Patrick’s Pet Care is thrilled to announce our latest addition: a 5-star cat hotel! We love taking care of boarded dogs, so we wanted to extend the option to cats as well. Our feline friends should be able to have a fun time when mom and dad are away too! The hotel doubles as our administrative office. Imagine it as a cat café, except a cat office. While the administrative staff of Patrick’s Pet Care are at work, the staff get to enjoy the feline companionship and vice versa.

Here are three things to know about our Cat and Small Animal Hotel:

Two Options

We currently have two different options for your pet’s stay: Kitty Condo or Free Reign. In the Kitty Condo, your cat will be comfortable in a large tiered enclosure complete with litterboxes, food and water, and multiple toys.

If your cat would be more comfortable with a bit of wandering, we do have a limited amount of spaces for free reign cats. With this option, your cat has free reign in our office with the ability to explore and endless attention from our staff!

Reasonably Priced

Both boarding options are very reasonably priced. Your cat can stay within their own enclosure at the kitty condo for just $30 a night. If they want the more spacious option (free reign), it will cost an additional $10 a night.

Treating your pet while you are away is easy at these prices.

Top Notch Accommodations

We pride ourselves on the top-notch accommodations we provide for your pet. During your pet’s visit, they will be under supervision for 12 hours with plenty of socializing (with humans or other pets!) and playtime. We keep to their normal meal schedule to so there aren’t any unnecessary disruptions. At night, they have a quiet and comfy place to sleep.

In addition to all of this, we provide email updates on how your pet is doing on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. We know you can’t help but worry about them, so we do our best to make sure you can enjoy your time away.

As we briefly mentioned above, this service is not restricted to cats; we are also able to house small animals like rabbits, ferrets, and guinea pigs. Give us a call today at 202-630-7387 to schedule your pet’s stay!

For some reason, some dog owners tend to think of crates negatively. They don’t see it as their dog’s sacred space or crate training as a tool. Instead, they see it as punishment or a bad thing.

At Patrick’s Pet Care, this might be the biggest misconception we hear. Here is why you should not be afraid of the crate, but rather embrace crate training.

Your Dog’s Space

Their crate is your dog’s special space. It is an area for them and for them only. It is where they can sleep, spend the day, and stay safe. When your dog knows that this is their space, they will spend time there. By keeping the crate door open during the day, they have the option to wander in and out and even take naps there. Outside of their bed, this is the only other space that is just theirs. And, yes you can put your dog in its crate when he or she is bad. Did your mom tell you to “go to your room” when you were a kid after you did something bad? When that happened did you forever associate your room as a dungeon or a bad place? Of course not. Neither do they.

Crate Training Essential

A crate training is an essential tool for puppies as well as older dogs. When potty training, it is important to keep your dog in the crate for a few hours so they learn to hold it. This is especially important for puppies as they learn how to go for longer periods of time without going to the bathroom. Dogs will not go to the bathroom in the same space they spend time in, so when you have the right size crate (not too big, not too small), they will not go in the crate. How big should a crate be? Great question! A crate is appropriately sized if your dog can:

• Turn around freely
• Easily stand, sit and stretch
• Stand up tall without hitting his head on the roof of the crate
• Move about and assume a comfortable posture for eating and drinking
• Hold his tail erect

Safe Way to Stay Home

Before your dog has free reign of the house while you are gone, start by keeping them in the crate and slowly introducing them to short spurts of time outside alone. When you leave your dog out while you are gone, without training it to be alone, it can get into lots of things you don’t want it to and take out its boredom on your shoes or remotes. You also don’t want them to get into anything dangerous or hurt themselves.

The short answer: no. You are not a terrible person, or a bad dog owner if you leave your dog at home.

Most dogs are fine spending several hours at home every day, however, all dogs need bathroom breaks and exercise. Here are a few tips to make it easier on your dog when you are away:

Training

Training your dog to be at home all day is really important if you are going to be away from the home a lot. Teaching your dog how to act when you are gone will keep you both sane! Start with leaving the house for small periods of time so that your dog gets used to you leaving and then coming back. You can start leaving them in a closed off area until they can be trusted to roam free.

