Interview with Chicago Dog Walker, Cynthia Slaby
Cynthia Slaby is the owner and manager of Chicago-Pets, a pet care company she founded in Chicago, Illinois. Prior to starting this company, Cynthia had over 15 years of Advertising and Marketing experience, working on some of the biggest consumer packaged goods and pharmaceutical brands in the world. The aspects of her career that she enjoyed the most were the creativity, strategy and the team environment.
Cynthia was able to see many fantastic campaigns come to light, as well as experience the successes that result from a cohesive team, but something was missing. Cynthia knew that her true calling in life was to nurture and care for animals. Her unconditional love and passion for them were the primary reasons for launching her own professional pet sitting service.
Cynthia’s educational background consists of a B.S. in Public Relations degree from Central Missouri State University. She is a registered member of Pet Sitters International (PSI), volunteer in a medical setting for the Anti-Cruelty Society, and she am certified in Pet First-Aid by the American Red Cross.
Cynthia’s goal is to provide your pets with loving and attentive care and she strives everyday to succeed in providing her human and pet clients with the best quality, stress-free and easiest service possible. Cynthia believes in systems and routines to make sure your pets are safe and secure in their own surroundings, and ensure all her Pet Care Specialists are well trained on these. Cynthia’s pet care expertise will ensure that your loved ones receive the best care possible while you are away!
DogWalker.com: How did you become a pet care professional, and what do you enjoy most about walking dogs?
Cynthia: I spent 15+ years in advertising and marketing. While I liked it, I didn’t love it. I want to love what I do because we spend so much of our time working. My passion for animals is something I’ve always wanted to follow and considered going back to school for veterinary medicine. Long story short, the amount of time and money that would require were not for me. Doing this I could use the skills I obtained as a marketer to grow a business caring for animals — now, I love what I do.
One of the things I love about walking dogs, there are so many, are the smiles they bring to people on the street as we’re walking by. I love the fact that the great majority of people love animals and simply must stop to give a big “hello” — and that my “clients” are always gracious and willing to be adored.
DogWalker.com: How do you deal with dogs that have behavior issues?
Cynthia: This really depends on the behavior issue. I get a thorough history from each client before I begin walking their pup(s) and do everything I can to learn about a specific behavior issue. If it’s a dog that doesn’t like other dogs or children, I look for a low traffic walking path; if it’s a destructive issue I will wear myself out trying to make sure that dog gets a very energetic walk, I often run with them; If it’s an anxiety thing I reassure and talk to the dog the entire time we’re together. I do whatever I can to ensure that pup is as content as possible.
DogWalker.com: Where are your favorite places to take dogs in and around Chicago and why?
Cynthia: My favorite places are wherever I can find “natural turf” —- I look for grass and soil and head in that direction. A natural setting just seems more calming and gentler on the pads, not to mention they have to provide a lot more interesting scents and smells than concrete!
DogWalker.com: Please share a good story from your dog walking career.
Cynthia: Again, there are so many. It’s not a story really but I do have one wonderfully cute and quirky Shepherd/Sharpei mix, Sam, who does this funny little circle dance thing when I walk with him…he’s constantly walking a few steps, circle, few steps, circle. It’s when he’s excited, which is always the first 5 minutes or so of a walk, and it just cracks me up. I love it.
DogWalker.com: What’s the best way to cope with the crazy Chicago weather?
Cynthia: Gear, a good attitude and making the weather a personal challenge. If you’ve got the gear and the right outlook on things, there are no worries.
DogWalker.com: What sets your company apart from other local dog walking companies?
Cynthia: I like to think of Chicago-Pets as a more of a “boutique” pet sitting service. We’re a very personalized service. I’m not interested in getting really, really big or franchising. We’re very discreet, no logo’d t-shirts are worn by our walkers and sitters. The pets we care for, and their owners, are members of our family, and I’m a nut about making sure that is sincerely demonstrated through very attentive care and customer service.
Another thing is I believe that consistency in care for pets is really important. Pets need consistency just like kids, I think. One, or two tops, Pet Care Specialists are assigned to each pet household. And it’s only two if the frequency of visits requested requires more than 1 person. This is of the utmost importance to me. I can guarantee all of this also because the people who work with me are employees, vs. contractors. What this means is that I can require certain actions of and train my Pet Care Specialists — this is not allowed, by law, if the staff is made up of independent contractors. Consistency is key.
