• Animal Disaster Preparedness

My hamster's regular & traveling cages

On August 23, 2011, as I worked on my computer at home, I felt my high rise sway. I heard what I thought was wind rushing by my windows. Then, as if the building had two feet, one "foot" stepped down an inch. Thunk. Terrified, I packed my computer and my hamster, Maggie.

California people can start laughing now, because it was "just" an earthquake, and only 5.8, at that. Centered in Mineral, Virginia, it was more than 85 miles from my home. But my terror was real.

Luckily, it was easy to evacuate Maggie. I keep a traveling hamster cage filled with bedding and seeds on a shelf beneath his main cage (yes, Maggie's a boy). I grabbed a piece of watermelon from the fridge to keep him hydrated and a small bowl for water, in case we were gone more than a few hours. The traveling cage worked for a short evacuation, but I hadn't prepared an evacuation kit in case we need to be away overnight.

All pets owners (including me!) should have an evacuation plan and evacuation kit. The goal is to keep your pet safe in a disaster. You think it won't happen to your family. You think you'll have time to prepare. But you don't know.

After the earthquake with friends

Information in the links below overlaps; some sites are exhaustive, some are basic. Use what suits your style or pet.

•  Use the Pet ID Form to record information on each of your pets; add microchip number.
• The Emergency Planning Guide for Pet Owners is a 19-page all-inclusive guide that addresses all scenarios.
• Preparing Your Pets for Emergencies covers crucial steps for preparation.
• Red Cross Dog: Disaster Preparedness explains how to keep pets, horses, and livestock safe in natural disasters.
• Making Sure Your Dog is Evacuated if You're Not Home

If you hire a pet sitter, make sure he or she has a copy of your evacuation plan and knows the location of your emergency kit.

• Happy Fur-Mother's Day

Yesterday I spent the day switching up my closet for the upcoming season. I've gained a few pounds since last summer and expected some outfits to be a little tight. As I pulled on shorts, zipped skirts, and wiggled into shirts, the news was worse. Everything was tight, as in, "Can-I-wear-this-without-embarrassment?" tight.

I was in my hamster's room (which doubles as my bedroom), and I kept staring at the entrance to his hut. Maggie (who, despite his name, is a boy) had blocked it with bedding, which means either that he is cold or objects to light I've let into the room. As I tossed clothes that would never fit into a giveaway pile, I looked forward to night, when he would wake.

Maggie never asks if I've put on a few pounds. He doesn't look askance as I try—as it turned out yesterday, unsuccessfully, yesterday—to zip my navy shorts. He doesn't talk about studies that show the correlation between a woman's extra pounds and diminished salary.

When he sees me, Maggie comes to the side of his cage. He's probably looking for food, but I think it's also because he loves me. When we hang out in the area I set up for him, he sniffs my feet, scampers over my arms, and tickles me with his whiskers. Maggie was shy at first, and it's taken a while to get to this point. He was born in August 2010, so he's an older boy. Hamsters only live two to three years, which makes our good times now more poignant.

Animals don't judge. The only thing they care about is what's inside a person. Earning and keeping Maggie's trust was the most important component to our relationship. The same is true of the animals I pet sit. I practice patience and kindness, and try to make sure my actions always fall within the comfort level of the animal.

And fun. I love to watch animals have fun. So Maggie won't be bored, I regularly add new boxes or other objects to crawl through, around, or over. Last night I delighted in seeing my baby boy clamber over mountains of clothes from the giveaway pile. I'd turned my misery into fun for him, and Maggie was healthy and happy—the best fur-Mother's Day gift of all.

• What I Wish I Knew Before BlogPaws

I register at BlogPaws / Photo B Smith

I'm so excited about BlogPaws 2012! BlogPaws is a pet blogging and social media conference. Are you coming? Last year was my first time, and afterward, there were a few things I wish I'd done differently.

