{Quiz} Which Spring flower is your pet?

Take this simple five-question quiz to find out!

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5 Stories That Prove Why Dogs Are Man’s Best Friend

“Dogs are our link to paradise. They don’t know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring—it was peace.” —Milan Kundera

Why do we consider dog man’s best friend? Try answering this question yourself and you’ll find the reasons are innumerable: perhaps it’s the way your dog tilt’s his head when he’s listening to you talk, or, how she greets you at the door with limitless, exuberant love. We experience joy in our dog’s inherent joie de vivre and capricious demeanor. From cuddles to kisses, brisk walks to breathtaking excursions — our dogs are our loyal companions through thick and through thin. The silver lining in being fortunate enough to care for a dog who will undoubtedly love us unconditionally is this: dogs teach us to recognize how good things are; they remind us to be ourselves; to play; and to laugh. Dogs have been considered a treasured part of the human family since before the written word. In fact, dogs have been man’s best friend for over 15,000 years!

If you’re reading this now you probably have that warm fuzzy feeling that makes you want to smother your dog with an almost embarrassing amount of adoration and affection. The kind where you tell your dog how beautiful he is with a silly, love-y dove-y voice and maybe even his pet name: “Sir Dolce The Divine, your awe jusht the hanshomest wittle guy, aren’t you? Aren’t youuuuuz!?” (Insert quasi-awkward face to fur nuzzling action). Well, the best has yet to come, so, snuggle up with your furry pal and prepare to have your heart warmed by these five amazing stories that prove that dog is indeed man’s best friend.

Foster child Buddy and his BFF Reagan the Labradoodle 

This inseparable duo has taken Instagram by storm with their extraordinary adorableness. Sandi Swiridoff, Buddy’s adopted grandmother says she just couldn’t keep their story to herself so she began documenting their bond through photography and social media. Reagan was adopted at 8 weeks of age to help Swiridoff’s daughter cope with the pain of losing two of her foster children. Buddy was adopted by the family at 11 months of age, and Buddy has been surrounded by Reagan’s love ever since.

Photo Credit: Sandi Swiridoff

Photo Credit: Sandi Swiridoff

Photo Credit: Sandi Swiridoff

Belle the Beagle saves owner Kevin Wheeler from a Diabetic seizure

Kevin Wheeler suffers from Diabetes so he trained his Beagle, Belle, to sense when his blood sugar levels are plummeting. Should Wheeler be experiencing low blood sugar, Belle is to paw at him to signal that he should take a reading. One day, however, Wheeler experienced a diabetic seizure, at which point Belle bit down on the number 9 on his cell phone as she was trained to do. The number was programmed to dial 911, and within minutes, paramedics were on the scene. Belle was later awarded the VITA Wireless Samaritan Award — an award given to those who use cell phones to save lives. Belle is the first K9 recipient of this award, and owner Kevin Wheeler, has been well and safe ever since — thanks to his best friend, Belle.

Photo Credit: Kevin Wheeler 

Cheeto the Yorkie Therapy Dog at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin

Weighing in at only 8 lbs, this tiny bundle of joy is spreading love and smiles across the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin. Cheeto’s tiny stature allows her to sit on patients’ beds so that they can easily pet her, cuddle her, and sometimes even get a chance to see Cheeto dance! Cheeto and her owner spend about two hours a day, two days a week at the hospital while not only easing the stress of the patients, but that of the hospital staff, too. “Pet therapy is a powerful way to help get kids through tough things,” says Volunteer Services Supervisor Megan Hughes. “When a dog visits, the mood changes. Kids start to relax. You can see the anxiety drop away.” Cheeto is a wonderful example of man’s best friend be it a child in need or a physician who could use a little love on the job, too.

Photo Credit: Diane Weber

Nala the Toy Poodle goes to bingo night

At the Lyngblomsten senior housing community in St. Paul, Minnesota, Toy Poodle Nala joins her owner and nursing assistant, Doug Dawson, to work every day. Nala’s one and only job? To make the community’s residents happy. Once Doug arrives to work, he places Nala on the ground and she scurries off to do her own thing. Staff will find Nala at group therapy, bingo night, or simply hanging out in the lap of a hospice patient. As man’s best friend, Nala is intuitive: “If you’re depressed, she’ll make you laugh. If you’re stick, she’ll lay with you. If you’re dying, she can tell,” Doug says.

