ANY dog can bite. Whether you’re a pet owner or petsitter, be responsible and educate yourself on how to prevent dog bites. Below, we’ve got some tips for how to reduce your risk of being bitten by a dog (petsitters, you’re “new” to many dogs, so pay attention to that part especially) and how to prevent a dog in your care from biting someone else.
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A while back, we posted a blog about some dog owners who turned their dead pets into sweaters. Not the most fashionable of statements, but it certainly had its share of sentimental value. Well, now a cat owner has followed that same sentiment and turned her dead black cat into a diamond ring.
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They’re loyal, loving, adorable and generous… just not always with each other. Just because you and a dog have a great relationship doesn’t mean that he’ll be so kind to other dogs. When dogs don’t get along, it can cause a huge amount of stress, so here are a few tips to help generate harmony.
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In New Orleans last week, a green puppy was born. Yes, green. All natural — no cruel dye tricks here. Aside from his hue, he is completely normal and healthy!
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We’re all used to those standard, rectangular aquariums — that’s why this crazy, new angular design known as the “Infinity Aquarium” is so eye-catching. It’s a “goldfish freedom simulator” whose design may actually trick goldfish into thinking they are free.
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It’s an ongoing debate among pet owners: dogs versus cats. A recent study doesn’t dare delve into whether one animal is “better” than another, but it DOES suggest that dog owners put more time, affection and money into their pets than cat owners do.
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It can be a battle to get your pet to the vet. Since spring often means time for annual vet visits to protect our pals from the upcoming tick and flea season, we thought this would be a good time to remind our pet parents how to make the trip less stressful.
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It’s about that time, ladies and gents. Memorial Day is this month and now is the perfect time to post a job for a Memorial Day petsitter. Typically, we recommend posting jobs about 2-4 weeks in advance, but since this is a holiday weekend we’re talking about, you’ll want to get a head start.
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With summer starting to pick up and the heat setting in, there will be a lot more pet owners and petsitters who will be taking trips large and small with pets in the hot car. So we turned to our friends over at AskPatty.com, the LARGEST source of automotive advice for women, to get their tips for driving with a pet, keeping cool and avoiding car sickness.
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PetSmart’s PetsHotel and Doggy Day Camp both come with one very controversial disclaimer: They will no longer accept Pit Bulls into its programs. This includes “American Pit Bull Terriers, Miniature Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, American Bull Dogs, Bull Terriers or mixed breeds that have the appearance or characteristics of one of these breeds.”
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Socialite, accidental film star, reality TV star, model… Paris Hilton is looking to add another title to that list: pet care specialist. No, you don’t have to worry about her poaching your petsitting jobs, but there are definitely rumors out there about Paris starring in a TV show about pet care.
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Sonoma-Marin’s beloved “World’s Ugliest Dog” competition is getting underway, and the voting lines are open for you to select your favorite, uh, facially-challenged pup. It’s quite the line-up this year, with contest veterans and newcomers alike, so which pooch is your pick?
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Middle school students in Illinois aren’t just taking classes like algebra, English and chemistry. Many of them are also enrolling in a new class on pet care, offered as part of the school’s last-period “flex” schedule.
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According to some low-level celebrity gossip, Mariah Carey claims that her dog has a much bigger ego than she does. Mariah’s pooch is a super-spoiled Jack Russel Terrier named — you guessed it — Jack.
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So many of us need that little extra kick in the morning to help get us going. To those, coffee is more than just a beverage; it’s a life saver. But how desperate are you for coffee? Would you pay $100 for one cup? Even if it were made from cat poo?
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Remember last June when we told you about the outrageous $22,000 cat? Well, now you dog lovers don’t have to feel left out of paying an exorbitant amount of money for a pet: The same company behind the $22k pet has announced the availability of an $85k dog.
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Dye colors are usually reserved for Easter eggs, covering up grays and adding an extra little punch to dull hair color. But for pets? Not typically. However, a woman in Colorado who dyed her dog pink in the spirit of breast cancer awareness may now be in a whole mess of trouble with the law.
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We match parents with babysitters, pet owners with petsitters and care seekers across the country with other types of caregivers — but why should humans have all the fun? Sittercity is pleased to announce the newest of its networking services: pet matchmaking.
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Have you ever heard of the Mandarin Fish? We hadn’t, but this fish is so pretty, we couldn’t help but post a quick picture and blog about it. Its brilliantly colored with vibrant blues, purples, oranges, pinks and yellows… very psychedelic.
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Before we get into this news story, we should warn you that it might be a little disturbing. As if you could assume that from the title… Anyway, it looks as if one crazy couple in the UK couldn’t stand to part with their pets who have passed on, so they decided to create “jumpers” knitted out of the hair moulted by the pedigree pets and spun into yarn.
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You’ve heard of this, right? There’s a company out there called FlexPetz that rents dogs out to people who can’t (or don’t want to) take care of a pooch 24/7. It’s like a doggy timeshare and it was all over the pet care community last summer.
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What do you do for a living? Simon Allison eats pet food. On purpose. Not in the same way as a curious 2-year-old who happens upon the dog’s dinner and swipes some food pellets. It’s detailed, deliberate, analytical and, yes, fun.
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According to an article we passed around the office yesterday, big, black dogs have a much tougher time getting adopted from shelters. In fact, among pet rescue circles, this phenomenon is so well-known, it’s called “black dog syndrome.” None of us had ever heard of this before!
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Reputable, national petsitting giant PSI has dubbed March 2-8 Professional Petsitters Week, and we have six ideas for how you can show your Sittercity petsitter how much you appreciate his/her work with your furry family member.
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We came across an interesting post on PetsitUSA recently that discussed a slightly unusual situation: A man was actually UPSET that his petsitter refused to visit his dog and two cats only once per day. The petsitter ended up turning down the job because she felt that she would be providing inadequate care to the animals.
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Have you ever thought Huckabee looked kind of like a Beagle? You wouldn’t be the only one — the folks at the Baltimore Sun sure did, and recently came out with a dog-lover’s guide to the presidential election. Which other dogs do the candidates resemble? Let’s find out.
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It’s official! Several motor companies have just been recognized by DogCat Radio as the country’s pet-friendliest automakers for 2008, standing out for their Fido-friendly features. Are you driving any of these vehicles?
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Looking for something besides the typical Super Bowl pre-game show? Animal Planet has “traded in linebackers for labradors and quarterbacks for corgis” in their fourth annual pre-game Puppy Bowl where you can see little Fidos take the field. Who knew football could be so adorable? (No offense, Tom Brady.)
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They get a bad rap in the media, but Pit Bulls can be as gentle as any other dog. (ALL dog owners should be responsible, careful and loving, regardless of breed.) That’s why we especially love this news story about a heroic San Jose Pit Bull who was recently named National Dog Day Heroic Dog of 2008.
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OK, so it’s not exactly on par with today’s Oscar nominations, but we found a fun list of the most popular dog breeds of 2007, courtesy of the American Kennel Club. The results have some a little surprised… and some not at all!
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