by Jeanne Crockett | Oct 21, 2021 | Blog, Cats, Dogs, Newsletter, Pet Care, Pet Safety
5 Tips for Keeping Your Pets Safe on Halloween:
Halloween can be a fun time for you and your family – but frightening to Fido and Fluffy. The sounds of the doorbell and children’s voices plus the sights of costumes and jack-o-lanterns can cause high anxiety in pets. Here are some tips to help them handle the holiday stress:
- Ditch the doorbell. No need for the cats to be diving for safety and dogs to be guarding your front door every time a trick-or-treater stops by.
- Provide a safe space away from the commotion for your dogs and cats to relax. Include their favorite toys, blanket, an article of your clothing, and some yummy treats to keep them comfortable and content.
- Costumes are scary as are all the people coming and going. Consider creating a safe space away from the front door (driveway, front lawn, car trunk) where you can set up a candy station.
- Off-limit items for pets:
– Candy: especially if it contains chocolate or xylitol (a common sugar substitute).
– Candles and jack-o-lanterns
– Glow sticks and glow jewelry - For everyone’s safety, keep pets inside and away from any trick-or-treaters. You don’t want Halloween to turn into a nightmare.
Happy Pet! Happy Home!
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by Jeanne Crockett | Sep 24, 2021 | Blog, Cats, Dogs, Newsletter, Pet Care, Pet Safety, Pet Sitting
I have cared for a lot of pets since I started my business. Some are no longer with us. I know that’s part of the circle of life, but what surprises me is the sadness that never lessens. You would think that after the first one, it would get easier. Yet with each subsequent loss, the familiar sadness returns. Some pets have been in our care for over ten years and have lived a long and full life. A few have gone too soon. All were loved by their family and lived a good life.
There have several times when I’ve rushed a pet to the veterinarian or the emergency clinic. Our staff is trained to look for and report to me immediately if anything is off. One cat was limp after being bitten by a spider, a dog was in pain with an undiagnosed UTI, another had an uncomfortable flare up of pancreatitis. We know our actions have saved lives. These health issues are critical, and we stop whatever we are doing on our busy schedule to see that these pets get the care they need.
My team and I have a special relationship with our clients’ pets. Whether we know them from dog walking, pet sitting, or training – they have captured a piece of our heart.
Happy Pet! Happy Home!
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by Jeanne Crockett | Jul 12, 2021 | Blog, Dogs, Newsletter, Pet Safety, Training
Turn reactivity to calm confidence with our new program.
Crockett’s Critter Care is now offering reactive dog training. As I have been working with several pets and their owners, I’ve created an eight week program to take reactive dogs to calm confident companions.
During this pilot program, your feedback will be invaluable to refining this new specialized training. As part of the first session you’ll have input on determining handout effectiveness, communication between sessions, and confirmation of the success of your practice sessions. In appreciation for your contribution this eight-week individualized course is being offered at introductory rate of $600.
The pre-launch session has just a few more spots available for this summer. If you have a reactive dog that you’d like to train to be calm and confident, contact me to learn more and reserve your spot.
It is uncomfortable when you have a reactive dog. I know what it’s like: you peek out the window to see if it is a good time to venture out. Then holding the leash very tightly in your hand, in case your dog pulls, lunges, or barks, you head out the door. You dread it when a bicycle rider approaches, children ask if they can pet your dog, or the mail truck passes you on the street. And worst of all is the cat or squirrel that magically appears and sends you pet into full alert.
Having a reactive dog can be worrisome, isolating, and physically wearing. Walks are a challenge, going to the vets is a nightmare, and you stopped inviting visitors over a long time ago. You love your dog, but sometimes you don’t like him.
I’ve been there. In fact, that is why I am so excited about helping you and your dog cope with reactivity, calm your anxieties, and develop a better partnership.
The program I offer is science-based, positive, fun, and a game changer. My formerly reactive German shepherd Davy and I can now walk in the neighborhood, meet other dogs for a walk in the park, and remain calm when faced with challenges that used to be seen as threats. Take advantage of the pre-launch introductory rate package of $600 for the full eight week program and transform your relationship with your dog.
by Jeanne Crockett | Jul 12, 2021 | Dogs, Newsletter, Pet Care, Pet Safety, Training
You and your dog don’t have to swelter in the heat and humidity on hot summer days. There are awesome alternatives to walking your dog that can be done inside the comfortable temperature of your home. After all, why do we walk our dogs? We want them to have exercise, mental stimulation, a chance to rummage around a bit, and have a special time with us. But, when the weather too hot, there are other options.
Exercise can be high or low impact. For an active experience – take them to a secure field, a friend’s large yard, a tennis court, or a dog park. For low impact exercises, ACE (Animal Centered Education) Free Work such as distributing food on different surfaces and at different levels instead of filling a bowl, provides opportunities to seek, find, chew, and eat.
Swimming is a fun activity that dogs love. Games are awesome activities – try a flirt pole, urban agility (rudimentary course on your property – Parkour can even be done in your living room), tug games, playing pattern games (left to right, up and down, circle, figure 8’s), tossing a Frisbee or a ball are all great forms of exercise in place of a walk.
Mental stimulation can be satisfied through games and smell. Consider sniffing games, scent work, sniffaris, hide and seek around the house, snuffle mats, licky mats, food puzzles, and trick training.
Scavenging – snuffle mats, snuffle boxes, ACE Free Work, and peanut better filled Kong toys can delight your dog for longer than it takes to catch a treat!
Companionship – play games, give your dog a brushing or a massage, talk to them or just relax with them.