Photo Credit: Lygblomsten

 Ultra-marathon runner, Dion Leonard, accompanied by stray dog during footrace through China’s Gobi desert

In March of 2016, ultra-marathon runner, Dion Leonard, set foot on a six-day 250km race through China’s Gobi desert. The stray pup appeared while racers were ascending over the Tian Shan Mountains, happily trotting alongside the pack. Soon thereafter, the stray later named Gobi, latched onto Dion and wouldn’t leave his side. When it came time to cross rivers, Dion would carry Gobi in his arms. Dion made sure that Gobi was fed and hydrated during their adventure. They even napped together at basecamp. Dion ended up placing second in the race with Gobi by his side for an impressive 4 out of the 7 stages of the race including the final 10km stage to the finish line.

Photo Credit: 4Deserts.com / Onni Cai

Photo Credit: 4Deserts.com / Onni Cai

 

Do you have a heartwarming story about man’s best friend? We’d love to hear from you. Drop us a line at social@fetchpetcare.com or Tweet us @FetchPetCare.

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Tips for Keeping Pets Safe at Home

Photo credit Unsplash via Pixabay

Welcoming a new pet into your home comes with a lot of responsibilities. One of the biggest responsibilities is keeping your new family member safe. Here are some tips to keep your furry friend safe at home:

ID Tags and Microchips

One of the biggest risks for a cat or dog is getting lost if they should accidentally get outside of their home. With new pets, this is even a bigger risk so make sure your new friend has a collar with a tag that shows your contact information. Having them microchipped boosts their security since the chip is active even if the collar gets lost.

Elevate Wires and Cords

Electrical cords look like a fun chew toy for young puppies. This can cause a shock if they chew through a cord. Lights like those on Christmas trees can be just as inviting for a new kitten and just as much as a shock hazard. Keep all dangling cords out of reach of curious pets.

Pet-Proof All Lids

Be careful to close the lid to all the toilets in the home, as a curious kitten can drown if they happen to fall into an open lid. Garbage cans lids should also close securely to avoid pets getting into the trash. Not only can pets make a huge mess in the garbage, but there can also be harmful items to animals in the trash.

Choking Hazards

Dogs love to chew and rip things apart. Shoes and purses made of leather look like oversized chew toys when left out.  Keep anything you do not want them to tear into out of their reach, including toys that might have small parts they can choke on.

Cold Weather Can Mean Cold Pets

Many people believe that dogs are fine in the cold weather because they come with their own fur coats. Imagine if you were only wearing a fur coat you surely would not be warm enough. Taking special care to make sure your new furry friend has a warm dog bed to get them off the cold floor and being careful about keeping them warm when outside can help to keep them safe and cozy.

Be Aware Of Common Poison Dangers

Useful chemicals in your home can be deadly for pets. Things like anti-freeze smell sweet but are a poison risk. Other common household items that are a poisonous risk for pets include medications meant for humans, certain plants, fertilizer, treated wood chips, pool chemicals,  de-icing salts, and chocolate.

Heater Safety

A cold dog or cat may seek out heat, even if the source could possibly hurt them. Things like space heaters and fireplaces need to be pet-proofed so your furry friends cannot burn themselves. Install screens or use a space heater without an exposed heating element so pets cannot get close enough to the heat source for a burn hazard.

Having a furry family member can be a fun adventure, but it can also open up a whole new world of puppy or kitty antics. You will find a new pet can find all sorts of ways to get into trouble, so take these steps to remove as many of the dangers in your home before they become an issue.

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What do the cosmos say about you & your pet?

Pets have horoscopes too. A horoscope shows how the stars influence your pet’s unique personality, moods, and behavior. Ever wonder what your pet was thinking? If only they could talk and express how they feel. Now there is a way for you to learn more about what is going on inside that furry little head. Gain insights into your pet’s motives and more with this simple two-question quiz.

