Town and Country Pet Sitters

13/07/2024

27/05/2024

On this Memorial Day, we pause to remember and honor the brave men and women who have given the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. Their courage, dedication, and love for our country will never be forgotten. As we gather with loved ones today, let us reflect on the true meaning of this day and the profound debt of gratitude we owe to our fallen heroes. May their legacy inspire us to cherish and protect the liberties they fought so valiantly to defend. To all who have served and to those who continue to serve, thank you. Your sacrifices will always be remembered. 🇺🇸

06/05/2024

Bellingham North on Hartford Ave - 6 baby turkeys need help being captured- they are all white

02/05/2024

Plastics are porous, meaning oils💧 become trapped in them. Unless they’re washed🧼 daily, which isn’t practical, the pet food stored inside will be spoiled by rancid oils.🩸Proper pet food storage is essential to blocking or delaying the development of degenerative chemical processes⚠️ and the growth of spoilage bacteria.

For info on how to store pet food properly, Comment STORAGE and we’ll message you the link to The Forever Dog LIFE where in "Chapter 1 - Feeding Your Pet: the section titled 'Food Storage' we cover the best ways to store your pet food toppers, treats, meals, or supplements💊. Get your copy now and claim over $250 in digital FREEBIES valid till June 4th!

29/04/2024

Hopkinton, MA in-person meeting about off leash dogs on trails

Too many people avoid using the trails or have a bad experience because of encounters with dogs, often off-leash. Some people want their dogs to be able to run untethered in a field or woods. There are ways to accommodate more people like these to use trails. Other towns have done it - we can try some options too.

25/04/2024

23/04/2024

Update: cat sighted in the backyard of the house across the street by the neighbor but the cat wouldn’t come close. My lead sitter went over with wet food and cat treats but by that time the cat wasn’t around.

Holliston MA Lost cat as of yesterday morning - Oyster got loose while client was packing up to leave and is still gone. Please keep watch and share! They live in the neighborhood behind Colonial Way in Holliston.

09/04/2024

22/03/2024

Has a coyote ever “followed” you or your dog while you’re walking in your neighborhood or in the park? If so, you may have felt afraid, perhaps thought the coyote was stalking you, or that an attack was imminent. But don’t fear. Coyotes are naturally curious animals, and often engage in this behavior called “escorting”. Escorting is when a coyote, sometimes with its mate, makes sure that you are leaving its territory. This behavior is most often seen from early March to late April, when coyote parents are protecting their precious puppies. Escorting most often happens in early morning or in the evening, and because they may see dogs as a threat to their babies, it’s most often seen by dog walkers.

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What do you do if you’re “escorted” by a coyote? Don’t panic; the coyote is much more terrified of you! If you don’t have your dog leashed - which you should in coyote country- immediately leash it and keep it by your side. Calmly keep walking, slowly, as normally. Soon enough, you’ll be out of the coyote’s home and he will stop escorting you! On the off chance the escorting coyote starts to approach too closely, shout and wave your hands to frighten it away. As we humans develop more and more woodlands, coyote coexistence has become even more essential; we simply must learn to speak their language.

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Photo: Joe Galkowski

21/03/2024

High winds tonight means lots of downed fences, opened gates, felled trees and branches, as well as power outages.

Take precautions BEFORE you let your dog out, and LEASH them.

You don't want to discover that you are missing a part of your fence when it's too late.
(If you have no power, then an electric fence will no longer work!)

It's best to go outside with your dog and then bring them right back inside.

20/03/2024

https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/finding-a-dog-walker/

It can be difficult to find a dog walker that you trust with your beloved pup. Here are some tips to help you choose the right one.

12/03/2024

Perfect day for a hike!!

27/02/2024

Bellingham found dog

Found Dog in Bellingham!

Bellingham/Franklin Animal Control officers are hoping to identify Black Lab that was picked up over the weekend. Lab was found around the Maple street area. If anyone has any information please reach out to their Department at (508) 520-4922.

07/02/2024

Hitch introduces new addition to the household :
Jedda (Ch. Huntington's Metallic Trace x Ch. Special Tri And Catch Me)
Thank you, breeders Sherry Kronheim & Laura LaBounty— I love having a tri rough boy back in my life !

02/02/2024

The article is called “So you want to be a canine nutritionist” and is very good.

It's been a while since I posted a blog entry - but this one was calling out to be written. As a teacher of herbalism and canine nutrition, I am often asked by prospective students, what is needed to " do what I do" - in other words, how much investment in education is required before students can get "certified" and work as a nutritionist? This field is immensely popular and competitive , neither of which was true when I started - and in my more cynical moments I think that all one needs is to be cute and skillful with videos and marketing. But who would want to be focused on that, really? Certainly not anyone I'd be able to recommend. When I see someone on Tiktok with half a million followers, and one 6 month course in "raw feeding" I have to smile. We'll see where they are in five years - either they will learn more, market less and become actually good at this work, or they'll get really famous like most are seeking and can then say pretty much anything with impunity, or they'll see how tough the real work of a consulting canine nutritionist is, and move on. We shall see. Goodness knows I went through my own growing pains way back in the beginning.

