Check out our new testimonials page!

Satisfied client Moey the poodle says, Check out the new Testimonials page!

We’re nearing the end of the official first quarter of business for Delightful Doggies, and I couldn’t be more pleased with how many awesome clients I have! YOU are the reason I am able to pursue my dreams so I cannot thank you enough!

With awesome clients comes awesome feedback. You’ve provided it through my Yelp! page, my feedback forms and just through your personal emails, texts and phone calls. I’ve compiled some of this into a new page for the website here at Delightful Doggies, under the About section: Testimonials.

If you are a current client who’d like to contribute feedback, I’d love to hear from you. Feel free to use any method you wish. In addition to the feedback forms I leave behind at visits and contacting me through email, text and phone, you can also log in to online review systems like Yelp!, Insider Pages and Rover.com.

Thank you again, so much, for your business and growing referrals!
Laura
Owner, Delightful Doggies

Prepare your pets for emergency situations

With the recent wild fires in Colorado, the tornadoes in the Midwest and East, and hurricanes due later in the spring and summer, I thought it would be a good idea to write a blog about how to best prepare your pets in case of emergencies.

First and foremost, please DO NOT LEAVE your animals behind. Remember that Red Cross shelters typically do not allow pets so you will need to prepare for where to go that is pet-friendly if you must leave your home. Do research ahead of time; find hotels and lodging that are pet-friendly and make a list of boarding facilities. Simple internet searches can yield many options; compile them into a list that you can keep in a safe place or even on your mobile devices so that you don’t have to scramble at the last minute when emergencies do arise.

Don’t be afraid to ask your vet, pet sitter or other pet professional for referrals for these services, either; you can also designate your pet sitter or a friend/family member as a caregiver in times of emergency so talk with them to ensure they can be prepared to take in your furry ones.

Prepare an emergency supply kit for your pets. Here are some items to include in the kit:

• Up to a week’s worth of food and lots of water; dishes for the pets
• Pet first aid guide (you can get these via the Red Cross or the ASPCA Store)
• Crates/carriers or travel bags that are marked with your pet’s information
• Extra leashes, harnesses, collars
• Photocopies of medical records and a waterproof container with a two-week supply of any medicine your pet requires. Make sure to rotate your medicines in and out of the kit so they don’t expire on you.
• Gauze and gauze tape, Neosporin and styptic pencil/powder in case of cuts, torn nails or other similar injuries
• Recent photos of your pets along with your contact information and anything someone would need to know about your pet in case you get separated (also keep recent photos of your pet on you). *The best photos would be of you and your pet together so you can prove they are yours.
• Paper towels and garbage bags for cleanup
• Flashlight
• Blankets
• Toys and familiar items that will lessen their stress
• For the kitty folk: disposable litter trays (aluminum roasting pans will also work), scoopable litter and scoop

Prepare yourself for evacuation by making sure your kits/materials are in an accessible place so you can quickly evacuate. Have a plan for how to evacuate and monitor news casts when the weather starts looking a bit scary. Being informed will make you more prepared and able to do what you need to do safely and quickly. Bring your pets in when the weather starts turning bad and make sure they have proper identification on.

Microchipping is SO important these days. If you haven’t microchipped your pets, then I highly encourage you to do so! It can mean the difference between life and death, literally. The Humane Society of the South Platte Valley offers very affordable microchipping at just $35! Little price to pay for peace of mind.

Last but not least, another good tip in case of fires or emergencies that are in your home: you can obtain emergency decals that you can put on doors/windows letting emergency personnel know about your pets inside, so they can be rescued if the need arises. Many of the large pet store chains carry these anymore. Here’s an example of one Petco has available on their website.

Questions? I am happy to help! Feel free to contact me if you have any.

Thank you so much and may you and your pets stay safe!
Laura
Owner, Delightful Doggies

Happy Easter – please don’t buy a bunny!

I want to wish everyone a very happy Easter and hope you are all enjoying the lovely spring weather!

I also want to remind anyone out there who may be tempted–DON’T BUY A BUNNY–at least, unless you’re willing to make a long-term commitment to care for it properly.

We live in a society where we get an impulse, think something is cute or a great idea at the time, and then dispose of it when the novelty wears off, far too often. Easter brings out the bunnies and we must remember that these are living, breathing creatures that need and deserve proper care and attention! Plus, they don’t always make the best gifts for children. Learn more about the reality from the House Rabbit Society.

Unless you are willing to make the commitment and have done your research about this pet option, go for a stuffed or chocolate bunny instead, please! Also remember there are plenty of rescues that also have rabbits for adoption, as opposed to buying ones in pet stores too. Check this list of places to adopt.

