A Day in the Life of Team Floofins

What’s it like to be part of Team Floofins? Just as it sounds, we’re a team! Our sitters have regular clients as well as vacation clients, and aside from ongoing daily walks, usually have a totally different schedule every day. When a client books a vacation, multiple sitters will likely visit those floofins, but each animal gets the same level of care no matter who is with them.

Every visit requires a journal entry with photos – not only for pet parents, but so that the rest of the team can easily see what occurred on previous visits and get to learn each animal’s individual personality. Even if a team member is visiting a client for the first time, they can easily and quickly learn about each floofin’s care thanks to the information in each client profile and previous journals. A supervisor is always on duty to answer additional questions and provide assistance in the case of emergencies.

But that just covers the basics. We asked team member Lynette K., to tell us what it’s really like to be an evening sitter on a typical summer day.

Visit #1: Star

Star is one of my daily walks, so she knows when to expect me and meets me at the door with great enthusiasm! We’ve been working on having her sit when I come in – otherwise, she’s a jumper. She’s only 2, so she’s still got some of that puppy energy. I say hi to her mom and we have a quick chat, and then it’s out the door. We have several routes so that Star doesn’t get bored, and I usually let her choose which way she wants to go.

Today we’re going to the park down the street. Dogs aren’t allowed in the playground area, but shh! Don’t tell anyone, but if no one’s there, we do break the rules and climb up and down the equipment. It’s really great enrichment for her! Once she even ran right up one of the roller slides and then slid back down. I have trouble sometimes just getting her to climb steps, so I can’t believe she ran up a slide all on her own! 

Star is a fantastic model, so on our way out of the park I get a book out of the Little Free Library to see what she’ll do. She immediately sniffs it, and I get a great shot that looks like she’s reading. As we head home, we see some of her doggie friends out in their yard. I let them all say hello from a distance (it’s the Floofins policy to avoid interactions with other animals and people,) and they run back and forth along the fence with Star.

When we get home we snuggle while I work on my journal and tell her mom about our walk. If a client is home, then only a brief journal is necessary, but I upload all the photos I took during our walk. I say my goodbyes, and then I’m on my way to my first vacation visit of the day. 

Visit #2: Roy and Finn

Roy and Finn are Bernese mountain dog/Great Pyrenees mixes. Each is the size of a small black bear, and each thinks he’s a lap dog. They are brothers and know me well. This is my first visit with them this vacation, so they are over the moon with joy when I walk in the door. Finn comes running and nearly knocks me over – he has no idea how big he is. Roy is a bit calmer, but he immediately demands pets. Because it’s the first visit, I put a vacation card on the counter so that all of the sitters can sign it, then fill out the assignment sheets for each of the four visits – Rise and Shine, Midmorning, Early Evening, and Tuck In – based on the information in the client profile. I also fill out the dosage for the boys’ vitamins on the medication sheet.

I let them out in the yard to do their business, and good thing I know to stand back, because they barrel down the steps like a herd of elephants. I certainly don’t want to get in the way of that! Finn grabs his rope toy so we can play tug of war, but Roy just wants love. He plops down next to me and starts pawing at my arm with paws the size of frisbees. I pet him with one hand while I play tug-of-war with Finn with the other. He’s recently figured out how to tug back, so this arrangement can be quite a challenge to say the least.

Finn plays with me for a few minutes before he settles down to work on destroying the squeaker. Now that he doesn’t have to compete for my attention, Roy loses interest and ambles off for a perimeter check. He barks at someone walking down the street three blocks away. Thanks for keeping us safe, buddy!

It’s time for dinner, but Roy doesn’t like to come inside, so after I prep their food – ¾ cup of kibble and one spoonful of wet food – I put his bowl on the porch so he can dine al fresco. I keep Finn in the house because he gobbles his dinner like he’s starving, and I don’t want him to bother Roy after he finishes. While they eat I grab the mail and wash and refill their water dish. When they’re both done, I wash the food bowls and set them upside down to dry.

