The Pet Nanny Diary

FINALLY a new post!!!!!

2011-10-19T13:26:00.000-07:00

Hello all my furr gaurdians, I hope all of you are very well and your "kids" are happy and healthy. It's been such a long time since I've sent out a blog I don't think an apology is sufficient. It's just been really busy and I guess my blogging mind decided to take a LONG vacation. But I'm back and hopefully my blogging brain is back in sync.

BIG CHANGE FOR SVPN!

First lets start with a BIG change in the way SVPN does business. We have decided to streamline our request process by only having requests from new or existing clients come in via e-mail or through my secure form on my website. With the number of sales calls we get each day it was a daily battle to make sure my landlines voicemail was cleaned out so clients could leave messages. The last time I checked my land line voicemail there were 24 calls, only 2 from clients and the box was full...that was only after a day and a half!!!! So, we have disconnected the land line in hopes that this will allow us to get your requests and reply to them in a much more timely manor. This is no way means you can't request a phone call! In the secure request form located on my website there is a section that asks how you would like to be contacted, if you choose by phone myself of Nanny Chandel will respond to you. This will also make sure that we have documentation of your request which will help us out tremendously. If you have any questions regarding this new change please feel free to email me and I will get back to you ASAP.

BACON UPDATES

It's been quite a while since I gave everyone an update on Bacon. He has turned into a BIG kitty and he has to be one of the craziest kitties I have ever been around. I'm convinced that he has his own vocabulary and will answer me when I ask him questions. Not just like a normal "meow" it's like he's saying yes or no...it's really funny!!! No matter how much I spend on him as far as kitty toys goes he still only enjoys the rings from the water bottles and random pieces of plastic from packages that he manages to find. I hung a hummingbird feeder outside my living room window and he just doesn't know what to make of the little birds that come to feed. I think he can't figure out if they are bugs or birds, but he jumps on his perch and watches them intensely with an occasional chatter. He still enjoys his cat tree that his Grandma and Grandpa bought him, but he has also decided that every laundry basket in the house belongs to him as well as my bed. Here are a couple of pictures of him in his favorite spots. Also, remember Bacon has his own Facebook page...just search under Bacon Henderson and send him a friend request, even friend requests from your furr kids!!!

HALLOWEEN PET PHOTO CONTEST

If you're anything like me you love to torture your kids once a year by dressing them up for Halloween. Well, "People Pets" is hosting a photo contest where you can submit your pets in their costumes. Not sure if there are any prizes BUT your pet will be featured on the "People Pets" website which I think is pretty cool and your pet will think it's cool too! Come on...all of our furr kids are stars in their own way and this way they can be a star world wide!!!!

http://www.peoplepets.com/people/pets/upload/0,,20532107,00.html

BLACK CAT PARENTS BEWARE!

Halloween is a fun time of the year where witches and goblins come out and roam the streets looking for treats, but it's can also be a scary time for you beloved black kitties. The SPCA puts out yearly warnings for all guardians of black cats and even dogs to keep them inside during the week of Halloween. These animals are more at risk of being taken and tortured than any other color of animal. Your kitty might put up a fuss if he/she is used to being outdoors, but it's better that they are safe than at risk.

MMMMM, HALLOWEENIE STOUP

I always try to throw in a holiday recipe that you may try for your pooch or kitty, and who better to get the recipe from than Rachel Ray! She posted this recipe that I'm sure your pups will love during the cold, (well, maybe cold) days closer to Halloween.

Ingredients

1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
1/4 head green cabbage, shredded
1 - 2 carrots, grated
1/3 cup green beans, (a generous handful) coarsely chopped
1 pinch ground turmeric
1 beef frank, sliced
2 cups chicken stock or water
1 cup cooked rice

Preparation

In a medium, deep skillet, heat the olive oil, one turn of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the cabbage, carrots and green beans and cook until slightly softened, 4-6 minutes. Add the turmeric and cook for another minute. Add the frank and cook until heated through; add 1 cup chicken stock and cook for 3-4 minutes. Stir in the cooked rice and the remaining 1 cup chicken stock.

Voila your pup has a lovely Halloween feast that...well...we would probably eat!!!

FIDEAUX PET BOUTIQUE

Time for a shameless but earned plug! My Cousin and his wife own two pet boutiques and have recently created an online store!!! I couldn't be more happy for them, and wanted to pass along their information to all my furr guardians. They have a great selection of dog and cat toys along with unusual gifts that you might not have ever seen! If you're looking for a gift for your "kid(s)" this Christmas season please take a moment and look at their site. http://fideaux.myshopify.com/collections/dog-toys

OOGY "THE DOG ONLY A FAMILY COULD LOVE"

I stumbled upon this wonderful and inspirational book by accident. Just the cover caught my attention and I immediately picked it up and read the inside cover. It's a story about an Argentine Dogo who was used as a bait dog in a dog fighting ring. He was discovered and left at a local animal shelter where he was taken in and cared for. The dogs had ripped his face apart and left him without a left ear and half of his left jaw. A family happened to walk into the shelter and fell in love with Oogy and adopted him. It was the best thing they have ever did in their lives. Here is a clip from the owner and I hope you're able to purchase or download this book because it is truly heartwarming.

http://www.amazon.com/Oogy-Only-Family-Could-Love/dp/0446546305/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1319151365&sr=1-1

There is also a YouTube video on Oogy:

http://youtu.be/Yfvxk_n6lgA

GOODBYE MY FRIENDS

We have lost a lot of good friends over the past couple of months and I wanted to send a heartfelt goodbye to two of them. Cisco and Gershwin were two wonderful pups who had been a part of the SVPN family for many years. Gershwin was blind from a very young age, but that never stopped him. He could get around just like he had 20/20 vision and loved his spider stuffed animal. Cisco was cared for by Nanny Chandel and she said he was such a sweet old guy and she misses him very much. Unfortunately this is the part of being in the pet care business that is the hardest...losing a friend, but we are also happy that we had the opportunity to know these wonderful kids and to care for them when their parents were at work or out of town. If your furr kid has taken the trip over the rainbow bridge and you would like me to mention them in upcoming blogs please send me an email and I will make sure to mention them. I unfortunately do not have a picture of Cisco, but here is a picture of the lovely Gershwin sporting his smile.

HOLIDAY BOOKINGS

The time is upon us my furr guardians where the holiday booking requests are starting to flood in. If you need visits over Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Years please make sure to book as soon as possible. We hate having to turn our family members away, and unfortunately we cannot clone ourselves, so if you have plans...even if they are tentative please call and reserve your spot.

Well, I guess that's all for now...I think I need to get my blogging chops back up!!! I wanted to thank you all for being apart of the SVPN family and allowing us to care for your wonderful kids. Until next time give your kids a hug from all of us, and we hope you have a happy and SAFE Halloween!

Where has the time gone?????

2010-12-15T09:26:00.001-08:00

Hello all my furr guardians out there! I must apologize for the HORRIBLE lapse in my blogging...I just don't know where the time goes sometimes! WHEW! Well I wanted to make sure to at least get out a Christmas blog if for nothing else to thank all of you for allowing us to care for your beloved furr kids for another wonderful year. I wanted to also send my deepest sympathies to you furr guardians who lost your friends during 2010...as most of you know I was among you in this and know how hard it is to lose such an important part of your life.

Well, it's nearly 2011 and so much has happened this year for your loyal pet sitters. I'm pleased to announce that in 2011 we will be doing one more expansion into the Los Gatos/Santa Cruz area. I have a crack team of pet sitters raring to go and we will be marketing to those areas in January.

THE BACON CHRONICLES

Bacon to say the least keeps me on my toes...that little boy is a riot! He has decided that my Christmas tree is his favorite jungle gym and has flattened the bottom of the tree. While I don't want to encourage this behavior I have to admit that it's difficult not to laugh. Here's a picture of him looking VERY guilty as he continues to trash my lovely Christmas tree. We discovered that if we throw his toy monkey it would get him out of the tree but then he decided that it would be MORE fun to attack the tree WITH his monkey in his mouth, so now we find his monkey hanging out in the tree. It was REALLY funny to watch the FIRST time! My poor battered tree, I thought I might be able to get one more year out of it, but Bacon had a different opinion.

He has also decided that when the bed is being made HAS GOT to be a game, and not I find it difficult...no, more like impossible to make the bed without having to make it with him in it. He is getting so big now...where did my little baby go and who is this big BEAST of a cat who replaced him. He's actually one of the coolest kitties I've ever encountered and keeps the laugh riot at an all time high around my apartment.

He also has his own Facebook page now and he would LOVE to be friends with all his SVPN furr guardians. You can find him under Bacon Henderson and he's sure you will enjoy his status updates and photos.

REMEMBER THE LESS FORTUNATE FURR KIDS

As always Silicon Valley Pet Nanny will be making a donation to 13th Street Cat Rescue at the end of this year, and it made me think about all the furr kids who don't have forever homes. I wanted to thank all of you who have made a conscience effort to adopt homeless furr kids and to truly thank all of the wonderful people who donate their time and efforts to help place these homeless furr kids and keep them warm and fed until they find their forever homes. I know the economy is hurting nearly everyone right now, and donating money is tough, but please remember that you can also donate towels, unused food, and of course your time to any of these wonderful non-profits.

http://www.13thstcats.org/
http://www.hssv.org/howtohelp.html

Any help you can offer would be greatly appreciated by these and other non-profit agencies.

DOES YOUR KITTY HAVE A DRINKING PROBLEM?

Many of my clients have expressed worry regarding their kitties not drinking enough water. Domestic cats need two cups of water a day, on average to stay properly hydrated. The moisture in canned food provides some water, however cats who consume strictly kibble diets may not drink enough water and are at risk of developing lower urinary tract disease, including bladder stones or crystals. Room-temperature water lingering in bowls may be ignored by some indoor cats. In response, pet product companies have designed pet fountains and faucet-mounted units that deliver fresh, flowing water to encourage cats to drink. Bacon has a water fountain and is always drinking from it.

8 ways to encourage cats to drink water:

Working with your veterinarian, consider switching to a canned food best suited for your cat's age, health and activity level.
Provide at least two water bowls in different locations.
Change the water in the bowls daily to keep it fresh.
Fill the bowl with refrigerated water.
Put an ice cube in the bowl.
Put a few drops of tuna water, chicken broth or clam juice in one water bowl.
Place a few drops of tuna, clam or salmon juice or chicken broth in water in ice cube trays and freeze. Put one of these ice cubes in your cat's water bowl.
Position the water bowl away from the litter pan.

FUN HOLIDAY STUFF

Well, I know this is probably too late for most of you who are on the ball as far as sending out holiday cards, but I thought this was really cool and heck you can always save it for next year.

Crunchy cards - "developed by vets, devoured by pets" is the tagline for Crunch Cards, a newly patented line of edible greeting cards for dogs! YES EDIBLE! Each 4-3/8" x 6-3/8" "greeting card" is made from a flat rawhide panel imprinted with non-toxic, water based ink. And, they come with a brightly colored envelope so you can send a bit of holiday cheer to all of your favorite hounds. $4.95 each. http://www.crunchkins.com/

Crafting for Canines - Crafting has gone to the dogs. Bowwowmeow offers a cleaver line of dog and cat themed crafts such as scrapbooking, met ornaments and kits to design your own collar, leash or bowl. The kits are fun and easy to use with kids or any dog/cat lover who wants to express their love through a home made gift. Prices start at $14.99. http://www.bowwowmeowstuff.com/

Lazybonezz - An innovative bunk-bed for multiple pets. Great for the city life, but also very functional and fun for any home. A set of three stairs with a textured surface on each makes this a source of entertainment as well as one of the most unique and beautiful products on the pet market. $499.00 at www.lazybonezz.com

WANNA GO GREEN?

I stumbled upon a website that I thought was pretty darn cool and with so many people trying to go green I thought it was interesting that there isn't much in the way of making our furr kids green too. This is what they write: "Hip Green Pet" is the first of its kind business, ALL (and only) USA made GREEN Pet Products. Every purchase supports animal and earth causes! In business not just because but for a cause, (many of them actually). Trying to do something better exclusively for Pets, people, the planet and peace. You can feel great about shopping at Hip Green Pet because not only are you reducing your pet's carbon pawprint but all products are non-toxic and completely safe for your pet, you and the earth. Each purchase gives back to great causes and supports other USA small businesses and families." I took a few minutes to look through their products and they have some COOL stuff! If you want to make sure even your furr kid is green check out this site, you'll be happy you did.

http://www.hipgreenpet.com/hgp/

IS YOUR POOCH BORED?

I thought this was really interesting...there is a product called "the DogBrick" which encourages your pooch, (or kitty) to strengthen their minds by "solving" complex puzzles. Basically it's a plastic board with sliding discs and by placing treats in the depressions under the discs your pup or kitty will look for the goodies by trying to pull the discs to the side with its nose or paw. Maybe I should get Bacon one of those because I'm convinced he's bored!

http://www.nina-ottosson.com/.

Well, I guess I will wrap this blog up and get ready for my day of visiting all my furr kids. Thank you again for being a part of the Silicon Valley Pet Nanny family and allowing us the special opportunity to care for your beloved furr kids. We wish you and your family a very happy holiday season and can't wait for 2011!!!

Make sure to give your furr kids a hug and a kiss from their loyal pet sitters!

It's been a WHILE!

2010-08-01T12:30:00.000-07:00

Hello all my furr guardians...BOY-OH-BOY your loyal pet sitter must apologize for the awful absence of my blogs! There is a lot going on in my world including a NEW MASCOT! Yep, I decided to bring on a new SVPN mascot and his name is Bacon. Bacon you ask? Well, here is the story on my new best friend. He was found at 2 weeks old in a box abandoned on the street. He was COVERED in fleas, his poor little paws were burned, (from the heat in the box) and all he had in the box with him was crumbled up bacon...hence the name. His rescuer didn't have much faith that he would make it, but he's a strong feisty boy and he pulled through just fine! He is an absolute LOVE BUG...well and of course a monster because he's a kitten. He has bunny like fur, seriously it's the most incredibly soft fur I've ever felt and I'm convinced he is part Maine Coon. He also FETCHES! Yep...I've never had a cat that played fetch, but Bacon does! I got to bring him home on my Birthday in June and he is now enjoying his life with me.

BISCUITS IN JAPANTOWN!

There is a new pet boutique in Japantown called "Biscuits". I popped in there this morning and not only is the store ADORABLE, but they are the ONLY place in San Jose who sells the "orijen" line of dog food (http://www.orijen.ca/orijen/about/) which they write "6 star organic dog food that probably trumps the fillet mignon you had last night" so it MUST be good stuff. They have an assortment of dog and cat toys and OF COURSE a line of Sharks gear for your favorite hockey loving furr kid! They have specialty pastries and always has a box of treats on their counter just waiting to be scarfed up by your furr kid. This is an AWESOME addition to the Japantown community and of course they will have a stack of our cards and brochures waiting for all their visiting furr guardians.

http://shopbiscuits.com/index.php
223 Jackson Street
San Jose, CA 95112
Tuesday - Friday 11am to 7pm
Saturday - Sunday 10am to 6pm

HOMELESS DOGS SAVE THE DAY!

Just another reason why animals are so special and even though they may be homeless they never let that dampen their love for people.

"When Georgia National Guardsman Chris Duke was serving in Afghanistan, he made friends with the locals - stray dogs Sasha, Target and Rufus. "A lot of us used the three of them as an escape when you're homesick," Duke said. But, as CBS News national correspondent Jeff Glor reports, the dogs did much more than keep him company. "I firmly believe I wouldn't be here today if it weren't for him," Duke said.

On a February night, a suicide bomber tried to get into Duke's barracks, but the dogs began barking and biting the intruder. The attacker blew himself up before he could kill 50 soldiers inside. Sasha was severely injured and had to be put down, but Rufus and Target were both nursed back to health. Duke returned home a month later - the dogs had to stay behind.

As another soldier kept an eye on the dogs, Duke wrote a letter to a veterans assistance group called "Hope for the Warriors." In the letter, Duke requested bringing the dogs home to him. "This was going to mean a lot to him," said Robin Kelleher, President of Hope for the Warriors. "So whatever we needed to do to get this wish done we were going to do that." Other organizations heard about this story, too. A Facebook page went up, and raised $21,000 in less than 3 months - enough for the dogs to leave Afghanistan.

This week, Rufus and Target finally arrived in the U.S. Today, in Atlanta they were reunited for the first time with Duke and his wife. Target will live in Arizona with another soldier, while Rufus will stay with the Dukes. "To think that I'm going to have him for the rest of my life - it's exciting," Duke said. Exciting because he knows he wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the dogs. Now they wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Duke."

What an absolutely LOVELY story...good going Rufus, Target and Sasha...you're true hero's!

YOUR PUP WANTS TO BE A GANGSTER!

There is this company that I stumbled upon that offers custom collars and harnesses for your pup. The company is called "Gangs Of New Yorkie" and they will create a leather collar or harness with your pups name on it, you can even pick from four different types of fonts titled "Notorious, Shine, Ice and Pound" and 19 different leather colors. If nothing else you should take a minute to read their story...it cracked me up.

http://www.gangsofnewyorkie.com/shop/

SEND A LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT TO HELP HOMELESS ANIMALS.

Freekibble and Tails Media Group are partnering up to ask their fans to log on and send out a pre-written letter addressed to President Obama. This is what the letter says, and I'm encouraging all of you to take a second and be apart of this letter writing campaign.

"Dear President Obama,

Too many homeless animals in the U.S. live out most of their lives in shelters without even knowing the love of a family of their own. According to national studies, 6 to 8 million cats and dogs make their way into shelters each year, and 3 to 4 million of these innocent creatures are euthanized annually, losing their chance for human affection forever.

These four-legged citizens cannot ask for your protection, so I am asking for them. Please declare April 30th, National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day as a way of giving homeless animals the national recognition and caring homes they deserve.

Thank you for all that you do for this nation's animals.

Best regards,

Betsy Saul"

Freekibble also received a donation from Halo, Purely for Pets, where they will donate a nutritious meal to shelter dogs and cats for each email - up to 50,000 meals!

Thank you Freekibble, Tails Media Group, Halo and Betsy Saul for caring so deeply for our four legged furr friends and for all of you that take a minute to be a part of this campaign.

http://www.freekibble.com/lettersforpets/

THE TOP 25 PET RELATED WEBSITES!

I don't know how I stumbled upon this, but I thought it was pretty cool. This is a collection of the top 25 pet related websites that are floating around out there in cyberspace.

Photo Sites

BirdCinema.com - A site for bird enthusiasts to upload and share videos.
CuteOverload.com - As the name implies, nothing but cuteness resides here.
FunEPets.com - Share photos and videos of your pets for others to enjoy
Icanhascheezburger.com - One of the most popular blogs on the web right now.

Social Sites

Aquariphiles.com - An online meeting place for owners of all types of fish
Catster.com - Post pictures and facts of your favorite cats, find adoption agencies and more.
DoggySnaps.com - Upload, share, and comment on photos of dogs
Dogster.com - A dog blog, pet of the week up for adoption, send messages and more.
Fuzzster.com - The place for people to create profiles for their pets and for the owners to meet.
MyCatSpace.com - A social site for cats of all shapes, sizes and breeds.
MyDogSpace.com - Upload pictures of your dogs, meet other dog pals, start a doggy blog.
PetOwnr.com - Post pictures of your pets, share information, browse others.
Vivapets.com - Create pages for your pets of all kinds dogs, cats, birds, more.
Zooclub.de - Create a website for dogs, cats, birds, reptiles, fish, horses and more.

Voting Sites

Pikapet.com - Vote for cutest pet pictures and videos.
Puppywar.com - Vote on which picture is the cuter dog and disgrace the loser.
Unitedcats.com - Upload photos of your cat, make a page for them, let people "pat them."
Uniteddogs.com - Make web pages for your dog, upload up to 50 pictures, let people vote on them.
Worldwidefido.com - Upload photos and videos of your dogs for people the world over to vote on the cutest and funniest.

Miscellaneous sites

DateMyPet.com - Online dating site for people who want to be upfront about "date me, date my pet."
MatchMyPet.com - A site for matching pet breeders, finding pet communities, pet listings and more.
Equilink.com - Search engine for all kinds of equine information.
MedHelp.org - A place to ask questions and get medical advice on your pet.
PawSpot.com - Exchange pet sitting services with other users.
PugSpot.com - A site specific to all things related to the Pug breed.
Sittercity.com - Site for helping you locate pet sitters for when you're away.

