Trish's Dog Walking and Pet Sitting Service

08/02/2024

Horsie Friends… please share.

For your consideration:

11-year old OTTB, 15+hh, dark bay, mare.

This is Beatrice. I purchased her last year as a restart project and she is coming along very nicely. Her barn manners are great and she now stands very patiently for grooming, vet care, the farrier, and mounting. She doesn’t love the dentist, but with light sedation tolerates it. She is easy to catch once she knows you (responds to “come to me, Bea”) and until then will come when bribed with treats. She doesn’t love trailering and will offer slight resistance. A wee “tap tap” on her bum and she goes in just fine. She is UTD on all vaccinations, Cogins test (neg), dewormer, hooves, and teeth. She is shoeless with great feet. Easy keeper. No barn vices. Middle of the herd/pecking order. Goes w/t/c (and obvi a blinding speed gallop, but I’m too chicken to know it first hand). Nice mover.

She has never offered buck nor bolt, but is nervous outside the arena. However, she is rock solid on the road where cars and trucks do not phase her one bit. That plastic bag on the ground, however… 🤷🏻‍♀️

She has excelled with ground work and is way less flighty than 1 yr ago. But, like most OTTBs this will be an ongoing effort.

She was treated in January for slight spinal compression at T27/28 with anti-inflammatory injections, PEMF, & massage therapy. I was just beginning physio therapy when I myself became ill.

She would benefit from a visit with a competent saddle fitter. Vet says she is sound. PPE is welcome at buyer’s request/expense.

Sadly, as a result of my illness I need to rehome her. The price reflects the urgency to find her a good home, but I will be picky. I do not want this sweet girl to end up on the auction treadmill. She is gentle and loving to her person once trust is established. She needs a forever home.

24🥕🥕

Please DM for questions and video.

04/15/2024

Horatio has found his people! And I am so thrilled his pet-parents are TSP customers. Never before have I seen so much interest in one particular adoptee, but this little guy capture hearts and minds all over Ottawa. The applications were many, the process thorough, and I am thrilled that Enya’s Mum and Pop came out as the best match ( no surprise to me at all, really ).

Can’t wait to meet you little buddy. ❤️

03/15/2024

Doggos on the bed.

This morning I awoke to find two of my charges up on the bed. To me, there is no better way to wake up then to the sound of a thumping tail, or a wet nose on your neck. But to some, dogs on the bed is forboden. And there are good reasons:

1. Sleep quality can be impaired;
2. Risk of aggression if doggo resource-guards the bed;
3. Risk of parasites making their way to you; and
4. It could exacerbate allergies.

But, there is also oodles of evidence to show that sleeping with your pooch can be good for your mental health. There are some studies that show pets on beds can reduce cortisol (the stress hormone) and lower blood pressure and heart rate.

Once you weigh the pros and cons and make your decision, it’s best to stay the course. On again off again sleeping arrangements can be stressful.

Personally, I think training is key. Teach your dog to wait for permission to get on the bed. This lets them know it’s not a given and not necessarily their territory. Teach them which spot is theirs. I prefer my pooch to be at the foot of the bed, although years ago I had a Britany Spaniel who insisted that meant under the duvet. Weirdo.

I also made sure my dogs had a good run before bedtime and that I laundered my sheets every three days or so. And if either of us was sick, dogs slept in their own beds.

Snuggle up!

02/19/2024

Ottis is in da house!

So glad to have one of my favourite boys as my first guest in my new home. It took him no time at all to settle in. Although, he did go downstairs to look for my room mate. He seemed disappointed that the Chief Treat Officer wasn’t there.

02/19/2024

Our two favourite boys are being well taken care of by Mary (TSP’s #2). Mary is a super-walker (10,000 steps every day) and the boys are benefiting from her very fit habits.

I always say: a tired dog is a good dog. And these guys are some pooped.

Thanks Mary!

01/21/2024

My wholly mammoth.

-15 + wind chill here in O-town. How cold is too cold for you? For your pets? My dog Portia would just simply refuse to step out in anything colder than -10.

Most breeds of dogs, and horses, have adapted well for our Canadian freeze/thaw cycles. But not all breeds are suited for this kind of winter weather.

What are your tricks for keeping your fur friends warm in the cold? And how cold is just too cold for them?

01/19/2024

What on Earth is a Potcake?!

As dog people you’ve most likely heard the term Potcake in reference to dogs living in the Caribbean. And in all likelihood you also don’t really know what this means. That’s OK, the vast majority of us are unaware.

Potcakes are not a specific breed per se, but rather a mongrel that can be a genetic soup made up of a select group of breeds. Potcakes would have hailed from the ancestors of breeds brought over from Europe during colonization, from America during its revolutionary period, and from other Caribbean islands. Several DNA tests have demonstrated a failure to identify any trace of old breeds, making the Potcake sort of its own dog.