Finn and I rejoin Roy and spend a few more minutes enjoying the sunshine and fresh air. As soon as I stand up Finn takes off to wait at the back door, but Roy doesn’t want to come in. I finally get a tiny treat (they’re on a diet) and manage to sweet talk him back into the house. 

I note everything in the journal while I pet the pups in turn, then let them know I’ll be back later for tuck in. They both head to the office to nap, and I head to my next visit.

Visit #3: Augie and Caruso

My next floofins are also brothers: a pair of black cats! When I walk in I see Caruso’s head peeking through the railing on the staircase. At least, I think it’s Caruso. He and Augie are nearly impossible to tell apart, but Augie is a bit more … fluffy. When I get upstairs, I see that I’m correct. Augie is loafing on the couch, but he does meow and get up when he sees me. He gives me a few head butts and I scratch him between his ears. 

I feed the cats their dinner – they split a pouch of Temptations – and top off their kibble. Then it’s time for a water refresh, and I double check if they get tap water or filtered water from the fridge. After scooping the litter box, it’s time to play!

Augie loves a particular pink and brown toy, but I can’t find it, so I settle for the rainbow wand. He’s having a great time stalking it, but I start to wonder where Caruso is. I hear a plinking noise and realize I should have known – he’s in the bathroom playing with the toilet handle. One time I flushed it thinking he’d be fascinated, but the way he just about jumped out of his skin, I’m afraid I may have cost him one of his nine lives. Sometimes he just sits and stares at the porcelain throne. I wish I knew what his end goal was.

I leave him to his mysterious goings-on and play with Augie for a while. Caruso finally joins us, but he gets bored and wanders off to have dinner. Augie has also lost interest in the toy, so I get out the comb and brush him for a while. He LOVES that, and it isn’t long before Caruso comes back and asks to be brushed, too. We enjoy hanging out together for the rest of the visit, and when it’s time to leave, I give them each two treats. As I finish up their journal I realize I’ve taken about 20 photos … sometimes I can’t help it!

Visit #4: Willie

Now it’s time to go see Willie, the Mayor of Clarendon Hills! At least, that’s what I call him. You’ll see why. I see Willie once or twice every week or two, and I always look forward to it. He’s just the happiest guy! When I open the door, he jumps up and starts prancing and whining with excitement. He can barely wait for me to get his harness on, and the moment I open the door he drags me through it and down the stairs. Willie is 12 years old, but he doesn’t seem to know that. When we get to the sidewalk, he breaks into a run and it’s all I can do to keep up. He has his favorite routes, and I often let him pick which way he wants to go. Sometimes he reacts with such joy when I ask him where he wants to go that I think he understands English. Today is pretty hot and I know Willie doesn’t like the heat, so I make sure we take one of the shorter routes. 

Willie stops to sniff and mark nearly every tree. He has a huge smile on his face, and he glances at me every so often to make sure I’m having as much fun as he is. And I am! A commuter heading home from the train station passes us on the sidewalk, and they wave and say, “hi, Willie!” Willie’s too cool to respond.

It’s a good thing we took the short route because when we’re halfway done, he flops onto the grass and starts rolling around – a sign he’s getting warm – so we turn the corner and head back. 

When we get to downtown Clarendon Hills I start to head back to the condo, but Willie pulls me towards the crosswalk. He wants to make a stop at The Open Door restaurant and bar for a treat. I start to tell him no, but he looks at me with sad puppy dog eyes, and I give in.

We normally don’t do this kind of thing at Floofins, but Willie’s folks let us know that this part of his routine, and as such, he is a frequent customer here! Willie’s not a fan of dogs, so I make sure he’s the only canine around before we enter. His favorite waitress is there, and she squeals, “Willie!” He gets even more excited and pulls me over to her. She leans down and gives him a good scratch before giving him his treat. “He’s already been in twice today,” she tells me, laughing. That little sneak! If it’s a Team Floofins day, he usually gets two walks, so I should have checked the Lori’s journal to see if she had taken him to The Open Door earlier. Oh well – double bonus for Willie!

