted to really do some cleaning for her mom and dad's homecoming.

Abbi has me trained. At night, she will give me this little growl. If I don't pay attention, she will do it again a little louder until I pay attention. Sometimes, this happens in the middle of the night. I KNOW she doesn't do this to her mom and dad, so she really has me trained rather than me having her trained.

When she comes in from her walk or from a visit out to the bushes, I always ask her 'What do you want'. She barks. I say 'Well, show me what you want'. She runs to her cookie jar and shows me exactly what she wants as you can see in this picture.

She also likes to carry the mail in with me. I have to give her a piece of mail or the small paper so that she can deliver to the doorstep.

I've never believed in cloning, but if I were to consider it, Abbi would be who I would clone. I love her to pieces!

She's Growing

Its been some time since updating my little Punkin Head. She is still full of life and surprises me every day by her similarities to my Otis who left us in July, 2007.

She is six months old on October 1st. She will become a 'woman' soon. Although they say females slow down after being Spayed, I doubt it will slow her down one bit.

She is smart, comical and loving. I will soon begin some training as she is definitely in need of it. I would like to begin taking her to work with me once I have opened my small consignment shop. I bet you are thinking she is going to be my guard dog because anyone can see how intimidating she looks (hurrump, hurrump), but she will be more of a conversation piece than anything. How can you not love that face.

She is dressed in her clothing that her other mommy bought her. She is about 10 pounds and not expected to be much larger. She is lean and her color lives up to her name.

Stay tuned for her Halloween pictures. Bet you can't guess what she is going as? LOL.

More pet sitting stories on the way................................

Time Flies......

I can't believe it has been more than a month since I last blogged. My August sit cancelled, so its been quiet. Well, as quiet as it can be with a four-month old puppy.

Punkin is growing, but she is going to remain small. She had her third set of puppy shots today and she has gained two pounds. She is now weighing 8 lbs. I doubt she will be much bigger than 10 pounds. I am glad she is small, but what they say about Dynamite comes in small packages is absolutely true.

I have been in the hospital for five days. I couldn't believe how much she had grown when I came home. She definitely knows her name, knows who is boss (she is) and all she has to do is give that cute little tilt of her head and look up at you with those big brown eyes.....she can have anything she wants at that point.

All of my adopted fur children are doing well too. I will be with Abbie again in October. But I will keep you updated on Peepers and Punkin until then.

Last Day together.....

Kira was up bright and early this morning. I promised her that we would play ball when I got back from tending the goats, pygmy goats, sheep, chickens and two asses (and one of them wasn't my exhusband.

When I returned from doing my farm chores this is how Kira greeted me. She has the memory of an elephant. But, she is such a good dog and SMART. She loves to cuddle and have her stomach rubbed and steal my blanket hogging the bed.

I always miss Kira when I have to leave, but the good news is that I am sure I will be back to visit her again.

Saturday Afternoon

Today was a lazy day for Ms. Kira. I had to run some errands and was gone about three hours. You would have thought I was gone 24 hours by the way she greeted me.

Nala, her neighbor, has come to visit and that helps Kira release some of that energy.

We are hanging out for the rest of the day. Kira is actually standing right by me with her head in my lap...as if to say "Pleeeeeeeaaaaasssseee Can you come play with me?"

I better obey or there will be no dog treats for me tonight!

Just another day in Paradise!

Well, as you can see, Kira is just relaxing at home with her bone. She hasn't wanted to go outside for the last two days as it has been consistently raining. She just loves being indoors, chewing on her bone and hogging the bed.

I have spent a lot of time with her since I got here. I have been ill for the last four days, so Kira has not been alone for very long.
We are hoping for sunshine this week so we can go on a summer walk. She walked in the rain, but doesn't enjoy it that much.

She had a dream she was chasing rabbits. I know this because I woke up at 2am to the bed moveing. I thought we were having an earthquake. look over at Kira and her little paws were going and going. Seeee, I told you she was chasing rabbits.

Kira

I am staying with Kira again for about 9 days. As you can see she is not well-adjusted at all. I told her we needed to take pictures for her Mommy and Daddy. This was her pose. She loves it when I just hang out with her and after having treats and playing a good round of fetch....this is how she relaxes. Wish I could sleep that sound. Even the flash of the camera didn't phase her.

She is an awesome canine. She is so cute when she sees me drive up into the driveway. She comes around the corner of the back yard area and is ready to pounce on whoever is entering her domain. When she realizes it is me, she looks at me as if to say 'Well, where is my cookie'. She knows that I always keep cookies in my car.

Its kind of dreary today so we are keeping a low profile. We will go for a walk in between the rain as Kira doesn't like droplets on her back. This seems funny to me because her Mommy says how much she loves the ocean. But we all have our little quirks.

Kira will have more to come in the next 9 days!

Isn't she an Angel??? Well, Not Always!

She might appear to be an angel in this photo, but trust me, she is like a wind up devil when she is awake. She keeps me on my toes!

Punkin is now 3 and a half months old. She has gained 2-3 pounds since I got her. She weighs just under 7 pounds. However, she is at least 1oo lb.s of dynamite! I used to think that Pugs were like wind up toys when they are little, but Punkin has them all beat.

She is so much fun. She is very smart too. She will fetch and return. She has the memory of an elephant and this doesn't suit well when she goes in the backyard. No matter how I try to distract her she insists on eating the rabbit poop. No, I don't have pet rabbits, just wild rabbits who multiply and disappear throughout the year. She will make a beeline for that little black pebble in the grass. Ewwwwww. I have decided to confine an area of the grass that the rabbits cannot get into where she can run. Its one project after another with her. I have already turned my house upside down for her.

