Paw Pals Pet Sitting UK - Dog Walking, cat feeding and more

14/09/2023

Make your home as pet friendly as possible. See our blog on the Paw Pals Pet Sitting website at:

Pets are more than just animals; they're members of our families. We strive to make our homes comfortable for our human family members

01/09/2023

Get to know your pet and how it may be communicating with you. See our blog on the Paw Pals Pet Sitting website at:

Our pets are full of quirks and behaviours that can sometimes leave us scratching our heads. They use behaviours to demonstrate how they are feeling

25/08/2023

Help your pets overcome some of the challenges that come with the return to school. See our blog on the Paw Pals Pet Sitting website at:

As the new school year begins, our routines inevitably shift. This transition can be especially challenging for our pets

16/08/2023

The Pet Parent’s Guide to Summer Travel: What You Need to Know
Have a look at our blog on the Paw Pals Pet Sitting website to get help with your summer travel plans. See it at:

In this blog post, we'll cover everything you need to know to ensure your pet's wellbeing during your summer travels.

03/11/2022

Where do all the dog walkers go when it rains?
Taking on my tenth winter as a professional pet sitter (def'n: 'all types of care for clients' pets while they are at work or on holiday') I am reflecting on the things I see particular to this time of year.
Chief among them is where do all the dog walker's go when the weather goes from warm and sunny to cold and wet? And more importantly, what happens to the dogs they were happily out walking a few weeks ago?
Answers please on a metaphorical post card?

27/06/2022

Huge increase in pets taken in by the RSPCA.
Reporting on BBC Breakfast yesterday, a representative from the RSPCA delivered worrying news regarding the recent increase in pets arriving at RSPCA premises. Dogs up 3%, cats up 13% and rabbits up by an alarming 50%.
Often regarded as an easy pet option, rabbits are anything but this. Requiring large hutches with accommodation for two and regular access to a lawn in runs, rabbits dietary needs extend to daily fresh vegetables and fruit, good quality dry food and hay.
Hutches need daily cleaning to maintain good health in the occupants as rabbits can succumb to illness quickly. The hutches need to be in a shady spot, protected from rain and other bad weather and will need space indoors in winter.
Tick all these boxes and accept the day to day cost, plus visits to the vet and insurance, and rabbits provide a wonderful experience for children and adults alike.

01/04/2022

Home alone dogs on the rise.

Well, to be completely honest, I really thought everything would be back to normal by now, or new normal at least. I'm referring specifically to our world of day to day dog care.

By normal. I mean folk having a regular schedule for working away from home. But my own experience, and that of most people i speak to, says differently.

The normal now seems to be irregular trips to the workplace with no pattern week to week and arrangements being made short term. The result for people in pet care is last minute requests for care and changes to existing bookings.

This is not a complaint. I am delighted to be as flexible as i can be for my clients, as this represents good service and is merely a reaction to the circumstances in which they are operating.

My concern in all this is vested in reports i hear increasingly from colleagues regarding animals being left alone more frequently and for longer than really they should. Or at best relying on neighbours to fill in last minute.

Perhaps on the days in between trips to the office, folk are just making do and hoping their dog will be ok. And maybe they are, on the face of it; but for how long?

So a plea to anyone in this situation. Understandable though it is in this persistently topsy turvy world, please contact a pet sitting professional to at least talk about how we can help.

Even if nothing is set up straight away, we are here to assist as best we can. And to help owners and their beloved pets cope with such irregular and short term changes to patterns in work

28/03/2022

Social issues in Pandemic Pups.

As anticipated, a recent survey by the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) highlights widespread concern over socialisation of Pandemic dogs.

With data compiled from 5,500 UK Owners, the Pandemic Puppies Survey* compared socialisation and health issues in dogs purchased in 2020 with those in 2019.

The major finding was a lack of attendance at puppy training classes, leading to the potential future development of stranger related fear and general consequences of poor socialisation.

The '2020 Generation' are also more likely to have been imported to meet increased demand, and the subsequent increase in the chance of this being done illegally.

My personal belief is that this is another good reason to find a new pet locally at a charity rehoming centre

Personal experience also suggests we await the full effects of separation anxiety. Even now in April 2022, many folk are yet to finalise their long term schedules in the return to office working.

So shop locally for suppliers of both dogs and ongoing care, such as training and walking. Your new best buddy will thank you for it in the short term and you will both reap the rewards of a happy, well adjusted and sociable dog in the long term.

* The RVC survey on behavioural issues in Pandemic Puppies was funded by BVA Animal Welfare Foundation.

29/10/2021

Are we seeing an increase in poorly behaved dogs, people buying dogs on a whim and discarding just as quickly?

Out on my rounds, I am for sure talking to more people whose dogs have been troubled by unknown dogs rushing up from nowhere, apparently unattended, leading to stress for dog and owner alike.

In conversation with colleagues and clients and in browsing social media, this topic comes up more now than in in my previous eight years as a pet sitter.

And is this related to record numbers of dogs in rehoming charities that have been recently acquired and quickly discarded? Where, apparently, dogs bought on a whim become troublesome and expensive as they grow and need more attention and care.

I recently read a piece by a vet (which i am advised to be genuine) which, by virtue of being unable to completely verify its authenticity and being so emotionally disturbing I feel unable to share here. This poor individual is increasingly going through the harrowing process of putting down young, healthy dogs.

I am in no position to make a direct connection with this truly awful situation and the questions and scenarios above.

