by Ellen Epstein
One of the best things about owning a pet care business is falling in love with other people’s fur-babies. I feel like the grandma who gets to spoil the kids and send them home to the parents to do all the work!
This season has brought us lots of puppies, whom we get to introduce to life, one visit at a time. One of my favorites is Cassie, a Sheepadoodle puppy whom we met at nine weeks of age. A little ball of black and white fur with a pink nose, she stole my heart immediately. She has what is known as “excitement urination” so every time she sees me she starts to wag and leak. I worked with her new Mommy to get her crate trained and to protect their brand new townhouse floors. She was a shy girl at first but we are building up her confidence and socializing her with other pups, and she is doing really well. Now at 6-months she is a BIG ball of black and white fur, and she loves to tumble around with her pal Copper.
Copper, whom I consider my furry “nephew,” spends the day with me causing all sorts of trouble. A rescued Coonhound/Beagle mix, he tries to eat everything in sight. Loaves of bread have disappeared. A coffee cake that I schlepped back from NYC ended up in his tummy. And he loves to chase squirrels. We are trying to tame his ravenous appetite, but that Beagle nose keeps me on my toes. Of course, he gives the sweetest kisses, so he gets away with a lot!
If you have a puppy that is potty trained, but still leaks when she/he gets excited, you can find out more information and positive training tips from the Humane Society of the United States at http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/dogs/tips/excitement_urination.html
Ellen Epstein (Top Dog) at Bow Wow Meow, a full-service Pet Care Company based in Del Ray. They help with daily walks, pet sitting and referrals for all sorts of pet things in our community. Contact us at 703-850-5559 with any questions or email us at [email protected].