I had fun checking these sites out, (well, I haven't gotten to all of them yet) and thought my furr guardians would too.

BECOME OUR FACEBOOK FRIEND

Well, okay, it's not much of a page YET...but hey, I'm working on it. Well, I take that back...my "Manny" Ryland will be working on it, and I'm sure he will do a bang up job!

Just do a search for Silicon Valley Pet Nanny and BAM...you're not only one of our beloved furr guardians, but also our Facebook friend! You're welcome to post photos of your furr kids, non-furr kids, leave messages...really anything you would like us to know.

Well, I guess that's all for now...I have to go exhaust some of Bacon's energy so I can actually SLEEP tonight. :o)

I apologize to you all yet again for the time lapse in my blogging...it won't happen again! Thank you for being part of our extended furr family, give your furr kids a kiss from us, and I hope you and your family are enjoying the Summer.

Goodbye my friend

2010-05-24T14:09:00.000-07:00

Hello all my furr guardians, my apologies for the skipped month in my blog entries. May has been a very sad month for your loyal pet sitter. My beloved friend and SVPN mascot Blackjack had to be put to sleep on May 15th. It was a complete shock, as so many animals do he didn't exhibit any signs of illness until it was too late. He had severe kidney failure and unfortunately it was past the point of any kind of treatment. I was able to say goodbye to him and thank him for being such a good friend and loyal companion for the past 13 years. I know all of you will miss his sweet face on the holiday cards I send out, and I want to thank him again for putting up with that over the years. I know it brought a lot of joy to many of you. So, remember to hug your furr kids daily and give them extra treats and love because you never know when it will be your last day with them. I have been asked by many of you if there is an organization that you can donate to in memory of Blackjack, and although this is not necessary if you choose to honor him with a donation I would love for it to go to either 13th Street Cat Rescue or the Humane Society of Silicon Valley. Thank you for all your support, and although he's gone he will always be my mascot. Goodbye Blackjack, I will miss you always!

Did we have a February?????

2010-03-09T16:51:00.001-08:00

Hello all my furr guardians, how is your March treating you so far? Are you just as confused by this wacky weather as your loyal pet sitters are???? I don't know what happened to February! I had this entire Valentines Day blog planned with recipes and fun gifts for your beloved furr kid(s), but I guess I blinked and the month disappeared! Sorry about the missing month...darn those 28 day months anyway!

PENNY "HAPPINESS" THE PUPPY

So, I guess I will start this blog off by sharing some totally adorable Penny the puppy stories...although she's not such a puppy anymore! Penny's number one nickname from me, (she has many) is happiness because she literally is one of the happiest dogs I have ever been around. I asked her guardians if it would be okay for me to take Penny for a ride in my car on nice days, and they said "sure, she would love that". So, Penny and I took a ride around downtown last month, and she just sat in her seat "smiling" at every passing car or pedestrian. She made SO many people smile, and I told her "Penny, if only we could bottle your joy the world would be a better place".

She adores everyone and pretty much everything! She seems to melt the hearts of big burly construction workers and even makes little kids stop crying when they have fallen.

I took this video of how absolutely sweet and happy this girl is, and although I was talking to her while filming, this is pretty much how she is on a daily basis. Yeah...I HATE my job! :o)

FOR THE FASHIONISTA IN US ALL

It never ceases to amaze me when it comes to all the new pet products that come out, and of course I feel it's my duty to share them with all my SVPN furr guardians! So, check out these products for the "fashionista" in us all.

Yes, you can have hands-free fashion while you and your pup strut around in this:

http://www.theshabbydog.com/catalog/category/collarsLeads

Feeling a bit "goth", or want your furr kid(s) to be the hipster that they always wanted to be, well then check these tags out:

http://www.theshabbydog.com/catalog/category/collarsLeads

Although I'm not a huge fan of dressing our beloved pups up, I did think this was kind of cute, especially for going out on the town for Sushi!

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=41419050

Would you like your pet to sport a Benz? Well check out the plush "Furcedes" dog bed. Your furr kid(s) should always ride in style:

http://www.trixieandpeanut.com/product-45805-Fab-Furcedes-Pet-Bed

And of course, no self respecting furr kid would be caught dead without their pearls!

http://www.trixieandpeanut.com/product-67039-Big-Bling-Bone-Necklace

PET AMBER ALERTS

You never think in a million years that one day your beloved furr kid(s) may go missing, but if there is one thing I have learned after my 5 years being in business is that cats and dogs can be VERY crafty when it comes to taking a stroll on their own. Dogs can jump over or dig under fences, cats can squeeze out of TINY openings in windows or claw through screens and before you know it their gone. Most animals are terrified when they do get out and will normally stay close to home, but sometimes they are adventurers or are picked up by good Samaritans and returned home. But, what do you do if your beloved furr kid(s) go missing???? Well, did you know there is actually an "Amber alert" for pets???? I thought this was a really cool thing, and wanted to make sure to mention it.

http://www.amberalertforpets.com/

And if you're looking for something that is a bit more "high tech" I thought this was really cool.

http://www.blanketid.com/

This came up due to the heartbreaking signs that are covering the downtown/Japan Town area from a family looking for their kitty "Baby" who pushed out their screen and has been missing since February 6th. Please keep your eyes open when in the downtown area for "Baby"...her guardians are so sad and desperately want her back.

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/laf/1635057602.html

13TH STREET CAT RESCUES ANNUAL TEA

My friends at 13th Street cat rescue are hosting their annual "Tea" on May 1st and 2nd. It is a really fun event which includes a full afternoon tea at a historic private residence & San Jose landmark. The tickets are $25.00 each, and go FAST! Myself and nanny Katy will be there, as well as a auction including items donated by the friends of 13th Street Cat Rescue. It would be great to see some of you there!

http://www.13thstcats.org/info/display?PageID=8434

THE FUR BALL IS COMING!

Each year the wonderful Humane Society of Silicon Valley puts on the Fur Ball, a black tie event which goes to help the HSSV. It is a really great event, and you can even bring your pup!!!! The theme this year is "Top Hat and Tails" and will be held on April 17th. You can get more information by contacting Robert at (408) 262-2133 3xt 131, or rarmbrust@hssv.org. What an awesome opportunity to put on your best Hollywood style while supporting one of the best organizations around!

OSCAR THE BOXER

Some of you may have seen my past video posts of my favorite YouTube Boxer dogs; "Oscar" and I have been very sad that there has been a absence of new videos on his channel. Well, it seems that Oscar has a new baby Brother...of the human kind, and they finally posted a new video which I thought I would share with all of you.

SIMON'S CAT

And I leave you with the newest and always hilarious "Simon's cat" cartoon.

I guess that's it for now, and I will try very hard not to miss another month! Until next time, please give a kiss and hug to your furr kid(s) from myself, nanny Katy, nanny Chandel, nanny Jennifer, nanny Stacy, "manny" Ryland, nanny Laurel, and nanny Samantha.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

2010-01-20T16:09:00.000-08:00

Hello all my furr guardians, and happy new year to you all! WOW, can you believe it's 2010!!! I'm really looking forward to this next decade, and excited about all the possibilities it brings with it.

I wanted to make sure I send out my deepest sorrow for any of you with family or friends in Haiti, and to let you know that Silicon Valley Pet Nanny has made a contribution to the Red Cross to help it's efforts in helping the Haitian people recover from this devastating event.

RICOCHET TOUCHES MANY HEARTS

This is a truly amazing story, and reminds me that we should always try to find the positive in things that we wished would have went another way.

WE LOVE BOB BARKER!

Just another reason to adore the fabulous animal lover Bob Barker. Bob Barker recently donated 5 million dollars to the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, which named its new 1,200 ton anti-whaling ship The Bob Barker. Barker, a longtime animal activist, stepped up his efforts even more after retiring from his 35-year gig hosting "The Price Is Right". He met Sea Shepherd founder Paul Watson through a fellow animal activist and was instantly impressed. "He said he thought he could put the Japanese whaling fleet out of business if he had $5 million," Barker recalled. "I said, I think you do have the skills to do that, and I have $5 million, so let's get it on,' so that's what we did." Barker, 86, said he was "genuinely proud" to be associated with Sea Shepherd. And while the TV Studio where "The Price Is Right" is filmed is officially called the Bob Barker Studio, the veteran broadcaster said he's never had a ship named after him. So, in honor of the wonderful Bob Barker "please remember to spay and neuter your pets".

YEAH SETH!!!!!!

I am SO proud to say that our good friend Seth Casteel of Little Friends Pet Photography is making quite the splash in the Hollywood circuit! Not only has he had a couple of segments on the TV show Extra, but also finished a photo shoot of Perez Hilton's pup Teddy, (not to mention a hand full of other Hollywood stars).

I am talking with Seth about potentially making another visit to San Jose to take Blackjack's professional photos, (good luck Seth) and he may be open to taking on other photo sessions for some of my furr guardians...I will keep you up to date on this.

Seth is one of the most awesome people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing, and I can't think of anyone more deserving than he to make such an impact.

In case some of you haven't seen his heart touching volunteer work with Los Angeles animal shelters here is the video.

www.littlefriendsphoto.com
www.perezhilton.com

COOL RIDE!

I know a lot of you furr guardians like to travel with your furr kids, and many times it's via the air. Although we would love for you to leave your furr kids at home where their nanny's can visit them I thought this new product was pretty cool if you need to fly with your furr kid.

"Worrying about buying a carrier that will not fit under a plane seat is a thing of the past. Our patent pending folding system allows pets to travel in the largest space possible while the airplane is in the air, yet still allows for stowage under an airline seat turning takeoff and landing. When the captain says you can recline your seat, rotate the Sleepypod Air so it is between your feet and expand the ends so both you and your little friend can stretch out comfortably for the duration of the flight."

Pretty cool stuff if you ask me, and it's got all sorts of cool features like a car seat belt system that can work with lap and shoulder belts, a "trolley" pocket to secure onto other luggage, and large side pockets for travel documents. It also comes in some pretty swanky colors, so you can match your furr kids flight "hotel" with your own luggage.

Personally Blackjack would rather stroll into a room full of dogs than to fly, but they also have a line of other cool stuff that even He might be interested in, (I'm not holding my breath).

www.sleepypod.com

GIVING FEELS GOOD, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S $1 MILLION DOLLARS!

I constantly hear and read stories about animal loving people who do extraordinary things...some of them are hard to believe, but this is one of them that really took me by surprise.
A Denver-area dermatologist Leslie Capin set out to win the "all American Pet Brands' Cutest Dog Competition by entering her Chihuahua "Dr. Papidies". Her intentions was to win the $1 million dollar grand prize...no, not for herself, but with the intent of donating the prize to charity. She campaigned to patients, lobbied through Facebook and Twitter, and even faced allegations that she was lying about her charitable goal. "A lot of people got online and said, 'It's not true, she's going to buy a Mercedes'," she says. "But I answered them all and insisted it was true."

Well she went up against 60,000 other entries, and WON! After toasting the win with family and friends, Capin took the steps to set up a charitable trust to protect the funds. "There's an addendum that basically says should something happen to me, the trust will continue to give $33,000.00 a year for the next 29 years to the shelters I've chosen to help," she says. "Even if I change my mind in 10 years, I can't get that money!"

I must wonder how many people would do something like this, and just how absolutely wonderful Dr. Papidies and his furr guardian Dr. Leslie Capin is! You make this world a better place Dr. Capin!

I KNOW THE HOLIDAYS ARE OVER, BUT....

COOL POOP PICK-UP!

So, after nearly 5 years I think I have seen every gimmick, product, trend, etc and I rarely buy into them, but when I came across this product at PetSmart I took notice. I actually ended up buying two of these for for holiday gifts for my two weekly dog walking clients, and realized that I really liked the idea! Not only are they cool looking, but you can hook them onto your leash or belt loop, (like I do). The bags are also super great, probably the best I've ever used...and believe me I have used A LOT of poopy bags over the years. I personally have the Skull and Crossbones and the Pink Diamond bags, but there are so many fun and funky options...who knows I may have one for every day of the week! Check them out....

www.dogbag.com

Well, I guess that's it for now. I hope you all have a wonderful January, and try to stay DRY! To all my "new to California" furr guardians, I hope you enjoyed your first California earthquake!

Please give all your furr kids a big kiss from their nannies, and we look forward to seeing them soon!

Merry, Merry Holidays!

2009-12-19T12:33:00.000-08:00

Hello all my furr guardians, can you believe that Christmas is NEXT WEEK! I hope you have all finished your holiday shopping, and bought a special something for your furr kid(s). Blackjack has his stocking hanging up, and I have been getting a lot of funny comments about his 2009 holiday card photo. Believe me, it wasn't an easy task getting a good shot of him, but I think the final product represents just how mad he was during the shoot.

For all of you new furr parents who have recently joined our extended family of furr kids, here is his picture.

HOLIDAY HELP

Needless to say, we have had an avalanche of last minute holiday bookings, and I was lucky enough to bring on Nanny Samantha's Mom for some holiday help! What better person to be a SVPN Nanny than the Mom of one of our best! Her name is Kayne, (pronounced Cane) and her and Samantha will be acting as a duo this holiday season. She is a life long animal lover, and throughout the years have owned all sorts of furr kids and currently has a horse! She's awesome, and will do a fabulous job with your furr kids.

CHRISTMAS IN THE PARK

I hope that some of you were able to get out to take a look at our tree at Christmas in the Park this year. We had a great time decorating it, and I think it looks awesome! If you weren't able to get a photo over to me this year, please make sure to email one to me so your furr kid can be a part of our tree next year.

TOP 10 TIPS TO KEEP PETS SAFE

Yep, it's my annual tips to keep your furr kids safe and healthy this holiday season. Make sure to make a note of these very simple tips to ensure your furr kid enjoys the holiday with you.

Ribbon and wrapping supplies: to cats and dogs, that snowflake ribbon you were planning on using for a gift just looks like a toy. Make sure that you designate a special closet or sealed container to place wrapping supplies. Ingested ribbon can cause intestinal obstruction or bunching of the intestine, conditions that could be fatal. If you place gifts under the tree make sure that they are ribbon-free or wait until Christmas morning to put them out. Avoid tying ribbon around your pets neck for the same reason.
Chocolate, coffee, tea, grapes/raisins, xylitol: Chocolate, coffee, and tea contain theobromine, an ingredient that's extremely toxic to pets. Be especially careful of dark chocolate and unsweetened baking chocolate, which contain the highest doses of theobromine. Grapes are a common item on holiday cheese platters, while raisins often find their way into cookies and breads. Beware: both are toxic to dogs and can cause acute renal failure. Xylitol, a sugar substitute often found in chewing gum, and candies, is also toxic to dogs. As it gains popularity among the health-conscious public, it is also found in more homemade baked goods. It can cause vomiting, internal hemorrhaging, and liver failure. Be sure to place foods on tables and counters that are too high for animals to access. Likewise, don't place boxes of wrapped chocolate or food of any kind under the Christmas tree.
Raw dough/unbaked bread: Raw dough that contains yeast can "rise" once a pet ingests it, causing gas to build up in its digestive tract. Not only is this highly uncomfortable, but it can also cause the stomach and intestines to rupture from the pressure.
Antifreeze: During the cold months, antifreeze is often found dripping onto a garage floor or driveway. Just a lick or two could result in death for your pet. Although animals do find it tasty, even pets that don't "get into things" can walk through it and accidentally lick their paws. Antifreeze causes kidney failure and it only takes 1 to 2 teaspoons to kill a cat or a small dog.
Holly Berries and Mistletoe: All parts of the mistletoe are toxic, although the berries are especially bad for pets. Be careful that if you hang mistletoe from the ceiling that the berries do not drop on the floor. Signs that a pet may be suffering from mistletoe poisoning include vomiting, diarrhea, urinating more than usual, and a fast heart/respiratory rate. The same holds true for holly berries.
Christmas Trees (Cedar): Pets who eat the bark may come down with a stomachache, while the sap can cause an itchy skin rash. Tinsel is a bad idea, since much like ribbon, it can become stuck in a pet's intestines.
Poinsettias: They're festive, but the sap can cause blistering in a pet's mouth as well as stomach irritation.
Turkey/Ham/Fish bones: Never share these with your pets--they can splinter and cause intestinal tearing or become stuck in the pet's throat, resulting in choking. Choose a better alternative like a piece of rawhide or chew toy that is sold especially for pet consumption.
The garbage can: Items like raw meat, juice-soaked string used to tie up roasts, and plastic/foil wrap can have fatal consequences for pets if ingested. Raw meat may be infected with bacteria or parasites like T. gondii, E. Coli or salmonella, while string and plastic/foil wrap can cause intestinal obstruction or choking. Make sure your trash can has a tight-fitting, secure lid and is stored in a location that cannot be accessed by pets. Furthermore, keep a close eye on pets when cleaning up after a holiday soiree. Turning your back on Fluffy, even for a second, could spell disaster if she snatches those salmon bones and runs under the bed with them.
Tobacco products: You may not smoke, but what about your friends and family? If ingested, tobacco products can cause pets to seize, or collapse and die from cardiac arrest. Keep all tobacco products, (including patches, nicotine gum, etc) out of their reach and empty your ashtrays often since cigarette butts contain 1/4 the amount of nicotine present in an entire cigarette.

What do you do if you pet ingests something you suspect is toxic? You will want to call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. Established in 1978, the APCC is the only 24-hour, 365 day facility of its kind staffed by 30 veterinarians, 12 of who are board-certified toxicologists/veterinary toxicologists. For more information on potentially dangerous substances in the home or to reach the APCC, please call (888) 426-4435

SO HEARTWARMING

This just goes to prove that there are still some wonderful people out there in the world. We could all take something from this story.

"When family and friends announced they were hosting a bridal shower for Brynne Johnstone, 25, and fiance Andrew Salmon, 26, last month, guests asked where the couple had registered near their New Hampshire home. Their answer: Nowhere. Instead of mixing bowls and bread makers, this couple just wanted kibble...and a few more bits for needy pets.

"Between the state of the economy and our love for animals, we asked guests to bring gifts we could donate to the New Hampshire Humane Society in Laconia," Johnstone, who has volunteered there and also adopted three cats from the shelter, tells PEOPLEPets.com. "Andrew and I just built our dream house, and we have everything we could ever need. The Humane Society needs us, and it is the charity of our choice."

Johnstone and Salmon, employed by the Tilton, N.H., police department, were in awe at the response of their 55 friends during the four-hour, Nov. 28 shower. They received dog and cat beds and crates, food, toys and donations, ample supplies to help animals in need at this non-euthanizing shelter, one of the oldest facilities in the state.

"We were very excited and our friends thought the whole thing was so awesome they plan to do the same thing when they have birthdays, weddings and other occasions," says Johnstone, who shares four cats and a German Shepherd puppy with her fiance.

The positive reaction encouraged the unselfish couple to continue giving to the Humane Society. For their upcoming April 17 nuptials, Johnstone and Salmon will continue their creative pet philanthropy. Instead of spending from $300 to $500 for wedding favors, the couple will donate that money in the names of their attendants.

"There are so many better uses for money today than to buy things for people who don't need them," Johnston concludes. "I am glad others think the same way. I hope we have started a trend that will benefit animals. Helping them have a better life makes me so happy!"

WOW, I just thought that was the coolest article! I know full well how the economy has impacted most people, and we can't all contribute like the above couple, however if you have a dollar or two and would like to donate to some great animal causes I encourage you to check out these charities who are near and dear to my heart.

13th Street Cat Rescue - www.13thstcats.org

Humane Society Silicon Valley - www.hssv.org

The Cat House on the Kings - www.cathouseonthekings.com

Any donations are more than appreciated, and not just money, you can donated towels, sheets, and cat or dog food too! Just as last year, we will be donating $1.00 from every visit we do to the 13th Street Cat Rescue, and hope you may help as well.

NEW YEAR CHANGES

The new year will bring some new changes for your beloved SVPN! I have finally found an AWESOME gal to service Campbell/Los Gatos, and she will even go into the Santa Cruz mountain area. Her name is Carolyn, (yep, that's right) Beck and she has done a fabulous job with her first round of furr kids...I'm SO happy to have her on board!

