Category Archives: Pet Care

Holiday Pet Care

Holiday Pet Care

Autumn is officially here (even though it feels like Indian summer) … the holidays will be here before we know it. To me, the holidays are all about spending time with family and friends ~ near and far. You may already be checking airfares to find the best deal. When you travel to see your loved ones, don’t forget about pet care for your fur babies … they are family too! Who will take care of them? Continue reading →

Pet Care

Make Your Pet Care Reservations Soon

June is here !! The school year is winding down (or has already ended) … your summer schedule is about to begin. Have you already planned your vacation or getaway? Have you made plans for your pets while you are away?

In order to fully relax and enjoy yourself while you are away, you need to know that your furry family members are lovingly being taken care of. Let’s face it, they are not just pets, they’re family … like a child or grandchild. I believe they have feelings and emotions, just like us. Evidence of this can be seen by their excitement when we arrive home at the end of the day. They lavish us with affection. They snuggle with us if we’re sad or feeling sick. They love us as much as we love them, you can see it expressed in their eyes. Furry children, just like their human counterparts, need TLC.

At Tracy Helps You, we love all kinds of animals and we take pet care seriously. We think your pet should feel pampered, like they are on their own stress free ‘stay-cation’ while you are gone. We’re not talking about a trip to the local boarding kennel. Let us take care of them for you. We will come to your home to visit them … spend time playing with them or taking them for a nice walk, above and beyond the basics of food, water and ‘bladder relief’. Just let us know how many daily visits you would like for them to have.

If you prefer, we can also stay in your home while you are away. In addition to caring for your pets, we can take care of some of your routine household chores for you … bring in the mail and newspaper; water your garden and/or houseplants, curb service on garbage day, etc. Having someone ‘home’ everyday will give you peace of mind knowing that your home is secure and that your pets are safe.

Call today to make a pet care reservation with Tracy Helps You !

Tips from a Pet Sitter

5 Tips When Hiring a Pet Sitter / House Sitter

Hope these Tips “help” when you are choosing the person you will be hiring to care for your pets and home while you are away.

  1. Always meet with the pet sitter in your home. Watch how they interact with your pet and how your pet interacts with them. Be alert for any hints that it may not be a good match … animals are usually a pretty good judge of character 🙂
  2. Before you leave town, make sure to write the pet sitter a note with all the pertinent details that you had previously discussed. It will be good for them to have the instructions to refer back to while you are away.
  3. Leave contact information for the vet, as well as, for someone local (like a neighbor or nearby family member) they can call in case of an emergency.
  4. Remember to write down important codes / passwords for the pet sitter (like for the garage door, TV & wifi) to use during their time of taking care of your pets and home.
  5. Let the pet sitter know if you have other services scheduled to take place while you are gone (like the housekeeper comes around 2 on Thursdays … or … someone is coming to power wash the deck at 10 am on Monday). Speaking from experience, it’s not fun to be startled … for either party 🙁

Pet Sitting, House Sitting & Pet Care are a few of the many services we offer at Tracy Helps You. Is there any way we can “help” you ?

 

Raising A Friendly Cat

My Top Tips for Raising a Friendly Cat

 June 4th is “Hug Your Cat Day”, according to the Days of the Year website (https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/hug–your–cat–day/). So what better day to write about cats 🙂

I love animals … cats, dogs, birds, hamsters … animals of all kinds. Well mostly, snakes and spiders are kinda creepy. Pets are wonderful, they can be a true companion.

I’ve had many people comment that my cats are so friendly when
they visit my home. They have said that they thought cats were
aloof and stand-offish ~ I think most people believe this 🙁
While many cats might behave this way, I think my cats prove
this idea isn’t totally true. I think it has a lot to do with how they
were raised and depends on what they experienced during their
kittenhood.
Here are my tips:
  • Try to not leave them home alone a lot when they are young kittens. I believe this is the most important time for them in learning to be social. If they a alone a lot they will learn to be happy being off by themselves and seem aloof.
  • Be affectionate with your kitten. Hold them gently like you would a baby (cause they are).
  • Hug and cuddle with them. Pet them, rub their belly or behind their ears – they will start to purr.
  • When they are sitting on your lap, gently push on the pads on their paws, making their claws come out … this motion will become familiar for them and will help them to trust you when you trim their nails.
    Talk to them and use their name frequently, they will learn
    to answer and come when you call them. They are very
    intelligent.
    A firm “no” with a slight clap of your hands will usually stop
    any unwanted behavior. I don’t think you should ever hit or
    swat your cat. Some people use a spray bottle filled with
    water to spritz the cat to stop a behavior (I’ve not tried it).
    Play with them, teach them tricks, give them treats … make
    them part of the family.
    Our fur babies have the run of the house. We treat them as
    beloved members of our family. They each have their favorites
    napping spots. They are well trained, friendly cats who know they
    are loved <3

    If you ever need someone to take care of your fur babies while

    you are out of town, please give me a call. I’ll love on them for

    you while you are away from home <3

Warm, Sunny Beach in the Bahamas is perfect for Spring Break

I’m Dreaming of a Warm, Sunny Spring Break Beach Vacation

It’s the middle of February 2014 ~ time is flying by fast … but not fast enough for those of us who are getting tired of winter. Yes, I’m still working on my early kitchen spring cleaning project, but a girl can dream, can’t she?

I’m sitting at my desk, watching the snow fall outside my office window, while I’m watching a slide show of my last warm sunny vacation to the Bahamas for my anniversary last year. We took a cruise on NCL … it was wonderful. We had so much fun ~ great food, live shows, numerous choices for entertainment, fun excursions, plenty of free time for relaxing on deck ~ I really ♥ cruising!

NCL Bahama Cruise Welcome

This greeted us as we boarded our cruise ship, the Norwegian Sky.

Alas, we aren’t taking a spring break trip this year … but I’d love to help you plan yours. Where would you like to go? Close by or far away? With kids or without? Lounging on a beach or packed with action and adventure? What’s your dream vacation look like? Share your ideas of your dream vacation in the comments below 🙂

I have decades of experience working in the travel industry … at times I really miss it. I’d love to work with you to find the perfect vacation for your family. BTW, I can also take care of your pets for you while you’re away … such a deal 🙂

Pet Sitting / House Sitting Tips

Pet Care

August ~ the dog days of summer ! There are only a few weeks left to fit in all the things you wanted to do before busy autumn schedules take over. Why is it that time flies by so quickly during the summer and drags by so slowly during the winter?

Hopefully, one of the things you had on your summer To-Do List was a nice vacation to relax and feel refreshed and rejuvenated. If not, we can help you http://tracyhelpsyou.com/planning-your-summer-vacation. It’s not too late,  the last-minute deals are sometimes the best bargains. Whether it’s a full fledged vacation, or a quick weekend getaway, you should take one before summer ends! Continue reading →