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Sit, Stay, Go Viral: How to Make Your Dog an Internet Star

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How to Make Your Dog an Internet Star

How to Make Your Dog an Internet Star

The Internet has gone to the dogs. It seems like our pets are taking over popular social media platforms like YouTube and Instagram. You can barely scroll through your feed without passing a talking dog or a cute puppy. And these dogs are rising to fame for their funny and adorable antics. Here’s how you can elevate your dog to celebrity status:

Instagram

You’ve probably liked a photo of a cute nose or wagging tail once or twice on Instagram, and it seems like the pups are taking over the photo-sharing app. We know their owners are the ones behind the camera, but it’s the dogs of Instagram who really steal the show. Boo and Buddy, a pair of adorable Poms that resemble huggable teddy bears, have more than 609,000 followers. Trotter, a black French bulldog living in San Francisco, is followed by more than 209,000 dog lovers. And it’s no wonder. His fun and sometimes ridiculous outfits are hard not to like. He doesn’t seem to mind all the attention. If you’ve got a camera-ready pup, follow the example of these pet moms and dads to make your pooch an Instagram star.

Documenting your dog’s daily life is a great way to share the special moments with friends, family and fellow dog lovers. Just be sure not to over share, or you might end up in the doghouse for posting too many cute pictures.

Snapfish Photobooks

Preserving memories of your pet is easy with Snapfish Photobooks. Choose from a hardcover or a softcover photo album, and fill the pages with pictures of your beloved dog. Consider a layout that shows your pup in every stage of life, from puppy stage where he chewed on everything but his toys to his graying years when he preferred taking naps on the sofa to fetching a ball. It’s easy to design a photo album; you can just use your tablet. Once you’re finished designing your album, you can order your 150-page photobook directly from the website.

If you need some glamour shots of your pooch, head to PetCo. Most stores offer professional pet photography services. Just call ahead to schedule your sitting time, and be sure to exercise your dog before coming to the store to have the photos taken. Don’t worry if your dog is wiggly or excited — the photographers are trained to always capture the best moments.

YouTube

Remember Boo, the adorable Pomeranian who has taken over Instagram? Well, his cuteness has gone viral. With more than 14 million likes on Facebook, Boo is also the most popular dog on YouTube. And he’s in good company. Other four-legged YouTube stars like Miska, the talking Husky, and the guilty Labrador named Denver have also gained viral fame. You never know when your dog might do something that the Internet will find hilarious. Keep your recording device on hand to capture those funny moments.

While most YouTube clips come from smartphones, editing your recordings is not impossible. By using a stock video website like Shutterstock, you can add high-quality clips to your YouTube production. Shutterstock also offers a selection of royalty-free music to choose from. With a funny clip and a few editing skills, you can make your dog a YouTube star.

September 30, 2015 |

Tips to Care for Your Sick Pets While You are Away

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Tips to Care for Your Sick Pets While You are Away

As a pet parent, it can be very stressful when your beloved dog is under the weather. Whether you took your precious pup swimming at the local lake over the weekend and she had so much fun frolicking on the rocks that her pads are sore, or your dog got into the cat food and is experiencing some tummy trouble, it’s hard to see your normally energetic dogs feeling yucky.

Even though your fur baby is not seriously ill and you know he’ll bounce back in a day or two, you’d still like to stay home from work to provide non-stop TLC. Unfortunately, you have to leave your dog home alone for awhile. Here’s how to make the best of it.

Keep an Eye on your Pet

It can be hard to concentrate on work projects when you are worried about Fluffy. To help put your mind at ease, invest in a home security camera that will keep an electronic eye on your pet. Lorex Technology sells a variety of video surveillance systems that allow you to view what’s going on at home while you are gone. The wireless system features a free app you can use to see the live stream. This way you’ll know exactly what your pet is up to.