We are also going to be bringing on a Nanny to service the Morgan Hill/Gilroy area, which will be really great!

With the sad state of the economy I have decided to not impose a rate change for this coming year, although my rates have not changed in about 3 years. I will however be changing our overnight price from $65.00 to $70.00 which will put us in line with many of the other pet sitting agencies out there.

HOLIDAY OFFICE HOURS

The office will be closed on 12/24, 25th and 26th as well as the 31st and 1/1. Don't worry...we will be busy, busy, busy visiting your furr kids, but the office work will have to wait.

Well, I guess that's it for now. I hope you and your family, (furr and human) have a wonderful holiday, and a safe and happy New Year. Give your furr kids a kiss from their nannies, and we look forward to another fun filled year with them.

HERE'S TO 2010!!!!!!!

Happy November!

2009-11-11T10:41:00.001-08:00

Hello all my furr guardians! Can you believe it's already NOVEMBER, and nearly 2010!!!! The holidays are right around the corner, so a friendly reminder to get those holiday pet sitting bookings in SOOOOOOON.

Since Thanksgiving is in a couple of weeks, I thought I would post some pet safety tips to keep your furr kids happy and healthy throughout the holiday season.

It is SO tempting to give your furr kids scraps from your holiday feast, (I'm as guilty as anyone) but I came across the following information and wanted to share it with you.

Rich, fatty foods such as turkey skins and gravy can contribute to pancreatitis. This inflammation of the digestive gland is painful and can be serious, resulting in emergency veterinary assistance.
Cooked bones can splinter and cause tears or obstruction in a pet's digestive tract.
Baking strings can cause BIG trouble if ingested by your furr kid.
Onions in holiday stuffing can lead to canine anemia.
Grapes and raisin toxins can cause kidney failure in pets.
Ingesting chocolate can kill your pet.
Caffeine and alcohol are also toxic for pets.
Make sure to keep leftover food out of reach and in tightly closed containers.
Make sure that garbage cans are secure so our outdoor furr critters are safe from e-coli and unable to chew on leftover tinfoil.

The article suggests that pet owners should plan on providing appropriate chew toys or food occupation devices for pets during holiday activities and always keep an emergency vet clinic or hospital number handy, (just in case).

If you would like to surprise your furr kid with their own version of a Thanksgiving day feast I found the following recipes that you may want to try out.

Pumpkin Barley with Turkey

1 quart chicken broth
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 cup long-grain rice
3/4 cup pearl barley
Pinch of freshly grated or ground nutmeg
1/3 pound ground turkey or ground turkey breast
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
Salt

In a small pot, warm the chicken broth over low heat.

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat, then add the rice and barley and toast for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season the grains with the nutmeg and stir in half of the warm broth. Cook until the broth bubbles, about 5 minutes, then add the turkey, crumbling it as you drop it into the skillet and cook, (about 5 minutes) until the liquid is absorbed by the grains. Stir in the remaining broth, 1/2 cup at a time, allowing the broth to be fully absorbed before adding more. Cook until the barley is tender, about 18 minutes.

Stir in the pumpkin puree. Cook over medium heat until just heated, about 1 minute. Season to "taste" with salt.

I couldn't really find an appropriate kitty turkey day dish, but this one "sounds" pretty good.

Tuna Kitty Treats,

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup nonfat powdered milk
1/2 can tuna in oil, or 1/2 cup cooked chicken chopped up into small pieces.
1 tablespoon vegetable or cod liver oil
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup water

In a large bowl mash the tuna, (or chicken). Add the flour and powdered milk, mixing well. Stir in the water, oil and egg, mixing well, (mixture will be sticky).

Shape mixture into 1/2-inch balls. Place on greased baking sheets. Press balls to flatten.
Bake at 350*F, (175*C) for 10 minutes. Remove treats from oven; let sit for 5 minutes and then turn treats over and bake another 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely on wire rack, and store in an air tight container in refrigerator.

SWINE FLU, (H1N1) HITS OUR PETS!!!!!

In Iowa, a 13 year old cat developed lethargy, decreased appetite and trouble breathing after several human members of its family became ill with H1N1 flu! It was confirmed as the first case of H1N1 flu in a cat and the cat is recovering. To date, there is no indication that this cat passed the virus to any people.

In addition to people, at this point in the United States, 2009 H1N1 has been documented in pigs, two ferrets, and now one cat. Based on evidence available at this time, all infections were spread from people to these animals. It is unknown if pets can spread the infection to people.

Other influenza viruses have been known to cross species and all pet owners should take the same hygiene precautions against spreading H1N1 flu to pets as they would with humans. In addition, pets should be monitored for any signs of illness and a veterinarian should be contacted immediately if you have concerns. There is no H1N1 flu vaccine available for pets at this time.

So, keep those hands washed furr guardians, and make sure to wipe off your pets paws after a walk in a neighborhood park.

PAUL MITCHELL FOR PETS!!!!,

I was hanging out at my new hair stylist's salon, (http://www.orangecrushstudios.com/) and as usual we began talking about pet related topics. Lonnie, (the owner) was telling me about an upcoming "dog wash" fundraiser that he's planning on hosting next year which all proceeds benefiting the Silicon Valley Humane Society. He told me that the folks at Paul Mitchell host one every year in Los Angeles which raises thousands of dollars for local pet related charities. I asked him why Paul Mitchell would do something like that, and he explained that they are HUGE animal lovers, and actually have their own line of pet grooming products!!!!! Who knew right? I sure didn't. So, I checked out their site, and WOW, what great products!!!!

All of the products are matched with the PH of dogs and cats, which will not dry their skin out like human shampoos. They are also made with natural botanical blends which compliment pet fur. And lastly they are ready to use, you don't need to water them down at all!

They offer Oatmeal, tearless kitten and puppy, Tea Tree, Calming moisturizing, Super Bright, and Waterless foam shampoos and conditioners, (as well as an instant detangling spray). They also have a line of Pet wipes, which include Body and Paw, Tooth and Gum and Ear and Eye.

I know a lot of my furr guardians use baby wipes and human shampoos, but this seems like a much better alternative for your beloved furr kids. http://www.johnpaulpet.com/

PUTTING A SMILE ON YOUR FACE!

I don't know how many of you are huge YouTube fans...but I wanted to post some videos that totally crack me up!!!! I hope these will put a smile on your face!

CHRISTMAS IN THE PARK TREE!

Another friendly reminder that if you would like to see your furr kid on our 2009 Christmas in the Park tree to please email me a photo. Here is a shot of our tree from last year so you can see what it's all about.

Well, I guess that's it for now. I hope you all have a wonderful turkey day, and remember to keep your furr kids safe and sound. Please give them a big kiss from Nanny Katy, Nanny Chandel, Nanny Laurel, Nanny Stacy, Nanny Jennifer, "Manny" Ryland, Nanny Samantha and Me, (Nanny Carolyn).

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-29T09:16:00.001-07:00

Hello all my furr guardians, how did October treat you? Are you all prepared for Halloween? I'm SO glad it's not going to rain, but make sure to bundle up because it's going to be a chilly night!

SUNNYVALE HOWL'OWEEN PET PARADE AND FAIRE
I must admit that I wasn't too sure how this faire would turn out, but WOW was I happy with the way it did! What a blast we had, and by the end of the day my face hurt from smiling non-stop. I couldn't believe all the fun costumes, and the variety of pets that were in attendance! We saw everything from dogs and cats to chickens, snakes, goldfish and turtles! It was so great to watch the parade and to see all the furr kids and their guardians enjoying the day together.

I was thrilled to see my darling Penny Wenny all dressed up in her adorable Lady Bug costume. There were SO many other adorable costumes, I think two of my favorite were the "Bully Burrito" and the weenie dog that was dressed up like a Lobster being carted around in a huge Lobster pot on a wagon decorated in flames...tooooooo cute!

We were lucky enough to be set up next to a WONDERFUL animal rescue organization called GEPDA, (group education to protect and defend animals). We had a great time talking to their Vice Director MaryAnn Lima, and met the SWEETEST doggy I have ever met...who by the way is up for adoption! Her name is Crystal, and she's a 3 1/2 month old small mixed breed. I couldn't believe how mellow she was for being a puppy, and how absolutely sweet she was. All Crystal wanted to do is to give us kisses and be around people. She was even so patient while MaryAnn dressed her up in this sweet Sacajawea costume, which took quite a while to get it on. It was a surprisingly warm day, so the costume didn't stay on very long, but she looked darn cute while it was on!

If anyone is looking for a wonderful lap dog, who is great with kids and other animals and is sweet as they come you couldn't go wrong with Crystal.

If you would like information on Crystal you can contact MaryAnn Lima at (408) 309-2667, or visit http://www.gepdaus.org/.

Let's find Crystal a perfect forever home where she can love and adore her guardians and live a happy life with people who love her.

HALLOWEEN PET SAFETY TIPS

NEVER give your pet chocolate!
Keep your black cats/dogs INSIDE! There are sick people out there and unfortunately black animals are targets for abuse around this time.
Watch out of candy wrappers! These can get stuck in your pets digestive track and make them ill or cause death.
Watch your pets tails around lit Jack-O-Lanterns! Not only is this important to prevent a burned tail, but also to prevent a house fire if the pumpkin in knocked over.
If you're having a party remember to keep your pet in a quiet room with the door closed. Even the most social pet can become stressed out and scared around a room full of dressed up strangers.
When opening the door for trick-or-treaters make sure your pet isn't able to dart out the door.
Remember that many people are afraid of dogs, so you may want to keep you dog away from approaching trick-or-treaters.
And lastly, be kind to your furr kid...if you're dressing your pet up make sure the costume is comfortable, not too warm, not too confining, and not to bulky.

HALLOWEEN PET TREATS

Just because you can't give your furr kid(s) some of your yummy Halloween treats doesn't mean that you can't give them their own special treats.

TASTY CAT CLAWS

makes 18 treats

1/4 cup warm water
5 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons soft margarine
1 tablespoon cod liver oil
1 cup white flour
1/4 cup soy flour

Preheat oven to 300 degrees

Combine water, cheese, margarine and oil.
Add flour and form a dough
Roll to 1/4 inch thick and cut with cookie cooker
Bake at 300 degrees on an ungreased cookie sheet for 20 - 25 minutes or until the cookies are lightly golden.

TRICKY TREATS FOR DOGS
makes 14 treats

2 cups water
3/4 cup applesauce
1/8 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
3 cups whole-wheat flour
1 cup white flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup oats

Preheat oven to 350
In a bowl, mix water, applesauce, vanilla and egg thoroughly
In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder, nutmeg and cinnamon stirring well.
Add wet ingredients to dry and mix well
Spoon into greased muffin tins, filling each cup completely and bake for about 1 1/4 hours.

Note: all recipes are for special-occasion treats for your pet. They should not replace meals and should be offered sparingly. If you pet has food allergies or special dietary requirements, check with your veterinarian before offering them.

CHRISTMAS IN THE PARK REMINDER
We have MANY new furr kids who have joined our family since last Christmas, and we don't have photos of the majority of them. If you are a new furr guardian please feel free to email me a photo of your furr kid(s) so they can be included on our 2009 Christmas in the Park tree.

Well, I guess that's it for now. Have a fun and SAFE Halloween, and make sure to give your furr kid(s) a big hug and kiss from their nannies. Oh, and don't forget to make your holiday reservations SOOOOOOOOOON!

Bark in the Park was a BLAST!

2009-10-07T17:33:00.000-07:00

Hello all my furr guardians, and happy October to you all! My apologies for the lapse in time since my last blog, but there has just been so much going on!

THE BARK IN THE PARK

Well, what can I say, this years Bark in the Park was AWESOME! It seemed to be much larger this year, and the turnout, well lets just say it was amazing! I saw lots of our furr kids, which is always great and met a lot of future SVPN furr kids throughout the day! We had an exciting raffle prize worth more than $250.00, and included a ton of dog and cat treats and toys presented in a very nice pet carrier. We had more than 100 entries and after picking the winner out of a hat we ended up choosing one heck of an animal lover! The winner has two small doggies and two kitties, so the prize fit her pack perfectly! She was very excited and followed up with an email letting me know how thrilled her "kids" were and how much they enjoyed all the their new toys.

We raised close to $150.00 for 13th Street Cat Rescue by accepting donations in exchange for a pair of dog ears and nose, or a really cool paw print bracelet! We also had a hit on our hands by providing fresh water for the doggies, and couldn't have done it without Jimmy trekking across the field to refill the water container...4 TIMES!!!!! We had some thirsty visitors!

This year I was accompanied by Nanny Katy, Nanny Jennifer and Nanny Samantha, along with the honorary SVPN nannies, Nanny Linda, (my Mom) "Manny" John, (my Dad) and of course my wonderful Hubby Jimmy. Jimmy normally is in charge of taking photos, but this year we thought we would switch it up a bit and video some of the day. I hope you enjoy this short video, and hope to see you all next year!!!

BLACKJACK COSTUME CONTEST
Well, as you can probably guess I decided to "torture" my beloved kitty Blackjack with a few Halloween get ups. I was hoping that some of my furr guardians might be able to choose what costume you feel best suits my friend, and will give the winner three days of free pet sitting.!!!! Just take a lot at the photos, and send me your choice for the winner. I apologize for the quality of some of the photos...do you know how hard it is to make a kitty sit still with different outfits on!!!!!!

What do you think? I'm a bit partial to the red devil...describes him to a TEE! We put the chicken hat on him last night, and he actually wore it for quite a while...but the wigs...forget about it!

PET PHOTOGRAPHY!!!!!
While attending this years HSSV Furr Ball my Sister bid on and won a pet photography session for my "niece" Fozzy. You should SEE the final product!!!!! WOW! Talk about some wonderful shots, they even wrote a song about Fozzy which we all now sing. They are planning another trip up here from Southern California, and accepting photo session bookings. If you want some great shots of your beloved furr kid(s) please make sure to book with her early!

Saturday, November 14th
Kim Rodgers
Bark Pet Photography
http://www.barkpetphotography.com/
kim@barkpetphotography.com

HOWL'OWEEN PET PARADE & FAIRE!
Now this is going to be a BLAST!!!! This is the second year that Downtown Sunnyvale has put on this event, and I am SO excited to be participating this year! If you love Halloween, or heck even just animals you should make it a point to pop on by, (you can even take Caltrain and they drop you off a block or so away!).

Here are some of the highlights of the day:

Best Pet Costume
Best Human Costume
Best Combo Costume, (so funny)
Best Group Costumes
Best Float, (all floats must be "foot power" floats)
Pet Talent Show
Pet Lover Village
Kissing Booth, (woooo hooooo)
Dog Treat Stacking Contest

Now remember, this is for ALL pets, not just doggies and kitties! I saw a picture of someone pulling a wagon with their tarantula in it!!!!!

So, mark this on your calendar right now! Just imaging how much fun your kids, (furr or human) will have! And, after all the festivities you can also enjoy the fantastic shops and restaurants downtown Sunnyvale has to offer!

2009 Sunnyvale Howl'oween Pet Parade and Faire
Sunday, October 25th, Downtown Sunnyvale
Parade Hours 11:00 A.M. to 1:30 PM
Pet Faire Hours 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
http://www.downtownsunnyvale.com/petparade/

PET POISONS!
While on the ASPCA's website, (which is awesome by the way) I came across a list of the top 10 pet poisons for 2008, and to be honest...I was quite surprised by some of them!!!!! Did you know that raisins, grapes and avocado can be VERY harmful to your furr kid!!!!! And of course the
worst offender is chocolate which if ingested in significant amounts can cause vomiting, diarrhea, panting, excessive thirst, urination, hyperactivity, and in sever cases abnormal heart rhythm, tremors and seizures!

Others include Human medications, insecticides, rodenticides, Veterinary medications, Plants, chemical hazards, household cleaners, heavy metals and fertilizer.

If you would like to read the entire article just click on this link.
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/top-10-pet-poisons-of-2008.html

GOODBYE TO A FRIEND
I wanted to send out a heart felt goodbye to our beloved friend and furr kid Oscar who passed away this morning. He was a wonderful little guy, and will be dearly missed by not only his furr guardian, but by myself, Nanny Jennifer and Nanny Samantha.

Until next time, please give your furr kid(s) a big hug and kiss from me, Nanny Katy, Nanny Chandel, Nanny Laurel, Nanny Samantha, Nanny Jennifer, Nanny Stacy, and "Manny" Ryland.

It's time to do some BARK IN THE PARK!

2009-09-15T15:43:00.001-07:00

Hello all my furr guardians, and happy September to you all. I hope everyone had a relaxing and fun Labor Day, and surviving this strange weather!

As you can tell by the title of this blog...this Saturday, September 19th is the awesome and always fun San Jose Bark in the Park! I know I have mentioned it in past entries, but even if you're not a canine furr kid guardian you should make it a point to try to make it to this event. Not only is it the largest dog festival in the United States, it's just a big old furr kid love fest. And trust me, there are some fun things for you kitty furr parents to see too and even our friends 13th Street Cat Rescue will be there! I will have an awesome raffle prize up for grabs which will include some free pet sitting visits + tons of fun toys for both your feline and canine furr kids. We will have a booth located close to the pet first aid booth, (our booth number is B9) for those of you who visited us last year we're in the same spot. Please bring your furr kids over to say hi to us!

http://www.barksanjose.org/
Saturday, September 19th, 10:00am to 5:00pm
Williams Street Park, (at Williams and S. 16th Street).

DNA for Doggy!
One of my furr guardians told me that she invested in a doggy DNA kit to finally put the mystery of her furr kid's breed background to rest. She found out quite a lot about her furr kid, and found the whole process very cool. If you would like a DNA test run on your Heinz 57 furr kid you can visit http://www.fetchdog.com/item/A40041 If any of you do this, please let me know what you turn up...technology is coooooooool.

Old Dog Paws,
So, as you know I'm always looking for interesting pet related items to blog about and with the average human age extending far past what it was a decade ago it only makes sense that our furr kids life spans are extended as well. I came across http://www.olddogpaws.com/ which specializes in the "care and comfort of old friends". It's actually a very interesting site which contains articles about aging doggy issues, alternative medication and treatments, as well as a store that offers items that may make your old pal a bit more comfortable. I myself was on the site for well over an hour and haven't seen everything yet. Yeah for our old furr kid friends!

Dog Chefs of America!
So, check this out! There is a site called Dog Chefs of America http://www.dogchefs.com/ and it is a site dedicated to learning how to cook for your furr kid! Here is their statement from their homepage:

"Dog Chefs of America is a unique '50s diner style working kitchen that doubles as a classroom. This whimsical environment doubles as a TV set backdrop as well as a location for film and educational CD/DVD production. We are not a "cutesy" doggie bakery! Master Dog Chef Micki Voisard creates daily prepared meals of real food for dogs, and teaches future dog chefs how they can improve their dog's health through implementation of a real food diet. Sharing this novel space is the "Oh My Dog!" Fine Art Gallery that reflects all things canine. Fabulous steel sculptures, vibrantly colored paintings, and ceramic critters are all designed to make you smile!"

Now, don't get too excited about visiting this cool place...unless you're in Arizona, but they do have workshops that travel around and a great store where you can buy doggy food recipe books! So funny!

House Cat, House Calls,
So, I recently found out that there is a kitty version of the Dog Whisperer!!! I had NO idea, but they are about to enter into their 3rd season! How did this slip under my radar!?!?!?!?!?! The show is sponsored by Purina Cat Chow, and is on Animal Planet Saturdays at 10:30am and Sundays at 8:00am, (EST). This is what the show is about:

"Each week, Dr. Katrina visits cat loving families and, with the help of the Housecat Housecall Mentors, Dr. Karen Sueda and Dr. Rich Goldstein, she'll try to make some sense out of a wide range of feline puzzlers. Whether it's just a quirky behavior or something more complex, Dr. Katrina and hr team work out real solutions that help bring peace, harmony, and well-being back to the homes of cats and owners"

Let's see...I think I know a few kitties who might qualify for this...Blackjack being one of them. Check out the site and watch some of the funny videos. http://www.housecathousecall.com/

You know, I often talk about Blackjack...well, he is after all the mascot of the business, but I started to feel a bit guilty that I don't mention our other kitty Corn. So, I put together this "Corn Montage" so you can get a feeling for our other furr kid. The first part of the video is something that cracks me up no matter how many times I see it. Corn sleeps SO deep that we can lift his head, arms, legs, tail etc and he doesn't wake up!!!! I've tried this on Blackjack, but he must be a light sleeper because it's only worked on him once or twice. The second part of the video is how Corn actually likes to bundle up under "his" blanket...yes, he does this himself. He's quite the interesting kitty character and I hope you enjoy.

