A distressed call from my mother came just last week. While in the vet’s office for her geriatric Labrador’s checkup, she asked them about the holidays. Sadly, they only had 5 of the 10 days she hoped to travel available for her dog. Holiday travel plans had to be changed because the facilityof choice was full.

The quality boarding facilities fill up fast, so check with them early if you are thinking about travel plans around the holidays. A couple of tips:

• You can cancel the reservation or the days you won’t use as the date approaches.
• Don’t wait too long to cancel part or all of your reservation as fees may apply.
• If you are not familiar with the facility, ask for references.
• Ask if they have staff on site overnight.
• Ask the facility about their emergency plan should a natural or man-made disaster causes evacuation of their neighborhood.

If facilities are already full, consider a pet sitter that can come to your house. When choosing this option, consider the following:

• This is much easier if you have a dog door. Make sure you have a secure yard.
• I recommend 3 visits/day. Early morning for breakfast and opening dog door; early evening for dinner; and late evening for closing of the dog door. Prevents overnight accidents after dinner.
• Check references and insurance/bonding of your pet sitter. A professional is a must for longer trips.
• Make sure your dog has tags with your mobile number or a neighbor’s number in case they get loose.

 Today is the day to call your boarding facility and make holiday reservations for your pet!

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When you move to a new place, how do you find a good vet? Ask other pet owners. That’s the best way. Ask them who NOT to go to as well, and ask “why?” since you may not agree with their attitude or philosophy.

 Also, call around with a set of 2-3 questions, such as:

• Where do you give immunizations? They should say in the leg – especially for cats. If they give it in the shoulder, they aren’t up on current practices.
• Do you have after hours care? If not, who do you use for after-hours care?
• What types of surgeries can you do at your facility?
• What does the vet specialize in? Just good to know. Might be dental, cancer, end-of-life care, general practice, trauma, surgeon – it’s all okay, but jump on anyone that has a specialty you need for your situation.
• What approach do you take for terminal conditions? It can vary from aggressive treatments to non-invasive care. Both are okay as long as it’s fits your attitude.

And visit the vet’s office before making an appointment. It’s good to see if they are taking care of the place – it’s okay if it’s old as long as it’s kept up. I went into a vet’s office once that smelled like dirty cat litter – yuck!

Most importantly, find someone you like. It’s important to go to someone who communicates in a style that works for you, and has a manner or demeanor you find comforting.

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How many dinners does your dog get? When 2 or more people are responsible for feeding the dog, it’s hard to know if those puppy eyes are true hunger, or tricking you into a second or third dinner! An easy way to make sure your dog gets the correct number of suppers and breakfasts is with plastic food storage containers. Here’s how…

This works well when your dog is fed twice a day. In the evening, feed your dog dinner and place breakfast in a clear plastic container. Keep it up where Fido can’t reach it. Now the whole family knows, “Fido had dinner tonight” when they see the filled container.

In the morning, feed Fido the food in the container and leave the empty container in the same spot. Now the next person who wakes knows, “Fido had breakfast” because of the empty container.

You can use the same container for up to a week with dry kibble. With wet, or when it needs cleaning, simply place a clean empty in the morning, or place dinner in a clean container.

Now Fido can’t lie when you get home and the kids have already fed him/her dinner!

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If you feed your pet multiple flavors of pet food, it’s easy to forget which flavors or brands you’ve already tried. To easily track your pet’s likes and dislikes, use a photo journal. Here’s how it works…

Get a 4×6 photo book with clear photo protection pages – not the ones with white dividers. Every third page or so, place the following notes:

• eats all food
• eats most food
• eats about half
• eats less than half

When you feed your pet a new flavor, just remove the label from the can and place it in the appropriate spot. Each page can hold 2-3 labels, and you can easily move labels when your pet changes his or her mind. When you go to the store, stock up on the likes, get a few that fall in the middle, and once every couple of months try one of the dislikes in case he/she begins eating it again.

Reminders:

Choose high-quality foods, and make major changes slowly – especially between brands or main ingredients.

This works well for sick or finicky pets. Always check with your veterinarian about your feeding practices.

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There are so many ways to take care of your dog.

Start with health by scheduling your dog for regular check ups with a veterinarian you trust. Check our dog health library for information on choosing pet insurance, grooming, weight management, and safety tips.

Next, make sure your dog has ID with microchipping, and a collar with up to date tags. While moving, contact the microchip company, and place both old and new addresses and phone numbers on your pet.

Don’t forget training! By spending a few minutes each day on practicing good manners, both you and your dog will be happier in your home. Teach your old dog new tricks or start the sport of dog agility!

For additional information, check out the Online Dog Coach Library, Dog Training Videos, and the American Humane Pet Care page.

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