Davy, my German shepherd, loves attention, being brushed, brainwork activities, and exploring. Ginger, my hound dog, likes sniffing and eating. Both are easy to please without taking them for a walk on a hot summer day. You can keep your dogs safe, comfortable, happy, and content with some new exciting choices. What would your dog choose if they could? I challenge you to include three things besides a walk that you can do with your dog this week. Share your experience with a post and a picture.
by Jeanne Crockett | Jun 2, 2021 | Blog, Cats, Dogs, Newsletter, Pet Care, Pet Safety, Pet Sitting, Training
Spring has arrived! Here are some tips to keep your pets safe and happy as the weather warms up.
- Use pet-friendly products for spring cleaning; follow the directions for cleaning and storage.
- Hide the antifreeze. If you suspect your pet may have come in contact with or ingested a poisonous substance – call the Animal Poison Control Center immediately at (888) 426-4435.
- Clean up the yard. Pick up sticks and acorns that you pet could chew on. These can cause harm to your dog’s mouth and throat. Remove leaf litter where ticks and fleas could hide. Make your yard and garden unattractive to snakes by keeping them tidy.
- Cats and screens: Be careful to use strong and sturdy screens in your windows and have them fit snugly. Curious cats can pry screens off their hinges and storms can blow screens off their frames.
- Never leave your pet in a parked car. Travel with pets inside the car (not in the back of a pickup) and in a secure crate or seat belt harness to keep them safe, unable to stick their head out the window, or interfere with your driving.
- Watch your pet for signs of seasonal allergies. Pets can be allergic to pollen, dust, grasses, and plants. For many pets, this reaction shows up in skin issues. You may notice itching, minor sniffling and sneezing or life-threatening anaphylactic shock from insect bites and stings. If your pet suffers each spring, see the vet to ease their suffering.
- Flea and tick control. Check your pet for these pesky critters regularly – especially after they have been in tall grass.
- ID tags will help your pet be returned to you, if they go astray.
- Xylitol poisoning: there is a significant increase in pets being poisoned by ingesting this artificial sweetener. A tiny amount can be fatal. It can be found in some sugar-free gum, candies, breath mints, baked goods, pudding snacks, cough syrup, children’s chewable or gummy vitamins and supplements, mouthwash, and toothpaste. Xylitol is also showing up in over-the-counter nasal sprays, laxatives, digestive aids, allergy medicines, and prescription human medications, especially those formulated as disintegrating drug tablets (sleep aids, pain relievers, anti-psychotics, etc.) or liquids.
- Prep for storms. Gather your hurricane kit together, teach your pet to go into a crate or carrier, and have important papers handy. If your dog is frightened of thunderstorms, ask your vet about medications that can ease your dog’s fears.
- Standing water can cause health concerns (Leptospirosis) so don’t let your pet drink from puddles. Steer clear of communal water bowls.
- Blue-green algae – keep your dog out of water sources that have been known to be contaminated with this toxin. Always wash your dog after swimming outside. Last August three pets died hours after swimming in a pond in Wilmington, NC.
- Sign up for alerts from Dog Food Advisor regarding pet food recalls.
- Take your dog out for a special treat to any of our beautiful parks.
Happy Pet! Happy Home!
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by Jeanne Crockett | Feb 1, 2021 | Blog, Cats, Newsletter, Pet Care, Pet Safety, Pet Sitting
Cats have always been mysterious and even mystical as well as the first defense against rodents. Here are some cat facts to help you understand your feline companion.
It’s in the genes! You know a lot about your cat except, for many cat owners, you don’t know what type of cat you have. Basepaws, an animal health company specializing in genetics, can analyze your cat’s DNA for breed type, health markers, and its wild heritage. (You may have a cute kitten that is descended from a lynx!)
How it works: you purchase their kit, send them a cheek swab, and wait for your cat’s genetic report. You’ll discover what breeds and breed groups your cat descended from and what health issues can affect your cat’s life.
Personality
Is your cat social, confident, and easy going or timid, shy and unfriendly? Studies have confirmed that not only is personality inherited from the mother, but that friendliness specifically is, in part, inherited from the father. The best time to begin gently handling a cat is before 8 weeks old. Feral cats may become adjusted to humans who regularly feed them, but they generally don’t like to be handled.
Foraging
Cats in the wild eat numerous small meals each day and spend a lot of time hunting. This is why food puzzles instead of food bowls are so enriching. They mimic the cat’s natural choice.
Senses, habits, and interesting facts:
- Each cat has its own signature scent. They spread their scent over their fur through grooming. Friendly cats rub up against each other to transfer their scent. This friendly behavior is called allorubbing.
- Cat’s ears can be rotated at 180 degrees. The average cat’s hearing is at least five times keener than a humans.
- Domestic cats spend about 70% of the day sleeping and 15% grooming.
- Most cats don’t have eyelashes.
- Cats can jump up to six times their length.
- Cats use their whiskers to feel the world around them and to determine if they can fit into small spaces. A malady called whisker fatigue is caused by too much stimulation. For this reason many cat owners prefer to feed their cat on a plate instead of a small bowl.
- Cats were first brought to America during Colonial Times to hunt rats.
- Two hundred feral cats prowl the park at Disneyland on rat patrol.
- Cats have also contributed to the extinction of 33 different species. Placing bird feeders in safe areas will save a lot of feathered beings.
- Kittens often seek warmth in car engines. Always thump on your hood before starting your car to scare them off to a safer space.
Happy Pet! Happy Home!
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As the owner of Crockett’s Critter Care, I want you to know that you can reach out to me directly with any question, compliment, or concern you have about the care of your pet.