Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Silly Cat Sunday

There's always that one cat who turns drinking water from a glass into a game! Is that one cat yours?

Izak the Goat Celebrates St. Patrick's Day In Style in Dover, NH!

Whoever ranked Dover, NH, as one of the LEAST walkable cities in the state must not have walked down our main thoroughfare, Central Avenue, because if he did he would've met our famous resident, Izak, who should've brought our ranking up to #1. 

Can any city claim to have a goat who looks as cute as this on St. Patrick's Day and every other special occasion and holiday for that matter? I would say, "No!".

And can any other city boast that his owner, Bill, takes such good care of Izak that he lives in his apartment? Again, I would say, "No!"

Truly, the residents of Dover consider Izaak to be our pot of gold! 

Swiss Cats, Liberty and Destiny, Come Out of Hiding!

                                    
For eight days I had the privilege of spending time with these beautiful girls who arrived here from Switzerland with passports to prove it!

When their mom introduced them to me they were hiding under the bed and was informed that they would never come out to greet me because they only like HER and NO ONE ELSE and I believed her until the seventh day when I found Destiny relaxing on one of her daughter's beds!

And if that wasn't exciting enough I was delighted that she chose to follow me to the kitchen hoping for a snack or two!

And on the fifth and seventh day I found Liberty spying on me from the top of the stairs just as I was about to leave so naturally I decided to stay a little while longer

so I could get up close and purr-sonal with her (and Destiny too)!

It goes without saying that forming friendships with cats, especially the reluctant ones, is a rewarding experience that makes me happy that I chose pet sitting as a profession!

If you are considering going on vacation but are concerned that your cat(s) won't do well with a stranger in the house please contact me! Your cat(s) may decide to come out of hiding and gain a new friend!

Seven New Friends Join the Teacher's Pet Sitting Service Family

I am so excited to be introducing you to seven of my new friends who have been covering me with fur in the last few months!

 First of all, my Labrador retriever brothers, Finnley and Kobe, looked forward to playing ball with me while their owners were away for a weekend.

Next up is sweet little Sadie who is never lonely because

her Pekingnese brother, Bugsy, and

  and her upstairs neighbor, Rossi, keep her company.

  

    

And last but certainly not least are my weekly walking partners, Banana, a newly adopted German Shepherd mix, and

  six year old boxer and registered therapy dog, Cooper, have kept me on my toes while their owners are at work! 

If you live in the Dover, New Hampshire, area and have been looking for a professional pet sitter to take care of your companions while you are work or play, I can help! 

For further information about my services please visit my website or contact me directly at 603-315-1764 today!

Iggy Can't Wreath Well Enough Alone

Hello everyone! It's Iggy again! Remember me? Of course you do! I'm the one who does all sorts of silly things just so I can get bragged about on that thing you people call "the computer"! See, every time I do something that makes April (that's my pet sitter) laugh she sends a picture to my mom and as soon as she says something like, "Oh, my goodness!" or "How did he do that?" that's the moment I know I'm about to appear on something called a Facebook page and blog where thousands of fans will love me! I am already f-a-m-o-u-s in Dover because I strut all the way to the grocery store or to the high school a zillion times a week BUT soon I will be famous around the world! I mean, who wouldn't love a handsome, funny, and athletic bully with drool going on 24/7 anyway? 

 So now that the introductions have been made let's get you up to speed on what I did last week, shall we? 

Okay, so I had all weekend to think of something festive to surprise my pet sitter with so while I stared and barked at her from the yard I asked if she noticed anything different about me and she said, "No, Iggy, you are just being silly."

"No? Well, can you see anything different now that my hiney is facing you?" I said. And that, my friends, was when April shrieked and said she'd never met a dog who could turn a cinnamon bun tail into a Christmas wreath before! She loved my creative wreath so much that she took so many pictures of it that she lost count! After awhile the fir was making me itchy 

so she took the branches out one-by-one followed by a close-up shot! Isn't my wreath beautiful? 

When she held the final branch in the air she laughingly asked, "Arty (he's the one up front to my right) and Lemmy, you probably never get bored with a brother like Iggy, do you?" and they agreed that they sometimes wish they could have a break from all of the silliness but they wouldn't trade me for the world! Woof! Woof!

A Long-Lost Tribute to Henry

It's been one year and six days since Henry passed away in my lap while traveling to his veterinary appointment and it is still a shock that he's gone. 

While randomly visiting my Animoto page I just so happened to find this video that I created just days after his passing and I can't get through it without feeling a lump in my throat. Poor little man! I miss him desperately and I don't know when that feeling will ever go away!

Daisy Weighs In

 

When my mom shoved nudged me into the backseat of the car the other day I thought we were going to walk with a bunch of my friends like usual but instead I ended up at the vet's office for an annual exam. 

