Author |
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Herckleperckle
Member
11-20-2003
| Friday, May 09, 2008 - 11:09 am
Thanks, Merrysea. Good point. Okay everyone, line up. Here you go:
Heh. Well, this logo is for the website. I think I'll just use a black and white version for the business card. Too expensive otherwise. Still have Stanbury's logo coming next week, too. Today I sat for a new client about 1 mile away. (Yay!) She left at 4 a.m. on the airport shuttle. So I spent 6:30 am -9 am with these two mini schnauzers. And I will be there tonight from 6 pm til 9 am. (Yup, I get to sleep with the doggies!) They are soooo sweet! And I will be there Sat night and Sun night, too from 6 pm til 9 am. This is the lady who I spent 2 1/2 hours with doing the intake. (Usually takes about 45 minutes, tops.) We went on a dog walk together, and she had me handle her dog while she watched me. She gave me so many directions about her dogs and her place that I decided to type them up. It took 3 entire pages in 11 point type!!! Ha ha. The saving grace was that the lady is really funny and nice. So, no harm done. Here are the pix of her two:
Nathan, age 4. He won't walk in the rain, and it was raining today, so he didn't get his morning walk. I carried him out back 4 times, and each time he raced back in the house. The beastie! (Well, he did pee.) Cleared up--hope it stays that way, so I will be able to walk him tonight. He is so funny--loves chasing his stuffed animals. At one point he stopped and licked his sister on her back and neck. It was very sweet, let me tell you.
Miss Peaches, age 13. (She does not take walks, but walks around the fenced in back yard) Gives kisses every single second. Both fell asleep on my lap before I left this morning. The owner called a little bit after I got home to check on things. She wasn't over the top, just wanted to make sure I was able to handle her alarm system without any problems. Everything was cool! Oh, one more anecdote. You may recall I walk 2 yorkies every day. I posted their pictures here. Well, yesterday, Sebastian astonished me. After our walk and treats and playtime, I sat down to write out their report cards. I hear a low "woof" from Sebastian. I turned around to see what was up. Didn't see him. So I got up and looked for him. Found him in the bathroom in that same room. His hind feet were on the toilet tank and his front feet were on the rim on the sink. He looked at me and barked again! So I turned on the faucet, and he began drinking the cold water straight from the running stream of water! Hahahaha. I never heard of a dog doing that. So smart!!
Sebastian, age 4. Yup, he's up on kitchen table (where I write out the report cards). Both dogs try to kiss me the entire time I am trying to write. He is so smart. I am trying to teach him to roll over and he is coming along!!
Stella, age 3. With her beloved bear. The zippy one of the two. (She is always in the lead on our walks.)
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Herckleperckle
Member
11-20-2003
| Friday, May 09, 2008 - 11:21 am
Oh, and for you cat lovers, I will be watching 3 cats in 2 weeks, just for their feeding, though. This lady has 2 feral cats outside (her husband built them a little house with heated flooring (raised up from the ground on cinder blocks) that has a roofed porch. (That's where I have to put their food. And they won't come eat til I return inside). And she has one inside cat named Momasita. Heh. Momasita really responded to me nicely. (Thank goodness! I was a little worried because I haven't been around cats in a while--and wasn't sure whether the cat would tolerate me. She did!) Okay one more thing: read this referral from my yorkie client to my schnauzer client (who wanted one). I let my boss contact the yorkie owner and make the request. Here is her recommendation, using initials instead of names. (Tori is my boss, btw.) "Tori/Dale: Here's the reference I gave to Karen. I can't tell you how happy I am with your services and how happy Stella and Sebastian are! I can tell from your great notes every day that you are like family now to them! Thanks for everything - b" Here is the actual referral: "K - I also never used a pet sitter until Dale started watching my dogs and honestly it's the best thing I have ever done. She is such a great caretaker and really loves and takes care of my 2 dogs. She comes every day to walk them, and beyond the 30-minute walk that I pay her for she always stays and plays with them, gives them treats (is even teaching them to roll over), and brushes them and washes them down if they get dirty on their walk. She leaves me extremely detailed reports every day of her time with them and even occasionally takes pictures and emails them to me. My 2 dogs LOVE her and they usually take awhile to warm up to people, she is like family to them now. I highly recommend Dale - she is exceptionally reliable and trustworthy and I would feel comfortable with her staying in my home with my dogs anytime. In fact, I'm not comfortable leaving them with anyone but Dale now. If there's anything else I can share with you, let me know. Thanks, b" Isn't that wonderful?!!! I'm so pleased!