Nature’s Variety Pet Food Recall
I want to share an email with you that I received from Nature’s Variety regarding a dog food recall.
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Dear Friends – please read these important food safety announcements regarding our raw frozen chicken diets, and scroll down to receive valuable coupons.
Nature’s Variety Voluntarily Expands Recall to Include All Chicken Formula and Organic Chicken Formula Raw Frozen Diets with “Best If Used By” Dates On or Before 2/5/11
Nature’s Variety is announcing that out of an abundance of caution, we are voluntarily recalling all Chicken Formula and Organic Chicken Formula products with a “Best If Used By” date on or before 02/5/11.
Nature’s Variety has received new test results from an outside facility that indicate that Chicken Formula Raw Frozen Diet with the “Best If Used By” date of 10/29/10 and Chicken Formula Raw Frozen Diet with the “Best If Used By” date of 11/9/10 may be contaminated with Salmonella. Therefore, we are voluntarily recalling these date codes of product from the marketplace. Also, out of an abundance of caution, we are expanding our voluntary recall to include all Chicken Formula and Organic Chicken Formula Raw Frozen Diets for dogs and cats with any “Best If Used By” date on or before 02/5/11. We believe taking this action is an important and responsible step in order to reinforce consumer confidence and trust.
No other Raw Frozen Diets are involved in this expansion other than chicken, and no other Nature’s Variety products are involved.
The products included in this expanded recall are any Chicken Formula or Organic Chicken Formula Raw Frozen Diet with a “Best If Used By” date on or before 2/5/11, including:
* UPC#7 69949 60130 2 – Chicken Formula 3 lb medallions
* UPC#7 69949 60120 3 – Chicken Formula 6 lb patties
* UPC#7 69949 60121 0 – Chicken Formula 2 lb single chubs
* UPC#7 69949 50121 3 – Chicken Formula 12 lb retail display case of chubs
* UPC#7 69949 60137 1 – Organic Chicken Formula 3 lb medallions
* UPC#7 69949 60127 2 – Organic Chicken Formula 6 lb patties
The “Best If Used By” date is located on the back of the package above the safe handling instructions.
If you have purchased one of the affected products, please return the unopened product to your local retail store to receive a complete refund, or to exchange it for another variety. If your package has been opened, please dispose of the raw food in a safe manner by securing it in a covered trash receptacle. Then, bring your receipt (or the empty package in a sealed bag) to your local retailer for a complete refund or replacement.
As you may know, Nature’s Variety now uses High Pressure Pasteurization on our Raw Frozen Diets as a unique process to kill pathogenic bacteria through high-pressure, water-based technology. Having incorporated this state-of-the-art technology on our Freeze Dried Raw products in late 2009, we were able to confidently implement the process universally on all Raw Frozen Diets after the February 11, 2010 recall in order to further enhance food safety. Nature’s Variety also utilizes a test and hold protocol to ensure that all High Pressure Pasteurized Raw Frozen Diets test negative for harmful bacteria before being released for sale.
“Nature’s Variety believes replacing all raw frozen chicken products on the market with new raw frozen chicken products that use High Pressure Pasteurization is an important and responsible step in order to reinforce consumer confidence and trust,” stated Reed Howlett, CEO of Nature’s Variety. “By recalling all raw frozen chicken products with ‘Best If Used By’ dates on or before 2/5/11, we can provide our pet parents with new raw frozen chicken products that have been processed through High Pressure Pasteurization. Adopting High Pressure Pasteurization is an important step to ensure that our products meet the strictest quality and food safety standards.”
Reed offers this promise to you, “Our commitment to consumers in the future is the same as it’s been in the past – to offer Raw Frozen Diets made from the highest quality ingredients, made in our own plant in the Midwest, by people who care deeply about pet nutrition, health, and happiness.”
If you have additional questions, please call our dedicated Customer Care line 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 800-374-3142. For additional information about High Pressure Pasteurization or other Nature’s Variety food safety protocols, please read the Q&A below or visit www.naturesvariety.com.
Free Dog Walk in Sunny Isles, Florida
Paws and Dogs, LLC has announced their expansion into Sunny Isles by adding a team member to the area. It allows pet owners to have peace of mind while on vacation or working late. A healthy pet’s lifestyle depends on daily walks for exercise and socialization.
