Pet sitters see a great deal of odd things.

If you’re a pet sitter, you understand what I’m speaking about!

Sooner or later, you’re bound to walk in on something awkward. You’ll also deal with clients who have some odd requests for their animals.

Plus, you just never know what the dogs as well as cats themselves will do!

I’d truly like to hear your funny, odd or uncomfortable pet sitting stories in the comments. I understand you have them!

The complying with are a couple examples some pet sitters showed me.

When an additional pet just shows up in the house

Crystal Stemberger of Crystal’s relaxing care was hired to inspect on two cats after their normal home sitter fell through.

“I didn’t get to satisfy the cats in advance,” she said. “It was a last-minute hire.”

On her very first visit, she stated she saw a “streak of black as well as white” run past her with the feline door as well as a “fat, happy, gray feline waiting to be fed.”

She filled up their bowls, cleaned their litter boxes as well as went on her way. The next day, she didn’t even see the black-and-white cat, just the gray one.

Then, on the third day, there was the gray feline together with an orange feline waiting by the food dishes.

“At this point, I was extremely confused as well as texted the owners,” Stemberger said.

She asked, “You have two cats, right?”

The owners stated yes, they had a gray feline as well as a black as well as white cat.

“So who is this small, orange tabby?” Stemberger asked.

The owners responded, “We don’t understand that one! Please get it out of our house!”

Stemberger eliminated the orange feline a lot more than once, however he kept coming back.

Eventually, the household ended up adopting the orange tabby.

“His persistence as well as wonderful temperament won them over,” she said. “His new name is Crasher as in ‘party crasher’ considering that ‘free meal’ didn’t roll off the tongue.”

You’ve seen everything if you’re a pet sitter

Katie is the co-owner of a pet sitting service as well as stated she as well as her service partners have seen sufficient to compose a book. (She asked me not to utilize her genuine name).

For example, one of her clients insists the pet sitters speak to her plants to make sure they are “happy as well as content,” Katie said. “And we requirement to step them to a new place if we sense they are depressed.”

This client has a nanny cam to make sure whatever occurs precisely as she wants it, according to Katie.

But that may be nothing compared to a specific longtime, midday client.

This client was going with a divorce from his wife, Katie said. A pet dog walker would go to his home everyday at the exact same time, Monday with Friday.

“One day she walks in, as well as he is in his boxers as well as nothing else as well as he is enjoying porn on his laptop,” she said. “And he acts totally shocked to see her. Really?”

‘Special’ diets

Many of you understand I am a pet sitter with my service Run That Mutt.

A couple of years back I shown up at a new client’s apartment. I observed a strong odor before I even got to her door. She was the owner of two Yorkie mixes.

The dogs just keep getting sick, she explained.

Then she went over their schedule, describing that they were not housebroken yet as well as that I must expect them to poop in the apartment. (She’d had them a year.)

For their meals, she instructed me to provide them Kentucky Fried poultry twice a day as well as showed me the red, family-sized bucket. I likewise observed a plate of dried up Kraft mac as well as cheese on the floor, untouched.

Please provide them bottled water, she said. The tap water is just “too difficult on their bit systems.”

Getting locked out of the house

Jess Harris was pet sitting one of her regulars, a shiba inu named Teddy.

Teddy might be a bit destructive if enabled to roam in the home alone, Harris said. One morning, Harris inadvertently locked herself out of the home (a pet sitter’s worst nightmare, right?!).

As she sat at the front door waiting on somebody from the business to find with the spare key, she realized Teddy was alone doing who understands what to the house.

“Frantically trying to figure out a method to distract him, I let out a bark with the front door,” she said. “He ran to the front door, barking at the ‘dog’ on the other side.”

She stated she kept barking at him to keep him distracted from destroying the house!

“It worked like a charm, however people walking by most likely believed it rather odd to see some random woman at their neighbor’s front door, barking at her dog!”