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Juju2bigdog
Member
10-27-2000
| Friday, May 09, 2008 - 11:21 am
The Pet Nanny Loving your pets when you're not there
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Herckleperckle
Member
11-20-2003
| Friday, May 09, 2008 - 11:23 am
Ohhh, I like that!!!
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Hukdonreality
Member
09-29-2003
| Friday, May 09, 2008 - 11:25 am
That reference is one for your website or flyers! Yay for you!
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Herckleperckle
Member
11-20-2003
| Friday, May 09, 2008 - 11:33 am

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Juju2bigdog
Member
10-27-2000
| Sunday, May 11, 2008 - 10:43 am
Hey, HP, I saw a little ad in our newspaper with a logo I thought is real cute for a pet sitting business. Here is their website, and it has their logo on it: http://www.placidpets.com/ Hmmmmm, wonder if I should get a part-time job with them?
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Landileigh
Member
07-29-2002
| Sunday, May 11, 2008 - 12:49 pm
i LOVVVVVVVVE what juju said, and she should know. she is a dawg ya know!
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Calamity
Member
10-18-2001
| Monday, May 12, 2008 - 9:24 am
That's a terrific logo! And your doggie customers are so cute! Congratulations again! When I was a kid there was a gray schnauzer, Gretchen, who lived down the road and would sometimes escape. She'd always show up at our place, with wet whiskers and eager for attention.
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Whoami
Member
08-03-2001
| Monday, May 12, 2008 - 9:58 am
I like the logo. But, if you are still going to tweak it, may I suggest a skirt that looks more like a skirt, and less like a tablecloth? Really, when I first looked at it, I didn't notice the feet, and the square-lined pattern reminded me more of a tablecloth, so that's what I thought the critters were doing, hiding/playing under the table. It wasn't till someone mentioned a dress that it finally dawned on me (and that was after I was thinking, "oh no, that dog wasn't wearing a dress, was it!").
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Herckleperckle
Member
11-20-2003
| Thursday, May 29, 2008 - 7:23 am
Well, hello all. I have started my business! And only because my neighbor (who I met thru my survey in my development) needed me and my long-term daily dog walking assignment customer (owner of the 2 yorkies above) pleaded for me to remain her pet sitter because she is moving . . . and was willing to pay for my gas. (Turns out she is moving CLOSER to me, so no need for her to do that.) So, with my logo finished (I displayed it in my folder, too, yesterday), I made all my forms, added it to them, and just jumped in! Here is the final logo (business cards are being made up now, as is a door hanger--for which I wrote copy).
Who, does the dress still bother you? I liked it cuz it looked so corny and down-home! It made me laugh, which is what I wanted the entire logo to do--make people smile and chuckle. And here is a sample of one of my forms, featuring the logo:
I have 3 appointments today. None Friday (tomorrow), but 2 on Saturday and 2 on Sunday!! (One of the Saturdays is an overnight with the yorkies.) So you can see, I am really hot, hot, hot!! One bad thing happened during my first sitting job with the neighbor down the street. They're a very nice Irish family with 4 kids and I was to watch their 3 pets. Everything went well with Dunnie (Donegan) their 2 1/2 year-old chocolate lab (82 lb of him--man is he strong, but soooo sweet). However, I can't say the same for the other two. They have a cat named Shamrock, who is ending a 4-month quarantine (got bitten by another cat and Shamrock was overdue for his rabies shot) in this really, nice big area of their home that used to be part of a dentist's office--so it's more like 3 rooms. (They've just never done anything with it--except use it for storage). Anyway, the cat has a beautiful coat and was dying for attention. So of course, I gave him lots. I petted and petted him and talked to him. I had even brought him a toy (which he totally ignored). We were getting along so well, that I decided to pick him up. (Now, I'm really not a cat person, but he was very sweet.) He looked at me, leaned in for what I thought was going to be a lick, and bit me square on the tip of my nose--not awfully hard, but hard enough. Thankfully, he didn't break the skin. I put him down immediately, shocked. But he still wanted pets. I don't get that at all. Perhaps I overstimulated him with all the petting, dunno. So the next time I went in to check on him (behind 2 closed doors), I knew better than to pick him up. I still wanted to be friends, so I talked to him quietly and petted him gently. Suddenly, he bit me on the arm!!! Again, he didn't break the skin. But that did it for me. The final time I went in there to check on him, I didn't touch him. Maybe he just doesn't take to strangers, who knows? Lastly, and this is the worst, was their hamster, Snowball. They had told me not to pick him up as he bites, but just to keep his water bottle and food bowl full. So I did as instructed. They told me he would come to me and accept sunflower seeds by hand (through the cage), and he did! I