According to Cesar Millan, a famous dog trainer and Leon F Whitney, D.V.M most dog issues or signs of instability can be modified with daily exercise. Some of the signs of instability are: jumping up on people, running away, obsessive barking, aggressiveness or antisocial behavior towards humans or other dogs. Most times these behaviors come about from boredom and lack of activity. These bad habits develop slowly and can be broken, but not in a short time.
Visits start at $15 for a half hour walk and feed. To help celebrate their expansion company owner, Ana Bertran, is offering one free walk per household in the area of Sunny Isles.
About Paws And Dogs LLC
Paws And Dogs has been in business for three years, servicing Aventura through Midtown and the Beaches. P&D provides dog walking and pet sitting services, along with supply pick up and drop off at competitive and affordable pricing. They are members of Pet Sitters International, a Professional Pet Sitters association, are insured and have references in the area.
For more information on the services provided by Paws and Dogs visit http://www.pawsanddogs.com or call 305-496-3709.
Safety First
Sari Reis is a pet care professional and owner of Mission Valley Pet Sitting Services in San Diego, California.
As dog walkers we are all familiar with dogs that try to ingest just about everything they see that looks or smells good to them. It could be tossed out food, animal droppings, nuts or seeds, or even dead birds. When walking one dog it is simple to watch where it is sniffing and what it may be trying to eat. With 3, 4 or more dogs, it is easy to miss something and before you know it, one of the dogs is choking on something or has eaten something that could make him ill.
I have often wondered about the dog walkers that you see walking 4, 5 or 6 dogs on leash at once. What would they do in an emergency situation? If one of the dogs is in distress, possibly needs a canine Heimlich maneuver or needs to go to the emergency clinic, what do they do with the rest of the dogs?
The safety and well-being of my client’s pets have been my hallmarks for dog walking and pet sitting since starting my business. At the initial consultation I reassure my clients that I never walk more than one dog at a time unless they are in the same family, and then it is only two at a time. It is not because I cannot physically manage more dogs, but because of the possibility that if something happens to the dog, I want to be able to focus all of my attention on getting that dog whatever help it may need.
Even when being very vigilant I have had dogs pick up something they have found when sniffing under a bush that I couldn’t see. They lift up their heads and I see they are chewing on something. I have no idea what it is but I know that it is something they shouldn’t be eating. I always tell them to “drop it” and some dogs do so immediately. However, some dogs do not and then I have to try and fish it out of their mouths. This can be dangerous if the dogs aren’t completely comfortable with you so you have to be very careful. So far, I have extracted large fruit pits, poop, discarded pieces of clothing and chicken bones from dog’s mouths. All potentially dangerous if swallowed. If I had several dogs to keep an eye on, I wouldn’t be able to perform these maneuvers.
From a strictly financial point of you, I know one can make a lot more money walking several dogs in the same time slot, but I have never and will never compromise a dog’s health for the sake of making more money.
Top 10 City Dog Walker Searches
Someone emailed me asking what the top city searches are for dog walkers on DogWalker.com. I looked through the analytics, and there were literally HUNDREDS of cities searched in the last 30 days, and there have been OVER 5,400 unique visitors… not too shabby for having been online for just about 3.5 months!
Not counting zip codes (where there are several hundred searches a month), here are the top 10 cities where people have been searching for a dog walker using DogWalker.com:
Chilly Dogs Coat for a Chilly Dog?
I am originally from New Hampshire, so the cold weather in New York City doesn’t usually bother me. I wear a jacket in the winter, but it doesn’t seem nearly as cold as it was when I was growing up. When I take my dog Lucy (a 2 year old 25 lb puggle) for a walk during the winter, I don’t know if/when she should wear a coat. I’ve read that dogs don’t usually need to wear outerwear, but I feel guilty when other dog owners and dog walkers pass me on the side walk!
Generally, when it’s raining out, I will put a lightweight dog jacket on Lucy, but that’s more the keep our furniture dry when she gets home. When it’s very cold (in the teens and 20’s), I will also make certain she wears a warmer coat to keep her from getting the shivers. The problem is that Lucy HATES wearing coats. It’s somewhat amusing because she sits and refuses to budge sometimes when she wears a jacket. Maybe it’s the coat, but we’ve tried a couple of different brands/styles and she just doesn’t seem to like wearing one.
