Home and Pet Lovers Articles and Tips

A new resource for house sitters to swap ideas

2008-01-01T00:36:00.000-08:00

A new housesitting forum has opened at:

Housesitting forum

House Sitting Video Presentation - benefits of having a sitter

2007-11-28T23:22:00.000-08:00

Housesitting means your pets can stay in their own environment and your home is more secure.

View video on how house sittin works.

View House Sitting Viedo

Resources for Home Safety

2007-07-12T17:29:00.001-07:00

Safety around your home. Here are a list of great resources:

Home and Family Safety

Travel and Explore the world with rent free accommodation

2007-07-09T19:09:00.000-07:00

Here is a great opportunity to see the world via house sitting. Here are some
current opportunities.

House Sitting Opportunities France

House Sitting Opportunities New Zealand

House Sitting Opportunities United States

House Sitting Opportunities Australia

House Sitting Opportunities Canada

House Sitting Opportunities England

House Sitting Opportunities South Africa

Find a house sitters in Australia's leading directory

2007-06-17T05:34:00.001-07:00

Find a house sitters in Australia's leading directory

2007-06-13T20:49:00.000-07:00

"Thank you so much for a wonderfull professional website.

My Business could not have done without it, I will recommend this site to anyone. My business has grown so much. In addition to that I have met wonderful people hwo lover their pets so much that I can not respect them enough for putting their pets needs in order. By hiring a pet sitter their pets are more at ease.

Dog walking has saved the doy for most of my clients - saved them gas and time from not coming home on their lunch break, And they notice a big difference when they ome home and their pets azre more relaxed, The owners get a chance to unwind from work.

Thanks so much again."

Vanessa Ditta... WALK N WAGGLES UserName: kelsee - Erie county Western New York

View Profile for WALK N WAGGLES, Erie New York

South Austalian House Sitting Directory

2007-05-15T00:47:00.001-07:00

The South Australian Governemnt has recognised the importance of house sitting by
creating a house sitting reference

South Australian House Sitting Directory

House sitting is a great way to see the world rent free.

2007-03-01T14:06:00.000-08:00

Travellers and Retirees can register for house sitting below:

See how to get rent free accommodation as a housesitter

House sitting is a great way to see the world rent free. You get to experience being part of the local community - and living like a local.

Sitter potter lines up 3 housesits

2006-11-21T19:46:00.000-08:00

I find your site to be very user friendly. We are pleased with your service and have found 3 very good matches as housesitters.

I would recommend your site to anyone either looking to housesit or find a housesitter. Thank you. .. potter

View profile for sitters Potter

An interesting artlcle on living rent free

2006-11-01T14:19:00.000-08:00

I recommend you check out this artcle from savingadvice.com on living rent free.

Living Rent free through house sitting

Puppy Potty Training: Little Drops of Wisdom for New Owners

2006-10-27T19:35:00.000-07:00

Puppy Potty Training: Little Drops of Wisdom for New Owners

Puppy potty training is an action phrase that on thought alone could give new owners bouts of stomach pains and fits of frustration, or actually sway a nay decision for would-be dog owners. Yet, to think that way about puppy potty training is to be a “glass is half empty” type of person. A “glass is half full” person would see puppy potty training as a one-on-one, bonding experience with a new canine friend. That is exactly how we want you to look at potty training—a bonding experience, albeit a sometimes stinky and wet one. Will there be accidents? Yes. Will you, at times, feel your puppy will never grasp potty training? Yes. Will your puppy ever be trained? Yes, if you following the tips in this article.

Puppy Potty Training: The Challenges

If puppy potty training had a creed it would be that potty training gets worse just before its get better. For dog owners the most challenging part of puppy potty training is the period just before the puppy “gets it”, so please keep that in mind. One day you may think all is lost and see nothing is your future but the back aches of wiping up accidents, then one day you realize that your dog hasn’t peed in the house for three days. When that day comes, trust me, you’ll feel like you just inherited Bill Gates’ fortune. It will take a minute to sink in, but then you’ll rejoice and tell everyone who will listen.

Puppy Potty Training: You’re in it Together

Remember, you can’t expect your puppy to train himself, or to get the hang of things with a half-hearted training program on your part. This is a full-time commitment. This isn’t like that oath you made to work out five days a week, which is now actually two days a month (okay, that was my oath, but you get the picture.) Also, don’t forget to train yourself to read your puppy’s signs and when he’s making a plea to pee. Puppy potty training is not only for your dog (and your floors), but for you as well. It is an exhilarating feeling when your puppy runs to you with puppy dog eyes and in dog speak says, “I need to go out,” and you respond. It is a sign that you’re making progress. A puppy that knows he can rely on a dependable owner to respond to his signs is a happy, healthy, responsive puppy that is going to let you know. On the flip side, if you don’t respond, your puppy will know you’re not there for him, and he’ll go to someone who listens—the floor.

New Puppies: No Training Required

Some puppy potty training guides advise new owners to buy puppies that were already trained by a breeder or handler. We say, phooey—get whichever dog you like. Besides, anyone who has ever searched for a new pet knows that we don’t pick them, they pick us. Why should a puppy that wasn’t “bred” to sell, or dog from a shelter be deprived of a good home because his former owner didn’t train him? Dogs are smart and easily trained, so commit to whichever puppy or dog you want, and see how rewarding it is to train or retrain your new buddy.

