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December Savvy Sitter Suggestions
Our suggestion box is always full of innovative and helpful pet-care and business tips from members. This month members wrote to us about their favorite pet toys, business practices and ways to eliminate the dreaded "cat box odor." We appreciate all of your suggestions and look forward to receiving more to ring in the New Year!
Cat Box Odor "I have eliminated litter box odor by creating an out-of-the-way place for our litter box. I cut a hole in the closet wall that leads to our garage and built an enclosure for the litter pan. This includes a sliding door to the enclosure that allows easy access to the box from the garage. Now the cat goes into the closet and through the hole in the wall to use its box and can easily get back in the house when finished. This way the litter box and smell stay outside." -Denise Cagle, Housesitting by Denise, Columbia, SC
Members' favorite pet toys & treats
"The Go-Cat® Da Bird cat toy is the best! 'Da Bird' is an unique wand toy with a four-feather 'bob' tied to the top that flies and flitters like a real bird...or so my cat client's tell me. It also has a 'fishing lure type' connection in case you need to replace the'bird.' Go-Cat also has a wand with a snake on a string that cats enjoy as well as other attachments for the rare kitty who gets bored with the feathered 'bird.'
"I ALWAYS take Da Bird cat toy with me when meeting a new kitty client. Both the kitty and human are impressed and there's no such thing as a 'shy cat' when Da Bird comes through their door." -Janus Woods, C-U Pet Sitting Service (CUPSS), Champaign, IL
"I first discovered Hot Cats® Organic Catnip Toys (Full Circle Herb Company) while working at The Cats Retreat, a luxury cat kennel and grooming spa several years ago. The toys are filled with the finest catnip leaves and organic flowers and the cigar-shaped catnip toys are rugged and come in an assortment of bright colors. Cats just love these toys! I buy the toys for my own cats and also order them for Christmas gifts for my special clients' pets. This is a tradition I began fifteen years ago and continue today." Carole Rexer, Cat Care by Carol, Clear Lake City, TX
"I have working search & rescue German shepherds as well as two pet dogs that compete in agility and fun matches. I use certain toys just for the working dogs and other toys specifically for the pet dogs and really like the Gappay® Ball with String. (Gappay UK) This is a tough, knobby, rubber ball attached to a durable 10 - 12 inch rope and comes in various sizes.
"For the pet dogs, we have several favorites, including the Kong® Wubba Toy and the Booda® Floppy Disc. It's funny to watch two or three dogs play tug of war with a Wubba!
"I never leave a toy with a dog unsupervised as a precautionary measure." -Maria C. Hillegas, Maria's TLC Pet & Livestock Service, Spring Grove, PA
"I would like to share with you a company that sells wonderful organic dog treats. The company is called Boggy Dog Bakery and ships anywhere within the United States. Boggy Dog Bakery will also place your logo and business name on the packaging label.
"Both my clients and their pets love these treats and I always leave them a bag. They are a truly wonderful company and I just wanted to share this with PSI members." -Wendy Heller, Whiskers-2-Whinnies Pet Sitting, Baker, FL
"The Bowser Ball® (Cyber Dog USA) is a great toy - especially for large dogs. According to t
"I have given the Bowser Ball to our two labs and they love it! They carry it around and are very careful not to let the other dogs get it! The packaging on the Bowser Ball says that it is nearly 'indestructible' and I believe it. Neither dog has destroyed it yet. (I guess you could say that it has been lab tested.)" -Jayne & Larry Sikyta, Fidos & Felines LLC, Lee's Summit, MO
"Dogs love soft stuffed toys, but larger breeds normally destroy and remove the stuffing. This is dangerous and expensive to the pet parents. But there is a great soft toy I give my clients. I refer to it as "Flat Stanley." I get them at PetSmart for less than $4.00. The toys are made of the faux lamb wool you often see in pet beds and have a squeaky inside - but no stuffing! The toys are super durable, safe and cheap and come in dog and pig shapes. I like these "faux wool toys" and so do my clients." -Teresa Koehlar, Savannah Pet Nanny, Savannah, TX
Courtesy calls
"I always do a courtesy call two days before a client's trip to confirm dates and other
"I also make sure to sweep up spilled kitty litter and tidy up after every visit. You never know when the client will cut a trip short. Clients do notice the little things." -Laura Woods, Woods Pet Sitting, Murfreesboro, TN
Do you have a Savvy Sitter Suggestion that you would like to share? Please drop us a line and your suggestion will be published in a future e-Newsletter. |
Savvy Sitter Suggestions
"I am not the best at pitching a tennis ball, but I can really fling the Gappay Ball with String across my yard! (And this is a great way to wear out a "fetcher" that never wants to stop!) KONG® toys with rope also work great for training working dogs. 
he product description, the ball is available in 'official baseball size, has super bounce, floats and is excellent for either training or fun.' It is also made with space-age 'Elastoflex' material. 
details because many clients are too busy before a trip. I also remind clients in our quarterly newsletter that if they didn't hear from me the day before the trip, to call me so there isn't any miscommunication. (This tends to happen when the client has family members who share the visits and forget who is there...when!)