Boredom Busting Toys

We love the Kong toy series – any toy that you can stuff with treats is great for dogs that are going to spend time alone during the day.

Dog Walker

Maybe you don’t have time to run home during the day to let your dog out or can’t afford full-time daycare. That’s okay; there are other options, like a midday dog walker. At Patrick’s Pet Care, we offer short walks during the day so your dog can get out and stretch their legs and go to the bathroom. We also offer longer walks for dogs who need to burn off energy. Remember, even though most adult dogs can hold it for 8-10 hours, they really should only have to hold it for 6 hours during the day.

Daycare

If you are gone every day, it can be fun and not that expensive to put your dog in doggy daycare for one or two days a week. Mixing up their routine and providing socializing time, helps your dog be happier and less bored. Plus, they always come home tired afterward!

In Washington D.C., we know that most people are professionals who work. Just because you work doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have a dog. However, if you are thinking about it and will be away from home a lot make sure to invest in a dogwalker or daycare. It really will make things much easier for you and your furry friend. We can even pick your dog up right from your house.

Call Patrick’s Pet Care today to discuss dog walking and daycare if you live in the Washington D.C. area!

A common issue that dog owners run into with both puppies and older dogs is constant chewing! And of course, it is not chewing on the approved chew toys, but rather our shoes and other belongings.

Recently, our lead trainer Chris talked to a couple whose dog continuously chews on their rug. Here are some of his suggestions:

1: Exercise

Dogs that resort to chewing on things (outside of teething puppies), chew because they are bored. If they are bored it is because they are not getting enough exercise or are not mentally stimulated. If you notice your dog has taken to chewing on things, take them on an extra-long walk in the evening when you get back from work. If you are a runner, consider having a partner once in a while. There are a lot of dogs that enjoy running occasionally and it is great exercise for them. Just like with humans, it helps with their mental health. If you’re too busy, hire a dog walker or send them to dog daycare to burn off some off that energy.

2: Correct their behavior

Whenever you catch them in the act, make sure to correct their behavior right away. This may not always be possible as they may do the chewing while they are out of sight or while you are out. Get them to drop the object they are chewing on and give it to you. By taking ownership of the object, you are showing them that it is not theirs to chew on. If you don’t catch them in the act, don’t correct them because they won’t understand why they’re being corrected.

3: Appropriate toys

If you give your dog shoe toys or toys that resemble actual household items, is it really that surprising when they start to chew on those actual items? Encourage chewing on only appropriate toys – preferably ones that don’t resemble your expensive footwear. Smoked beef knucklebones are the favorite at Patrick’s Pet Care and can be ordered through our local partners, The Big Bad Woof.

4: Anti-chewing spray

There are several different sprays that you can buy or make to discourage chewing. An easy DIY spray is apple cider vinegar and water. It won’t damage your items but does smell and taste awful to dogs.

5: Put things away

One of the biggest ways to prevent your dog from chewing on things in your home is to clean them up. Don’t leave shoes on the floor if your dog has previously chewed on your shoes. Gate off areas that they get into when they are left alone.

At Patrick’s Pet Care, we know how frustrating it can be when your dog continuously gets into things and exhibit destructive chewing. If all else fails, bring your dog in for a training class so we can work together to find ways to keep them from chewing on your things.

Adding a new furry family member is a really exciting time, but can make everyday scenarios harder. One of the most challenging aspects of having a pet is taking trips, whether for work or for fun.

The last thing you want to be worried about while on a fun vacation is how your pet is doing. It can be hard to find a place that you trust, that fits your budget, and provides the right level of care for your dog.

At Patrick’s Pet Care, we provide three different options to meet your budget and desired level of care.

Traditional Kennel

This option is most like a traditional boarding facility that is kennel drive. Your dog will spend some time in a comfortable and appropriately-sized kennel, for meals and while sleeping at night. The rest of the time, they will be free to roam, provided they socialize well with other dogs and aren’t destructive.

