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• $20 for 30-minutes of pet sitting or dog walking; and
• $65 for overnight pet sitting 

• We are licensed, bonded and insured.  Often you may see organizations that are licensed for one city (Bellingham), and bonded, but not insured.  For an explanation of what "licensed, bonded and insured" means, please see FAQ #3. 

• The Placid Pet, Inc. invests time, money and energy in recruiting and retaining top notch employees. (Please review the staff bios on our About page.) Criminal background checks and driving record checks are performed on every employee before an offer of employment is extended. 

• The Placid Pet, Inc. intentionally recruits and hires qualified employees who live throughout Whatcom County.  It is our goal to be able to meet the needs of pet owners in Bellingham, Blaine and everywhere in between.  We also provide service to Sedro-Woolley. This is very different from many local pet sitting and dog walking providers who only serve the Bellingham area.

• Every employee is expected to complete the Red Cross course on Pet First Aid and CPR within the first 6 months of employment.

• Every employee is encouraged to pursue accreditation with a nationally recognized pet sitting organization such as Pet Sitters International (PSI) and/or the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters (NAPPS).  Accreditation is only possible after completing a course of study and passing an examination. Financial support to do so is provided by The Placid Pet, Inc. 

• The Placid Pet, Inc. also pays for (and pays employees to attend) continuing education seminars.  For example, in August 2007 a seminar was conducted by accredited dog trainer Barb Kennedy who helped staff members get a better understanding of the best techniques to use when walking a dog who is a severe "puller."  Barb has also made herself available to work one-on-one with staff members and canine clients to make the dog walking experience better for dog and dog walker.  The Placid Pet, Inc. considers this individualized training continuing education, and pays for this training. 

• The Placid Pet, Inc. has developed a procedure for caring for pets that has proven to be highly successful and well-liked by our customers.  The procedure exists to ensure that our customer's pets will never be the victim of missed visits, or incomplete service.  We do not take new clients "at the last minute."  A minimum of 5 days advanced notice is required for all new clients.   We provide complimentary "reassurance calls" after every first visit for every pet sitting job, to let the client know that we have indeed started to care for their pet(s).  We also utilize a client-approved checklist specific for each client to ensure that none of the details are overlooked. Pet sitters and dog walkers "check off" completed items for each scheduled visit, and also provide additional detailed notes about the visit for the client's review.  After scheduled pet sitting visits are complete, if we don't hear from a customer, we will contact the customer to make sure that they are home and caring for their pets again.

• Many of The Placid Pet, Inc. staff members are volunteers in the wider pet care and rescue community. Weekly (if not daily) employees volunteer their time to help the Alternative Humane Society, Whatcom Humane Society and/or The Grateful Dogs Off-Leash Association.

• The Placid Pet, Inc. believes in giving back to the community monetarily, as well.  
• From September 1, 2006 through August 31, 2007, we donated 2% of gross receipts to the Whatcom Humane Society (WHS).  We renewed this commitment for 2007-2008 with one change:  1% of gross sales will got to WHS, and 1% will go to the Alternative Humane Society (AHS).  
• A one-time 10% discount is available to families who adopt pets from WHS or AHS. 
• We donate gift baskets for charitable auctions (Lydia Place, WHS).
• We donate the cost of server space and Web site design, development and maintenance for The Grateful Dogs Off-Leash Association -- www.gratefuldogs.org. 
• The Placid Pet, Inc. is also a member of Sustainable Connections -- www.sconnect.org, and routinely purchases equipment, safety gear, and other products used on the job from locally owned shops.

• http://yellowpages.superpages.com/
• http://local.yahoo.com/

4.  I am a bit confused regarding what exactly is included in the overnight service. 

 “Overnight Pet Sitting” includes the equivalent of one full hour of care for your pet(s) around dinner time, one full hour of care for your pet(s) in the morning, and overnight care where the pet sitter sleeps in your house.  

After the dinner-time visit, the pet sitter may choose to stay at your house until the next morning.   If they do leave for an hour or two, they will return at a reasonable hour -- no later than 9:00 p.m.  

The overnight service is designed to provide full pet sitting service in the evening, then companionship for your animals throughout the evening, and then full service again in the morning.  The reality is that what you receive is full-service throughout the entire visit.

Also, the complimentary Meet-and-Greet gives you the opportunity to meet the prospective pet sitter, before even agreeing to scheduling services.  If you are at all uncomfortable, we will walk away, no questions asked.

Exercise is critical to the physical and psychological well-being of any animal, including humans and canines. The amount of exercise a dog needs depends on the individual dog -- breed, age, and general health. A one-year-old 50-pound hunting dog in excellent health is going to require more daily exercise than an elderly 10-pound dachshund.  Unless they are injured, all dogs need at least some daily exercise.

According to the ASPCA's Web site:  

"...dogs need exercise to burn calories, stimulate their minds, and keep healthy. Exercise also tends to help dogs avoid boredom, which can lead to destructive behaviors. Supervised fun and games will satisfy many of your pet's instinctual urges to dig, herd, chew, retrieve and chase. 

"Individual exercise needs vary based on breed or breed mix, sex, age and level of health—but a couple of walks around the block every day and ten minutes in the backyard probably won’t cut it. If your dog is a 6- to 18-month adolescent, or if she is an active breed or mixed-breed from the sporting, herding, hound or terrier groups, her requirements will be relatively high."

