Paw Power

Celebrate 4th of July in Gardnerville

6/30/2015

Celebrate the 4th of July in the Reno/Tahoe area with any of these events!

4th of July at Artown
Free Evening Concert and Fireworks
Wingfield Park
July 4, 2015
7:30 PM - After Dark

Star Spangled Sparks
Victorian Square
July 4, 2015
4:00 PM - 11:00 PM

Genoa Americana Celebration
Mormon Station State Historic Park
July 4, 2015
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Fourth of July on the Comstock
Virginia City
July 4, 2015
Noon - After Dark

Red White and Tahoe Blue
Incline Village/Crystal Bay (North Lake Tahoe)
July 4, 2015
Events going on all day

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The weekend we left our pets at home. Alone.

3/15/2015

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Our family prepared for a trip… We did not plan on anyone coming to our house while we were gone to check up our pets. We left extra food and extra water in their bowls thinking that it would be enough to last them the weekend. We have two cats named Mickey and Ramsey and a dog named Bob. They normally all get along. So we packed up our luggage, got into our vehicle, and left.

Our kids were jumping in their seats with excitement to see their loving pets that they missed so dearly. As we made our way to the door, we were not expecting the sight that we would see on the other side. When we opened the door we all stopped in astonishment. It looked as if a tornado had blown through our house. The curtains were in a pile on the floor, the couch cushions had been chewed to bits, and the carpet was full of stains. As we slowly made our way to the kitchen we were in for another surprise. Their food dishes were empty but the bags of food were tipped over and the food was scattered out all over the floor. It also appeared that Bob had gotten into the garbage and dragged it all around the house. There still had been no sight of any of our pets though. We searched all around the house and finally found them on our son’s bed; all three of them snuggled in together sleeping. It took hours to get the house spotless again.

As we were preparing for our next trip we knew that there was no way that we were going to leave our pets unattended again. A friend suggested we call Pet Sitters Plus, and we did. On our trip we had no worries about our pets because we knew that they were in good hands. When we got home it was as if we had never left.

Contributed by the WG Business Engagement Program.

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Thankful for our pets

11/27/2014

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As the temperatures drop and the skies darken, we look for things to hold and things that will comfort us. Our pets take such good care of us; they give us much to be thankful for.

Thank you:

for being fuzzy and soft
for noticing when I come home from a long day at work
for cuddling with me
for forgiving me
for sitting by my side
for purring
for chirping
for walking with me
for encouraging me to pick up my pace
for making me slow down and look at the little details
for keeping me in my routine
for making me laugh
for keeping me stable
for being a friend
for being my family
for giving me memories
for annoying my friends with cute pictures that I can't help but post on Facebook
for reminding me to be playful
for making me have fun
for watching out for me
for loving me

Pet Sitters Plus is so thankful for the time we get to spend with your wonderful dogs, cats, birds, horses and more. Give your pet an extra hug (from us) today!

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Become a Pet-Sitter!

7/31/2014

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A profession for pet lovers!

If you are charmed by all things furred, feathered and finned, this is the profession for you. As a professional pet sitter, you will care for people's pets while they're away, either for the day or for longer periods of time like during vacations or business trips. Pet sitters play with their charges, feed them, brush them, and possibly give them medication or injections. They often offer other services to make life easier for their customers, like cleaning up accidents and changing cat litter boxes, bringing in newspapers and mail, watering plants and taking out trash.
This article was excerpted from Pet Businesses, a startup guide available from SmallBizBooks.com.

With the tools and consultation available with Pet Sitter Plus, you'll be well on your way to turning your love for pets into a flexible job and then a booming business!

How much money can I make as a pet sitter?

So how much can you earn? It really depends on where you're doing business and how many visits you can make in one day. Here's an easy way to estimate what you might make. Using a figure of $16 per visit, which Jerry Wentz, the president of the board of directors of the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters, says is the national average for pet sitters, determine how many visits per day you think you can handle. Let's say you can handle eight 25-minute visits a day.

Here's the math:
8 visits x $16/visit = $128/day
$128/day x 5 days/week = $640/week
$640 x 50 weeks (two weeks off for good behavior!) = $32,000/year

Bump that up to 10 visits per day at $18 a visit, and you'll earn $45,000 per year. Ad two more visits per day at the same rate, and you're up to $54,000. Incidentally, it's customary to charge an additional $1 to $3 for each extra animal in the same household, which of course would improve your bottom line.
This article was excerpted from Pet Businesses, a startup guide available from SmallBizBooks.com.

