Chocolate and pet care

May 18, 2012 in Pet Care

Hey we all love chocolate, if you own a dog or are a house sitter, doing some in house dog boarding, some sort of pet care then be careful as this may seem like a really nice treat for your pups they eat it up just as fast as you do, the problem is it could be really dangerous even fatal for your pet and I’m not just talking about cholesterol.

You might not feed your dog chocolate, but you also need to be careful of dropping pieces on the floor and also need to be aware of the symptoms should your dog have a reaction to chocolate.

The reason for dogs reacting to chocolate is because of theobromine which is a toxin to dogs. Theobromine is found naturally in cocoa beans and this is found in all chocolate. Another ingredient found in chocolate is caffeine and this is also very bad for dogs.

Factors that may affect how your dog is affected by chocolate are the dogs age, their health and weight. It does take quite a large amount of theobromine to be ingested by your dog to cause a reaction. This does vary though and some dogs are more sensitive than others. Certain types of chocolate contain higher levels of theobromine than others so the type of chocolate the dog ate can also be a factor white chocolate has smaller quantities with baking chocolate having the highest concentration.

Cats on the other hand don’t have a sweet tooth like humans and dogs and they are less likely to ingest large amounts of chocolate.

If the dog you are pet sitting has eaten a large amount of chocolate look out for vomiting, diarrhea the dog may become very thirsty, being very restless you may also notice bloating. As soon as you notice any of these symptoms you should contact your vet because the dog may develop seizures or slip into a coma, they can also have respiratory failure or cardiac problems and any of these could result in death.

Usually you’re the pet care treatment the vet will administer is induced vomiting and controlled fluid intake and they will monitor the pets heart.

If you are a house sitter, do dog boarding have a dog kennel or any other pet care related service it is good to note and be aware of the risks this tasty treat could have on our pets.

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Dog boarding in your own home

May 15, 2012 in Pet Care, Pet services

As well as having house sitters and dog walkers we also offer dog boarding, doggy day care and puppy day care, where the dogs get to stay in a loving home rather than a dog kennel, so  here at Buddy Pet Care we are always looking for loving homes that can accommodate on or two little dogs.

If you are an animal loving person with a animal friendly home and want to make so e extra money or just love having pets around then get in touch with Buddy Pet Care. We will send a representative round to check your home to make sure it is suitable, all you need is a garden, it doesn’t have to be the biggest garden your home only has to accommodate one or two small little doggies at a time, if you have a bigger property you could help with bigger dogs.

Your dogs need to get on with others as they will have friends around on a regular basis. We need to ensure the house is secure as we don’t want any pets getting out. So make sure they can’t get through the gate or that there are any holes in your fence.

Having dogs stay at your home is much better than having them stay at dog boarding kennels or a dog hotel, at your home you are there to continue giving them the love and attention they are used to, they also have freedom of the garden and a nice warm home to sleep in at night.

It’s really great having the dogs at your house for your dogs because they get to do some much needed socializing and for the other dogs for the same reason, you will see how they start to see your home as their second home and how they enjoy visiting.

I love having the dogs come through you do get attached to them and it’s always great to see them again when they come back for dog boarding.

Doggy day care is where the doggies can stay at your home during the day while their parents are at work, this is a great option for people who are working and feel bad leaving their dogs at home alone. Sometimes there is a puppy that needs looking after in the day for a few months till they are old enough to be left at home alone so we offer them the puppy day care service and it is far better than leaving them at a doggie day care facility with twenty or thirty dogs where your little one will not get the attention they require.

If you are in the Johannesburg North Area and would love to look after some doggies in your home doing dog boarding, doggy day care or puppy day care then get in touch with Buddy Pet Care.

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Collars for dog walkers

May 14, 2012 in Pet Care, Pet services

When taking a dog on a dog walk there are a few options for dog walkers when it comes to dog collars. Collars are not just important for dog walkers but also important for your dogs if they go missing and should have your contact details clearly labeled on the collar.

Choke collar this is a chain collar designed for use when training dogs, it helps teach dogs to walk on a leash properly, these collars are designed to tighten when you tug on the dogs leash. Slowly people are moving away from these collars as they can hurt your dog, if you do use one of these collars on your dog make sure you use it properly.

