I Wish I Were a Dog (by Michelle Neuman)

I wish I were a dog...for I would sleep 20 hours a day.
I would get petted for looking cute.
I would forgive no matter what.
I would bark when I thought something might hurt you (even if it's on TV -- oops, false alarm).
I would protect the pack above all else.
I would expect nothing in return except to be near you.
I would dance a happy dance when I saw your face.
I would never be sad because you love me.

Afghan Dog Rescued from Taliban

Chris Hughes, Defense Correspondent for the Daily Mirror wrote a sweet story about Brin, a stray Afghan dog who became a mascot for British soldiers serving in Afghanistan. Brin not only served as a morale booster, but went on patrol with soldiers in the Green Zone sniffing out explosives without any formal training. One night while on patrol, the soldiers made a hasty departure from enemy territory and Brin was left behind and captured by the Taliban. Word spread that Brin had been captured and during a Taliban raid, commandos rescued Brin and returned him to his family of soldiers.

Report Pet Food Complaints at FDA.gov

The FDA regulates dog and cat food. Pet food does not require FDA approval before hitting the market; however, the FDA is required to make sure existing pet food is safe.

If you have concerns about your pet's food, you can file a complaint online using the Safety Reporting Portal. Complaints can include things like finding a foreign object in your pet's food, foul odor, leaky or damaged packaging, and most importantly, if you believe your pet has become ill from his or her pet food.

Hang on to your pet food packaging, if possible. That, as well as other information, can be included in your complaint. Find out more at How to File a Pet Food Complaint.

Stop Pulling with Gentle Leader

The Gentle Leader Headcollar is a great way to stop pulling and lunging. I use the GL on two of my daily walks: a 70 lb. Vizsla and a 40 lb. black dog. The Vizsla pulled a couple times during each walk when he wanted to go back for a longer sniff. The black dog, Taao Yi, was nervous and pretty much pulled the whole time. Whether sporadic or constant, pulling is never fun and physically painful. Try getting tugged 20 times a day. It wears on you.

The Vizsla's owner was the first to turn me on to the GL. I asked her if her dog pulled for her and she said No, she used the GL. I used it the next day and Bam! No more pulling! I was in heaven! Anyone who's had a dog stop pulling knows how wonderful it feels!

I eventually occurred to me to try a GL on Taao and picked one up for him (after discussing it with his owner). I was surprised at the six-panel instructions and instructional DVD that came with it. There was a huge warning: Do not use the GL without reading and understanding the instructions! I hadn't realized how important technique and proper fit was. I took the warning seriously and read then reread the instructions, fit the GL to Taao's head, read the instructions again, made adjustments and Bam! No more pulling! In fact, he was such a nervous guy that it actually helped him feel more confident because the nose loop mimics an alpha dog grasping his muzzle in a firm, but gentle way.

I know some trainers are saying: Just train your dog properly and they won't pull. Yeah, that's great in theory, and I totally agree with you, but I haven't figured out a way to quickly train a dog not to pull. If you know of a better way, contact me! I would for you to teach me a better way, but for now, I'm all about the Gentle Leader Headcollar.

Merle's Door: Lessons from a Freethinking Dog

In his book, Merle's Door: Lessons from a Freethinking Dog, Ted Kerasote tells the story of his dog, Merle, who found Ted during a camping trip and lived with him for 13 years. Merle lives in the small town Kelly, WY where, through his doggy door, has the freedom to come and go as he pleases to explore Mother Nature and socialize with other dogs and people in town.

The human-canine connection between Ted and Merle is profound. At times, Ted is the teacher teaching Merle the rules of life in the Grand Tetons. At other times, Merle teaches Ted about tracking, scouting and skiing. Their adventurous (and fun) life is one every dog owner/walker/trainer/lover can appreciate.

What I loved about Merle's Door was learning more about dogs and dog behavior. The author cites several scientific and historical facts about animal behavior that was not only interesting, but will ultimately help me do my job better through a deeper understanding of animal behavior.

It was a sweet little story and I'm glad my client recommended it.

Expecting?

Are you "expecting" a puppy? Before you bring your new best friend home, consider developing a training plan, house breaking plan, puppy schedule and house rules before your puppy arrives.

Training Plan: Read a few different training books and adopt a philosophy that best suits your personality and style. Different trainers tout different philosophies and techniques, so choose one that works best for you and your family. All family members must adopt the same techniques and enforce the same rules for your puppy!

House Breaking: I personally recommend crate training, but do your research and choose a plan that works for you, your budget and lifestyle. The rule of thumb is that a puppy can hold it one hour for each month of age (i.e., a three-month-old puppy can hold it three hours). Hire a dog walker or ask for help from neighbors to make sure your puppy's schedule isn't interrupted while you're at work.

Puppy Schedule: Keep a consistent schedule as much as possible for the first few months. Consider feedings, potty breaks (increasing crate time as your puppy grows), exercise, socialization, nap time and training when creating your schedule.

Rules: Establishing house rules before your puppy comes home is a must. Determine where your puppy will sleep at night, if/when your puppy will be allowed on furniture, whether any rooms are off limits, whether you want your puppy to jump on guests, etc. It's easier to stick to your guns if you determine well, thought-out rules before your puppy comes home and steals your heart.

Here are some links to my favorite trainers: Cesar Millan, Victoria Stilwell and Tamar Geller.

Good luck!

No Idea

I have no idea what to Blog about. Now that I have a Twitter account, I don't feel the need to write anything requiring more than 140 characters.

