Posted by john reh on Mon, Jan 02, 2012 @ 04:56 PM
The New Year is upon us and everyone seems to be thinking of how this year is going to be different, better, than last year. Everyone has resolutions on their mind, whether or not we actually do anything about them. I’ve been thinking of some of the more popular resolutions and how these could apply to our pets.
- Eat Healthy. Managing his/her diet is probably the simplest and most effective way to help your pet. There are so many food choices out there; it’s easy to be confused. Talk to your veterinarian at your pet’s next wellness visit for the best advice. And go easy on the snacks. I recently read that one large milk bone is the caloric equivalent of a Big Mac. Not sure if this is true, but it’s something to think about. I know I’m looking to limit my intake of cookies in the New Year; I’ll be doing the same for my dogs.
- Get Fit. I have this vision of dogs hitting the gym on January 2 just like their human counterparts. If only it was this easy. Your dog needs you to help him exercise. If your yard is fenced, terrific! Open that door often and let them run safely to their heart’s content. Depending on the breed, you may have to help by throwing a ball or finding other ways to get them “in the game.” If you don’t have a fenced yard, get the leash out and make sure your dog has the opportunity to walk or run on a daily basis. Not an easy task, given the colder weather and shorter days, but well worth the effort. There’s a reason we say, “The Dogs Love Running! pet care service helps your pets live longer and behave better through exercise.” It’s true.
- Break A Bad Habit. Thankfully, dogs don’t have to worry about addictive habits such as smoking, but they can get hooked on other bad behaviors. Does your dog bark, dig or just seem out of control? Again, exercise could very well get your dog on track to better behavior. One of my favorite sayings is “A tired dog is a good dog.” I have three high energy dogs at my house and there is nothing better than seeing them all relaxed in the house after they’ve had a chance to spend their energy during the day.
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Enjoy Life. There are many versions of this resolution: spend more time with family
and friends, decrease stress, relax more, be happy. I’m not certain that dogs are worried about enjoying life, but we should be focused on making sure they are happy. After all, we love them and want the best for them, right? Here’s a picture of Riley after his run with Dogs Love Running! Doesn’t he look happy? No surprise, our mission at Dogs Love Running! is to make pets happy.
Happy New Year to you and your pets! Make 2012 great!
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Posted by john reh on Wed, Nov 23, 2011 @ 11:54 AM
Given that Thanksgiving is this week, it’s no surprise that I would write on being thankful. I have a wonderful family, great friends, and a terrific job. My professional life has been a little unconventional. I’ve been an environmental project manager, a technical editor, a stay-at-home mom, and a microbiologist. I’ve even worked with the salamander collection at the Smithsonian Institution. Over the years, I’ve toyed with the idea of having my own pet-sitting or dog-walking business. Then John Reh and Dogs Love Running! came into my life.
My Thanksgiving wish for everyone, whether you live in Wheaton, Naperville or another suburb, would be that you spend the day doing something you love. Yes, I love dogs and they’ve always been a big part of my life. But, I also love the people I work with. Dogs Love Running! has a fantastic team of walkers and runners. They are all different—different interests, different ages, different goals—but they all have something in common: they care about their furry, four-legged charges. Whether they are walking dogs, running dogs or visiting pets while their families are on vacation, they provide the best possible care for your animals. Not only is the Dogs Love Running! team an excellent place to be, but the clients we serve are top notch. I love talking to our clients and hearing how much they adore their dogs and are concerned for their well-being. They want the best for their dogs and that includes a healthy lifestyle of walking and running during the day.
Just so it doesn’t seem like my life is all peaches and cream, let me tell you a secret. I do not love running. I do exercise on a regular basis and I like when my heart is really pumping, but running just hasn’t been my thing. That is, until I met Max. Max is a fabulous Aussie adopted out by the West Suburban Humane Society in Downers Grove. His new mom didn’t want Max to spend his entire day in his crate (see what I mean about caring owners?) so she contacted us to run with Max while she is at work during the week. Given that I’m in the business of running dogs, I figured Max was my chance to change my attitude. So Max and I hit the road. With Max by my side, I didn’t focus on running; instead, I focused on Max and how much fun he was having. It didn’t take me long to enjoy our run too. Now, when I head out to exercise, I’m more likely to go for a run with one of my dogs than go to the gym. As you can imagine, my dogs are thrilled.
I hope you all are thankful for how you spend the day too. And, if you are looking for more fun, consider joining Dogs Love Running! as a client or a team member. I would love to share my day with you.
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Posted by john reh on Thu, Oct 06, 2011 @ 01:15 PM
When October rolls around, what do you think of? Cool, crisp weather; brightly colored trees; spooky trick-or-treaters; warm apple cobbler? This October, you could also think about adopting a dog. October is The American Humane Association’s Adopt a Dog Month.
Sadly, 3.7 million pets are euthanized at animal shelters every year because they did not have families to adopt them. This fact alone explains why a shelter dog needs you. But why do you need a shelter dog? An adopted shelter dog:
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Can be that friendly face to greet you after a hard day at work.
