Welcome back lovelies!
I hope you all are having a good 2021 so far! We are one month down! In this blog I want to kind of discuss my dog care services!
Along with making yummy cupcakes for humans (and now pups!), I also offer services to help with your fur baby! I am currently in the process of becoming a Registered Veterinary Technician. For those who don't quite know what an RVT is, it is basically equivalent to a Register Nurse in the human medical field but for animals! I knew for Cupcakes & Canines I wanted to offer as many services for your pup as I could. My ultimate goal was to be able to help you and your pet, and I know for some it can be hard to get to the vet.
I know for some it can be difficult to get your pet to the vet especially if they don't like going. For others it could be that their pup just does really good and taking to the vet, paying the office fee, then paying for the basic care service for them to be there only for 10 minutes, then drive all the way back home can be aggravating for some. That's why I offer the services I do! I wanted to be able to come to the pets environment and help the owners/pet where they are comfortable. I've noticed in my past that some pets just honestly do better in their own environment where I let them get comfortable with me instead of taking them somewhere where they are not used to causing them to panic more. I have had some pets where they do better away from their owners but majority I have worked with feel way more comfortable with their owners staying by their side.
I work along with the pet, that meaning if the pet gets stressed then we take a break, I'm on their schedule when it comes to this. I try to look at it from their point of view, if I was them I wouldn't want a stranger grabbing my paw and trimming my nails, they don't know that it won't hurt them, we can not tell them that and they understand what we just told them. I schedule my dog care appointments a certain way to where I don't have a time limit. If I have to do one paw then take a 15 minute break, then that's what we do! I also offer my services to come back a couple days later if they get too stressed and we can't finish all in one visit. My ultimate goal is not over stressing the pet. I want them to associate this as a friendly and non scary thing. If they are getting worked up and I continue then it could just push them to be scared and defensive, and I don't blame them if we are looking from their point of view. I have had a couple pets where I just could not trim their nails. It wasn't that the pet was bad or hostile, they were just scared and I am not going to push them over the edge. Some dogs just do better in a veterinary clinic where they have all the extra hands to help.
I always give a disclaimer when I first arrive to the owners about how dogs have blood vessels and nerves that run through their nails, called their "kwiks," I give a heads up that it is possible that I could cut too far and it does clip them where their kwik is. It's just like when we trim our nails and we might trim a little too far. I always try my absolute best not too but sometimes it happens. It could happen if the dog moves or pulls their paw away, and even if they have black nails where you can't tell where the kiwk is. In that case, I always trim a little longer and slowly work my way back. It is a situation that I explain always looks worse than it actually is. Since the dog is nervous their blood pressure spikes causing them to bleed faster, so what was just a real quick clip, can bleed a lot more than what the trauma really is. I always carry with me "kwik-stop" which is a styptic powder that when it comes in contact with the blood, hardens and creates a seal over the nail to stop the bleeding. With puppies or dogs who are new to the nail trim I tend to leave their nails a little longer because I don't want to risk clipping them at all. Since it is new to them I don't want them to get hurt and then no longer tolerate nail trims. I want them to see it as a routine maintenance that does not hurt.
I always ask before hand also when owners are making the appointment if they feel comfortable helping hold if need be. I've had some pets that just sit there and let me trim theirs nails quick and do really good, but most of the time nail trimming is a two to three person job. I've found it helps if the owners holds because they will be more calm since they know the person, while the owner holds I sweep in and trim the nails real quick. I do always carry muzzles with me of all sizes. I don't use them as a form of punishment, but more of a distractions. I have found that some dogs when you put it they just stop moving and become almost "paralyzed" till we take it off. I also have them so if the pet does not care for the nail trim I want to keep the owner, the pet, and me safe. It is not at all to punish the dog just to keep everyone safe, and like I stated before I understand if the dog is aggressive about it, they don't know what is going on and are scared. I have multiple tools to try and help with the nail trims. I carry peanut butter with me, all natural calming treats, calming spray, and etc. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, but I have them just in case.
Nail trims are definitely my most requested dog care service, but I do offer others such as ear cleaning, anal gland expression, dog sitting, and any medical help. I have just basic ear cleaner to help clean your dogs ear to help prevent any possible ear infection. If you notice them shaking their head a lot or scratching at their ears then this could help clean them to help rid the issue. If the shaking and scratching continue (or they begin to smell) then it is probably best to follow up with your veterinarian! If you notice your dog scooting or chewing at their butt a lot then this could be a sign up full anal glands. I offer the service to help empty them because leaving them unattended can lead to anal gland abbesses and will rack up a hefty vet bill and not to mention cause your pup a lot of pain. Normally they should express on their own when they poop, this is what leaves their scent, but sometimes they just get backed up and need a little help. If they aren't expressing on their own either then it could be a sign of infection, which would need further treatment. When I help with anal glands I always check to make sure it is normal material and not a possible infection starting. For the medical help that could be anything from helping give pills, at home IV fluids, at home injections, and etc. I've had vets in the past send owners home with all of this and the owners have no clue how to do it. That's where this service comes in and I can help if you don't understand the vet's instructions, don't feel comfortable doing it yourself, or just don't know where to start. I know for some clinics they offer you doing it at home yourself because it can be cheaper. You don't have to pay an administration fee if you do it at home. My grandma used to do that for her old dog and just have me come over and administer everything since that is what I was doing when I worked at a veterinary clinic anyway.
My dog sitting has a couple options I offer. I offer to either do multiple check ins through out the day or I can stay overnight at the house with them. Some owners just need me to check on their pet a few times throughout the day and they do fine by themselves overnight. For the check ins that could include feeding. pottying, playing, cuddling, and medical need, and etc. I usually do 3-5 check ins (depending on what the owner wants) and I always a stay a minimum of an hour (usually more.) That way the pup gets quality time. My biggest pet peeve is when dog sitter come over, let them out, then leave ;/ No they need the time to play, get energy out, have some attention. For the ones where I stay overnight, that is pretty much the exact same thing as the check ins but I stay there also during the whole night. It all just depends on what the owner wants and the pet needs. The check ins also work for even if you aren't necessarily need a sitter the whole day but just need the pet taken care of while you're at work or out of town for a few hours. I would just pop by, check on them, do any care they need, and it's an hour long as well. That offer is just paid by the hour rather than the sitting which is paid by the day.
My services can also be extended to some other pets also! I can help with nail trims for cats, guinea pigs, reptiles, and etc! I just want to be able to give your pet the maintenance care they need while also helping you out by making it easier to accomplish that. I absolutely LOVE meeting all the pets when I do my service appointments. It's like making new friends each time! I look forward to it each and every time! I always tell owners never to feel bad if their dog tackles me because I absolutely love it!! If I get taken out by a 120 pound great dane then that is how I go :) My dog sitting schedule has been filling up fast so if you are needing a dog sitter coming up then message me ASAP! Message me also for any upcoming dog care services and I can get you all scheduled. I hope you guys enjoyed and I can't wait to talk to you in the next blog! Stay safe and I hope I get to meet you and your pet in the future!
xoxo, Cupcakes & Canines
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Email: cupcakesncanines@gmail.com
Phone: (765)606-0980
