Our Best Advice

PETS – Lost Prevention and Training

Sunday, November 15th, 2009 | Our Best Advice | No Comments

flying dogs - Photo © Stacy Andrew

Many of our clients have animal trainers and pet-care staff they hire for their beloved animal companions. In our wonderfully reclusive and animal friendly canyon where we live (both wild and tame), we’ve had to rescue lost animals to keep them from harm too often. Some of our neighbors are unconscionably neglectful, repeatedly losing their pets. An owners neglect can cost an animal life so easily, a twinge of anger towards an owner in these instances is appropriate. It’s truly not that difficult to be a responsible pet owner. Once domesticated, lost animals don’t have the same instincts they could rely upon in the wild to defend themselves, often winding up dead; killed by coyotes, lynx, or the occasional bobcat (also living in our canyons people forget about)

Sedgwick collars from Up Country - see their wonderful selections and great holiday gifts for cats and dogs

Please don’t neglect a pet. Whether you own, or provide care for them, show them that extra loving care they give back unconditionally. Check daily when petting your animal to see they have current ID with their name and your contact info at all times. We tend to believe that tagged pets prevents them from getting lost. Tragically, this is not the case as many owners can heartbreakingly verify. According to reported statistics 60% of dogs purchased from pet stores are lost, never to be recovered. Many pet stores use microchips to embed identification into their animals, touting it as the most advanced tracking system of guaranteeing the owners investment. While it may be a good sales pitch, things don’t always appear as they seem. Owners are given paperwork to fill out and register with the microchip company who tracks the animals if lost. A scanner device scans the microchip, then displays a unique alphanumeric code with the information owners provide, usually for a one time fee.

Yet, owners commonly forget to follow up and actually send in the registration, so the animal remains without information leading back to the owner. Another disadvantage of microchips, despite the fact that they never need to have batteries replaced (and philosophically speaking, I strongly oppose microchip tracking, regardless of any technological merit they may provide), veterinarians don’t necessarily have the scanning device required to use on them. Often people turn in lost animals to vets thinking this might prevent them from being euthanized if nobody claims them. They presume animal doctors will find them a home. Not true. Veterinarians turn unclaimed animals to pounds that are overrun with unclaimed pets, who are euthanized.

Our TIP today: if you like microchip identification, ensure your pet is properly registered. Be aware that there are misconceptions about how the microchips work with competing technology that limits effectiveness of these devices owners rely upon. Lack of ID is the most common cause of death among animals, a tragedy that cannot be emphasized enough. Nothing beats an old fashioned collar tag, like those from Up Country that are eco friendly, even if you do microchip your dog. It’s important to remember that the more we rely on technology, the easier it is to lose track of responsibilities to protect our animals.

laugh with your cat

Do not leave your animal alone or let them dart out an open door which takes but a minute of being distracted. They are usually stolen when left alone, especially purebred dogs where there is a large black market rapidly growing. To learn how to easily teach your dog to sit and roll over, dog lover Andrea Arden created her version of doing it. See her SIT and ROLL OVER videos.

Send us your favorite pet stories, we’d love to hear about them!

Serving Los Angeles, West Hollywood, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Brentwood, Bel Air, Benedict Canyon, Torrance, Hancock Park, Laurel Canyon, Los Feliz, Marina Del Rey, Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Melrose. Santa Monica, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Encino, Woodland Hills, Topanga Canyon, Westwood, Hollywood Hills, Pasadena, San Mareno, Santa Barbara, Orange County, Ventura County, California, New York, & the greater United States…

Our Best Advice has been brought to you by www.ISAstaffing.com, renowned Best of The Best in Household Work and Domestic Help staffing. Visit often for other great ideas, use our Tell A Friend featured link to this blog, and our Domestic Staffing website to pass our HOT TIPS and renowned services. THANKS!

Tags: ANIMALS, Benedict Canyon, BEVERLY HILLS, Brentwood, cats, Clients, dogs, Encino, Hancock Park, Hollywood, job description, Los Feliz, lost pets, Malibu, Marina Del Rey, Melrose, Orange County, Pacific Palisades, pet care, pet trainers, pets, purebreds, Santa Barbara, Santa Monica, Up Country, Westwood

PET GUEST – Best Behavior

Wednesday, January 7th, 2009 | Our Best Advice | No Comments

Charlotte Reed has written a great book on pet etiquette (Miss Fido Manners) we found helpful and charming. Opinions vary on what constitutes Pet Manners in different countries. Paris being one of the most dog friendly restaurant places in the world is famous for pet hospitality. People and public places policy may not have the same cultural interest in animals as you when travelling with your pet. Be sensitive to where you travel and factor in their cultural leanings. We paraphrase and embellish upon a few of Reed’s recommendations to make them more universal and work whether visiting someone here or abroad.

· Only ask a close family member or friend if you can bring your dog along for a visit to their home, and only if your dog is very well behaved.

· If your host does not offer your pet an invitation, don’t try to change her/his mind; if you are invited, discuss how to make the visit comfortable for
everyone.

·       Pack your pet’s possessions, including an odor eliminator and stain remover if the visit is local or on a road trip, in case of an accident. Bring a few small toys to keep your pet comfortable with familiar items but don’t take the entire array of their “favorite play things”.

· Take care when introducing your pet to other dogs/cats in the household.

· Balance your dog’s needs with the household activities/schedules. Plan ahead. For instance, who will look after your pet if you and your hosts are going out when staying over a weekend or longer.

· Be careful when introducing your animal to children and staff members of your hosts who live or work in the house. Animals can be more nervous in foreign countries and languages with words they don’t recognize. Although “No” may be known in most Latin based languages, the word Niet (Russian) or Nein (German) means nothing to an “English speaking” dog.

· Walk your dog around the neighborhood as a means of spending some time with your pet alone, giving them exercise and possibility of meeting new dogs and their owners.

· Be prepared to replace or repair any items destroyed by your pet. Immediately offer to do so in case of an accident.

· Thank your host for the invitation with a gift before and at the end of your visit. Include a personal note of appreciation with animal themed cards or stationery. Award winning wine bottles with portraits of dogs offered by muttlynchwinery.com make great gifts for when you arrive. Bring something for dog or cat lover that is a themed product to leave your hosts, their pets or their children at the end of your trip. Give thanks from you and your animal for the good time experienced. Factor in age, breed, sex and size of your hosts pet if your gift will be for them. If buying treats, only purchase those made from fresh ingredients with no chemicals or preservatives.

Antique Dog

Toys, treats, wine, books on pets and their care, stuffed animal, or a framed photo of you and your pet make great gifts to leave with your hosts as hello, goodbye and thanks.

This advice brought to you by your friends at www.isastaffing.com – The leaders in Domestic Staffing in Los Angeles.

Tags: animal care, animal gifts, animal toys, ANIMALS, books, Charlotte Reed, children, dog friendly, dogs, Domestic Staffing Agency, home, host, hosting, Household, invitations, Miss Fido Manners, Paris, pet care, pet etiquette, pet travel, pets, recommendations, Reed, staff, stuffed animals, visitors