The numbers above are great for a one-person show. We're going to show you how to expand that so you have your own TEAM of dog walkers and pet sitters!

Let's get started!

I want to start my own Pet Sitting Business!

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Starting a Business: Pet-sitting, working with dogs and cats

4/29/2014

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Working with animals is extremely rewarding, but you probably already knew that. Running a business that helps pets and pet owners can easily provide a steady income, and we've made the process easy.

Check out our turn-key operation, from flyers to contracts to employee time sheets.

We also offer phone training if you need some extra coaching to get started!

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New Year's Resolutions - For Your Pets Too! | Pet Sitters Plus

1/16/2014

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With the New Year rolling around, many of us make New Year's resolutions - about exercising, dieting, career, and keeping finances in order, and so on. Pet Sitters Plus encourages all of you pet owners to include your pets in your New Year's resolutions.

Is your pet overweight from Holiday scraps and slumber?
Are there health issues to attend to with your dog, cat, bird, or other animal member of your family?
Can your pet(s) join you in your new exercise regimen (or vice versa)?
Is your pet's oral hygiene as good as it should be?
Have you considered "teaching your old dog new tricks"?
How much regular time do you have set aside to spend "quality time" with your pet(s)?

Pet Sitters Plus has found a good resource online from PetMD.com for New Year's resolutions to consider for your pet. The title of the article "Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions for Your Pet (and You)."

Find out how Pet Sitters Plus can help you both set and fulfill your New Year's resolutions for your pet(s). Our services, for example, can help with medication, exercise, tips and training.

Visit our Pet Sitting Services and "Let's Get Acquainted."

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Pet Sitting and Care for Thanksgiving & the Holidays | Pet Sitters Plus

11/15/2013

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Tis the season for Thanksgiving travels and holiday shopping. Fall is coming to a close. Winter is upon us. How will you make sure your pets are happy and taken care of while you're away for Thanksgiving or on long holiday shopping excursions? If you're at home entertaining guests for the Holidays, you are probably cooking and serving lots of food, and your pets start begging. Do you know which "human foods" are not healthy for them? As the days get darker and colder, how will you make sure that they will be healthy and happy?

Pet Sitters Plus has a few handy tips to consider for your animal companions while away for long periods of time, as well as while at home entertaining guests with lots of food:

Know how to choose the right pet sitter for you while traveling or on long shopping excursions. Read the blog Choosing a Pet Sitter for handy tips and guidance.
Human foods to avoid feeding your pets: Xylitol - If you're using xylitol as a sweetener, remember never to let your dog have a taste! Xylitol is poisonous for your dogs. Dark chocolate - Dogs are usually sensitive to chocolate. Click this link to read about the 12 Most Dangerous 'People Foods' for Cats and Dogs to avoid feeding your pets. Also, remember that most of our furry companions don't know when to stop begging. Don't over indulge them. Poinsettias - not edible for humans either! Don't let the dog eat the poinsettias!
Keeping your pets safe and healthy: Last month's blog Pet Tips: Protecting Your Pets in the Winter are still valuable to ensure your pets' health and safety throughout the 3-4 months.

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Pet Tips: Protecting Your Pets in the Winter | Pet Sitters Plus

10/30/2013

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Technically, it might still be Fall, but Winter has arrived in Northern Nevada. It's always a quick changeover, so don't forget to be quick about winterizing your outdoor pet area. Pets might have fur, but they're not equipped to handle prolonged exposure to the cold and wet months.

Pet Sitters Plus has a few handy tips for keeping your companion pets safe and warm over the winter:

