March 3rd is if pets had thumbs day

March 3^rd: If Pets Had Thumbs Day…  (Certainly appropriate since yesterday was Dr. Seuss' birthday!)

If Pets had thumbs day what would they do?  Would we be supervising a one day only thumb wrestling tournament?  Would they open doors & let themselves out?  

Would they walk themselves?  Who would hold the leash (Gritz & Izzy could finally start their own dog walking business).

 If it was cold off would they take off their jackets?  (Pepina & Petunia).  Or would they go shopping for new ones? 

They would hitchhike on over to their favorite place to play with their friends & have a slumber party at Preferred Pet Care Inc.  Sunny said she absolutely cannot wait to play.  Wilson is wondering what his friends will be up to. 

Would they open their own wet food?  (We know Rufus can hardly wait for his food.  Chloe might even indulge in more than a tablespoon or two of wet food).   Or help themselves to what’s in the fridge?  (Waldo & Hercules both agree they might be even more spoiled then they already are.  Hank & Frankie said they would order pizza and have cheerios).  Would they open the cupboard to take out their favorite treats? (Faraday secretly knows where the bully sticks are hidden). 

Would they do some yoga?  (Rigby claims if only he had thumbs he would be able to do the perfect king pigeon pose). 

Would they finally have their blanket exactly how they want it instead of constantly moving it around?  (Dutchess says she would finally have her blankets folded just the way she likes them). 

Would you find them being a couch potato watching their favorite shows?  (I can already picture Dexter T. laying on the couch watching a monster truck rally). 

They would finally be able to brush their own fur.  (Teddy is already overjoyed at that thought of being able to brush himself whenever he wants). 

Would your pup be mischievous?  (How much more trouble would Nika get herself into?).

 Would it be a normal day for them, perhaps catching some waves boogie boarding?  (We know Maggie & Hogan are pros at that already). 

Would you come home to find your pup searching the web for toys?  Dolce H. would probably be a prime suspect for searching the web. 

I think we can all agree on two things that all of the pups would be doing if they had thumbs…  They would be giving you a thumbs up for giving them a place to call their home.  They would be holding your hand.  

February is National Pet Dental Health Month

February is National Pet Dental Health Month

What do you do for your pup’s teeth?  If you’re like most people you don’t brush your dog’s teeth twice a day, and unfortunately as many times as you tell Fido do he never seems to brush his own teeth.  There are though simple things you can do to help with your pet’s dental care.  Besides from brushing their teeth, make sure you’re providing them with a healthy diet along with plenty of chew toys.  Unfortunately many dogs show signs of gum disease by the time they are four years old.  Bad breath is typically the first sign of a problem.  There are a variety of dental care products on market to aid in combating bad breath.  At Preferred Pet Care Inc. we carry Tropiclean.  Tropiclean’s products are made with natural ingredients and they offer products such as water additives, teeth cleaning gel, fresh mint foam, liquid floss, dental treats and more.  We have from personal experience seen improvement from these products. 

The ASPCA recommends these ten steps to your dog’s dental health…

1.       Breath Test- Simple enough, sniff your dog’s breath.  Of course since they don’t brush their teeth daily some doggie breath is normal; however if it’s especially offensive along with a loss of appetite, vomiting, excessive drinking or urination it would be a good idea to consult your veterinarian. 

2.       Lip Service- Once a week check your pup’s gums and teeth.  The gums should be pink, not red or white.  The gums should also have no signs of swelling or bleeding.  The teeth should be clean without any brownish tartar. 

3.       Signs of Disease- Bad breath, excessive drooling, inflamed gums, tumors in the gums, cysts under the tongue, and loose teeth are all signs of periodontal disease.

4.       The Lowdown on Tooth Decay- Just like with people bacteria and plaque forming foods can cause buildup.  The buildup can harden and turn into tartar.  The tartar can then possibly lead to gingivitis, receding gums, and tooth loss.  The main solution would be regular teeth cleanings. 

5.       Canine Tooth-Brushing Kit- If your pup will let you the best way to prevent dental disease would be to brush their teeth.  If you plan on brushing your pet’s teeth make sure to purchase a toothbrush that’s specially designed for canines, or you can first start with a clean soft piece of gauze.  Additionally make sure to use toothpaste that is specifically designed for dogs. 

6.       Brightening the Pearly Whites- Before you can be a pro at brushing your dog’s teeth you’ll probably have to get them use to the idea of it.  Start by massaging their lips in a circular motion for 30-60 seconds once or twice a day for a couple week.  Then move on to doing the same thing with their teeth and gums.  Once your pup is comfortable then start with the same action with toothpaste.  Use clean gauze on your finger, apply a little toothpaste and try that out on your pup.  Then gradually buildup to using their toothbrush. 

