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What Is the Secret to Finding the Perfect Pet Sitter?

So many times when we go out on initial consultations we find that the client has already interviewed or used another dog walker or pet sitter. There can be many reasons things just didn’t work out from, being undependable to the sitter went out of business. I have heard a lot of reasons and very few of them had to do with price. So how can a concerned owner be sure they are finding the right Professional Pet-care Provider?

Well let us get through some of the very basics when you are hiring anyone to come into your home. You want to know if they are insured and their staff is bonded. Proof of insurance should be offered to you at the consultation. They should able to explain the basic coverage for you as well. Another basic is they should provide you with at least 3 references at the consultation. If you have a special need, inquire if they have ever dealt with it before. You should also be signing a contract of some sort that spells out the details of what is covered and what is not. Some sitters will charge you for this initial consult if you don’t book with them at that time and others offer consultation for free. Keep in mind though that you need to block out about 60 minutes to discuss your pet care needs. A really good sitter won’t rush through the consultation. Ok, so that’s the basics: insurance and/or bonding, references, experience, contracts.

But what else might you be looking for? I often say if you are picking up the phone to call a pet sitter you are looking for someone who will do more than just let the dog out and scoop the litter box. Even hiring a midday dog-walker is more than just someone walking your dog. Most really good sitters will customize your pet’s visits for you. Customize, that sounds like really expensive, but it is not. It should be all part of the standard visit.

During your initial consultation your sitter will be listening to you, your concerns, and asking questions for clarification. All this is done to determine how the visits to your home and your pet will be “structured.” Does your dog bolt out the door? A good pet sitter and dog walker will not only try to keep your dog from bolting out the door, they will discuss with you how to structure the visit to work on teaching your dog good doggie manners at the door. Basic leash manners and leash training as well will be part of the structured visit. This type of basic training will discussed and shared with you. The other thing they should be asking about is your routines with your pet. You can let them know what are some of the routine things your dog likes to do and the sitter can use your techniques to keep your pet happy while you are away.

You want to watch how your pet behaves around the potential sitter, does the sitter ignore the pet or do they work to build an initial bond of trust? Sometimes a sitter just does not hit it off with your pet. Even a really good sitter will occasionally run into a pet that just does not respond well. We have all seen it. The friend that your cat just hates, but loves everybody else. A good sitter will recognize this issue and may turn you down. If that is the case they should have another sitter they can recommend for you. If your pet shows aggression towards the sitter, your pet may not be a good candidate for home visits and the sitter will likely recommend a kennel.

Lastly, does the sitter inquire about cleaning supplies. Things like mops, brooms, and vacuums are often needed during a pet sitting visit. I know we go so far as to locate the dish soap and on long pet sits ask if it is OK to use your washer or dryer to keep pet towels and bedding clean while you are away. A little inquiry like that can tell you a lot about the sitter and the pet sitting company. While it is taking care of your pet, it is also part of taking care of you and your home. Who wants to come home to muddy paw printed up floors, dirty doggie towels, and kitty litter tracked all through the home during a 10 day vacation? I know I would not and neither would my clients.

There is so much more to finding the right pet sitter or dog walker for you and your pet, than just someone showing up to let the dog out. A true in home pet care provider will hit on all the relevant points and those not so relevant ones…like finding the dish soap to help keep the water bowl clean without being told. So watch for those clues in the questions and time spent at the initial consultation and both you and your new sitter will be off to great start!

Beth Pasek is the founder and owner of The Finicky Feline and Fido, LLC a premier pet sitting provider in the Cleveland, Ohio market. She specializes in providing customized pet sitting and dog walking packages that feature the structured visit.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Beth_M_Pasek

How to Make Moving Easier For Your Pets

Moving With Your PetsTransition is a difficult phase, not only for the members of a family, but also for pets. Special attention must be paid to the pets while relocating to a new place. Unlike human beings, animals are unable to express the agony of leaving their dwelling. Pre-planning is the only way that you can handle your pet while moving cross country or within a state.