Super Pet Expo Mar 19-21

I'm super excited about the upcoming Super Pet Expo in Chantilly this weekend. I've never been before, so I hope it's worth the $8.19. :o) You can save $5 if you buy your tix online and enter code EXHVA at checkout.

See you there!

Tricks for Treats is Oskar's M.O.

This is what we do for fun at Let Michelle Do It pet sitting. Oskar is such a cutie pie with his little round pug face. He's super smart too and knows Spin Around and Jump!

Catching a Treat in Slow Mo

Best commercial ever! Pedigree shoots the art of catching a flying treat in slow motion. Great!

Walk for the Animals

Walk for the Animals May 8 in Arlington's Bluemont Park. Registration is $25 and benefits the Animal Welfare League of Arlington. All money goes directly to the shelter to help homeless animals.

Client saves Afgan street dog from a life of misery

Rescuing feral dogs from foreign countries is old hat for client Mary Lee Ball who recently brought back an Afghan street dog to the U.S. and had an article written about her in the Washington Post. Yay Mary Lee!

Who's Your Daddy?

This video compilation really shows off how special Daddy was.



Daddy truly represented the pit bull breed as the calm, submissive and courageous dogs they are. His legacy as a friend, co-star and teacher will be one of strength, patience, forgiveness and unconditional love.

We will miss you, Daddy...

We will miss you Daddy...

Daddy passed away Saturday...and that's all I can say about that right now...I was a huge fan...still am...

Come on guys...

Come on y'all. Snow doesn't magically melt dog poop and snow on the ground doesn't absolve you of your responsibility.

Now that the snow's melting, it's even more apparent how many people pooped and dashed. I'll admit, I did it twice during the snow, but I tried to pick it up and gave up only after finding myself thigh-high in a snowbank.

There's so much on the sidewalks, I have to believe some of you were just plan whimpy. To them: no one wants to see your dog poop, or worse, step in your dog poop.

Please pick up after your dog.

Sadie Wins Best in Show at Westminster

I feel asleep between the Working and Terrier groups, woke up to an episode of White Collar, but was able to rewind to see Sadie take BIS. Congratulations, Sadie!

Sadie is a beautiful Scottish Terrier, but I was disappointed that a) the Golden wasn't even in the running for BIS -- clearly a crowd favorite, and that b) Sadie edged out the Dobie -- another crowd favorite. According to the commentator, New Yorkers love their Dobermans. Honestly, I'm just glad the poodle didn't win and the puli didn't win...I would have had to stop watching for sure.

The LA Times has really cool photos of dogs from the event.

Westminster has great videos -- watch Sadie take top prize!

p.s. - I'm totally getting an Eskimo, an Alaskan Malamute, a Tibetan Mastiff and the Spinone Italiano. And that's just from the working group!

Westminster Starts Tonight!

Don't you love Westminster? I swear, every dog, it's like, "Yes! I'm totally getting a Brussels Griffon." Then 30 seconds later, "Oh yes, the Cavalier...I'm totally getting a Cavalier." And then the Chihuahua, and the Pomeranian, and the Pug. Until the next night when it's the Scottish Deer Hound, the Vizsla, and the German Shorthaired Pointer.

Monday, Feb. 15 - 8 p.m. on USA and then CNBC at 9 p.m. - Hound, Toy, Non-Sporting, Herding

Tuesday, Feb. 16 - 8 p.m. on USA - Sporting, Working, Terrier, Best in Show

This picture is of Lincoln, a Brussells Griffon, who won the Toy Group last year but lost Best in Show to Stumps, the Sussex Spaniel. Lincoln is so cute!! I'm totally getting one.

Michelle Walks the World's Most Famous Mouse's Dog

Orlando, Florida. Michelle Neuman, owner and operator of Let Michelle Do It dog walking services in Alexandria, Virginia, walked the world's most famous mouse's dog Tuesday at the WaltDisneyWorld Resort. The dog, Pluto, was found wandering around Liberty Tavern by Michelle, who quickly offered to walk him. Pluto accepted and not having a leash handy, Michelle and Pluto walked hand in hand together through the restaurant. After the walk, Michelle tried to collect payment, but when told the charge was $20, Pluto said "Oh no!" by covering his eyes, so Michelle settled for a picture with the famous dog instead. Michelle later commented that it was "a great surprise to walk Pluto and would do it again in a heartbeat even without pay." Mickey Mouse, the dog's owner, could not be reached for comment.

Are you looking for an awesome dog?

If you're looking for an awesome dog -- a sweet boy who would make a great running partner and playmate and gets along well with people and other dogs, then consider adopting Taao. See for yourself how well he plays with others and just how cute and loving he is!

NAPPS Conference 2010

I spent the weekend in Orlando at the annual NAPPS Conference for professional pet sitters. I feel inspired to be a better dog walker, pet sitter and business owner! The speakers were great and I can't wait to tell you all about them over the next few days! A few of my favorites were:

• Arden Moore - America's Pet Edu-tainer and Editor-at-large of Fido Friendly magazine - Arden shared tips on how to host a successful dog party.

• Bill Berloni - theatrical animal trainer and animal rescuer - shared his story about hiring the first Sandy dog for Annie and how that launched his career on Broadway.

• Dan Norman - author of Top Ten Selling - The Lumberjack Chronicles - told us about the first time he called on his lumberjack clients in North Georgia. Very funny!

I highly recommend this conference to all pet sitters regardless of how long they've been in business.

Boon Chuu Blows a Kiss

Watch Boonie's message to Mary Lee.

We love you and miss you!