As we walk back through the restaurant someone is entering from outside. He says, “is that Willie?” Willie assumes his adoring fan is holding the door for him and strolls through with confidence. I have no idea how everyone knows him. Even other clients ask if I walk Willie! He’s obviously a prominent figure in Clarendon Hills.

The office calls as we head home. Another sitter is watching Penny the cat, who is a great hider, and is having trouble locating her. Do I have any suggestions as to where she might be? I’ve visited Penny many times, so I list off all the places I’ve found her: behind the couch, under the bed covers, behind the toilet in the upstairs bedroom. I even mention how I once found her on the shelf in the living room crouched behind a 12”x12” picture frame. They say they’ll pass that information along.

Once we get back to the condo, Willie heads to the stairs, but I tell him we’ll take the elevator up. I always tell him it’s a special treat, but it’s more of a treat for me after that hot walk! I give him new water and make him a peanut butter Kong (light on the peanut butter, since he had an extra treat already), and as I leave, and he settles down to work on it. Meanwhile, the office texts me to let me know that Penny has been found hiding under the bed covers. Yay!

Visit #5: Simon and Theo

My next stop is a vacation visit for a pair of guinea pigs named Simon and Theo. I bring in the mail and put it on the counter before heading upstairs to the guinea pig room. I can hear them squeaking before I get there, but when I walk in, they freeze and go quiet. They’re still not sure about me. Their folks have a whiteboard with instructions for what to do during morning and evening visits, which makes it easy to care for these guys. 

I discard their uneaten food pellets, then wash out the dishes and set them to dry. Then I remove their morning hay and vacuum up their poop, moving their various hidey holes around the habitat so they can still hide and feel safe.

When I’m done, I put everything back where it belongs and give them two handfuls of new hay, then top off their water bottles. They finally venture out to say hello from a distance. I fetch their food dishes and dry them off before putting one scoop of pellets into each dish. I let them work on the hay and food while I vacuum up bits of hay that fell on the floor, and then it’s lettuce time!

This is our favorite time of the visit (I assume they enjoy this as much as I do.) I like it because it’s when their personalities really shine. Simon prefers the crunchy parts of the lettuce while Theo (the one with the larger cowlick) likes the dark green parts, but I want to make sure everyone gets the same amount and that Simon’s getting some actual nutrients. Their folks have weighed and bagged lettuce for each day, which is super helpful. I get the day’s bag out of the fridge and divide it up accordingly, passing each pig one leaf at a time.

Simon is the faster eater, so I have to be careful that he doesn’t steal some from his brother, although sometimes he’s too quick for me! After they’ve gone through most of the lettuce, I tear some of it up and put it around the habitat so that they have to search for it as part of their enrichment.

Before I leave, I double check that the food bags are sealed tightly and the floor is clean. I say goodbye to the pigs and head out.

Visit #6: Mojo

It’s time to see one of my other daily clients. Mojo lives with his mom in a retirement facility, and the staff all know me by now. I greet them as I sign in and then head up to her apartment. Along the way, I run into Maria, another resident I met when I helped her carry a package up to her apartment. She tells me how her husband is doing and then I continue on to Mojo. He barks when I come in, then runs around the table in excitement. I get his harness on and we head outside. He does his business and then turns for the door. Every so often he decides he doesn’t want to walk. Sometimes it’s because his mom has been gone all day. Since the Fourth of July it’s been because he’s scared of firework booms, and someone in the neighborhood was setting them off almost every single night long after the holiday was over. Tonight I suspect it’s because the grass is a bit wet from the rain, and he doesn’t like having wet paws.

I pick him up and head down the sidewalk while he half-closes his eyes. This is his way of protesting, but I’ve discovered that if I let him know I’m not going to give in and take him back inside, he’ll give up after I carry him around the corner of the building. Sure enough, I set him down and he trots on ahead as if he never had any intention of going back inside.