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TGIF Cute Frenchie Photo

TGIF! We’re about as happy as this little guy is right now! Share your weekend adventures with on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Photo credit: Frenchie The Bulldog

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Fetch! Pet Care Names James Mowery President

DAYTON, OH, FEBRUARY 21, 2017

Fetch! Pet Care, Inc., franchisor of the nation’s largest provider of professional dog walking and pet sitting services, today announced James Mowery will assume responsibility for system-wide growth and maximizing franchisee performance throughout the franchise system as President.

“James has been a key part of our success and we are thrilled to promote him to President,” said Fetch! Pet Care’s Chairman Harry Loyle. “His accomplishments in strategic planning, integrating teams, implementing innovative technology as well as a keen eye toward process improvement align perfectly with what is needed to fuel the next stage of growth for Fetch! Pet Care.”

Prior to joining Fetch! Pet Care in 2014 as Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Mowery served as President of a nationwide tax franchise, from 2008 to 2010 and Chief Operating Officer & Chief Information Officer from 2006 to 2008 as well as Director of Information Technology and Process Improvement for a health services company from 2012 to 2014. Mr. Mowery founded The Biome Coach in 2010 and continues to provide coaching and consulting services to small and medium business owners. He and his wife, Lynne, were Pet Butler franchisees in the Greater Dayton region from 2007 to 2016.

Mr. Mowery is active in the International Franchise Association and earned the Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) designation in 2007. He currently serves as a member of the Institute of Certified Franchise Executive Board of Governors to enhance and promote the highest levels of quality training and education in the franchise industry. He is a Project Management Professional (PMP), Certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt (CLSSBB) and a Certified ScrumMaster (CSM). Mr. Mowery received his MBA from Baker College Center for Graduate Studies and BS from the University of Dayton.

Concurrent to Mowery’s appointment as President, Paul Mann, the Founder of Fetch! Pet Care, will assume responsibility for developing marketing strategy, assisting franchisees implement local territory marketing initiatives, developing national campaigns and partnerships as well as franchise development activities to drive brand and unit growth as Chief Marketing Officer.

About Fetch! Pet Care
Fetch! Pet Care is the nation’s largest provider of professional dog walking and pet sitting services, serving thousands of pets and parents from coast to coast. For the convenience of pet owners, Fetch! Pet Care’s skilled Pet Care Coordinators personally match all of their dog walkers and pet sitters – who are trained, bonded, insured, background checked – to meet the specific needs of each pet. With thousands of satisfied clients nationwide, Fetch! Pet Care has earned the reputation as the most relied upon and trusted pet care service in the country. In 2016, Inc. Magazine ranked Fetch! Pet Care No. 2608 on its Inc. 5000 List of America’s fastest growing companies. Find Fetch! Pet Care at http://www.FetchPetCare.com, on Facebook or by calling 866-FETCH-ME.

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Help Cowboy Recover and Find His Forever Home

This is a message from our friends at Orphan Dog, a Northen California-based dog rescue NPO. Cowboy was just brought to the rescue today with serious injuries. We’d love for you to consider donating to help Cowboy recover at and to spread the word so that he may find his forever home once he is well, again.

From Orphan Dog:

No animal, no person, no one, no body should ever have to experience what Cowboy has experienced. Never, ever.

This kind of inhumanity diminishes us as humans.

Cowboy came into our partner rescue, Bone Pet Rescue in Covelo with two fractured leg bones. Upon examination, it was discovered that, at some point, he had also suffered a broken jaw that had healed badly. This means that his tongue is always hanging out of his mouth.

The surgery bill for Cowboy will be in the $4,000 range. There have been many generous donors and they need a few more. Donations can be made directly toward his bill by calling Wasson Memorial Veterinary Clinic.

When Cowboy recovers, he will be coming with Orphan Dog to our adoption events to find a new family. He has already shown himself to be a wonderful boy that need a ton of love to make up for his already rough start.

If you’d like to be considered for adoption for Cowboy, please go to OrphanDog.org and put in an application and include that you are applying for Cowboy in the comments.

If you’d like to learn more about his story, you can go to Bones Pet Rescue.

Thank you.

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