Thank you for allowing me my soapbox once again, and have a happy and safe Easter holiday weekend!
Laura
Owner, Delightful Doggies

April 4 is World Stray Animals Day

April 4 is World Stray Animals Day, a day to raise awareness of, have compassion for and take action on behalf of the 600,000,000 stray animals in our world! Check out this video from the organization behind World Stray Animals Day.

Dogs and cats are domesticated animals. We made them this way and they are dependent on us to care for them. For the strays in our world, they have many challenges: scrapping for food and shelter, being chased and abused by hostile humans, not being spayed or neutered so they add to the overpopulation problem, and facing illness and death with no medical care or humane end.

While the problem is staggering and depressing, each of us can and should make a difference in the life of a stray animal. You can adopt a stray dog or cat at a local shelter; you can spread the word about the cause and urge others to help; you can also volunteer time at a local shelter to help in many different ways!

While many shelters require paperwork and a volunteer orientation to be an official volunteer, if you’re in the Denver/Littleton area, the Humane Society of the South Platte Valley does allow non-oriented volunteers the chance to walk their dogs during the hours of noon to 1 p.m. and 4 to 5 p.m. daily. Perhaps this is the perfect way for you to celebrate on a short notice and give back to the animals who need us so much!

Thank you for your generosity,
Laura
Owner, Delightful Doggies

Celebrating life through music

This is a somewhat unusual post because it really has nothing to do with my business or animals, but it is a very important and dear post I’m writing because it’s very personal.

Me & my husband on our wedding day

As some of my clients know, my husband, Chris “Citrus” Sauthoff, had a stroke last November. I will have to tell you it was one of the scariest moments in my entire life. I adore and love my husband beyond words and I couldn’t imagine anything ever happening to him. Life is fragile. Things can happen in a short moment that change everything. But I have to say, we were lucky.

When it happened, I rushed him to Denver Health. It was almost midnight and I was freaking out, quite honestly. Ultimately he was admitted for several days while doctors worked to figure out exactly what all had happened and why. We are still trying to figure out the exact why, but we know he is improving all the time, which is great.

Chris is a musician. He used to tour with George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, and before that was a member of a pretty popular funk/hip-hop troupe here in Colorado called Lord of Word and the Disciples of Bass. Together we handled business for his band, U.S. Pipe, which is how I got my start working in the music scene here. I learned a great deal through all those experiences and we grew a lot together through them.

The stroke Chris had affected his speech (he has mild aphasia) and also the sensation in his right arm and hand. Needless to say it was frustrating for him to pick up the guitar I brought to him in the hospital. I can’t imagine the feelings he has had in this regard. He can move his hand and arm all right, but at the same time, he can’t feel textures properly. He says it’s like wearing a glove. Since leaving the hospital, he has been concentrating on learning new styles of music, like Flamenco. Guitar playing is not only his profession and love, but it is his therapy.

Chris has been improving over the last several months, I am happy to say, and he is going to have a comeback concert on Saturday, April 21 at Swallow Hill. This is going to be a celebratory evening and we want to extend invitations to anyone and everyone to come join us. There will be a bit of everything, from Gypsy Jazz on guitar to Hindustani music on sitar. Chris will be joined by others and doing some solo pieces, and he invites anyone who wants to join him on stage at the end for a blues jam.

You can get your tickets now at swallowhillmusic.org. I also want to extend my gratitude to Dave Herrera of Westword for keeping tabs on Chris’ progress, and for writing a fabulous piece about the upcoming “comeback” show. Colorado has a wonderfully supportive music scene and we have been so blessed to receive love and even monetary donations for treatment from many generous, wonderful souls. Chris and I value the people we know and love, and we are really looking forward to seeing you for this very special show.

Thank you so much,
Laura
Owner, Delightful Doggies

March 2012 clients

Much like spring, Delightful Doggies is blossoming! The growth continues and I couldn’t be happier. Thank you so much to all of our clients, old and new, for their support and continued patronage.

Thumbnails of Delightful Doggies’ March 2012 clients are below; you can click on these to enjoy a Flickr slideshow of our moments together from this month.

Not pictured and also very appreciated: Tucker the English Labrador and Bo and Buddy the Boston Terriers!

With much gratitude,
Laura
Owner, Delightful Doggies

Uma has a “furever” home!

Jasper, Chris, me & Uma: the final family photo

Our foster dog daughter, Uma, went to her AWESOME new “furever” home today! She will be living with two awesome moms and two cats, and she has a beautiful, large yard to enjoy!

