Tag Archives: dogs

🎇 A Fido Friendly Fourth 🎆

Greetings, Pet Parents!

Sunshine, parties, and fireworks – all things we humans look forward to during the summer months. With the fourth of July upon us, it’s time to not only figure out how you’re going to celebrate Independence Day, but also how to keep your feline and canine companions calm, collected, and happy during all the excitement (and noise). Fireworks don’t make the list of almost any pup’s favorite things…

Tips for a Fido Friendly Fourth:

  • Keep pups at home – Even “relaxing” at a friend’s house can be stressful for pups that are in a new surrounding with loud, unfamiliar noises.
  • Create a happy environment – For pups that are crated, consider covering their crate with a blanket. For all pups, play some music or turn on the television to create background noise and help drown out the sounds from outdoors.
  • Avoid grill scraps – Most pups would find all the food pretty tasty. But, some of them are toxic and many (coupled with the stress) lend themselves to very upset puppy tummies.
  • Schedule some love – Either pop in back at home periodically to assure your fur-kids that fireworks too shall pass or schedule a visit with an OUG! B.F.F. – we’d love to keep our friends company.
  • Collars and identification – Be sure your pup is wearing identification and not left unattended. Nervous, pups are always more likely to jump, run, dig, etc.

Peace, Love, and Belly Rubs,

– Your BFFs at Out-U-Go!

 


June’s P.O.T.M. is…

Shea
(& Andrew)

Type: Dog & BFF
Age: 4 years

fun fact:
Whenever Andrew stops by to see his BFF Shea, she cannot wait to head out with him! Shea is named after the butter, and she loves talking about her day, basking in the sun, and going on the longest of walks!!

Spring, Fetch, Love

Toss. Human Removes Slobber from Hand. Fetch. Repeat! Does this little gem of a game sound familiar?  What about romps to the dog park, beach, or through your backyard? If you and your furry friend love these spring activities, we’ve got a list of a few “pup essentials” you should have readily available in a travel tote for fun, exercise, and safety on the go.

  1. Reusable Water Bottle with Bowl
  2. Sanitizer or Pawnitizer Wipes – (see above—seriously, don’t leave home without them!)
  3. Poo Bags & More Poo Bags
  4. Bouncing Jive Ball or Flying Frisbee
  5. LED safety collar lights for all those night owl pups

Also, our friends at BarkPost shared this great post: 21 Funny Dog Pictures That Perfectly Sum Up How We Feel About Spring

– Your BFFs at Out-U-Go!

 

35979db3-30ed-4698-ba97-f17630b652bdApril’s P.O.T.M. is…
Peaches

Type: Pooch

fun fact:

Peaches is one of our goofy, fun loving Oak Park pups who loves playing with her brother Staley & can always make time for some extra cuddles. She is an absolute “peach” to visit with & we couldn’t be happier to have them as part of our OUG family!

dogs vs sprinklers

Dogs vs. Sprinklers: The Battle

Fourth of July BBQs are the perfect opportunity to fire up the grill, turn up some tunes, and hang with friends & family. Looking to liven up the party? Simply add water. That’s right, we’re talking about the sprinkler.

The complicated relationship that exists between dog and sprinkler can only be defined as frenemy.
dogs-vs-sprinklers

Unable to resist a blast of cool water on a hot day but also unwilling to accept this inferior method of watering the lawn, pups in attendance of your friendly get-together will find hours of taunting entertainment in the sprinkler.

dogs-vs-sprinklers-2

You can thank us later. In the meantime, don’t forget to schedule summertime vacation care for your furry family!

Out-U-Go! Celebrates National Pet Month

When you see us out in your neighborhood, you have probably noticed that no matter how much we love movin’ & shakin’ on our walks, we can’t help but stop and sniff the May flowers with your pups. With blossoms in bloom, we get to thinking about how much we love our furry kiddos and all the love they give us back (usually in the form of sloppy kisses and wiggly behinds!).

In honor of this special bond, we’re on Facebook & Twitter celebrating National Pet Month! We’re sharing some surprising benefits that our four-legged family members offer us, in addition to top tips for humans to further better the lives of our beloved furbabies. Get in on the conversation!

Hillary in Denver with her dog and cat

Meet Hillary, OUG! Denver’s Longest-Serving Expert Veteran Pet Sitter!