• I wish I had researched presenters and sessions. Sure, on the schedule I circled what I thought I should do, but sometimes I went to a session and found it wasn't a good fit for me. This year I'm taking advantage of background information from BlogPaws, such as interviews with BlogPaws 2012 speakers. You can get information about the conference at the sites below:
—BlogPaws
—BlogPaws 2012 Conference
—BlogPaws Community
—BlogPaws Twitter
—BlogPaws Facebook

Contents of my "swag bag"

• I wish I had known how much great stuff BlogPaws gives you. To start, there's a "swag bag." In addition, exhibitors/sponsors ply you with pet foods, toys, clothes, calendars, books—you name it. I'm taking my biggest suitcase to Salt Lake City, with only one-third allocated for clothes . . . because I love the stuff!

• This year, unlike last year, I'll note sponsors that will be at BlogPaws beforehand. For example, as a pet sitter, I want to know the latest tools for finding lost pets, so I'll be sure to talk to Found Animals. I'll chat with all sponsors/exhibitors and get their cards because when I make a contact at a company, it's as good as gold. Contacts can tell me about upcoming giveaways, specials, events—all useful for my presence on Twitter and Facebook.

Flat Pet Workshop / Photo B Smith 

• I wish I had known how friendly BogPaws people are. We've all been to events where the "inner circle" wants to keep the circle closed. BlogPaws isn't like that. People were happy! Everyone was curious about everyone else. It was easy to greet the many pets and start conversations with their owners. (If you're shy, as I am, see tips for how an introvert can enjoy BlogPaws.)

• I wish I knew they took the hot breakfast away early. Sure, yummy hot food was available for a respectable 90 minutes. But I'm a late riser and a buffet grazer: I get two or three small plates. The first morning plate #1 lasted through the a.m. speaker. But at the break, when I was ready for plate #2—no bacon! (I speak, of course, tongue-in-bacon-less-cheek. At mealtimes and breaks, tables groaned with an embarrassment of riches. At other times BlogPaws provided coffee, sodas, and snacks. You will not go hungry—and now you know the Bacon Secret.)

"Flat Maggie," my hamster, and moi / Photo B Smith

• I wish I'd known BlogPaws had a professional photographer. I get to know people from their online photos, so I include photos of myself in social media—and Brad Smith said we could use his photos! Brad was cute as a bug, sweet to boot, and took great photos of BlogPaws 2011, including flattering ones of me in my turquoise Emmy the Pet Sitter T-shirt. Because I'm vain and "somewhat not svelte," this year I'll probably wear black.

One thing I got right was that I wore comfortable shoes. Between the pricey sneakers and Thor-Lo socks, my feet were reasonably not sore. The other good news is that I brought enough business cards. Unfortunately, I customized them and have several hundred "We met at BlogPaws 2011" left over.

Now it's your turn! Do you have advice for BlogPaws newbies? Funny stories? I'd love to hear from you. And I can't wait to meet you!

• Spring Dangers for Pets

Every new season brings warnings for pets. This is the spring version.

When I started pet sitting, I didn't pay too much attention to most "seasonal" warnings.  I assumed pet owners knew about dangers for pets (chocolate, antifreeze, rat poison) and planned accordingly. But you, as a pet sitter, may run into situations that could cause pets harm.

• When I walked terrier Shelly and beagle Lily in April, the girls were drawn to fertilizer like a moth to a flame. Since I have no way of knowing who may or may not be practicing pet-safe gardening, I steered them away from fertilizer and mulch.

• On a walk, it's important I don't get distracted and let dogs eat plants (some plants are toxic to dogs and cats), snack on a compost pile, or eat slug and snail bait.

• After a walk, I check dogs to make sure no prickly plants, such as foxtails, adhere to its fur.

• Always ask a client if you may take a dog to a dog park. If your client approves, read these tips on behavior at the dog park.

• If a pet sneezes, let the owner know. Dogs and cats, like people, are susceptible to allergies.

• Has your furry charge been a bit of a couch potato over the winter? Don't let a dog that's out of shape exercise too much.

• April Rodent Recipe Challenge

Maggie bypasses once . . . 