He sniffs all his favorite spots as we make our way around the complex, then stops and pulls backwards with a grumpy look on his face. I’m a little confused until I realize that because he’s chosen to walk on my left side tonight, he’s accidentally passed up a tree on the other side of the sidewalk. It’s one he always has to investigate, so we double back so he can get in a good, long sniff.

A few minutes later we run into our friend Steve and his little dog Gracie. Even though we don’t let our floofins interact with other dogs, Mojo and Gracie are friends, so I let him bounce around and play with her from a distance. Steve knows this is our policy, so he’s really great about keeping Gracie on a short leash as well. I don’t anticipate any problems, but you never know. Mojo usually loses interest quickly, and sure enough, he decides to continue on his walk. Gracie has a bit of a crush, though, and forlornly watches Mojo until he’s out of sight. 

We always end our walk with a run back to the building, so when we turn the final corner I ask him if he’s ready. He sure is, and breaks into a run without hesitation. We race back to the door and let ourselves in. Mojo always gets a treat after his walk, so I break up a Milkbone into three pieces so he thinks he’s getting extra. I chat with his mom for a few minutes before I head out. I notice that Augie and Caruso’s mom has commented on my journal – she also finds Caruso’s obsession with the toilet hilarious and thanks me for allllllllll the photos!

Visit #7: George and Annie

Next up is another vacation visit: cats George and Annie. Both cats are pretty shy, so I move as quietly as possible as I serve them dinner. Annie requires medication at the evening visit, so I double check the instructions that her mom leaves as well as the instructions on the medication bottles. I crush her pill into her wet food and prepare her oral syringe. I check the medication sheet that we fill out at every visit and see that last night I put her cream medication in her left ear, so tonight I have to put it in her right. I mark it on the sheet before I forget.

Then I go find Annie. She’s a runner and has a few favorite hiding spots, but she’s not combative. If I can get her to hide under the bed upstairs, I can simply scoop her up. Luckily, that’s exactly where she is, and while she meows in protest, I’m able to slide her out from beneath the bed with no trouble. I carry her downstairs, reassuring her all the way. She’s not happy, but she snuggles into my arms and doesn’t try to get away. I gently place her on the counter to administer her medication.

When we’re done, I put her down in front of her food dish because I know she likes to eat right after she gets her meds. She works on her dinner while I clean up and then scoop the litter.

George isn’t a fan of me, but I like to get eyes on all my floofins. I find him hiding behind a curtain. He hisses so I tell him I’m not going to bother him, just snap a photo. Annie’s still in the kitchen, so I give her a final pat on the head before I head out the door.

Visit #8: Roy and Finn (again!)

Now it’s time to go back to Roy and Finn for tuck-in, and my last job of the day. My arrival is no longer a novelty, so they’re less boisterous in their greeting. They both stretch before sauntering over to say hello, and I let them out. Of course, Finn grabs his toy, and we play for a bit. I give Roy a few more snuggles, then feed the fish in the outdoor pond and water all the potted plants. A few fireflies are still flitting about, and I catch one in the hopes of getting a good photo with the dogs, but neither of them could care less. Oh well.

It’s easier to get the dogs back in at night, so we all troop inside without a problem. They get to watch TV at night, so I turn on the Murder, She Wrote channel as they plop down on the kitchen floor. We have some TLC time as Jessica Fletcher conveniently stumbles upon another murder victim. Roy is shedding a lot, so I grab a brush and brush some loose fur off of both dogs and wonder if anyone’s suspected Jessica Fletcher of being a serial killer.

But then it’s time to go, so I adjust the lights, set out the food dishes for the morning sitter, and give each pup a treat. Then I kiss them good night and tell them to have sweet dreams. They settle down for the night, but before I leave and send my final journal, tomorrow is garbage day. I wheel the garbage cans to the street so that their parents don’t have a full garbage can when they get home in a few days.

Now it’s time to head home. I will see some of these floofs again tomorrow, and I’ll probably have some new visits, too!