The Difference Between Potty Training and Housebreaking

The term potty training is used today instead of housebreaking. You’ll notice this “term” when speaking with vets, trainers, or reading books. Housebreaking was often a process that involved scolding, sticking your dog’s face in accidents, and other animal cruelties. The old way of housebreaking was a mind set that the dog was going to do what the owner wanted, when the owner wanted him to do it. If the new puppy messed up he was punished in a way that would make him think twice before doing it again. That treatment is not acceptable today. If you are researching trainers, and he/she uses the term “housebreak” that can be a clue as to their methods and mindset. As it should, treatment of animals has evolved, and so a smarter more humane approach to training is used.

Let me give you a quick example of one aspect of puppy potty training. You walk into your kitchen and see a puddle on the floor. Your curious puppy is soon by your side to see what you’re up to. You point to the puddle while looking at your puppy and say, “no.” You’re not yelling, or touching your dog, you’re just showing your displeasure. Immediately take your puppy outside to the place you want him to pee. After he pees, praise him, give him a treat, pet him, and let him see how happy you are. Your puppy’s tail is probably up and wagging, meaning he is happy. This is just one part of the training process, but it gives you an example of how positive reinforcement works. Puppy potty training today is a combination of training your puppy, training yourself to read your puppy’s signs, establishing your rank in the “pack” without abuse or cruelty, using a crate at specific times, and feeding your puppy at specific times of the day to establish a regular schedule. Of course, rewarding your dog for his successes is a huge part of the program.

Congratulations on finding your new puppy, and good luck with potty training. Use the tips in this article to find the right puppy potty training routine or program for the both of you. Remember, there was a time when each and everyone one of us was “potty trained” and we all eventually got it.

Copyright © 2006, Ian White Access 2000 Pty Ltd

Make Your Own Christmas Cards

2006-10-18T21:51:00.001-07:00

Are you tired of sending the same old Christmas cards depicting boring baubles and dreary bells year in and year out? Have you ever thought that you could design better Christmas cards yourself? Why not have a go this year?

The best time to begin collecting material for making Christmas cards is during the previous year’s yuletide season. Collect as many seasonal clippings, ribbons, bows and small decorations as possible from magazines, wrapping paper, gift tags, Christmas cards, advent calendars…the list is endless – you won’t have to look far for inspiration during the Christmas period.

Once you have amassed all of your material, store it in a special craft chest. You may wish to divide your material into different themes and put it into individual drawers in your craft chest.

You can then decide when to begin making cards for next Christmas. This will depend on how much time you have throughout the year and how many cards you wish to make – do you want to make a card for everyone on your Christmas card list or just a few for close friends and family?

Before starting to make the cards, you will need to buy either some card for cutting, folding and making your own card blanks or some ready-made card blanks with envelopes - this is the quickest and easiest way. Look in the crafts-paper crafts-card making section of eBay for good value packs of card blanks and matching envelopes or try your local craft store.

White or cream is a good background color as it enables you to use a variety of colors on top but you don’t have to restrict yourself to this color, you can be as creative as you like. Red and green also make good background colors for Christmas cards.

You may also wish to buy peel-offs, which are stickers with such greetings as ‘Happy Christmas,’ ‘Season’s Greetings,’ etc. They are useful for giving your cards the finishing touch but are not essential, as you could write a greeting using a silver gel pen, for example, or not include a greeting on the front of the card at all.

Sticky pads are another useful addition to your Christmas card craft making kit. These small foam pads with adhesive on both sides give certain images a slightly raised effect, allowing them to stand out from card slightly. They are excellent for giving more prominence to centerpieces.

You could also buy other materials like handmade or mulberry paper but these are not necessary if you have amassed a lot of your own Christmas material.

Alternatively, if you do not have any materials for making the cards, you could buy a Christmas card making kit. This will include several card blanks as well as many bits and pieces that you can use to design and make cards. It may even have suggested designs and instructions, which are great if you lack a little inspiration.

As far as tools are concerned, the only essential tools are a pair of scissors, a ruler and some glue. A glue pen is very useful as it allows you to apply glue very finely to small decorations.

Now the fun begins…just sit down and let you imagination run wild. Try out different designs on the cards without sticking them down. If one design doesn’t work, discard it and begin again but don’t be too judgmental – the idea is to have fun. Some designs will be better than others but you won’t develop your own style if you don’t give your creativity full rein.

As a finishing touch, you could add a little sticker on the back saying ‘handmade by…’ These stickers are available to buy or you could print them yourself from your computer. If people like your cards, you could have orders coming in for next year’s cards and before you know it, you will have set up your own card making business. You could even sell your surplus cards to friends, at local groups and fairs or even on the Internet. eBay is a good place to start selling hand-crafted items online.

If you do begin selling your cards, bear in mind that you can only sell your original designs. If you have copied someone else’s design either from a book, magazine, website or another source, you cannot sell it as it would be a violation of copyright, unless it is explicitly stated that it is a copyright-free design.

So, sit down, relax and enjoy a creative pursuit in the run-up to Christmas. The rewards could be greater than you expect.

Copyright © 2006, Ian White Access 2000 Pty Ltd

Choice Magazine article on House Sitting (Australian Consumer Association)

2006-10-08T20:47:00.000-07:00

Choice Magazine (Australian Consumer Association) has produced an objective report on house sitting. What to look out for from the home owner viewpoint.

