Tag: pet care

Winter Availability Update!

Welcome to Winter – the holidays are coming and the snow is here!

*NEW SCHEDULE* Dog walking days and times are available Monday, Thursday and Sunday.
Dog walking times (approximate) are 9:00am, 10:30am, 12pm (one hour only), 1:30pm and 3pm.

If you are planning a family visit or sunny vacation book your pet sitting dates now. I have limited availability during the winter months and dates will fill up fast. I am happy to come and pet sit at your place! This keeps your pet comfortable in their regular routine and environment.

Overnight stays or (my) home boarding is very limited and all guests must be approved by my *manager (*my 1 year old puppy Mavi needs to meet your dog first!)

Contact me if you have any questions or to arrange a free meet and greet with you and your pet. I love to help keep your pets happy and healthy in Invermere, Radium, Fairmont and the beautiful Columbia Valley. ~Shannen

Other Boarding or Pet Services in the Valley:

Boarding or Daycare at Unleashed!
Contact: 250-347-9933

Shannonbrook Boarding Kennels in Windermere
Contact: 250-342-6188

Kootenay Kritters Dog Walking or Petsitting
Contact: 250-755-6334

Summer Availability

Summer is here and Invermere and the Columbia Valley are getting busy! I currently have a full-time contract with Parks Canada in Radium. I am still available for dog walks, pet visits and some (in your) home/pet sitting.

Dog Walks are available all day Wednesday and Thursday (my days off). I often have Friday or Saturday mornings off and I am available some evenings after 5pm. I will do my best to make something work with you and your dog!

Overnight or (my) home boarding or day care is very limited and all guests must be approved by my *manager (*my 10 month old puppy Mavi needs to meet your dog first!) I am happy to come and pet sit at your place!! This also helps to keep your pet comfortable in their regular routine and environment.

Contact me if you have any questions or to arrange a free meet and greet with you and your pet. I love to help keep your pets happy and healthy while you are visiting Invermere, Radium and the beautiful Columbia Valley. ~Shannen

Dog Walking

Other Pet Care Providers in the Valley are:

Unleashed Pet Care : 250-347-9933
Kootenay Kritters : 250-755-6334
Valley Pet Care : 778-554-2708

Check your pets for ticks!

Spring is here and as the weather gets warmer it is so tempting to take our dogs on longer walks outside and explore new hikes in the area. Keep in mind spring is also a time for ticks and other parasites to be lurking in the tall grasses and small shrubs near the trails. Always check your pet for ticks after any outdoor adventure and note any changes in behavior to your vet.

If you do happen to find a tick on your dog, it’s important that you know how to remove it. There is a rumor that using a match to remove a tick is the best way. However, you are more likely to end up burning your dog’s skin than removing the tick.

Instead, follow these steps to make sure you’re removing the tick from your dog’s skin properly:
Check your pets for ticks
Check your pet for ticks after each outdoor adventure!
  • Clean the area surrounding the tick with alcohol.
  • Use tweezers to grab the tick by the head, not the body.
  • Pull upwards until the tick detaches. Some vets advocate turning the tick clockwise if it has burrowed deeply into the skin.
  • If you pull the tick off, but the head is still attached to your dog’s skin, don’t worry. The head will most likely fall out on its own.
  • Clean the area to prevent infection, and you can always consult your vet if you’re still worried.
  • Once the tick is removed, do not crush it, as the blood it carries can be dangerous and harbor disease. Also, do not flush it down the toilet, as it can potentially crawl back out. Ticks are resilient.
  • Instead, put the tick in a closed jar and drown it with alcohol. Your vet may ask you to keep any ticks that you’ve found on your dog for testing. That’s especially likely if it’s a species known to carry Lyme and your dog hasn’t been vaccinated.

Consult your local SPCA or vet clinic for preventative treatments or concerns about fleas and ticks! We take care to keep all dogs on a leash and do a tick check after each walk in the local trails. Contact us for more details about dog walking services.

Top 5 Reasons to Hire a Dog Walker

1. Time. Your dog likes long afternoon walks and you only have 20 minutes until the next zoom call. Maybe you need to clean the house and your dog doesn’t know how to vacuum. Maybe you just want two hours of YOU time to read a book or have a hot bath uninterrupted, hello – self-care! Whatever the reason, we all know there is never enough time in the day, let someone help you with the task of dogwalking.

2. Training. Your dog already knows you and your routine. All dogs have cute behaviours that we let slide and don’t correct as often as we should. These small nuisances can turn into bigger issues in the future. Having someone work one-on-one with your dog can improve on-leash behaviour and skills training. A dog walker can help correct these behaviours and instill good manners.

3. Health. Regular exercise helps keep your dog in shape and at a healthy weight. Getting outside is both physically and mentally stimulating. There are smells to sniff and things to see and hear. Engaging all the senses is a great way to give your dog an all-around workout. Exercise is good for your dog and a tired dog is a happy dog… (and a happy owner!)

4. Weather. Let’s face it, on some days the weather outside is frightful. You have the fireplace roaring and you’re in your comfy clothes, the last thing you want is to be outside for hours. Let someone else navigate icy streets, cold temps and winter weather.

5. Socialization. Socializing your dog with other people and situations helps build their confidence. It can introduce your dog to new walking routes and trails and positive interactions. They have an enjoyable time on their walk, but they are also super happy to see you and come home! A weekly walk gives them some excitement and helps keep your dog happy and healthy.

6. (BONUS REASON)… someone else can pick up dog poop!!

Hire a Dog Walker
Hire a Dog Walker and your dogs will Thank You!