The Mitten Pet Sittin' with Ashley

03/23/2024

It’s been a busy but beautiful weekend with LOTS of tail wags and smiles!
Being up at 8am for run time *is not* my strong suit, but look at these faces… how could you not do everything they ask?! 😻

In order of appearance : Mia/Colby, Chloe, Harley/Bane, Oliver.

02/21/2024

It has been BACK TO BACK sitting jobs since September and im just now getting a moment to reflect!

it brings me so much genuine happiness to be able to provide a safe space for not only your pets, but your peace of mind while you’re away. trusting someone in your home and around your loved ones can be a tough decision to make; thank you thank you THANK YOU for allowing me to be that person you can call on when you need a hand. i always try my best to be sure your home is exactly how you left it, your pets are happy and content on your arrival, and sometimes i even do lil household chores depending how long my stay is (i love caring for plants, cleaning common areas, and sometimes even doing soiled laundry)

Pet sitting has given me a wonderful start to my 2024, and i’m currently booked well into the year. Just a lil reminder; if you’re needing a pet sitter in the next few months, it doesn’t hurt to arrange your pet care early!

i can’t wait for all the future adventures to update you all on 🥰

01/24/2024

have you ever seen a houseful of animals come to LINE UP for the love train when they hear you giving out kissies and extra pets? 😭

staying inside and cozy from this FREEZING RAIN with my fav fearsome foursome (minus the fear) Emerald, Giger, Krueger, and Valek!

01/03/2024

We all made it another year, welcome to 2024!
I rang in the new year with a bunch of furry friends, here’s a few pictures from the last week alone!
They all got some fun toys and tasty treats for a late christmas gift.

I think a really big accomplishment I made in my life during the last year, was making the decision to become a pet caretaker full time. It started as a fun little side-gig to keep me busy, I had a few friends that would call me every couple of months for a small job and i was happy. That quickly evolved into enough word-of-mouth referrals, that i began taking it more seriously, and expanding my services since I had way more experience than I was showcasing at that time.

Moving forward to expand this venture has been a blast. I started this page last summer, and have barely done any promotion, yet the positive response for support has been overwhelming some days.

I hope to keep going with this for as long as I’m able, and continue on through 2024, being your go-to in-home pet sitter and pet care advisor.

P.S: If I’ve had the privilege of staying with your pet, I would love if you left me an honest review on this page! Be sure to make the review public so others can see it when they visit.

Happy holidays!

11/30/2023

Scroll to the last photo for a surprise 😂😂

I haven’t updated in a hot minute!
October had been blacked out so i could enjoy my birthday month, and was greeted with anticipation for my return. Since the end of October, i have been consistently double, triple, some days quadruple booked - between overnights, nail trims, drop ins, medication monitoring, and helping pets thru the hectic times of holiday seasons, it’s been a lot!

I’m more than happy to be this busy doing something i love, and giving you a peace of mind for when you need to leave your babies behind a while. I’m thankful for my experience with the medical field, which helps for administering yucky-no-fun meds in a swift and easy motion for minimal stress.

and as always, thank you for keeping me in mind when you need a hand with your loved ones, for trusting me with your companion and inside your homes. i don’t take these privileges for granted 🥰😻

10/17/2023

Tonto is a deaf, blind, elderly pup that sometimes needs a bit of help getting around. There’s stairs to navigate, outside smells to explore, and joint meds to take. He enjoys sitting or standing very close so he knows where you are, and likes to follow you wherever you go for a little playtime.

Biscuit (orange) was a shy girl! She likes to hide, and has her favorite spots to get away from it all. I was informed she may not come out much at all, but after it was time for me to leave, she had already warmed up enough to show me how she got her name - by making biscuits on my lap!

Stella is a sweet gal that loves being included. She spent a lot of time on my lap, checking out the smells outside the window, and even plays fetch.

These three gave me a busy week recently, 10/10 would hang out with the sweetie pies again 🥰thank you for the trust in taking care of your babies!

