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Is This New Website A Big Threat To Pet Sitters? [Video]

I was enjoying my morning coffee earlier, as usual, reading through the Google News headlines to see what the day had in store.

One of my custom news sections has all pet sitting industry headlines and stories, and one in particular caught my attention.

It was an article from the Los Angeles Times spotlighting the new start-up, DogVacay.com.

One thing from the article in particular ruffled my feathers and prompted me to make this quick video.

Make sure to watch at minute 1:53 in the video to see exactly what got me going – and tell me if you don’t agree with my stand.

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Another 8 Pet Sitting Websites That Connect With Visitors

chain linksAn acting teacher of mine once told us that it’s ok to steal, as long as you steal from the best.

She was referring to stealing acting technique, and was by no means promoting blatant theft or copy, but rather making the point that if you are going to learn from others, you should learn from those doing it right.

The same can be said for most anything in life, including perfecting your pet sitting website.

We learn the most by observing, analyzing or understanding what others are currently doing that works.

Last year, I wrote an article called “7 Examples of Pet Sitter Websites That Perfectly Connect With Visitors” and the response was extremely positive.

So I decided another showcase was in order.

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6 Things Football Teaches Us About Pet Sitting

football on the fieldAfter a magnificent win by my favorite football team, the NY Giants, to win Super Bowl XLVI, it only seems fitting to discuss how many of the strategies and qualities it takes to win games can also be applied to success in your pet sitting business.

Vince Lombardi is one of the (if not the) most respected and admired coaches in football.

In fact, it is the Lombardi trophy that is awarded to the winner of each Super Bowl, so the guy must have been pretty special to the game.

Lombardi is known for his motivational speeches and after reviewing some of his famous quotes, it becomes more evident how he was talking about much more than simply football.

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Can This Sleep Aid Also Work For Pets?

cat napWho knew that one of the best sleep aid tools I have found for myself might also be incredible useful for pets?

Allow me to explain…

I’m not sure exactly how this came to be, but for many years now I find in near impossible to fall asleep in complete silence.

I use and require the aid of a white noise maker.

I’ve heard some like those machines that make the sound of the ocean, a rainstorm or the jungle.

Personally, I prefer simple white noise (practically like static sound).

Since I don’t have my white noise maker anymore, I went online to see what solutions I could find and wouldn’t you know there are entire websites dedicated to creating a variety of white noise directly from your computer.

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Top 12 Tips for Your Pet Sitting Website in 2012

website tipsHave you made any New Year’s resolutions in regards to your pet sitting business?

Have you decided to gain a certain number of new clients? Or make this the year you hire pet sitters to join your team?

No matter what your focus going forward, you will always need to keep your website in tip top shape.

One of my biggest passions has always been helping pet sitters grow by improving business skills and improving your website presence.

Here are my Top 12 tips for getting your website in great shape in 2012.

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R.I.P. Willy – Best Beagle Ever.

Willy. Best Beagle Ever.On Saturday, December 10, 2011, Willy the Beagle crossed over Rainbow Bridge and returned to play in Heaven. He was 14 years young and remained comfortable, happy and loved until the very end.

I owe my relationship with Willy to the pet sitting industry.

Willy entered my life as a pet sitting client while living in New York City. Alitia and I watched and cared for Willy on multiple occasions when his owner would travel for business.

One day, that business travel extended a bit further. We received a call from Willy’s owner asking if we knew anyone who could adopt Willy since business was transferring him out of the Country.

After a brief conversation together, we agreed Willy would be a welcome addition to our other two dogs.

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What Happens Now That Thanksgiving Has Past?

fall leavesDon’t you agree that this is one of the most exciting times of the year?

Having spent a few years in San Antonio where it rarely falls below 60 degrees this time of year, I am now back on the East coast, able to enjoy and experience one of my favorite seasons: Autumn.

The leaves change color. Fireplace smoke is in the air. And Holiday music is upon us.

Although, oddly enough, it did reach over 60 degrees a few days this weekend here in New Jersey.

Now that Thanksgiving is behind us, it’s time to look forward and focus on the upcoming holiday.

As pet sitters (and therefor small business owners), we have the opportunity to land new clients, service current clients, and have one of our best months all year.

Want to see something I rarely show anybody?

Alitia and I, with the help, of course, from our team of pet sitters, brought in a total of $22,308.50 in pet sitting services during the very first December we were in business with Alitia’s Animals.

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How Is Your Pet Sitting Business Like Baking A Chocolate Cake?

chocolate cakeTruth be told, I’m not much of a cook. Ironically, I love food so that’s a bit of a dilemma.

What I’m most comfortable treating myself to is the quick and easy chocolate goodness provided by Duncan Hines Chocolate Cake – yes, right out of the box.

For my money, there’s nothing much simpler than following the directions:

Step 1 – Preheat oven.

Step 2 – Blend ingredients.

Step 3 – Bake 30 minutes.

That’s all there is to it. And the outcome greatly outweighs the skill involved to achieve the result.

But, What If…?

Baking a cake from a box is admittedly a simple process. Follow a few steps and wait a bit and you’ve got yourself a delicious cake.

But let’s not take the step by step process for granted. Because whether you realize it or not, most everything we look to accomplish in our day to day life is the direct result of following small, specific steps to reach the desired goal.

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Halloween Safety for You and Your Furry Trick or Treater

This is a guest post written by Ashley Spade

If you’re anything like me, you can’t wait for Halloween to roll around. It’s the perfect opportunity to eat candy, dress up and show your pet a good time.

Last year, I took my dog, Sir Winston Pugsalot, around with me for a round of trick-or-treating. He loved the opportunity to walk around, see all the costumes and traverse other people’s lawns all night.

This year, I’m living in Chicago, so we can’t quite have a repeat of last year. I was pretty bummed, until a friend told me about a shelter fundraiser at two downtown Chicago hotels. It’s a Halloween party for you and your pet, with prizes for the best costumes. Sign me up!

Whether you’re hosting a party, taking your pet out trick-or-treating, or heading out sans pet, you’ll need to keep a few tips in mind for a safe Halloween for you and your favorite furry friend.

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The Worst Business Practice Ever (All Over 22 Cents)

Every morning, I head over to my local 7-Eleven (convenience store) to fill up on my much needed cup of coffee.

Always offered are 4 cardboard cup sizes; 12oz, 16oz, 20oz and 24oz.

My routine is to grab the 16oz. cup, fill it up with regular black coffee and head on my way.

This morning, however, something was off.

As I made my way to the coffee section, I saw other customers looking a bit confused.

Getting closer, I immediately became confused with them.

The 12oz and 16oz cups were nowhere to be found. Instead, there were big empty voids where they usually are.

I turned to look at the closest employee and she simply offered, “We didn’t get our delivery.”

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