7.       Brushing Technique- There is a technique to brushing your pup’s teeth.  Angle the toothbrush at a 45 degree angle and brush in small circular motions.  Start with one area at a time.  Don’t expect a miracle overnight, if it’s been years since your pup has had their teeth brushed that also means they may have some plague and tartar buildup. 

8.       Know Your Mouth Disorders- Familiarize yourself with possible mouth problems your dog may encounter.  Some of the more common problems are gingivitis, halitosis, swollen gums, proliferating gum disease, mouth tumors, and salivary cysts. 

9.       Chew on This- Chew toys can help your dog’s natural desire to chomp along with helping to make their teeth strong.  Gnawing on a chew toy can also help massage their gums and help keep their teeth clean by scarping away at soft tartar. 

10.   Diet for Healthy Teeth- Ask your veterinarian about a diet specially formulated to help slow down the formation of plague and tartar.  Additionally avoid feeding your dog table scraps.  

Skunk...

It’s one of those I glued a bird to my head type of days….

*This is a save for when it happens post or in the Pinterest world, “Pin now read later”*

What’s worse than your dog getting sprayed by a skunk?  Two dogs getting sprayed and killing the skunk, that’s what worse.  Oh and having it be at night (of course).  Wrestling two extremely smelly dogs both over 50 lbs. in a bathtub is not at the top of anyone’s to do list.  Well… not by choice that is, I can guarantee that.  So what do you do when that happens?  What are your best options?  What are some ways to deskunk your dog? 

I’m sure you’ve heard tomato juice or ketchup to get the smell out.  But who seriously has enough tomato juice or ketchup in their house to bathe medium to large size dog.  I’m Italian and even I don’t have that much tomato products in my house. 

The Humane Society recommends 1 quart of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide plus ¼ cup baking soda and 1 teaspoon liquid dishwashing soap.  Do not make this mixture ahead of time and do not leave this mixture in a bottle as it can explode.  Rub the mixture throughout the fur but be careful not to leave it on too long because hydrogen peroxide is a natural bleaching agent so it can bleach the fur.  Next wash your dog with pet shampoo and rinse thoroughly. 

Wiki How’s website had a couple different options.  Their first option was the same as what the Humane Society had posted on their website.  Their next method was to pour mouthwash over wherever the smell is the strongest.  Followed by rubbing it in and scrub a dud dud for roughly 15 minutes.  Next they advise to shampoo your dog all over and to rinse.

Hazel Christiansen, a longtime professional groomer and the former president of the American Grooming Shop Association in Idaho recommends dousing a skunked dog with a cup of vanilla extract mixed with a gallon of water.  Let the dog soak for 10 minutes and then apply shampoo and rinse.

Another long time recommendation has been to use vinegar.  Mix 2 parts water with 1 part apple cider vinegar.  Wet your dog’s coat with water and then work the vinegar solution thorough the fur, let it sit for 5 minutes.  Rinse and follow with a regular bath. 

Purdue Veterinary School has a couple of recommendations.  The first is to wash your dog with pet shampoo.  After the dog has been suds up in shampoo to douse them in tomato juice, making sure to saturate the coat and let it soak in for 10 to 20 minutes.  Then rinse off the juice and wash again with regular shampoo.  They recommend following these steps over and over until the smell is gone.  Their next option is to contact your local veterinarian or groomer.  Your veterinarian or groomer may have a product called “Skunk Off”.  Here at Preferred Pet Care Inc. we carry “Skunk Off” and have had the pleasure (If only there was sarcasm font) of using it.  Another recommendation is Massengill where you would saturate your pet with one gallon of water (for small dogs- increase the amount for larger dogs).  Pour the mixture over the dog until they’re thoroughly soaked and wait 15 minutes and then rinse.  Then follow with a regular bath for your dog.  Their last recommendation was the same as the Humane Society’s concoction. 

So what’s the best solution?  Well obviously the best solution is don’t get skunked.  But when your dog decides they want to make a new friend with a smelly animal keep these tricks in mind.  There are no magical de-skunking tricks.  Skunks have a strong oily odor, which unfortunately can linger for quite some time.  It’s not surprising if a dog gets sprayed by a skunk for the smell to reappear when the dog gets wet.  What we have found to work is the hydrogen peroxide concoction followed by following up with your local groomer or veterinary to use the “Skunk Off” shampoo and/or a degreasing shampoo.  Hopefully you’ll never have to use any of these remedies, but if you come across this issue you’ll be prepared.  

Frequently Asked Questions

We decided to address some of our frequently asked questions.

What is Preferred Pet Care Inc’s capacity? 