09/27/2023

A quick reminder that outside of pet/house sitting, I offer nail trims and minor grooming for all pets! It can be included with your scheduled visits, or I make house calls. My books for in-home pet sitting will be sparse during the month of October, but nail trims come at a priority here at The Mitten!

I have been hearing an unfortunate number of pet owners expressing concern for their pets’ feet as local groomers or trusted trimming spots have been lacking in care and efficiency.

That’s where I come in!
Please reach out to my page if you or someone you know are in need of getting your pets’ nails trimmed.

Have a happy, spooky, and well groomed Fall season!

09/27/2023

09/26/2023

I’ve had a few days to spend at home with my kitties, Swiss and Batman! We went for a lil outdoor adventure today, checkin’ out some *bugs and flowers.

Have you ever seen a cat on a leash?
Have you ever taken a cat on a leash for a walk?
My cats LOVE supervised outside time. Brushies and fur inspections are another fun perk of outside time 😻

If you have a pet that isn’t a dog that enjoys supervised outside time, let me know and it can be arranged during a visit! I would recommend a fenced in yard, and visual inspection for plant/bug life before any outdoor venture.

*No bugs or flowers munched on

09/25/2023

Here are some good tips on how to administer the heimlich maneuver for dogs. Remember! Your animal is capable of many things! But they are NOT indestructible. know the signs of distress in your pup, and coordinate with your veterinarian for a plan of action in case of emergencies.

If you’d like more tips, or would like to know the similar signs for cats, DM me!

Signs Your Pet is Choking

Most pets, including cats and dogs, will display some combination of the following symptoms if they are choking on something:

Distress
Pawing at the mouth
Salivation
Coughing
Gagging or retching
Blue mucous membranes (cyanosis)
Rubbing their face against the ground

Heimlich Maneuver for Cats & Dogs

If you aren't able to remove the object your pet is choking on, you will have to use the Heimlich maneuver (see picture)

CPR

If this doesn't work and your cat or dog loses their pulse, start CPR at about 120 chest compressions pet minute and continue until you arrive at a veterinary practice.

#2023 🐾

09/09/2023

sometimes with cats, you don’t get a moments peace 😂 but luckily, i love a clingy pet!

(last two photos are of my kitties! Swiss is a level 5 clinger. Batman just loves a good window, or perch)

09/03/2023

Pullin’ a bit of a “double” this labor day weekend - luckily both households are in the same area!
As summer comes to a close this year, I’ll enjoy all the sunshiny days with my furry pals as i can.

Mya has been keepin’ me busy with 8am zoomies, lots of cuddles, and medical routines (we take our pills at the same time!)

Cleo, Kiki, and Ellie are a group of gals that love a good time, AND a good stretch. What a great double treat for me this holiday weekend!

If you’re celebrating with friends and family, keep in mind this is a popular firework holiday! Big ears can be sensitive, or like Mya here - who has neuropathy and anxiety. Please be mindful, aware of people and pets in your area, and stay safe 😉

08/29/2023

this fella was ALL SMILES for our weekend visit!
What a good boy, Harvey!

08/26/2023

Happy National Dog Day!!!
I wouldn’t be the human i am today without the love and lessons canines have given me through the years. This job isn’t always EASY, but it can be extremely fulfilling gaining the trust and confidence of a pup, young or old. It always warms my heart to know my regulars look forward to our meetings.

Thank you (thank you, thank you, thank you…) for allowing me to care for your loved one as my own while you’re away - it has been a very rewarding year of doing this full time. Enjoy a few photos from some past and current clients 🥰

08/26/2023

Happy (belated) Birthday to one of my favorite regulars, Dixie girl!

Dixie spent the day with her mom getting absolutely spoiled with some tasty treats! Hotdogs and steak 😋 Here’s to many more for this precious pup 🎉

08/25/2023

Sending love to all of those effected by the recent terrible storms in lower Michigan.

Times like these, my heart aches for the animals that have to fend for themselves outside.
If you currently have damage from the storms and flooding, please reach out and let me know if there’s anything I can do for you and your pets that have been effected.

08/07/2023

Dixie says
“it’s Monday ALREADYYYYY?”