Unwanted gifts

Brooke increased was pet dog sitting a friend’s pet dog named Huck, as well as she stated Huck showed up on the back deck with a “detached” deer leg in his mouth.

“I have no concept if the golden retriever ripped the leg off a carcass himself or just discovered the leg, however I was at a overall loss of what to do,” she said.

In Tahoe, it’s not strange to discover a deer carcass right here as well as there, according to Rose.

I have to say, I’ve never had that experience with Run That Mutt!

OK pet sitters as well as pet dog walkers, I want to hear your crazy stories now. I understand you have them!

in some cases I assist out at the weekend adoption events for a regional canine adoption group called Labs & much more Rescue.

I go to the events, held in a car parking great deal of a sporting-apparel store, as well as hold the leash of one of the dogs for adoption.

On Saturday, I was paired up with this canine named Rocko.

He didn’t get adopted, however a great deal of people admired exactly how adorable as well as friendly he is as well as commented on his soft, chocolate fur.

Rocko didn’t have a foster house as of Saturday, so he’s been staying at one of the regional boarding facilities until he either gets embraced or somebody volunteers to foster him.

Interested in adopting of fostering Rocko?

Rocko is up for adoption with Labs & much more in San Diego. He is a 2-year-old lab mix who seems quite great with dogs and extremely wonderful as well as affectionate with all people.

Rocko will sit for treats as well as takes them extremely carefully from your hand. He likes to sit close as well as likewise seems to like tummy scrubs as well as cuddles.

More information here.

Will you share this publish as well as assist Rocko get noticed?

Sign as much as get training suggestions & much more in my regular newsletter:

What are you working on with your dogs ideal now?

There’s always something, because as you know, training never really ends.

Some new pet dog owners seem to be under the impression that training ends after the pet dog passes beginning obedience classes or after the pet dog completes six sessions with a personal trainer.

But pet dog training never ends.

I have taken my pet dog to obedience classes for at least one session a year for the last seven years. We’ve repeated the “novice” obedience class about five times. It’s not because we’ve failed the class. It’s because there’s always a lot more to learn.

The majority of the pet dog owners in those classes are capable of teaching the class themselves, even if they don’t consider themselves professional pet dog trainers.

Even pet dog trainers area always training their dogs. even pet dog trainers take their dogs to obedience classes.

Not that obedience classes are for everyone or that classes are the only way to train a dog. They’re not.

Almost each day I practice training with my 8-year-old pet dog Ace.

[check_list]

On walks, I reward him for heeling and “watch” for making eye contact.

I walk at different speeds and change directions and reward him for following along. often I run with my dog.

I encourage him to stand on different surfaces and obstacles like park benches and to climb up low trees.

I show him new tricks like “get your leash” and “catch!”

I’m always taking Ace to new places and events like different coffee shops.

I’m always introducing him to different dogs so he can maintain his social skills.

[/check_list]

I don’t know how lots of thousands of hours I’ve spent training my dog, but it’s never something that ends just because he’s reached a certain age or because he’s mastered a certain number of commands.

With dogs, there’s always another challenge. It’s one of the things I love about dogs.

There’s always a goal. always a reward. always a lot more to learn.

What are you working on with your pet dog ideal now?

Let us know how old your pet dog is and how long you’ve had him or her.

Get That Mutt’s newsletter in your inbox:

expert pet dog fitness instructors tell me it’s a lot more crucial to tire out my pet dog mentally vs. physically.

More than one told me my weimaraner Remy should only need 20 to 30 minutes of exercise a day (Ha! great one!), as well as that I must focus on technique training, impulse manage as well as puzzle toys.

These are all excellent suggestions, but I put physical exercise very first for a lot of dogs. particularly a high-drive, working pet dog like Remy.

Remy is a pet, however he comes from a line of dogs bred for serious hunting as well as endurance.

So as soon as we get up in the morning, we walk.

And a number of times per week we either run, head to the pet dog park or hike. We work on obedience training regularly, however we walk every single day no matter what.