I think the cutest thing she does (and, trust me...they are all cute) is right after she poops. She thinks this is the greatest thing ever. She does her business and then you see her entire expression change and she gets a burst of energy and rockets across the floor. She runs so fast that she runs into furniture, the wall, Peepers, my leg....doesn't matter. She is a dog on a mission. I've known dogs to do this. I guess they are so happy and feel so 'free' they want to show off. Can you imagine if people....well, never mind.

So, there is your update on the Punkin Head. Stay tuned for more to come including a video.

Another Beautiful weekend with our little Josie. Computer problems have plagued me the last two times I have been here. But I think we are up and running now with the exception of new pictures to share with everyone. The weather has been very cooperative this weekend which helps with our walks each day. Although I never leave Ms. Josie alone very long, she acts as if I have been gone for a year the way she greets me. She gets herself all twisted in a knot when she hears the key go in the front door. I hate to brag.....but, I really do have the cutest animals ever!

Not much else to report other than she is doing fine. She loved sleeping with me last night (and every night ) I have been here nearly the entire time so she is loving that. She did tell me though that she misses her mommy and daddy and can't wait for them to come home and spoil her! I told her not to worry, they would be home on Sunday!

From Olivia to Punkin

The puppy is doing so good. She is very smart

and will be easy to train.
However, the name 'Olivia' does not suit her.

She is quirky, playful, rambunctious and loving.

She is the color of Punkin,

so I changed her name to Punpkin.
She is doing so well at night in the whelping pen.

I don't plan to keep her in there after she settles a bit.

I am taking her into my bedroom so
that she can get used to sleeping with me.

I put the ramp up so she could jump

on the bed. She doesn't know yet
that she needs to lay down and go to sleep.
She shocked me today as she did something

my little Otis used to do. We called it 'Mach One'.

she runs really fast back and forth and in circles.
I can't believe she does this because I have

stayed with a lot of dogs and Otis was the first

I'd seen it. Otis used to love me putting my
hand under the blanket and he would try

to catch it. Punkin did the same thing today.

Maybe, she is Otis reincarnated.
Otis was one in a million, Peepers is the Queen

and Punkin?
Well, Punkin will be the terror!

But an Oh, so smart terror.

More Pictures

Punkin did a great job on her first night with the new family. She sleeps in her whelping pen and didn't cry all night. I had to screen the pen as the holes were big enough for her to put her head through. She tore up the screen, but all in all did a good job. I let her out this morning and she was a pistol. She couldn't run fast enough. She was all over Peepers and Peepers showed her who was boss. Peepers doesn't bite, but she gave her 'the look'.

She is going to be a good dog and I can't wait to take her to obedience training.

She will have her first Vet visit soon.

My new FurChild

I haven't blogged in a while as I have been traveling and my travel computer was in repair. I am back in business and will be blogging soon as I have several pet sits coming up.
But, before I do that....

please meet the newest member of my family.
Her name is Punkin. She is 50% Pug and 50% Shitzhu. She actually has the face of a Brussels Griffon and she is sweet as sugar. I picked her up today and she came home to meet her Pug sister and her Cat sister. The cat ran and my Pug (Peepers) thought she was her baby.

Peepers has never taken to other dogs in the house but she was beside herself

trying to take care of this little one. I am so glad they enjoy each other.
I purchased a big whelping pen some time ago in anticipation

of getting a new baby. She has her own little house to stay in when I am not home.

She gets to run when someone is here to observe her.
She was excellent on the ride home to her new house and we stopped to show her off to a friend. She laid in my lap while I drove and she has this little way of singing. She lifts her head up and lets out a little howwwwwlllll. She's ever so soft about it and it made me laugh when she did it.
She is loving and affectionate. She has been raised around other animals and there was no problem bringing her into the new home.
You will be seeing more of Punkin in the future.

Sooooo Sorry.....

Josie and I have been missing my computer. It took a nose dive right after my last posting on Josie. It will not be with me for at least two weeks.
Josie is just as adorable as ever and in very good spirits. She hates it when I leave her, even if it is just going to the car for a minute!
We walk two times a day....even in the rain. We sing at least once a day. I make her dance and give her one of her new cookies! She is doing very well, but I know she will love it when her family comes home.

Pawsitively Perfect Pooch.....

Okay, so the subject line is a little hokey...but, that is exactly what our little Miss Josie is. She is spoiled too. She is loving that I have had a lot of time to spend with her. I don't have another dog during the day until Thursday, so she has been spoiled by all the attention I have been giving her. Even when I have another dog, she still gets lots of attention. She is a good little cuddler.

Today, the rain let up for a short time. They keep promising some sunshine in the next few days, but we will believe it when we see it. This picture was taken during one of our drier moments and Josie got out to smell the flowers. She has been getting soaked on our daily walks and it was nice not to get her back wet.

We have been trying the harness during our walks. Josie has a tendency to pull on her lead. When you use a harness to walk or any time you use a lead to control your dog, the harness is the best restraint there is. As soon as I put it on, you can see a change in the demeanor. She realized that the harness was in control and she didn't pull once during our walk. Now we walk every time with the harness on. Since my Otis is not alive to enjoy his harness, I will pass it down to Josie. She actually reminds me a lot of my little Otis, so she has stolen my heart and I am sure Otis would want her to have it. :-)

We have had no more incidents with food since the first day. Of course, I have learned MY boundaries and kept food off the table. So, all is good.

