Big fluffs, little fluffs, no fluff. I meet A LOT of pets for work. Chihuahuas, Greyhounds, Schipperkes, old-fashioned mutts, pure-bred Abyssinian cats which looked like they’d been dipped in gold flakes – most astonishingly beautiful creatures I’ve ever seen. Bearded Dragons, chameleons, koi. The cats aren’t always too fond of me – I once worked with a client for 2 1/2 years on and off, only once saw 1/4 of his cat’s rear end, the first day I showed up, because the poor beast was too slow hiding that day as I rang the door. Dogs usually fall for me, I don’t often need the owner palming a treat to hand to me – here’s a tip, never bring your own bribes, you don’t know if an animal might be allergic or have food aggression challenges.

Do you see both of them?

I recently posted about helping a client make her space safer so she could have a dog for the first time in a very long time. But you don’t have to be at that extreme to get organizing help around pet care: oftentimes someone just needs to rethink if the leashes get hung on a wall or stashed in a vintage nightstand (my solution near my front door), whether it makes sense to buy food in bulk – I had Rottweilers once-upon-a-time, HECK YES, if it’s easier to store grooming supplies in the bathroom where you use them, or the linen closet where everyone’s shampoo goes.

It’s the drear Pacific Northwet La Nina weather has me thinking about pets. Huddling up with a cat while it’s still so cold, wishing for clear enough weather for a really long walk with a dog. I don’t have pets right now, except a couple of new fish tanks. I’ll need to get more fur doses from my clients’ lovelies.