Category Archives: Chicago Catch

keep up with what’s happening at Out-U-Go Chicago.

Summer Safety: Dogs and Hot Cars Don’t Mix! [Infographic]

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Hot Car Safety DogsThe Dog Days of Summer are (finally) here! We are always super careful to be sure your pups are safe out on a walk with us. We look for shade on a hot day, watch out for excessive heat, and make sure each pup has plenty of water.

While there is no better season to be a Pet Sitter (strolling through our beautiful city with your cute pooch?!?!) Summer does come with some safety hazards. Please remember your car is NOT the place for your pooch in the Summer! Temperatures in a parked car quickly escalade to dangerous degrees, so keep dogs out of hot cars!

Thanks for letting us kick back on Summer days with your #1 pal! Woof!

OUG! <3’s BBQ: Best Barbecue Recipes for this Summer!

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Fire up the grill, pet parents!

We sniffed around for the best barbecue recipes and ideas this summer, and found these delicious Honey Chicken Kabobs! Sure to be a hit among your human friends and family, this recipe is perfect for outdoor summer gatherings! As with all culinary pursuits, take care to select your cook wisely…

HONEY CHICKEN KABOBS WITH VEGGIES

Recipe courtesy of Allrecipes
Prep: 15 mins | Cook: 15 mins | Ready in: 2.5 hrs | Serves: 12

Ingredients:

  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • ⅓ cup honey
  • ⅓ cup soy sauce
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 8 skinless & boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 5 small onions, cut into 2 inch pieces
  • 2 red bell peppers, cut into 2 inch pieces
  • skewers

Directions:

Best Summer BBQ Recipes & Ideas

In a large bowl, whisk together oil, honey, soy sauce, and pepper. Before adding chicken, reserve a small amount of marinade to brush onto kabobs while cooking. Place the chicken, garlic, onions, and peppers in the bowl, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (the longer the better).

Preheat the grill for high heat.

Drain marinade from the chicken and vegetables, and discard marinade. Thread chicken and vegetables alternately onto the skewers.

Lightly oil the grill grate. Place skewers on the grill and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until chicken juices run clear. Turn and brush with reserved marinade frequently.

Bone appetit!

Best Vets in Chicago

Best Vets in Chicago, IL

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Keeping your four-legged child bright-eyed and bushy-tailed is of the utmost importance to loving pet parents. At home, you can ensure that your furry baby is happy and healthy through everyday activities, such as:

  • Taking long walks on the beach (or sidewalk)
  • Giving zillions of belly rubs
  • Feeding delicious & nutritious meals
  • Falling asleep on the couch together watching Lassie reruns

In addition to the above, it is essential to find a great Chicago, IL vet to care for your pet in sickness and in health. We’ve put together a list of some of the best vets in Chicago to help you get started in your search for Fido’s perfect match!

    Best Vets in Chicago - Animal Medical Center

  1. Animal Medical Center of Chicago: Not only does AMC of Chicago do a lot for the rescue community, but they also have the wonderful Molly working at the front desk, former OUG! Pet Sitter extraordinaire! 
    1618 W. Diversey
    773-525-3353
    Open Monday – Saturday
  2. Roscoe Village Animal Hospital: Dr. Rovner at Roscoe Village Animal Hospital is another Vet that lends a hand to the homeless pups of Chicago, and takes great care of the dogs and cats with homes too!
    3131 N. Clybourn
    (773) 549-3131
    Open seven days a week!
  3. Animal Emergency & Treatment Center of Chicago: Unfortunately, our pets do encounter emergencies. OUG! Central Top Dog, Sara, had such an emergency in July of 2012 and the staff at AETC was so kind and compassionate. Open 24/7, this is one of the spots in Chicago to know!
    3927 W. Belmont Ave
    24-Hour Emergency Number: (773) 516-5800
  4. Blum Animal Hospital: Voted Chicago’s favorite pet hospital, OUG! has lots of Pet Parents that trust this hospital in Lincoln Park!
    3219 N. Clark Street
    (773) 327-4446
    Open Monday – Saturday
  5. West Wrigley Animal Hospital: Our very own office pup, Digby, has a major crush on his Vet at West Wrigley Animal Hospital!
    3416 N. Ashland
    773.528.8387
    Open Monday – Saturday

Best of luck choosing a great veterinarian in Chicago, IL!

Vern on a scenic dog walking route in Chicago

Top 3 Scenic Dog Walking Routes in Chicago

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Finding great, scenic dog walking routes in Chicago is something we’re always sniffing around for. While Sherlock’s nose is to the ground (searching for squirrel clues, of course!), it’s a treat for parents to take in such sights as unique architecture, local history, or beautiful natural landscapes. Our paws have done some walkin’, so we’ve compiled a list of our favorite routes across town for you and your pups to check out!