If you are planning to relocate to a new home along with your pet, you ought to make preparations beforehand, as moving can be as traumatic to pets, as it is to human beings. There are ample professional pet moving companies to help you move with your pet. Pets have an innate fear of new environs, and it is very hard for them to adapt to a change. It is entirely the responsibility of the pet owners to help them adjust in the new home and surroundings.

Do tell your man and van company that you have a pet to move, prior to moving, so that they can arrange the relocation accordingly. Here are a few steps that you must take before moving your pet to an altogether new place. The company which is providing you with moving services would surely tell you about the best way to transfer your pet.

• See a veterinarian

You must visit your veterinarian for the overall check up of your pet’s health. Do ask for pet’s health record, as it may be needed while settling down in a different place. Do ask your vet to recommend a reference vet near your new home. Do confirm from the vet that whether the pet is in good health for traveling.

• Do know about regulations of the state

If you are moving to another country, then you must have a prior knowledge about the pet entry regulations of the destination state. All the states have their own laws pertaining to the entry of pet animals. You can be prosecuted if you failed to comply with the regulations of the state you are moving in. Border inspection is being done for pets imported via roads and officials of agriculture department conduct inspection of the pets arriving by air.

• Pet must wear proper identification

Be it the collar or a tag, your pet must be wearing proper identification, which should bear complete address of your new home. These travel identification tags with the updated address can save your pet from being lost in a hustle of moving.

Do not forget to pack a separate bag for your pet, which must include a variety of food and treats. Also, get your pet accustomed to car travel weeks before actually moving. Entrust someone the responsibility of keeping an eye on your pet while the things are being packed and loaded, so that it doesn’t feel neglected during the transition.

Author has been associated with professional packing London and movers London services from a long time. Presently with his vast experience, He is helping others in choosing the best service provider for them.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mathew_Leonard

Not All Pet Birds Are Alike – Here’s How To Decide Which Type Is Perfect One For You

神戸花鳥園 (33)
Many people think that a bird is a fun low maintenance pet that can provide you with good company. While birds are fun, intelligent companions they do require quite a bit of maintenance and care. Some birds require more maintenance than others so here’s some guidelines on bird care that might help you pick a bird that’s perfect for your lifestyle.

First of all you should be aware that all birds will need to have fresh food and water in a cage change daily. Also, birds are messy with their seeds and you’ll soon find seeds all over the floor around the cage that will need to be cleaned each day to. You can buy things to go on the cage so minimize this mess but be prepared to spend at least a half-hour cleaning up and around your birds cage each day. In addition, you want to set aside time each week to wash down the cage as it can get quite messy.

The reason most people get a bird is to obtain friend I can sit in the shoulder and entertain them. But if you want your bird to remain tame and friendly you’ll need to spend some time with it particularly at feeding time when you can choose to hand feed him and also you want to set aside time to take them out of the cage just to play.

If you don’t have a lot of time to spend with a bird but still like the look of these bright little creatures you may want to think about purchasing a canary or some finches. These birds are pretty self-sufficient and won’t pine away if you don’t pay a lot of attention to them. Also, if you don’t want a loud bird that will wake up all your neighbors these have light pleasant sounding voices. Beware, however, that they’re just as messy as other birds so you will need to spend time cleaning up their cage’s.

let’s say you who do have plenty of time to spend training and playing with your pet bird but you just don’t have the room for big giant parrot. For you, the cockatiel parakeet might make the perfect pet. These birds can become very tame and can even be taught to do tricks and in some cases to talk. They are not overly loud so can be good pets for apartment dwellers.

If you want something a little bit bigger, consider midsize parrots like Conures or Senegal parrots. these birds are a bit bigger in size can be fun and entertaining pets but I must warn you they can be very loud. Conyers in particular have an ear piercing shriek that they like to emit first thing in the morning. they’re not the talkers that the larger parrots are but some breeds like Quaker parrot and Nanday conure can talk pretty good.

If you do a lot of time and you want a bird that will talk extensively than you want to choose one of the larger parrots like an African gray or maybe even a macaw. The larger parrots theirs is just as smart as a toddler and will probably require almost as much attention. You need to make sure that you keep your bird from getting bored or providing him with interesting toys that you change out every once in awhile and by interacting with them yourself. If you buy a large burden and spend time with it you’re just asking for trouble as they can be quite destructive and loud.