Lucy is very friendly with a white boxer named Fancy, and Fancy wears a Chilly Dogs coat when she goes outside in the winter. Fancy has a much thinner natural coat than Lucy, but she doesn’t mind wearing her jacket. Maybe Fancy’s disposition is different than Lucy’s but she isn’t fussy when she wears a jacket. I also saw another dog wearing a Chilly Dogs jacket today, and he looked happy to wear it. I am thinking about getting Lucy a similar coat, but I have a few questions:
- When should a dog like Lucy wear a coat outside (temperature/weather conditions)?
- What brand of coat is best for dogs if I am looking to keep her comfortable more than fashionable?
- How sturdy are Chilly Dogs coats?
Image is from the Chilly Dogs website.
Thank The Dog Walkers Who Brave the Snow
This winter sure has been something on the east coast. Here in New York City, we saw over 20″ inches of snow today, bringing the total to around 47″ (in Central Park) for the season. Considering that the average snowfall amount annually is just 17″ inches, this has been quite the season for snow!
Many people are able to make special accommodations with work and children when the snowstorm hits, but not dog walkers. I saw plenty of dog walkers in New York today, braving the horrible conditions to ensure that dogs in their care get the exercise they need and the relief that is required.
Likewise, Washington DC, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and other northeast cities have seen exceptional amounts of snow this season. In the next few days, please take some extra time to thank your dog walker. Walking dogs in the snow isn’t necessarily bad, but in some cities with poor snow removal capabilities, it’s much more difficult.
I waded through six inches of sloppy puddle several times today, and it wasn’t fun. I saw plenty of dog walkers doing the same. Sometimes it’s a thankless job, so let’s make an extra effort to thank our dog walkers!
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Elena Gretch Appearance on WPIX News
New York City dog trainer, pet expert, (and dog walker) Elena Gretch of It’s A Dog’s Life NY recently made an appearance on New York news station WPIX to celebrate National Train Your Dog Month. Elena offered some of her dog training tips and tricks on live television, and the video is embedded below.
If you are looking for a New York City dog walker, check out Elena’s website.
Looking for a Seattle Dog Walker
A friend of mine from Seattle posted a message on Facebook a couple of days ago asking if anyone knew of any dog walkers in Seattle. Of course, I told him he should check out DogWalker.com and do a search for a Seattle Dog Walker.
Unfortunately for my friend, there were no dog walkers listed! In the last 2.5 months, over 120 dog walking companies have signed up for listings on DogWalker.com, but none of them are from the Seattle area.
There are a few other larger cities in the US without dog walkers listed on DogWalker.com, although I can’t think of many off the top of my head. If you happen to know a dog walker in Seattle, you might want to let them know there’s a good opportunity to generate some business with a listing.
Your friend will thank you!
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How Much Exercise Does Your Pet Need?
Guest post written by Tammy Ng – Owner of Fetch! Pet Care of NW San Gabriel Valley. Fetch! is a national provider of pet sitting services.
Even more than people, our pets (especially dogs) need regular exercise. According to a major publication, over 40% of pets in the US are overweight? As a Pasadena pet sitter, I’ve seen it all too often. Due to our busy schedules, many of us don’t spend enough time with our pets. So how do we make it up to them? We feed them extra treats.
In order to get to the root of the problem. We need to understand just how much diet and exercise our pets need. Below are several links to help you out.
For cat owners, according to The Pet Center, “the main reason for feline obesity (as well as obesity in other mammals) is the consumption of too much food. Deny it all you want but it is a fact.” To read more about cat obesity and what to do, click here
For dog owners, in addition to a normal diet, you need to understand how much exercise your dog needs. This link, should help you determine the exercise requirements for your breed of dog. Once you understand your requirements, use this link to figure out how to meet those requirements.
My personal advice is to make sure you take your dog on daily dog walks for a minimum of 30 minutes. It’d be even better if you could head over to the Arcadia or Pasadena dog park. Or sign up for something like the agility course offered at the Pasadena shelter. If you are unable to do it yourself, I highly suggest hiring a dog walker to help you out. The benefits to you and your dog far outweigh the cost.
Recent Posts
- Interview with Chicago Dog Walker, Cynthia Slaby
- Nature’s Variety Pet Food Recall
- Free Dog Walk in Sunny Isles, Florida
- Safety First
- Top 10 City Dog Walker Searches
- Chilly Dogs Coat for a Chilly Dog?
- Thank The Dog Walkers Who Brave the Snow
- Elena Gretch Appearance on WPIX News
- Looking for a Seattle Dog Walker
- How Much Exercise Does Your Pet Need?