  1. The paths along Lake Michigan provide for some of the best and most scenic dog walking routes in Chicago! Vern lives in the Northeast of our Territory and loves walking along the Lake. There is a little known dog beach just North of Foster at the Lake, and it’s nice to walk by that area to watch the dogs play. The walk going South is great for skyline views and sunrises. Even on a gray day, this walk is scenic!
  2. We have a lot of pups that live in Wrigleyville, and a fun walk is around Wrigley Field. Beat the normal hustle and bustle of baseball season by going on a non-game day, early in the morning, or late at night–the quiet, stillness of the ball park is a treat. You can’t help but feel a little special to walk around such an historic area with just you and the pups!
  3. Lady Jane Mae & Bogey live just North of Millenium Park. It’s so fun to step outside their building, go West on Randolph, then enter Millenium Park. It’s nice and big, so in the middle of the day, there is plenty of space to walk around where you won’t run into other people or dogs. Just you and the pups being tourists in your own city!
Meet Chicago Pet Sitting Superstar, Maggie!

Featured Chicago Pet Sitting Superstar: Maggie!

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Meet our Chicago Pet Sitting Superstar, Maggie! Maggie dog walks in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago and is B.F.F. (Best Friend’s Friend) to many of the area’s pups!

  • AKA: Mags
  • Best gift ever: My first camera, definitely.
  • My superpower would be: The ability to fly. How convenient and awesome would that be?!
  • Favorite animal (other than cats & dogs): Other than cats & dogs? That’s tough! I would have to say elephants, because they’re amazing.
  • Life philosophy: Golden rule. Be cool to your fellow humans. Everyone has a story and everyone has a struggle. Also, enjoy life as much as you can!
Schedule your Memorial Day Dog Walks

Schedule Your Memorial Day Chicago Pet Care!

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Sooo, it’s been raining, huh? Flooded basements, muddy paws, traffic jams, thunderstorms. My, oh my! We are ready for some fun in the sun! And we’re in luck: Memorial Day, the official kick-off to Summer, is near!

We’d love to visit your furry family while you are enjoying the Memorial Day Weekend away from home.

We fill up fast, so act soon! Deadline for Memorial Day Weekend Chicago Pet Care visits is Thursday, May 23.

OUG Earth Day

Happy Earth Day, Living Beings!

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Every day is a great day to think and talk about our environmental conservation efforts, but the celebrated Earth Day is coming up on Monday, April 22. Skip the usual case of the Mondays and opt to have a smart and fun eco-experience with your four-legged children!

  • Talk to your cat about responsible paper towel use. Many pet-induced messes call for a fresh square or two, but consider using a cloth or rag next time Mittens “accidentally” pushes your drink glass over the moment you stop scratching her chin.
  • Teach your fur-children about climate change through participating in World Wide Fund for Nature‘s (WWF) Earth Hour. Since bedtime seems to be when pups practice their Olympics tryout material and kitties reenact American Gladiators episodes, this earlier hour free of non-essential lights on Earth Day will earn you some additional sleep and the last laugh.
  • Plant a tree with your pup! He will surely be willing to assist with the daily maintenance, and as a bonus, he will feel philanthropic in watching it grow from a tiny seedling into a structure that houses his squirrel arch-nemeses.

Learn more about how we minimize our carbon paw prints every day through Out-U-Go! Cares!

Montrose Beach Dog Park in Chicago, IL

Best Dog Parks in Chicago, IL

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Dog parents understand the importance of finding a great local dog park. Dog parks are a great resource for your furry friend to run to his heart’s content, interact with other dogs, sniff new things, and buddy up to humans in attempts to gain cookies. It is also a great place for pet parents to meet like-minded neighbors and share fur-children stories! We’ve put together a list of the best dog parks in Chicago, IL to help you find a spot with the amenities, space, and cookie-dispensing humans that your pup is looking for!
In the City of Chicago, there are quite a few dog parks regulated by the Chicago Park District. Make sure you check out the rules first!

  1. Churchill Field Playlot Park: A dog park located in the Bucktown neighborhood of Chicago, at 1825 N. Damen, Churchill Field Playlot Park has a fountain for thirsty pups and spans .16 acres.
  2. Clarendon Park Community Center: Located between the Buena Park and Uptown neighborhoods at 4501 N. Marine Drive, Clarendon Park Community Center dog park offers .13 acres for furry pals to frolic.
  3. Hamlin Park: Roscoe Village offers Hamlin Park, a popular neighborhood dog park located at 3035 N. Hoyne.
  4. Lincoln Park Dog-Friendly Areas: Lincoln Park neighborhood has three great areas for pups to run and swim! At Belmont and Lake Shore Drive, the Belmont Harbor has a small enclosed dog beach area for pups to sniff sand and doggie paddle in the lake. It’s a cool place to meet other pet parents in the summer months! At Foster and Lake Shore Drive, dogs have the Northern .78 acres of Foster Beach to run, and at Montrose and Simonds Drive, dogs have the Northern 3.83 acres of Montrose Beach to play.
  5. Montrose Beach: Our favorite dog beach in Chicago! Not too far from the above-mentioned Clarendon Park Community Center, Montrose Dog Beach is located at Wilson and Lake Shore Drive. It’s the perfect place for dogs and their parents to cool off in the Chicago heat.

