Dog is in the Details

Nov 17, 2013   Stephen

When you're a pet sitter, details are everything-- and if they're not, they really should be. Pets are remarkably different from one another, but not just because this cat needs medicine in the morning or that dog is the size of a small tractor (speaking of which, I'd like more Great Danes to visit!). I'm talking about all the small things.

Now that you possibly have Blink-182 lyrics stuck in your head, think about your own pet's little habits. The stuff that only you really know about, and likely forget to notice anymore. For example, our own Fred the Cat pokes and prods a potential napping zone with his front paws as if testing for quicksand, a ritual that can go on for long minutes if uninterupted. Ralphie the Unprincipled Dachsund has his own tell: when I'm the only one home, I can always count on him to join me in the upstairs office so he has someone to hang out with, but only after he steals a paper towel from my bathroom. It's almost like someone dropping by Starbucks for a guilty pleasure whenever they have free time. Both of these behaviors could look a tad weird from the outside, but I know what they mean.

When I'm Officially Busy with Other Things, details start to slip through the cracks. It's hard to notice the small things when you're, you know... not looking at them. Case in point: Bosco doesn't like sitting on hard floors. He goes through great lengths to avoid this fate by squatting in absurd fashions that resist physical contact with the ground. I see this every day, so it's easy to tune it out; but the little fellow needs to chill out in the kitchen, lest food be missed. Just today I remembered that we used to keep a pile a blankets and dog beds tucked behind the cutting board island for this very purpose, but I haven't seen it in months. Where'd that go? No idea, but I'm bringing it back-- and poof, quality of life improved!

It's the seemingly insignificant quirks, patterns, and routines of my pets that lets me understand them, I think. It gives them personality and helps me figure out what makes them tick (or possibly that they have ticks). I try to do this with all of our tail-bearing customers as well, but I don't (and can't) know them like you do, so always feel free to let us know about the smallest of things. But more importantly, take some time to appreciate those oddball characteristics for yourself. It's good for the soul and good for a laugh, so it's kind of a win-win!