Free Training Tips

I found a pretty good site that offers free training tips for puppies and dogs. http://www.911dogwizard.com/

Comment and let me know if you find it useful.

Petsitting and the Economy

It's finally hit my business, the sagging economy. I've lost two dogs that I walk daily. One client was laid off & the other is just cutting back. If you have any economic woes that you want to share then I'd love to hear them. Any suggestions for obtaining more clients? I know that things are bad for everyone but cutting back on dog walking is detrimental to dogs. They really need to walk everyday. As I've said before it's not just for exercise but for the dog's mental well being.

http://www.TheDogWalkerCa.com

Pet Sitting-Dog Walking Overnight

So many friends have asked me, " How can you sleep in another person's bed?" That's the reaction I get when I explain that I have to pet sit overnight for one of my dogs. I never thought of it until so many friends turned up their noses. The sheets are always fresh when I go for pet sitting. I have one client that even labels my towel with "Debbie's towel".

Well, I thought about it for a about 30 seconds and then I thought about all the hotels and motels that those friends, with the turned up noses, had slept in. God know what went on in some of those rooms. Now when someone says "OH, you sleep in other people's beds and with the dogs?" I just smile and think about the "dogs" that have slept in some of those hotel rooms?

http://thedogwalkerca.com/

Oversized Post Cards

http://www.TheDogWalkerCa.com

I've been really busy today walking dogs & sending out over sized post cards to pet owners.

I thought I would stop by & share an idea that might help to get pet sitters & dog walker some more clients. Dogs that are licensed are a matter of public record, so in my area I contacted Records Coordinator for Orange County, CA. Animal Care. I had to pay for the list but I received 188 pages of dog owners with about 44 names per page.(I only asked for 2 different zip codes) Huntington Beach has a population of 200,000. I'll start working the other zips as soon as I finish the ones that I have. I've only send out 300 so for but out of those I have a new recurring client 5 days a week. The new dog has already paid on the investment. Now the rest is profit !

Avoid Dog Bites

According to Dr. Yin:

Since most dog aggression is due to fear or anxiety, it's essential for Pet Sitting Professionals to recognize the signs of fear and anxiety. The more blatant signs of fear are that the dog backs away from you, cowers, or puts its tail between its legs. But dogs exhibit more subtle signs too, such as averting their gaze, yawning, licking their lips, moving in slow motion or acting sleepy when they should be wide awake. Animal care workers should also be on alert for a slight lifting of the lip or a sudden tense, frozen posture. When a dog exhibiting these warning signs is pressured it is likely to result in a bite.

Set up a safe, comfortable environment. Many dogs are afraid of unfamiliar dogs and people and are uncomfortable in new environments. As a result it's essential to make the environment as calm and comfortable as possible. Once their fear and arousal levels rise, they'll be more likely to bite as the visit progresses.

Pet Sitting and Keys

For years I've been getting only one key from my clients and I keep them locked when not in use. I finally realized there is always the possibility that I might loose a key. What a disaster that would be. So I recommend that all pet sitters have two keys. I'm sure that clients will understand when you explain that you're getting an extra key because you care about their pets.

As the old saying goes, "You can never be too careful".

http://www.TheDogWalkerCa.com

Twitter

I'm wondering if all the time I spend on Twitter is really helping my pet sitting and dog walking business. I've learned a lot about dog training and met some great people with great ideas but don't see any new clients calling.

Please comment and let me know if Twitter is helping your business.

Feed Bruner

I'm having trouble with feed burner. I'm really not sure what it is. I seem to be jumping everywhere to figure out how to Blog. Really need some help here.

Pet Sitter Woes

Nothing worse that going to a new client to do a little pet sitting & some dog walking only to find that the new key doesn't work. It's happened to me and it's frightening. I've had to break in twice. Thank goodness the clients were glad that I did. Good for me that I wasn't arrested. So, a little advise: Whether you're a pet owner that's leaving your pet with a pet sitter or you're a pet sitter taking care of those pets. TRY the key 1st while client is there with you.
http://www.thedogwalkerca.com/