I Just Can’t Give my Four-Legged Friend a Shot.

For some of us in the Fox Valley this is just too much to ask.  The good news is our pets are living longer.  The bad news (as with humans) they are subject to more of the illnesses associated with old age.  The best news is that there is a team of caring, loving pet sitters that know how to administer shots to your best friends.

Have you ever Googled “how to give your dog a shot”?  It is a bit of an eye-opener.  It tells you to lift the skin above the shoulder.  It then says to insert the needle beneath the skin and pull back slightly on the plunger.  If you see blood returning through the plunger then pull the needle out immediately.  All of this assumes that you have a willing patient!

One of the alternatives is to bring on Critter Sitters serving Aurora, Sugar Grove, Elburn and the surrounding area of Chicagoland’s Fox Valley.  You not only get the best pet sitters in the area, but you also are hiring some of the best pet care experts anywhere in Chicago.  Give Sandy a call at Critter Sitters.  That phone number is (630) 844-9554.

Could your Dog get Sicker in the Winter?

But the reality is, just like us humans, your canine buddy is susceptible to a range of illnesses brought on by exposure to Chicagoland’s Winter weather. Among these are hypothermia, frostbite, a cold, and kennel cough.  The obvious answer is to make your sure that your four-legged kid is not exposed to the harsh elements any more than they need to be.

What are the symptoms of a canine cold?

1.  Coughing, but know the difference between a cold and kennel cough.

2.  A runny nose…not just a normal wet nose.

3.  Sneezing.

4.  Watery eyes.

At Critter Sitters we understand that the health of your dog is nearly the same as to the health of your two-legged children.  We take extra care when we walk your canine in winter.  Far western suburban Chicagoland can get bitter cold this time of year and we are always aware of that.  Please call me, Sandy Hafenbrack at Critter Sitters serving Aurora, Sugar Grove, Elburn and the surrounding area at (630) 844-9554.

Walking your Dog in the Winter.

So, how cold is TOO cold for your four-legged children?  Here is a general rule of thumb for winter in Chicagoland.  If your dog(s) are medium to large they should be able to handle a 30-minute walk if the temperature is above 20 degrees.  Smaller breeds should be limited to about 15 minutes…and nobody should be out there walking if it dips below zero!

There really is no pat answer.  Observe your canine (as we will).  See how they are handling it.  One thing we recommend, especially around here, is always factor in the wind chill.  That has as much to do with comfort as the surface temperature.  Also, consider snow cover.  And naturally, we recommend a sweater especially for short-hairs.

There is no dog-walking manual for winter weather.  What we bring to the table is experience and care.  We are Critter Sitters of Aurora, Sugar Grove, Elburn, and throughout the Southern Fox Valley.  Our loving staff of pet sitters always considers health and safety first and foremost.  Just give us a call for a free in-home visit at (630) 844-9554. 

How to Become a Pet Sitter.

Have you thought about this wonderfully rewarding profession?  Talk about warm and fuzzy feelings…this is the ultimate!  Would you like to make some extra money in 2019 and beyond doing what you already love to do?  Pet parents everywhere need your help with their pets when they can't spend as much time with them as they would like or when they are on vacation.

Here are some pointers before you embark on your first pet sitting job –

1.  Dogs will often mark their territory…don’t freak out.

2.  There is also likely to be a smell that you are not used to.

3.  For some breeds shedding is also a factor.

4.  You need to know about the pet’s behavior and feeding habits.

5.  What commands does it (or they) understand?

Great pet sitters are always in demand.  Do you have what it takes to sit with all creatures great and small in the Sugar Grove, Elburn, and Aurora Illinois area?  If you feel that this is your calling, then contact Sandy Hafenbrack of Critter Sitters.  She would love to meet you!  Call this phone number at (630) 844-9554 and visit the website at www.alltopcrittersitters.com.

It’s More than Just Pet Sitting.

How many homes do you think will be burglarized in America this year…try one in every 35 or so!  When you consider those numbers, it could send chills up your spine.  When you hire a full-service pet sitter to take care of your four-legged kids you should also think about the peace of mind you could derive when someone is checking-up on your castle as well.

Here in Western Suburban Chicagoland and the Southern Fox Valley we are all vulnerable.  This is not to mention the fact that when the master leaves the house that next 10 hours can be very lonely and stressful for the best friend(s) that you leave behind.  Consider safety and the comfort of your pets.

