Pet Sitters Ireland are offering a 14% discount on all weekend Pet Sitting bookings during February (minimum booking 4 visits).

So why not take your loved one away and let us take care of your pets while you are away!

To avail of this special 14th Feb Valentines Day Offer then please call the office on 1800 30 30 10 or Mike on 087 7453847.

Happy Valentines

So is Valentine’s Day something just for people or can it be a special time for our furry freinds?

So the normal perfume, jewellery or a meal out is probably not the right pressie for your pet, so what can we get them?

• A new Collar
• A bone
• Some Treats
• A comfy new bed to kick back in.
• A voucher for dog walking!
• Or just a simple Hug !

Whatever you decide to do for Valentine’s – let’s not forget our furry (or not so furry!) friends.

And remember to book your pet sitting early if you are planning a night away with your loved one!

Happy Valentines!

One of the main reasons we started Pet Sitters Ireland, aside from wanting a more personal level of care for our pets, was that we hated that feeling every time we came back from a trip wondering whether someone had broken in.

Home Security is a big part of the service Pet Sitters Ireland offer. Obviously each clients requirements are individual, but some of the things that we offer include:

• Turning lights on and off
• Bringing in post
• Putting out the bins and bringing them back in
• We never come in a sign written van or with a uniform on – so we don’t advertise the fact we are there and you are away
• We never publish pictures of our staff – so the service is very discreet
• We don’t do group dog walks, so we don’t advertise ourselves as a dog walker – we just blend in with everyone else in the park!
• Because our visits are scheduled in time windows, for example 9-11am, we always try to vary the times we arrive so we are not creating a predictable visit pattern while you are away.
• All our staff are trained to be aware when they visit each home. They look out for unusual activity, cars, people etc.

One of the other main elements of added security with a Pet Sitting Service is that your dog is at home. So if they are like our dogs they make lots of noise when someone arrives.

I am sure this must be a big deterent for anyone considering entering your home uninvited!

If you have special security requirements while you are away then please feel free to contact the office on 1800 30 30 10 – it costs nothing to call !

Or contact us through the website.

Described as a way to bond with your dog and make them more well behaved, it made me wonder whether Coco would benefit from it.

Then I realised

1. She doesnt sit still for long unless she is asleep

2. God knows who and what she would be sniffing during the ‘Doga’ session

3. I am not sure I want to admit to taking my dog to ‘Doga’

But seriously is it taking things too far – or is Yoga really beneficial to your dog?

Certainly anyone with a few pounds to lose can always get their dog to help them out with extra walks! Not only good for you – but good for the dog!

We all make resolutions – but do our pets! I came across this funny top 5 resolutions which made me smile and I wondered have Patch and Coco made their resolutions yet!

1. Enjoy life more.

I will spend less time alerting family and neighbours to approaching eleven-year-old skateboarders and more time sniffing the butts of other dogs. Preferably Rottweilers.

2. Lose that spare Kong I’ve developed around the middle.

Don’t think I haven’t noticed the hushed voices when I walk in the room or the fact that you’ve loosened up the harness a notch. I know I need to shed a few pounds, but don’t assume this has anything to do with you – I’m doing it for me. I simply want to be able to chase tennis balls like a pup one-seventh my age.

3. I will not bark at the mailman.

I realize that by now my family knows how menacing the guy in the blue uniform can be, what with the shoving of his unwanted papers and parcels into our precious mailbox. From now on though, I’ll trust the humans of the house to respond to postal threats accordingly.

4. If I do bark at the mailman, I most certainly will not bite him (hard).

5. Quit drinking.

I’m not talking about the clear, flavourless liquid you set right next to my kibble each day. I mean the hard stuff – the water from the toilet bowl and the muddy puddles in the yard after a rain. Maybe a sip once in a while when my friends are over, but never more than I can handle.

6. Learn Italian.

I wonder what resolutions your dog has made!

I know as it gets colder our cat TC (Top Cat) hates stepping outside, and barely wants to nip out to the loo!

I was reading an interesting article the other day which gave some great tips on keeping your cat safe during the winter months.

• Make sure your cat has a reflective collar – especially if you are near a busy road. A quick release one is always much safer for the cat as well.
• Keep them in during rush hour when the traffic will be heavier – again if you live near a busy road.
• We all know cats like to sit near the fire – but just make sure they are not too close !! you don’t want them to burn themselves.
• Make sure they have warm shelter if they are outside cats. If it is set to snow if can be a good idea to keep them in.
• Make sure they have access to water – remember when it’s cold outside water supplies can freeze.

I know I personally always have a bag of cat litter on hand, ready for those snowy cold days when the cat has no intention of heading out!

How do you keep your cats safe this time of year?

So, as you frantically shop for gifts for friends and family, lets not forget the furry friends in our life.

I know some people say that animals don’t realise it’s Christmas, but seeing your pet enjoy a new toy, a new bone or a comfy new bed is always a joy.

Or why not get them a new collar and lead for all those New Year walks?

Or a new bowl for them to enjoy some turkey in on Christmas Day?

Whatever you decide I am sure your friends and family, both furry and human, will have a lovely Christmas.

Merry Christmas from Kate and Mike at Pet Sitters Ireland.

Some peace and quiet away from a busy house, time away from the kids, time to bond with your dog, your daily dose of exercise ….whatever it might be!

UNTIL ….you step in something that another dog owner has not cleared up.

No-one likes picking their dog’s ’deposits’ up, but as a responsible dog owner it has to be done. I know I always have poo bags with me wherever I am.

It was this sign in a local paper that made me wonder how many pet owners still don’t pickup after their dogs?

Would you say it to another pet owner if you saw them walking away without picking up? Would you pick it up yourself? Have you actually heard of anyone getting fined for not picking up their dog’s poop?

Most olders dogs adjust to the time they are alone, and I know our older dog Patch loves the peace and quiet for 5 minutes.

Coco however wants to be with you all the time, and being only 14 months old she is into everything. She likes to chew, tear and empty things!

A good walk in the middle of the day is a great way to break up the day and the boredom for them. Check out our Quick Breaks service

I also personally leave the radio on for our dogs.  Not sure they are actually catching up on the local news !! but I always feel it will be soothing and keep them relaxed.

The raw hide bones are great for Coco – rather than her chewing on my shoes! However I don’t really like to leave her on her own with them in case something happened to her.

So what do you do to help keep your dog entertained throughout the day?

Fund raising is a huge part of this, and without people’s help and support they would not be able to continue with their good work.

But they do need continued help – and every cent makes a difference.

So we were delighted when we heard that Oh My Dog were bringing out a book that not only allowed dog owners to have their dogs featured in it, but also gave 2 euro from every sale of the book to charity.

When we spoke to Chris from Oh My Dog he told us that “All For Animals raise funds for animals rescue centres around Ireland through various events and publications. We wanted to donate money from the sale of every book to animal rescues and All For Animals were the perfect choice for us to be able donate to one group, but help dogs all over Ireland.”

The book is a collection of fantastic dog photographs sent in by the visitors to the Oh My Dog website.

It ‘s a fantastic Christmas present for any dog owner, and don’t forget that 2 euro from the sale of every book is going to All For Animals who raise funds for animal rescues all over Ireland.

Log on to get your copy now at http://www.ohmydog.ie/shop.html 

The more people purchase a copy the more good work that can be done to help dogs in need.