Muddy Paws & Falling Fruit
September in the Okanagan means cooler mornings, dropping leaves, and the first proper rain in months (fingers crossed!)
It's also a good month for a couple of small habits that make a big difference around the yard, from cleaning up fallen fruit to keeping paws (and floors) a little cleaner as things get wetter outside.
As summer turns to fall, we've added two new services to help make the season a little easier. Pet Sittings & lawn tick and flea treatment!
With pet sitting, your dog stays with someone familiar instead of a kennel, so there's no last-minute scramble to find care you trust.
Our new lawn tick and flea treatment stops the problem at the source, in the grass itself, instead of waiting until your dog picks something up. It's especially useful right now, since ticks and fleas stay active well into fall before the cold really sets in.
Want to know more about either one? Reply to this email or visit our website.
It's a good time to get things back in order. One-time clean ups are now $120 for two dogs (down from $135) and $135 for three dogs (down from $165).
From there, regular scooping keeps the mess from piling back up and helps cut down on the odour and bacteria that linger in a yard, so it stays somewhere you actually want to spend time as the weather cools.
If you have fruit trees nearby, or your dog explores yards and parks that do, September is peak season for apples, pears, and plums dropping to the ground.
Left alone for even a few days, fallen fruit starts to ferment. A dog that eats a few pieces can end up with an upset stomach, and larger amounts of fermented fruit can cause more serious symptoms from the natural alcohol content as it breaks down.
Fallen fruit also draws wasps, so a yard with fruit on the ground often means more stinging insects hanging around too.
A quick walk-through of the yard every couple of days during fruit season, picking up anything that's dropped, keeps both risks in check.
As rain becomes more regular this month, muddy paws start making their way inside more often too. A simple towel and shallow water tray by the door makes a real difference. A quick dip and wipe before your dog comes in cuts down on tracked mud significantly, without adding much to your routine.
One thing that catches people off guard: when a yard isn't scooped regularly, rain mixes waste into the mud, which means muddy paws can be carrying more than just dirt into the house. Keeping the yard scooped between rainy days means a wipe at the door is actually enough, rather than needing a full paw wash every time.
A simple seasonal treat using canned pumpkin, not pie filling.
Ingredients
1/2 cup canned pumpkin (plain, not pie filling)
2 tablespoons plain peanut butter (no xylitol)
Instructions
Mix the pumpkin and peanut butter together until smooth.
Spoon into silicone molds or an ice cube tray.
Freeze for 3 to 4 hours.
Serve as a cool, seasonal treat.
Always introduce new treats slowly and in moderation.