Metal prong collars they are exactly what the name says a collar with metal prongs that face inwards and go into your dogs neck and pinch them when you pull on their chain, dog trainers use these for more stubborn strong dogs, they are also known as pinch collars. Again I wouldn’t recommend these although there are many dog trainers who do, if you use them make sure you are careful with them and never leave them on your god when not training them or dog walking them.

Limited slip collars are a nice compromise for a dog walker they are a mix between a standard collar and a choke collar, they are usually made of nylon and have a chain at one end they do tighten when you pull on your dogs leash but they can only tighten so much so as not to injure the dog, they are great for training and for dog walking as they do tighten when your dog pulls and prevents them from slipping out.

Standard collars these are made of leather, nylon you name it they have studs and diamantes these days they have become more of a fashion statement, they are not really made for walking dogs, if your dog is well behaved and walks well then this collar is probably fine otherwise make sure you have a limited slop collar when you go for a dog walk.

Head collars these look like a harness you would put on a horse, they go around the dogs nose and mouth, they are also a training tool and work by turning the dogs head when they pull so as to try and discourage bad behavior.

Harnesses these go around the dogs chest, shoulders and back with the leash attached at the top by the dogs back, some people would rather use harnesses because their dogs pull and they don’t want to choke their dogs, the problem with this is harnesses are made for pulling as the force is distributed comfortably over the dogs chest and shoulders so it generally helps them to pull the dog walker, it would be recommended to get your dog a harness if they are well behaved and walk well on a lead.

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Dog Hotel

May 11, 2012 in Pet Care, Pet services

We think Buddy Pet Care dog boarding is far better than any dog hotel!

Do your pets really like pet hotels, they are pretty much just glorified dog kennels.

They look nice to us, but are they any good for your pets?

What a pet wants when they are staying at a dog hotel or pet hotel is space to play and move around, they don’t want to be locked up in a room or cage all day with only a  hour to go outside and play, when these facilities are really busy sometimes they don’t even get let out to play at all.

They want love and affection like they get at home, does your dog hotel have enough staff to continue giving this to your pets?

With Buddy Pet Care your pets are living in a house with people so there is someone there all the time to give them love and play with them.

We only have a small number of pets at one house so it doesn’t get too crowded and we are able to look after your pets properly.

Your dogs are staying in a house with a garden that they can play in any time they want, not only when the pet hotel lets them out to play.

In our opinion a Buddy Pet Care dog boarding is a much better option than a dog hotel for your dogs happiness and wellbeing.

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Why Hire a Dog Walker?

May 10, 2012 in Pet Care, Pet services

A dog walker can help you out when you are busy working, fetching the kids from school taking them to soccer practice away on a business trip, generally dealing with life, trying to improve your own life, dog walkers can improve your dogs life.

You dog needs to get out on a regular basis to see smell and pee on more of the world.

Dogs by nature are adventurous and love explore the neighborhood or the nearby park, your dog only needs to go for a 30 to 45 minute dog walk, you will notice a huge change in their behavior.

Being kept in the yard all day can cause dogs to destroy your garden, chew your furniture, bark all day and all night, this is just them trying to get out their boredom or frustration of being locked up in the yard.

They need stimulation so going for a walk is like the best thing in the world for them.

So we know dogs need to get out for regular dog walks and you are busy with your life the last thing you feel like at the end of the day is taking your pup for a walk, that’s where Buddy Pet Care comes in we have dog walkers who take you dogs for their regular walks, they can walk every day, every second day, or maybe a couple of times per week, you decide. We take them around the block or to the local park for a run around and some socializing.

Your dogs will become much happier and healthier mentally, every one notices the change in their pets form regular dog walks.

Get in touch with Buddy Pet Care and see if they have a dog walker in your area, it’s the best thing you can do for your dog.

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What you really want in a house sitter

May 9, 2012 in Pet Care, Pet services

Buddy Pet Care house sitters don’t just look after your house, we look after your pets, people love their pets like their own kids they are part of the family, they sit on the couch and watch TV with us they sleep on the bed with us, at Buddy pet care we know and understand this.

In the past 20 years or so peoples attitudes towards their pets have changed drastically in the old days people used to lock their dogs up in the back yard and chain them to a tree, these days pets are more part of our family than ever.