See full article from Choice Magazine on House Sitting Agencies

Twenty Tips That Make Painting Easier

2006-10-08T15:25:00.000-07:00

Twenty Tips That Make Painting Easier

Summary: A list of twenty tips and hints that will make painting easier. Tips include ways that will make clean up easier, how to protect surface, etc.
Key Words: painting, house painting, interior, hints, home improvement

Painting is a hard enough job without any extra labor. The following is a list of tips you should keep in mind before you start painting. They might not make you enjoy it, but they will make the job easier.

1. Make sure you have everything you need before you get started—especially enough paint. In general, a can of paint covers about 400 square feet.

2. Try to avoid painting on rainy days. The extra humidity in the air will cause the paint to dry slower. If this can't be avoided, use a dehumidifier to help speed the drying process.

3. If you are painting a large room, don't try and same money by purchasing the cheap rollers and brushes. The money you save will be minimal and won't make up for sore hands. Plus, better rollers and brushes will help you work quicker.

4. Have your primer tinted the same color as you intend to paint. This will ensure that the paint covers well and could cut down on the need for an additional coat.

5. Use a nail to tap about five or six holes in the retaining grove of the paint can. This will allow the paint to run back into the can. If you need to reseal the can, you can put the nails into the can or put a little play dough or clay over the holes.

6. Glue a large paper plate to the bottom of any open paint can you are using to catch any splatters or drips.

7. Flattened out corrugated boxes are perfect to cover the floors with when painting.

8. Have a wet rag and paper towels handy to wipe up any drips or mistakes. Most of them—including accidental dabs on the ceiling—can be removed this way.

9. Keep some patching compound and a spackle handy. You'll be surprised at all the little holes and marks you can find on your wall. They might not have been visible with the old color, but they can stand out with the new.

10. When stopping for short periods, seal your paintbrushes inside a Ziploc or plastic bag. This will keep them "fresh" without having to spend the time cleaning them. Plastic wrap and aluminum foil work almost as well.

11. Line the inside of your paint tray with aluminum foil or plastic. It will make the clean up easier.

12. To make cleaning your brushes easier, use an old baby-wipe container. Poor paint thinner into the container and push the handle of the brush through the hole in the lid. This will allow the brush to soak without bending the bristles. If you don't have any baby-wipe containers, try cutting a slot into the lid of a coffee can or similar container.

13. Wipe paint rollers on old newspapers before cleaning. Getting rid of any excess paint will make them easier to clean.

14. Rub hand lotion on your hands and arms before you begin. It will make the paint easier to wash off your hands when you're finished. Also, baby oil is sometime better at removing paint from your skin that soap.

15. If you have a steady hand, you might not need masking tape to cover the edges.

16. Wet newspaper can work great at protecting windows. You can use one-inch long strips of newspaper to protect the windowpanes around a window. Dip each strip into water. Pull the strip between your thumb and index finger to remove the excess water. Press the strips onto the glass close to the wood. Do only two at a time and remove them as soon as you're through.

17. If you're painting a bathroom, use wet newspaper to cover the bottom and sides of the tub. The newspaper will click and keep your tub paint-free.

18. Wrap hardware (doorknobs, hinges, pulls, etc.) in foil before painting.

19. Use old milk jugs to store paint. It will keep just as long and the paint is easier to access if you need to do some touch-ups.

20. Write the date, brand and color of paint used under the light switch for a handy reference.

Copyright © 2006, Ian White Access 2000 Pty Ltd

Local Community Services Directory for Sydney Dwellers

2006-09-14T21:01:00.000-07:00

We have found a great resource for finding Local Businesses and Services in major Areas of Sydney. It is a handy simple and fast way to find household related services.

Find house hold maintenance and pet related services in Mona Value, Manly, Dee Why, Mosman, Sydney NSW Australia

The lookguide.com.au - online and delivered to households in the above areas.

Pet Sitters forum

2006-09-08T17:44:00.000-07:00

Suggest a Poll, Start a discussion (topic), Chat to other pet sitters,
Subscribe to topics, Contribute, Teach, Learn, encourage, Be encouraged, Share, Grow ... its all happening at Pet Sitting Forum

When you go away: Board your Dog or find a pet sitter?

2006-08-23T21:14:00.000-07:00

We came across a very balanced report on Dog Boarding v Pet Sitting. Also gives a very good checklist on what to ask a prospective Pet sitter.

Pet Sitting Checklist and Things to consider when selecting a pet sitter

Home Invasion: How To Prevent Termites From Taking Over Your Home

2006-08-09T16:04:00.000-07:00

They are focused in their pursuits, they are abundant in number, and they are probably nibbling on your home right now. What am I referring to? Termites! One of the few insect colonies to eat continuously, a typical single termite colony can completely consume 2.3 linear feet of 2x4 pine in one single year. If that does not sound like much to you, consider the seriousness of the situation if that 2x4 was also one of the supporting beams of your house. Keep in mind also that where there is one termite colony there are usually others, clustered together in pursuit of food. Suddenly, that 2.3 linear feet seems significant, and it is, especially when it is multiplied four or five times.