I'm typically an easygoing gal but THIS was pure EVIL of her to trick me into thinking that I was going to do something fun, hence the lack of a smile in the above picture! And the whole thing got a whole lot worse when the vet forced asked me to step on the scale! Would you believe that the arrow moved away from my good weight of 65 and stopped at 70 instead? How could a dog who goes on at least five power walks a day with friends gain weight? How could a dog who ONLY eats twice a day weigh 70 pounds?

Naturally, I would not accept the 5 pound weight gain so I stared deep into the eyes of the vet AND barked the following:

"Of course I'm 5 pounds heavier! You didn't give me a chance to take my collar and tags off!"

"You never get the right weight in the afternoon, lady! I weighed 65 this morning!"

As soon as the vet suggested that I should snack on vegetables and fruit instead of milk bones I lowered my head in laughter shame because I love healthy snacks BUT I won't eat them at home because it's boring to eat them without my friends by my side. My mom gets excited when I eat carrots, green beans, and apple slices with friends but as soon as I get home I give her the evil eye when she offers healthy snacks to me! 

 Do you have any healthy snack ideas that would be hard for me to resist at home? Or should I just eat the veggies and fruit that I already love at home and just make believe that a friend is eating them with me?

Rescue Updates About Ed, The Basset Hound

Do you remember Ed, the Basset Hound, who followed me and my 4 doggy clients from his feces covered yard to my car on December 21, 2010? If  not, please click on Ed's name in the sentence above for an update but as a quick reminder, Ed was found to be in severely bad shape; for example, he was underweight at a mere 33 pounds, he was peeing blood, his inner ears were infected, and his nails were overgrown. 

Once Ed arrived at the vet's office it was discovered that the reason why Ed was peeing blood was because of painful bladder stones and he underwent bladder surgery immediately. 

In less than one month, the staff at Northside Animal Hospital saw Ed change from a gloomy basset to a basset who was the life of the party, especially when newcomers walked into the waiting room!

Ed stayed at the veterinary hospital for several months until the staff felt he was strong enough to take a ride to New England Basset Hound Rescue, Inc., where he will live with foster parents until he is placed in his forever home. From what I've heard, the founder of NEBHR has already fallen head over paw in love with Ed and will most likely adopt him! Yeah for Ed!

And just when I wondered why Ed's owner hadn't been officially charged for criminal neglect, a subpoena arrived at my home on Tuesday and I will be going to court on March 30th! 

I've never been to court before so I hope to make Ed proud when I take the stand! Tracy Frankenberger still thinks he was not to blame for Ed's poor health but there will be plenty of witnesses to refute his claims. Let's hope justice will be served, for Ed's sake!

Ed, the Basset Hound, Makes The News!

 

When Ed and I had our chance meeting on December 21, 2010, I never imagined that we would both be featured in the New Hampshire Union Leader 17 days later but it really did happen and I couldn't be more thrilled because that means Ed is one step closer to justice, a new home, and a happier life!

I believe Ed is a survivor and I believe he would not be surprised that he was the subject of so much concern and controversy. I also believe his will to live led him to stand by an abandoned trailer until someone found him and I think he had an enormous will to live, even in his emaciated state.

   

I have a feeling that Ed would be howling with joy to know that so many people were concerned about him and I think he would love to know that his fight to live touched so many lives.

Even though Ed was more interested in cavorting with Northside Animal Hospital's visitors, I was happy to see Ed in much better health! He gained 5 pounds in approximately 3 weeks!

I also believe Ed was grateful for the veterinarians at Northside Animal Hospital of Manchester, NH, for performing his much-needed bladder stone surgery. I also believe Ed was smart enough to realize that his former owner was not providing the nourishment he needed to survive and I am sure Ed appreciates Northside Animal Hospital for feeding him regularly! 

Cherish your animals. Love them unconditionally. Walk them daily. Feed them everyday. Animals depend on us to live.

Ed the Basset Hound's Rescue Update

 

Ever since Ed got in the backseat of Officer Johanson's cruiser on Tuesday I have been keeping tabs on him and so far I know that Ed is recuperating at an undisclosed veterinary office and will remain there until he is strong enough to be placed at a local SPCA. Because this is a criminal case, the officer cannot disclose Ed's location and it breaks my heart because I don't want him to think I've abandoned him but I am sure he knows I'm thinking about him constantly!

According to the officer, Ed has been enjoying his time at the veterinarian's office and he is in good spirits! Isn't that wonderful? He has been eating, drinking, and sleeping in a warm and loving environment and I couldn't be happier about that but .... 

I was not happy to hear that Ed must have bladder surgery before he can be placed in a new home! To be honest, it didn't surprise me that Ed had a bladder issue because he was peeing blood when I met him but I did not expect to hear that Ed will be put to sleep if the cost of the surgery (approximately $2,000) cannot be funded.

