Ruby

My background:

Note: I often receive requests from pet owners left in the lurch by well-reviewed pet sitters who cancelled bookings at the very last minute. Bear in mind that many pet sitters love pets but they prioritize everything else above these pets because it's not their permanent full time job.  

CAUTION: Hire me at your own risk! Many stop by my house gate daily to have their dogs socialized and these dogs refuse to leave. Dogs pull their owners towards me or my van, some drag their feet and are unwilling to go home after spending time at my place, some follow me closely or refuse to alight my van when I send them home. Dogs living up to 3km away from me, pulled their owners all the way to my place, another dog ran out of his house to look for my place. Some dogs behave oddly when they return home because they miss me, my place and their deeply bonded friends.

Skittish/reactive pets: animals don't choose pet sitters based on scent or looks but through humans' body languages. When animals sense humans' fear, it activates their hunting mode and they chase after the fearful human. Many locally experienced pet sitters got injured, resulting fear in entering the pets' homes. Skittish pets look up to those who exhibit calm confidence and strong leadership (of the pack or pride). 

PRIORITY, and the importance of sticking to one pet sitter:

A few pet owners actually admitted that they chose other pet sitters over me based on "good feeling" and their cats seem to "connect better" with this other certain pet sitter, but came back to me ultimately because the pet sitters are inconsistent or disappeared one day. Pet sitter's LONG history (at least 7-8 years), commitment and priorities are more important than instant connection that doesn't last.

Rates/Hours (managed only by me and my husband, we are not super humans):

Misconception: "pets will die of hunger or have health issues if they don't eat at strict timings like 7am". Timings are dictated by humans, and sometimes pets purposely delay breakfast for hours or even skip it because they don't need the energy in the morning to hunt. I notice that most pets finish up their meals if they eat at a later timing.

Passion involves long term (several years), persevering despite hard times like Covid, being physically exhausted and not paid well, but found love and joy through it all. ALL regular clients and visitors feedback that I work the hardest among all pet sitters/boarders/hotels they had used previously, to the point that they pay me up to double, and encourage me to take breaks and go for a holiday.

Our style: I am a firm and strict handler towards dogs, my husband is on the softer side. We feel disturbed when we see dogs exhibit bad habits or behavioral issues. Thus dogs should already have good recall training from their owners. We are educators so we believe in discipline and reinforcement, not overly positive because different dogs respond through different methods - one method doesn't fit all, some don't respond to positive reinforcement even after several years, some take balanced reinforcements better which we are more inclined to. We received well rounded education, we excel in sports, we have a thirst for knowledge esp in wildlife - naturally we want the pets to stay slim and fit, be well rounded, be agile and quick in reflexes as these are survival skills in the wild. We believe in dog socialization and small groups of pack walking because dogs learn, increase their confidence and get exposed to other dog behaviors too.

Dog Walking/pet visits - only at very nearby homes:

Please ensure that there is free visitor parking. My face is an access pass to about 40 condos due to my excellent PR. I have forged strong friendships with cleaners and security guards (some greet me in pet languages, some lunch with me). I have brought pets to the vet, reached homes not easily accessible, handled homes' water leakage and ant/roach problem. We have cared for pets' ill health and heartbreaking last moments while owners are away. 

We may have done much dog stuff, but ironically, we are cat people. I have owned more cats/rabbits than dogs. As a cat sitter, I have easily tackled shy/skittish cats. Such cats will not be bribed. They look for certain cat sitters' personality. I studied big cats and their hunting skills/instincts from lion rehabilitation camps, and have (unexpectedly) turned some outdoor cats, Bengal, Turkish Van, Maine Coon, Persians, Ragdolls, Siberian etc into panting ninjas! 

There are 2 types of cat/rabbit owners: 1. those who are only concerned about getting their pets fed and cleaned at specific early timings, and 2. those who give pet sitters the timing flexibility and the freedom to bond with their pets. I am inclined to the latter and spend much time with clients' cats on freer days, that's why I have many clients who stayed with me for nearly 10 years, and counting. Pet sitters who can stick to your specific timings, don't last. I firmly believe in spending time establishing strong bonds naturally rather than rushing to connect with pets instantly, to meet timings, feed, clean walk, etc, then rushing off to the next pet or appointment or to work. 