Termites are one of the biggest contributors to home destruction, costing a staggering $1 billion in damages each year. Thanks to the importing of the voracious Formosan termite from East Asia, that amount continues to skyrocket. Think about the following numbers for a moment. A termite colony consists of anywhere from 350,000 to well over a million workers, soldiers, and swarmers (termites with wings). A single termite queen can lay thousands of eggs per day and live between 30 and 50 years. That means a queen can recoup her losses and repopulate her colony even after tremendous devastation. This means the best way to fight this foe is to prevent them from ever touching your home.

Before we can look at how to prevent them, let’s look at the conditions that attract termites to an area:

Soil: Most termites are subterranean, meaning that they build their colonies in the ground. They love the soil and build elaborate tunnel systems, called galleries, extending up to three feet below the surface. Termites will often use this versatile building material to create mud tubes leading from their underground colonies to above ground food sources, like the wood in your home.

Wood: Termites will consume any material that contains cellulose, and since wood contains a great deal of cellulose, termites devour wood voraciously. If a single piece of wood touches the ground, be certain that a colony of termites somewhere will know about it. Although some subterranean termites will consume other materials like vegetation, dung, and humus, their primary source of food, and their favorite, is wood.

Water: As with most living things, termites generally cannot survive without a source of water present. Whether in the form of a leaky faucet or the natural precipitation process of rain, termites will always seek some source of moisture to survive.

Now that the three conditions for termite survival have been identified, we can now look at ways to prevent termites from infesting your home:

1. Identify and fix all water leaks in your home, both internal and external. As mentioned above, termites need water, and it does not matter where they get it. If the water source comes from your home, all the better for the colony. It means they do not have to work as hard. Eliminating their water source removes one of the three requirements for survival.

2. Remove any brush or heavy growth from around your home. Vegetation can create areas of intense moisture, which is necessary for colony survival. Termites like it wet, so try and disappoint them as much as possible.

3. Eliminate any standing or pooling water from around your home.

4. Store all excess building materials and firewood away from the house. Remember that wood is their primary food source. Scrap wood touching the ground is an open invitation to hungry termites. If your property is not large enough for wood storage away from the house, create barriers beneath the wood to prevent direct access to the termites. Thick concrete slabs or heavy duty metal stands can be used to raise the wood off of the ground.

5. Use treated lumber for any wooden structures that will have direct contact with the ground. The chemicals in treated lumber do not guarantee that termites will not invade the wood, but they can act as a deterrent for decks and patios made out of treated lumber. Home improvement centers now offer concrete supports that raise the wooden support beams for decks and patios off of the ground. This would be a great way to avoid wood to ground contact.

6. Avoid using mulch near your home. Mulch provides two things to hungry termites: a food source and a water source. The qualities of mulch that make it attractive for use in the garden are the very qualities that attract termites. If mulch is placed near the exterior of your home, it is only a small step for a colony to move into your walls. As an alternative to wood mulch, try using one of the newer rubber mulches now available at your local home improvement center. They have the look of mulch and the benefits of mulch without providing the risks.

7. Never bury waste lumber or wood scraps in your yard. It acts as a magnet to termites and directs them to your property.

8. Remove any dead trees, old stumps, or roots in your yard. As these items decay, they attract termites to the area by providing a food source. When the food is gone, the termite colony will look for new sources of food. This includes your house.

9. Seal any cracks or holes within the foundation of your home. This will help prevent easy access for wandering termites.

10. Keep all gutters and waterlines clean of debris. Clogged gutters and waterlines leak, creating pools of water close to the house.

11. Make sure your home is properly ventilated, including your attic and internal crawl space areas. Adequate airflow prevents the buildup of moisture needed by termite colonies.

12. Periodically, get your home inspected for termite damage. A once-a-year inspection can save your home with early detection. If termites are not found in the home, the trained pest control specialists can at least offer recommendations to help you prevent an invasion. They may catch something you missed.

So what happens if you take all of these precautions and termites still begin to munch on your home? Use a pest control specialist in your area to help you deal with the problem. Here are a few of the treatment options that are currently on the market:

 Liquid Termiticide: This liquid pesticide is generally applied around the foundation of the house, as well as underneath the foundation. For new construction sites, the termiticide is applied to the graded soil as the home is being built, but for existing buildings, the foundation is partially dug out and drilled to ensure proper coverage. There are termiticides on the market that act as barriers and repellents to termite invasions, and there are termiticides that act as nerve poisons, killing the termites upon exposure.

 Subterranean Bait: Rather than acting as a deterrent to termite invasion, termite baits attempt to eliminate the colony at its source. Bait stations are set in the ground every ten feet or so around the perimeter of the home. The treatment begins when untreated wood segments are installed in the bait units to determine if termites are active around the house. The units are checked once a week, and if live termites are found, the wood is replaced with a toxic bait that is ingested by the termites and carried back to the colony. The toxins in the bait affect the termites by preventing the molting process, causing them to die ‘within their shell’. This long acting toxin allows the termites to both ingest the poison and carry it back to share with their colony. Special bait units can also be installed inside the home if termites damage is evident. A new series of bait traps have been developed by Dow Agrosciences to fight the more aggressive Formosan termite, which can penetrate cement, brick, heavy duty plastics, and high-pressure water lines just to get to food and water sources.