I’m in charge of: Being your pet’s best friend who they think you know nothing about! I am the giver of all things wonderful. Walks, treats, love…Oh my!

My furry family:

  • Kiwi, my pug. She is my heart. And best friend. She is the cutest, sweetest pug who ever pugged. And the ruler of the cats.
  • Weezer is the best cat ever. No, seriously, everyone says so. Just don’t leave your eyeglasses out! ::chomp::
  • Stacia is a black and white beauty who has an affinity for stinky shoes, licking wet hair, and meowing “now!” when it’s dinner time.
  • Nunu is a delicate beast of a cat who will talk your ear off if you let her.
  • Bug is a feral cat with a heart of gold. He is the funniest little guy, if he lets you see that side of him.
  • My super power: It’s a tie between being invisible or reading minds! Imagine the possibilities!

Best thing ever: Coconut anything!

Hidden Talent: Parallel parking. Composing and singing songs for my pets and yours! Planning and hosting themed parties.

Life Philosophy: You get what you give. Also: if it feels good, do it twice!

Meet Mags, Lucky Lab in Tallahassee

Meet Tallahassee’s Luckiest Lab, Mags! [PHOTO]

Honestly? Is she the most adorable girl or what?

Maggie (or as we affectionately call her, Mags) is a beautiful 14-year-old yellow Labrador. We have the honor of caring for her when her parents need to travel.

Mags has a GREAT life! Her parents not only have wonderful taste in pet sitters (…wink!), they know a thing or two about providing an excellent home for this sweet girl. She is 14 and going strong…going on walks, chomping her Kong, munching through nutritious treats, and soaking up all the love her parents provide her!

Grace Oak Park pet sitter and her dog Fender

Meet Oak Park Pet Sitter, Grace, and Her Adorable Pups! [PHOTO]

Grace is having SO much fun taking care of your furry family members! Get to know her a little bit!

My Furry Family: Two dogs: Fender, a 3-year-old Doberman Pinscher and Duncan, a 2-year-old Belgian Malinois.

My Favorite Animal (other than dogs & cats): Snakes

My Favorite Game: Training my doggies. I try to make sure it’s always a huge game that is fun for both them and me.

Best Gift Ever: Fender, my Dobe…he was my Christmas present this year!

My Superpower Would Be: Teleporting, especially considering this past winter.

Life Philosophy: Enjoy what you do, and do what you enjoy.

South Loop small dog

Meet our New South Loop & Hyde Park Pack Leader Hannah’s Pup, Figgins!

South Loop & Hyde Park’s new Pack Leader, Hannah, joined us at the start of the New Year. She brings with her some serious love for pups, kitties, and all pets furry! She also brings her best bud: a cute black pug, Figgins! Stay tuned as we share more about our new Pack Leader, but in the meantime, here’s a photo of Figgins hard at work in our office!

cold dog in Chicago area snow

Chicagoland Chills: Ice, Snow, & Cold..Oh, my!

When people know you’re in the dog walking world, they talk to you a lot about the weather. In the summer, we often hear “Dog walking must be the perfect job!” In the winter (especially this winter with Chicagoland’s Polar Vortex) that often turns to, “Dog walking must be really hard!”

Yes, the winter challenges our Pet Sitters. You’ve got to bundle up, find a parking spot in the mounds of snow, take your boots off in the house, put on the pups’ coats & booties, encourage pups to take care of business in the cold, wipe the snow off pups (stop to blow your nose), take your boots off again, take the pups’ layers off, etc. It’s a few extra steps, BUT, we love it! We are so lucky to swoop into your home in the middle of the day and let your pup know he or she is loved and cared for.

However your pups feel about the cold, they love to see their favorite Pet Sitter each time he or she visits. As for us, getting licks on our frozen noses makes winter weather worth it!

And kitty visits this time of year? Now THOSE are the cat’s meow! 😉

Tallahassee-dog-Barkley

Meet Barkley, World Cup “Most Valuable Pup”

Meet our pal, Barkley, the World Cup “Most Valuable Pup”!! We’ve had the pleasure of watching this handsome devil grow up.

Barkley’s most favorite toy is his soccer ball–it’s almost as big as he is! He even head butts the ball like Pelé himself. Barkley makes for an impressive goalie despite his small stature!