Hopefully, we will get some sunshine in the next few days. Josie and I want to walk down to the park and the rain has not let us do that. I expect we will be able to do that soon.

Josie is great and I am sure she will have puppy kisses for her mommy and daddy when they get home!

Rain, Rain and more Rain!

It has been raining here for several days. Josie and I don't care, we still go on our two walks a day. Ever since Josie taught me to take the trail, that is where we go. She heads to the trail like she can't wait to get there. We walked this morning and she was soaked by the time we got back. We have a towel by the door and this must be something close to her routine as she is more than willing to be towel dried!

She showed one of her talents today. A siren went by and she lifted her head and howled like she was singing. I cracked up! When I realized she was a singer, I lifted my head and sang like her.....we howled together and I laughed like crazy! I think I will video tape her and maybe her mommy and daddy will split the prize money if she makes America's Funniest Videos.

We are doing superbly. She is a joy to be with and she really has taken a liking to me. She sleeps under the covers, on my lap and generally stays by my side. I think I have fallen in love!

Perfectly Fine

Josie had an uneventful night. The donut incident didn't seem to bother her in the least. She slept under the covers all night and is now laying in my lap. She taught me a valuable lesson....never understimate a Schnauzer on a mission!

We are low key today. I do not have to go anywhere, so I will spend a lot of time with Josie today. We had a morning walk and will probably get in two more walks before the day is over. She really enjoys walking.

Tomorrow she will have to be alone a little bit. A friend is having her birthday tomorrow and I am taking her out to lunch. I ordered her a birthday cake yesterday with her picture on it. I a certainly glad it wasn't on the table yesterday too! Whew!

Not much to report as Josie is doing so well and we have been relaxing. Will write again in a couple of days!

National DogNut, er, uh 'Donut' Day!

Josie and I began our first morning having tea and watching the bird in the back garden. Of course, this wasn't until AFTER our morning walk. She took me to the trail at the end of the street near her house. She was determined to get there and kept pulling me along on the leash. It is a myth that we walk our dogs.....they usually walk YOU. She was a Schnauz on a mission and there was no holding her back. She sniffed and walked and did her business and then turned around as if to say 'Ok, now we can go home'. So, back to the house we went and then she allowed me to have my morning tea.

While sipping my tea and talking to Josie, I surfed the internet for a few things I needed to investigate. I found an article that said 'National Donut Day'. Yes, today was National Donut Day and if anyone knows me, I have never met a donut I didn't like. So, I got permission from Josie to take a little shopping trip with my friend and I promised to return in two hours. I noticed she didn't have any cookies and put it down on my list for her. After all, if she couldn't have a donut, she surely could have a cookie and pretend it was a donut!

My friend picked me up and we went off to check out a few new stores in our town. I told her about National Donut Day and we vowed to get us each a donut (or two). We happened upon this little bakery in Black Diamond. From the looks of the building it had been there since World War II and we were sure it wasn't in business anymore as there were no cars! But, we stopped to check it out anyway. WOW.....we were like kids in a candy store. We began looking at all the pastries and told the clerk we wanted a big box because we were going to buy one of everything. My favorite sweet is flaky pastry. They had Raspberry Turnovers that were right up my alley. Took 3 of them. Then I spotted Canoles! Took 2 of them. We spotted a Cocunut Cream Donut and knew we had to get that one in honor of National Donut Day. We also threw in a Raspberry Cream Cheese muffin for good measure. We had our box of goodies and decided to return later to order a birthday cake for a friend. AFter all....WE came first!

We had been gone close to two hours, so I suggested we stop by and drop off the donuts and pastries and let Josie out one more time. I bought her some little natural cookies and I wanted to give her a treat as well. She ate two of them. When I stopped, I separated my sweets from her sweets. This left the Coconut Cream Donut and one Canole in the box. I set it on the table to put my jacket on and walked out forgetting to bring her sweets. We laughed and said I did it on purpose and promised to grab it later.

Can you guess what I am going to tell you next? When I returned, I didn't notice anything until it was time to find the donuts for my friend. I looked at the table and there on the floor at the leg of a chair was an EMPTY box. Little Ms. Josie had a Donut party all her own. And, she didn't just eat ANY donut....she ate the rich, expensive ones! There wasn't a lick of cream anywhere. Not a piece of coconut to be seen. Not one trace of those donuts were found. All I could say to her was "I bet you are going to have to go outside a LOT tonight". Hopefully, she can handle her sweets!

So, lesson learned. If I were confuscious, I would say "Do not underestimate small dog only one foot high.....can climb mountains for bite of sweet"!

Josie is Rosie!

This is Josie. She is a new sit for me and she is so sweet. Her mommy and daddy are very nice as well. I am doing a 'test run' with Josie this weekend as it is just an overnight visit. I begin an 18-day stay on June 5th, so you will see a lot of Josie to come.

When I arrived, she was in full guard dog mode. She barked and growled as if she were a Rottweiler! It took her a bit of time to warm up to me. She wanted to be friends, but she needed to protect her territory first. After a few cookies and a good walk, she warmed right up to me and is now laying in my lap watching T.V. But don't believe for one second that she has forgotten her mommy and daddy. She goes to the front door and sniffs under the door. She knows they are coming back and she wants to greet them.

She is very cute and very well-behaved. I enjoyed walking her as she loves to walk. I can tell Josie and I will become very good buddies!

Brandy and the Gang!