Training as well as policies as well as impulse manage as well as socialization are important, however exercise makes the most difference for the largest portion of dogs.

When I utilized to volunteer to take shelter dogs to adoption events, I took pleasure in handling the a lot of “challenging” dogs with poor reputations. They were always well behaved for me, not since I’m an remarkable trainer however since I took them running ideal before the event!

These dogs showed no indication of obedience skills, however they might behave in public just since they’d had a possibility to shed off some anxiety as well as energy. I don’t indicate running them to exhaustion, I indicate just running with them for 30 minutes.

When we lived in San Diego, I took Remy to the country for the 4th of July. I got to see my exercise approach in action.

We spent a week with household on their ranch as well as camping in the mountains. Remy got to be off leash the majority of the time. We hiked for 10 miles, as well as he got to run as well as play with other dogs. Simply, he got to be a pet dog without the limitations of our normal (at the time) city life.

Once you eliminate all the additional energy from my dog, he’s a different guy. Calm. Easygoing. Doesn’t nip, jump or run off.

As a country dog, Remy did not obsessively eat dirt or pieces of trash or try to pick up rocks like he performs in San Diego. He voluntarily took naps outside and even put himself to bed by retreating to his open kennel.

The difference was unbelievable. My dog’s true character lastly got to emerge.

“Yes, I’m a great dog,” he told me. “I want to be with you. I’m not as brave as I pretend. I’m not very assertive. I just don’t understand exactly how to manage my energy.”

Of course, Remy was likewise worn out from satisfying new people as well as dogs plus all of the new sights, smells as well as experiences. He had a great mental workout.

But you might nearly see the energy kick back around him after just one afternoon off leash—freedom to run as he wished, make options as well as just be a weimaraner.

And then we returned to the city with all the limitations of metropolitan life, as well as I looked for methods to continue that flexibility for my dog—more exercise, fewer boundaries.

I even chilled out my rules.

Does it truly matter if my pet dog walks at a tight heel? Not really. Does it matter if he sits completely in front of me when called? Nope.

But will he stick near me as well as not run off? will he pay interest when I state his name? Does he prevent conflict with other dogs? Can he manage himself in new situations?

Perhaps these are the training ideas that matter a lot of no matter where we live.

And believe me, I’m all about training. This entire web site is mainly about pet dog training!

I’m just trying to state that often the option to a issue is a great deal easier than we make it.

Remove the anxiety as well as energy as well as you’ll eliminate the behavioral issues too.

Sometimes it’s a lot more complicated, of course. Often, it’s not.

A tired pet dog may or may not be a great dog, however he’ll have an much easier time being himself.

That’s all I’m ever truly looking for. just letting my dogs be dogs.

Do you have a similar technique to exercise as well as training?

Or do you see it differently?

Let me understand in the comments.

-Lindsay

Update: Since this publish was written, my pet dog Remy has been training for long-distance running. He’s a much happier pet dog now that he’s discovered his true work. He is a great deal like the “country-dog” version of him I described in this post.

2nd update: We’ve transferred to a a lot more rural area as well as it’s much much better for Remy as well as I!

Also, say thanks to you for supporting That Mutt on Patreon.

Related posts:

How to online with a hyper pet dog in an apartment

Putting in the work: any type of pet dog can be a great dog

“Active Mutts” is a weekly collection of readers’ dog photos.

Anyone can join and share their outdoor pics from anywhere in the world. just tag with #ActiveMutts or send to me at Lindsay@ThatMutt.com.

Each week I do a “challenge” that some choose to participate in (optional). last week the challenge was to walk or hike with a buddy!

This week’s challenge: Take your dog somewhere the two of you haven’t gone yet this spring.

Your ‘Active Mutts’ pics from the last week:

Baxter. follow Bax & his owner @Homeon129Acres:

Kaya and Norman. follow them @MyTwoPitties:

Suki and Diva:

Buzz and Missy. follow them @K9sOverCoffee:

My dog Ace & his buddy Boomer. follow us @ThatMutt:

This week’s challenge: Take your dog somewhere the two of you haven’t gone yet this spring!