thought he was sweet! I was also told I could give him some kind of yogurt drop treat. I handed him one of those, too. At night, when I arrived to put Dunnie in his cage, I checked on Shamrock and then stopped to check on Snowball. I kept hearing this weird noise--that, upon stopping by his cage, I realized was the sound made by Snowball on his wheel. (I guess they're nocturnal.) He was having a blast! I chuckled to myself. Now Dunnie went in his cage, but he whined and whined. I stayed awhile, and he escaped twice (the clasp on the cage was broken . . . they had told me he used to escape a lot, but never did that anymore) Well, they hadn't left him home alone in awhile, I guess. The third time, I thought I had him licked. I arranged the clasp so I thought he couldn't get out. And I stayed awhile to see if he did. Everything seemed to be secure, so I left. At 8 am the next morning, when I was due to be there again, who came to the door to greet me but Dunnie. Yup, he had escaped again! But he was a good dog and made NO messes of any kind in the house. Took a whopper-sized one in the backyard and peed for about 10 minutes straight, so I was glad I was on time, though. I fed Dunnie and went about getting Shamrock fed. And then I went to check on Snowball. He was on top of his food bowl, which was still full. And he didn't move. My heart started to race . . . I nudged him, to wake him up. Nothing. I put my hand in, and he was cold. Dead. Ackkkkkkkkkkk! Nothing was in disarray, but I guessed that mighty (huge paws, doesn't know his own strength kind of dog) Dunnie might have slapped at the cage and accidentally killed Snowball. Of course, I called the parents to let them know so they could prepare the kids (or have me run out and buy another or something). They said to leave him in the cage and that they didn't think it was Dunnie at all but old age . . . that they'd been expecting his demise for some time now. That helped, but of course, I still felt terrible!! I never imagined anything like that happening. And on my very first Pet Nanny job!!! There wasn't much I could do. But I just couldn't leave him in that cage like that. So I went home and found these beautiful Chinese gift envelopes Loupup had given me last Christmas. I selected one of them (they are made of stiffer, thicker paper and made to hold small items). And I found a tea bag box that was just the right size to hold the envelope. I wrapped the tea bag box in pretty wrapping paper (a feat in itself) and took both over to the house. I placed Snowball into the envelope gently (but didn't seal it) and then I placed it inside the wrapped tea box--and left the "package" on the kitchen counter behind a watermelon that was sitting there. (I left a note on Snowball's report card where to find him in case they didn't spot him.) So I had my first casualty on my very first day! Thankfully, the owner called me and left me two reassuring, gracious messages. And they kept me to do their pet sitting this weekend. So we will both get past this. But whew! Now I HAVE to go and get ready for the rest of my day!! Later!
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Holly
Member
07-22-2001
| Thursday, May 29, 2008 - 7:46 am
HP, I think the cat was giving ya love-bites. Bummer about Snowball.
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Julieboo
Member
02-05-2002
| Thursday, May 29, 2008 - 8:01 am
Herky, the cat bites are what are called "love-bites." Especially cuz that cat seems like it is starved for attention. He was just saying thanks in the only way he knows!
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Julieboo
Member
02-05-2002
| Thursday, May 29, 2008 - 8:02 am
By the way, did the hampster have something to file his teeth down with? I once had a hampster and did not know it needed that. If they don't file their teeth down, they get too long and they literally cannot eat. So they starve to death. Sad but true...
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Herckleperckle
Member
11-20-2003
| Thursday, May 29, 2008 - 8:36 am
Ah, cat love bites?!!! Well, if that's right, then that makes sense, doesn't it?! Thanks! And I will mention that, Julie, about the hamster needing something to file his teeth down. I think he was 3. Is that old for a hamster?
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Juju2bigdog
Member
10-27-2000
| Thursday, May 29, 2008 - 9:50 am
Well, look at it this way, HP, good to get that out of the way on your very first job. And I hate to put it this way, but hamsters are not all that good as pets, uh, that nocturnal thing and the stink and all, but once you have one, what are you going to do? And maybe better it died on your watch than theirs. Dunnie definitely did not kill it. Nor did you. And yeah, coulda been love bites, especially if they were just little tiny bites, and the cat stayed right there to get some more love. I guess you got to learn how to get cats not to give love bites. Watch the cat's tail. If it is all jerky twitchy, the cat is mad. Slow swishing, okay. Purring good. And congratulations on getting the business up and running. I am thinking of a new slogan you might not want to incorporate. The Pet Nanny - she'll love your pets to death. <races out like a scalded wombat>
Um, and just as info - in Australia dunny means toilet.