But if such a connection exists, even as a possibility, surely we as pet care professionals owe it to our dogs, our clients and the people like vets and folk in rehoming charities to talk to all those we encounter in our professional lives to raise awareness of the need in potential new dog owners to think very, very, very carefully before buying a new dog.

18/10/2021

We all want our dogs to be a happy addition to to our lives and home, like Lexi and Lola here! But how is your new dog doing when it comes to socialisation?

Across our network of Paw Pals Pet Sitting branches, we are coming across greater numbers of new clients who have dogs in need of help with socialisation.

As dog walking and care professionals we are in a position to offer constructive help; either directly by taking on the walking care of such animals or through our contacts with local behaviourist and trainers.

We will also be able to advise appropriate courses of action, such as talking to your vet about socialisation issues. Vets are a great source of local contacts and may be able to recommend someone to help.

In any case, please take action to help your dog overcome his/her socialisation issues. You, your dog and those you encounter will be all the happier!

10/09/2021

If this informative piece from the BBC seems familiar, please consider how a professional pet sitter could help in the daily care of your dog.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-58518892.amp

The Dogs Trust says it has seen a 35% increase in calls related to giving up dogs in recent weeks.

21/07/2021

If you see a dog on a lead, it's likely to be on that lead for a reason. Thank you Country Living magazine for outlining some of the most common reasons in this article. Please respect a dog on a lead; your perfect pooch running up uninvited can still be a scary experience for a sensitive dog who may be post operative or recovering from incident. Or just very old or young and likes his space respected. If we all show respect and control, we all get to enjoy our walks. https://www.countryliving.com/uk/wildlife/pets/a37019023/dog-walking-mistakes/

Are you guilty of these?

01/07/2021

Please think twice if you decide you want a pet. On the face of it a strange thing for a professional pet sitter to say. Many people have recently discovered the pleasure of pet ownership. After a while however many discover the pain. Whether that's the cost of a trip to the vet following an accident (like my friend here), the regular fees from vaccinations and check ups or the cost of care with the return to the office or going on holiday.
So please make an honest assessment of how much you are prepared to sacrifice to provide the best quality of life for your new member of the family. And let's please try to stop so many poor animals ending up at charities or simply being discarded.

24/06/2021

Are you away for a well earned break this summer? And thinking about care for your beloved cat. Rather than relying on friends and neighbours, consider getting the help you need from a professional pet sitter. Make sure you find someone who is insured and first aid trained. Find out how they will look after your home while you are away and make sure your front door key is kept by them in a safe.
Many pet sitters have experience of giving medication and even injections. Make sure they have a passion for providing the best possible care for your cats; who will be so much happier as a result.

03/06/2021

A Boston terrier and a hose pipe in the summer sun! Does life get much better....
Make this your way of life. Find out how at https://www.paw-pals.co.uk/franchise-home/

28/04/2021

Can you imagine how hard it must be to experience the theft of your dog?
Which is why the increase in dog theft should be the focus of all our attention. Dog theft victim support charity Dog Lost https://www.doglost.co.uk/ reports over two and a half times more dog thefts in 2020 than 2019.
The reason is well reported: the many households taking on new dogs during lockdown and the consequent increase in their value. With organised crime now involved, as reportedly dogs can be more profitable than drugs, we in the pet care industry as well as dog owners would do well to take measures to keep our best friends by our sides.
The Kennel Club https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/ emphasises the importance of micro-chipping, so that in the happy event a dog is found it can be swiftly re-united with its owner. Also noted are preventative measures like securing property and not leaving dogs unsupervised in your garden and public open spaces.
Pet charity Blue Cross, who report that seven dogs per day were stolen in 2020, suggest a raft of measures - see the full article at: https://www.bluecross.org.uk/pet-advice/protect-your-dog-against-theft?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIyeSVjqac8AIVDeztCh2vrAT4EAAYAiAAEgIk2fD_BwE
These include:
• Not putting your dog’s name on its collar tag – which should always be worn outdoors
• Keeping your focus on your dog – not your mobile phone – when out walking
• Don’t let your dog off-lead if you’re not certain it will come when called. If in doubt, use a long lead
• If you decide to employ a dog walker, ask about their experience and credentials and check they come from a reputable company
• And be suspicious of anyone asking too many questions about your dog, whether in person or online.
Be particularly wary if you have a pure breed dog and apparently gun dogs are of especially high value.
Keep an eye out for loose dogs that appear unattended. Out walking my clients’ dogs, I often witness such animals and do what I can to identify the owner and attract their wandering attention. So let’s work together and do what we can to make life as hard as possible for these despicable thieves.

Brian Ainge. April 2021.

Brian Ainge is owner/director of Paw Pals Pet Sitting UK Ltd; professional pet sitters since 2005.

21/04/2021

Are you one of the 3.2 million households to take on a new pet during lockdown?
If so, please consider taking on the services of a professional pet sitter.
This could be to help with dog walking as you return to the office. Your new pup will also enjoy the socialising and behavioural benefits regular walking provides.
If you are now enjoying the company of a cat at home, think about what care he or she will need when you go on holiday. A professional pet sitter will come into your home when you are away and give your cat all the care it needs, while also increasing the security of your home while you are away.
So get in touch with your local professional pet sitter now and get set up for when the need arises.
Look for someone who is insured, police checked and has pet first aid training. Don't forget this person will have access to your home and the care of your beloved pet.
So talk to them before handing over the keys to the castle. Find out what ideas they have for the care of your animals and what they would do if things go wrong.
And enjoy the fact that you are doing everything you can to provide the best care you can for your new member of the family!