Make Mine Chocolate Campaign

Every Easter many children get pet store rabbits as Easter gifts. Soon after, the shelters are flooded with calls because the children don't play with the rabbits and they don't want them anymore. Make Mine Chocolate is a campaign reminding people not to give rabbits as gifts and buy chocolate rabbits instead. You can "like" them on Facebook and spread the word here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Make-Mine-Chocolate/342712376109?ref=ts&sk=wall.

If you have older children who are able to be gentle with animals and understand that most rabbits don't enjoy being picked up, a rabbit may be a great pet. There are several rabbit rescues in DFW area that are at full capacity and could use your help. They would love to adopt out rabbits to good homes and are happy to teach you what caring for a pet rabbit entails. Even though they are small, they are just as much work as a dog or cat. With proper care, rabbits can be affectionate loving friends!

Wild animals need care too!

With constant weather changes and the continued destruction of land, mother nature needs help from you to care for her wild critters! This winter was hard for even many of the southern states so there was less growth of food for animals in the area. Even if you have a small space, you can help. My mom has an average house in the middle of the city but her back yard is a peaceful haven for many wild critters. She tells me that they are her pets too. Because of all the new construction in the area, animals are being run out of their natural homes. Rabbits, hawks, squirrels, butterflies, hummingbirds, and even ducks are showing up in areas they wouldn't normally. Setting up your yard for the animals is pretty simple and even better, is that when you plant the native plants for the wildlife, you save on water bills too!

Even Florida got hit hard this year. If you go to the store, you may notice that sunflower seed has almost doubled in price. This may mean that people who normally feed the birds, can't afford to feed them anymore. However, growing sunflowers in your yard is easy. Pick a small space in your yard to grow the sunflowers. Once they finally grow seed, they may hang down and not look as pretty, but it is a lot of fun to watch the birds hang upside down and eat from the flowers. You could also harvest the seed and put it in a feeder.

There has been a reduction in butterfly populations because of construction and also because of chemicals used on our lawns. Butterflies need host plants to feed on as caterpillars and nectar plants to feed from as adults. Each species prefers different kinds of plants. The Dallas discover gardens is always offering classes about how to fix your yard up to attract the butterflies and not use poisons. Check out a list of events here: http://texasdiscoverygardens.org/upcoming_events.php. You can also download an app for your smart phone to take a garden tour here: http://texasdiscoverygardens.org/index.php

The DFW Wildlife Coalition offers presentations to groups on how to coexist with animals in the city. If you are interested in scheduling a presentation for a group that you are a part of, check them out here: http://www.dfwwildlife.org/wildspeak.html

Just a reminder: Even though animals are coming to our yards to feed, we must remember that they are wild and should stay that way. The more natural we make their food sources, the better. We should not feed them by hand. We don't want them to become too comfortable with humans as there are still people who will hurt them.

If you have any questions about setting up your yard, let me know. If I don't know the answer, I will find out!

Good Vs Bad Dog Play

Sometimes dogs can get a little too rough and the slightest move while playing can break out into a fight. There are signs to be aware of in order to prevent a fight before it starts. Do you know the difference between good and bad dog play? Sometimes the signs are subtle. Check out this video to learn more!

Do you know how to read your dog's body language?

Do you know how to read your dog's body language? What about your kids? Learning how to read a dog not only helps you with dog training, but it also keeps you and your children safe!

Many times, warning signs are subtle and you need to know how to recognize them. Did you know that not all dogs who wag their tail are happy? Once your learn the warning signs, you can use them to make decisions on how to act. There are many calming signals that you can use.

Check out this video on dog body language and stay safe!

Advice from your Lewisville Dog Walker

No matter how well behaved your dog is, you should always keep it on a leash when you are in public. Besides the fact that it is the law, it keeps your dog safe. What if something happens to scare the dog and it takes off running? I have a recent example of that. I was walking a beagle in the park when we saw a cairn terrior. Being the friendly beagle that he is, he howled hello to the other dog. However, the other dog didn't think it was friendly and started running away. I hollered for the owners who weren't paying attention to their dog to go get it. If their dog had been on a leash, it would have stayed safely beside them and they would have realized what was going on. It was so easy for their dog to slip away from them since it was free.

Another time I was walking a small, harmless looking, rat terrior in her apartment complex. However, she is very dog aggressive. All of a sudden, a guy comes walking by with his pomeranian without a leash. The pomeranian got excited and wanted to come see us. I tried to stop the pup by hollering "no". However, the pom was coming up fast. The guy reassured me that she was friendly. He never thought that maybe my dog wasn't. I had to take swift action to ensure that the other dog wasn't nipped on the nose. I have had situations like this happen so many times.