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Landileigh
Member
07-29-2002
| Thursday, May 29, 2008 - 10:42 am
HP, love love love the logo and your paperwork. it is adorable! yep, love bites. cats are a weird sort, which if you were a cat person you'd know. i got a love bite this morning from belle, i just tapped her on the nose with the tip of my finger and said "OW!" and she looked surprised and was still purring.
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Mameblanche
Member
08-24-2002
| Thursday, May 29, 2008 - 11:14 am
HP, Scooty my cat is notorious for luv-bites. I always introduce her to people this way: 'Sometimes playful Scooty thinks fingers are chew toys. You've been warned.' Funny thing is that it's usually me she nips, not dh. But she sleeps at the top of my pillow, not his. Go figure. LOL.
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Biscottiii
Member
05-29-2004
| Saturday, May 31, 2008 - 1:15 am
Love the logo Herc! Looks professional and whimsical! Well, what a first day. Maybe that's what is meant by that expression: "Trial by Fire!" Nice touch by making the little box for Snowball. Might have seemed kind of cold & traumatic for them to come home to find him demised and just left (no matter what they said). Good luck on your new business!
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Whoami
Member
08-03-2001
| Saturday, May 31, 2008 - 1:58 am
I like the polka-dot skirt much better than the table-cloth squares. Now my fuddled brain can register that its really a skirt. 
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Colordeagua
Member
10-25-2003
| Saturday, May 31, 2008 - 7:56 am
I am thinking of a new slogan you might not want to incorporate. The Pet Nanny - she'll love your pets to death. LOL, Julie.
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Vacanick
Member
07-12-2004
| Saturday, May 31, 2008 - 8:02 am
HP ... I love your new logo and door hanger! It's going to be wonderful hearing about your new adventures in pet sitting!!

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Herckleperckle
Member
11-20-2003
| Wednesday, June 04, 2008 - 7:46 pm
Thanks, guys. I read--and LOVE all your comments!! Sorry I am not here as much as I'd like. I have so much to share! But first . . . I need your feedback now on my website homepage look. Here are the choices from my son's friend, Gene:
#1
#2
#3
#4 I like 2, 3, and 4. But in 4, I would switch the order of the logos. (I joined Pet Sitters International; their logo should be SMALLER than mine, not larger or equal in size, btw.) And I think I'd like to see it at the base of the page and not sharing the marquee, so to speak, with my name. Could be confusing to folks.
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Herckleperckle
Member
11-20-2003
| Wednesday, June 04, 2008 - 8:05 pm
Now, some pix of my own Pet Nanny client doggies:
Dunnie. I love this dog, but man are my arms aching from walking him. (He pulls like crazy and my upper arms are getting a workout, let me tell you.)
Shamrock--I finally got through one day without a bite from this cat. I started petting him much more gently. The lighter touch seems to be working.
Stella and Sebastian when I took them to MY house last weekend (due to a conflict with another job where the client changed days he needed me). Worked out just fine. They were super! There was only ONE boo boo and I used her SpotBot to clean it up right away. (If you don't know what a Spotbot is, it is a remarkable device that cleans up pee and poo marks like magic--in seconds--without having to scrub the area by hand at all.) These dogs are my favorites so far. They are a riot! I have taught both of them to roll over, too! They are so smart! Other pets I have watched recently, but these belong to Fetch:
Momma aka Mommasita--a wonderful cat, very sweet and friendly
Milton, an outdoor feral cat (Mommasita's owner takes care of it and another, more reclusive cat, Mable--who I was unable to capture on film.) And of course, Miss Peaches and Nathan:
Miss Peaches and Nathan, the miniature schnauzers. These dogs make look kinda crazy, but they have darling personalities. I really fell in love with them.
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Herckleperckle
Member
11-20-2003
| Wednesday, June 04, 2008 - 8:51 pm
Starting on Friday, I am sharing a 9-day Fetch job with another sitter in Chadds Ford, PA. (About 15 minutes away from me.) The family is going out of country. They have 2 Bernese Mountain dogs, 1 Golden Retriever (older, with neuropathy problems in her hind legs), 3 cats, a pond full of koi that we need to feed once daily, and a heated, built-in swimming pool (beautiful) that we have to monitor each day for froggies (who dive in but need to be retrieved by a net or else they will drown--cuz they can't get out by themselves). The house is gorgeous! The hubby has his own wine cellar and plays piano (2 in the home). The Bernese Mountain Dogs will be sleeping with the sitter who does the overnights. (I have 8 mid-day visits that last 3 hours each plus 2 overnights; the other gal has 5 overnights.) Now Chadds Ford is an area I will cultivate!! (She was willing to pay $32/hour for the 3-hour mid-day visits!) Whew!
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