Well, I guess that's all for now. I hope to see many of you this Saturday...it's really the only time we get to see each other!

Give all your furr kids a big hug and kiss for us, and thank you again for being a part of the SVPN family!

(Oh...remember to book early for the Holidays!)

Andy's Pet Shop is in trouble!

2009-08-17T17:06:00.001-07:00

Hello all my furr guardians, and a happy month of August to you all. What a strange Summer we have had this year...cold, then hot, then SUPER hot and back to cool. I hope all your furr kids have been dealing with the weather better than I have!

As you see from the title of this Blog, the beloved Andy's Pet Shop is in trouble! I'm sure some of you aren't familiar with Andy's, but it is a San Jose treasure and it would be such a loss for our community if it were to vanish. Andy's just can't compete against the corporate chains, and counting on the community to help preserve this icon on San Jose. Here is a bit of history behind Andy's:

"Andy and his wife Geraldine Camilleri opened a pet shop on The Alameda in what used to be California Highway Patrol headquarters. CHP cruisers were parked in the old garages out back. Andy's Pet Shop was known for exotic animals and customers who today are parents and grandparents recall seeing the monkeys and rare birds when they were children. Look closely at the old lighted sings out front and you'll see one that says "Monkeys". Mrs. Camilleri continued the business after her husband's death and was well-known and widely respected in the pet trade. When she passed on, the daughters sold the business in 1993 and the store changed hands a couple more times. In December 2007, Lissa Shoun and Eric Bong became the owners. Today all the pets in the shop come from a shelter, a non-profit rescue group, or are surrendered for re-homing due to foreclosure, illness, etc."

For any of you who haven't been to Andy's you should make a point to drive on by. It is a throwback of what pet stores used to be, and the charm of this place will overwhelm you. My friends at 13th Street Cat Rescue, and many other local rescues depend on the adoption center set up by Andy's. Andy's will be having a Fundraiser on August 22nd, and will have live music, a raffle, a garage sale, vendors and more. Your loyal pet sitter will be donating a prize of free pet sitting along with a nice dog/cat prize basket. Please join the rest of the community in supporting Andy's Pet Shop by either attending the fundraiser, or donating via PayPal to them. For more information on Andy's Pet Shop, please visit their website at http://www.andyspetshop.com/.

I don't know, I've been feeling a bit CREEPY lately! Hahahahaha, how do you like that introduction to my newest venture. We are all familiar with our beloved dogs and cats, and how much we love to be with our furr kids, but some people prefer the company of kids that have no furr, who slither, or hiss, or spin webs! Well, this is what the new business is focused on..."alternative pets". The website is a fun with a Tim Burton twist, we will be offering "pet" sitting services to our fellow pet guardians who just so happen to have snakes, insects, reptiles, frogs, etc...if it's "creepy" we'll be there! Some of you are probably saying to yourself, "is Carolyn really going to visit them?" and the answer is NO! I have a couple of specialists who will be doing these visits, and that's the whole point of this. Many pet sitting agencies offer care for exotics, but many of them do not understand what it takes to properly care for these animals. My assistants, (Katy is one of them) have years of experience caring for these types of animals and know what type of care they need to be happy. If you get a chance, check out the new site at http://www.creepypetsit.com/ and let me know what you think!

Did you know that there is actually a SURF SCHOOL for Dogs, who also has a doggy surfing contest!!!!! It is the coolest thing, and I thought I would post this video from the competition held last month. ENJOY

So, I stumbled upon a really, really cool website, (by accident) and thought I would share it with all of you. It's called the "Animal Rescue Site" and their website is http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/. They have all sorts of cool gift, clothing and pet related items for sale which a portion goes to animal rescue organizations. I bought a really cute pair of walking shoes with a purple paw print and a small purse covered in multi-colored paw prints. I think my favorite was the photo frame that said "all my grandchildren have paws". Tooooooo cute!

I'm sure many of you enjoyed the video of Penny the Bernese Mountain dog puppy that I have the pleasure of visiting. Well, Penny is getting MUCH bigger, but her desire to play with Oliver hasn't changed. For your viewing pleasure, here is a recent Penny/Oliver encounter that I like to call "Penny tries again".

Speaking of funny video's, I just have to post one more. This is the lovely and handsome Jackson. I have been visiting with this love bug for about two years and he still remains one of my all time favorite kitties. He ADORES his cat tree and I was lucky enough to capture him playing in it. ENJOY

Mark your calendars...there is a new event coming our way! The "Adopt-a-Palooza" will be held at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds October 10th, 2009. This event is a "companion animal adopt-a-thon in the South Bay bringing homeless animals from multiple organizations together in one place to find loving homes. We'll have cats, dogs, rats, guinea pigs, rabbits and more. Have fun in teh Kid's area with great entertainment and fun for all. Kids can learn how to approach animals and about their basic care. Live shows may include Frisbee, obedience, rally and Schulzhund. Need help training your dog or dealing with behavioral issues? Come talk to professionals for FREE advice and demonstrations. Bring your dog and the whole family! You may find your next best friend waiting there for you. Dogs must be on a 6ft leash or shorter and we'd greatly appreciate a $2.00 donation or can of pet food for each dog you bring."

Sounds like a pretty good time to me! The event will go from 10:00am to 5:00pm, Saturday, October 10th at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds. www.adoptapalooza.com

Well, this was a pretty long blog, so I guess I will sign off now, but until next time please give your furr kids a kiss and a hug from their pet nannies.

I LOVE what I do for a living!!!!!!

2009-07-09T17:20:00.001-07:00

Hello all my furr guardians, how was your 4th of July? Were your furr kids okay with all the loud BANGS! My cats spent the majority of the time under our bed, but with all the M80's that were being set off I wish I could have fit under there too!

So, as you can see from the title of this blog...I LOVE WHAT I DO FOR A LIVING! I just wanted to introduce all of you to my newest furr kid, and what a doll she is! Her name is Penny, and she's a 10 week old Bernese Mountain Dog. She is the new Sister to Oliver and Autumn, (kitties) and just arrived Monday. She is a sweetheart, who loves her Brother and Sister, (although the feeling is not mutual at this time) and adores her guardians, (and me too). She is so cute that I had to post two videos of her...I hope you don't mind.

Now, how CUTE was that!!!!!! She is also quite the people magnet, and makes everyone who runs into her smile...what an awesome talent to have. We're still working on the potty training, but she is SO smart, and is taking to it very quickly.

We have had quite the strange Summer so far...cold, hot, SUPER hot, cool, and cold again. Well, according to the news it's supposed to warm up again and I thought I would include a couple of cool doggy treats that you can whip up for your furr kid.

Blend a couple of spoons of peanut butter with mashed banana, add a spoonful of honey and mix in about a half cup of water to make a better freezing consistency. For optional extra crunch, throw in a few unsalted peanuts...and FREEEEEZE.

If you want to be a bit creative, try mixing and matching various fruit juices with your dog's favorite fruit such as apple bits or canned peaches along with plain yogurt before freezing into cubes. You may even want to go all out and blend smoothies or slushes for your dog to lap up or crunch in frozen cubes. However, stick to fruit juices and water for liquid as many dogs cannot easily digest milk. Creamy treats can be made by mixing half cottage cheese and half water and freezing into cubes.

For dogs who prefer meaty tastes, freeze chicken or beef broth, or even thin unsalted gravies into cubes. For an extra surprise, add a chunk of baby food meat, a piece of milkbone, or a cheese bit into each cube before freezing.

If you're not feeling particularly "Martha Stewart" you can also go with something like this:
http://www.kooldogz.biz/

And of course there is always:
http://www.chillow.com/chillow.html

The Chillow works for kitties too, although Blackjack wasn't fond of his he prefers the cold floor in the bathroom.

I haven't forgotten about my feline furr kids, (although they aren't fans of super cold things). I found these awesome kitty treat recipes and thought I would share them with you!

Crispy Trout Pieces
1 egg yolk
1 small trout fillet
3 tbsp oatmeal
1 tbsp vegetable oil

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Beat the egg, dip the fish in it, and then coat it with the oatmeal. Put the oil in a small baking pan and lay the fillet in it, turning it over once or twice. Bake for 15 minutes, turn over and back for another 15 minutes. Remove the fish to a dish, allow to cool and cut into bite-sized pieces. If it looks a little dry, add a dash of cream.

Chicken Cheeseburger
2 oz finely ground beef
2 oz finely ground chicken
1 tsp canned thick chicken soup
2 oz whole grain bread crumbs or oatmeal
1 baby carrot, cooked until soft
1 egg
1/2 cup grated cheese

Mash the meat and chicken with the soup, then add the bread crumbs or oatmeal, mushy carrot and egg. Make into two small burgers and broil (leaving much rare than you would for yourself). Sprinkle with grated cheese and broil again until the cheese is melted. Allow to cool until warm to the touch and serve.

I often think "ahhhhhh, I would love to be some of the furr kids I watch...what a life"...and this video explains it sooooooo well!

Many of you have sent me emails asking how Blackjack is doing, which I think is SO wonderful and thoughtful! He's doing much better, although Corn is still hissing at him which hurts his feelings. His hair is starting to grow out a bit, and he's looking a bit more black than silver. The good news is that he hasn't thrown up ONE hairball!!!!! That is cause for celebration!!!!

Well, I guess that's it for now, but I wanted to mention that the annual Obon Festival is going on this weekend in Japantown so if you want to experience a lot of fun and culture you should make plans to visit...you just might run into your loyal petsitter! http://www.sjbetsuin.com/Events/HomePage

Poor Blackjack

2009-07-01T18:06:00.000-07:00

Hello all my furr guardians, how has this awful hot weather been treating you??? I wanted to make sure to wish all my Canadian furr guardians a very happy Canada day, and hope you celebrated it in the true spirit of a Canuck!

Well, before any of you worry about our kitty mascot, Blackjack is just fine, but the hot weather lead me to try something that I never had before...yes, I had Blackjack shaved. The utter embarrassment and humiliation in his face was absolutely heartbreaking for your loyal pet sitter, and although I tried to reassure him that he will be MUCH happier without his thick black coat he just looked at me with this pathetic "I'm ruined" face. It was quite the traumatizing experience for him, as he had to be sedated...well, it was either that or the tech who gave him his trim would have been walking with a sever limp. Blackjack is not one to go for a car ride quietly, in fact he yowled the entire way to Fremont, (yes, my Vet is in Fremont, but he's the best in the world...in my opinion that is) and a few times it was quite the ear piercing howl. My Mom went with me for moral support, so we both chuckled at some of his very strange howls...under our breath of course not to make him feel bad. Not surprisingly he was absolutely quiet on the way home, probably a mixture of the drugs and being exhausted after his horrible day, (he was there for nearly 6 hours). When we got home he was wobbly, but quick to escape the HORRIBLE cat carrier. I'm sure he was feeling so embarrassed, but it was made worse when our other cat Corn hissed at him!!!! We're not sure if it was the Vet smell, or maybe Corn just didn't recognize this no furr kitty in front of him. So, Blackjack wondered the house looking for somewhere, ANYWHERE to hide. He seems a bit better today, but still staying clear of Corn and looking uncomfortable with his new haircut...believe me, I know how he feels! But as you can see in the first photo, he still doesn't mind showing off his gut, and although the Vet said he was "chunky" I still tell him "no you're not, your just "big boned" like your Mom".

I have heard many of my furr guardians complain about the lack of options for pet travel via air, and how most airlines are being super difficult regarding arrangements and most of all fee's for our beloved furr kids to fly with us. Well, I came across a very cool new service that offers furr kids first class air travel! It is SO cool, your furr kid flies in the front cabin, (in a kennel for their safety) which has temperature control and fresh air pumped in. They are monitored by an attendant and get this...NO HUMANS ON BOARD, (well besides the flight staff of course). This is all about your furr kid!!!! You can go online and track your pet, they have a "MyPaws" club that will save you money on flights and pet friendly hotels, and a bunch of great information regarding traveling with your pets! Unfortunately the closest "hub" is Los Angeles, but who knows it might be worth the drive down!

As you all well know, 4th of July can be such a blast for us Humans, but can be HORRIBLE for our furr kids. Here are some tips on how to keep your furr kids safe this coming 4th of July, (supplied by the wonderful Humane Society of the United States.

Resist the urge to take your pet to fireworks displays.
Do NOT leave your pet in the car! With only hot air to breathe inside a car, your pet can suffer serious health effects - even death - in a few short minutes. Partially opened windows DO NOT provide sufficient air, but they DO provide an opportunity for your pet to be stolen.
Keep your pets indoors at home in a sheltered, quiet area. Some animals can become destructive when frightened, so be sure that you've removed any items that your pet could destroy or that would be harmful to your pet if chewed. Leave a television or radio playing at normal volume to keep him/her company while you're attending 4th of July picnics, parades, and other celebrations.
If you know that your pet is seriously distressed by loud noises like thunder, consult with your veterinarian before July 4th for ways to help alleviate the fear and anxiety he or she will experience during fireworks displays.
Never leave pets outside unattended, even in a fenced yard or on a chain. In their fear, pets who normally wouldn't leave the yard may escape and become lost, or become entangled in their chain, risking injury or death.
Make sure your pets are wearing identification tags so that if they do become lost, they can be returned promptly. Animals found running at-large should be taken to the local animal shelter, where they will have the best chance of being reunited with their owners.

Remember, taking precautions can help your furr kid get through the loud 4th of July without too much anxiety. Fireworks are fun for us, but not so much for our furr kids...especially when you get the M-80's exploding outside!!!!

Well, many of you have been asking, and now we have the answer...YES, we will be doing Bark in the Park 2009! We look forward to this every year, so how could we NOT! So, mark the date because this is one doggy fest you DON'T want to miss! Saturday, September 19th! It will be a blast, and make sure to bring your furr pups to visit their loyal pet sitters.

Well, I guess that's it for now! I hope you all have a wonderful, and SAFE 4th of July. Nanny Carolyn, Katy, Allison, Chandel, Stacy, Maria and Jennifer all sends hugs and kisses to your wonderful furr kids, and we thank you for being a part of the SVPN family!

Where did May go?????

2009-05-29T15:52:00.001-07:00

Hello all my furr guardians, how did the month of May treat you? I can't believe how fast the month flew by, and it's going to be June in a few short days!!!!! Did you receive any good Mothers Day gifts for your furr kids? I personally didn't, but Blackjack made sure to wish me a happy day, and that's a great gift in my eyes. :o)

Your loyal pet sitters had one heck of a busy month, and welcome all our new furr kids and guardians. We had a great time at the 13th Street Cat Rescues annual open house, and was very pleased with the turnout! Hershey the chocolate lab kept everyone entertained weaving in and out of all the attendees with her favorite tennis ball in her mouth with eyes beaming with hope that someone would take the slobber injected ball and play with her. Our dear Coco was in his run because he's not as well behaved as his Sister Hershey, but everyone made their way out there to say hello to him.

I was looking at one of my favorite sites, (http://www.cathouseonthekings.com/) and after watching their informational video, (for the millionth time) checked out some of the other information that was mentioned. These are really, REALLY cool sites and ones that I think anyone who is a furr guardian or for that matter just an animal lover should be made aware of.

freekibblekat.com such a great idea, and can you believe it that a 12 YEAR OLD founded it!!! This is her story...

"Mimi Ausland, a 12 year old girl from Bend, Oregon, wanted to help feed the hungry animals at her local animal shelter. "There are 10's of thousands of dogs and cats in animal shelters across the country, all needing to be fed a good meal". Say hello to freekibble.com and freekibblekat.com!

Freekibble.com's primary mission is to provide good, healthy food to dogs and cats to those shelters who are working so hard to see that none of them go hungry - they need our help. In addition to providing free kibble to the Humane Society of Central Oregon, we've added 13 new shelters to the program (from Oregon to Florida!) and plan to expand the program to many more! Thanks to everyone for supporting freekibble by playing the trivia game - every piece of kibble counts!

We're happy to say that we're partnering with Castor and Pollux to feed these hungry dogs and cats a very high quality, all natural kibble - a very decent dinner! We also want to make it easy and fun for you to help provide free kibble by playing Meow Trivia - and we hope you learn a few interesting things about dogs and cats along the way. Thanks and enjoy!"

So, basically you go to http://www.freekibblekat.com/, (for cats) or http://www.freekibble.com/, (for dogs) and answer their daily trivia question. This is a daily question, and right or wrong they will still donate 10 pieces of kibble to animal shelters. It takes like one second and you can sign up for daily trivia reminders. I'm always thrilled when children take an active interest in helping out our furr friends, good for you Mimi!

The next site which I found very cool and wonderful is http://www.goodsearch.com/. The following info is edited due to the amount, but it should give you a good understanding what this site is all about.

"We all have a cause we care about - whether it's finding a cure for cancer, saving the environment, finding homes for abandoned pets or so many other worthwhile endeavors. But what we don't all have is the time or money to support these efforts as much as we'd like. So, what if we could raise money for our favorite charities and schools by doing something we do every day - searching the Internet?

GoodSearch is a search engine which donates 50-percent of it's revenue to the charities and schools designated by its users. It's a simple and compelling concept. You use GoodSearch exactly as you would any other search engine. Because it's powered by Yahoo!, you get proven search results. The money GoodSearch donates to your cause comes from its advertisers - the users and the organizations do not spend a dime!

In 2007, GoodSearch was expanded to include GoodShop, an online shipping mall of world-class merchants dedicated to helping fund worthy causes across the country. Each purchase made via the GoodShop mall results in a donation to the user's designated charity or school - averaging approximately 3% of the sale, but going up to 20% or even more."

How totally cool is that! I mean, most of us are on the computer all day long looking up information, shopping, chatting, and we could be using it to help our beloved furr kids, (or any other charity of course).

The weather is getting WARM outside and I wanted to make sure that you have some tips on keeping your furr kids safe and healthy during the scorching summer months:

Always have a supply of cool, fresh water available for pets.
Add a few ice cubes to a dish of water for a cool, refreshing treat.
When on the go, keep a water bottle filled with cold, fresh water for your pet.
Wait 30 - 60 minutes after meals before taking a pet for its run.
Walk your dog in grass or keep pavement walks brief. Sensitive paws can quickly burn on hot asphalt; consider paw protectors such as shoes or booties.
No doggy days at the beach! During extremely hot temperatures, your pet would prefer shade to sunshine. Excessive panting, raspy breath and discolored gums are signs of heatstroke. To treat, get the animal in a shady place, cool it with wet towels and call a veterinarian.
NEVER leave your animal in a vehicle! Even with the windows open, the temperature in a parked vehicle can reach more than 100 degrees in a matter of minutes.
Coolant/antifreeze leaks are sweet tasting and attractive to animals. But drinking coolant can be fatal. Use animal-friendly propylene glycol coolant rather than ethylene glycol in your vehicles. Never let your pet drink out of strange puddles.

HELP ON YELP...many of you use Yelp in reviewing local eateries, business, etc, but did you know that your loyal petsitters are on Yelp, and would LOVE more happy reviews! If you're a Yelp, (or Angies List) user please leave a review for us...your furr kids would want you too! :o)

I thought I'd leave you with a "little Nomi" the adorable Yorkie that I'm fortunate enough to visit with twice a week. Until next time, hug your furr kids for me, Nanny Katy, Nanny Chandel, Nanny Allison, Nanny Stacy, Nanny Jennifer and Nanny Maria and we thank you for being part of our family.

Sad month

2009-05-01T17:52:00.000-07:00

Hello all my furr guardians, I hope this post finds you all very well. You know, you're probably really tired of hearing me apologize for the delay in getting up a new post, but I feel that this time it is totally warranted. WOW, over a month has past...needless to say I'm very embarrassed by this and really have no excuse besides the fact that it was tax month and I was in an accounting frenzy! Uuuuuugh, taxes...the ONE bad thing about being in business for yourself...at least it only comes once a year!

