I AM THERE FOR YOUR 'BABIES'

Pets remain in the comfort of their home.

Overnight stays are never a problem.

Your furry friends will not miss their walk with me. Let's go !

Have a bird? I will keep the cage clean, add fresh food and water.

**Mail, flyers and newspapers will be taken in - no need to stop your mail

January 2012

Hi Sassy's Pet Sit friends and "family". Welcome to this edition of "The Corner" for your reading and learning pleasure! As always, Aunt Sassy highly recommends you seek medical attention for your pet if you feel there may be something wrong with them! And, always check with your personal pet care specialist before trying or doing anything suggested in "The Corner".

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"Welcome to 2012, Sassy's extended family of wonderful pets and parents!"

Let's start the year with just some simple advise..ok, you got a new puppy (or kitty) for Christmas! How joyful, fun, loving that playful little bundle of fluff can be. But, what happens when that "puppy" grows into the size of say, a Saint Bernard or German Sheppard? Well, Dr. J., always has such great tips to help "Rover" become the full sized, obedient dog he/she should be. These tips may also be good to help "Tiki" the kitty from being sent to a naughty pad!

* Reward randomly. Beginning with the first trick, reward him/her each time it's done right. This will get your puppy to associate the reward with the action. But after your puppy shows an understanding of a command, stop rewarding every time. Instead, make the reward random (but still reward more often than not!).

Why is this? Dr. J. knew a family whose dog only sits on command if he sees that you have a treat ready. Making the reward random means your puppy will never know when he gets a treat and when he doesn't - and he will do the trick to raise his chances.

* Teach the "do not's" as well as the "do's". Getting your puppy to do tricks on command is only half of the training process. The other half should be training him what not to do. Puppies might pick up bad habits that may become a problem if they are not stopped. If you are hesitant to punish your dog, know that you can use positive reinforcement to deter unwanted behaviors!

To stop puppy from jumping on people, train him/her not to as a puppy. Instead of yelling down, stop, don't do that, reward when they don't. Gently push the puppy down, saying your command word, whether it be off, down, stop. When they are on all four's give a treat. Now, what if they continue to jump? Ignore, walk out, and come back in. Repeat. You'd be surprised at how quickly puppies learn this way!

* Use treats in moderation. You want your puppy to be obedient, but don't abuse treats! Just like it's bad for us to eat too many sweets/treats, it's bad for puppies, too. Try praise or a clicker - a small device that teaches a puppy that the sound of the click means he's doing well.

If you do use treats, make sure your puppy is getting the right nutrition in his regular food. Check with your vet or pet store manager which is the best for your puppy (or kitty) to continue training."

When you need Aunt Sassy to care for them again, I will be here for you. Just call or email me!

As my motto says, "Comfort for your pet and care of your home!"

LOVE AND HUGS TO YOU AND YOUR BABIES,

Aunt Sassy Debbie