The good news in all this is, I know of and teach, many very serious people who are focused on their education, on navigating a journey of knowledge that can be confusing and overwhelming, and being really, really good at this work. It's a real pleasure to be some part of that person's journey! And I am asked what it takes to become very competent at this work by both those seeking a quick certificate and a zillion selfies on Instagram as well as those who really want to do credit to this profession, I thought it was time to answer, all in one place.

This article covers several main areas an aspiring nutritionist needs to focus on. I hope it can serve as a follow up to my What to Look for in a Nutrition Advisor and be useful to both the owner seeking a professional, and very much for the student considering entering the non-DVM nutritionist arena. I know something like this would have helped me a great deal in the late 90s when I went through dozens of Animal Science degrees only to find virtually none had what I wanted, and struggled for some time to find what I needed to know. https://thepossiblecanine.com/so-you-want-to-be-a-canine-nutritionist

29/01/2024

Another 5 star review!! :D

★★★★★ "Alison was a fantastic communicator, punctual, highly professional, and kind to my dog. So happy to have discovered Town and Country!"

30/12/2023

Portable ping pong net being used for dogs that counter surf 🤯

Management is something every trainer I know talks about - it’s one of the first conversations I have with clients. Baby gates, x-pens, leash tethers, the list goes on…

I’ve always thought I was good at finding adaptive solutions but today I walked into a lesson and was blown away by the genius of my client! Their dog is a big boy who loves to counter surf, but also struggles with being confined.

Look at this beautiful AND creative solution they came up with! This is a portable ping pong net 🤯 I am so in love with this and was so impressed with their ingenious idea.

You can find them on Amazon - get one while you can because I think this is gonna be a new trend 😂

24/12/2023

24/12/2023

Adolescence!

Ah, adolescence.

Carson is approaching seven months of age. She is bold and fearful. She is friendly and conflicted about social scenarios. She is sure she knows everything and indeed knows very little.

All in one day she found herself terrified of leaf blowers and confused that they would be wielded by humans, which she typically likes. Later she thought running up the A frame might be more fun than the handling exercise she was learning and when the thing rattled on her descent she found herself less thrilled by this choice. What an alarming and confusing place the world is!

We just had a nice talk about how docile fuzzy horses behind fences are nothing to yell about. She is a a coiled spring of emotions. Her reactions are, by definition, overreactions. Her choices are more daring than she can actually handle, and every startle feels like armageddon.

If this is your life too, trust me: this too shall pass. It is common for people to panic and label their young dogs; do not fall into that trap. Support them. Laugh. Cry if you need to. They will be adults eventually (if their poor judgement doesn't kill them).

19/12/2023

“Obese dogs develop an increased risk for cancer, diabetes mellitus, heart disease, hypertension, osteoarthritis and faster degeneration of affected joints, urinary bladder stones, and anesthetic complications.”

Source VCA ANIMAL HOSPITALS

Feeding proper portions FOR YOUR DOG (not what the bag says to feed!) and exercise 5 minutes per month of age 2-3 times a day! We can help! Contact us for more information!!

https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/obesity-in-dogs #

In North America, 25-30% of dogs are obese, with 40-45% of 5-11 year olds overweight. Learn about treatment options for dog obesity at vcahospitals.com.

14/12/2023

UPDATE: DOG FOUND SAFE! Another great save by the hands of Missing Dogs Mass

Missing in Hopkinton, MA - newly adopted

UPDATE 12-20-23: Feyre in Hopkinton is safe and heading to the vet! Thank you to all in Hopkinton who helped, especially Kathleen for allowing us to set up on her property and to all who hung signs. Jacqueline and her husband listened and were able to safely secure her. Thank you to our terrific MDM team: Michelle, Jen, Kelly, Cristy, Colleen, Lisa, and Bernice! (Check out the comments for a picture of a very happy Feyre.)

12/17/23 Feyre is still missing. She may be dragging a red leash - with upcoming storm please check barns, sheds, under porches. Hearing barking at night please report to number in flyer. Thank you to all Hopkinton families who are helping by printing and hanging flyers.

MISSING 12-13-23 MA: "Feyre" is a female Golden Retriever, 5 yrs/75 lbs., golden in color, missing from Cedar St/C Street area.

Feyre is VERY SHY and new to the area. She is also dragging a red leash. DO NOT CHASE, CALL TO, or TRY TO CATCH.

Call 774-278-4849 if you see or have any info about this pretty girl.

13/12/2023

UPDATE ON LEXUS!

Sadly Lexus remains were found in Mendon today. Thanks to all the people you tried to help locate her. Our condolences go out to the Benjamin Family.

30/11/2023

https://www.wormsandgermsblog.com/2023/11/articles/animals/dogs/canine-respiratory-disease-outbreak-free-webinar-nov-30-2023/

Dr. Mike Lappin and I are teaming up with Dr. Carrie Jurney (President of Not One More Vet) and Dr. Steve Weinrauch (Chief Veterinary/Product Officer of