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Can help you cheer on your favorite sports team from the couch on a Sunday afternoon.
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Can keep you warm on a cold winter night.
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Can be a loyal walking or running partner. You know what we say…dogs love running!
Dogs end up in shelters for many reasons. Most of these reasons have nothing to do with the dog or its behavior but with the life circumstances of the owner. Change in family status (divorce, new baby or death in the family), a move, or the lack of time or money are many reasons why people give up a dog.
Most shelter dogs have lived in a house before so they are easily housetrained (if they aren’t already trained). Most shelters also provide good veterinary care for the dogs up for adoption. Their medical care includes spay/neuter, vaccinations, and heartworm testing. 
If you are looking for a purebred, don’t exclude the idea of going to a shelter. There are plenty of purebred dogs there looking for a home. Or you just may find the perfect blend of several purebreds in the good ol’ mutt. Our Snickers (pictured) is a German Shorthaired Pointer and Labrador Retriever mix. Of the five dogs my husband Pete and I have adopted, we think Snickers is the best. (Shhh, don’t let our other dogs know!)
There are many good resources for adopting a dog in Glen Ellyn, Wheaton, Lisle and Naperville. Here are a few:
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West Suburban Humane Society, 1901 W. Ogden Avenue, Downers Grove, IL
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A.D.O.P.T Pet Shelter, 420 Industrial Drive, Naperville, IL
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Naperville Area Humane Society, 1620 W. Diehl Road, Naperville, IL
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DuPage County Animal Care and Control, 120 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton, IL
Stop by your local shelter to celebrate Adopt a Dog month in October. When you adopt a dog, you save two lives: the life of the dog you brought home and the life of the dog who took its open spot at the shelter.
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Posted by john reh on Thu, Sep 29, 2011 @ 09:45 AM
This Sunday, I spent the day at Barkapalooza, a festival for dogs hosted by the West Suburban Humane Society, in Lisle, IL. Barkapalooza was all about the dogs. Of course, the Humane Society was raising funds for the shelter with a walk-a-thon and other activities, and they were promoting many great dogs looking for a home. If I didn’t have three dogs of my own, a cool Bluetick Coonhound named Hamm would have found himself adopted by the Janss clan.
There were also folks like us that provide all sorts of services for dogs: dog walking, pet sitting, doggie daycare, trainers, food distributors, bakeries, groomers, and doggie cleanup. You name it, if a dog needs it, you could find it at Barkapalooza. I was lucky enough to be by the “Treats for Tricks” booth sponsored by the Humane Society. There are a lot of talented dogs out there!
I saw lots of dogs from Lisle, Wheaton, Naperville, and surrounding areas on Sunday. There were small dogs, large dogs, goofy dogs, stately dogs, fashionable dogs and sporty dogs. What did all of these dogs have in common? They liked being out and about. Everyone was happy and their tails were wagging.
And every dog had an owner, all of whom love their dogs and want the best for them. But, let’s face it, life is busy and we don’t always have the extra time for ourselves, much less our dogs. So, how to make our dogs happy? A mid-day visit from Dogs Love Running! may just be the answer. Some of our customers have us visit once a week; some of them need us to come every day. During our visit, we can walk or run your dog, depending on their exercise level. The important thing is to get them outside and get them moving.
At Dogs Love Running!, our mission is to make pets happy. If you want your dog to be happy, contact us and we’ll get your dog out and about. Your dog will love you for it.
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Posted by john reh on Fri, Jul 01, 2011 @ 08:39 AM
The Dogs Love Running! Naperville Pet Blog (which is what you're reading here) was featured in the Naperville Sun newspaper today. Scroll down for more blog posts.
And if you're looking for even more dog information, check out our other blog too!
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Posted by john reh on Tue, Apr 27, 2010 @ 07:56 AM
In our first installment of how to find a dog walker in naperville, we discussed:
- do you need a neighbor or a professional?
- does the dog walker have a legally binding agreement?
- do they have insurance, including the important "CCC"?
Here are 3 more tips to consider:
How is their business structured? Are they a sole proprietor, partnership, corporation - or do they not even have a business actually in place? The key here is to make sure you’re dealing with a registered organization. If it ends up you’re dealing with just an individual that has no business filed within the state of your residence, it may be harder to accomplish things with the authorities should anything out of the ordinary happen.
Will they visit your home before the first assignment to meet the pets and get detailed information about their care? It’s strongly recommended that this be done so that not only can they get to know your animals, but also for you to evaluate them in person as a responsible and caring provider. As opposed to a phone conversation, a face-to-face meeting is typically a much more effective and efficient process for understanding if there’s a good match between you and the pet care organization.
Do they exhibit courtesy and professionalism in all dealings with customers, staff, and industry colleagues to positively represent their company and the pet care industry? Luckily, many of the people in the pet care profession are in it for the love of animals. However, there are, unfortunately, always a few that may not have have the same motivation. If you aren’t being treated professionally, it could be very likely they’re also not exhibiting courtesy and professionalism towards your pets while you’re away.