Besides the tax horror, this was a very sad month, (well April) for your loyal pet sitter having lost three of my furr kids. My lovely Boy Smush who has a video on one of my past blogs moved back to Los Angeles with his guardians...I'm broken hearted since I have been watching him since he was a tiny pup, (see photo). Yes, it was a teared filled last visit which intensified when I opened the gift from his guardians and it was a beautiful full color picture of him in a lovely frame. I wish there was a clause in my contract that restricts my furr guardians from moving away...or at least gives me visitation rights, (one week out of every summer?) but since that's not going to happen I had to say goodbye to my Smushie Wushie, Smushtah Wooshtah, Mushie Mushie, Little Licker, Mushta Mush and it was awful! Not only was it horrible losing my Smush Boy, but I adored his guardians and will totally miss them too. I was lucky enough to be able to get together with his furr Mom for some coffee, (well tea) the day before they left, but it was still sad. I wish Smush and his furr guardians all the luck in the world, and hope the pop by every now and then to say hi.

This was also a sad month for losing two more of my furr kids, and unfortunately not from a move. My furr kid Sidney passed away in April after a very long life with his furr guardian. Sidney was a wonderful quirky Boy who always entertained me! After our visit he would wait for a treat while I wrote his guardian a note and if I took too long he would make this strange sneezing noise! He also wouldn't walk on certain surfaces, so he would jump over the entrance to their elevator, and jump over rail road tracks. He totally hated the rain, and I would have to leave my umbrella outside so he didn't see it, (he knew umbrella = rain). He would always be upstairs on his guardians bed when I would show up, and it was always fun to hear the "thump" after I called him, and then the "thump, thump, thump" and he jolted down the stairs to meet me. He was such a wonderful old Boy and I was lucky enough to be his friend till the very end.

My girl Maya also passed away in April, and FAR too soon for this sweet wonderful girl. She was the funniest Bully Bull I have ever met, and kept me laughing while she rolled around on her back while her big Bulldog lips flapped around. She was SUCH a bulldog...she wasn't thrilled about leaving the comforts of her own chair, and when she didn't want to walk...she didn't walk! I'm telling you, although she was probably only around 40 pounds it was ALL muscle and she was strong! Her guardian loved her SO much and so did Katy and myself, (we were both nannies for Maya). She will always live in our memories as our My-oh-my, myaloo, and maya-angeloooo, and maya-looinski. This was such a shock to hear since Maya was only 5 years old, so make sure you give your furr kids a big hug and kiss every chance you get.
WOW, what a complete buzz kill this blog is! I'm so sorry! I just wanted to make sure to mention these friends of mine and how much I will miss them all! We really become part of your family and truly care about your furr kids so much, and when they "leave" it really effects us quite a lot.

Well, let's try to lighten the mood a bit shall we and nothing lightens the mood like the topic of SHOPPING! This is kind of an exciting thing that I'm planning on launching! My Cousin and his wife own a couple of super awesome doggy boutiques in Healdsburg and Saint Helena, and during our recent visit out there I came across some REALLY cool, very unique items in their store! So, I am going to start featuring about 3 to 4 original items on my website that you can purchase for your furr kids! I have never seen these items in any other store, and when I saw them I actually said "this is the coolest thing I have ever seen". So, hopefully within a month or so you will be able to shop for some unique items that will make all your furr guardian friends will be green with envy!

The next shopping item is something that is near and dear to not only my heart, but the majority of my family, (my Sister, Dad, Brother-in-law, and of course my Husband). I have decided to offer a line of items designed by San Jose State University Art Students. This is in the works now, and we should be offering everything from t-shirts to skate board decks. All of the designs will feature a pet related topic, but it could be anything from a dog collar to a cat dish...who knows, I am giving them the freedom to use their creativity and surprise me! I'm not sure exactly when this will be up and running, but keep an eye out for it.

As most of you have probably noticed I have stopped sending out my newsletter. Although this is heartbreaking for me, and many of you have expressed your sadness on this decision, it was one of necessity. For one, I am trying to reduce my footprint and since my furr guardian count is expanding I was using a lot of paper. So, I tried signing up for Constant Contact, (the e-newsletter service) and I'm telling you, you have to be a rocket scientist to figure it out! So, I will try to keep up with my blogs to let you know all the new news with us. I apologize for the disappointment that some of you have experienced.

One of my wonderful furr guardians sent me the link to the Best of Silicon Valley, and although there isn't a pet section focused on "pet care" it would be awesome if all of my furr guardians could vote for us in the "best pet daycare" section. I know that we're not really a pet daycare, however since there isn't a best pet sitting category I feel it's completely appropriate to nominate us. Maybe next year they will have an actual pet sitting category...who knows.

Anyway, I guess that is all for now...I promise that I will be much more diligent on getting my postings up and apologize again for the delay. Give all your furr kids a big smooch and hug for us and I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Bad Rap is a GOOD thing!

2009-03-12T16:56:00.000-07:00

Hello all my wonderful furr guardians, have you all "dried out" by now? I must say that I have really been enjoying this beautiful weather and your kids have too! It seems that there are so many good smells in the air for them to smell and sunny places for them to bask in...oh, to be a furr kid with a great furr guardian! Maybe in my next life...you can only hope.

I'm sure you were probably wondering what the heck I am talking about in my title...well, let me introduce the newest non-profit that I'm in love with. The organization is called Bad Rap, (Bay Area Doglovers Responsible About Pitbulls) and they are SO fabulous! I know many of you may have mixed feelings about American Pit Bull Terriers, but the bad publicity that this breed gets is really unfair. Silicon Valley Pet Nanny has NEVER discriminated against "bully breeds" and to be honest two of the absolute BEST furr kids that we visit are APBTs! Let me tell you about Samson...the big old goof ball that we were lucky enough to have been chosen to be his nanny back in 2007. Usually when furr guardians call us and have a APBT, they immediately say "do you accept pit bulls", but meeting Samson was a bit of a surprise because his guardian did not let me know prior to our first meeting. I walked into this very, very cute house in Willow Glen, met the guardian and then here came Samson with a huge "smile" on his face. I said "is he a pit bull" and his owner looked at me with a worried face and said "yes, will this be a problem" and my reply..."absolutely not". We sat down in her lovely kitchen and what did Samson do...he put his HUGE cow head right in my lap and looked at me with the most loving look I have ever seen. His guardian then began to tell me the story on how she became Samson's guardian, and it nearly brought tears to my eyes. She said that she went to the Humane Society to adopt a "small lap dog" but as she walked by all the well deserving furr kids she locked eyes on the big galoot with the name tag "Samson". She said that she walked away from him thinking "ugh, it's a pit bull, he's HUGE, and I want a dog that can sit in my lap" but the image of Samson, (Sammy Wammers) was burned into her subconscious...so, what did she do...what do you think, she scraped the small lap dog and brought Samson home.

Bad Rap's home page reads, "Welcome to one of the most "Pit Bull Friendly" spots in the San Francisco Bay Area! This site was created to help American Pit Bull Terriers (APBTs) and their people find the support they need to enjoy the best bully experience our home by the bay can offer" and they are NOT KIDDING! Their site is full of wonderful information about the breed, dispelling a lot of the "myths" surrounding APBT's and educating the public on them. They have a wonderful adoption gallery, and some really, really cool branded items you can buy! I knew about this organization, but it was really brought to my attention by one of my furr guardians who recently lost her beloved Boxer Cognac and decided to bring a new furr kid into her pack. After spending nearly an hour on their site, I made a small donation and contacted them to see if there was anything I can do as a business owner to support them. If you get a second, you should really take a look at their site, http://www.badrap.org/ Not only do they seem to be a cool bunch of people, but they are also doing wonderful work! Thank you Bad Rap!

As most of you know, I am always in search of really cool pet related items that I can pass on to all my furr guardians...well, the most recent one blew my mind!!!! Being in this industry I am bombarded with solicitations from start up pet industry companies, and for the most part I'm underwhelmed to say the least, but get a load of this!

http://www.dogpoweredscooter.com/Home_Page.html

Yep, that's right...now you can kick back and have your pooch take you for a ride! I have so many furr guardians who would love to bike with their dogs, but it's just too much of a challenge to keep a good hold on the leash, and hope that a squirrel doesn't dart in front of you to temp your kid to take off after it. Now, you have the best of both worlds!!!! Take a look at this video!

How totally cool is that! I wonder if my cat would be good at this...nah, probably not. The cool thing is that they also have skateboards, folding bikes, BMX bikes and a Trike that will work with this too!!!!! I think the BMX bike idea would be perfect for your "human kids" to exercise them...that way they are BOTH tired at the end of the day!

This is a sad subject for me to bring up, and I'm still getting used to the change. Many of your furr kids have been cared for by Nanny Samantha, and over the past two + years has been one heck of a furr kid care provider. Well, unfortunately for us, Nanny Sam has decided to hang up her nanny hat and will be going back to school full time to complete her degree. This was a horrible shock for me, but after it wore off I realized that this was an awesome opportunity for Sam, and will do nothing more than really help her in her future. "You can always come back to pet sitting" I said, and she replied "you never know, I may miss my furr kids so much I may have to". I want to wish Sam all the luck in the world, and for you furr guardians who have loved and trusted her over the years, don't worry...I have hired on Nanny Stacy and Nanny Maria who will be taking over for her. They both have 5+ years of pet sitting experience, and BOY do they know their stuff!

Well, I guess that's it for now...some happy, some sad, some really cool information and I hope you enjoyed reading this edition. I hope you have a wonderful weekend, and give your furr kids a kiss from their nannies!

Here comes the sun...or is it?

2009-02-23T15:40:00.001-08:00

Hello all my furr guardians, how are you staying afloat with all of this rainy weather? I lucked out today and found a break in the rain for me to visit my daily dog walks...phew, it was a close one! I wanted to first wish my friend Sidney a heartfelt "get well soon", and I'm looking forward to starting up our walks again very soon! I also wanted to wish Nanny Katy a very wonderful Birthday today, (I'm blowing an imaginary party horn).

You know, sometimes I read about things that I just can't believe and recently I read a HORRIBLE story about a 14 year old Boy who was filmed, (by his Brother) abusing his own family cat "Dusty". He set up the "scene" by appearing with a covered face, and as he walked into his bathroom said "the topic of the day is animal abuse". The video was posted on YouTube and thankfully taken down almost immediately. www.kenny-glenn.net And as I glanced over at my beloved Blackjack sitting on his very own office chair, (see photo) it got me thinking about how absolutely important it is to educate young people, (really from birth) to be kind to our fellow earth roamers, and came across an educational opportunity offered by the WONDERFUL Silicon Valley Humane Society. They offer a variety of programs for children, teens and adults which are highly interactive, student-centered and age-appropriate. They also have a "Compassion in Action" program which allows middle and high school students to explore animal welfare subjects impacting their community, and the "Animal Pals Club" allows 8 to 13 year olds the opportunity to interact with a wide variety of animals. On top of this, they also offer "Caring Communities" classes to Santa Clara County teachers, and K-12 education presentations are also available by request. So, even if you do not have children you should pass this information on to any family members, or even teachers that you think may be interested in this. We really must take an active interest as a community to ensure that our furr friends are respected and well taken care of.

On the topic of the Silicon Valley Humane Society, I also wanted to make sure you all knew that the 2009 "Fur Ball" is being held on Saturday, April 25th. This is a great event that benefits the Humane Society, and yes...it's black tie...and YES...you can bring your canine furr kid!!!! The tickets are $250.00 which includes dinner, desert and some other fun surprises. You can also sponsor a "Top Dog" Table of 10 for $5,000.00. This includes VIP parking, table sponsor name included in the program and The Fur Ball 2009 web site and your table guests receive a special gift! Last years event grossed more than $400,000 for the shelters animals!!! How totally awesome is that! Not to mention that there is a fabulous silent auction that goes on throughout the night. You may just see a great gift package from your friends at SVPN.

The pet sitter NEMESIS is back!!!! Yes my furr guardians, your loyal pet sitters do have a nemesis...no, it's not fleas, no, it's not the squirrels that run in front of us when we walk your pups...it's ANTS! Each year we do battle with these pesky little work horses, and sometimes they win! Ants are one of those inevitable things that none of us can effectively prevent...they live in our walls, in the ground outside, pretty much everywhere and BOY-OH-BOY do they LOVE pet food! It really helps your loyal pet sitters to make sure you have some type of ant bait, spray, etc around just in case as well as either a swiffer wet jet or paper towels for us to clean up their little carcases. If you find yourself doing battle with these little dudes a great tip that your loyal pet sitters us is to place your pets food dishes in a shallow pan of water. The ants cannot swim, so they cannot get into your pets food. Another good thing to do is to make sure your pet food is in a sealed container so they can't get into extra food. I had one situation where one of my clients had a 50 pound bag of dog food left out in the open and I am not kidding...ants were EVERYWHERE even at the bottom of this huge bag...it was the most ants I have ever seen in one setting and took nearly 2 hours to clean up. Your furr kids do not like ant appetizers so they may go a full day without food...a little prevention goes a long way. Don't worry...your loyal pet sitters are always ready to do battle and will fight off these pesky little dudes with all the gusto we have!

Well, I guess that's it for now...I hope you all have a wonderful evening and hopefully enjoy some sun for a change. Give all your furr kids a big kiss from their beloved pet sitters!

Walking doggies in the rain!

2009-02-11T16:35:00.001-08:00

Hello all my furr guardians, how is this rainy weather treating you? As the title of this post says, we had quite the walking dogs in the rain type of day. Yes, that and picking up poop are the two downsides to this position, but that's not too bad is it. Just like your nanny friends, most of the dogs we walk HATE being out in the rain, and sometimes it's quite the struggle to get them into the wet weather...and they just don't seem to understand that it's potty time. Like most of you know, if it's REALLY raining we do not actually walk your pups, but they do need to go out and potty. Here is a quick account of my day with four wet doggies.

11:53am - Get to Sake's house just as it starts to pour! Get in to the house, and as soon as he saw my umbrella he got that "oh no, you're not getting ME out in that rain". He was quite hesitant to go out, but after a bribe of a treat or two, or three he finally gave in. Let me tell you, that was the quickest pee I have ever seen and then ZOOM ran right back up to the front door. When we got back inside he looked at me like I had dropped him in the ocean, and he was only a bit wet. Me on the other hand was well on the way to a very soaked pair of shoes and socks.

12:16pm - Pull up to Smush's house, (he lives right around the corner from Sake) and of course, it's raining even harder now! I get my already soaked umbrella out and walk up to the front door. I decided to leave my umbrella out on their stoop instead of getting their floor wet, which in retrospect didn't work out too well. I went upstairs and there was my cute Smush boy all smiles and wags. I thought to myself, "this isn't going to last too long" because Smush HATES being in the rain! I put his harness on, and out we went...or, out we eventually went. First off, my umbrella was whisked up by the wind and there it sat upside down acting like a bucket to catch the rain, and then Smush saw that rain and put on his puppy breaks. I finally got him to go out and we walked under the eaves in front of the garages. Smush stayed bone dry...me on the other hand...not so much. Here is a little video of my Smush Boy just in case you want to see a darling pup.

12:35pm - Get to Sidney's house, and then the anticipation of getting the dog who hates the rain more than any other dog I have ever watched, (well, except for Tuna) started to worry me. I got up to his home and he was thrilled to see me as usual, (he is such a sweet Boy) and I purposely left my umbrella outside the front door so he wouldn't get the chance to dart back upstairs. Once we got out the front door I saw the "OH NO" look on his sweet face...I tried to play it off by telling him that it's just to keep the SUN off of me, but I don't think he bought it. We get to the front door of his building and by now it's not just raining...it's a DOWNPOUR. I had to coax him out the front door, but he would not take a step into the rain, which of course I do understand considering I was nursing a pair of very wet shoes and socks. With a little encouragement he finally went potty, but it was tough!

12:50pm - I get to my "baby's" place, and finally my fear of the rain struggle disappeared. You see, Bolt is a puppy, and basically puppies don't hate much of anything including the rain. I came in and there was my sweet baby dog looking at me with a "yeah, you're here" look. We went out in the rain, he pottied, attacked my shoe, then tried to pick up any goodies he could find on the ground. Unfortunately for him, I have become the QUEEN of stopping puppies from eating things, so he wasn't very successful in his quest.

So, that was my day of potty breaks in the rain...I'm sure the other nannies had very similar days, and nursing wet socks and shoes.

I stumbled upon another wonderful story about a little dog named Babe who was born with only two legs. I always think that we, (humans) can learn a lot from animals, and thought you may be interested in learning about this sweet little girl

Wasn't that the sweetest story!

Does everyone have plans for Valentines day? Have you all bought your furr kids a valentines day treat? I came across this recipe for "Red Velvet PUPCAKES", and I thought maybe this would be a fun treat for your furr pups.

Not only is beet juice the secret behind these pupcake's crimson hue, it is also a source of the ideal fiber dogs need to maintain healthy digestion. Iced with low-lactose cottage cheese, these trendy treats are also a balanced meal.

1/4 Cup Canola Oil
1/2 Cup light brown sugar
1 Cup applesauce
1/3 Cup beet puree or fresh beet juice
1 1/2 Cups whole-wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 Cup low-fat cottage cheese

Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Line a 6 cup muffin tin with muffin cups.
In a large bowl whisk together oil and sugar, stir in applesauce and beet puree.
In a separate bowl, combine flour and baking powder. Slowly stir flour mixture into the wet ingredients.
Spoon batter into muffin cups to three-quarters full and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a pupcake comes out clean.
Remove pupcakes from the pan and cool on a rack.
In the bowl of a food processor, puree cottage cheese until smooth, about 30 seconds.
Keep frosting refrigerated until pupcakes are completely cool.
Frost and serve.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Now, we all know that kitties are notoriously picky eaters...especially Blackjack...but I found this fun recipe and thought this could be a fun valentines treat for your kitty.

Catnip Cookies for Cats

1 Cup all-purpose flour
1/4 Cup of whole wheat flour
2 Tablespoons of wheat germ
2 to 4 Tablespoons of catnip
1/3 Cup of milk
2 Tablespoons of vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon molasses
1 egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl
Combine the wet ingredients in separate bowl
Mix the dry and wet ingredients together and work it into a dough
Lightly flour the counter or other work surface
Remove a portion of dough and use a rolling pin to uniformly flatten the dough to a thickness between 1/8 of an inch and 1/4 of an inch
Cut the dough into 1-inch squares using a rolling pizza cutter or a cookie cutter of your choice, (heart shaped maybe).
Place the cookies on a lightly greased cookie sheet.
Bake the cookies for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cookies are crisp and lightly browned.

This recipe will make approximately 50 medium sized cat treats.

Since these treats are preservative free, they will not last forever, so to extend the life of these treats, store them inside the freezer in several small freezer bags. As needed remove a bag from the freezer and leave it out for several hours to thaw. Once the treats are thawed, transfer into a Tupperware container for easy access and store the treats inside the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Let me know if your furr kids enjoy these treats! I think Blackjack will be enjoying a saucer full of tuna juice as a Valentines day treat.

Well, I guess that's it for now. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and please give your furr kids a big hug from their nannies.

Can you believe the weather?

2009-01-30T16:26:00.000-08:00

Hello all my furr guardians, how did January treat you. For those of you who are new to this area, I must ask...are you enjoying the weather or what!?!?!? As a native Californian I must caution to not get the idea that this is the way it is every winter, but enjoy it while it's here!

We have had one puppy filled January, and yes, it's as fun as it sounds. Last week I started doing mid-day potty break visits with Bolt, who is a 12 week old Shiba Inu and as cute as they come!!!! He is the new "Brother" to Toshio a handsome 3 year old Shiba Inu, and let's just say...he's not too thrilled with the new addition. Of course anyone would be jealous of a sibling who comes in and tries to play with all of your toys, gets all the attention, and who is a bit rambunctious. When Bolt tries to pounce on or play with one of his toys Toshio will give him a quick growl and either knock little Bolt over or snatch his toy out of Bolts mouth. It doesn't phase Bolt at all...he knows that his Big Brother is there for his pleasure and is just playing "hard to get". The Boys had me rolling on the ground laughing the other day when Bolt continued to lick Toshio's mouth as he was growling up a storm. I think deep down Toshio liked it, but of course could never admit to it!!!! Once Bolt gets the hint that his Brother isn't interested in playing he happily runs back over to me and attacks my shoe laces. Here is a short video I shot showing this cute little Boy and a "not so happy" Toshio in the background. Don't worry...I give Toshio plenty of attention once the little one is back in his pen.