It’s actually a trick question because we have 88 rooms, however can accommodate more than 88 dogs for boarding.  Some of our rooms are a little bit larger so if you have a two or three dog family (from the same family and same household) that do not need to be separated for any reason we can certainly have them stay in one of our king suites.  On the flip side if we have two small dogs boarding with us (from the same family and same household) that don’t need to be separated for any reason we can certainly keep them in one room.  We speak with the customer, as well as get to know the dogs and place them in the best room we see fit for their needs/requests. 

Do you ever book up?

YES!  We absolutely do book up for boarding.  Every year we book up earlier and earlier for major holidays and summertime.  A good rule of thumb is whenever schools have off we are busy.  IT IS NEVER TOO EARLY TO BOOK BOARDING!  If you’re concerned about booking and having to cancel last minute make sure to ask us about boarding insurance. 

Is Preferred Pet Care Inc. ever closed?

Both yes and no.  We are staffed 365 days a year.  However, our front office is closed 6 days out of the year.  Our front office is only closed on six major holidays, this allows our staff to be on a rotating schedule for holidays so that all of our staff isn’t working every holiday.  Therefore this allows for some of our staff to be off on a holiday, and giving them some much needed time to spend with their family and friends.

What about in bad weather?  Does Preferred Pet Care close then? 

In inclement weather we still make sure that our boarding guests are taken care of.  Majority of the staff and most of the managers all live relatively close to the facility.  We may make adjustments (such as with our hours) but we still honor our commitment of acting in the best interest of the dogs.

 

So then what happens on a holiday?

On a holiday when our front office is closed we essentially operate like any normal day.  We maintain our same hours of taking care of the dogs and it’s the exact same routine, just with the front office closed.  

What do you do in bad weather, when it’s raining or snowing?

Well regardless of the weather the dogs do still need to relieve themselves.  What we will do in inclement weather is we will take shorter bathroom breaks outside.  All of our yards have some type of covering whether it’s one of our large tents, umbrellas or one of our trees. 

What about if my dog loves the cold weather?

Some of our guests love the cold weather, and some of our guests despise it.  Depending on the weather, staffing, and the dogs that we have with us we may have numerous play groups going.  It’s not uncommon for us to have 2 or even 3 playgroups going.  In the winter and summer we often will have an inside playgroup and an outside playgroup.

My dog is always thirsty when he/she comes home.  Do they have access to water?

Of course!  When the dogs are in the playgroup we always have at least 3 large water dishes that we refresh often.  If they’re an overnight guest we always have their water dish filled, unless you have requested us to take their water dish out overnight or at certain times.  Many times what we’ve seen is that dogs are just like children.  Sometimes they are so overly excited about playing with their friends that they forget to stop and take a break. 

What would Preferred Pet Care Inc. do if the power went out?

Well thankfully we have a full service generator.  Our generator runs routine maintenance and kicks on once a week.  So rest easy we will never have to worry about losing power.

What do the dogs play on?  What’s outside?

All of our yards have artificial turf.  In December 2014 we just upgraded 3 of our 5 play yards to a new top of the line specially made dog artificial turf.  It’s softer, and thicker than our previous turf.  Our new turf is K9 Grass.  It has flow-through backing so that liquids go through easier, a short dense blade structure and antimicrobial protection.  Since installation of our new K9 Grass the dogs have been thrilled with it. 

What do you do if a dog were to get sick while in your care?

Well if a dog were to come down with something while they were boarding with us we would of course reach out to the owner.  We would additionally contact the emergency contact.  If we were unable to reach them we would of course act in the best interest of the dog.  We would waste no time seeking veterinary care if it was an emergency.  At Preferred Pet Care Inc. the number one priority is the dogs, and our saying here is, “The dogs come first”.  We treat all of our pups here as if they were our own.  Additionally we have an isolation room.  If a dog were to come down with something we can separate them from the general population.  The room has a separate ventilation system with negative pressure so that the air is not recirculated. 

How do you guys remember all the dogs that come for daycare, boarding, and grooming?

Simple, all of the dogs just like people all have their own personality.  Even dogs that are the same breed look slightly different or have different personalities.  The staff develops a relationship with the dogs, even if you merely board once a year.  If your dog is a group dog (meaning they play with other dogs while they’re here) we write a blurb on how they interacted with the other dogs.  If it’s a new dog boarding with us, or during our busy season many of our boarding guests will have one of our breakaway collars placed on them which would include their name, room number, and any special instructions/notes (such as if they receive medication or have any allergies).

Your family is our family too!

When you decide to use our facility you're not just picking a place for your dog to stay overnight for boarding, or for a playdate for daycare, or to get nice and clean with grooming. 

You're allowing us to become part of your family.  Dogs are like people each of them have their own personalities.  They have their own likes and dislikes and even their own group of friends.