Learn more of the top tips on how to choose a great dog walker or pet sitter. Download the free report now.
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Posted by john reh on Mon, Apr 05, 2010 @ 08:56 AM
A new prospective client called the other day and said they needed some Naperville dog sitting. They were going away for a couple days and just wanted someone to stop by a few times per day and give the dogs some food and let them out in the backyard. I said we could do that.
And then I said, "how about we take them out for a jog or a run, too?"
And they said, "you can do that?"
And I said "Yep."
And we can bring in the mail and water plants and give medication and rotate lights and pretty much just about anything else you might need. And then I added:
"And it's all just one price."
I think they were happy they called us.
They had no idea we could do all those things because all they had in mind was the "traditional" dog sitting of just kinda letting the dogs out to do their business.
We can do that too, but we also offer so much more that many people don't even know is available.
Have a request? Let us know and we'd be glad to help.
Considering using a Naperville Dog Sitting service? We've got a free trial, so there's no risk to giving us a shot. Set up your free trial now.
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Posted by john reh on Wed, Mar 24, 2010 @ 09:45 AM
Looking for dog walkers in Naperville? We have trustworthy staff. And here's why:
I was reading a business-related book and the author argued that a business owner should basically hire the "least common denominator" person that could reliably do the job. That way, the owner could pay the least amount possible to make the most money possible. 
I guess that's all fine and good if all you're after is a short-term profit.
But we're not after short-term profit.
We wonder: what about the quality of the work that this "minimum capability" employee is churning out? What about the end result of customer happiness? How capable is that employee of creating an unbelievable experience for their customer? How can s/he make the client so happy that they go out and tell all their friends?
The answer is that they're probably not capable of doing any of these things.
That's why we only have team members that we know will do an incredible job. Every time.
Yes, we do background checks and all that legal-type stuff. But what really matters is how our Naperville Dog Walkers communicate and how they make decisions on the spot and how they take action when needed to make sure that a customer gets what they paid for. And to make sure the pet is safe. And that the pet is totally happy (which, of course, makes our people clients happy too!)
A dog walking business can hire cheap employees. But we don't.
You get what you pay for.
Learn the top tips on how to choose a great dog walker or pet sitter. Download the free report now.
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Posted by john reh on Wed, Mar 17, 2010 @ 08:34 AM
One of our Naperville pet sitting clients informed us that a house in their neighborhood was robbed recently. And it was probably done in broad daylight. Yikes!
We want you to know that we take your home safety very seriously. 
If you have a home alarm, our Naperville pet sitters are fully trained and experienced in how to arm and disarm them. So, don't be afraid to ask us to use it while you're away for the day, the weekend, or longer.
Our pet sitters also use keys that are identified by information OTHER than your name or related contact information. If that key was lost (which has never happened), we certainly wouldn't want a stranger to pick it up and know what house it belonged to.
Our current Naperville pet sitting clients know that their dogs and pets are safe with us too. We take great pride in getting to know and understand exactly what your pet's typical daily routine is so that, while you're away, we can keep everything as "normal" as possible. Doing this keeps your pet safe by helping to eliminate any stress and anxiety they may be feeling, which can lead to unusual behaviors in the home (like biting/chewing things, eating items they wouldn't normally eat, pacing, not sleeping, etc).
Again, we take your pet's safety and home security very seriously while you're away. We know you're trusting us, as your pet sitter, to watch over everything in your absence.
Ever considered a dog sitting service (we do dog running and walking too)? We offer a free trial so you can check us out risk-free. Request your free trial today.
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Posted by john reh on Thu, Mar 11, 2010 @ 08:10 AM
As a business owner, we want to keep our Naperville Dog Walking Prices as easy to understand and remember as possible.
And we certainly don't want to "trick" you into thinking you're getting one price when you're really going to be charged another. 
I was reminded of this strategy while watching a TV commercial today for a large sub chain. You probably know the one where you get a 12-inch sandwich for 5 bucks. Their commercial highlighted over and over again that you can get ANY sandwich for just 5 bucks. But that price excludes certain sandwiches. So, their promotion isn't accurate. It isn't "ANY" sandwich. It's "almost any". That's not the same thing.
There's always just one price for our Naperville Dog Walking services. And it's simply determined by how long we're with your pet. The prices are:
- $14.95 for 15 minutes
- $19.95 for 30 minutes
- $24.95 for 45 minutes
- $29.95 for 60 minutes
If you want us to come on Christmas day it's $10 extra. But I think most people would find it reasonable that visits on a major holiday day might cost a bit more - that's probably expected.
Anyway, we just try to be as transparent as possible with our pricing for all our Naperville services. And I think people appreciate that.
Ever considered a dog walking service (we do dog running and sitting too)? We offer a free trial so you can check us out risk-free. Do it today.
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