Pet Care Guide for Ava and Olive

Dog Profiles and Behavioral Traits

Ava     * Appearance: Ava is the cream dog.     * Behavioral Nuances:         * She exhibits a specific resistance when getting ready for walks. When you put a harness or leash on her, she may bend down or act like she doesn't want to go.         * The speaker notes that she is generally fine once she gets going.         * Ava is characterized by the speaker as "stubborn" but is expected to be "the easy one" when the owner is not present.         * She has a tendency to "gulp" her food if not managed properly.

• Olive     * Appearance: Olive is a miniature pinscher, described as "dark black olive" to help distinguish her.     * Behavioral Nuances:         * She is often found hiding and is described as skittish and loud.         * The owner notes that Olive’s skittishness is primarily because the owner is present; she is expected to be mellower when the owner is gone.         * Olive is a "grazer" when it comes to eating, meaning she eats slowly over time rather than all at once.

Feeding Requirements and Procedures

• Feeding Schedule:     * Dogs should be fed in the evening between $6:00\,PM$ and $7:00\,PM$.

• Food Storage and Preparation:     * The food is stored in bags in the refrigerator.     * The bags will be left defrosted and ready to go.     * Scissors will be provided to open the bags.

• Portion Control and Distribution:     * Each dog receives $\frac{1}{4}$ of a bag per meal.     * The mathematical breakdown provided is: One whole bag equals 4 meals ($\text{1 bag}=4\text{meals}$ ). This effectively covers two days of feeding for both dogs if each gets $\frac{1}{4}$ bag per meal.     * The owner demonstrates a "pinching" method to get the food out of the bag and into the bowl.

• Special Procedures for Ava:     * Ava must use a "slow feeder" (the gray container) to prevent her from gulping her food.     * Spoon Technique: A spoon is provided to "smash" the food into the slow feeder. This forces Ava to work harder to get the food out, preventing rapid ingestion.

• Special Procedures for Olive:     * Olive uses a standard bowl.     * Because Olive is a grazer and Ava is a gulper, it is recommended to separate them during feeding to ensure Ava does not eat Olive’s portion.     * The sitter can sit with the dogs or wait in the area (e.g., playing on a phone) while they finish.

Exercise, Potty, and Outdoor Logistics

• Walking Protocol:     * The sitter should attempt to walk the dogs, but if walking both simultaneously is difficult, it is acceptable to just take one at a time.     * The dogs are generally mellower and behave better on walks when the owner is not there.

• Potty Area:     * The dogs typically go to the bathroom on the side of the house in the grass.     * The sitter is not expected to clean up the waste; the owner typically cleans the area a couple of times a week using a device called a "Brumina."     * If the sitter chooses to clean up, poop bags are available.

• Backyard Safety and Boundaries:     * The dogs can run around the back area safely.     * There is a chain-link fence on the backside of the main fence that prevents them from escaping.     * The dogs do not go into the swimming pool.     * During the day, they often enjoy "basking in the sun."     * The door to the outdoor area should be kept closed at night.

Treats and Positive Reinforcement

• Treat Type: Meat roll-ups.

• Administration:     * Treats should be broken down into smaller pieces.     * The dogs can be given a couple of treats throughout the day.

• Utility:     * Treats are used to manage behavior, especially if the dogs are being "buttholes" (the owner’s term for being difficult).     * They can be used to lure the dogs into their cages: "In your cage. Let's go."

Home Access and General Maintenance

• Entry: A garage door opener will be provided to the sitter for easy entry and exit.

• Water:     * Water is provided through a specific dispenser (not a standard bowl) that they "drink out of the little thing."     * The owner will fill it up before leaving, and the dogs generally do not drink enough to require a refill during the sitter's stay.

• Schedule Nuances:     * The owner typically lets the dogs out at $9:00\,AM$ and provides a "last hurrah" potty break at $10:30\,PM$. However, the owner explicitly states they do not expect the sitter to adhere to this exact late-night schedule.

Questions & Discussion

• Sitter Question: "So how are they, like, you're not here? Like, if it's just…"     * Owner Response: They are fine and actually a little mellower. They will still bark when the sitter first comes in, but they will not attack or be aggressive.

• Sitter Question: "And the water's here?"     * Owner Response: Yes, the water is in a specific dispenser. It will be pre-filled.

• Sitter Question: "What time at night do you typically like to them to be fed?"     * Owner Response: Between $6:30\,PM$ and $7:00\,PM$.

• Sitter Question: "Can he pick her up? Or no? Ava, try to pick her up."     * Owner Response: Yes, you can try to pick her up. She might act hesitant because the owner is present, but she should be fine.

• Sitter Question: "So they can have a couple of these during the day?… These ones right here?"     * Owner Response: Yes, the meat roll-ups. They can be split between the two dogs.

• Owner Question: "Do you have any other questions for Brad?"     * Sitter Response: "No. No? I mean, you'll have our phone number too. So if there's an issue."

• Owner Question: "Do you feel good about everything?"     * Sitter Response: "Yeah."

• Final Remark: The owner jokes that the sitter might decide they "never freaking do that again" after dealing with the dogs, but reassures the sitter that Ava is actually the easy one despite her stubbornness.

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