Meet Brandy! She is sweet as sugar and smart, to boot. She lives with her two-legged owners and sisters and brother. She has quite a diverse family of fur relatives as well. Three dwarf hamsters, a guinea pig, a rat, a bird and two fish!

I am delayed in posting Brandy's picture due to not having wireless access at her house. So, I came home today to post her beautiful mug on my blogspot.

Brandy has been the perfect angel. We go for walks, play in the back yard and just hang out. I have spent a lot of time with her this week and she may be spoiled when her family comes home because shhhhhhhh....don't tell anyone.......she hasn't been in her crate since they left!

Brandy is very smart. I believe her mommy told me that she is a retired service dog. Her tempermant is perfect for socializing as well as being part of the family.

All of the fur and feathered children are doing well and their family can return to a peaceful, welcoming gang!!

Kira and Nala

Kira got her buddy back. Nala came to visit yesterday. She barked behind the fence over the weekend but couldn't come out to play. I think she was locked out and couldn't get over to Kira's house. They had a good day romping when the sun would come out, but once it began to rain, I let Kira in to wait it out. Nala? She laid on the deck getting soaked. She wasn't budging until Kira went out to play with her. I never noticed that Kira likes to catch bugs. Ewwwww. She kept smacking her jaw at the air and at first I thought she was just quirky. But, then I looked over and she was trying to eat the knats. She's a funny girl.
Kira was absolutely perfect as she always is. She loved all the time I spent with her this time. I only left her long enough to feed my own dog and shower, so she was never alone for more than a couple of hours.
Today we will play and walk. Her mommy and daddy come home tonight so we will make sure the house is clean and Kira is worn out so that she will sleep. I know she is going to be very excited to see them come home. I'll miss her until my next long stay in July. However, I am fortunate to see her on an occasional Friday. She's one of my faves!

Raining, Raining, Raining.....

Rain, Rain, Go Away....Come Again Another Day

I can hear Kira singing this song. She looks out the door and when she sees it raining, she turns around and jumps back in the bed. She definitely does not like being outside in the rain.

This seems funny to me because her mommy tells me she loves the ocean.

So, I can assume, she likes it on her paws, but not on her back.

She is stretched out this morning chewing on her bone. We have been up since 6am

and she has had a cookie, played ball, tug-o-war and gone outside.

Its all about Kira and I think she knows that.

As soon as the sun peeks through, we will take a walk.

She won't mind getting rained on if we are exploring!

Happy Dog!!!

I apologize for the delay in journaling Kira's progress. We have been having a 'technical difficulty' accessing the internet, as we cannot connect to wireless at Kira' house.

Whew....enough of the apologies.....................

Kira is doing fantastic. We have had 85 and above degree weather over the weekend and yesterday. She is getting a lot of outdoor time and we have been playing with her great big basket ball and her little orange ball outside. She has also been playing with Nala, although Nala has not come to visit since Saturday? She visited with the dog on the other side of her house while all the kids were out playing, but never went beyond her boundaries.

She is getting lots of treats, walks and social time. I am with her quite a bit as this is a slow period for me so I can devote all my time to her. I plan to take her for a ride tomorrow...it is raining like crazy today and we are just hanging out. She doesn't like the rain at all. I have to walk out with her or she won't go outside. I am SURE she has me trained!

Not much new to report. We are having a good time and she is getting a lot of love and attention. She hogs the bed still, but that's okay, I love her anyway!!!

A Raisin In The Sun

Isn't she beautiful. Kira and I have been together for two days now. She has a playmate named Nala who lives next door. Our first morning, Nala came very early to visit. She stood outside the door and barked until I opened it to let Kira outside. They are very cute together and Kira and Nala played for a long time before laying down on the deck and resting.Much like children, when Kira wanted to come in, she came to the back door. Nala took her 'waiting' spot in front of the garage and Kira would come into the house for a bite to eat, a drink or just to hang out with me. I am able to spend a lot of time with her as I have no other visits at this time.

She likes hanging out in the yard, but our 85 degree weather makes it

very warm for her so she has been happy to alternate.
We are going for a long walk in the evening. It will probably be 90 degrees

today based on how it feels outside this morning. We went out on the deck

to have tea and enjoy the morning. Nala has not come to visit today?
Kira is still a bed hog, but she is a sweetheart and it is easy to just sleep

next to her and pet her belly as she loves this!
I will take her for a ride this week and we will spend our evenings walking and seeing the miniature horses. She is doing great even though she misses her Mommy and Daddy.

After the SPAW.....................

Abbie was so excited that we were going to play a new game. She jumped around like she was two years old. That is.....until she saw the dreaded hose! Today is fairly warm and the sun is shining. I wanted to get her cleaned up as she went out the other day and rolled around in the dirt. She had quite a few mats that were not budging with the mat splitter, so we had to do a little removal on some. No problem, she was laying on her back and I was brushing her and she was in dog heaven!

She wasn't quite sure what we were doing when we began, but she soon got into it. I didn't leave one of her collars on (wrong move on my part) and she got away from me while she still had her doggy shampoo on her. She proceeded to hit the shrubbery and roll around in the bark and dirt. Soooo, we had a second bath a and I learned a lesson....leave one collar on her so I could hold onto her. But, all is good. As you can see she is napping now. She was rewarded with a treat and now she is ready for a nap. We will finish the job later by giving her a good brushing and maybe a big pink bow on her collar. She is so sweet.

Raccoon Bowling Night at Abbie's!