You can board your dog in our traditional kennel facility for short-term stays, long-term stays, and even monthly stays. You might think a month is a long time to board a dog, but many of our clients work for the State Department and the World Bank where long-term travel is a fact of life. We make sure their pets barely miss them while they are away.

Each day at the kennel, your dog will be treated with one peanut butter kong or chew toy, four outdoor walks, and regular socialization with our professional staff as well as with other dogs.

For an additional price, dogs can get a bath and nail trim so they look their best when you pick them up!

Dog BnB

We also have a slightly fancier option if you are looking for additional pampering for your dog. The Dog BnB is like a regular bed and breakfast, where the guest’s comfort is the top priority. Dogs that stay at the BnB get to roam in an “apartment” and are under constant supervision.

At the Dog BnB, guests will get one peanut butter kong or chew toy a day, four walks a day and regular socialization. Optionally, dogs can be taken on a fun Rock Creek Park Excursion! Overall it’s a much quieter and calm environment than the traditional facility where senior and less social dogs, in particular, can relax in peace, just like you when you’re at the beach.

One of the pros of boarding your pet with us is that you don’t need to worry about providing food dishes, bedding, or crates. We provide all of that. You just need to bring your dog, their food, and any needed medication. You may want to pack one of their favorite toys to enjoy.

We also provide daily email updates on your pet, starting the second day of your trip. For a small fee, you can even get a short video update included in your daily email.

In-Home Care

If your dog has strong personality quirks or gets upset or stressed when his or her environment changes, we also offer in-home overnight care that allows you to perfectly maintain your dog’s everyday routine while you are away.

At Patrick’s Pet Care, we know that it is hard to leave your pet with someone else, so we want you to feel confident that they are receiving the best care. Call us to today to set up a boarding reservation!

Dogs of all ages can come with behavior issues or have them start overnight. When your dog is misbehaving, it can be frustrating and you may not know how to get them to make a shift in their attitude.

Here are 7 tricks we use at Patrick’s Pet Care to adjust a dog’s behavior.

Ignore Bad Behavior

Like we mentioned above, dogs don’t always understand when they are disciplined for doing something. Next time, when they do something bad, ignore them. Don’t react negatively or positively.

Positive Reinforcement

Never underestimate the power of positive reinforcement. Dogs don’t always react well to being disciplined when they do something bad. However, they generally react really well to being rewarded for doing something good. Take potty training: if your dog consistently goes inside the house, make a huge deal out of any time they go outside. This will encourage them to always go outside.

Set Boundaries

Set rules and boundaries and make sure everyone involved with the dog understands them. It will be confusing for your dog if he is allowed to sit on the couch at Aunt Jane’s house, but can’t sit on the couch at home. Land on a set of rules and stay consistent in enforcing them across locations and with all the members of your family.

Exercise

Some dogs require more exercise than others. These dogs are the ones that start to go stir crazy if they are inside all day and will take it out on the furniture, the rugs, and everything they aren’t supposed to be touching. Make sure your dog is getting adequate exercise each day.

Crate Training

When your dog is young, crate training can be a very impactful technique to teach your dog how to hold their bladder overnight and how to sleep on their own. Some people may think it is harsh, but it’s not. Much like a child’s room, your dog will think of their crate as their special place that makes them feel safe. Keep them in the crate when you leave the house to avoid destruction out of boredom.

Boredom Busting Toys

Most people don’t realize that one of the main reasons dogs chew on things they aren’t supposed to or get destructive is because they are bored. Prevent this behavior by getting boredom busting toys, toys that make them work for treats, for them to play with. Kong has several different options that require time and energy, keeping your dog busy, mentally stimulated, and less prone to boredom.

Professional Training

A tried and true method to change a dog’s behavior is to attend training classes. These classes help both you and the dog learn proper commands and get on the same page. At Patrick’s Pet Care, we have a variety of training options for dogs in Washington D.C., to meet all your training needs.

This is not an all-inclusive list of techniques for a misbehaving dog but hopefully gives you a few new ideas if you are dealing with a dog that has a new or existing attitude issue. If you live in Washington D.C. and need additional ideas or want to learn more about our training programs, contact us today!