Set out Extra Water Bowls

As Natural Dog Health Remedies says, dogs that are feeling sick may refuse food for a couple of days. While you will still want to call your vet and report this behavior, in most cases this is a normal response to illness and will resolve itself. You should still be sure that your dog has access to plenty of clean water. Before leaving for work, fill a few extra bowls and place them around the house and near your fur baby’s pet bed. This way, she won’t have to walk too far and she’ll have plenty of fluids if she’s been dehydrated.

Put out Puppy Pads and Newspaper

If your dog got into something he shouldn’t have and is recovering from the runs or other tummy distress, it will probably be hard for him to hold it while you are away. Close as many doors in your home as possible to limit his access to carpets and beds, and place puppy pads and plenty of newspaper on the floors. This way, if he has an accident while you are gone, it won’t be too messy to clean up.

Hire a Babysitter

If you can’t make a quick trip home at lunch to check on your four-legged friend, consider hiring a home health services company that can come in and tend to your dog. Google “in-home pet care” and your city to find a local company that can help. For example, Pet Pros offers home health care services to pets who are recovering at home from an injury or illness. You can also ask a trusted friend or neighbor to come in once or twice during the day to check on your dog and give him some extra TLC.

September 12, 2015 |

Make Your Pet Sitting Business Earth Friendly

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Make Your Pet Sitting Business Earth Friendly

Make Your Pet Sitting Business Earth Friendly

Eco-friendly business practices have become an increasingly important element in the allurement of prospective clientele. As a pet-sitter, it is important you have knowledge of the most earth-friendly and pet-friendly commodities for your business venture. Make your pet-sitting business stand out from the rest, with the following eco-friendly practices and pet products:

Marketing

Market your business in an eco-friendly way, without the unnecessary waste of paper materials. Many smartphone owners have a QR code scanner app on their phone. QR codes provide companies the efficient ability to link their physical marketing material with their online website. When a potential customer sees a QR code, they are able to scan it and access more information about the company or their product. Go one step beyond a photo-copied coffee-shop advertisement for your business and reduce your paper waste through the integration of a QR code that links with your website.

Payment & Instant Invoicing

Paper invoices are a waste of paper and mailing materials, which is not conducive for an eco-friendly business. Eliminate the headache of manual invoice composition and the waste of physical invoices, with an electronic invoice system. Conduct payment transfers through your mobile device, as a convenient service for your clients. For more information on the benefits of instant invoicing and mobile payments, Flint has an article that will guide you through this eco-friendly and efficient process.

Pet Treats & Food

Ensure your pet client receives the most eco-friendly treats, through provision of chemical and preservative-free, high-quality pet food. Many pet food brands will use low-grade waste meat — the discards from the beef and poultry conglomerates. These poor quality meat-based pet foods are made from the 4D’s — dead, dying, diseased, disabled animals. A pet who consumes low-grade meat will most likely encounter poor digestive tendencies and is at higher risk of illness or disease. Guide the owner toward pet foods that are FDA-certified, food-grade meat, and nutritionally beneficial for the pet. “Organic” is another certification of pet foods that are made of meats raised in a sustainable, humane environment. The organic food ensures the meat is raised without drugs or hormones, is minimally processed, and only preserved with natural supplements. Organic goes beyond the “FDA-certified, food-grade” meat, as there are stricter rules about the eco-friendly and humane treatment standards.

Pet Waste

When you are the care-taker of a dog, use biodegradable dog-waste bags. Plastic bags are one of the worst culprits of landfill overflow– the decomposition of plastic bags ranges from 20 to 100 years. There are a wide range of biodegradable bags available for purchase at pet stores, like the BioBag at Petco. Steer clear of clay cat litter, as the clay in these litters are procured in non-eco-friendly ways, through strip-mining. Additionally, clay sediment is saturated with carcinogenic silica dust, which is harmful for the lungs of both you and the cat. The sodium bentonite found in clay clumping-litter can attach to the cat’s fur and may be ingested when the cat grooms itself. Sodium bentonite can swell up 15 to 18 times its dry size and will clog up the cat’s digestive system. Opt for a more eco-friendly cat litter, like one made from recycled newspaper, which is reportedly three times more absorbent than clay, non-toxic and dust-free.

August 24, 2015 |
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