When you hire Critter Sitters you get much more than a pet sitter.  They routinely pick up newspapers and packages that may arrive during the day.  Your home will have a lived-in look if anyone is outside “casing the joint”.  In Sugar Grove and the surrounding area dozens of pet and home owners count on Critter Sitters.  Call Sandy today at (630) 844-9554.

Pet Poisoning.

It is a frightening fact, over 100,000 pets are accidentally poisoned in this country every year.  If and when it happens to your four-legged or feathered friend it is imperative that you do not panic and act quickly.  It starts with safety first by removing all of the potentially harmful products, plants, and foods from their wandering mouths.

Here are some helpful tips to remember –

1.  What did your pet digest and when?
2.  How much did they intake?
3.  Know the pet’s current weight.
4.  What is your pet’s medical history?

These are all important steps to insuring that your pet survives this scary incident.  When you cannot be around all day you want the peace of mind that comes with having the area’s best pet sitting service look in on your pet and your home.  In Aurora, Sugar Grove, Elburn and surrounding Chicagoland that answer is always Critter Sitters.  Call Sandy today at (630) 844-9554 for a visit to your home

Get to Know Us Before You Get to Know Us.

It may sound confusing, but it has a great deal to do with your busy schedule.  Choosing the right pet sitter in the Southern Fox Valley is as important to you as choosing the right family doctor or dentist.  You cannot afford to make a mistake just because someone on the internet proclaims that they are qualified pet sitters.

That is why we want you to visit www.alltopcrittersitters.com.  We want you to get to know who we are and what we do before we come into your home and baby-sit your four-legged kids.  On our website you will find a form.  It is called Sign Up.  Take your time and fill it out so we can discover your family’s needs.

My name is Sandy Hafenbrack.  Many years ago, I turned my love for all creatures great and small into a thriving pet sitting business in Aurora, Sugar Grove, Elburn and the surrounding area around the Fox Valley.  Your pets are your most important possessions and we know it.  Please fill out the form and I will give you a call or call me at (630) 844-9554.

She Talks to the Animals.

And the Queen of cats and dogs in the Western Suburbs of Chicagoland is…envelope please…Sandy Hafenbrack.  If you don’t already know the owner of Critter Sitters, located in Sugar Grove, and her amazing team of pet sitters, then GET to know them.  They are your pet’s second-best friends!

About three decades ago she started with one basic premise.  When you have to be away from your residence, your dogs, cats, rabbits, fish, rodents, birds, and reptiles would be better off if they were able to stay at home than being “shipped off” somewhere.  Why would anyone think otherwise?

Here is the bottom line, you never again should have to worry about asking family, friends or neighbors to care for your pets while you are away.  Sandy and her crew are caring, compassionate, thorough, knowledgeable, and reliable.  What else could you ever ask for?  Call Critter Sitters for a free in-home visit in the Sugar Grove, Elburn, and Aurora area.  That phone number is (630) 844-9554.  

The Art of Pet Sitting.

It really IS an art.  Not every lover of creatures great and small is the right choice to babysit or walk your four-legged children.  I know one who just happens to be named Art!  How about that?  Art is a U.S. Marine veteran and a retired mechanical department employee of Metra.  He is a lover of all creatures and a person who takes pride in being true to his word.

He fought to protect we humans, now he plies that same passion in caring for your critters.  Be they dogs, cats, birds, etc. Art will treat them as if they were his own.  If anyone could be said to be “on a mission” it would be Art.  His mission is to make sure that the quality of life of your pets is extended as far as possible.

Now, how do you meet Art?  That’s very simple.  If you live in the far-Western suburbs of Chicagoland such as Sugar Grove, Elburn, etc. just visit www.alltopcrittersitters.com.  Art’s smiling face can be seen on the meet our sitters tab.  Call Sandy and arrange a meeting with Art anytime at (630) 844-9554.

Call on Beth for Your Pet Sitting Needs!

Beth is here to cater to your four-legged kids!  Beth is one of the major reasons why hundreds of people living in the far western suburbs of Chicagoland choose Critter Sitters to care for their creatures great and small.

