Whinnies & Wags Professional Pet Sitting

23/03/2024

It's way past time for another pet spotlight: This is Poncho. It was raining and the hay stuck to him, but it doesn't matter because he's still adorable.

10/01/2024

DOES MY PUPPY REALLY NEED ALL THOSE SHOTS?
A common misconception about puppy vaccines is that puppies need a series of shots to "build up" their immune system. Calling the shots "boosters" just feeds into that misconception. I heard all kinds of things from pet owners when I worked for a vet clinic, including one guy who insisted his puppy only needed a "booster," not a "full vaccine," and therefore, he should only have to pay half the fee. 🙄 (There is no such thing as a booster. The shot your puppy gets at week 15 is the same one he/she got at week 6.) I also hear people say all the time, "My puppy got parvo even though he already had two vaccines. I don't understand why." Read on to find out why:
Puppies need one vaccine, not a series, but because they have maternal antibodies when they're born that fade at different times (anywhere from 6-15 weeks) and we have no way of knowing when those antibodies will fade, puppies get shots every few weeks to reduce the potential length of time they're unprotected. During the time a pup's maternal antibodies are still active, any vaccines given will be rejected by the puppy's body. And vaccines given after the puppy already has his/her own immunity are unnecessary. Therefore, most of the puppy shots your dog gets are a waste. So, why don't we just wait until 15 weeks to vaccinate puppies? Because waiting until then would leave many pups unprotected at a time when owners start taking them to puppy class and dog parks and Petsmart. Keeping them in a sterile room for 4 months wouldn't be practical or good for their social development. So, we take our pups in every 3 weeks and keep our fingers crossed that their maternal immunity doesn't fade right after one shot and they get exposed to parvo (or another disease) before the next one.

09/01/2024

Pouring rain does not make for fun dog walks! This is Sandra, braving her walk despite the weather. 🐾

06/01/2024

Friends come in all sizes and colors

06/01/2024

Can you spot the cat in this picture?

06/01/2024

A few photos from the holidays, featuring (clockwise, from top left) Santa Claws, Benny, Leo, Frankie, and Sandra.

25/12/2023

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate!

21/12/2023

Shout-out to one of the world's best cats, Benny. Medicating cats is usually a hellish experience, but not with this guy. He gets a full syringe of heart medication twice a day, and I don't even have to restrain him in any way to give it. He sits on the kitchen counter and patiently waits for it. He starts meowing if you forget. As if that wasn't enough, he's also developed a hematoma on his ear, and the swollen, misshapen ear has to be carefully cleaned every other day. He sits patiently for that too. Most amazing cat ever! ❤️

18/12/2023

I haven't had the heart to post this until now. Chiron was such a beloved part of the Whinnies & Wags family. Unfortunately, he had to be euthanized the night of October 29th due to colic. Rest in peace, little Chiron. You won't be forgotten. ❤️

23/10/2023

Pet spotlight: Moose peeking around the corner

17/09/2023

I had the privilege of taking care of Shadow a few times these past couple of years. He was 17 and died in his sleep last week. Rest in peace, Shadow. You were much loved. 😢❤️

02/08/2023

We haven't done a Pet Spotlight in a while, so we're going to catch up by posting pictures of our lovable four-legged clients in the next few weeks. (Whew, it has been a busy summer!!) We're starting off today with the lovely Aila. ❤️

29/07/2023

YOU GOT MAIL...AND THEN YOU DIDN'T...

26/07/2023

In case you ever need to use this idea.

14/07/2023

We love all our client horses!

17/01/2023

Whinnies & Wags Pet Spotlight: Sandra ❤️
We love Anatolian shepherds!

05/01/2023

Here at PSI, we always say that pet sitting isn’t for the faint of heart—and it goes beyond “just a job” or even a career…it really is a lifestyle!

Being a professional pet-sitting or dog-walking business owner is more than dog walks and cat cuddles.

👉Ask any professional pet sitter who has missed holidays with their families, extended pet-sitting visits to ensure an ailing pet was comforted or felt the loss of a client’s pet passing.

👉Or better yet, ask one of the hundreds of thousands of pet parents who benefit from the services of professional pet sitters and dog walkers every year.

👉Ask the pet owner who was alerted by his professional pet sitter that his dog’s behavior was unusual and recommended an emergency vet visit—saving the dog from dying from canine bloat.

👉Ask the pet parent who was able to call her pet sitter at 2 a.m. when she learns that her mother—on the other side of the country—has been admitted to the hospital in critical condition and is able to secure pet care as she rushes to the airport.

👉Ask the family whose professional pet sitter has graciously agreed to sit with them as their 15-year-old cat with late-stage chronic renal failure has to be euthanized.

Spend a day with a pro pet sitter or dog walker and you’ll know what those of us at PSI know without question:

Pet sitting is serious business. It’s a career…a lifestyle…a passion. ❤🐾

THANK YOU to the pet sitters and dog walkers making the world a better place for pets and their people!

04/01/2023

Wishing everyone a great start to the new year!!

🤍🐴🤍

30/12/2022

Whinnies & Wags spotlight: Lila ❤️

25/12/2022

Merry Christmas and happy 'paw'lidays from Whinnies & Wags!

30/11/2022

Whinnies & Wags Pet Spotlight: Creek ❤️
(He might look scary with those horns, but he's very sweet and we love taking care of him.)

24/11/2022

We are thankful for all our wonderful clients! Wishing you a cozy, peaceful Thanksgiving with your favorite two- and four-legged loved ones! (Pictured is Taffy relaxing in her favorite spot)