I wanted to make sure that I mention the awesome upcoming fundraising event for 13th Street Cat Rescue! It is the "13th Street Cat Rescue Tea" and it's being held on Saturday, March 14th at 2:00pm. The tickets are $25.00 and this includes a full afternoon Tea at a historic private residence and San Jose Landmark. This tea will have a delicious selection of savory tea sandwiches, mini quiche, scone with butter, jam and lemon curd, petite dessert, handmade chocolate, fresh fruit & nut cup. All served accompanied by a lovely selection of teas. The seating is very limited, so please reserve and purchase your seats early, (should Saturday sell out, they may add another seating on Sunday, March 15th at 2:00pm). They recommend that you place your orders as a group, so that they can ensure you are seated together. This will be really fun, and it will be a chance to not only enjoy this event but also to see myself and Nanny Katy. You can find the information for this event by clicking on this link http://www.13thstcats.org/ If you cannot attend this event, but would still like to donate to this wonderful organization you can do so through the same link. Hope to see some of you there!

I was at PetSmart the other day and came across something really cool that I had no idea existed! I'm not sure if everyone knows, but PetSmart has it's own charity division and they donate to many wonderful causes. I normally donate a dollar each time I make a purchase, but then I came across a display full of pre-paid mail bags. You can grab one of these bags and send them your eligible inkjet cartridges and Digital Cell Phones! There are some restrictions, but I have been sending in my empty ink jet cartridges that normally I would toss out. They also say that if you purchase recycled Inkjet and Laser cartridges through this company PetSmart Charities will receive $2.00 to $5.00 per purchase! Not a bad way to donate, especially if these items would be trash otherwise. The website for this company is http://www.cartridgesandphones.com/ and PetSmart Charities is http://www.petsmartcharities.org/

My Mom gave me the most wonderful San Jose Mercury News article last week! I'm sure many of you read it, but I wanted to mention it for those who like me, who did not get the chance to see it. It was an article about this wonderful woman named Lynea Lattanzio, who founded "The Cat House on the Kings". It's a rescue like nothing I have ever seen! This woman basically converted her home and 6 acres of land to a no kill cat, (and dog) rescue facility. The crazy thing is, that she has around 700 kitties residing in this facility...no cages, no boundaries and they all live in harmony...even with a couple of dogs running about! It is the most amazing thing I have ever seen, and although she has helpers this organization is relatively unknown. Here is a video about the facility:

If you would like to visit their website you can find it at http://www.cathouseonthekings.com/

If the video of the cats didn't warm your heart enough, I thought I would post the wonderful video produced by my friend Seth Casteel, who owns Little Friends Photography. I know I have mentioned this before, but Seth donates his time and materials to professionally photograph shelter dogs to give them a better chance at finding a forever home. His photos bring out the personality of these pups, and just take a look at their big sweet smiles.

It's wonderful knowing that people like these are roaming the world, and making a difference in animals lives.

Just so you all know, I have been taking videos of some of your furr kids. I have them posted on my YouTube page which you can find by typing in svpetnanny in the search field. I know that I'm not an expert videographer, but I've been having a lot of fun doing it!

Well, I guess that's it for now. I hope you and your furr kids have a wonderful weekend and enjoy this lovely weather! Give your furr kids a big hug and kiss from their nannies!

Happy 2009 everyone!

2009-01-11T16:55:00.000-08:00

Hello all my furr guardians, how are you enjoying this AWESOME weather!!!!! I guess this is why we pay the big bucks to live here, not too many places are 70+ degrees in January. Blackjack really enjoyed being on the balcony today...nice and sunny. Don't ask me why black animals enjoy to bask in the sun for hours...I would burn up, but he loved every minute of it. He's now snoozing on his chair...yes, he has his own chair in the office...he's my mascot, what can I say.

I hope you all were able to get out and enjoy the weather, and hopefully your furr kids did too. I had a great weekend full of kitty merriment. Actually the fun all started on Thursday when I met nanny Chandel at one of our newest furr guardians houses. She just started doing daily visits with an 8 week old Maltese Poodle named Chloe, and OMG...she takes the cake for being one of the cutest puppies I have ever seen! She basically looks like a snowball with eyes!!! She romped around the floor as we gushed over her, and took full advantage of having two sets of hands and two faces for her to lick. She is quite the smart girl too...at only 8 weeks old she can sit AND she knew to use her potty pad when she had to go. Nanny Chandel said "I just want to eat her she's so cute"...it sounded much cuter when she said it. She is pure white with a black nose, black eyes and black lips...really, a snowball with eyes. As we sit there gushing and playing with that little sweetheart, we both looked at each other and said "this is the best job EVER"...and it is!

I also had the pleasure of visiting Oliver and Autumn, two of the sweetest kitties I have ever come into contact with. Oliver, (a Maine Coon mix) must weight close to 22 pounds and is the first cat I have ever grunted while lifting. What a cool kitty he is...talkative, sweet, HUGE, and very smart. His "Sister" Autumn is quite the beauty, and she knows it! She was named after her autumn like coloring, and is soft as a bunny. We don't get too many kitties that like to sit on our laps, especially when they first meet us, but then there was Autumn. As soon as I sat down she made herself right at home on my lap, and WOW she was the best hot water bottle ever! Unfortunately she was not interested in sharing my affection with her Brother Oliver, and if he tried to get in on the action she gave him a swift swat on the head. So, poor lovely biggallute Oliver kept a safe distance all the while talking to me, between quick glimpses of Autumn making sure he wasn't in for another swat. Here is a picture I took of this very thing...Autumn is on my lap and just look at Oliver's nervous face. Don't worry though, I made plenty of one on one time with my big guy Oliver, so he only had to endure this for about 5 minutes. I'm sure they both will be thrilled to see their guardians, however I wish I had a bit more time to spend with these two lovely kitties.

I am very excited about the new furr kid that I will be visiting Monday's and Thursday's starting this week. Her name is Nomi, and she is one of the smallest Yorkie's I have ever seen! Sweet as sugar this little girl is, and loves to be held like a baby. Her guardian calls her monkey, which is funny because that's what I call Blackjack, so this nickname should be easy for me to remember. During my meeting with her guardian, she went and got one of her favorite toys, which was about twice as big as her!!! She played fetch with this toy like it was no problem at all, but to see this tiny girl lugging around a large squeaky toy really made me laugh. I will make sure to post a picture of her as soon as I'm able to snap on.

So, we took the Christmas in the Park tree down on Friday, and although it had been through some pretty rough rain it held up remarkably well!!!! The ornaments were a bit dirty, but in great shape! You know, I was going to send all of you furr guardians your kids ornament, but I have decided that I enjoyed being a part of the community and having a tree, so I am planning on reusing their ornaments next year. Of course you are welcome to have your furr kids ornament if you would like...just let me know and I will send it to you ASAP. But, if you would like another year of your furr kid being a Christmas star you can opt for me to keep the ornament to use next year.

I'm really excited about 2009, and hope to add a lot of new fun stuff to the website. Of course we will be at Bark in the Park 2009, and possibly a couple of other events. I'm working on getting new t-shirts, and potentially doggy shirts...I'll keep you updated.

Remember that if you would like your pet(s) to be the next "newsletter pet" just drop me an email with a cute story. I'm most likely going to go green with my newsletter and instead of a physical paper version doing an e-version. I know that this isn't ideal for everyone, so if you would rather have a paper version just let me know and I can print a small amount of them.

Also, if you do not see your furr kids picture on our site feel free to e-mail one to me. I want to make sure all of our furr kids get the chance to make their debut on the website, especially because once we visit them, they are a part of our family.

I guess that's all for now, but I will make sure to post soon.

Time to reflect

2008-12-30T16:15:00.000-08:00

Hello all my furr guardians, how was your holiday? Did your furr kids get lots of gifts? As far as Blackjack goes, he prefers the wrapping paper and ribbon as opposed to actual toys. He did however receive a very nice stocking full of toys from his friend Angels furr guardian, and actually played with quite a few of them!

We had a blast visiting all of your furr kids this holiday season! By the end of this month, (tomorrow) we will have enough dog and cat hair to knit 10 sweaters, will be pulling litter out of our shoes and socks for days, trying to get the crusted drool off of our pants and having sweet dreams of all the fun times we had. You know, I actually saw a news report on a lady who makes bags out of cat hair, (she's a groomer) wonder if we could team up.

I was driving around today, and I really started to reflect on all the furr kids that I have had the pleasure visiting with over the four years I've been in business. I cannot tell you how lucky I feel to have chosen this career and have worked with so many wonderful furr guardians. I received a holiday card from my old friends Jane and Johnny, who trusted us to care for their furr kids Tuna and Fruitcake for many years while Johnny was a part of the San Francisco 49'rs coaching staff. How sad it is for us when one of our furr kids moves away...it's like a part of us goes with them.

I was thinking about my old friend Jackson the Boxer, and one of the most enduring things that has ever happened to me in my many years of furr kid care. I hope you don't mind me sharing it with you, (although I'm sure I have gushed over it to some of you already). Jackson was, (and still is) a beautiful goofy Boxer Boy who I had the pleasure of visiting weekly for well over a year. His nickname was "my buggah" for no particular reason...it just came out one day. He is a big Boy, but had the temperament of a sweetheart. He never told me, but I think it hurt his feelings when people would walk the "long way around" instead of visiting with him. One day I was told the heartbreaking news that Jackson would be relocating to Oakland with his furr guardians, and my heart was nearly ripped out of my chest.

The last week of our visits were very hard for me, and I know that Jackson picked up on it...I mean, I was his fun Auntie Carolyn who was always smiling and playing not this depressed sad person who so obviously had a lot on her mind. As the last day approached I told myself that I wasn't going to cry, I was going to be strong for "my buggah" and make our last visit a super happy one...then I opened the door. Here he was standing right inside the door waiting for me with his earth themed ball wedged in his mouth and his big Boxer lips folding over it so you couldn't even see his nose. I burst into laughter, but at the same time I could feel the tears coming. I spent extra time with Jackson on that last visit and by the time I took him up to his apartment I was choking up. I took him inside, wrote my last note to his guardians, gave him his chicken treat and then said my goodbyes. The tears flew down my face non-stop and Jackson started to act very upset. As I closed the door for the last time, he watched me until there was only a small crack left. I went to my car blubbering, sad that I lost my good friend.

Well, the next day I had to come back to the complex to visit another furr kid, and I ran into Jackson's guardians. They told me that Jackson had been inconsolable the entire night, whimpering and throwing up. I told them about the sad goodbye and they said "he must REALLY love you", and then they thanked me for caring so much about their Boy and how I made such a difference in his life. My heart warmed up and I have to admit I smiled...not because Jackson was sick of course, but it showed how much of an impact we have on your furr kids and how much they love us. I still miss Jackson, and think about him all the time. I think I'm going to add a new part to my contract forbidding my furr guardians to move. Just kidding, but I wish I could.

I hope some of you had the chance to visit our tree at this years Christmas in the Park! I received emails from some of my furr guardians saying "I found my kid" which in itself is a challenge. My Sister went by the tree the other day and said it was holding up amazingly well, which I'm thrilled about. This is the last week the tree will be up, and I must take down the decorations on the 2nd, so if you haven't seen it you may want to make a little time to pop on over there. If you have children, (the human kind) you can make it a game...let's see if they can find their furr sibling(s).

Some of you already know, but I was actually able to take a few days off and visit Las Vegas! It was a really great time, but of course my allocation of money into the slot machines left my pockets a bit empty, but I guess that's the way it goes in the city of bright lights. On the flight there I picked up one of those EVIL Skymall catalogs and actually found some pretty cool pet related stuff. Just for fun, here are the items that I thought were really cool.

The Indoor Dog Restroom: http://www.skymall.com/shopping/detail.htm?pid=102628291&c=10710

The Coolaroo: http://www.skymall.com/shopping/detail.htm?pid=102100479&c=10710

Swoop Mini Pooper Scooper: http://www.skymall.com/shopping/detail.htm?pid=102760900&c=10710

Climate Control Pet Carrier: http://www.skymall.com/shopping/detail.htm?pid=102704142&c=10710

Litter Robot, (wonder if it's as good as the reviews say it is): http://www.skymall.com/shopping/detail.htm?pid=102181776&c=10720

Fling-ama-string Cat Toy: http://www.skymall.com/shopping/detail.htm?pid=102681663&c=10720

The Door Hung Cat Climber: http://www.skymall.com/shopping/detail.htm?pid=102828842&c=10720

So, I guess that's it for now. I wanted to thank you all one last time for allowing us to care for your furr kids. Katy, Chandel, Samantha, Naomi, Gretchen and I hope all of you have a wonderful and SAFE New Years. We will see your furr kids next year!!!!

HAPPY 2009!!!!!

Can you believe it's almost 2009!!!!

2008-12-12T16:01:00.000-08:00

Hello all my furr guardians, how did this week treat you? I'm tired as usual, but wanted to put up a quick blog...well, it may be a not so quick blog, but let's see how it goes.

I am so excited that I finally bought a little HD camcorder! It's really cool, it's called a Flip Video...not that it's high tech, or has fabulous resolution, but it's smaller than my Blackberry and fits in my purse and that's what counts to me! I have been having fun taking videos of my daily adventures and took this cute quickie of the beautiful Muddy-Pie. Muddy-Pie is SUCH a funny girl, and I have SO much fun playing with her. She does this funny "hopping" thing which makes me roll on the floor laughing. I took this little video of her and I playing with her feather toy. She goes NUTS for her feather toy and will play with it non-stop as long as your willing to indulge her...which of course I am. If you would like to see her play just click on this link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWkbew9mKUs&eurl=http://www.youtube.com/my_videos_edit2&feature=player_embedded

I always love to donate or help people during the holiday season, and because of this I have decided to donate $1.00 from each of our bookings during the month of December to our friends at 13th Street Cat Rescue. I want you all to know that this is not only a donation on our part, but on the part of all of you who booked in December. With the economy in dyer straights, non-profits are feeling the pinch BIG TIME. This wont be a huge donation, but hopefully it will help the homeless kitties, (and sometimes doggies) in their care. If you would like to make a personal donation, you can visit their website www.13thstcats.org If you cannot donate money, they are always looking for blankets, cat food, and litter.

You know how I'm always looking for fun pet gift ideas, well I found a couple that I thought were kind of cool! The first is 1 Cute Pooch, and they can create personalized photo ID tags featuring your pet!!!! Such a cute idea! They have a bunch of fun and crazy designs and a bunch of other fun gift ideas. www.1cutepooch.com

The next one is for all you football fans out there. A company called Gulf Coast Products has a line of football pet food bowls, and they are really cute! You can choose from a number of pre-designed colors or you can customize the bowl in your favorite team colors. Now, if they only had a hockey puck I would be happy. www.gulfcoastproducts.com

If you're looking for an actual store that you can visit don't forget to pop by our friends Gussied Up Dog Boutique in Willow Glen. Their site isn't complete just yet, but you can get their address and phone number at www.gussiedupdog.com They have SO many fun items that you can buy for your furr kids, (yep even some cat stuff) ranging from tons of fun outfits to gourmet doggy treats.

I'm always interested in finding new fun furr kid gift ideas, so if any of you know of a cool idea please e-mail them to me and I will post them on my blog.

We have been really lucky to have some really fabulous weather over the past couple of months, but here comes the DOOM AND GLOOM. It is really important to keep not only your furr kids warm and toasty, but also your green kids...yep, your plants. We have a wonderful little information sheet called "Cold Weather Hints for Pet Owners" which I would be happy to send to you if you just shoot me an e-mail and request a copy.

I guess that's it for now...okay, okay, not really a quick blog, but once I start it's hard for me to stop! Just a reminder to visit our tree at Christmas in the Park and try to find your furr kid(s). Give your furr kid(s) a big hug and kiss from their nannies, and have a wonderful weekend, (stay warm!!!).

Until next time.....

WOW, a whole month has passed!

2008-12-03T10:55:00.000-08:00

Hello all my furr gaurdians, I hope you had a wonderful November and are still stuffed with turkey and all the trimmings. I can't believe it's been an entire MONTH since I last posted a blog, and the only excuse I have is that November was crazy busy!

There has been so much going on I don't even know where to start! I guess let's start with something fun and in my mind really cool. Our tree at Christmas in the Park!!!!! We had SUCH a fun time decorating our beautiful tree and I still can't believe we were able to get all the ornaments on!!! I believe that we had close to 200 ornaments all of which are pictures of your furr kids. I personally handmade each ornament, which was quite the project! The other items on the tree are candycane shaped rawhides, kitty jingle balls, stuffed mice, doggy squeeky toys, and the tree is topped with a round doggy ball. We also have a fire hydrant, and a shiney red bowl with red glass ornaments in it.

I have mentioned to some of you that finding your furr kid could be as difficult as finding a needle in a haystack, but if you see a picture of your furr kid on our website then he/she is up on the tree! We are really proud of this tree and being a true part of the community. Christmas in the Park goes through January 1st and our tree is #633 right next to Santa's House. If you get the chance you should really spend an afternoon viewing all the cool displays and the many decorated trees. http://www.christmasinthepark.com/

There are so many fun pet related holiday events going on in December, and I wanted to mention a couple of them.

Santa Paws at PetSmart! This is an event that benefits my friends at 13th Street Cat Rescue and it's a great opportunity for you to meet these wonderful folks. Your furr kid can pose with Santa Claus and have their picture taken for a resonable $9.95. Five dollars of your fee will do directly to 13th Street Cat Rescue, which will help them incredibly. This event will be held on December 13th and 14th between 11:00am and 4:00pm at the PetSmart located at 607 Coleman Ave, San Jose, CA 95110. To learn more about 13th Street Cat Rescue please visit their website at http://www.13thstcats.org/

Santa Paws at Santana Row! This is a fun event where you can bring your four-legged friends, (cats and dogs only) to Santana Row's Park Valencia for a keepsake photo with Santa Claus! Photos are just $20.00 and a portion of the proceeds will benefit Humane Society Silicon Valley. This will be held on Sunday, December 7th from 11:00am to 3:00pm. Registration begins at 10:30am, so make sure to come early.

I know that this isn't really pet related, but coming from a long line of SJSU alumni I thought I would mention it...besides, we all would love to see happy Children. The SJSU University Police Department is collecting contributions for its 16th annual holiday toy drive. Each year, UPD delivers new and gently used toys to 1,000 needy children living near campus. You can help by contributing cash or toys. Cash contributions should be made online or via check or money order to the Tower Foundation of San Jose State University, One Washington Square, Attn: UPD Holiday Toy Drive, San Jose, CA 95192-0183. Please write "UPD Holiday Toy Drive" on the reference line of your check. Toys can be dropped off in the UPD office lobby on the ground floor of the Seventh Street Gargage by December 12th. To learn more you can contact Liza Rios, UPD administrative analyst, at (408) 924-2171. Since 1991, the San Jose State University Police Department Holiday Toy Drive has been providing community children with toys to celebrate the holiday season, and over the years, Santa's list has grown from 50 families to more than 300!

This is the second year in a row that my Sister, Mom and I have donated and I must say...we go a little overboard. :o)

I wanted to welcome all our new furr kids to our SVPN family...Gadget, Mia, Cherry-Pie and Hummer, Newbie and Pinky, Buck, Chocolate, Cisco, Duff, Hudson and Slash, Clara, Muddy-Pie, Killer, Loverboy and Rebel, Candy and Nugget, Bentley, Gucci, Ambrosia and Clem and Toshio. I also want to welcome and thank all you furr gaurdians who have allowed us to care for your wonderful furr kids. If I have forgotten any of you please let me know and your furr kid will be included in the next entry.

Since it's the holidays, I thought it was only appropriate to include a yummy "Howliday Recipe" for your pooch or kitty if they are adventurous eaters.