No matter what type of bird you choose, you want to make sure you get one that has been hand fed since it was a baby. This bird will already be quite tame and used humans and be ready to adapt to his new home and willing to learn to talk and do tricks from you. It’s a bird that is not tame or friendly may have problems and may never learn to trust you, therefore not making a good pet.

It can be exciting to adopt a pet bird but you need to make sure that you make this decision carefully. Buying a bird that you do not have the time for will be a disappointment for both you and the bird and will not work out in the long run. Before you make your purchase, be sure that you will commit to caring for your new feathered friend and you will find that you have a wonderful companion.

Lee Dobbins writes for http://pet-birds.pet-breeds.com were you can learn more about birds and pet bird care.

Article from articlesbase.com

Bird Care : How to Make Bird Toys

Making your own bird toys saves money, recycles old materials and keeps birds occupied and engaged. Make homemade bird toys with tips from a bird caretaker in this free video on birds. Expert: Madeline Franco Bio: Madeline Franco has been working with birds since age 7, and is a work-at-home “Bird Mom” for approximately 30 birds. Filmmaker: Michael Burton

Bird Care

bird care

Winter Bird Care – Getting Your Back Yard Birds Through Wintertime

Many factors combine to make the winter months tough ones for our feathered friends. Food can be hard to find, as there is less of it, and what there is may be covered by snow and ice. The bushes and plants are mostly dormant, and for those birds that normally feed on insect, these too are are often hibernating or dormant, and certainly not available to eat. All this combines to make it hard for the birds to find food. Compound this with the fact that as warm blooded creatures they need more energy to simply stay warm in the wintertime, and you can easily see that this can be a time of stress.

A great source of high calorie, or high energy food is suet. Suet is raw beef fat, typically taken the animal’s kidneys and loins. Because of its high fat content it is very high in energy. It is often combined with some other high energy foods like nuts to make it very attractive to a wide range of birds, such as nuthatches, woodpeckers, wrens, cardinals, bluebirds. On the flip side, it can also attract squirrels and some pest birds as well, such as starlings. One thing many people so is use a caged feeder to discourage the squirrels from poaching the suet. Another thing to try with starlings is a suet feeder that only has a cage opening on the bottom, as they will not usually feed that way but many other birds will.

Suet usually goes through a process called rendering, which gives it the lard like appearance and an almost waxy like texture. It is usually shaped like a small block, similar in size and shape to a simple sandwich. It can be mounted in a feeder that simply hangs it on a tree, in cages that can be hung from tree branches, or there are some hopper type feeders that hold bird seed in the hopper, and have suet cages on the side, which can serve to feed several types of birds at one time.

Another popular approach is to use suet ball, which often have a string so they can simply be hung from tree branches. To keep pests away, one favorite trick is to flavor the suet with pepper. The pepper will discourage mammals like squirrel, but the birds are unaffected by the pepper.

The winter months also make it tough to keep water available to your outdoor wildlife. The cooler temperatures work quickly on devices like bird feeders since they are designed to be shallow, which means they will freeze up fairly fast. One way to deal with this is to buy a heated bird bath. But if you already have a favorite bird bath, another simple solution is to use a bird bath heater. This are simple coils, usually powered off the household current, and will have a thermostat built in so they will keep the water at a reasonable temperature will thawing it nicely for the birds to use.

Just a few simple ideas like this will help keep your local bird population healthy and ready to sing when the spring thaw eventually comes.

About the Author

To learn more about
suet bird feeders
and to see the various types of
bird bath heaters
, go to http://backyard-birdz.com

Bird Care : How Do Parrots Talk?

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Parrot Care

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How to Train a Parrot : How to Begin a Training Session with Parrots

Parrot lover shows how to begin a training session with parrots, and gives tips like: starting and ending training sessions with treats and a positive environment, in this free pet care video about training parrots. Expert: Elizabeth Cantu Bio: Elizabeth Cantu has owned and been working with birds since 1994. She works with an avian veterinarian on behavior modification on birds. Currently, she owns a website that designs bird toys. Filmmaker: julio costilla