For the last year and a half Beth has devoted her time to making sure that YOUR 4-legged children get the best care possible.  Sandy (the owner) did not just choose her on a whim.  Beth was carefully vetted.  It started with the fact that Beth had been caring for animals for 40 years!!

She knows that your dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, fish, and little furry friends are a part of the family.  When you can, or must travel, or are absent during the day they need the same care that you would provide them.  That’s where Beth and the team from Critter Sitters comes in.  If you live in Southern Kane County please call (630) 844-9554.

Longevity = Special Needs.

In recent years, Baby Boomers and the greatest generation has been living longer than their predecessors.  The same is true for our beloved four-legged kids.  Nowadays, we can anticipate a double-digit lifespan for our dogs (depending on the size and breed, of course).  With that, comes an increased need for geriatric critter care.

How do you administer vaccine to your best friend?  Here are some P’s to follow –

1.  Pre-visit your vet to determine if the dog may be administered vaccine at home.

2.  Possible reactions that they have to particular vaccines.

3.  Proper schedule.

4.  Proper Administration…temperature, transportation of the medicine, etc.

5.  Preparing your buddy for the shot by carefully checking the area first.

6.  Perfect insertion and removal of the syringe

Isn’t it great to know that the professional dog sitters at Critter Sitters of Southern Kane County, Illinois have all of the skills necessary to keep your best friend happy and healthier for a good many years.  When you call Sandy or one of her team to come into your home you are trusting someone who cares about your dog almost as much as you do.  Please call today for an in-home visit at (630) 844-9554.

Walk the Dog.

Wait, wasn’t that an old yo-yo trick?  No tricks here, just common sense.  Your dog should be walked on an almost daily basis, and intellectually you know that.  The benefits of a canine walk not only benefits their physical well-being, but also staves off boredom which can lead to bad behavior such as chewing.  So…walk off that excess energy!

How often should a dog be walked?  Well, it depends on the breed somewhat.  As a general rule it would be nice if your dog could take a brisk walk twice a day for 15 minutes at a time.  You say, hey I have to work all day and come home to a household that needs looking after.  What do I do about my four-legged child’s welfare?

Voila…enter Critter Sitters!  We walk dogs and provide many other pet care services.  Find out what a difference that extra walk per day could mean for your best friend.  Please contact me…Sandy Hafenbrack to get all of the details.  We invite you to visit our website at www.alltopcrittersitters.com for more details.  That phone number is (630) 844-9554.

Here Kitty, Kitty.

If that is a familiar sound in your home, then you may be contemplating what to do with your beloved feline when you go on vacation this summer.  We know that cats are not dogs and you may actually be thinking about either boarding them or leaving them home alone for a week.  You won’t do THAT will you?

Please don’t believe the things you may have read that cats can do just fine by staying home alone as long as you’ve filled up a mountain of food and a big bowl of water.  Just imagine the things that can go wrong!  There are things like medical emergencies and household mishaps that can occur during that very long period of time.

As Monty Python once joked “you wouldn’t want to come home to a dead cat!”.  This is merely our wake-up call to all of you cat fanciers in Sugar Grove, Elburn, and the far Western Suburbs of Chicagoland.  Your vacation plans should start with a call to Critter Sitters…the area’s premier pet sitting service.  Call Sandy at (630) 844-9554.

Your Four-Legged Child Needs their Exercise as Well.

How far away from work do you live?  If you live in the far Western Suburbs of Chicagoland, chances are you have a long commute.  Our days are extended by many minutes (maybe even hours of driving).  When we are in the car or at work hours seem like days to our beloved pets…especially our dogs.

Here is a test.  You try holding it all day!  Exactly, so why would you expect your dog to do the same thing?  Human contact is what brought the wolves to the fire eons ago.  Human interaction is what your dog(s) crave.  If you are not there to provide it, why not someone who loves all creatures great and small?

The answer in Sugar Grove, Elburn, and Western Suburban Chicagoland is Critter Sitters.  Sandy or one of her amazing team members will come over every workday and walk as well as play with the “kids”.  Now that is peace of mind on which you cannot put a price!  Call Sandy and arrange an in-home meet and greet at (630) 844-9554.

Pet Sitting for all Creatures Great and Small.

One thing about our beloved pets is that they develop habits which stem from YOUR daily routine.  They sleep in similar places, eat at somewhat regular times, and (hopefully) sleep when you expect them too.  The important thing for a four-legged child is routine.  Anything that upsets that upsets the household.