The best treatment option is a combination of termiticides and bait units setup both in the ground and throughout the house. Termites are hard to kill, and they are even harder to eradicate, so be tenacious in your efforts. Your best bet is to call a professional to help you. Over the counter solutions do not offer the same level of effectiveness that professional grade products do. Your house is one of your greatest commitments you will ever make. It is worth protecting the right way by getting the help of professionals who know what they are doing. But remember. In this case, an ounce of prevention really can take you far, ensuring a better chance of keeping these nasty bugs from eating up your investment before you have a chance to truly enjoy the fruits of your labor.
©2006 Ian White Access

Author Ian White is founder of Housecarers House Sitting Directory. Find a house sitter to keep your home secure and pets happy while you are away

How to Buy a Home Alarm System

2006-08-06T21:15:00.000-07:00

Every year more and more homeowners are experiencing one of their worst nightmares- a home burglary. Chances are that you know someone who has been burglarized, or maybe you have already been a victim. The best step to take to prevent your home from being burglarized is to invest in a home alarm. A home alarm system can make all the difference between peace of mind and the lack of it.

If you are considering purchasing a home alarm system, do your homework. A little bit of easy research is all that it takes to ensure that you get the best possible alarm system for your home. In fact, the first step that you can take is to call your local police station to get some basic information. Find out whether or not they will recommend any companies for the job. If so, check those companies out first.

Next, contact your homeowner’s insurance company. Inform them of your intention to acquire a home alarm system and ask if they have any suggestions or recommendations for types of systems or particular companies. Since a discount is often given to homeowner’s who have an alarm system installed on their home, ask how much you will save on your insurance cost and find out id this differs according to the type of system that you have installed. Even if the amount is minimal, it does make a difference to the total cost of your insurance in the long run.

When you begin your search in earnest, have a representative from each company that you are considering come out to your home for an inspection. Ask for their recommendation in writing along with the cost of the system.

Next, you will need to consider which windows and doors you would like to include in the alarm system. Some systems charge by the number of zones that have been integrated into the alarm system. Each window or door is typically identified as a zone. A basic alarm system may originally be set up for a maximum number of zones. Adding zones onto the system may be possible for an increase in price.

Additionally, remember that not all systems are manufactured in the same manner. Consider whether or not you want your system to be wireless. With a wireless system, no one needs to worry about drilling, unsightly holes, and wires to hide.

Moreover, homeowners need to think about acquiring a battery backup for the alarm system in the event of a power outage. Plus, find out if any additional fees are expected and how often the system will require maintenance. Likewise, check into getting a system with a remote control if that is something that you are interested in getting.

Homeowners will also need to make a choice as to whether they want to have a twenty-four hour monitoring service. Typically, a monthly fee is involved. With this type of system, once a break in is detected, the local police are sent to investigate.

Along with cost features, it is important to consider the family’s lifestyle when deciding which windows and doors to target. Do you have pets? Do the pets frequent particular areas that may interfere with setting up the system in particular zones? What about family members? Will placing an alarm in certain areas cause problems or difficulties?

All of these factors need to be taken into consideration when deciding the location and type of sensors that will be used. Homeowners will do well to select a system that can meet all of their needs. Moreover, it is wise to select a system that can monitor each zone in a single location such as the control panel.

Determine the location for your control panel. Typically, two separate control panels and keypad sets are available; therefore, you will need to decide on two separate locations. The most common locations for control panels are the front door area and the master bedroom area. The control panel is in control of the system, while the keypad allows programming of the system. The keypad also allows the homeowner to turn the system on and off.

When selecting the code to be used for access to the system, a family friendly code, or one that is familiar and readily recalled by the entire family is the best choice. Remember that it might be needed during an emergency, so don’t make it too difficult.

A home alarm system can protect your home and loved ones from the unthinkable. It is a small price to pay for peace of mind. Begin your search today.

©2006 Ian White Access 2000 Pty Ltd

An extra security measure it to have a house sitter stay in your home while you are away. They house sitter can call you if there are any problems with the alarm, and a lived-in home is more secure. As a bonus they can mind your pets and keep you gardens. All this in exchange for rent-free accommodation.

Find a live-in House Sitter for your home

Emergency Medical Care for Pets

2006-07-30T23:51:00.000-07:00

A topic that has been the subject of great debate in recent years has been that of proper medical care and medical insurance for the human populace. While good medical coverage for people still leaves a lot to be desired, animals stand even less of a chance. Although there are many good veterinarians out there the amount of emergency care that is available for pets is sadly lacking.

When my cat was poisoned I searched the phone book and could not find anyone to care for him because it was after regular office hours. After repeatedly receiving automated messages I finally reached one office that generously offered to schedule an appointment the following week for my desperately ill pet. The only emergency pet hospital we could find was in a nearby city over an hour away traveling at top speed.

I was thoroughly appalled at the total inadequacy of available facilities. For pets in need of immediate medical attention, the time it takes to travel to another town or area where available twenty-four hour emergency care can be found, this can literally be a matter of life or death.

In emergency situations people are usually quite unprepared because the only thing on their minds at the time is the injured or ill loved one, even if that loved one is a pet. They normally aren’t thinking about costs or any other factors that are going to add to the amount of stress they are already feeling. So they might be quite disappointed to find that some establishments won’t even treat your pet unless you can pay the full estimated cost of treatment up front. It is unlikely that many people are prepared to pay these costs on the spot unless you are lucky enough to be carrying around a credit card with a fair amount of credit. Do keep in mind that veterinary costs can be quite costly and the extent of injuries or illness can compound those costs readily.