We took our family photo (sans the cats–they didn’t really want to participate, lol) today, and I also got some the final play fight on video. I am certain Jasper will miss her but her adoptive home is only a few miles away from us, so I’m sure we’ll see her from time to time.

We are so happy that she found such a great home. She has been a joy in our lives and will no doubt be a joy for her new family, as they will be for she.

Fostering a dog has been a great experience; I’d like to encourage you to consider fostering a dog. It’s a great way to make another space for a dog in a shelter and really helps the adoption process, since you will get to know how the dog does in a home environment, and can help find a suitable match that you can educate to the nuances of the dog. You can also foster cats if you’re a cat person! There are many awesome local shelters and rescues that need fosters all the time. We foster for MaxFund, the only no-kill shelter in the city and county of Denver. Find out more about fostering with MaxFund here.

And now I leave you with the final play battle: Uma vs. Jasper.

Thank you!
Laura
Owner, Delightful Doggies

Happy National Puppy Day!

Spring has sprung and that means…kittens and puppies!

Shannon the mastiff puppy is available for adoption at MaxFund!

So happy National Puppy Day! What is National Puppy Day, you ask? It’s an annual event to celebrate the unconditional love and light puppies bring to our lives, as well as to encourage all of you out there to adopt a special puppy in need. So many puppies are orphaned, believe it or not, and you can find a lovable little one at any of your area’s local shelters.

It’s also a time to educate and raise awareness of the problem of puppy mills. There are approximately 8,000 – 10,000 puppy mills operating in the U.S. and these are NOT reputable, conscientious breeders. Many pet stores sell these puppy mill dogs, and they can be very ill or overbred. These puppy mills have no regard for the welfare of the animals, using them as breeding machines and housing them in very filthy, overcrowded conditions.

I’d like to encourage all of you out there who may be passing by these pet store windows to remember the pain and helplessness this system perpetrates, and NOT support these businesses. Instead, please visit your local shelters or go online to find adoptable animals in need. Until we stop patronizing these pet stores and get legislation passed to end puppy mills, we cannot let a cute puppy in the window sway us!

Find out more about National Puppy Day here. Happy hunting for the perfect shelter pup for your home!

Laura
Owner, Delightful Doggies

My mentor trainer

Wow, this has been an amazing journey so far, I have to share with you!

As most of my clients and blog readers probably know, I have been working since last fall on gaining certification to be a professional dog trainer through Animal Behavior College. At this point, I have completed all my online studies (scoring an average 97% on my tests–I have to shout my pride in myself!) and I’m more than halfway through the program.

For the last five weeks I have been working on my volunteer externship at MaxFund, working with dogs in the shelter. Recently I also met and started working with my mentor trainer, which is very exciting! This is the part of the program for which I have been waiting, because so much of learning about training and solving behavioral issues is rooted in being an apprentice to a trainer with experience.

Marie Seelmeyer, Canine/Feline Behavior Counseling

My mentor trainer, Marie Seelmeyer of Canine/Feline Behavioral Counseling, is amazing! I couldn’t be more happy. She has years of experience as a vet tech as well as a trainer, serving the community at affordable prices–exactly doing what I aspire to do. She realizes how much physical health and behavior are related, and employs a number of techniques to help pets who are having issues. In addition, she trains service animals and pet therapy providers, provides training for pet care providers, shelters and rescues, and is a Canine Good Citizen tester.

I am thrilled to be working with an amazing professional! I anticipate gaining my certification by fall so I can’t wait to start working with clients on a training basis. Please keep connected with me so you’ll know when I’m ready to offer these services. In the meantime, I can’t recommend Marie highly enough!

Thank you for your ongoing support,
Laura
Owner, Delightful Doggies

Client Spotlight: Lucy the Collie

Lucy

Lucy is a five-year-old collie who was adopted from the Denver Dumb Friends League, proving once more that awesome shelter animals make for wonderful, loving, life-long additions to the family! She is a regular drop-in client since our launch in January of this year, going for walks and getting fed and loved twice a day as her mother needs.

Lucy is a sweet, gentle girl who loves belly rubs, hugs and kisses, long walks in her neighborhood park, and play time in the snow. She really enjoys rolling in the snow, as evidenced by recent video we’ve shot of her. Very affectionate and inquisitive, she has the ability to charm her way into anyone’s heart with her big, soulful brown eyes.

She enjoys a dollop of Greek yogurt with every breakfast and occasional treats, and will do tricks to be rewarded with such awesome delights. It’s not uncommon for her to sit, stand, roll over or do just about anything! Lucy is very intelligent and eager to please.

We want to thank Lucy for her support as a client since the beginning. It’s been a joy to care for her and we look forward to seeing her again soon!

Laura
Owner, Delightful Doggies