Are You the Primary Care Taker for Your Pet

Pets are an important part of our lives.  As a pet owner I admit I love my dog more than most humans (family aside) and she hold a special place in my heart.  Reciprocally happy pets love their humans.  

It is common for a pet to have one primary human that they look up to for their care and comfort. For an unexplained reason beyond my control this have been my role since we got our Havanese dog, Delilah when she was a puppy almost eleven years ago this coming June.  I know this because she follows me around the house and watches every move I make when with her.  I also know this because she feels most comfortable walking and doing what she needs to do when I walk her.  I sometimes feel that she saves all of her "stuff" for when I get home and walk her.

As a primary caretaker there are important responsibilities when a person or a pet depends on you.  Included in my routines are providing food and shelter, grooming, teethbrushing, veterinarian visits and walking.  As such I thought I would share some articles regarding pet safety.  Last month I blogged about making your home pet friendly and awhile back I wrote about Pet Safety.

In this blog post I will update a few recent articles I have read with ideas on how to be a better primary caretaker of your dog.   In today's NYT click here is an article that shares tips on how to be an advocate for your pet and approach a veterinarian visit by preparing 5 recommended questions.  Ideally it is always good to be prepared for the visit ahead of time with any concerns you may have.    

I recently had my dog's teeth cleaned under anesthesia after much debate and fear.  Plaque is a leading cause of heart disease and since she was still in very good shape it was recommended to do the procedure once while she was strong.  She had severe plaque and a few teeth that needed attention.  It was a nerve racking day for me but fortunately went well.   I routinely brush her teeth and the vet actually said although she had 2 small teeth pulled her gums and teeth were in excellent shape.   In follow up I researched pet teeth care to keep up her dental health and reduce the chance of plaque coming back.  I am sharing an article from the American Veterinary Dental College (AVDC) here.  

My favorite time of day is when I come home and walk Delilah.  This gives me time to detox from a busy day, spend some quality bonding time and get fresh air.   It is always important to be safe when walking your pet and here is an article with some safety tips for your ventures.  Of note,  on a separate note visibility is important and I do have a side business selling light up dog leashes (click here to learn more).  As a matter of fact, the sun is about to come out now and I am going to do just that after I publish this post.  Have a great night!!

Wendy is a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Needham covering Metrowest Boston and the Lower Cape.  She loves to blog about things near and dear to her including her Havanese Delilah.  She recently started sharing short videos of her walks around the local area with Delilah to highlight her market area.  You can see these by following her on Instagram or Facebook. 

Pass over the clutter and spring cleaning

As the spring holiday of Passover approaches I always try to clean my home in anticipation of hosting a seder dinner.  I got a jump start on my adrenal by helping a family member move to a new apartment in New York, a few weeks ago and this was my primary inspiration to this blog.  My next motivation came as I started cleaning my kitchen and found the March issue of Prevention Magazine under piles of mail.  One article that popped out was How to Declutter Your Home, One Room at a Time.  In this article are simple steps to declutter your home and simplify your life.   There are 26 small steps suggested to do one day at a time.   

As I approached the move in New York,  I had a sudden clutter attack when I entered a room full of "stuff".  Although I try to keep accumulated things under control in my own home, this was not the case in this apartment.  I was overwhelmed by the amount of stuff that could be passed over (and thrown out) and the importance of getting rid of things as one goes along.  After an intense attack session we managed to clear the room out in under 10 hours.  See the photos below.  

We need to get in the habit of getting rid of clutter.  Each time you buy a new clothing garment, for example, ask yourself ....is there an older one you will no longer wear? If yes give it away.  After you use a toiletry item, throw it out or after you finish reading a magazine recycle it.  Clean up as you go.  Do your laundry weekly so it doesn’t pile up to 90 plus pounds.  Get rid of the junk and clutter as it can grow beyond control.  If you move frequently (millennials- learn to go with the minimalist lifestyle as it is much easier to pick up and go).  

BEFORE PHOTO

AFTER PHOTO

If you are feeling the declutter vibes there are many great articles and books on this subject.  One author who has inspired me is Gretchen Rubin who wrote The Happiness Project .  She has a new book out  Outer Order, Inner Calm which definitely goes into depth about simplifying life to be calmer.  Perhaps you now feel inspired to get a jump start on a cleaning project.  If you don't know where to begin you can always hire a professional (I have a network for referrals) but it just takes drive and small steps.   You will feel much better as you shed the excess.  I wish you a happy and clutter free start to spring holidays and a simplified summer.

Wendy is a realtor at Coldwell Banker Needham who loves to read, write, walk her dog and work towards a simpler lifestyle.   You can visit her blog at www.wendybcb.com.  

Happy Home, Happy Pet

After a long day there is nothing as welcoming as a happy and excited dog to greet you.   The second I open the front door my dog, Delilah is the first one to run to the door and greet me.  This is always the highlight of my day.  

Today is National Pet Day and a great reminder that having a pet may have a major impact on one's real estate choices.  There is an interesting article in Realtor Magazine this week, highlighting the importance pets play in our lives and how today's home seekers  are searching for property options that welcome pets and also have nearby amenities.  

My main take away was that when you seek a property as a pet owner there will be new criteria in the final decision.  I recommend making a list of all the factors that will be major influencers.   As we all worked hard to find ideal environments to possibly raise a family it is now as common to find an ideal environment to have a pet.  

If you are buying a single family home be sure there will be safe spaces for your pet to roam and rest.  If you are looking at multi-owner buildings you will want to see ones that are pet friendly.  Easy ability to get the pet outside for walks will be critical (thinking high rise elevator building may be tough).  Check the Condo association rules to be sure pets are allowed in the by-laws.  This is very important and do your due diligence.  I have heard of stories where one heard a pet was welcome only to later find it went against the Condo Association Rules.  If you are renting also be sure the place allows pets.  Learn the local area to be sure there are safe places to walk, near by dog parks and reputable veterinarians nearby.  

The article lists eleven great Pet friendly cities but excludes my home state.  As a pet owner and resident of Massachusetts I can vouch for this being a great state for pets.  I wrote a blog post about making your home pet friendly almost 2 years ago and it is still quite relevant.  Click here.     If you don't already own a pet they do make great additions to your life and I could go on and on about this subject.  All I can say is I love my dog and get super excited when clients are dog owners.  Feel free to reach out to me with any dog related questions.    In addition, I set up a small online business to sell light up dog leashes because my neighborhood has limited street lighting.  (on another featured facebook page called Bella Cose)

Wendy is a realtor with Coldwell Banker Needham.  She loves dogs, travel and blogging.  For more info visit her website at www.wendybcb.com.

Of note, I recently started posting short videos called Wendy and Delilah to highlight areas of my real estate market place while we walk around metro west and Cape Cod. These are featured on my real estate facebook page @wendybcb or on youtube at wsbornstein.)