What can you do? You can ask if there is a payment plan that would be more suitable if the costs are rather steep although this is unlikely since most facilities do not offer affordable payment plans. It may be worthwhile to check into a pet insurance plan. While these plans can be fairly costly as well especially if you have more than one pet, it can still help to offset emergency costs when the unexpected happens. Setting up an insurance plan offers a bit more stability and helps to alleviate the pressure of being financially unprepared. Most plans also cover regular yearly exams, shots and a deduction on the cost of medications.

If you live in an area that is sorely lacking in emergency care facilities the best you can do is to create a back up plan by preparing yourself for emergency pet care. Of course prevention is the best medicine but you may want to become familiar with emergency first aid procedures for pets. There are many available resources in books at the local library and on the internet. You may also be able to pick up useful literature from a local veterinarian. You can check and see if any local animal facilities offer any type of educational first aid classes. If not you can still put together a first aid emergency kit to keep on hand for your pet.

You may also want to investigate alternative healing methods as well such as herbal medicine, and homeopathy and seek out practioners in your area. Good nutrition and vitamin supplements can help boost pet health by strengthening the immune system and making them less susceptible to illness.

Copyright © 2006, Ian White Access
Author Ian White is founder of pet-sitters.biz Pet Sitting directory. Find a local Pet Sitter to care for your pets while you are away

Keep Your Pets Cool This Summer

2006-07-19T16:40:00.000-07:00

By Ian White

You know that summer is hot. You also know when you need to get out of the sun and cool down. Listening to your own body is easy, but your four-legged friends can’t talk to you. It’s your job to protect them from the heat – and all of the consequences of summer – by providing everything that they need to stay cool.

When temperatures climb and your pets are panting the afternoons away, follow these tips to keep them safe and happy even on the hottest of days.

-If possible, let your animals come inside during the worst heat every day. Early afternoon is the hottest time of day for any living thing: letting your cats or dogs soak up some air conditioning for a few hours every day will keep them cool and stop your worrying.

-Make sure that your pets have access to shady spots at all times. Trees are the best sources of protection from the sun. If that isn’t possible, make sure that your pet can get under a covered area, such as a patio or porch.

-Keep the pet’s water supply cool and fresh. The water will heat up as the day passes, so either change the dish often or invest in an auto-watering system. Many models attach to your outdoor water faucet: as your pet depletes the water supply, the system adds more without overflowing or making a mess.

-Never leave your animal in a car, even for just a few minutes. The temperature inside the vehicle quickly rises to the point where any living thing inside will either die or become very, very sick. Even if you park in the shade and leave the windows down an inch or two, you’re still putting your beloved pet at risk. You should leave your dog at home where he can stay in the shade or inside and have plenty of access to fresh, cool water.

-Don’t expect your pets to be playful or overly active on hot days. They don’t need to overexert themselves any more than you do. Like humans, pets can suffer from heat exhaustion or heat strokes.

-Some pets love to swim. Provide these animals with a kid’s wading pool so that they can cool off whenever they get too hot. You can also take your dog with you on trips to the lake or other body of water. If he loves to swim, the cool water will be great. The time he gets to spend with his human masters only makes the experience better for everybody.

-You might be tempted to shave off all of your pet’s hair, but this isn’t a good idea. The hair protects your animal’s skin from the sun. The hair also helps channel cool air to your pet’s skin, which helps him stay cooler. Instead of buzzing everything, trim the hair to a shorter length. A professional groomer can do this inexpensively and properly.

-If your pet seems sick or otherwise abnormal, call your veterinarian immediately. If your cat or dog is dehydrated or is suffering from heat exhaustion, he’ll need quick treatment to get well again.

Copyright © 2006, Ian White Access 2000 Pty Ltd

Author Ian White is founder of pet-sitters.biz Pet Sitting directory. Find a local Pet Sitter to care for your pets while you are away

So many new friendships formed for Sitter AlnMaggie

2006-07-04T19:19:00.000-07:00

Once again I am in touch to highly compliment you on the service you offer. We have just completed a wonderful six weeks at Leith, Tasmania & were fortunate yet again to have great people to sit for & as with all our previous sits will remain in touch & so many new friendships have been formed.

I have given your site to so many people & have nothing but praise for your organization.

Regards
Margaret & Alan (AlnMaggie)

View Profile for Sitter AlnMaggie

House sitting in retirement

2006-07-03T15:13:00.000-07:00

This site has opportunities for seniors to house sitEnjoy travelling the world with free accommodation and really experiencing the local community.

Green Tongues – Quotes about Gardening

2006-06-22T16:14:00.000-07:00

From the gardener who tends a single geranium in her windowsill, to the one who supplies bountiful bouquets of roses to floral shops, many people have spoken many words about the art and skill and benefits of gardening. Let’s listen in to some of their voices, historical and contemporary, for in them we may discover the gardener deep within the soil of our soul:

Gardening gives one back a sense of proportion about everything - except itself. ~May Sarton, Plant Dreaming Deep, 1968.