Keep Them Cozy And Warm - Winter clothes look cute on our dogs on a walk or out a, but they don't really help for long periods outdoors or around town. And cats? They usually don't really like that whole 'sweater' thing. Let your pets back into the house as soon as they're done with their business outside.
Clear A Path - Snow, ice, branches and leaves can all block access to outdoor food and water dishes. Check them daily if you have an outdoor pet.
Sleeping In The Doghouse - If your canine is not an indoor one, make sure they have appropriate housing outdoors. Enclosures should be dry, draft-free and small enough to conserve body heat. A small platform, a few inches off of the ground, can also make a cozy sleeping pallet.
Soft Kitty, Warm Kitty... - If you have a cat that can't stay indoors, or care for stray or feral cats around your home, think about creating a small wind shelter for them near the feeding spot.
Check Your Engine - Cars provide great shelter from the elements, especially the rain and snow. Warm engines can also be very enticing to an animal looking to take the chill off. Look underneath your car and bang on the hood a couple times to scare them off before starting your engine.
Watch The Chemicals - Antifreeze is notoriously sweet, tempting and toxic. Please make sure you keep your antifreeze stored properly and clean up any spills. (A 2-inch layer of cat litter for about 30 minutes is one very effective method.) Road salt or melting chemicals can also be harmful to their soft paws or mouths. Wipe their paws off with a soft dry towel when they come inside.

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Pet Tips: A Little Breathing Room

8/28/2013

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The Rim Fire near Yosemite National Park in California has been producing a lot of smoke, blanketing much of Northern Nevada and creating an unhealthy air quality, due to the particulate matter in the air. Recent reports indicate that it may be weeks or months until the fire is controlled and contained. People have the option of wearing breathing masks and avoiding the outdoors, if we so choose; but our pets - not so much! The following pet tips can help your companion animal weather out the the hazy days of fire season!

Keep pets indoors. If you don't want to go out, or have a sore throat, headache or watery eyes - chances are they do too. Walk them around the inside of the house, or on a treadmill if you have access to one.
Run the AC. It might be a little expensive, but the AC unit helps filter the air coming into your house.
Watch for signs of irritation. The most common health concerns as a side effect of forest fire smoke are inflammation of the eyes and inflammation of the nasal passages. Ocular symptoms include squinting, red coloring or blotching on the whites, discharge coming from the eye and pawing or scratching the eyes or rubbing them on furniture. Respiratory symptoms can include labored, shallow or fast breathing, sneezing, wheezing, abnormal stretching of the neck, nasal discharge, coughing.
Watch for signs of smoke inhalation. Smoke inhalation symptoms occur when not enough oxygen reaches the brain, toxins are present in the air or small, fine particulate matter irritating eyes and lungs. Symptoms include: disorientation, fainting, coma, sleepiness, seizures.

Hopefully these pet tips can help you and your pet weather the fire season until we get to the crisp cool air of fall!

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Choosing a Pet Sitter

8/1/2013

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We don't always have the choice of taking our pets with us - to work, on vacation, or on an extended hospital stay. Lots of situations are not designed for companion pets to be with us. Picking a pet sitter can be tricky and somewhat anxious! You want to know that your faithful companion is as well cared for as when you are around.

And let's face it, even if you have friends or roommates you feel comfortable asking to take care of your pets, you don't always want to impose on them. That leaves choosing a pet sitter. There are a some questions you should ask when looking at all of your options:

Is this sitter reputable?
Can they accommodate the dates and times you need care or coverage?
How much experience do they have with different animals, health conditions or varieties of temperments?
Are they licensed and bonded?

If you choose Pet Sitters Plus as your companion pet's caregiver, you know that we bring a depth of experience, training, licensing and safety with us. Your pet will be taken care of to your specifications, whether that is feeding and cleaning up after a cat, walking a dog, or spending some cuddle time with a needy animal. Don't be afraid to be too picky when choosing a pet sitter - this is a member of your family. Make sure it's the kind of care you want.

If you are interested in becoming a pet caregiver or starting your own business as one, you can contact Pet Sitters Plus to find out all you need to know - from forms, to licensing and even to networking and building your client base. Our consultations are one-hour phone consultations for $40. This is one hour that could change your life and have you working for yourself in a very short time!

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Debra,
Pet Sitters Plus

I live in Gardnerville, NV and have owned my own pet sitting service since 1994. When I first entered this field there was not really anyone to turn to for help. Help on how to grow the business, no specialized forms to make life easy and no one to share the dos and the don'ts. No one to call. So I had to learn and create all my own stuff from scratch. I learned a lot of stuff the hard way. Well after 18 years, I have grown Pet Sitters Plus to well over 600 clients. I have created my own forms and have trained others in how to start, run and be a successful pet sitting service.

Pet Sitting Tips & Topics

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A profession for pet lovers!

How much money can I make as a pet sitter?

Debra, Pet Sitters Plus

Pet Sitting Tips & Topics

Debra,
Pet Sitters Plus