What are your plans for 2018?  Will your job take you out of the house more often?  Will you be going on vacation(s)?  Do you have a sick relative outside of Chicagoland that you wish to visit?  Better yet, are you a snowbird who wants to escape winter for a month or so?  Every decision you make impacts your pets.

That is where Sandy Hafenbrack and her amazing, loving team of care-givers comes in.  Sandy is the owner of Critter Sitters serving Elburn, Sugar Grove, and other areas of Western Suburban Chicago.  When we say that she and her staff treat your loved ones with the same care you would we may be underestimating their love for all creatures great and small.  Call Sandy today for an in-home visit at (630) 844-9554.

Bird, Bird, Bird…Bird is the Word!

Hey, we are known as a premier dog walker and pet sitting service, but a lot of you in the far Western Suburbs of Chicagoland have exotic birds.  They are every bit as beloved as four-legged creatures and usually darned valuable.  When you are about to embark on a trip away from home for days you need to feel confident that all is well with your feathered friends.

What are some ways to establish a good bird sitter?  You could –

1.  Ask an avian veterinarian.

2.  Inquire around at area bird clubs.

3.  Hire a relative or friend.

That last choice could be a regretful one.  The best choice may be us.  We are Critter Sitters of Sugar Grove, Elburn, and the far Western Suburbs of Chicagoland.  When we say critters, we take tender loving care of all creatures great and small.  If you want to come home to a healthy, happy macaw or other birdie please call us for an in-home visit at (630) 844-9554.

A Pet Sitter Must Love My Pet Like Her Own.

It is just simply mandatory.  What would you do for your beloved four-legged child to protect it from harm?  Whatever that entails you must expect nothing less than that from the people you entrust to watch over them while you are on vacation or at work.  You look for compassion and longevity in the pet sitting business.

For more than 25 years Sandy Hafenbrack has devoted her life to caring for the lives of your pets in the Fox Valley.  Now, she has employed an amazing team of people who are dedicated to the same thing.  They will not only treat your “kids” with compassion, but also check around your home while you are away for any security issues.

That is a combination that is hard to beat.  Add to it, their medical training to help treat animals in need of daily shots, pills, etc. and you simply cannot do any better in Sugar Grove, Elburn, and the far Western Suburbs of Chicagoland.  Please call Sandy for a complimentary in-home visit at (630) 844-9554.

Sitting for Critters is not Just for Dogs.

Oh no, there are dozens of beloved pets both great and small that need to be looked in on.  Cats certainly come to mind.  Just because your kitty seems like a loner does not mean he or she wants to be left alone for days.  To a cat, a clean litter box is like a clean bathroom to us, so why subject her to that?

Beyond that there are exotic birds that live for decades and should not be left to sit by themselves for days on end.  There are hamsters, guinea pigs, bearded dragons (cute as heck in their own way!), snakes, etc.  Any and all mammals and reptiles need looking after if you are gone for more than a day or two.

Enter Critter Sitters.  Sandy and her amazing staff really do care for all creatures great and small and know how important they are to your family structure.  Monty Python had a cute skit back in a day that said with tongue in cheek “you wouldn’t want to come home to a dead cat!”.  Let your pets enjoy the comforts of their home while you are gone.  Call Critter Sitters serving the far Western Suburbs of Chicagoland at (630) 844-9554.

Considering Pet Insurance.

Should you carry pet insurance?  Well, do you carry human insurance?  How important are your four-legged children to you and your family?  You could rationalize that we only have these loved-ones for a dozen years or so, but do we want to say good-bye too soon because we can’t afford to treat an affliction or injury?

Here are some reasons to have pet insurance –

1.  It allows you to pick your veterinarian.

2.  It does not discriminate by breed or age…nearly any dog or cat can be insured.

3.  Prevents dipping into emergency funds that were earmarked for something else.

4.  Peace of mind.  Need we say more?

If you believe in pet sitting services, it would also seem that you would be a strong proponent of pet insurance.  We at Critter Sitters have “no dog in the fight”.  We just want you to have your beloved family member for as long as you can.  Please visit www.alltopcrittersitters.com to discover who we are and what we believe in.  Give us a call at (630) 844-9554.