The most noteworthy thing about gardeners is that they are always optimistic, always enterprising, and never satisfied. They always look forward to doing something better than they have ever done before.--Vita Sackville-West, 1892 - 1962.

My green thumb came only as a result of the mistakes I made while learning to see things from the plant's point of view. ~H. Fred Ale.

I have found, through years of practice, that people garden in order to make something grow; to interact with nature; to share, to find sanctuary, to heal, to honor the earth, to leave a mark. Through gardening, we feel whole as we make our personal work of art upon our land.--Julie Moir Messervy, The Inward Garden, 1995, p.19.

Gardening requires lots of water - most of it in the form of perspiration. ~Lou Erickson.

As the biocentric view suggests, the garden prospers when control is balanced by equal measures of humility and benevolence. A balance is struck. Control, servitude, respect, imagination, pragmatism, an ecological conscience, compliance, and a certain measure of mysticism and altruism all meld together to provide nurturance. Try to separate the various aspects into their constituent parts - grant any one of them the status of fundamental gardening definition and one soon skews the entire process. Put them back together again in the service of the two-way street called nurturance, and we express the state of grace called gardening.--Jim Nollman, Why We Garden: Cultivating a Sense of Place, 1994, p. 106.

There can be no other occupation like gardening in which, if you were to creep up behind someone at their work, you would find them smiling. ~Mirabel Osler.

The home gardener is part scientist, part artist, part philosopher, part plowman.
He modifies the climate around his home.--John R. Whiting.

Gardening is a matter of your enthusiasm holding up until your back gets used to it.--Unknown.

Gardening is an exercise in optimism. Sometimes, it is a triumph of hope over experience.--Marina Schinz.

The best place to seek God is in a garden. You can dig for him there. ~George Bernard Shaw, The Adventures of the Black Girl in Her Search for God, 1932.

Science, or para-science, tells us that geraniums bloom better if they are spoken to. But a kind word every now and then is really quite enough. Too much attention, like too much feeding, and weeding and hoeing, inhibits and embarrasses them. ~Victoria Glendinning.

In gardens, beauty is a by-product. The main business is sex and death. ~Sam Llewelyn.

The greatest gift of the garden is the restoration of the five senses. ~Hanna Rion.

In my garden there is a large place for sentiment. My garden of flowers is also my garden of thoughts and dreams. The thoughts grow as freely as the flowers, and the dreams are as beautiful. ~Abram L. Urban.

It is good to be alone in a garden at dawn or dark so that all its shy presences may haunt you and possess you in a reverie of suspended thought. ~James Douglas, Down Shoe Lane.

Weather means more when you have a garden. There's nothing like listening to a shower and thinking how it is soaking in around your green beans. ~Marcelene Cox.

God made rainy days so gardeners could get the housework done. ~Unknown.

I used to visit and revisit it a dozen times a day, and stand in deep contemplation over my vegetable progeny with a love that nobody could share or conceive of who had never taken part in the process of creation. It was one of the most bewitching sights in the world to observe a hill of beans thrusting aside the soil, or a rose of early peas just peeping forth sufficiently to trace a line of delicate green. ~Nathaniel Hawthorne, Mosses from and Old Manse.

Don't wear perfume in the garden - unless you want to be pollinated by bees. ~Anne Raver.

Take thy plastic spade,
It is thy pencil; take thy seeds, thy plants,
They are thy colours.~William Mason, The English Garden, 1782.

It is a golden maxim to cultivate the garden for the nose, and the eyes will take care of themselves. ~Robert Louis Stevenson.

Gardening is about enjoying the smell of things growing in the soil, getting dirty without feeling guilty, and generally taking the time to soak up a little peace and serenity. ~Lindley Karstens, noproblemgarden.com.

I know that if odour were visible, as colour is,
I'd see the summer garden in rainbow clouds.~Robert Bridges, "Testament of Beauty".

Unemployment is capitalism's way of getting you to plant a garden. ~Orson Scott Card.

How fair is a garden amid the trials and passions of existence. ~Benjamin Disraeli.

Our England is a garden, and such gardens are not made
By singing: -"Oh, how beautiful!" and sitting in the shade.~Rudyard Kipling, "The Glory of the Garden".

You can bury a lot of troubles digging in the dirt. ~Unknown.

Garden writing is often very tame, a real waste when you think how opinionated, inquisitive, irreverent and lascivious gardeners themselves tend to be. Nobody talks much about the muscular limbs, dark, swollen buds, strip-tease trees and unholy beauty that have made us all slaves of the Goddess Flora. ~Ketzel Levine's talkingplants.com.

On every stem, on every leaf,... and at the root of everything that grew, was a professional specialist in the shape of grub, caterpillar, aphis, or other expert, whose business it was to devour that particular part. ~Oliver Wendell Holmes.

Half the interest of a garden is the constant exercise of the imagination. ~Mrs. C.W. Earle, Pot-Pourri from a Surrey Garden, 1897.

No two gardens are the same. No two days are the same in one garden. ~Hugh Johnson.

We have descended into the garden and caught three hundred slugs. How I love the mixture of the beautiful and the squalid in gardening. It makes it so lifelike. ~Evelyn Underhill, Letters.

I think that if ever a mortal heard the voice of God it would be in a garden at the cool of the day. ~F. Frankfort Moore, A Garden of Peace.

