Sherlock is a plump, affectionate tabby, the constant companion of a busy home-based professional. They share a big 3-story house with feline amenities that include lots of tall windows, bookshelves to climb, a litter box on every floor, two daily servings of wet food, and access to a walled garden his owner transformed into an […]
When Mattie was adopted, a veterinarian guesstimated her age at 6 months, predicting the rescued pup would weigh around 50 pounds as an adult. By the time we met, Mattie was 2 years old and 80 pounds of meltingly affectionate dog. I was hired to walk Mattie when the owner worked away from home because
Mrs. Murphy and Lopito lived in a 3-story house with so many windows and soft furnishings to choose from, they were seldom seen together on the same floor. The two black cats shared upholstered seating, windowsills, litter boxes, daily bowls of kibble, and a single female owner on separate timetables, but dining together in the
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Lily Grace heralded the unexpected arrival of her new pet sitter with all the big-dog attitude a five pound chihuahua could muster. She was deeply unsettled by the intrusion, stringing together dozens of ear piercing barks in the hope I would go away. Instead I stood near the door pretending to be deaf. The tiny
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Peanut squirmed in her owner’s arms as she was carried from hiding to meet the new pet sitter. She was super shy with outsiders, always streaking into hiding when the door buzzer sounded. Yet her owner believed meeting new people would help Peanut become less afraid and what better way to get acquainted than from
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Tugger and Teri were a spirited pair of 5-year-old English cocker spaniels much loved by their owner. For most of his life, Tugger had traveled the show circuit scoring conformation wins and bragging rights while Teri stayed home enjoying the owner’s undivided attention. After Tugger was retired from competition, the pups set about to prove
By two years of age, Zoey was maintaining her pleasantly plump figure on a daily bowl of kibble with a side of wet food. To her veterinarian, Zoey’s weight had become “less than ideal.” But to her owner, she was perfect. Affectionate, sweet-natured, and playful, Zoey was a loving friend and companion the owner wanted
Back when most people worked a full day at the office, a young marketing professional who spent much of her free time outdoors decided to get a dog. Her dream pet would be a beloved companion, early morning jogging partner, and fellow explorer on weekend camping trips. Between the outdoor fun and games, the dog
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Sleek and glossy black, Mister and Lady were easy to tell apart because Lady was always the first on scene when I catered mealtimes. And that was a problem for her everlastingly shy brother. Both cats loved wet food and, if Mister didn’t put himself out there, his sister would lap it all up. But
Her owners would brag that Jordan practically house-trained herself. Adopted from a local refuge at 5 months of age, Jordan readily adapted to her new owners’ long work hours, earning their trust by staying out of mischief and never, ever soiling in the house. In exchange for being awesome, the owners would walk Jordan to
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On a sunny morning I had finished watering the potted plants framing the dining area windows to notice T, a plump gray tabby, sitting at the opposite end of the kitchen watching me. Odd because his breakfast had been served and he never passed up a meal. As I approached the sink, T lowered to
Homer did not fit the profile of the typical dog daycare member. He was a chunky 7-year-old terrier mix that had spent his entire life sharing quiet evenings and weekends with his bookish owner. Yet he was the first to arrive at daycare on his welcome day. Because his owner was desperate. Homer’s attention seeking
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