Well, there were no noises in the closet last night, but I swear there was bowling on the roof! I could hear scurrying across the roof and a couple of thuds every few minutes. It literally sounded as if the it was bowling night for the wildlife!
After checking the traps this morning, I found no signs of extra critters in the house.
I ran an errand and was gone no more than thirty minutes. When I returned, Abbie was waiting to go outside at the back door. I let her out and she went straight into the shrubs that line the back of the house and she kept looking at the roof. I said 'What is it, Abbie?' and she intently looked up at the roof. She was not taking her eyes off the roof and she was in hunt mode, relentlessly sniffing out the shrubbery and the earth around it. She definitely knew there was something on the roof and it had been down on the ground earlier. She must have been watching whatever it was out the back door while waiting for me to come back in. She did not give up until I said 'Okay Abbie....you chased it off' and we returned into the house.
My guess is that this is a opossum or a raccoon and it has access to the house via the vents on the roof and the wall entries. I am very surprised this is the first we are hearing from this critter, but I hope it takes up space somewhere else in a hurry because Abbie's mommy is not going to want to come home!!!!

Abbie's fine...but another client not so good

Abbie is good and not getting any treats.

Can you tell? Shhhhhh, Abbie, don't tell Mama.

We have been fine and have enjoyed quite a bit of time together. I rarely leave but today was a little bit different.

I have a client who lives very close to Abbie. She was away on a business meeting in Orlando. She has the four dogs you can see WAYYYY back on my older posts on my blog. She built an add-on to her home for her dogs to live until she brings them in the house. Her house sits on about 5 acres and is very remote. I go there early morning and late night to put her dogs to bed and wake them up. I enter her house to get medication and never thought about the possibility of someone being in the house. Today, I picked her up at the airport at 12:30. We went straight to her house and then I returned to check on Abbie before going to WalMart. My client wanted to ride along to WalMart with me as she needed to pick up a few things. We dropped her suitcase in her living room and she joined me in the truck and we left. After grabbing a bite to eat and going to WalMart (90 minutes) we returned to her house where I dropped her off. I was on my way back to Abbie when she called me frantic and crying. Someone had robbed her home and she was afraid they were still in the house. I made it back to her at lightening speed to find her a nervous mess! The back french doors and the front door were unlocked and the french doors were broken where they forced their way in. When she entered she noticed the suitcase was not where she left it and a bad feeling came over her before realizing something wasn't right. I did my best to calm her down and we called the police. It took them 90 minutes to respond. They checked the entire house and found no one. But, it was obvious they were frightened off as they left evidence that they were not done stealing the laptop, the printer, the DVD player, stereo, etc. It appeared they loaded her suitcase with jewelry and other small items, took a painting off the wall and ransacked some drawer.

After speaking with the police, we suspect that she and I frightened them off when we stopped to drop her suitcase. She did not enter except to drop it off, change pants in her living room and leave. The upstairs bedrooms were ransacked and we believe they were up there when we were there. This was a very scarey ordeal and we were both left a little shaken. I called a friend to go to her house and stay with her tonight as I am pet sitting with Abbie and would never leave her alone.

So, you see, the life of a pet-sitter is seldom mundane! Between unknown critters and robbers....I think it is time I write a book called 'Pet Sitting Ain't Easy'!

Earry Sound.......

We are keeping our ears open for any new rustling in the closet. The pest control technician came out yesterday to investigate our noise in the closet. Just as it happens when you have a 'noise' in your car and take it to the mechanic, only to find that the noise didn't happen when the mechanic was driving it.....this was the case with pest control. He opened the closet door and looked where I told him the noise was coming from. There were shelves there and no sign of pest droppings. We looked in the adjoining Water Heater closet to find no droppings in that closet either. However, he did say there was a hold that something could get through. He placed two adhesive traps in each of the two closets and said 'Well...we will see what turns up'. With that said, he turned and left. So, Abbie and I are keeping our ears open (as you can see) and if I hear it again, I'm going in with my camera!!! It was pretty quiet last night but we did hear noises the night before.
Other than our adventures in the closet, everything is quite peaceful. Abbie gets her daily walk and I just learned yesterday that she is trained to carry a package to the door. And, if she is NOT trained, er, uhhhh....I trained her to carry the package to the door. She amazes me everytime I sit with her. She has got to be the brightest of all my fur children. Well, besides all my other client's fur children :-)

Me, Abbie and an Unknown Culprit!

I am back at Abbie's and she loved seeing me. She always wags her tail and lets me know that I am a welcome member to her household. However, I didn't realize the household had grown. Abbie lives in one of the nicest homes I stay in. Always organized, immaculate and very well appointed inside and out.
We decided to settle in and watch some television tonight. We typically stay in the master bedroom as Abbie is used to sleeping in this room. We were busy putting some last minute things away when both of us heard something. No kidding, she perked her head up at the same time I perked my head up. We listened intently for a moment and then looked at each other as if to say 'What was that?'
Now all kind of things are racing through my mind. We followed the noise. It was a rustling noise as if someone or something was going through clothing. We approached the bathroom and soon discovered the noise was coming from the closet in the Master bathroom. We both stood by the door listening and what noise had once stopped, it was now beginning to get louder. My heart was racing and I kept thinking whatever was in there was big enough to make all this noise. Naturally, my first thought was that there was a person hiding in the closet. Of course, I wasn't being very logical at this point as nerves had taken over. Abbie and I went to the kitchen and got a knife and then I promptly went back to the closet door and said 'Whoever is in there better come out because I have a knife'. Yeah, right! I pride myself with having a good sense about me, but in retrospect, this was probably the dumbest move I've made to date!
When I realized a person could not have gotten into the house without breaking a door or setting off the alarm, I decided I was safe, but kept the knife anyway. We continued to listen to this relentless noise. It was not frightened by our presence. It was large enough to make rustling noise through the clothes in that closet. AND....we could hear it knawing on the inside of the wall.
We left the bathroom after spending a LOT of time talking to whatever is in there. We left, closed the door and refuse to use that bathroom at all!
I don't want to alarm Abbie's Mom and Dad, but I thought you should know that your family has grown! Stay tuned for an update on our friend!