Who’s in? let me know in the comments!

Sign up for That Mutt’s weekly newsletter here:

UPDATE: The winner has been selected, and the successful Kickstarter campaign is over.

One of my readers has volunteered to have 20 pounds of balanced blends raw dog food shipped to someone interested in feeding raw.

The reason this person decided to do this is because one of the common barriers to feeding raw dog food is cost. we all know commercial raw dog food costs more than dry dog food.

You may remember I featured balanced blends on my blog last month.

Balanced blends is a new raw dog food company that delivers frozen raw diets, and the company ran a Kickstarter campaign through may 27 with promotional discounts on its food.

The Kickstarter campaign is designed to give pet owners a chance to order the food at an “early bird” rate. (Balanced blends is a fully funded company.)

The Kickstarter campaign is a promotion where pet owners can:

1. Pre-order raw dog food and raw cat food at a discounted price + free shipping.

2. receive an extended special rate for up to six months.

Would your dog like to try raw food?

The reader I referred to above already donated $90 for the pre-order Kickstarter campaign which ended up equaling 20 pounds of raw chicken. This also includes a six-month special offer to receive 25 pounds of food for the price of 20.

Both the 20 pounds of raw food and the six-month special offer will be transferred to one lucky reader of That Mutt.

[quote_center]Any time I can really introduce someone to the benefits of raw, I like to jump on it, and this seems like a good way to me.[/quote_center]

“Any time I can really introduce someone to the benefits of raw, I like to jump on it, and this seems like a good way to me.”

I thought this was very generous.

How to enter the giveaway

This giveaway is designed to help someone get started with raw food if cost has been a barrier.

*The winner has been notified.

If you would like to be considered in this giveaway, you can do one of two things:

1. Leave a comment below that indicates your dog would like to be considered. No need to explain why.

2. Or, you can email me privately at Lindsay@ThatMutt.com and I’ll enter you in the drawing.

I’ll choose one winner at random on may 28, which is the day after the Kickstarter campaign ends. must have a mailing address in the contiguous united states to win.

Would your dog benefit from raw food?

Let me know in the comments.

*Thank you to the reader who volunteered to donate this offer. This person chose to remain anonymous. Balanced blends sponsored my original review post last month.

AddThis Sharing ButtonsShare to FacebookFacebookFacebookShare to TwitterTwitterTwitterShare to PinterestPinterestPinterestShare to MoreAddThisMore

Today we’re welcoming a new addition to the PetMeds team:  meet our Art Director’s new Shih Tzu puppy.   The new pup reported for work for the very first day yesterday!

Julie is still thinking about the best name for the new puppy.  Her first thought was the name Chloe, but the new puppy made it clear that was not her true name!  Currently, her name is tentatively “Daisy.”

Here is the new pup with her big brother, Buster.   It looks like Buster is not too sure about the new youngster! What would you name the new little girl?

Finally, this is the best time to introduce our new Pet Parenting ideas feature.  We’ll be sharing helpful little ideas with you about caring for your own pet dog or cat.

Pet Parenting idea #1: start your new puppy off right.  get your puppy used to regular managing and grooming from day one.  gently touch your puppy’s mouth, ears, paws and nails, tail, and belly. If you begin early, your pet dog may actually learn to take pleasure in tooth brushing, nail clipping and grooming.

There are all sorts of scenarios where dogs really lose it and bark like crazy, so it’s hard to write about barking in general.

For this post I’m focusing on when you’re home with your canine or in the yard with your canine and he barks because he sees, smells or hears something.

If you’re searching for suggestions on how to stop a canine from barking when home alone, see this post.

And as always, I’d love to hear your ideas because it’s not like my suggestions are going to work for every single dog.

This post is sponsored by green Bark Gummies.