I'm going to squeak under the wire for the April Rodent Recipe Challenge. It's 11:10 p.m. on April 30, the recipe is made, and Maggie will eat (or not) in the next 50 minutes.

April's ingredient is carrot. I "made"—I use the term loosely, as it took under two minutes to mash together two ingredients—carrot hummus: two garbanzo beans (all I had) and a smidgen of cut-up carrot strips. Mush together with your fingers. It needs oil to look like real hummus, but I don't think hamsters are supposed to eat oil.

. . . and disappears into the tube.

Ordinarily I would place food for dipping—cauliflower, carrots, broccoli—beside it, but I wanted to see if Maggie would eat the hummus. Therefore, it is naked.

I dropped it on the rug when I was turning on the light. Carpet fibers: yum! But Maggie often chews carpet trying to tunnel somewhere; I doubt he'll mind. (Yes, Maggie is a boy.)

Was it because I was so nervous about time that he didn't eat? C'mon, eat it, I was thinking. I moved the plate here and there. C'mon, sweetie, eat!

Maggie didn't bite.

• "Z" is for Zim the Hamster

My shy boy Zim was several hamsters ago. He was, arguably, the least memorable of my hams. He didn't crawl vertically on surfaces the way Rufus did. He was too scared to play "get in the shirt," like Doodlebug. As he declined, I didn't keep a daily diary, as I did for Juliet.

When he died, I wrote an online memorial for him at Pet-Memories, which is free. As I wrote, I felt he was still with me, as though I was doing something for him. I would light a virtual candle for Zim and read other memorials on the site. And despite the fact that I, with guilt, think of Zim as least memorable, I haven't done an online memorial for another hamster.

It was the smallness of his life, the narrow boundaries through which he never escaped, that endeared him to me. My little boy, I would say to him. Mom loves Zim.

Mom loves Zim. Say it fast and it will make sense.

• "Y" is for Yellow Snow

You know, as in, "Don't eat the . . . ." Yep, I'm going to talk about number one and number two.

If you're a pet owner, as I am, you know how much attention you pay to your pet's output. How often? How much? Did it look OK? Smell OK?

Pee and poop are two ways we keep tabs on our pets' health. As a pet sitter, I try to be aware when a dog deviates from the norm. The first time a dog has diarrhea I make a mental note. The second time I make written notes. Time, amount, color, consistency—things an owner or vet will want to know.

When do I notify an owner of an irregularity; for example, diarrhea?

• If I'm in daily contact I mention a problem the same day.

• If an owner isn't contacting me regularly, I use my judgment. I don't want to cause worry, but an owner knows its animal best and can judge if its behavior is routine or if something is off. While I'm deciding whether or not to call, I make written notes. Is the animal eating regularly? Did I feed it extra treats or food from my plate? Is it lethargic? Is it drinking the usual amount of water?

• If an owner is unavailable I call the vet at the point I would call the owner.

If clients are going to be gone a week or more, I ask them to tell their vet I'll be caring for their animals. I also ask clients to fill out a veterinary release form before they go away. (Some vets have these on their web site.)

The story wouldn't be complete without me telling you about the time I cared for Arlo (above and right) when he suffered from a urinary tract infection. One morning he yelped when he peed. That wasn't unusual, his owners said that night. The next morning he yelped louder and longer. That afternoon he yowled so long I looked at my watch and counted the seconds. Poor Arlo. I took him to the vet soon afterward.

Arlo and his partner in crime, Darcy, made a heck of a lot of yellow snow during Snowmageddon (February 2010, above). And just so you know, the snow Arlo is licking is white. 

• "X" is for Xeriscape

Riding Vegas near Prescott, Az., in a natural landscape

Is there anyone doing the A to Z Challenge who didn't have to look in the dictionary for a word beginning with the letter "x"?

Xeriscaping and pet sitting. How in the heck can I make that connection?

I pet sit in Northern Virginia and plan to move to the Southwest, which, for the most part, is dry, dry, dry. So "lawns" are Xeriscaped, a method of landscaping used to conserve water in arid or semi-arid climates.

