A Kenneling Alternative

Jennifer Houghton

Five Things You May Not Know About Kristin

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Sure, you know that the Floofins staff you interact with LOVE your pet, but have you ever wondered… Is there more to this super-duper, pet-loving person?

To that, we say, YES!

Your Floofins are like family and we want to give you a more rounded picture of our great staff members. So, we dug a little deeper into their psyches to get you the kind of information only Floofins & Co. can provide.

The staff member we are highlighting this month is Kristin. She is the owner/founder of Floofins & Co.

If you could pick a new name, what would it be? “Hmmmm…. Probably Eve or Ivy.”

If you could ask your pet one question, what would it be? “Portia, why do you eat your own poop? Prissy, really, what are you barking at?”

What was your favorite toy growing up? “A dress-up trunk.”

What would your spirit animal be?“Lioness.”

What is the best advice you’ve received? “Sometimes you have to be a “C” student and tweak it as you go.”

Avoiding Separation Anxiety

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I have a confession: my dog sometimes pees on the rug. It’s nothing personal and we don’t talk about it (much). It is a symptom of her separation anxiety.

My dog, like most people, has a routine. And she likes to keep things in the rut in which she has grown accustomed. There is no question that her actions come from a past life (she was an adult rescue). Just like humans, pets need to acclimate to new normals in order to mitigate the most severe reactions of separation anxiety that could occur.

As Illinois begins to transition from its period of strict stay-at-home orders, people and pets may find themselves struggling to readjust. Just as you would prepare your children for bedtime hours in the days leading up to the end of summer vacation, you should consider how to manage your pet. [Read more…] about Avoiding Separation Anxiety

Adopt A Cat Month

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June isn’t just the month of summer. It also serves as Adopt a Cat Month.

One of the primary goals of the month is to home cats and kittens. And that certainly is something of a concern during these pandemic times. Shelters in most areas are seeing fewer people in person, forcing most adoptions into virtual events. In addition, they are struggling with funding and and covering supplies.

Since June coincides with the height of kitten season, a time when the largest number of cats give birth to litters, there is often an influx of felines into the shelters. This year, American Humane will celebrate their 45th annual June focus on adoption by hosting “adopt-a-pandemic-pet” month.

For folks interested in donations, you can head over to the ASPCA Adopt A Cat webpage or you can donate to American Humane’s Feed The Hungry campaign which delivers food to shelters all over the country. Or, as we like to encourage, donate to your local shelter where you can have an immediate and close to home impact.

You don’t have to simply donate, ASPCA has a fundraising page where you can build up donations on your own or by creating a team.

If you opt to bring a new cat into your life this month, don’t forget to utilize the great resources that American Humane offers on their website. You can find reference materials on topics such as

  • Adoption Checklists
  • Cat to Cat Introductions
  • Dog to Cat Introductions
  • Cat Collars
  • Scratching
  • Litter box usage

And if you are in the Chicagoland area and considering adopting a cat, please don’t get discouraged. I recently put in several applications for virtual adoptions over the last couple months. I never heard a word. Until late this week, I received an email from a facility I have adopted from in the past. They had received over 10,000 applications to adopt since the pandemic hit. While that is great for the animals, it just means that adopting a cat this month, or later, may require a little patience. 

When COVID-19 Crashes The Party

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The Background

Owner Kristin Skelton had been making plans for various ways to celebrate her 10-year anniversary in business. She had grown her local pet care and dog walking business from a tiny one-person operation to a multi-person employer that was named the “2020 National Association of Professional Pet Sitters Business of the Year”.

She looked into various ways to say thanks to clients and employees for the support and hard work. The idea was to bring clients, their floofins, and employees together to celebrate the milestone.

Ideas floated around were “yappy hours” and related social outings. Events that would clients, their owners, and the staff to see each other face to face — something that doesn’t occur often in the pet care business. The global pandemic changed all that.  [Read more…] about When COVID-19 Crashes The Party

Five Things You May Not Know About Corine

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Floofins & Co.

Sure, you know that the Floofins staff you interact with LOVE your pet, but have you ever wondered… Is there more to this super-duper, pet-loving person?

To that, we say, YES!

Your Floofins are like family and we want to give you a more rounded picture of our great staff members. So, we dug a little deeper into their psyches to get you the kind of information only Floofins & Co. can provide.

The staff member we are highlighting this month is Corine. She works as a Pet Care Specialist.

  • What is your favorite cheesiest pickup line? “How much does a polar bear weigh? Enough to break the ice.”
  • What is the most beautiful place you’ve been? “Cape Town, South Africa” 
  • What is your pet peeve? “Dishes being left in the sink.” 
  • As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? “A zookeeper/dolphin trainer and I am currently living out the dream as a penguin and otter trainer at the Shedd Aquarium.”
  • What would be your spirit animal? “A manatee because they are predator free and love to eat!”