One Elk of a scare!

By the looks of these two, you would think it is always calm at their house. Usually, it is! But, last night around dusk, we decided to go for a walk. I opened the door and Ursa (black lab) took off with me on the other end of her lead. Ben was a little slower getting out the door, but once I got my bearings to see what Ursa was chasing, I was face to face with two large Elk. They were grazing the lawn and Ursa was about to let then know she was large and in charge. I managed to restrain her and we headed right back in the house. The Elk grazed for another 30 minutes before disappearing into the trees that line the road to their house.
When I knew the coast was clear, we mounted up again and went out side. This time Ben (the senior) took off after a flash that ran through the bushes behind their house. All I know is that it was bigger than a rabbit, but not as big as a dog....so, I'm still left to wonder what that anmal was. I've never seen Ben move that fast as he usually walks with a lumber and doesn't hurry to do anything! I turned around and he was gone....I called out to him several times and couldn't see hide nor hair of him. I quickly took Ursa back into the house and went outside to find Ben. I called and called and no sight of him. I was really starting to worry and was probably looking only 15 minutes when I caught a flash of his red fur behind a bush. It took him some time to find a spot between the bushes that he could fit between, but eventually, he found his way to his property and we were back in the safe comfort of their home.
Each time something like this happens to me, it teaches me a new lesson.

First: Avoid going out at Dusk

Second: Look out the door before exiting!

The rest of the evening was uneventful. All the animals are doing well. Ben has had a problem with his bowels since I arrived, so I cooked him some brown rice and I have been adding it to his kibble. He's digesting it well and he has improved. Of course, Ursa gets some too as it wouldn't be fair to see those big brown eyes looking up at me wondering where her treat was. Ursa's chest is healing very nicely and there haven't been any incidents with it so far.

To more days here and their Mommy and Daddy will be home. I'll be back here in September and will look forward to that visit as well.

Awwwww Relaxation

You can see that these animals are not well-adjusted...just look how timid she is, she is on the edge of her seat....can't seem to sit still....YEAH, Right! This is Ursa. She is the comedienne. When she sleeps.....she SLEEPS! She's also a bed hog. I wake up with a paw in my back or worse...her butt in my face! Yesterday she displayed a little bit of bad behaviour. First of all, she got the bag of treats I brought them and ate the whole bag. Poor Ben probably didn't get any. Then, last night she wanted to eat Mia! She truly scared me as she was seriously after that cat. By the looks of the picture above, you would think they were forever friends, but apparently Mia did something to tick her off.

All are doing well. I don't think Ben is feeling spiffy and he has had problems (the runs) since I arrived. I will make him some rice today to try and get his stomach back in shape. If I remember, this is a constant with him as I think he had the same problem last time I was here. Ricky the kitty has not gotten past me the last couple of days! HA....I WIN!

Happy Ending...

My day was full of fear that I had lost my client's beloved cat. I worried when she/he did not come home after an hour. I went outside every two hours looking for her/him. After 12 hours, I was sure something had happened to her/him. I went to the door at 9pm and found her waiting to come in the house. As fast as she ran out the door, she ran in the door. That's it! This is one cat that won't see the light of day as long as I am here! What a relief!

Spring White!

Well, it has been snowing here since yesterday morning. The dogs are nestled in their beds and don't seem to care because I am here with them and they have all they need.
The little black cat, on the other hand, is determined to give me a heart attack. We have never talked about them being indoor or outdoor cats, but as far as I am concerned they are all indoor when I am on watch! LOL.
Well, she darted out the door again this morning. She has yet to come back and I am beginning to worry. I wonder if this is something she does all the time? I would hate to think anything would happen to her, but she seems to think this is normal for her. I check the door every ten minutes waiting on her return. I will not relax until I see her little black face come back through the door.
Another thing I didn't discuss with the fur children's parents is Ben. He seems to be in quite a bit of joint discomfort. He has also had the runs since I got here. We are going outdoors in the middle of the night and he does his business every time we go out. Other than that, everything is fine. I am fortunate that I am not working elsewhere and I can spend a whole lot of time with them. They will be sick of me by the time I leave!

Peaceful Paws.....

If you have read one of my first blogs, you will know that I have a great client in North Bend, Wa. These babies live on a large lot of land nestled in the base of Snoqualmie Mountain. It is always peaceful here as you cannot see a neighbor and it is surrounded by big green Evergreens. This also means there is a lot of wildlife in the area. Washington is famous for their Elk and they sometimes can be seen running the property.

Ursa, the black Lab, went out one day and came back with her chest ripped and wounded. I don't know the details, but this must have been frightening to her owners as these fur children are just that....'Children'. They rushed her to the Vet Hospital and the vets assured them it was only a superficial wound and no arteries or bones were compromised. She is recouperating and recently had the drains removed. She is doing very well and in fact, has been 'hounding' Ben to play. She is feeling her Cheerios today!