Have fun exploring!

Bark in the Park Recap

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Carly with Bully Breed Rescue adoptable dogs

It is no secret that I LOVE my job and by far one of the best parts about my job is working with wonderful shelters, such as The Anti- Cruelty Society.  The ACS adopts out thousands of homeless  cats and dogs each year!  The ACS does a terrific job of creating events that are fun for everyone and very family friendly.  These events are always a big success and in turn raise lots of money for the shelter.  We have partcipated in “It’s Raining Cats and Dogs” and also “Bark in the Park” the last couple of years and year after year they continue to be a huge success.  They draw in a great crowd and really bring animal lovers together for a great cause.

This year, we had an awesome booth that people were able to stop by and learn more about Out-U-Go!  Jerry and Alyse (who are two of our fabulous walkers)  helped out and I could not have done it without them!  Jerry handed out treats to every furry friend that walked by while Alyse captured all the Kodak moments being the amazing photographer she is.  Our next door neighbor was the Midwest Bully Breed rescue so I had the pleasure of making friends with Wanda and a few other adorable bulldogs.  Also- it is so fun to see our pet parents and pup’s at these events!  We bumped in to Ollie, Hope and Fausty (just name to a few). 🙂

We will continue to support the ACS and every other wonderful shelter we work with!  I encourage you and everyone you know to attend these events as they are fun, furry and a great way to hang with your pup!

When Carly met Olive…

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Miss Olive as a puppy!

It was my 28th birthday and I had a case of the blues.  For some reason, 28 sounded much older and much scarier than 27 (perhaps because  28 was much closer to the dreaded 30!) So,  I took the day off work and my mom came down to the city to meet me for lunch and take me on a mini ” birthday spree”.  I knew my blues would lift quickly with a little shopping and mom time.

There are two routes to Michigan Ave from my house.  I thought we should take the Grand Ave route but my mom insisted taking Randolph was much quicker.  It was a simple debate and in the end I won because it was my birthday. 🙂   And this begins the tail of when Carly met Olive…

We walked, we talked and we laughed down Grand Ave enjoying the amazing sunshine beating down on our face.  In the distance, I spotted a cute lil’ pup walking towards us.  This pup had something so sweet about her and I, of course, stopped the owner as she came closer to me (I have a problem where I feel the need stop every dog to say hello).  “What kind of dog is she?” I asked as I gave her kisses.  The woman replied that she was unsure what kind of dog she was as she was fostering  her for a week.  “She needs a loving home and she loves to watch tv,” said the woman chuckling. At this point, I began to feel a sensation inside of me that this might be fate.  Could this sweet lil’ pup (named Stacey at the time) be my new little angel?  It felt so right and it seemed like a twist of fate that I happened to take the day off of work, fought to take that specific route and met her on my birthday.  But, I knew I had to think this through and sleep on it.

So, I took the ladies name, said goodbye to Stacey and went on my way.  For the next couple of days, I could not get this lil’ pup off my mind.  This had to be fate.   So, I made a call, filled out some paperwork, had an interview, and within days I was on my way to pick up my new pup, who I named Olive.

I have now had Ms. Olive Stein for over 2 years and to say she has been an easy pup would simply not be true.  Olive’s history  was that she had been picked up in Texas as a stray and sent to a shelter when she was only a baby.  From that point, a rescue group in Texas saved her,  put her in a animal sanctuary and then Arf House (a shelter in Chicago) shuttled Olive and her sisters & brothers 17 hours back to Chicago to be adopted.  (Arf House is a wonderful organization and are such nice people to work with, btw!)

Even though Olive has been a lot of hard work and a much bigger challenge than I had anticipated, I love my little girl to pieces.  She is as sweet as they come and truly brings so much joy to my life.  Olive loves coming to work with my every day at Out-U-Go! and her favorite part of the day is when the walkers check in and out because she loves to greet each and every one of them with kisses.  Olive and I are so lucky that our paths truly crossed and I do believe it was twist of fate.  And, as I am about to turn 30, it doesn’t feel so scary anymore. 🙂

Carly and Olive