They come in all shapes, colours and sizes as demonstrated by the trio here, but what is unique to the breed is their scrapper, street-dog smarts. They are generally healthy, hardy, resilient, and very loyal. You won’t easily find a food allergy among this lot. But, as strays, some of these guys do come with plenty of trauma. Working with a good trainer or behaviourist can help guide over the bumps during training.

So why”Potcake”? The story goes that ppl of the islands, specifically the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos, would feed stray dogs the remains of a traditional meal of peas and rice—specifically the caked-on scrapings from the bottom of the pot.

Today it is estimated that there are well over 11,000 Potcakes running free in the Caribbean. There are myriad reasons for this, but volunteer lead and run organizations are doing their best to educate locals and to find homes—often abroad.

Here in Ontario we have the Eastern Ontario Potcake Rescue and in Ottawa the folks at Sit With Me help coordinate locally to place rescues in forever homes.

The breed-snob in me has had two weeks to reconsider my position. I’d take any one of these girls home! Isla (the blond lover), Dani (the tiny brown mighty mouse), and Sybil (the big fraidy cat).

Care to take a stab of the breeds in these girls? It’ll be fun. What breeds do you see?

12/30/2023

The many faces of Buri.

Buri is a senior citizen. Like most seniors, his life revolves around breakfast, walkies (to the end of the driveway these days), naps by the fire, dinner, bum scratches, and hanging with his people.

Trying to squeeze in as much quality time as I can with this guy, because life is just way too short.

11/28/2023

Most days I find social media annoying (except for you, my lovelies). And then something like this pops up not five minutes after discussing the costs of diagnostics for my horse’s back pain with the vet… some ppl are just so witty.

11/27/2023

Nuttin’ better than a snuggle-puppy when yer feeling under the weather.

Duchess loves her ppl, snuggling, belly rubs, and long walks. Oh! And she’s really taken to a few pieces of fresh chicken in her dinner bowl. Sorry MS! I may have spoiled your dog.

11/20/2023

Infectious Tracheobronchitis Season is Here.

Infectious tracheobronchitis, or kennel cough, is a common, virulent, highly contagious, virus that is much akin to the human cough/cold/bronchitis that each of us has experienced at some point in our lives. And it is as unpleasant for our K9 friends as it is for us.

Most frequently caused by the bacterium bordetella virus, kennel cough is highly transmissible through droplet contact. That means it can be spread when dogs touch, lick, or tussle each other. It can also be spread by contact with infected surfaces like food bowls, water dishes, shared sleeping pads or beds, etc. The likelihood of transmission grows exponentially when dogs congregate. Training schools, day care, dog parks, and of course kennel facilities, should all be attended with caution during outbreaks.

And boy-oh-boy! Ottawa is in the midst of one helluva outbreak right now. Every networking social media page I look at, the topic is the same—kennel cough is everywhere right now.

Much like our human colds, in a healthy animal, kennel cough is very treatable with rest and extra care. However, older dogs or dogs that are unwell can have severe symptoms and in some cases die from the disease.

How do you spot kennel cough? Look for:

* Strong cough, often with a “honking” sound (the most obvious symptom)
* Runny nose
* Sneezing
* Lethargy
* Loss of appetite
* Low grade fever

If symptoms persist for more than a few days or if there is laboured breathing and/or high fever, your dog needs the attention of a veterinarian ASAP.

Here at TSP, all surfaces are getting an extra sterilization between guests. If you think your dog has kennel cough, pls let us know so that arrangements can be made to minimize the risk of spread.

11/12/2023

Meet Kira and Koda—Two American Huskies

American Huskies or just simply “huskies” are wonderful little athletes. Considered medium-sized (especially compared to their cousins the Malamute) they are well known for their skills at sledding. They work well in packs and can trot along for miles and miles.

Their love of life in a pack makes them great family dogs, but not the best at guarding your home. Basically anyone and everyone in the house is their friend, even if they’re climbing through a window.

They are smart as can be and easily trained. But, energetic is an understatement. These guys can go for days. A job is a good idea for young huskies. Try sledding, skijoring, or packing and they’ll thrive.

Both Koda and Kira are incredibly smart. Koda in particular has all of us at TSP trained. As for endurance, well, someone forgot to tell him. At his advanced age he has decided that a ten-minute stroll is more than enough. So we divided and concurred. I took Kira on long forest walks and Mary suffered Koda’s moody strolls.

Both dogs however love cuddle and chill time which is great, because its one of my favourite things too.

11/03/2023

If only I trained my service dog to do this…

10/30/2023

Gotta love inter-species friendships. Felipe the cat finally warms up to Winston the puppy dog (who wanted nothing more then to be pals).

10/21/2023

10/19/2023

From Nova’s Mom today:

“We don’t worry and are able to enjoy our time away!!”

And that, my friends, is the whole point of Trish Sits Pets. Besides, look at this girl’s face! How could we not smother her in oodles and oodles of cuddles?