A Kenneling Alternative

Things To Do With Your Pet

Summer Time and the Living is Floofy

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Whether your Floofin loves sunbathing or finds the AC a delight, most Floofins agree that summer brings a more relaxed schedule that suits them. As we approach the unofficial kickoff of summer, we offer a few tips for maximizing your Floofins experience.

Summer Tips:

  • Make sure your information is up-to-date in the portal. It does seem like we mention this one quite frequently. Should trouble brew while you are away those pieces of information are super important. Remember, summer brings storms, AC breakdowns, and other unplanned events that make contacting you or a designated party even more important. 
  • Let us know about health changes in your Floofins. While we do our best to slow down the walks or keep the time outside limited based on our observations and experience with your pet, your feedback and knowledge is paramount. You know your pet best! If you want shorter outdoor time when the temp rises above a certain point, let us know.
  • Book your travel early. You may have seen the backlog of passport applications as Americans appear to be planning higher volumes of travel this summer. If you have plans to escape somewhere your Floofin can’t go, make sure to get on the books as early as possible.
  • Cancel your visits as soon as you know you don’t need them. While it is good to have that appointment booked, pet sitters are still in high demand and holding a spot you don’t need may impact someone else being able to book that trip. Freeing up visits you don’t need allows us to book visits with clients on our wait lists.
  • Slow down and smile. Summer gives us all a little more time to enjoy the things that make life worthwhile. Spend some extra cuddle time with your Floofin. Or, just take an extra long walk. Time is short. We hope you make as many memories this year as possible. 

National Rescue Dog Day Is May 20th

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National Rescue Dog Day is celebrated on May 20th. It is observed to bring awareness to all the amazing dogs in shelters who are looking for their forever homes all over the country.

Lisa Wiehebrink, author and Executive Director of Tails That Teach, founded the day in 2018. Her organization teaches children how to properly treat animals. 

So how can you celebrate National Rescue Dog Day? According to https://www.nationalrescuedogday.com, here are some ideas:

WAYS TO CELEBRATE

Share Photos. Post photos of your rescue dog on social media by using #nationalrescuedogday.  Add a comment about why your rescue dog is special. You may encourage someone to adopt.

Love. Give your rescue a long walk, tasty treat or toys, or any other item that they adore.

Adopt. If you are thinking about bringing a pet into your family, adopt through a shelter or rescue group. 

Foster. If you have space and the time to keep a rescue in your home for a period of time, consider fostering. It helps the dog decompress in a home setting and gives them an opportunity to improve their socialization skills. Some pets need quiet spaces to heal from medical concerns before they can be adopteed.

Shelter. Donate items to your local shelter.

Volunteer. Walk dogs at your local shelter and/or work on their socialization skills.

Spay. Spay or neuter your pets.

Education. Teach children how to be responsible and give love to animals in their orbit.

Shout Out to Professional Pet Sitters March 5-11

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Finding just the right person to take care of your pet isn’t a choice any pet parent takes lightly. When you find the right pet sitter, you probably do a happy dance knowing that your floofin is in good hands. Did you know March 5th through March 11th is the week dedicated to pet sitters?

Professional Pet Sitters Week kicks off Monday, March 1st. This week was first introduced in 1995 by Pet Sitters International (PSI). This year marks the 28th annual celebration. The week is observed, according to PSI’s website  to honor

“professional pet-care providers, seeks to educate the pet-owning public about the advantages of professional in-home pet care and encourages pet-loving entrepreneurs to explore professional pet sitting as a viable career.”

How To Celebrate With Floofins & Co.

Floofins & Co. prides itself on hiring staff that are “diamonds” in the pet care staff industry. In fact, this commitment is just one of the reasons Floofins & Co. was named the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters’ 2020 Business of the Year.

You probably already know about the great services Floofins & Co. provides with their in-home pet care. But, are you looking for an opportunity to do some pet care work? You can apply to become a member of our team.

We encourage you to take part in this year’s Professional Pet Sitters Week if you already use us for your pet care needs. How?

Pop on over to our Facebook site at any time leading up to March 5th and through March 11th. Send us a message about your pet care professional. Have you wanted to say thanks? Tell us who walks or cares for your floofin with the  message you want to share. It can be long or short, serious, or funny. During the week, we’ll highlight messages about our staff. Your message of appreciation is a great way to give a shout out to someone who makes your (and your pet’s) life a little bit easier. We can’t wait to hear from you!

National Dog Biscuit Day

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Whether you call them a snack, a treat, a cookie, or a biscuit, we know our dogs love them. February 23rd is National Dog Biscuit Day!

There are lots of ways to treat your dog on the 23rd. Perhaps you have some biscuits on hand or a pup bakery nearby that is celebrating with some treats you can pick up. If you are not inclined to cook (I raise my hand on that one), grabbing something already prepared is a great option.

But, let’s say you are the kind of person who wants to spend some time in the kitchen to show your pooch some biscuit love. Where to start? 

There are some recipes available from a number of places. First up, because I use their products and can attest to the quality, King Arthur Baking has a vet approved recipe you can try: https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/best-of-breed-dog-biscuits-recipe

Another vet approved option for different recipes comes from the AKC: https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/lifestyle/homemade-vet-approved-dog-treat-recipes/

My final online treat list is one that gives you lots of short ingredient list, no bake options: https://www.doughremia.com/post/5-healthy-easy-no-bake-dog-treat-recipes

If you want to dig deeper and/or spend more time cooking for your pet, consider the following two books: 

The Organic Dog Biscuit Cookbook: Over 100 “Tail Wagging” Recipes 

The Honest Kitchen Dog Obsessed, A Guide to a Happier, Healthier Life for the Pup You Love

However you choose to produce your pet’s biscuit, be sure to take a moment to enjoy their enthusiasm and love. Food is often a sign of care and concern and your pet will know how much you love them whether they scarf down the treat in one giant gulp or several slow nibbles. Bon appetit! 

Join Floofins & Co. at Barkapalooza This Weekend

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Floofins & Co. will be taking part in the events of Barkapalooza 2022. The event, hosted by the West Suburban Humane Society, will benefit the homeless animals under their care.

Events begin at 9 a.m. and run until 1 p.m. and are held at the Lisle Community Park on Sunday, September 25th.

Free parking is available and the day will contain fun, food, and games designed to end animal homelessness. Individuals can collect pledges and join the walkathon. Dogs are welcome at the event. Events include a $1,000 raffle, microchipping, a photo booth, artistic grooming, animal communicator, rescues, shopping, food, and prizes. Enjoy a day filled with fun, food and games while helping to end animal homelessness.

For more details, check out the website at https://www.wshs-dg.org/barkapalooza