Ben is the gentle giant. He moves slow and deliberately and sometimes seems to forget where he is at. He is sweet as sugar, but I am sure the age is catching up with him as it is with all of us! He slept at the foot of the bed last night as Ursa jumped up to sleep right by my side. Pretty soon, Ricky the cat joined us and wanted to sleep on my head. Hey, its their house...they can sleep anywhere they want.

The other cat, Mia gave me a scare this morning. She darted out the door when we were going out for a walk. She took off into the woods and all I could think of was how I was going to get her back in. I walked around the property calling her name, but she didn't appear. I would go to the door every 15 minutes and after several trips, I noticed it started snowing. Just then, she came running around the corner and darted back into the house as quickly as she darted out.

I now leave the front door backwards to make sure she doesn't do this to me again.

Everyone is sleeping in their perspective beds. They are enjoying the fact that they get a treat like clockwork, never have to wait for their meal and they have a warm body to sleep with. Doesn't get any better than that!

The Dynamic Duo......

Meet Oscar and Otis. I don't get to see these two very often, but when I do, they greet me as if I were a long-lost friend. They hear my car pull up and begin barking. Once I have reached the garage, they run up to the deck and wait patiently (okay, IMpatiently) until I open the slider to let them in. And, even though they are in for a short time, they are always grateful that I have come to visit. They have sweet dispositions although they each have their own personality. As most of my fur friends know....I always come equipped with treats for them. Oscar is sweet and he is the talker. He talks from the time I arrive until the time I leave. Otis is much less talkative, but one look from those big brown eyes and he "had me at hello!"

Today was my last day to take care of them and I will miss them until the next time. They were perfect little dog angels!

Coming to an end.....

Ginger and I have had fun. She is full of P. an V. (if you know what I mean). She runs to the door when I come in and jumps and barks as if to say 'Its about time'! We have gotten into a rhythm and I visit with all the nurses that work at Ginger's house. She is used to my coming and going and knows when I am going to feed her. She also knows I never leave the house without treats first! I sometimes wonder who is alpha person.

We like to roam the back grounds and talk to Mr. Ed. That is what I have named the gray horse behind their property. The first day I was walking Ginger, the horse came over to the fence and I swear he said 'Hi'......I called him Mr. Ed and he didn't mind. Anyone reading this blog under the age of 50 has no idea what I am referring to when I call him Mr. Ed.....for you youngins'...he was a talking horse on T.V. All the cats are used to me now as well. They come to eat, ask to go outside. In fact, I am so special that Pumpkin decided to bring me a mouse. This is a sign that they like you and they are bringing you a prize. Not as bad as some presents I have received, but we opted to leave it outside. All in all, everything went quite smoothly. It was a pleasure taking care of Ginger. I got to see her walking buddy, Kira today too. I can see Kira and Ginger being great friends. Tomorrow morning is my last visit. I will miss them until next time.

Mach One!

Its my third day with Ginger and the feline gang. We have gotten used to the routine.....up at 7am, out to do our business and then eat. Mid-day walk at 1:30 - 2:00 pm and a snack. Walk and eat at 8:30pm and off to bed by 9pm. Until today, Ginger has had no problems going outside with me. We have had rain and hail today and maybe even a thunder shower at one point. I took my umbrella to my mid-day visit and Ginger was spooked by it. I laid it on the counter in the kitchen, but she was not coming anywhere near it. I finally took it to my car and re-entered hoping that would soothe her ruffled feathers. She eventually came to me but not before checking out the kitchen and that intruding umbrella. She is very cute.
After we established it was just Ginger, Me and the Lead, she led me outside and we began a walk around the grounds. It was raining and she didn't enjoy the droplets at first, but soon began sniffing all the spots she usually does her business. After a good long while, it appeared she was ready to rejoin the felines in the house. I turned around and all of a sudden, she performed what I have deemed as 'Mach One'! This is when an animal, dog or cat, decides out of no where to get a burst of energy and run like hell! I had Ginger on the 9 ft. lead so she had a lot of room to run. She began running in circles so fast I couldn't keep up and soon was literally dragging me around the property. Her mommy has a technique with Binaca, but I think you have to get NEAR her to use it! I finally manage to wrangle her towards the house and just as quickly as she had that burst of energy, she became calm and looked at me like 'Whaaat?'. Seriously, I looked around for the hidden camera because it had to be hysterical to anyone that watched!
We went back into the house and I gave her treats. When I left, she was in the window looking out and I could hear her let out a little whimper as if to say...."Don't go...I really LIKE dragging you around"......The cats? .... They could care less!

Ginger and the Gang!

Meet Ginger....my newest companion! She is a retriever with personality! She's lean and wirey and has a very sweet personality. Ginger is buddies with Kira. You can see Kira by looking back at my older posts. Like Kira, she loves to walk and play and jump on you if she catches you off guard. I have learned over the years of taking care of dogs, its like having freckles...some do and some don't. Same with dogs who like to greet you by jumping on you. Most can be trained...but for some, it is just their personality. Ginger and I have bonded and she actually watches out the window when I leave. But, yesterday was our first day and we needed to learn each other's boundaries. We went for a walk on her beautiful woodsy street and by the end of our walk, she was excited and wanted to play. She lunged at me and I put my arm up as she was jumping. Unfortunately, and not because she did anything wrong, it caught my arm and caused two open gashes. I woke up this morning with an arm and hand swollen to about twice its size. Poor little Ginger....all she wanted to do was play and it was not her fault that I got my arm in the way!So, I took a little trip to Urgent Care. They fixed me up, gave me some antibiotics and I was back in business. We probably won't be able to walk for a day or two, but we do enjoy going out onto the property behind her house. In fact, I truly think Ginger prefers this as she is much calmer in those surroundings. All in all, I think we have bonded and Ginger already knows the drill. She hears me opening the door and comes to greet me wagging her little tail. She is adorable.Ginger lives with four cats as well. Three of them are very friendly, but the fourth is no where to be seen. At least - not by me. I've been told that she is very much her mommy's cat and usually stays upstairs. The other three are already used to me coming in and giving food. They have no problem eating and I really have to watch because all of them, including Ginger like to eat each other's food. Everyone is doing great and we are all getting used to each other. That doesn't mean they don't miss their family though.....I'm sure they do.