In my opinion, Tracy, Ed's former owner, should foot the bill for the surgery but if he is unable to do so then I would imagine that Ed's current vet or the SPCA will be accepting donations. However, I think all of Blogville could raise the money a lot sooner than anyone else could, don't you? If you are interested, I'd like to set up an "Ed Fund" and as soon as I find out how soon Ed needs the surgery I will get his funding started so please stay tuned!

A Walk To Remember: Ed's Rescue Tale

I think everyone knows I have a soft spot for long eared dogs or else I wouldn't have a coon hound in my life so of course I was completely delighted to see Ed in all his long eared glory today! However, my delight turned to shock and horror as I walked towards him because 

he was all skin and bones

and his toenails were dirty and overgrown 

and his glorious ears weren't so glorious looking 

and to make matters worse, Ed's yard was covered in feces and

his living arrangements did not include a bowl of food or water and he certainly did not have a secure tie-out or collar so 

I gave Ed a big hug and promised to get him the help he deserved.

As soon as Officer Johanson saw Ed's emaciated body

she took him for the best ride of his life! A check up at the veterinarian's office and a chance to live with a caring owner (hopefully with me) was just what he deserved!

Our Pet Sitting Service Makes Headlines (Almost)!

Dear Readers,

First of all, thank you for cheering us on when you first heard that Teacher's Pet Sitting Service was going to be featured in today's Hippo edition. We know that without the interest and support of our human and furry clients we wouldn't have a story to tell and for that we are grateful. 

One of our faithful clients, Jen, was gracious enough to photograph us with a few of our "regulars", including her golden retrievers,, Molly and Cooper, last Sunday. During the two hour photo session Jen managed to supply us with many quality photos and we were sure some of them would appear in the Hippo but none of them were chosen due to lack of space.

So, just for fun, I decided to present the original Hippo article (below) to my readers but with pictures scattered throughout and I must admit that my version is a lot more appealing. What do you think, dear reader?

Yours Truly,

April

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Pet Sitting, Dog Walking

Several years ago in Florida, April McLeod began a dog-walking service to make some money on the side. Now in Manchester, it’s not just her side job — it’s a full-time job and a lifestyle.

Sophie, Jesse, April, Molly, and Cooper are ready to start their walk.

Together with her fiancé, Amos Lindahl, McLeod spends each day bustling about to homes all over the greater Manchester area to take Fido out for a walk, let him do his business and give him a snack. There are

days when the pair needs to make it to more than 20 homes. Including people who take advantage of the service only while they’re on vacation, the pair serve more than 200 clients in Teacher’s Pet Sitting Service (http://www.teacherspetsitservice.com/).

Pictured from left to right: Daisy (our treeing walker coon hound); April; Jesse (foxhound mix); Cooper (golden retriever);Sophie (basset/beagle mix); Amos; Molly (golden retriever).

“It’s a job for someone who doesn’t want to be bored,” McLeod said. She might be out walking pets for a couple hours, then off for an hour or two, then back on for three hours.

McLeod isn’t trying to put doggie daycare services out of business. For many animals, those places are great. They provide exercise and socialization. But for other dogs, daycare can be traumatic. This way dogs and cats get to stay in their own environment and people don’t need to worry about making arrangements for pets, McLeod said.

Great Dane, Toby, prefers staying at home

because he needs his surroundings and his routine to be

comfortable.

“I wanted to give the pets a chance to stay home rather than be transported to the vets to stay in a kennel or doggie daycare,” McLeod said, adding that pet daycare facilities, like child daycare sites, can be prone

to the spread of illnesses.

For McLeod and Lindahl, it’s far from a 9-to-5 job. The schedule fluctuates daily and weekly. Sometimes they need to scoot over to a home to give a dog breakfast at 7 a.m. and other times they need to head out at 8 or 9 p.m. to give a pet a nighttime airing.

Molly, Amos, Cooper, and Daisy love

their walks together.

“We have clients who are just fascinated by our schedule,” McLeod said.

McLeod began walking dogs as a service while working as an adjunct professor in Florida. She began the business full-time in Manchester in 2006, after two years teaching full-time in New Hampshire. Lindahl joined full-time about four years ago as well. McLeod began her blog http://theteacherspets.blogspot.com/ as a way to give people an inside look at what Lindahl and she do each day.

The business mainly caters to dogs and cats, but they’ve also tended to birds, rabbits and a sugar glider, a type of flying squirrel. They’ve walked mastiffs and Great Danes as well as tiny chihuahuas.

Baxter, a bullmastiff, with Amos.

The twosome meet with the family and the pets first to make sure pets are comfortable with them. Lindahl said they’ve rarely had problems with pets though one time two cats chased him out of the house.

Hunter loves relaxing on the porch with his pet sitters.

Lindahl did say the economy over the last six to eight months seems to have caused some clients to cut back, but it seems to be picking up again.