When you go on holiday in the old days you used to take your dog to be locked up in a dog kennel, now days you get a pet sitter to stay at your home to look after your pet or you take your pet to a Buddy Pet Care dog boarding where your dog gets to stay in a sitters house not locked up in a cage like in a dog boarding kennel. 

You don’t want a sitter who throws water and feed in your dogs bowl and that is their idea of looking after your pet, you want a sitter who will play with your pets and cuddle with them like you do when you are at home with them.

You want a reliable house sitter who keeps you up to date with what is happening at your home while you are away, lets you know how the pets are doing with sms’s and you can contact any time to find out how things are going.

Buddy Pet Care we take care of your pets like our own they become part of our family, we have some great pet sitters with some excellent references, next time you go away get a house sitter to look after your pets.

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How to become a dog walker

May 7, 2012 in Pet Care, Pet services, Uncategorized

Here at Buddy Pet care we are always looking for more people who love spending time with pets, doing things like dog walking house sitting and in home pet care.

If you have some free time on your hands and would like to get outside and walk dogs for some extra money then this is perfect for you, you get a lot of exercise as well as get to spend some time with animals what a great way to make money, you could do dog walking full time or just a few times a week, you might only have one dog walk a day or seven it’s up to you.

Get in Touch with a company like Buddy Pet Care, make sure you have references of pets you have walked or been a house sitter or pet sitter for, you need to be in good health dog walking can be strenuous especially if you are doing a few walks a day.

When you first sign up it might take a little while to get work, as you will only be called when there is a person in your area who needs a dog walker but don’t worry work always comes along and once you start getting clients you will eventually have a few regular clients and it will build up to a nice number that you are comfortable with.

So if you are a reliable trustworthy person who loves pets and wants to spend time outdoors getting some exercise then email or call Buddy Pet Care and become a dog walker.

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Things to check when dog boarding your pup

May 3, 2012 in Pet Care, Pet services

Check out the facility first

If you are not allowed to see the dog boarding facility and all you see are their photos on the net then you are being ignorant, make sure the kennel really does look as good as the photos on line and those photos really are from that facility. If you are not allowed to see the kennel then they must be hiding something and I wouldn’t leave my dogs there.

Don’t listen to any excuses they make like for insurance purposes or the dogs get too noisy if you walk back there, don’t let your dogs go there.

If you go for dog boarding with Buddy Pet Care your dogs stay with a sitter in their own home and you can view the sitters home before hand, there are never too many dogs at one home because not only are the dogs living there but people are living there too so we make sure the dogs can get enough attention and things don’t become too crazy.

Cleanliness

Are the dog cages clean how is the smell? Does it look like the staff are making an effort to keep the cages clean.

Number of dogs

Make sure if they say the kennel caters for 50 dogs they really do and are not cramming 600 dogs in there, have a look over a long weekend or holiday that is when they are busiest, make sure the dog kennel isn’t taking too many dogs just to make extra money, this happens all the time. Are the cages big enough for the number of dogs they are keeping in the cages?

At a Buddy dog boarding home there is plenty of space the dogs have free run of the whole garden, make sure the sitter has a big enough garden for your dog to play in, it’s better than checking the size of the cage they will be kept in.

Identification

How are the dogs identified, you don’t want your dogs given to another family by accident or taking another dogs medication or them not giving your dog their medication. 15 white poodles or 7 border collies look the same to someone who doesn’t really know your dogs. This happens all the time.

If you board your dogs with a Buddy Pet Care sitter you don’t need to worry about this we only take a few dogs at a time in one home and the sitter knows your dogs like they are their own so there is no mix up with medication and food.

Play area

Does the kennel have a play area for your dogs to get let out in the day to play, even though I don’t think it is ideal to only have half an hour or an hour for your dogs to get let out in the day it’s better than nothing.

Once again wouldn’t it be so much better for your dog to have a the luxury of a Buddy Pet Care pet sitter home and garden to play in whenever they want, the whole day if they feel like it.

Staff

Are there enough staff on site to cope with all the dogs, do the dogs get much human contact, how many dogs can one person handle really?  10 dogs for one person would be reasonable and how much attention is given to those 10 dogs. Do they really get taken out for a play in the play area, some kennels when they are full are unable to do this and they just tell you they do.