Tips to stop a canine from barking at home

1. keep your canine on a leash.

I don’t imply all the time, just when you know he’s likely to bark.

You ought to know what his “triggers” are by now. If not, make a list.

Keeping your canine on a leash when you know he’ll be tempted to bark will limit his freedom, making it simpler for you to avoid him from barking or to re-gain control if he does start barking.

If your canine is on a leash, he’s less likely to charge the window or the fence or the door.

For example, even if you have a fenced yard, you can still take your canine out on a leash. Really, it’s OK. ?

2. block your dog.

If you know your canine is about to bark, step between your canine and the set off and gently claim the space or get your dog’s attention so he looks at you.

3. use treats and ask for a easy command.

While holding treats best to your dog’s face, ask him to do something easy like “sit” or “down” and reward that behavior.

Keep gratifying the calm behavior for a few seconds or minutes.

If needed, you could put your canine in a down/stay on his canine bed or at your feet for a few minutes. just don’t use it as a punishment; praise him for being calm.

Keep in mind, the treats ought to be good enough to interest your dog.

Green Bark Gummies is a sponsor of That Mutt, and I’ve been using the company’s treats lately for training Ace.

He is nuts over them, and that’s essential with training. You have to find something your canine really loves, whether it’s cheese, ham, hot dogs or whatever.

I think all dogs will love green Bark Gummies, plus they’re made with healthy ingredients, including chia. You can read much more about the company in my review post here.

Did that sound too simple?

Good. It ought to be. just having a clear plan and remaining consistent can really make a difference no matter what you’re teaching. If you repeat the above every day over several weeks and months, I think you’ll make some major progress.

A few much more ideas

Won’t the treats just ‘reward’ the barking?

No. You’re gratifying the “sit” or the “down.” Then, as your canine remains quiet and calm, you would continue to reward that with treats or praise. You’re gratifying good behavior.

Sure, some dogs will learn they can bark once and then run over for a treat. You would just want to learn to time it better so you’re getting your dog’s attention best before he actually barks. Then, slowly increase your expectations.

What about scolding the dog?

I’m not against telling a canine no, believe me. but what I’ve discovered is that it doesn’t work so well when the canine is either in a fearful state of mind, very thrilled or possibly protective.

Telling him “no” just doesn’t do a whole lot. let me know if you agree with me on that.

Plus, I don’t recommend scolding a canine who’s reacting out of fear. Instead, calmly show the canine a much more suitable behavior.

What about anti-bark collars?

Sometimes barking is a major issue, and you have to get it under control for various reasons. avoiding eviction, for example.

Anti-bark collars do work, assuming you purchase a high-quality product that’s triggered by the vibration of the dog’s vocal chords and not just sound. how terrible would it be if your canine were corrected whenever your other canine barked? This shouldn’t happen if you have a high-quality collar.

Like all tools, they’re an option for the best situation, and you ought to know why your canine is barking in the first place. I wouldn’t put an anti-bark collar on a canine who’s nervous or scared.

Final thoughts – all dogs learn at their own pace

If you have any ideas or questions about barking or anything else, let me know in the comments. If I don’t have an answer, hopefully someone else will.

What suggestions do you have for stopping a dog’s barking?

Xander the pitbull and Neco the husky love their sugar cookie shampoo. They also love their between Baths Spritz.

“I’ve also never heard them complain about their Maverick collars or Ombre beds,” said their owner Jammie White.

Pet boutiques are not just for small dogs.

Jammie’s fancy Paws boutique carries collars, leashes, pet dog coats, pet dog shampoo and dozens of other products.

“A lot of people are under the impression that pet boutiques are only for small breed dogs and that boutique owners own smaller breeds,” Jammie said. “But that is not the case at all.”

Jammie said she loves all dogs but tends to favor the larger breeds.

“No infraction to all the charming shih tzus out there,” she said.

But shih tzus have little reason to feel offended.