Disciplined dog walks:

Please ensure that there is free visitor parking. I do not accept dogs that constantly pull or pull hard during their walks or lunge towards other dogs, because these issues should be resolved by hiring a dog trainer, and I am not one. I reinforce commands and good habits, and help dogs focus and tire them out by keeping them on constant move. I have intercepted confrontation between dogs whose helpers, young or inexperienced dog owners and dog walkers are unable to control on the streets, at dog parks, etc. I have warded off stray dogs and aggressive dogs who attempted to charge towards my clients' dogs. Clients, other dog owners and delivery men often feedback that they meet inexperienced dog walkers who are glued to the phones and couldn't handle the dogs. Thus it's not just about walking dogs but also possessing leadership quality and skills set.

Dog runs/parks:

If you want your dog to have a good run at the dog park, you can contact me for this service too. There will be a small additional charge for transport.

House sitting (only at very nearby homes):

Please ensure that there is free visitor parking. Your dog may get to join walks and socialize with other dogs that need walks too, provided he/she is friendly. He/she can also come to my place to have a good run and we will return to your home for overnight stays. I am frugal and a hygiene freak, I have even taught clients on how to save on electricity. Thus ex clients who used to hire me as their house sitter constantly check on my availability even when I was a dog boarder between 2016-2023! Now I am back!

Dog boarding

I am taking a hiatus from May 1st 2023, it could be months or a year or two, but do check back. In the meantime, I have daycare boarder friends who feel that it is such a waste to not continue this gift of mine, so I would probably be joining them on adhoc basis.

Match your dog with the boarder's personality (indoor/outdoor, introvert/extrovert?) AND place. Usually your dog's personality follows yours. Passive owner, passive dog. Active owner, active dog. If your dog needs only 1-2 walks/day and 24 hours of pampering indoor play with AC, 90% of the boarders offer these at cheap rates. If you have a medium to large active dog with physical potentials or loves ball/frisbee training, we have already taught several dogs to be quick, agile and sharp through their constant stays at our place. We also use balls and toys to reinforce their basic commands and teach new vocabulary.

I look a lot at matching dogs' personalities. I believe in building bonds and relationships, so I pass on this energy to the regular dogs at my place who also form strong bonds and deep friendships one another. Some even found soulmates! They often look forward to meeting one another, they remember one another fondly even if they haven't met for months or even 1-2 years due to Covid, they sense it when their friends passed away or relocate permanently. Their owners also fondly remember their doggy's buddies, and admit that they don't find this kind of special and consistent friendships in other doggy daycare/boarding. 

Doggy daycare (only weekdays):

At a non luxurious landed home with a spacious semi indoor/outdoor patio and a garden for a dog's good run. 5 Most outstanding features highlighted by regular clients are the space, the dogs' discipline (very well trained and well behaved), well ventilated (several huge commercial fans), the patio's cleanliness (constantly cleaned), the soothing music (I am a musician afterall). I have very strict requirements, and will only limit to few dogs per day. Dogs must:

1. be up to date with vaccinations, on regular Nexguard or similar, AND have yearly Bordetella vax. I have had 2 clients' dogs caught cold and kennel cough from other daycare and groomer's, and then came over to my place. Fortunately it didn't spread to other dogs due to my place's natural ventillation

2. be neutered/spayed if they are over 18 months. There have been unpleasant incidents involved unneutered dogs, they could be the aggressor or they could be targets of aggression

3. be friendly to humans (I have elderly parents) and well socialized with other dogs. I cannot afford skittish dogs (esp Singapore Specials) who need much time to warm up to humans or are selective towards certain dogs. I need to provide a safe environment for my family members (they were nipped by ex-clients' Singapore Specials before) and for other clients' dogs

4. have ZERO separation anxiety, ZERO attempts to escape, unnecesssary barking/whining. I don't provide 24/7 service. I don't want my neighbors to complain.

I give priority to dogs who are fully crate (caged box, not playpen, not fence) trained, not semi (given up after a few months) crate trained. OR dogs who are independent, well behaved, well trained and take commands very well. Such dogs will be considered for boarding at my place.