For the past 40 years I've done no landscaping, as I've lived in apartments. You could write a book on what I don't know about Xeriscaping. But what I've seen, I liked. I won't need to mow. It shouldn't need much water.

When I move to the Southwest, I want to get a dog. I'll need to teach it to stay away from cacti and rattlesnakes. And I'm thinking of running a doggy daycare. Would I need to teach all the dogs to stay away from cacti and rattlesnakes, or would their owners? (I know I'd be the one driving them to the vet with a nose full of spines.)

Coco, whom I pet sat in Prescott, Az., in a Xeriscaped yard

I've lived in Virginia all my life. I know a little about the grasses, trees, plants, and flowers that grow here, and how rain and bugs and insecticides affect them. I have a felt sense of what kind of upkeep a yard might need.

As for Xeriscaping? I'm clueless. Maybe it's like pet sitting. Eight years ago, when a friend asked me to keep her dog company when she and her husband went on vacation, I had no clue that live-in pet sitting would become my occupation. I had little idea of what the profession entailed. With each job and each bout of continuing education, I learn. I can learn Xeriscaping.

Southwestern folks, clue me in! What else besides open blue skies and great salsa awaits me and my dog and horse? Scorpions? Lower vet bills? Chupacabras?

• "W" is for Walkin' the Dog

As a pet sitter, I walk dogs, but it's not as easy as it used to be 'cause of a new man in my life: Mr. Arthur-itis. He's set up shop in my knees. It's a family affliction—many of my aunts and uncles sport titanium knees—exacerbated by my extra weight.

Stairs are the worst. I can walk up and down stairs, but after a day or two I'm in a lot of pain. So. I'm a live-in pet sitter who can no longer stay in a home unless it has a bathroom on the first floor.

The good news is that, for the most part, it has little affect on walking dogs. I walk more slowly than I used to, so small dogs are easier. Large dogs that behave on a leash are no problem.

The thing is, I have to tell pet owners. I hate it. People who have arthritis are old. They are grandparents, ready for the old-folks home. People who have arthritis have canes that they wave and yell, "Get out of my way, sonny!"

I have a cane. I bought it when I pulled something in my knee a couple of years ago. It's in the trunk of my car. Thankfully, I can't remember the last time I needed it.

So, if you're thinking of hiring me, I have arthritis in my knees. But it doesn't keep me from getting down on the floor to play with your dog or cat. I can feed your animals, clean their litter box, pick up poop in the yard, throw a tennis ball or Frisbee, and trundle your trash cans out to the curb. As long as your big dog doesn't pull on the leash, I can walk it.

But as long as I'm being completely honest. . . I can't throw a tennis ball or Frisbee very far.

• "V" is for Videos

This is a still captured from a video.

I fell in love with the Flip Video when I borrowed my friend Brenda's. Naturally, I had to have a Flip of my own. I find the Flip fun when pet sitting. I captured terrier Shelly's surprise when she saw "another dog" in the reflection of a car. When Shelly and Lily's human mom was away during the holidays, we made a Christmas video for her.

Video was useful during a recent pet sit when Samoyed Arlo was doing something strange with his mouth. I wondered if he needed to go to the vet. I filmed Arlo, saved it on Vimeo, and sent Brenda (his human mom) the URL. Brenda had reported the behavior before to Arlo's vet, who had said it was nothing to worry about. It took a load off my mind.

When I pet sit, I post photos and videos on Facebook or Twitter, or send via email. Clients enjoy seeing their pets safe and happy. After a pet sit, I make a longer video or an online blog for the pet owner. There's no extra charge. Frankly, it's a labor of love, and I always want to give pet owners a reason to hire me again.

Unfortunately, my Flip shows signs of old age and they're no longer being manufactured, so I'll have to find other technology. Don't I sound blasé? You have no idea the trauma I go through, making a decision to buy new technology. Brenda had to go with me to Target to buy my Canon A560 camera. Really.

If you're not tired of videos, check out the Potomac Valley Samoyed Club's annual winter walk! Can you guess which one is Arlo?