Over the years, I have been bombarded with questions regarding the wonderful world of pet sitting. Which is a great thing! People want to know all kinds of things about what we do, how we handle certain situations, etc. So I have decided to a Q&A blog series about all of it.
To start, I will share a question that recently showed up on our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/AbsolutePetCareAZ).
‘Dear APC, any advice for a pet owner with a 10 month old chocolate lab who’s about to have a baby in a couple of months?’
My response:
‘This is a pretty important situation.
A ten month old lab is still very young (3 years of puppyhood). They are still learning how to live in a human’s world. The dog will still need a daily amount of exercise (to burn off their naturally anxious energy), but most importantly, a tremendous amount of attention. Dogs (puppies especially) are very sensitive and mentally fragile. Also, dogs are creatures of habit, they HATE change of any kind. If they feel the slightest amount of neglect, they may develop separation anxiety, which can result in everything from destructive behavior to resorting back to relieving themselves in the house, and needing to be potty trained all over again. Most likely the owner(s) will require help to get the dog out for daily walks (yes, even if they are home during this time). Labs have a tremendous amount of natural energy. If they do not work off that energy through walking, running or playtime, that energy will transition into anxiety, which is where the real behavior problems start to develop. Keep them walked, tired, and their days as consistent as possible. If the dog doesn’t get what it needs, the entire household will suffer because of it. It is tremendously beneficial for dogs to bond with someone outside of the immediate household as well. If they have a dogwalker who comes over to visit only them, they will create a bond with someone they know they can depend on and love on outside of the home. It’s great for their mental health (think of a kid having a best friend who comes over to play with them. It’s the same thing. Very important for their confidence and emotional well being).
Also important to note, because I see and hear plenty of this with new mothers… DO NOT take walks with both the dog, and the baby in the stroller! That is very dangerous (and unfortunately common). When a dog (large labs especially) sees any trigger like a rabbit, cat, other dog, etc. its instinct is likely to chase it immediately. This is when strollers get pulled over, mothers dragged to the ground, dogs get loose and run away, etc. These incidents are extremely common and all preventable. Just some important advice.’
I’m curious to know, what are some ideas you would share on this topic? Do you disagree with any of my advice? I would love to hear your thoughts.
Thanks for caring!
Tim Heise
– Certified Pet Care Specialist
Absolute Pet Care LLC – Best of Scottsdale 2013 – Pet Sitting
Scottsdale, AZ
480 560-3753 (Office Hours 9am – 5pm M-F)
Tim@AbsolutePetCareAZ.com
http://www.AbsolutePetCareAZ.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/AbsolutePetCare
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AbsolutePetCareAZ
Blog: https://absolutepetcare.wordpress.com/
Tim Heise
Scottsdale Dog Walker | Scottsdale Pet Sitter | Scottsdale, AZ 
Leave a Reply