For a healthy dog (large or small) I would recommend at least one 30-minute leashed walk and/or 30 minutes of some other supervised exercise (such as fetching a ball, playing at the dog park, swimming, etc.) once a day.  This would be a minimum recommendation.  At least once a week, throw in a 60-to-90 minute hike, run, walk, or play date.

7. The dog poop in my backyard is out-of-control and just plain embarrassing.  I’m really bad about not cleaning it up, but I just hate to get out there and pick it up with bags!  What can I do?

Incentives to regularly (at least 3 times a week) pick up the dog poop in your yard:

• If you don’t pick up the poop in your yard, your dog is going to step in it and track it into the house.  Dog poop in yard = dog poop in house.  (Yuck!)

• If you don’t pick it up, your dog may eat it.  (There are lots of poop-eaters out there! It’s an instinctive behavior.)  Dog poop in yard = dog poop in your pooch’s kisses. (Double Yuck!)

• If you don’t pick it up, your dog may eat it and develop worms that you then have to spend money to get rid of.  Dog poop in yard = $ out of your wallet.

• Buy a small lidded out-door galvanized trash can.  You don’t need anything expensive or fancy. I recommend something like the Container Store’s classic galvanized pails. Lowe’s has a small (~10-13 gal) galvanized trash can (with lid) for $15.

• Line the trash can with a plastic kitchen garbage bag. Consider recycling plastic grocery bags, or buy kitchen garbage bags made from recycled material (such as Seventh Generation kitchen garbage bags) and/or that are biodegradable (like BioBag bags).  BioBags also makes a fantastic dog poop bag for your leashed walks.

• Buy a pooper scooper set like The Scoop Pooper Scooper by Flexrake.  These sets are GREAT because 1) you don’t have to bend over or get your nose anywhere near the poop to pick it up, and 2) you can completely bypass the often nauseating experience of feeling cold dog poop through a thin plastic bag.

• Place the can and scooper set in a convenient spot -- near a wall or fence. EXTRA TIP: Use an old plastic cat litter container or bucket to keep the scooper set in an up-right position.  Keep a little clean water in the bucket to cut down on smell.

• Here’s the trick….find a time of day that works for you, and regularly use these nifty new tools to clean up your yard!  I recommend the mornings, after you walk your dog or before you go to work. 

• Don’t worry about having to keep your pooper scooper set terrifically clean all the time (although you certainly can by hosing them off from time to time).  Flying insects will gladly help clean off small amounts of residual waste.

• Then, once a week, the night before the Sanitation Department picks up your trash, close up the trash bag securely, replace it with a new bag, and put the closed used bag out with the trash to be picked up the next day.

Believe it or not….there are professional poop collection services that will go to your house once or more a week to pick up the dog poop in your yard, like the Pacific Northwest’s http://www.poopertrooper.net/.

 The Placid Pet, Inc. will provide poop collection service as an “add on” for dog walking or pet sitting customers.  (Sometimes we even do it for free…just to be nice.)

• Even the hardest plastics can be scratched.
• Pet food contains oils.
• If you put dry pet food (which is rough) into a plastic container, the plastic will get scratched.
• The oils from the pet food can get trapped in even the tiniest scratches in the plastic.
• The oil goes bad and becomes rancid.
• The bad oil rubs onto the new dog food.
• Your dog ingests the new food with the bad oil and becomes ill.

• Folks who keep the litter box in the garage and really don't care about smell use the cheapest clay litter they can find.  It's a no-brainer for them.

• Folks who keep the litter box near a main hallway in their home, or in a bathroom that is frequently used by family members, tend to (logically) spend more on litter that controls odor.

• First and foremost:  Do the responsible thing, and prevent fleas by using a widely tested and effective product like Program, Frontline or Advantage.  Mark your calendar and apply these products on a regular basis as directed (usually monthly).  It's a lot cheaper to buy a year's worth of Frontline from a source like CanadaVet.com or 1800PetMeds.com than it is to pay for a professional exterminator to go into your home and fix a problem that could have been prevented.

• Another act of prevention:  Buy up cheap flea collars when they go on sale and store them with your vacuum bags.  Every time you replace a vacuum bag, cut a flea collar in half and put it in the bag before putting the bag into your vacuum.

• Look at the base of your pet's back, just above the tail.  If your pet is sensitive is this spot, that's a clue.  Get a brush and brush the area by the tail.  You may see fleas or flea dirt.  If so, you've got a problem.  

• Check all of your other pets for fleas. 

• Go to your vet and ask for a Capstar pill (a single pill) for each pet on which you found fleas or flea dirt. Capstar will kill all adult fleas in just a few hours.  It is a great way to get rid of existing fleas while using another follow up product like Program, Frontline or Advantage will help prevent them from reoccurring again later.

• Also from your vet, purchase a can of  Mycodex Plus.  Follow directions on the can.  Essentially you'll want to use this spray in any areas of your home where you think there may be fleas (closets, pet bedding, rugs, between mattresses, etc.) However, before using Mycodex...clean your home thoroughly!

• Vacuum floors and carpeting and dispose of the vacuum bag -- seal it into a plastic bag, and take the plastic bag to an outside garbage bin.
• Mop wood, tile or laminate flooring.
• Wash all bedding your animal has contact with.
• Open your windows -- air out your house!

• If your problem is so bad that you need professional help:  FleabustersRX 1-800-488-3532.