Last night, there came a frost, which has done great damage to my garden.... It is sad that Nature will play such tricks on us poor mortals, inviting us with sunny smiles to confide in her, and then, when we are entirely within her power, striking us to the heart. ~Nathaniel Hawthorne, The American Notebooks.

Despite the gardener's best intentions, Nature will improvise. ~Michael P. Garafalo, gardendigest.com.

Many things grow in the garden that were never sown there. ~Thomas Fuller, Gnomologia, 1732.

In order to live off a garden, you practically have to live in it. ~Frank McKinney Hubbard.

Give me odorous at sunrise a garden of beautiful flowers where I can walk undisturbed. ~Walt Whitman.

Gardens always mean something else, man absolutely uses one thing to say another. ~Robert Harbison, Eccentric Spaces, 1977.

Gardens... should be like lovely, well-shaped girls: all curves, secret corners, unexpected deviations, seductive surprises and then still more curves. ~H.E. Bates, A Love of Flowers.

I never had any other desire so strong, and so like to covetousness, as that one which I have had always, that I might be master at last of a small house and a large Garden. ~Abraham Cowley, The Garden, 1666.

One of the most delightful things about a garden is the anticipation it provides. ~W.E. Johns, The Passing Show.

Earth is here so kind, that just tickle her with a hoe and she laughs with a harvest. ~Douglas William Jerrold, about Australia, A Land of Plenty.

I have never had so many good ideas day after day as when I worked in the garden. ~John Erskine.

Green fingers are the extension of a verdant heart. ~Russell Page.

There is no gardening without humility. Nature is constantly sending even its oldest scholars to the bottom of the class for some egregious blunder. ~Alfred Austin.

It is utterly forbidden to be half-hearted about gardening. You have got to love your garden whether you like it or not. ~W.C. Sellar & R.J. Yeatman, Garden Rubbish, 1936.

A garden was the primitive prison, till man with Promethean felicity and boldness, luckily sinned himself out of it. ~Charles Lamb, 1830.

Let no one think that real gardening is a bucolic and meditative occupation. It is an insatiable passion, like everything else to which a man gives his heart. ~Karel Čapek, The Gardener's Year, translated by M. and R. Weatherall, 1931.

Most people who possess anything like an acre, or half of it, contribute weekly to the support of a gentleman known as Jobbing Gardener. You are warned of the danger that he may prove to be Garden Pest no 1. ~C.E. Lucas-Phillips, The New Small Garden.

Tomatoes and squash never fail to reach maturity. You can spray them with acid, beat them with sticks and burn them; they love it. ~S.J. Perelman, Acres and Pains, 1951.

I appreciate the misunderstanding I have had with Nature over my perennial border. I think it is a flower garden; she thinks it is a meadow lacking grass, and tries to correct the error. ~Sara Stein, My Weeds, 1988.

It takes a while to grasp that not all failures are self-imposed, the result of ignorance, carelessness or inexperience. It takes a while to grasp that a garden isn't a testing ground for character and to stop asking, what did I do wrong? Maybe nothing. ~Eleanor Perényi, Green Thoughts, 1981.

The kiss of the sun for pardon,
The song of the birds for mirth,
One is nearer God's heart in a garden
Than anywhere else on earth.~Dorothy Frances Gurney, "Garden Thoughts".

I don't think we'll ever know all there is to know about gardening, and I'm just as glad
there will always be some magic about it!--Barbara Damrosc.h

Gardening is civil and social, but it wants the vigor and freedom of the forest and the outlaw. ~Henry David Thoreau.

It is always exciting to open the door and go out into the garden for the first time on any day.--Marion Cran.

Gardening is a kind of disease. It infects you, you cannot escape it. When you go visiting, your eyes rove about the garden; you interrupt the serious cocktail drinking because of an irresistible impulse to get up and pull a weed. ~Lewis Gannit.

Gardening is any way that humans and nature come together with the intent of creating beauty.--Tina James, 1999.

When you have done your best for a flower, and it fails, you have some reason to be aggrieved. ~Frank Swinnerton.

Show me your garden and I shall tell you what you are.--Alfred Austin.

A garden really lives only insofar as it is an expression of faith, the embodiment of a hope and a song of praise.--Russell Page, The Education of a Gardener, 1962.

The best fertilizer is the gardener's shadow. ~Unknown.

Gardening is a labour full of tranquility and satisfaction; natural and instructive, and as such contributes to the most serious contemplation, experience, health and longevity.--John Evelyn, 1666.

By the time one is eighty, it is said, there is no longer a tug of war in the garden with the May flowers hauling like mad against the claims of the other months. All is at last in balance and all is serene. The gardener is usually dead, of course. ~Henry Mitchell, The Essential Earthman, 1981.

What a man needs in gardening is a cast-iron back, with a hinge in it. ~Charles Dudley Warner, My Summer in a Garden, 1871.

Gardening is the art that uses flowers and plants as paint, and the soil and sky as canvas.
--Elizabeth Murray.

Copyright © 2006, Ian White Access 2000 Pty Ltd

Home security - defend your home and possessions against intruders!

2006-06-20T16:54:00.000-07:00

With all of the emphasis in the past few years on Homeland Security, many people have overlooked the importance of home security. While it might not make the first story on the news, when your house is burgled, safeguarding your home soon becomes the most important issue in your world.

Read full article on keeping your home secure