Giggy's Corn Muffins with Turkey Giblets!
Yield 12 to 18 mini muffins

2 oz. bacon grease or shortening
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 C. flour
1/3 C. water
1 tsp. parsley flakes
7.5 oz. box corn muffin mix
2 -3 oz. chicken/turkey giblets, (enclosed pack minus the neck)

-Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.
-Grease a muffin pan with nonstick vegetable spray.
-Melt the bacon grease
-Puree the liver and giblets in a blender or food processor.
-In large mixing bowl, whisk together the pureed liver, water and bacon grease.
-In separate bowl, stir together the corn muffin mix, flour, and spice. Mix into the liquid mixture.
-Divide the batter evenly among the muffin slots and bake for 15 minutes or until the toothpick test is dry, turning the pan once for even baking.

I guess that's all for now...enjoy this last bit of our Indian Summer and a wonderful weekend.

Until next time.....

WOW, does time FLY!

2008-10-29T14:05:00.001-07:00

Hello all my furr guardians out there. First, I must apologize for another HORRIBLE delay in posting a new blog, as well as the delay in getting my newsletter out. It has been a really crazy month, and with my first cold of the season lasting nearly two weeks it hasn't been easy to get to them both. With the cold behind me, and my head much less congested it's time to get back on the blog and newsletter Horse.

Let's see...I feel like I have so much to talk about!!!! I guess I last left off with the Bark in the Park, which you should really take a minute or two to look at the pictures if you haven't already. Some exciting and heart warming things have happened since that wonderful event, and hope you don't mind me sharing them with you. First off I had a wonderful article in the San Jose Mercury News back on September 20th!!! Some of you have mentioned that you really enjoyed the article, and it really helped you be more prepared for your loyal pet sitters. For those who weren't able to read it or didn't know about it here is the link: http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_10559861?IADID=Search-www.mercurynews.com-www.mercurynews.com

The next story is a heartwarming one, and I still have a happy feeling just thinking about it. A good friend of mine emailed me for help about two weeks ago. Unfortunately his Grandmother passed away and she left behind her beloved mini Poodle "Spike". The family wasn't able to keep Spike, and they were desperate to find him a loving new home with people who would love and adore him like his late person did. I sent an email to some of my furr guardians who I felt may have the space and desire to give Spike a new home, and was overwhelmed by the response that I received. Within 5 minutes of sending the email I received emails from 5 of my clients, all with questions regarding Spike, and within 30 minutes Spike had a new home!!!! In fact, it just shows what a small world we live in...Spikes new person actually worked in the same building as my friend, (not the same company) so when I told my friend about him not only did he work right downstairs, but my friend also knew him!!!!! My friend just took a stroll downstairs to talk face to face with him about Spikes adoption, and within 3 days he brought Spike to his new person. Spike was able to spend the whole day at his new person's workplace, and brought smiles to everyone who worked there. I heard wonderful news that Spike bonded with his new person almost immediately, and followed him from room to room the entire day. I want to thank all of you who were so generous by sending out my help request to your friends and families, and to Corrine who forwarded it to Spikes new person John. You all have such great hearts and I appreciate you taking the time to help Spike.

The "Spike story" should also remind you all to make sure you have made arrangements for your beloved furr kid if something were to happen...either and illness, accident or anything else. You can contact the Silicon Valley Humane Society to discuss their "Pet Guardianship Program" which ensures that if you cannot find a suitable furr guardian the SVHS will do everything in their power to find a perfect person for him or her. www.hssv.org/donate_guardianship.html or you can call Bridget Keenan at (408) 727-3383.

Your loyal pet sitters awesome service record has been celebrated! We have been chosen to be preferred vendor for the Prometheus Real Estate Group!!! What does this mean? Well, Prometheus manages three new apartment communities that reside in Santa Clara, Palo Alto and Mountain View. When new furr guardians move into their communities they will be given your loyal pet sitters information. Some of you were nice enough to allow the management team to talk to you regarding our service level, and I thank you so much for that. With the background check out of the way my hope is that the furr gaurdians will feel confident in their managements choice, and give us the chance to care for their furr kids. This is a big honor for your loyal pet sitters, and we look forward to visiting with our new furr kids! Don't worry, this will not affect your service or nanny availability, in fact if this goes well I will be hiring a dedicated nanny who will service only these properties.

My furr guardian Holly sent me the COOLEST thing the other day, and she said I could share it with all of you. She found a company called "ArtPaw.com" who transformed three separate pictures of her girls into a VERY cool work of art! She was nice enough to allow me to list the link on my blog so you can see the transformation:
http://www.artpaw.com/proofpages/proof_hjones.html

She said she opted for Proof #2, and ordered a 24 x 36 portrait that she now has proudly hanging in her home. She thought that many of you might think it was cool as well, and with the holidays approaching might make a great gift.

And to another potential very cool holiday gift...I came across an advertisement for "Mutt Lynch Winery" who produce custom labeled wines that feature your furr kid!!!! I read their entire website, and they look like a COOL bunch of pet loving people! They even have a listing for animal charities and feature a wine program called "Club Mutt". If nothing else you should take a minute to check out their site...I had a lot of fun going through it. http://www.muttlynchwinery.com/

I wanted to welcome all my new furr kids that have joined the SVPN family since late September...Goldie, Zakin, Anya & Max, Sandy, Cassie, Max, Emmitt, Boo, Scruffy, Toby, Isabella, Alex, Tahoe & Emma, Mozart & Pixel, Baily, Guinness, Mighty & Sparky, Bianca & Sophie and Kiely. I am so happy that your guardians have allowed us to care for you while they were either at work or on vacation. If I have forgotten any of our new kids please drop me a line and I will add them on my next blog.

One last small reminder...if I do not have a picture of your furr kid on my website PLEASE email one to me.

I guess that's all for now, my fingers are starting to burn...but thank you so much for being a part of our extended family and I appreciate all of you very much.

Until next time...

Bark in the Park 2008!

2008-09-22T07:48:00.000-07:00

Hello all my furr guardians, how did the weekend treat you? We had a very busy but fun weekend. Saturday was the Bark in the Park festival, and BOY was it a blast! We had a much more streamlined booth this year, and even added a prize wheel! We had really cool give-a-way items which included custom printed "bags on board" poop bag holders, personal cooling fans, safety whistles, bone shaped jar openers, custom printed pedometers, paw shaped chip clips and frisbees! We also decided to add a water dispenser for all the thirsty doggies, and WOW was that a popular stop! We had a couple of "party poopers" who wanted to pee on the dispenser, but luckily their guardians were able to stop them before they were able to taint the water.

We saw SO many fun doggies, some of whom we have never seen before, (breed wise). We were located next to Titans Kingdom which is a doggy daycare located in Fremont. The namesake of the daycare was there to represent, and WOW was he a cool guy! Obviously his name was Titan, and he is a beautiful golden retriever. As we all set up our booths he ran around playing with our mascot Fozzy, and rolled in the grass. He loved us, especially because we had yummy treats that his people allowed us to give to him. Hours into the festival he was sacked out behind his booth and slept through the majority of the day.

Our mascot Fozzy represented our booth like the beautiful girl she is and sported her pink bandanna. She was really good with most of the doggies who ventured into our booth, and liked hanging out with our friendly visitor Boo. She had to tolerate watching as her person lavished attention on all the other doggy visitors, but all of us made sure to tell her that she was our special girl, and the honorary mascot of our booth, that made her happy.

We were so happy to see many of our furr kids and guardians who came to visit us at our booth. We saw Smush, Sake, Hershey, Coco, Rufus, Bandit, Joanie, Harry and Winnie. We also were visited by Bailey and Cognac's guardians and Zakin's guardians. We hope next year we will even see more of you!

At one point of the day there were probably close to 10,000 attendees and I couldn't even guess on how many furr kids were there. We saw some of the largest furr kids we have ever seen and some of the tiniest. We were covered in doggy kisses, and our booth was covered in muddy doggy paw prints.

We had a donation jar which went to 13th Street Cat Rescue, and I'm happy to report we brought in $92.00 in donations! It was a wonderful feeling to be surrounded by people and vendors who dedicate their lives and time to help furr kids. It was also wonderful to see how important and loved all the furr kids were, and how much their guardians value their relationship. We heard many funny stories about the visiting furr kids, and we loved all of them. We are looking forward to visiting with our new furr kids, and thank all of our existing furr kid guardians for making it a point to visit us.

Until next time, give your furr kids a big kiss from their nannies.

Happy September!

2008-09-04T15:37:00.000-07:00

Hello all my furr guardians, and happy September to you all! Where does the time go? I swear it was just June and now it's September...did I skip a couple of months? It's probably due to this horrible heat wave that we're having! How are all your furr kids doing? Remember to keep plenty of cool water around for them, even throw in a few ice cubes for a refreshing treat. NEVER leave you furr kids in a car, even if the windows are down, and make sure to have ample shade if they are left outside during the day.

I have had one busy couple of weeks! Needless to say, whenever there is a holiday we are busy and this past Labor Day was no exception. Nanny Chandel, Katy, Samantha and yours truly visited lots of your furr kids and they all acted like perfect ladies/gentlemen. We had the pleasure of visiting Zakin, Marissa, Moki & Mara, Baily & Cognac, Ben & Mie, Pumpkin, Bianca, Cecilia & Odin, Hugs, Kisses and Zoey, Pipsqueak, Pippen and Sierra, Oscar & Java, and Max & Anya. What a fun bunch of furr kids they are!

Some exciting news...we are now an Accredited Business through the Better Business Bureau! I have wanted to do this for sometime, and finally I signed up! I have the very cool looking plaque hanging on my wall directly under my business license, and it makes me pretty proud that's for sure.

I have also decided to "go green" when it comes to my newsletters. Although I really enjoy sending out my newsletters, it is a part of my "footprint" that I can change over. So, I'm not exactly sure if I will do one more paper newsletter just so my furr guardians who do not read this blog will know, but after this one you will be receiving online newsletters. If you do not wish to receive a newsletter online just let me know! I'm planning on putting them up on my website so you can read past issues. I'm not exactly when this will happen, but it will very soon.

I have had the pleasure of speaking to many new SVPN furr guardians over the past month or so. It's so wonderful to hear all your stories and to hear how loved your furr kids are. I wanted to remind my existing furr guardians and to tell my new furr guardians to remember to send me a picture of your furr kid(s) if you do not see one on my site. Also, I have yet to receive a nomination for our newsletter pet! I know you ALL have a funny, heartwarming, sweet story about your furr kid(s), so make sure to send one in so your furr kid might make it to the front of the newsletter!

Well, until next time my friends, be good to your furr kids and make sure to give them a big hug from their Nannies.

So many fun new kids!

2008-08-21T15:24:00.000-07:00

Hello all my furr kid guardians...how has the week treated you? My week has been hectic, but that's the way I like it! Two of my furr guardians have moved, and that always makes me sad. Do you think it would be out of line to put a "do not move" clause in my contract? :o)

I just finished my day visiting with Sake, Smush and Sienna...wow, all three start with an "S". My girl Sienna was SO funny today! She kept trying to take a bite out of apples that had fallen off the tree and were lying on the ground. I said, "Sienna, you're not supposed to like apples", but she kept trying for them...luckily I'm fast and she didn't get one nibble. Katy visited our Boy Coco today...he was bit at his doggy daycare last week and required stitches in his tongue and a small bit cut off...he has a zigzag tongue now, which just adds to his charm. You know, people really have a negative view of Pit Bulls, (which Coco is) but the dog who bit him was a small terrier sort and after it happened Coco just started to cry and ran to hide. Not the vicious guy that people probably see him as; in fact he is one of the sweetest guys ever.

Did I mention that I was lucky enough to find an awesome replacement for Nanny Elaine? Her name is Cynthia and she's been a professional pet sitter for 5 years. To say she knows her stuff would be an understatement, and she will be the Nanny for all my South San Jose clients. I have also decided to do another expansion of sorts. During the interview process I met a wonderful girl name Christina, who fit the pet nanny profile to a tee. The only down side was that she is located on the boarder of San Jose and Milpitas, so asking her to drive to the South San Jose area wouldn't be a good match. So, I started thinking that I receive a lot of requests from furr guardians who live in that area, and I always have to turn them away due to it being out of all of our service areas. So, I decided to bring Christina on as my Milpitas/Great Mall Nanny and I couldn't be happier! She will start training with me next week, and hopefully will be ready to go by the second week of September.

I was looking at my photo gallery the other day, and realized that I don't have many of your furr kids due to your nanny not having a camera. If you notice that your furr kid isn't a part of my gallery please send me a picture of them and I will put them up ASAP.

We have a fun filled weekend coming up! Nanny Katy is visiting with sweet little Bandit and Zaelen. Nanny Samantha gets to spend time with her special girls Hugs and Kisses. Nanny Chandel gets to spend some time with two very sweet kitty cats, and yours truly will be running the office and hopefully talking to some more of your wonderful furr kid guardians.

I've enjoyed talking to all you new SVPN clients lately...it's really fun hearing all the stories about your furr kids. It's also very interesting to hear about your life and what you do in your work and personal time. So many of you are so loving and spend much of your personal time doing work with animal organizations. I want to thank all of you who do, whether it's with donations, or actually doing the rescue work.

Well, that's it for now my friends. Until next time give your furr kids a big hug and kiss from their nanny, and I will "talk" to you soon.

It's Friday! Yeah!!!!

2008-08-08T16:49:00.000-07:00

Hello my furr kid guardians, how are you this evening? I would like to apologize for the horrible amount of time that has past since I last posted a blog. I have had one heck of a couple of weeks, and your loyal pet sitter is burned out!

This was a sad week for your loyal pet sitter...Nanny Elaine decided to hang up her nanny cap to find something with a bit more of a set schedule. Being a pet nanny comes along with some CRAZY hours which can change daily, and it's a hard adjustment to get used to. She was a great Nanny over the year plus that she was with me, and she was wonderful with all the furr kids that she visited over that time. I suggested to her that maybe she look into working at a doggy daycare since she is so great with doggies, and this would give her more of a structured schedule so she didn't have to keep track of our crazy ever-changing schedule. I have been interviewing for a replacement for Nanny Elaine, but after receiving nearly 100 inquiries it is taking some time trying to find that needle in a haystack. I have talked to some AWESOME candidates, but I am committed to finding the perfect Nanny who can join the superstar ranks of Nanny Samantha, Nanny Chandel, Nanny Heather and of course Nanny Katy, (well, me too). If any of you former Nanny Elaine clients would like to discuss this situation please do not hesitate to call me.

On a lighter note...I received all of my "swag" for the Bark in the Park! WOW, what cool stuff! I am super pleased about it, and feel that I made some very cool picks. I have electric personal fans, pedometers, bone shaped jar openers, paw shaped chip clips, a safety light/whistle and I'm still waiting on the poop bag holders...you know, the kind that you can clip onto your leash or belt buckle! We assembled the prize wheel last night, and my wonderful Husband designed a really cool graphic for it! Even if you do not have guardianship of a pup...you should still make a plan to visit the Bark in the Park, which is on September 20th at the Williams Street Park in Naglee Park. You can find everything that has to do with doggies, and a lot of kitty stuff too!!!!

I met the CUTEST pup the other day! Nanny Chandel is doing a 10 night overnight visit with a wonderful Shitzu named Molly Mae. Oh my goodness is this girl cute! She has a smile that would melt your heart, and is such a love bug! Nanny Chandel says that Molly Mae sleeps with her every night, and won’t let her out of her sight while she's there. I went to drop off some things for Nanny Chandel and that's when I had the pleasure of meeting this little girl. As we drove away Molly Mae was on the living room sofa looking out the window with a "please, come back" look on her face. I love when I get the chance to meet cute furr kids...although; they are all cute in my book, so that makes me the luckiest gal in the world.

One of my favorite things about working with furr kids is hearing the wonderful and sometimes hilarious names that they were given by their guardians. I talked to a new SVPN furr guardian the other day that has a Pug named...get this...Rhino. When I asked his guardian why she named him that, she replied, "because his butt is as big as a Rhino"...could you not laugh hearing that! I also met a furr guardian as I was walking Smush, (the Pomeranian) with a Dachshund puppy named...Banana!!! How appropriate is that name!

I still do not have nominee's for Septembers news letter pet...please do not make me go the nepotism route again and be sure to send me a cute short story about your furr kid. You can talk about anything...how they got their name, cute things that they do...does you kitty play fetch...that could be a story. Also, if you do not see your furr kid on the website please make sure to e-mail a picture of them to me so they can make their website debut.

That's all for now...until next time!

Sam...the attack cat!

2008-07-23T13:06:00.000-07:00

Hello all my furr kid guardians...how has this week treated you so far. It was a bit of a warm day today...I could honestly say that I broke a sweat a few times. One of the steady doggies that I walk Sienna made sure to stop a couple of times during our walk to rest in the cool shaded grass...she's quite cute when she does that.

So, you may be wondering what the story behind the title of this blog is all about. Let me give you a little background about the subject first...many times in the past people have asked me if I had ever been bitten by any of the dogs that are in my care, or if I was ever afraid of any breed of dog...my answer to this is "no, I have neither been bitten or scared of any of the dogs in my care...but I HAVE been bitten and scared of a cat that was in my care". Yes, that's right...your loyal pet sitter was afraid of one particular crazy attack cat. This cat was very scary...he would hide from me when I was in the house, but I could hear his continuous eerie growling from wherever he was hidden away. From time to time I would see his glowing devil eyes glaring at me from his hiding place, which was a good thing, because if I didn't know exactly where he was and walked anywhere near him he would dart out from his hiding place and attack my legs! I know that it sounds fairly humorous, but believe me...it was a scary thing to happen and quite shocking too! So, I have been really lucky over the past years to avoid crazy attack kitties...until now!

I'm watching two kitties for one of my new furr guardians...one of them, (Milo) is one of the cutest kitties I have ever seen...the other one is Sam. Now, Sam is not like the other crazy attack cat that had attacked your loyal pet sitter in the past...Sam is a 13 year old Siamese Boy who's not crazy...just plain cranky! He's not all together thrilled that his furr guardian is gone, and this stranger has entered his home. He keeps at a distance when I enter his domain, and if I dare to get too close he will let me know with a quick hiss or growl. Well, on Monday I made the dreadful mistake of trying to give him treats a bit closer than he was comfortable with, and he snapped! He attacked my leg like it was a team of vicious dogs trying to get at him! Thank goodness I had my legs covered, because it could have gotten ugly! It more startled me than scared me, and afterwards I felt bad for Sam because he was obviously just very nervous and I entered his personal space that he had warned me about in the past visits. So, as of now I give Sam plenty of personal space, and leave his treats close, but not TOO close. I do talk to him, and ask him how his day was, but he doesn't answer...he just sits with me in his sights to make sure I keep an agreeable distance.

Milo is completely the opposite...she ADORES me, and wont leave my side the entire time I'm visiting. The first thing I do is to pick her up and carry her around like a baby...she's a drooler cat; so my arm is usually soaked by the time I put her down. Once I put her down it's like I've done something unacceptable so she weaves in and out of my legs as I try to make my way around the house. After finishing with the food, water and litter I sit on the couch and brush her long beautiful calico fur and try to get the ever-returning mattes out of it without hurting her. She is so adorable, and loves to rub against ANYTHING and usually bangs her head in the process. By the time our visit is over I'm covered in her beautiful fur, and she stands at the door as I walk out and just gives me that "please don't leave" face. Tomorrow is my last visit with them, and I'm sure they will both be thrilled to see their guardian, (especially Sam).

Nanny Elaine finished up with her nearly one month assignment with Oscar the blind Beagle. She said as she drove away from his home she started to ball uncontrollably and misses him SO much. His guardian said that Elaine did an excellent job, although she spoiled him A LOT! She was scared for him to walk down his narrow tall stairs, so she began to carry him up and down the steps rather risking him falling. His guardian said "now he just sits at the top of the steps waiting for me to pick him up"...we can't help spoiling the furr kids sometimes...it's like being a Grandparent.

So, I guess that's it for now, but I will write again in a few days. Until next time give your furr kids a big hug and kiss for me, and tell them that we love them.

Woo...I need a vacation

2008-07-15T15:18:00.000-07:00

Hello all my furr kid guardians, how is the week treating you so far? At least the weather has turned around...I actually had to sleep with a sheet on last night! I can tell you that our cats are much happier, although Blackjack has been a bad boy today...he has an obsession with chewing on anything and everything and today his "prey" was one of my houseplants, (you know the one with teeth marks all over the leaves) some ribbon in our closet and last but not least my hands free charger cable! I told him he would be crispy Blackjack if he continued to do that, but I don't think he cares. Well, I since moved it to a place where hopefully he wont find it, although he can be very clever when he wants.