It can be a tough job pet sitting for larger animals that are energetic and emotionally needy; but the rewards I receive (love and trust from pets and their parents) outweighs it all.

I hope you’ve all had a wonderful weekend, and spent a lot of time playing outside!

08/01/2023

Just a little heads up that i will not be taking clients from August 20th-25th, as i will be going in for a moderate surgery. Thank you for your understanding and support! 🥰

07/30/2023

Prince is a BIG BOY that LOVES sticks. Got some sticks that need carrying? Pesky sticks taking over your yard? Need demolition and relocation? Look no further! Prince will take care of that*.

If you’ve ever wanted to see a large dog smile, get this guy a big ole stick and watch him ZOOM!!!

*Prince unavailable for hire for stick removal (but I am when it comes to sitting for your pets!)

07/17/2023

Parting is such sweet sorrow 🥲
Harvey here made it real clear he didn’t want me to pack my bag and get goin’. We had such a fun weekend together, I can understand why!

Here’s a less sad Harvey photo to boot (although, he has the cutest lil underbite that always makes him look a lil grumpy! i love it)

07/16/2023

Dixie is a regular of mine that i can always count on to give me a good camera face 😂

She has a lot of puppy energy; so sometimes we butt heads, and she pushes my buttons because she knows she can. she’s a talkative, sassy girl 🙄 but at the end of the day - we’re besties! i have a camera roll full of this gal, so here’s a few recent funnies from our time together 💫

07/10/2023

Happy Monday from these hairless wonders!
Kruger and Valek have not left my lap since i've gotten here - absolute cuddle monsters, no complaints from me!

Sphinx cats have special needs, as their hairlessness is a genetic condition. Having a genetic mutation myself, i understand how important maintenance can be.
During my stays with these two i like to give them warm cloth rubs, gently clean their eyes, nose, and ears. and if they'll allow me, give them small nail trims (because cats like to play! claws with no fur protection can be painful)

The dogs got jealous in the night bc the cats had all the cuddles, so of course a 60lb pit bull had to join the puddle this morning 😂 this is a household of four, so i've kept plenty busy 😻

07/09/2023

Mya and Freya are a pair of shy gals, but it was BOTH of their birthdays during a recent stay with them. Mom had requested i save some special treats for Mya, so we sang happy birthday and got some special treats and playtime! She was so happy, i almost cried from the cuteness of it all.

Freya primarily stays in her own area, and will hide away if people try to come check her out. I was so excited the first time she came out of hiding and let me give her a quick pet. By day two, we were besties! she came to keep me company while i cleaned her bowls and litter pan, very talkative!

Happy birthday cutie pies! 🎂🎉

07/08/2023

Hey! Welcome to my pet sitting page. This is currently under some construction but i wanted to make a lil introduction.

My name is Ashley, and I have been offering full time pet sitting services since 2022!
I have cystic fibrosis, and 4 years post double lung transplant - pet sitting not only gives me an excuse to stay active and be healthier, it's fulfilling to offer a service I'm highly motivated and passionate about!

For years, there were jokes amongst my friends about how I often enter a home and say hello to the pets before anyone else, and I've been that way since childhood. I love animals, I love the process of getting to know a new animal, and I love gaining knowledge on how to care better for all beings on Mother Earth. Sometimes all we need is a little love and understanding!
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My pet sitting services are pretty straight forward: $12/hr or $40/per day

- I work out of YOUR home so your pet has the comfort and peace of mind of their own space

- Available for regularly scheduled visits, or for a block of time (these visits can be hourly, or overnights)

- Certified in grooming, specializing in nail trims

- I proceed with meet and greets, getting to know your pets' routine, and have a discussion for special instruction.

- Your pet is treated as my own (with Pet Parent instruction) for the duration of our visit(s). Lots of love, play time, scratches, and whatever else your loved one may need! If you have any further questions about my process and how to get the ball rolling (👀), don't be shy to ask!

Thanks so much for stopping by, and drop me a line if you think i'm a good fit for you and your family!