Fast forward!  These days people treat their pets more like children (thank goodness!).  My dog actually got Christmas gifts, as did most of the dogs in my neighborhood.  He only goes outside when we are walking him.  And that brings me to the point of this article.  Dogs are sweet. Dogs are loving and affectionate. But dogs do not smell like humans.  And that’s a good thing. A dog should smell like a dog.

My dog does not carry a bad odor. Most dogs don’t.  However, there are times when the house can end up with an odor. For example, if you are away at work and the dog needs to use the pee pad.  Entering the house, there likely will be an odor. Same holds true for cats. Litter carries an odor.

Most of my clients own either a dog or a cat. What do we as a company advise regarding pet odors?  Obviously you can air out the house by opening the windows for a few minutes. And of course you can give the pet a bath. But there are some other things you can do:

a.  A great product is Odoban.  My company has been using Odoban products for years and we love it. It’s natural and it is a product that specializes in getting rid of odors.  You can buy it from Home Depot.  We do not use it in all homes.  Each home is customized.  However, if we find that a particular home has pet odors, we will bring in some Odoban.

Disclaimer:  There is a cat breeder out there who warns against Odoban if you have an animal you desire to breed.  I have no way of verifying this but will share the link anyway.  Press HERE

None of my clients have animals that they are breeding so we have not had any issues.

b.  Another useful tip is to use aromatherapy. Diffusers are great for making the house smell absolutely terrific.

c.  Finally, we use vacuum scents. Below is a picture of one of the scents we use:

Whatever you do, just be certain to do something.  If you live with your pet, that’s great.  But keep in mind that pet odors can sneak up on us and it’s great to stay ahead of the game!

Leave your dog at home, not in the car. More dogs die of heat exhaustion in parked cars than in any other situation. The car gets too hot–even if you leave your dog for only a short time. The temperature in a car can rise 20 degrees within a matter of ten minutes.

Step2
Exercise in the cooler times of day. People love running with their dogs and often think that a dog has no problem handling the heat. This is not true. The risk of heat exhaustion can be reduced by running in the cooler times of the morning or evening. Also avoid hot pavement, which can burn the pads of your dog’s paws.

Step3
Hydrate your dog. Always carry dog-dedicated water and a foldable water bowl on walks and hikes.

Step4
Wrap that dog! Wrapping a cool pad or wet bandana around your dog’s neck before heading outside can help her stay cooler and avoid heat exhaustion.

Step5
Brush your dog. Brushing your dog’s coat often can help decrease the risk of heat exhaustion, especially if your dog has a heavy coat.

Step6
Keep it cool. During the hot times of the day, keep your dog in safe, cool environment. Provide the dog with plenty of water. Make sure there is always a fresh, cool water supply available for your pet at home.

Step7
Protect his nose. If you are going to be outside in the sun with your dog, put sunscreen on its nose. It is a part of a dog’s body that is not protected by hair and is so very susceptible to sunburn.

Step 8
Be cautious on humid days. Humidity interferes with animals’ ability to rid themselves of excess body heat. When we overheat we sweat, and when the sweat dries it takes excess heat with it. Our four-legged friends only perspire around their paws, which is not enough to cool the body. To rid themselves of excess heat, animals pant. Air moves through the nasal passages, which picks up excess heat from the body. As it is expelled through the mouth, the extra heat leaves along with it. Although this is a very efficient way to control body heat, it is severely limited in areas of high humidity or when the animal is in close quarters.

SOURCE

Photo source HERE

First of all, you need to invest in some pet lint rollers and lint brushes.  Don’t wait for the house to accumulate a great deal of hair.  As much as possible—preferably every evening, use the lint brushes/rollers on the areas of your home where the animals spends the most time.  Is it your couch?  A favorite chair?  Your bed?  Don’t wait for the cleaning crew to stop in. Remember that you and your guests will need to sit in the chairs and you don’t want your clothes filling with animal hair.

You also will notice animal hair flying through the air from time to time.  Guess what?  It will settle.  And it could settle almost anywhere from the corners of rooms to your curtains to your table top to your ceiling fan.  With that in mind, I’d advise you to also invest in a good pet hair vacuum cleaner and suck up the hair before it has time to accumulate too much.

For those of you who are thinking about hiring a cleaning company, keep in mind that some companies charge more for homes that have animals who shed so if you can do a little more on your end to get up as much of the hair as possible, that will help you to keep your cleaning fees down.

In case you are wondering, UpperCrust Maids does not charge extra for pet hair and over 90% of our clients own pets.  We are a pet friendly, pet loving establishment.  Questions?  Give us a call at 301-322-7112 and schedule your appointment.

Credit for dog/cat hugging picture HERE

In any event, for places of employment that does allow people to bring their dogs to work, I say GREAT!

Of course my adorable “Satchel” is such a spoiled brat that I would never get anything accomplished if I took him anywhere.  He demands all my attention.

Thank God for pets in general.  They are absolutely sweet and they don’t hold grudges and they love you even when you may not be worthy!

SOURCE

Photo credit HERE

My father is an animal lover—dogs generally and German Shepherds specifically. Growing up, we always had a dog and my father would always build a nice dog house for him. All of our dogs lived outside but that was the culture of our entire neighborhood. Dogs lived outside and humans lived inside.

Things have changed. Most dogs these days live inside. And that brings me to my first dog—Satchel. He was born on November 4th, 2009, one day before my own birthday (I was born November 5th but I won’t say the year!)

My husband and I had been discussing the prospect of bringing a dog into our home but because we both had grown up around German Shepherds, we decided to search out another breed.

We settled on a Bullmastiff breed and found a breeder in Nebraska. Satchel arrived home on the 30th of December and I never imagined I could care so much for an animal. The dogs that my family owned when I was growing up lived outside so I never really became attached to any of them. I find myself attached to little Satchel.

Yes, dogs take a lot of time. Yes, they are expensive to own. Yes, you have to find a way to ensure their care when you are on vacation. But boy are they worth it all!

My husband said to me today, “When a dog looks you in the eyes, you just know it’s unconditional love”. That just about sums it up.

I’d advise everyone with love in their hearts to give a dog or cat a chance. They have such sweet personalities. Their love is unconditional. They bring light and love and sweetness to every home they are blessed to be a part of.