Summer Loving

Days are long, temperatures are heating up and masks are coming off. It’s going to be a great summer on Nantucket.

It seemed like everyone brought home a new puppy last year. Hopefully the obedience training has continued over the past 12 months! This summer is going to be a little different in that the kids will be back at camp, family members may no longer be working remotely, and with more organizations opening their doors everyday, chances are that Fido is going to be spending more time alone this year. Are you ready?

If you have a dog that isn’t great left alone by him/herself, what are you planning to do when you go out? Girl Friday ACK highly recommends getting in touch with us for helping Pupper feel less separation anxiety/distress but we appreciate “Independence Training” can take time. Meanwhile, consider dog walkers and petsitters. With more people back on the island however, more people are going to be looking for doggie care. Don’t leave it too late – get your pet care needs secured now.

Dog walking services are plentiful but fill up fast and not all providers are equal. If you’re happy to let a neighbor’s kid take Tucker for a quick walk down the road, you probably don’t need to make too many inquiries. If on the other hand you expect someone to entertain Tucker when you’ll be out for hours, perhaps giving him a meal or even medications in your absence, you’re going to need to do your homework. Do you know and trust the person to be alone in your house? Are they insured? What will they do if there is a problem gaining access or worse, when out for a walk? Where do you want them to walk Tucker – on leash or somewhere he can play with other dogs? Where will Cisco be left when he comes back wet and/or muddy? All of these are questions you should have in mind when choosing your dog walker.

If you’re going out for hours, or even overnight, perhaps you need to think about a pet sitter rather than someone who’ll just let pup out for a quick potty break midday. Are you prepared for someone to stay in your home overnight or would you prefer that Milo be boarded elsewhere. As at the time of writing, Offshore Animal Hospital hasn’t resumed their kenneling services yet.

While Girl Friday ACK is currently only accepting new Nantucket based clients for online training services, other resources for on-island pet care include: Geronimos; Nantucket Year Round Community; rover.com Reach out early to secure availability.

This post was written by Als