I started to visit Sidney again this week after a nearly 2 month break. His furr guardian hurt his back and had some time off to rest, so Sidney got all sorts of attention. Well, I missed this little guy, and his quirky personality. He is such a funny Guy, and really does have a quirky personality...for example, when he's waiting for a cookie he exhales out of his nose really hard making an almost sneeze like sound. If that doesn't get your attention, he will start "tap dancing" around on the hard wood floors until you look at him...then when he realizes he's going to get one he stands on his back legs and trembles until the tasty morsel is on the ground. I'm not exactly sure what type of breed he is, but I would say he is a Pomeranian mix of some kind, and not to toot my own horn, but he sure adores me! :o)

Nanny Elaine will be finishing up her nearly 0ne month stay at Oscar, the blind Beagles house. I asked her last night if she was sad and she wrote back that she's going to be heartbroken on that last day, and how much she adored Oscar. That's a hard part about being a "Nanny" it's when long assignments end, or if one of our furr kids move away, and of course the worse part is when one of our beloved furr kids passes away. And you know...it's not just rough on us! I used to do weekly walks with a wonderful Boxer named Jackson, and I guess I was his loyal pet nanny for well over a year. Well, one day his guardian said that they would be moving to Oakland at the end of the month and my heart nearly fell out of my chest. On my last day with Jackson I couldn't stop sobbing...and keep in mind that our furr kid clients never see us cry...we're always happy. Well, Jackson became increasingly more concerned about me, and started to lick my leg as we walked. By the time our walk was over I was a mess, and as I closed the door for the last time, he just stood there and watched me with this sad look on his face, as if he were going to burst out crying too. The next day I ran into his guardians, and they told me that Jackson had been up half the night throwing up, and that he was very upset. Of course I felt horrible that my Guy had been so sick, but it also really touched my heart that my Guy was that concerned about me. We have lots of stories like that, and I'm sure you will "hear" more as this blog goes on.

Things are starting to pick up around here, and WOO looking at my calendar it doesn't look like I'll have a day off for some time! Remember my furr guardians to book in advance if you need an overnight visit, and especially around the holidays! Until next time, give your furr kids a big smooch from their loyal pet sitter, and I will talk to you soon!

With tears in my eyes

2008-07-11T13:14:00.000-07:00

Hello all my furr kid guardians, how are you today? Have you survived the heat? Today wasn't as bad, but WOO is it HUMID outside! Yuck...feels like I've been slapped in the face with a wet rag.

Don't worry about the title...it's more of a heart felt cry than a sad cry. My friend Seth Casteel with Little Friends Photography (you may remember me mentioning him in a couple of newsletters and e-mails) has been doing volunteer work with Los Angeles City Shelters photographing doggies that need new homes. Well, he posted the most heart-warming video on YouTube that made me burst into tears. He basically has been taking professional shots of homeless doggies, which replace the not-so-great amateur shots taken by shelter folks, and the difference is HUGE. If you want a smile on your face, or a quick little cry you should check the video out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_d-0_9r5hj4 It always makes me happy to meet people like Seth or my friend Joanne over at 13th Street Cat Rescue who donate their time, money and life to help homeless kitties and doggies.

Today was a pretty slow day for your loyal pet sitter...I visited my love bug Smush and will be visiting Catalina a little later. We had a last minute Bandit and Zaelen booking, which is okay in our books because they are the NICEST furr kids. Bandit is a little black and white Lasaoodle who has a black band across his eyes...hence the name Bandit. Zaelen is like no cat I've ever met...he is such a cool guy! He loves to be held like a baby, he gives tons of head butts, and follows you around like he's a dog. Sometimes we will say, "get him Bandit" and little Bandit will try and tackle Zaelen...usually getting the short end of the stick. Zaelen also loves drinking out of the bathroom faucet...now I know a lot of kitties do, but he will stick his entire head under the faucet...not caring that his head is drenched when he's done. His guardian told me the story about when she realized he was doing that...she said "I kept noticing that his head would be soaking wet and didn't know how, then I realized that one of our faucets leaked and he would be sitting under it with the drips going right on his head!" Bandit is also a funny little guy; one of my nicknames for his is "skipper-von-skipperbutt" because he does this cute little skip when we're out walking.

Yes, I have lots of nicknames for your furr kids...some make absolutely no sense at all, but I just feel the name when I meet them. My own cat Blackjack has about a million nicknames from Bologna Butt, monkey lips, and The Boob, (which is the most common one) and my Husbands cat’s names from Cornjulio, Cornivorous and Corndog. It's just one of those funny things that I have always done...I wonder if some of the furr kids I watch even realize that what I'm calling them isn't there actual name...hmmmmmm.

I talked to lots of potential new SVPN furr guardians this week, and always enjoy hearing new stories. I also ordered all my give-a-way items for the Bark in the Park, which is September 20th. I think I made some really great choices and hope to see some of you there.

Anyway, I'm off to visit Catalina who is a look-a-like of my beloved Blackjack. But I will gather up some more stories about all my furr kids and talk to you all soon.

Until next time......

It's been a while!

2008-07-07T10:08:00.000-07:00

Hello all my furr kid guardians, how was everyone’s 4th of July? I hope everyone stayed safe and you're furr kids were not totally traumatized. I can tell you that our cat Corn spent most of the week hiding in our bathroom...he's not a fan of fireworks, especially those loud M-80's that our neighborhood kids seem to be so fond of. Blackjack is pretty brave, but he too was not thrilled at the loud bomb like blasts. I know that many of you have "kids" that do not handle this time of the year very well, (a few had to be put on tranquilizers) but it's over now...and we have another year to prepare.

Our Nanny schedule was INSANE over the Holiday weekend! Nanny Sam had quite a few visits on the 4th, but said that she liked being busy due to unfortunately losing two of her beloved kitties in the past month! I felt SO horrible for her...losing a furr kid is very difficult and no matter how many times you go through it, it never gets any easier. Nanny Elaine is still with her blind Oscar dog, and is really getting his schedule down to a science...it's a MUCH different experience when you have a blind furr kid in your care. I'm very proud of her, and it just proves to me how she is just meant to work with animals. Nanny Katy was extremely busy over the holiday, but handled it like a champ...not that it surprises me...she is a champ. Nanny Heather finished up with her kitty job, and Nanny Chandel finished up with her bunny and guinea pig visits. As for me...well, I had a much lighter schedule than the rest of the girls, but that's due to me trying to spend more time in the office and less time actually out doing visits. You know how it is when you take a day off of work and when you get in the office the next day it seems like the world has exploded? That's what I'm trying to avoid.

This is week is going to be bitter/sweet for me...sweet because I get to visit Scooter again! Remember Scooter...the little kitten with paralysis in his back legs? Well, my client is babysitting him again and since I'm doing a pet taxi for her doggy, I get the pleasure of spending some time with the little guy! Bitter because it's going to be SUPER HOT this week! They are predicting temperatures close to 104!!!!!! This weather again, is not good for your furr kids or your loyal pet sitters, but remember to keep lots of fresh water out for your kids and we will make sure to have lots of "nanny water" for us. I must admit, I do enjoy visiting those guardians homes that have air conditioning...it's a nice treat for your loyal pet sitters.

Well, I guess I better go and get ready to visit some of your furr kids. I wanted to make sure to mention that if you're looking for something fun to do this coming weekend, (12th and 13th) the annual Obon festival is going on in Japantown...it's a lot of fun, and you may even run into your loyal pet sitter hoping to win in the bingo tent.

Until next time!

It's Sunday and I'm beat!

2008-06-29T11:20:00.001-07:00

Hello all my pet guardians...how was your week? The weather has been much nicer, although my throat has been burning due to all the smoke in the air. I hope that the fires have affected none of you or any of your family members, friends or associates. The fire situation is not only devastating for the people who have lost their homes, but also for the furr kids that unfortunately were not able to get out of those homes. Make sure to give your furr kid a big kiss and hug just to let them know that you are happy to have them.

Well, as my title suggested...it's Sunday and I'm beat! This has been one heck of a week for your loyal pet sitters, and with the upcoming 4th of July weekend approaching I doubt it's going to be any different for the next week or so. Nanny Elaine just started her month long pet sitting assignment with Oscar, the blind Beagle. I went over to visit with them yesterday, and Oscar just wondered around Elaine and I bumping into our legs from time to time. Elaine has started using her legs to block Oscar from bumping into sharp corners; instead he just bumps into Elaine’s leg. He may be blind, but he knows where his treats are kept and he will stand by that door for long amounts of time until he finally gets that he's had his treat quota for the afternoon. After leaving Elaine and Oscar I had lunch at Santana Row with my Sister and Brother-in-law...there we met Patrick, the CUTEST King Charles Cavalier I have ever seen! He was born in Ireland...hence the name Patrick, and he had a beautiful red and white coat with the FLUFFIEST feet I have ever seen...his feet looked like floor dusters. He was very happy to have all of us fawning over him, and we didn't mind him getting our pants a bit dusty when he jumped up to see us. Santana Row is a great place to pup watch...you can see all sorts of dogs and you can even sit down to eat with them...very pet friendly.

I finally received my June newsletters...and with some luck my furr kid guardians may even receive them IN JUNE! Yes, I was a bit behind on putting them together, but I think you will really enjoy this one...there are some fun surprises in it!!! Nope, I'm not telling you have to wait to read it. It took me close to 3 hours to fold, stamp, label and seal the nearly 200 newsletters that I will pop in the mail tomorrow morning, but my Sister was nice enough to volunteer to help me next time around...thank you Laura!

I'm getting a TON of last minute requests for the 4th of July weekend...and I hate to turn people away, but we are booked solid! Just a nice reminder to all my furr guardians...remember to book early when it comes to holidays. Why can't I just clone myself and my other Nannies...it would make things so much easier.

Until next time....

It's HOT outside!

2008-06-21T09:33:00.000-07:00

Hello my furr kids and guardians, how was your week? Are you all dying from this weather, I know I am! This weather is not fun for the furr kids in my care as well as your loyal pet sitter! It's very important that you keep plenty of fresh water around for your furr kids, and even throw an ice cube or two in their dish for a refreshing treat. I was considering shaving Blackjack, (the company mascot) but I'm afraid that he may do something to me while I sleep. He's never been a fan of the Vet and a groomer...please, so he will stay fluffy and I guess I will just have to throw him in the shower from time to time to cool him down.

It's a Saturday around 9:45am and I already have a fan on. I need to get ready pretty soon for my 10:30am consultation with a new furr kid guardian. This person has two kitties, Potter and Emma and she had mentioned that they are both love bugs...which is always fun. Nanny Samantha has a consultation at noon today, and Nanny Elaine is picking up some keys from a client who will be out of town for nearly a MONTH! He has a sweet old Beagle named Oscar who is blind...before you become sad let me tell you...Oscar doesn't let it bother him one bit! Although he bumps into things more than he would probably like, he just makes the best out of the situation and stays the cool dude that he is. Nanny Samantha will be doing an overnight visit this evening with Oscar, (a different one) and Java...two very funny Dachshunds who adore Samantha and vice versa.

I talked to a fellow pet sitter who has become a friend of mine this morning...she is thinking about hiring some new people, which is GREAT! I am always so happy to hear about all you wonderful furr kid guardians, and how important good pet care is to you all. It's amazing how the pet industry has blown up over the years and I can't tell you how happy I am to be apart of it!

It's a leisurely day for your loyal pet sitter, which is nice considering I rarely have a weekend off. I received a last minute call from one of my furr kids guardians for pet care starting tomorrow, but this guardian is near and dear to my heart considering he adopted a kitty that I had rescued. He was dumped in our carport, or maybe he just escaped to our carport. He had on a filthy old flea collar, and he himself was filthy! He is a big fluffy gray and white kitty, but he was so dirty he looked gray and brown. I started to call him Skuzzy...I know, not the best name, but let's face it...he was! He had another friend that I named Puddin', but he was VERY scared and I could never get close to him/her...I'm not sure what Puddin' was. I would leave cat food under my car each day, and attempted to leave water, but the ants overran the dish. One day Puddin' started to sneeze...and a couple of days later he/she was gone...I was very sad considering I started to talk to 13th Street Cat Rescue about trapping him/her. Skuzzy seemed really sad to have lost his friend, but then he also started to sneeze. I knew I could not wait anymore...so, I put him in a carrier and took him to Akal Animal Hospital.

You would think that a kitty that was obviously not taken care of would completely freak out being put in a car...but no, he just chilled out and didn't make a peep. It turned out that he had an upper respiratory infection and most likely would have met the same fait as Puddin' if I hadn't acted. It also turned out that he was an old guy, which wouldn't work in his favor as far as being adopted. I paid for him to stay at the pet hospital for a week so he could get the medication he needed, and after that he was fostered by a wonderful 13th Street Cat person. After quite a while we had little hope that someone would find it in his or her heart to adopt this older guy, but then my furr guardian appeared and adopted him. So, I get the pleasure of not only visiting his other furr kids, but Skuzz too, (he has a new name now).

Anyway...sorry for going on so long, but I thought that was a nice story to tell. Keep cool my furr kids and guardians and I will talk to you soon.

It's a Wednesday and I'm beat!

2008-06-18T18:26:00.000-07:00

Hello my furr kid guardians...how has your week been so far? Well, it's a Wednesday and I thought I should write something since I promised all of you that I would do this daily, (doesn't look like it's going to happen). My day was relatively slow, but non-the-less enjoyable! I talked to some fabulous potential furr kid clients...one who has THREE NORWEGIAN FOREST CATS!!!! How fun is that!!!!

I did a pet taxi with Coco the absolutely lovable pit bull this morning, had Sake my little destructor doggy, Smush, my super model and of course Sienna who is my protector doggy. Sienna is an Australian terrier...looks slightly like Toto, but not the same. She is a very funny girl...she protects me from everything out in the wild...including large white bags that landscapers use to collect lawn clippings and balloons that may be hanging on different mail boxes. She also LOVES to stop a couple of times during our walk to lie in the cool grass and roll around in it for good measure.

Did I tell you about Scooter? No, I couldn't have since this is my second blog entry! Well...sit back and get ready to hear about this amazing little guy! So, I'm sure a lot of you have heard me gab about 13th Street Cat Rescue and what wonderful work they do with homeless kitties...well, Joanne, (the founder) not only has an open heart when it comes to kitties, but also doggies!!! Coco, (the pit bull I mentioned) was found wandering the streets and Joanne just couldn't let him be homeless...come to find that Coco is a big old love bug who although is a bit shy around Men is a trusting and loving female lover boy. So, I have been doing a lot of pet taxi service for Joanne and taking Coco to Pawin' Around Dog Day Care. The other day she called me and said "when you pick Coco up don't forget to look in the bathroom and meet Scooter". I said "Scooter...who's that?" and she told me that he was a kitty that she was babysitting who had some back leg paralysis who would most likely have to have one of his back legs amputated.

The next day I showed up to cart Coco off to daycare and remembered that I was supposed to look in on Scooter. Not knowing exactly what I would find I slowly opened the bathroom door and there was the CUTEST kitten I have ever seen!!!! A 10-week-old Maine Coon mix with the face of an angel. As soon as Scooter saw me he started rolling around and talking to me! Even with his back leg not moving he was the happiest little guy I have ever seen! He just wanted to be with me, and didn't let that leg hold him back! I wanted to take him home immediately...could I kidnap the kitten? Would that be out of line? Would my Husband divorce me for bringing another kitty home? These were questions I wasn't too worried about, but then I remembered that Joanne mentioned that a Woman who recently lost her kitty who also had a back leg problem already adopted him and I knew he wasn't meant to be mine.

You know, Humans can take a lesson from little Scooter...even with a bum leg, he just kept going! I talked to Joanne today and she even said that he's been acting like a typical kitten and climbing up on things he really shouldn't. This is my favorite part about being a furr kid Auntie...getting to meet wonderful kitties, doggies and other critters and just being able to experience these wonderful little beings.

Until next time!

My first post!

2008-06-16T15:35:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, and welcome to 'The Pet Nanny Diary" and my very first post. I decided to do this because of the wonderful feedback we have received regarding the newsletter we publish and stories that I have about the awesome group of furr kids and guardians that I have met over the past 4 years.

The story of how I came to be the owner of Silicon Valley Pet Nanny and a full time professional pet nanny is an interesting one...well, I think it's interesting and hope you will too. From the time I was born I was an animal lover, and have had cats for as far back as I can remember. If I went down the line of my wonderful kitties you would hear about Boomerang, (my first kitty) Teddy Bear, (the great one) Macaroni Salad, (my Sister's cat) Dolce, (the one we didn't ask Mom about) Coco Puff, (our supermodel) Magilla, (the love of my life) and of course...the superstar...the wonderful...the reason that I get up in the morning...Blackjack...my #1 buddy. Oh yeah...we have Corn too who is my Husbands kitty, but he really only likes my Husband.

I knew from early on that I will eventually be a crazy cat lady...you know, the one who has 15 thousand cats and chases little kids around with my cane, (Well, okay, not really, but I cannot see myself ever living without a furr kid of some kind) but my career of caring for furr kids would take MANY years to come into vision and it was not without it's criticism. I graduated High School in 1986, (eeeh gad) and with my black mohawk, (yes, I did have a mohawk) started to realize that I wanted to work in the music industry....which too has it's fair share of animals. I started to help out my friends punk bands...answering fan mail, selling t-shirts, grabbing food for them when they would record...you know, those kind of things. After realizing that money is a good thing, and at that time didn't have any I decided to get a "real job" which was a medical biller for a small ambulance company. This was the beginning of my "cube life"...no windows...no fresh air...just me...a computer and a cube. I worked there for close to 10 years before coming down with a horrible case of carpel tunnel syndrome, which required major surgery and a 2-year break from work.

After my hand had regained most of its function it was time to look for a new job...and guess what...I landed a job in the music industry! Well, it was for a small company that produced audio CD's, tapes, LPs, etc...but it was close enough for me! This was a fun time in my life...I was able to travel and do music trade shows, I met very interesting people, and enjoyed talking to musicians...however...it was still a "cube life" and at this point I started to realize that I wasn't cut out for it. I ended up moving to Los Angeles in hopes of furthering my music career...and let me tell you, after a year there I wanted NOTHING to do with any kind of entertainment career! The one great thing of living there was I got to see first hand my girlfriend Gwen's pet sitting business blossom! It was the first time I had ever heard of pet sitting, and she LOVED doing it! I started to talk to her about it, and was jealous about how happy she was and that she was able to hang around with wonderful animals all day long...the seed had been planted!

I landed a few more "cube life" jobs and hated nearly every minute of it. Don't get me wrong...some of the jobs were very important and highly paid, but I wasn't happy...AT ALL. I really started to look at other options for my life, and how it is too short to waste being sad and unfulfilled. Finally I spoke to my Husband, (who is wonderfully supportive) and told him that I wanted to start a pet sitting business. I cannot lie...I was scared to death to talk to him about it, but to my pleasant surprise his reaction was "if you think you can make a go of it do it". And that was it...my cube life was over, and my pet nanny career was about to begin.

If only everyone had the same reaction as my Husband...I cannot tell you the number of horrified reactions I received. A lot of "you're going to do WHAT" and "you're CRAZY" but I pushed on and here I am....4 years later...surrounded by my extended family of furr kids and wonderful furr kid guardians. It's the most wonderful career I can think of, and it's been that happiest time of my life. I SO look forward to seeing my furr kids each day, and no matter what type of foul mood you may be in, when you open the door and see their smiling faces just so happy to see you...you just can't stay mad. Don't get me wrong...it is HARD work and I'm sure some of you have heard me mention that I haven't had a day off in like 2 years, but I love it...it's what I was meant to do, and my Nannies love it too. They call me at least once a day to tell me a cute story about one of their furr kids, or to just say how much they love doing this type of work.

I will try my best to post a new Nanny Diary each day, so you can read about the day in the life of a professional pet sitter. Thank you so much for being a part of my life, and allowing us to care for your special furr kids. I hope that by doing this you will feel more like a part of this very strange world, and who knows...it may put a smile on your face while I'm at it.

That's all for now!