Careers with Animals Archives

Honoring Tango- The Fire Safety Dog

Friday, September 9th, 2011 at 2:34 pm  
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Keep Kids Fire Safe

Tango Helps Keep Kids Fire Safe


My pet parent and I recently met Tango, the Fire Safety Dog, and his pet parent Dayna Hilton, at BlogPaws 2011. I could tell Tango was a special dog the moment I laid my eyes on him.  He is a dog with a purpose and we should all honor that purpose.

Dayna, a firefighter herself, initially started teaching fire safety to children with her Dalmatian named Sparkles. As her passion for teaching children about fire safety grew inside her, so did the desire to make the fire safety message grow. As a result, the Keep Kids Fire Safe Foundation was formed in September 2009.

The Foundation teaches fire safety through coloring books and provides downloadable coloring pages for educators. Hidden picture puzzles are also available to spread the fire safety message in a way that children and their caregivers will remember. You can help the foundation promote fire safety and develop fire safety related materials by making a tax-deductible donation.

Practice fire safety every day. Follow my Top Ten fire safety tips:

  • Make sure the fire alarm and fire extinguisher work!
  • Stash matches and lighters away from your children.
  • Help your family kick the smoking habit to avoid smoldering cigarettes.
  • Douse the pet odor exterminator candle.
  • Don’t lay too close to the fire in the fireplace or wood stove. The same goes for space heaters.
  • Practice your fire escape plan and chase your family out of the house at least twice a year.
  • Practice with your family to “Stop, Drop, Roll and Cool.”
  • Crawl low under the smoke.
  • Go to your outside meeting place.
  • Use your herding skills to prevent your family from going back inside a burning home.

I hope that your family never experiences a fire. Stay safe. Support Tango and Dayna with the Keep Kids Fire Safe Foundation!

Living in the moment,

Schatzi

Pet Companion to animal lover Amelia Johnson

BlogPaws 2011 – Here We Come!

Sunday, August 21st, 2011 at 4:34 pm  
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Hanging On Until We Get to BlogPaws 2011 !

My pet parent and I are hanging on until we get to BlogPaws 2011…just as Stuart the kitten is hanging on by a nail while his sister Lizzie stares in awe at his athletic ability. We know we will be hanging on once we get there too on Thursday, August 25. We will be hanging on to the new friends we make and the relationships that we build at this event just for pet bloggers. The Pet Park and the Exhibits will be open. I wonder if the pet park is anything like the Frostburg Dog Park that I go to now?

Rescue Ink will be welcoming the pet bloggers on Friday morning. The day will be filled with so much to learn and many exhibits to see. I wish I could take notes so that Amelia and I could split up and take in more. I think I may be spending some time with other dogs and pets that will be attending.  The hotel has relaxed its pet policy just for this event.  I can’t wait to check out the rooms. We are supposed to have a room with a view.  I haven’t been in a hotel since I was working on my Champion and obedience titles. My manners have improved a great deal since then.  I am a Canine Good Citizen and proud of it!

Saturday will start with more time at the Pet Park, then more information to challenge the mind and soul.  Heidi Ganahi from Camp Bow-Wow will be presenting the morning keynote. I am sure the day will go by very fast…too fast. My pet parent did not want to leave BlogPaws 2010 in Columbus, Ohio and she will probably have the same feelings about this one.

Join us this weekend at BlogPaws 2011!  You can register at the door.

Living in the moment,

Schatzi

Pet Companion to animal lover Amelia Johnson

 

 

 

The Allegany County Animal Shelter *Save A Pet* Vision for the Future

Wednesday, January 26th, 2011 at 2:52 pm  
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Thirty-eight years ago, an estimated 90,000 homeless pets were euthanized across the country every month. Gertrude Maxwell, through her Save-A-Pet website, has been credited with saving more than 70,000 dogs and cats since then. Her campaign included spaying, neutering and saving as many pets as possible.

Gertrude Maxwell died recently but her vision has ignited a firestorm in a small town in Western Maryland. Animal lovers were unhappy with the response from the Allegany County Animal Shelter staff, forcing change to happen. Volunteers were hoping that the shelter could become a no-kill shelter.  They have stepped forward to assist in pet care until new staff can be hired. Change is constant.  Some pets have been fostered and others have been adopted. Some volunteers have already burned out and others are frustrated…yet remain for the sake of the homeless pets.

Watch this pet video that was taken shortly after the upset to hear about the duties of animal-shelter  volunteers:

Living in the moment,

Schatzi

Pet Companion to animal lover Amelia

Learn How to Become a Professional Pet Sitter

Tuesday, December 7th, 2010 at 3:31 pm  
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My pet parent Amelia has been a pet sitter since she was a child, sitting for the neighbors’ pets. However, she didn’t become an official professional pet sitter until she joined Pet Sitters International. She wanted to learn from pet professionals who had a great deal of experience with a variety of pets. PSI has provided many benefits to its members with ongoing education, recommendations and reasonably priced insurance options, just to name a few.

There are other ways to learn how to become a pet sitter. Ed2go.com has added “Start a Pet Sitting Business”
 to their curriculum.  This is an inexpensive way to learn either online or at a local college some of what it takes to become a professional pet sitter.

The greatest test of a pet sitter’s qualifications though comes from our point of view as pets. If you don’t think you care for the pet sitter, let your pet parent know that when she interviews the pet sitter!

Living in the moment,

Schatzi

Pet companion to animal lover Amelia Johnson

What Everybody Ought to Know About Pets BeJeweled

Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010 at 2:03 pm  
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I feel this is what everybody ought to know about Pets BeJeweled…It’s no surprise to me that a Dachshund inspired her pet parent to get into the business of designing jewelry.

My own pet parent kept seeing dog-related jewelry at ringside during the Upper Potomac Valley Kennel Club’s Fall Mountain Classic dog show so I asked her to find out more.

Pets BeJeweled has finely hand sculpted, truly unique jewelry and home decor created by Monica Galley-Keller. Monica says that she enjoys a challenge and wants to know what she can create for you. Have your pet parent watch this video to meet Monica, hear her story, and see some of her jewelry. Maybe they will have a piece designed that looks like you!

Pawscript: Neither Amelia nor I will be compensated in any way for telling you about Pets BeJeweled.

Living in the moment,
Schatzi
Pet Companion to animal lover Amelia Johnson

Sports Massage as a Career with Animals

Tuesday, May 25th, 2010 at 1:35 pm  
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Sports Massage is becoming a popular career with animals as pet parents continue to be actively involved with their dogs and horses. This type of  massage is therapy for circulation, muscle spasms, tension, and muscle tone. Sports massage promotes healing and increases the range of motion in all breeds of dogs and horses.

You are probably already being massaged by your pet parent who has a love for animals.  Even if they do not have a background in massage, the most important qualification for success  as a certified massage therapist is this love and empathy for suffering animals.

Presently, there are no state regulations governing the licensing or certification of canine massage therapists. Your pet parent can enroll in a home study certificate program in Canine Massage. Equissage charges $895 for their certification program which includes all books, tests, audio and video tapes and other materials. In the future, this program may be online.

If you feel that your pet parent should be earning between $40 to $70 per session with a pet other than yourself and can spare the company of your pet parent for 40 to 50 minutes at a time, then encourage them to become a certified sports massage therapist.  That money could be used for your premium pet food, training, toys or travel.

Watch this pet video about this woman’s decision to become a CMT:

Living in the moment,
Schatzi
Pet Companion to animal lover Amelia Johnson

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