If you browse through fancy Paws Boutique’s web site, you will see dozens of small pet dog products such as raincoats, sundresses, harnesses and bejeweled collars.

Fancy Paws boutique is a place where dogs of any size (and their owners) can shop.

Not all products fit larger dogs, but Jammie said this trend is starting to change as makers realize big pet dog owners also like to spoil their pets.

To make shopping easier, big pet dog owners can browse through the special big pet dog clothes section. Some products do slip through the cracks so it’s always good to check the other categories as well, Jammie said.

Dog products online

Fancy Paws boutique is special because its customers are not just customers, Jammie said.

For example, one customer’s daughter wanted a new carrier for her Yorkie puppy that was not provided on fancy Paws, Jammie said.

“He sent me a picture of what she wanted and I tracked it down for them and added it to my selection so he could get her exactly what she wanted. How’s that for customer service?”

Jammie gets to interact with her customers often, as she does everything from creating the site to selecting what products to sell to answering questions.

Her passion for animals, combined with her desire to start her own service gave her the idea for fancy Paws. losing her office job last year was all the encouragement she needed to dedicate a lot more time to her online business.

Dog clothes and accessories

One of the best sellers at fancy Paws boutique includes the between Baths Spritz, Jammie said. The Charleston Quilted snuggle Bed, the army green Fleece Hoodie and the Hex Martingale Collars are also popular.

“Other products such as our carriers and feeders, along with some of the designer pet dog beds are not ones you will see on just any boutique site,” Jammie said.

For dogs that live in places like Fargo, she suggested the Doggyback jacket pack which comes with a part that can be warmed in the microwave to keep dogs extra cozy. For larger dogs, Jammie recommends the Polar Fleece coat or the brown Plaid Fleece Coat.

And for gift ideas, check out the day spa travel and gift sets and of course gift certificates.

Save on pet dog products

Anyone interested in shopping at fancy Paws boutique can receive 10% off through October by using voucher code B2S10 during checkout as part of the back to school special.

For a lot more savings, check out the photo contest where one winner per month receives a $10 gift certificate. Or, sign up for the fancy Paws boutique newsletter to view highlighted products, upcoming sales and even pet dog training tips.

Free pet dog day spa set

Jammie was great enough to offer a complimentary pet dog day spa Take Out set to one lucky That Mutt reader.

For your chance at winning, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post about which fancy Paws boutique product is your favorite.

I will pick a winner at random Oct. 6. good luck!

This was a paid web-site review.

When your pet dog is reaching 10 years old, you start to think of all you’ve been through together.

With Ace, I have so lots of memories.

Like the time Josh and I took him on his first camping trip. In April. In Minnesota.

It was 2 degrees Fahrenheit that night in Itasca state Park, something close to a record low for that date. I’d only had my pet dog for three weeks and already he was sleeping in my sleeping bag. This wasn’t to spoil him but to keep him alive!

Or, not too long after, when Ace ran with me in a 5-mile race in Fargo. He was figured out we were going to win that race!

And how he checked out my grandma in the nursing home, sat near her bed one night while (I realize now) I was really telling her goodbye.

He was with us on the shores of Lake remarkable when Josh asked me to marry him. Later, he was at our wedding ceremony.

I’m not sure I can count all our camping, boating and hiking adventures in Minnesota, North Dakota and California. Or how lots of times he dove head first into any body of water.

We brought him into Canada, to Thunder Bay, and back.

He went tubing with me in Detroit Lakes and we lost his tennis ball. another weekend, he swam for nearly two hours as my pals and I played frisbee in the lake. We could touch the bottom; he could not.

And not only these things, but my pet dog led me to start a business, a blog, to follow my passion for writing, pet dog training and pet dog rescue. He introduced me to pet dog agility. He’s helped me make and maintain pals I would never have even met otherwise (you know who you are).

He forces this introvert to leave her apartment! OK, the couch, even.

Thank you, Ace.

I’m so thankful for this dog.