Pitter Patter Parenting

01/18/2024

I often tell my pet parents who also have kids, that there are many similarities between raising kids and raising a dog. I love how this article from the Whole Dog Journal also makes this connection.

Gentle parenting and force-free training emphasize empathy and patience as their core tenets dealing with children and dogs.

11/08/2023

Session 3 of Critter Camp is coming up this Friday, November 10th. If you have a little one in Chicago, 3 - 8 years old, who loves animals, then they would love Critter Camp! Each month we focus on different types of companion animals. This month it's rabbits and guinea pigs. Camp is from 9am - noon and includes learning about the animals with a live animal show and tell, arts and crafts, snacks and games. Each session is $30. You can find out more and register by going to www.pitterpatterparenting.com

10/31/2023

Red Door Animal Shelter's Holiday Bazaar is back!
So excited that this event is back after a 4 year hiatus. They have the best Santa for photos. I always use to get my xmas card photo done here every year. And the vendors are great too. Lots of handmade stuff for unique gifts. And lots and lots of cookies!!!
http://bunnyboardingchicago.org/winter-bazaar-2023/

10/24/2023

Are you thinking of adding a dog to your family? Do you have kids who rush up to any dog they see, which causes you concern? Are you expecting a baby soon and wonder how your dog is going to interact with the new addition to the family?

Dogs are a part of many families in Chicago. Whether or not your family has a dog, you and your kids will have interactions with dogs at friends’ houses or just out in the community. Learning about dogs and how to interact with them safely is important for everyone. This November I am partnering up with Southport FUNdamentals to offer dog care and safety education for kids and adults alike. There is bound to be a class that fits your dog loving family’s needs.

Tuesday, November 7th, 6pm – 7pm: Welcoming Home Your New Dog
This 60 minute class is for adults and older children who are thinking of adding or just added a dog to the family. This class will help you get started on the right foot with your new dog. It is always easier to start off right than to have to go back and change problematic behaviors. We will discuss supplies, potty training, crate training, behavior management techniques and resources for finding necessary pet professionals. Each family will receive a folder with dog care resources. $25 per person, $40 per couple, $10 for kids over 10 years old (who are accompanied by a parent).

Tuesday, November 14th, 6pm – 7pm: Dog + Baby
This 60 minute class is for expectant parents who have a dog. It will help you prepare the dog, the home and yourselves for when the new baby comes home. This class will also teach you techniques for how to manage both the dog and the baby so that both are getting their needs met and everyone stays safe. This class is based on the teaching methods of Family Paws. Each family will receive a folder with dog + baby resources. $25 per person or $40 per couple.

Tuesday, November 28th, 6pm – 7pm: Be A Tree
"Be A Tree" is a dog bite prevention curriculum for elementary aged children developed by Doggone Safe. Alicia is a licensed presenter of their curriculum. This class goes into depth about canine body language so that kids can use all their senses to assess whether a dog is safe to approach. This class not only teaches kids how to interact with dogs they know, but also what to do if they see a stray dog. The kids practice what to do in a fun and interactive way. This class is 45 minutes - 1 hour depending on class size. Each child gets a dog safety coloring book and a certificate. Appropriate for 3rd – 6th graders. $20 per child, $30 for two from the same family.
www.sopoFUN.com/register

08/15/2023

Hey Chicago Peeps
Check out my Kids Critter Camp coming up this school year for kids 3 - 8 years. One session per month, on school holidays. The first session is Monday, Sept. 4th, Labor Day. Kids can sign up for as many or as few sessions as they'd like. Sessions run from 9am - noon at the Second Unitarian Church, 656 W. Barry in the Lakeview neighborhood. Each session will focus on a different kind of companion animal. For more info and to register go to:
https://www.pitterpatterparenting.com/pitter-patter-critter-camp

Please share with those who might be interested.

07/14/2023

Check out my Kids Critter Camp coming up this school year for kids 3 - 8 years. For more info go to: https://www.pitterpatterparenting.com/pitter-patter-critter-camp
Please share with those who might be interested.

04/26/2023

Are you a new pup parent? Expecting a pup? Then this class is for you!

Join us for an evening of learning and fun at Squeaky Bea's, 2327 N. California on May 21st from 5pm - 7pm.

I will be teaching "Welcoming Home your New Dog", a 1 hour class where you'll learn all the essentials of pet parenting. We will discuss supplies, potty training, crate training, behavior management techniques and resources for finding necessary pet professionals.

The $25 Admission price includes a goodie bag for your dog, sips + bites for the hoomans and a special one-time-only 20% off discount to anything , the fabulous new pet store in Logan Square.

For tickets: https://www.squeakybeas.com/events

02/07/2023

"We’re coming up on that time of year when the pressure to put pets on heartworm preventives kicks into high gear. In addition, the American Heartworm Society, heartworm drug manufacturers, and many veterinarians now recommend giving preventives 12 months a year, no matter where you live or your pet’s individual risk of exposure.

This isn’t a wise or logical approach, in my opinion, since where you live is the most important consideration in assessing your pet’s risk. I absolutely do not agree that every pet, everywhere, should be given a chemical insecticide once a month, year in and year out.

No drug is entirely harmless. Heartworm preventives are chemical insecticides with the potential for short- and long-term side effects that can damage your pet's health."

Here in Illinois, the recommendation is to give Heartworm preventatives June - November. Read the full article for more details.

Now is the time when the pressure to put every cat and dog on heartworm preventives kicks into overdrive. But there's a good chance you're not being told the whole story about this chemical insecticide that can be harmful. Here's what you need to know before you expose your pet.

01/11/2023

Here at PSI, we always say that pet sitting isn’t for the faint of heart—and it goes beyond “just a job” or even a career…it really is a lifestyle!

Being a professional pet-sitting or dog-walking business owner is more than dog walks and cat cuddles.

👉Ask any professional pet sitter who has missed holidays with their families, extended pet-sitting visits to ensure an ailing pet was comforted or felt the loss of a client’s pet passing.

👉Or better yet, ask one of the hundreds of thousands of pet parents who benefit from the services of professional pet sitters and dog walkers every year.

👉Ask the pet owner who was alerted by his professional pet sitter that his dog’s behavior was unusual and recommended an emergency vet visit—saving the dog from dying from canine bloat.

👉Ask the pet parent who was able to call her pet sitter at 2 a.m. when she learns that her mother—on the other side of the country—has been admitted to the hospital in critical condition and is able to secure pet care as she rushes to the airport.

👉Ask the family whose professional pet sitter has graciously agreed to sit with them as their 15-year-old cat with late-stage chronic renal failure has to be euthanized.

Spend a day with a pro pet sitter or dog walker and you’ll know what those of us at PSI know without question:

Pet sitting is serious business. It’s a career…a lifestyle…a passion. ❤🐾

THANK YOU to the pet sitters and dog walkers making the world a better place for pets and their people!

12/23/2022

Cold Weather Animal Safety

Here are some great tips for keeping your pets safe during these artic temperatures.
https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/pet-owners/petcare/cold-weather-animal-safety #:~:text=Stay%20inside.,and%20should%20be%20kept%20inside.

11/04/2022

Take a listen to my latest podcast interview with Collin of Pet Sitters Confessional. I talk about what it's like to be a solo sitter and why I've chosen to stay solo.

Alicia Obando, owner of Pitter Patter Parenting, joins the show to share why she has stayed unapologetically solo. She walks us through how she markets herself effectively and how she’s set her policies to support being a solo sitter. Living in a society that says we need to always go bigger and ....