Patience My Friends......

I haven't posted recently as I have had a break from the business to pursue some travel. But, never fear, the busy days are here. Beginning this weekend, (April 5th), I will begin a busy schedule taking me all the way through September. So, be patient and check often to see the new and old faces that I love to care for!

Snails, Snow and Simplicity!

So, why did I ue a snail as our picture....? Well, Abbie's family is in the snail and slug business. Her house is filled with wonderful, whimsical snails and slugs. I never thought I would say this about little creatures who make me say 'Ewwww', but this family has found a way to redeem the reputation of the snail and slug! LOL.

Abbie and I are hanging out today. We have spent a lot of time together this visit as I have had a pretty open schedule this week. In the animal companion world, schedules are erratic. I can be booked solid for a month and be slow as a snail (ha...like the way I tied that in) for a month.

And, believe it or not, it is sowing again today! So, we have decided to stay in and relax. Abbie has been out in the snow this morning and is looking forward to our walk this afternoon. I may take her for a ride today when I go to my house to pick up a few things. She loves her rides!

Well, that's all for now......check in later to hear more adventures of Abbie and Dee!

No Picture but lots to say.....

Here I am again! I am so lucky to get to spend so much time with Abbie. I really do enjoy my visits with her.
I am without a camera today. I have been traveling and keep forgetting to get it from my bag at home. So, I'll have to be a little more descriptive!
Abbie is her usual sweet self. I have to say.....I think she knows I am coming before I even get here. She always greets me at the front door and welcomes me as if to say "Are we going for a walk now?" She's so cute and full of personality. We went for a short walk the first night (Tues) as I got here at 7pm. We were both shocked yesterday when it started to snow. I told Abbie....(no, really....I speak OUT LOUD to Abbie and I am NOT ashamed to admit it)....the snow was coming at a wierd time of year and probably won't stick. Wrong! We had six inches of snow when we woke up. There was a little less in other parts of our town, but Abbie lives on a little higher elevation and they tend to get the most. The snow didn't stop Abbie....I was so disappointed when I realized I didn't have my camera (that I usually have ALWAYS) because Abbie darted out the door and made a snow dog angel in the snow. She was so funny rolling around on her back in the snow. No one should ever call her a senior dog because she truly doesn't think so!
We didn't walk this morning as it was a little too cold, but caught a quick walk in the afternoon.
Now she is crashed out on the floor waiting for her next cookie!!!!

Hip Hip Hoooorraaayy!

That is what Abbie is saying in this picture! She knows her Mommy and Daddy come home tomorrow night.

Abbie didn't get her bath I promised. She has been feeling a little 'punky' the last two days. Nothing serious, but maybe a little viral bug. I left more information for her parents when they come home.

Other than that, she's great! I know she is looking forward to seeing 'the family'. As good as 'Auntie Dee' is.......You just can't replace Family!

I'll be back with Abbie at the end of March! See you then!

Isn't she Regal!

Another day in paradise. Abbie is her usual good-natured self. The weather has been good to us and she is enjoying Long walks and naps in the sun.

This picture was taken just a few minutes ago. She will sit anywhere you tell her too. Of course, she knows me all too well. Every time she sits, she gets a treat! No wonder she sits all the time. LOL.

The second photo (to the right) was taken in her favorite part of the property. It looks like she has a 'Cher' hairdo with that bush in the back!

No matter what, she always gives me joy and it is always a pleasure taking care of her.

Rainbow and Abbie

It doesn't surprise me that a Rainbow would appear directly over Abbie's house...she is one of the brightest Rainbows around!

We have had some pretty awesome weather the last few days. From sunshining to thunder and lightening! Saturday, the skies were still dark, but managed to clear long enough for this rainbow to shine through. Abbie and I went outside to snap some photos.

Of course, she wasn't as impressed with the Rainbow on Saturday as she was with her Bone I brought her today. She has now spent a total of 3 hours chewing it. She thought she might want to hide it, so I let her outside. Only to find her later, still laying on the grass and grinding away at that bone!

She is now in the house and when I asked if I could take her picture, she looked up at me with the darn thing hanging out of her mouth!

Everything is going smoothly as usual. Abbie is getting a walk a day and if the weather permits, two!

Katie and Katja, her next-door neighbors came to visit today and she enjoyed that.

We are off to watch the boob tube! More from Abbie later!

Leap Day!

Isn't she cute. She is celebrating Leap Day today and has been playing with the frogs! Little does she know, she will be getting a bath soon. Auntie Dee is going to do it herself! Shhhh, don't tell Mama, it is a surprise!

We are off to play. I will write more later. But, everything is going smoothly as usual. (As long as I keep my hands off the alarm :-)