With a Buddy Pet Care sitter you will never find 10 dogs in one home we only have a handful and the sitter can look after the dogs and keep giving them love and attention, you can be sure they aren’t kept in a cage the whole day, they are having fun in the garden with their friends like they should be.

Costs

Check the costs involved what they include and if there are any other services they may offer that might make your dogs stay more comfortable.

 

Check out all the options of boarding your dog before you board them, in my opinion there is only one option and that is to go with Buddy Pet Care, you can’t even begin to compare the experience of the two dog boarding options. A Boarding kennel really can’t compete with a Buddy Pet Care sitter and the comfort of their own home, but if you are going for another option make sure you check it out properly first for the sake of your best bud.

 

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Buddy Pet Care over the long weekend

May 2, 2012 in Pet Care, Pet services

Well the long weekends are over for now, here at Buddy Pet Care we were extremely busy with house sitting, dog boarding and doing visits to all our wonderful pets, our pet sitters did an outstanding job and had a blast doing what we love and that is looking after pets.

The word about Buddy Pet Care is spreading fast and we have got heaps of great new customers.

Our customers are extremely happy and grateful for the services we offer. It’s great to see all our doggies and pets returning for dog boarding and getting looked after buy out pet sitters on a regular basis and all the new dogs that are being looked after all the time as people find out about our wonderful dog boarding service and all the other great services we offer.

At my house alone we had 5 dogs lucky we have a big property, the dogs had a blast chasing each other around the garden the whole day pretty much every day, we also played fetch and this is a great game to play when you are looking after a lot of dogs because as long as there is one dog that likes to fetch then all the dogs get involved, you throw the ball and he will go and fetch it and all the other dogs will chase after him.

At night all the dogs cuddled up in their beds together like best friends and got ready for the next day of play, play and play some more.

We also looked after 2 little pups one was 2 month old lab named Rocky and a 3 month old Maltese named Snowy, we had to keep them separate from the bigger dogs but we did let them all get together every now and then for some socializing but kept a close eye on them. All the dogs were very well behaved and there were no incidents with fighting.

It is sad to see the dogs leave after a weekend of dog boarding, they have an awesome time at our homes with all their friends, we know they will be back soon, we can even look after them for just a couple of hours with our doggy day care service.

 I know our house sitters also miss all the pets they look after when it’s time to go home too, but all our customers know we are just a phone call away so if they ever need any dog walks from their favorite pet sitter all they have to do is pick up the phone.

At the moment Buddy Pet Care is just focusing on the northern suburbs of Johannesburg but we are getting a lot of requests for other areas, we will in the next 6 months or so be branching out to other areas so if you are one of the unlucky ones whose area we aren’t in yet, don’t worry before long Buddy Pet Care will have pet sitters in your area probably just around the corner.

 

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How to book a house sitter

April 30, 2012 in Pet Care, Pet services

If you are going a way for a few days and have decided to book a house sitter because you can’t bear the thought of leaving your pets at a dog boarding kennel, then here are the steps you should follow when booking with Buddy Pet Care.

You need to log on to our website www.buddypetcare.co.za, have a look at all our services, there is a list and when you click on the service you want you will see a description of what each service entails, you might decide you pets only need daily visits or you might opt for the dog boarding option.

When you decide on the option that would be best suited for you and your pets, click on the Find a Buddy link, alternatively you can call us on 073 004 3025 if you would like more information.

When at the Find a Buddy page you need to complete the form on the page specifying the dates and times you will be away, any special requirements your pets have as well as any other little things you will need the house sitter to do while you are away.

Once this is done press the submit button at the bottom of the form, a buddy representative will get back to you shortly.

We will send you a quotation for the pet care service if you are ok with this then let us know.

A free consultation with your house sitter is then made to make sure you and your pets are happy with the sitter, if you chose the dog boarding option then we arrange a visit to the pet sitters home so you and the dogs know what to expect when you are away.

Should you not happy with your house sitter or the person pet sitting we will arrange for you to meet with another sitter.

If you are satisfied with your sitter and with Buddy Pet Care pet sitters we know you will be, we send through your invoice and the disclaimer that needs to be signed and sent back to us along with proof of payment.

You then arrange with the house sitter a time for them to pick up the keys or for you to drop your pets off at the pet sitters home for dog boarding.

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