People often wonder when they come in for boarding how we immediately recognize their dog- sometimes they only come in once a year for boarding, sometimes we may not have seen them for over a year. But what people many times don't realize is how much we care about their dog too, how much their dog also becomes part of our family.  Each dog has their own individual personalities, they have their own unique traits.  Even when we have numerous dogs all the same breeds we can tell the difference of who is who. 

At Preferred Pet Care Inc. we have two programs for boarders.  If your dog is social with other dogs they may be in the playgroup which is always supervised and they have breaks throughout the day; this would be the group program.  We also have an individual program where your dog would receive individual staff attention for at least ten minute every hour.  However, in reality every dog gets individual attention.  Every staff member develops a relationship with the dogs that comes into our facility, whether it’s for daycare, boarding, or grooming.  So even if your dog is a group dog I can guarantee one of our staff members has fallen in love with your dog and is giving them individual TLC on their break or when your pup is in their room at meal time. You have a nickname for your pup?  Don't worry we might even too.  If you ask our staff if we have a favorite pup I hope you’re ready for a long, long, long list of pups; we all have our favorites, too many to name them all! 

We know you may be sad that you're leaving your pup for an extended stay; however, we're over joyed that one of our favorite pups is back boarding and that we get to spend quality time with them.  While you’re away on vacation you’re always more than welcome to give our office a call and check on them.  Just be aware that we may not always answer our phones, if you call and our answering machine picks up please leave us a message and we will get back to you as soon as we can.  Please be patient with us during our busy season.  At Preferred Pet Care Inc. our policy is dog’s come first. 

When your pup gets sick or passes away, or if you're moving please let us know.  You may not realize how much we also care about your pup and how much they have become a member of our family.  Many times we are the last to hear that customers are moving away, and we would like to make sure we give your pup the proper send off.  We don’t see some of our boarding customers year round but if there’s something important going on with your pup we would love to hear about it.  We do wonder how your pup is doing year round, even if we don’t see them regularly. 

Vaccine Notification

Attention Customers:  We are changing how we notify customers regarding vaccines.  Please sign up to received email updates for when our records indicate your dog is due do for vaccines.  We have a sign up sheet on our front counter.  We will be replacing our courtesy vaccine reminder phone call service with our new courtesy vaccine email system.  We will be discontinuing our vaccine phone calls as of June 30^th 2014.  When you sign up keep posted for a tester email from us, please respond to this email to ensure that we have the correct email address.  Make sure to add us to your address book to ensure the email does not go to spam or junk mail folder.  We are updating our system so even if you think we already have your information please fill out the information again.  You can also email us your email address along with your first and last name (as it is on your account), dog’s name and your email address to info@preferredpetcare.com.  Thank you!

Preferred Pet Care, Inc. Announced Full Facility Back-up Generator

Preferred Pet Care, Inc.  Announced Full Facility Back-up Generator

April 11^th, 2014

Maplewood, NJ- Preferred Pet Care, Inc. has been a resident of Maplewood, New Jersey for the past six years.  Preferred Pet Care, Inc. is proud to announce that our new brand new Honeywell generator has been installed and turned on! 

After Hurricane Sandy, like many of you Preferred Pet Care, Inc. experienced power failure.  Rain, snow, sleet, or wind will not stop us from taking care of our pups.  During Hurricane Sandy Preferred Pet Care, Inc. lost power for 8 days, during that time though we were still opened for daycare and boarding.  We operated on a modified schedule, operating mainly on daylight hours.  At the time Preferred Pet Care, Inc. was using a small portable generator for space heaters in the building.  Despite that our phone system was down we communicated and kept our customers up to date via Facebook and Twitter.  We are always striving to be the best and do what is in the best interest of the dogs.  Although we got through the storm, we felt that we needed to raise the bar by installing a full facility generator. 

At Preferred Pet Care, Inc. our policy is “Dog’s come first”, so with that in mind we recently purchased a 70 kilowatt generator.  If the power goes out, no need to fret, our generator switches on automatically all within seconds.  In a power outage all three air conditioning units, exhaust fans, and air sanitizing systems will still be in full service.  The generator is remotely monitored by Preferred Pet Care, Inc. as well as our service company.  Plus our generator runs on natural gas, so no need for refueling, and it meets EPA clean air standards.  There’s no concern regarding spilling or storage issues of diesel and it is in continuous supply.  So that means our generator will run as long as necessary—until the power is restored.  Portable generators can be loud, and we want to make sure your pup has a good night of sleep.  With our new backup generator it features a low-speed automotive style engine that runs at only 1800 rpm during a power outage, making it not only incredibly quiet but also extremely efficient. 

So the next time you’re traveling, looking for daycare or away on vacation you can rest easy knowing your pup is at Preferred Pet Care, Inc.