My advice when looking for a daycare boarding:

1. Go to one that's nearby. Long journey rides by commercial daycare/boarding with much starting and stopping, poor driving skills by outsourced drivers have caused a number of my clients' dogs to be sick, traumatized, skittish. Your dog's health and welfare are more important than finishing up the expensive package that you have purchased from the commercial daycare/boarding place. The 2 to 4 hours total journey ride could have been better spent at a nearby doggy daycare

2. Go for strong physique boarders. Many dog owners reported that their active dogs are rejected by many doggy daycare because boarders find that it's too much work, thus these dogs got bored and depressed, videos show that little was done

3. When there is lack of discipline due to overcrowding of dogs, due to high turnover rate of part time and inexperienced pet sitters, since most of them are outsourced, lowly paid, not trained, no knowledge of handling fights or treating wounds, AVOID. Dogs may be tired at the end of the day, but clients noticed that they picked up bad behaviors from other dogs. There are a few expensive and high end ones which my clients used to patronized - their dogs went home injured (and hospitalized), traumatized, got pregnant (!) despite having cameras at the daycare boarding facilities

4. Go for one that alternates between aircon and strong fans/natural breeze. Sick dogs infect others easily at enclosed rooms that promote 24 hours aircon where bacteria thrive and spread easily at cold temperatures. Too much aircon discourages your dogs from getting out of their comfort zone, because cold air stiffens your dog's joints, especially those that are slim, and thus they lose less heat and energy 

Pics/Videos:

I usually send a set of quality pics/video clips once at the beginning/end of the day. I am not the kind who spams every few hours. Being a perfectionist and a wildlife photographer, I won't send much if I am dissatisfied with my pictures. I don't take pics of all walks, because I need to correct their bad habits and look out for sudden dog confrontations. I don't wish to be distracted by phone messages, so dog owners who hire me ought to trust me. If your pet sitter is over responsive, you know that he/she is often looking at the phone and not focusing on her job. I once had a new client who expected me to respond immediately every time she texted me, otherwise she considers me unresponsive. During peak periods, I am extremely busy with all clients' pets and constant cleaning, I would need a few hours to respond occasionally. 

Pet taxi/transportation (REGISTERED pet care service business since mid 2018):

I used to ferry dogs in my Honda Civic for several years but since 4 years ago I own a van which dogs prefer due to bigger space. Dog trainers and regular clients have been using my services for emergencies, grooming, beach/park outings since it's easier to get hold of me as compared to other pet transport. I love driving (and motorcycling), and have clocked at least 40,000km in total on the roads of the above countries that I have self driven. 

Volunteering:

I have assisted in cat hoarding cases, I volunteer in food collection and transport for animal shelters and communities, forge friendships with staff volunteers and rescuers. I coordinate with pet food suppliers who either donate or sell me bulks of food at extremely low prices. I store the food at my place, organize and send them to the stray animals communities and pet shelters (Mercylight, Mdm Wong's shelter, SOSD, Causes for Animals). If you have any unwanted food, cage, cat litter, newspapers, pee pads, old towels, old blankets, and wish to donate, please don't hesitate to contact me and I will come pick them up. 

Why many pet sitters and dog boarders quitted:

1. It's not a well-paid job, many will leave for a BETTER paying job in order to survive financially. Many place their own priorities above clients' pets. Cheap services don't last beyond a year - I saw a pet owner praised on a pet sitter's profile for her cheap services, the pet sitter quitted a few weeks later.

2. Most pet sitters, dog walkers/boarders don't go through pet related education and trainings, thus they are clueless when pet health issues, behavioral issues and dog conflicts occur. All these actually require alot alot alot of self study, readups and research. Some clients interviewed over 10 pet sitters and revealed that most lacked knowledge, including those self proclaimed professionals.

3. When there's no flexibility especially in timings, pet sitters quit. You won't be able to find regular pet sitters or dog walkers who do it at 7 or 8am for more than a year. I think I was the only one in Singapore who did it for 5 years before Covid, then I quitted doing it at those hours, esp after pet owners themselves are inconsistent or texted to cancel at 7am on the spot.