Even if you have the best trained dog ever, please, don't assume that it is safe for them to be off leash. Besides, it's the law to keep our pets leashed at all times in public areas.

Pet Rabbit Tricks

I wanted to share Hershey's debut on youtube. She is still learning "in" but she is almost there. Hey, it count's as long as she is halfway across the line, right??? The video is a little dark, but you get the idea. I will try to get more videos of her soon.

Get Help for Your Agressive Dog Before it is too Late!

I am sad to find out that my friend's boston terrier was killed by the neighbor's German Shepherd yesterday. The neighbor was out of town and the GSD's were in their backyard. They broke a hole in the fence, reached in, and grabbed the terrier. Her dog was rushed to the vet and had surgery, but still didn't make it.

This tragedy could have been prevented. It is very important to get proper training for aggressive dogs. This may take time. I have a client with a German Shepherd who was dog aggressive for years. She hired a special trainer and worked with her dog daily. Her dog is now able to go to doggy camp.

Also, be sure your yard is secure and you have a strong fence. Try not to leave them out in the yard all day unsupervised as well. I have heard of cases where dogs were able to scale tall fences.

If your dog needs a trainer I am happy to help set you up with one in your area. I network with as many pet professionals as I can.

Advice from your Lewisville pet sitter

Spring is coming and the signs are already starting to appear. That means lots of baby bunnies!!! Because I am known as the bunny expert to most of my family and friends, I am often called because people are worried that a rabbit's nest has been abandoned. Usually, that is not the case. Because the momma rabbit doesn't want to draw attention to her babies, she doesn't hang out at the nest during the day. She will feed them at dawn and dusk but otherwise, you will not ever see her.

Sometimes I get calls because people are concerned that a rabbit is frozen. It is very common for a stunned rabbit to freeze for a bit. This actually may prevent them from having a heart attack. Rabbits can scare easily. A rabbit that is used to noises would probably just run away. However, sounds like dog barks and lawn mowers can be very scary to rabbits who aren't used to them. If you find a rabbit that is frozen, it is best to leave it and keep an eye on it. However, if you need to move it for it's own safety, go ahead. It is a wive's tale that momma rabbits won't go near their young after a human has touched it.

So, what do you do if you find out that a rabbit's nest really IS abandoned? Maybe the mom was hit by a car or attacked... Call the professionals! Rescuing a wild rabbit is not easy. Even I wouldn't attempt it. It is actually illegal to keep wild animals unless you are a liscensed rehabliltator. Also, they require a lot more attention than most people could give. It is better to let the pros do their job. If you are concerned about a wild rabbit in the DFW area, you contact the DFW Wildlife Coalition. You can read more about wild bunnies here http://www.dfwwildlife.org/cottontail.html

Advice from Your Lewisville Pet Sitter

Are your children really safe around your dog? Do they know proper puppy etiquette? Many parents tell me that their dogs are so sweet that they wouldn't hurt a fly, but we all have our limits. Even well meaning dogs can accidentally hurt a child. I have heard too many horror stories of dogs getting in trouble with the law because they hurt a child. I have also had people coming to me for help rehoming a dog because of problems with young children. The fact that toddlers are low to the ground, makes it more likely for them to get bit in the face if a dog gets irritated. The most common problem I have heard of is children reaching out to pick up a dog's toy and the dog getting mad. Another issue when children continue to play rough and dogs just get tired of it. Many times puppies who just want to play might mouth with their sharp teeth (please do not allow your pups to do this to you because it isn't cute as they get older)  or a puppy might accidentally knock a child down. It is very important to teach our kids how to avoid these situations before something happens. I am happy to help with ideas and suggestions if you need them!

Advice from your Professional Lewisville Dog Walker

Do you really know how to greet a dog? You might be surprised that you are doing it wrong. While I was on vacation, I read a book that was recommended by one of my wonderful clients, The Other End of the Leash by Patricia McConnell. She pointed out that most people tend to pat dogs on the top of the head. This can be percieved as a threat or an insult to a dog. If you observe dogs when they greet other dogs, you will notice that they usually approach each other from the side and don't look directly at each other. Some dogs may tolerate the pat on the head, but a much more polite approach is to allow the dog to sniff you and THEN pet them. Don't just shove your hand in their face. If a dog wants attention, they will approach you. Give them time to log your smells.  Let them make the first move. If they indicate that they would like affection after that, you may now offer pets but you should still avoid the head.

If you want more information on the way dogs interpret the world, I highly recommend: http://www.theotherendoftheleash.com/

From Your Lewisville Pet Sitter & Dog Walker

Pet Pampering Plus is starting a blog! Here we will share information on pet care, nutrition, or maybe just a funny picture or video. Please check back often to see what we have to say!