About the owner:
My name is
Natascha Klan, and growing up in southern Germany I had the privilege to be around all kinds of pets. Caring for guinea pigs,
rabbits, hedge hogs, dogs, cats, horses, gerbils, birds, fish and a tortoise gave me an appreciation for the time and effort
that goes into pet care. I learned that it isn't enough to "just" love them. I knew that I had to take good care
of all the pets as they are never disposable but a lifelong commitment.
After
graduating from high school, I immigrated to Winnipeg, Canada. I graduated from the school of Agriculture in 2001 with a 4
year degree in agroecology.
I was lucky to gain valuable experience by working for humane societies and veterinary hospitals
in Germany and Canada. Along the way, I have attended seminars in pet first aid and canine behaviour. I am very interested
in the holistic approach to animal care.
Competing in Obedience
and Retriever trials with my own dogs keeps me up to date with my canine training skills. As a very young dog, our black labrador
Aragorn (Max) reached his first level in competitive obedience as Companion Dog, Canine good neighbour and also his working
certificate. Arwen (Raven) is the younger lab, featured on the first page of this website. We are very proud of her achievements
including the Companion Dog and Canine good neighbour titles. I also enjoy playing Agility and Rally-o with my dogs.
After
finishing my studies at University, I knew I was ready to start with my own venture. I wanted to make sure all pets are getting
the best care possible when their owners cannot be there for them. This is how the whole idea about pet sitting started to
become a reality. After years of research I had gathered a whealth of information about the pet industry and specifically
pet sitting. I found there was a great need for this type of service.
My pet sitting business is a full time job that
I take very serious.
Since I opened the doors of my pet
services business in 2005 I have enjoyed the support of family and friends. I am very lucky to have great clients that have
been with me from the beginning. I get most of my new clients by referrals which makes the introduction to pet sitting easy
for first timers. I often get feedback from my clients such as"...it gives me such peace of mind..." or "...my
animals were so much happier having their own pet sitter..." "I feel good about leaving my animals in your care".
"I would like to thank you for the wonderful service you provided to me during our recent move to Nova Scotia. You
took care of my dog and 9 chinchillas for two weeks during our house search.
In June we left Winnipeg with a very sick
Chinchilla in your care. The care you provided enabled him to make the long airplane trip a week later to his new home. You
were there when I needed you the most. A very trying time in our lives. Alpine took sick the day of our house packing and
I could not fly him with his brothers and sisters until he was on the mend. You are kind and caring person who can be trusted
to do what is right for pets. This is a heart felt thanks for everything you have done".
Marsha and Jody
Any
feedback is important to me and it is a good measure for performance in any business.
News! Aspen (Fall River's bold Aspen) is a brand new Canine good neighbour and a St. John's Ambulance Therapy
dog. We are working on her Novice Rally and Obedience (CD) titles soon. Keep looking for updates!
Are
you thinking of getting a dog? Or know of someone who is? Please read this:
Something really
close to my heart is animal welfare. This is why I advocate ethical dog and animal breeders. If you are thinking of getting
a dog or cat please do tons of research and take your time.
Never buy a puppy or cat in a pet store or meet someone
on the highway with a van or truck to sell you a dog. Some back yard breeders even offer to come to you. Always request to
see the place where the dogs are bred and raised. Ask for a Breeder's license for the specific municipality or state. Ask
to see all vet certificates (check dates) and the tests the breeder may have done on the breeding dogs. Some of
the tests, depending on the breed, can include Hyp x-rays, elbow x-rays, eye tests, heart tests and hearing
tests. Go ahead and play with their dogs. Do you like the way they play? Are they calm, hyper? Is this really the breed
you thought you wanted? Check out the dogs and ask the breeder how many dogs they have in total, including "fostered"
dogs. Are they in the home or are they sitting in crates all day? When picking a puppy, ask to see the parents, no excuses
like, oh she got out and who knows which dog the father is. The dad is at the foster home or vet or he ran away....These
are warning signs and you should walk away. Do not buy a puppy from people like that.
Anyone advertising
online at sites like "K#@**i" or others please stay away. Most reputable breeders will have a good website and will
be able to talk to you on the phone anytime. Don't trust just any ad from your local paper. Yes some of these pups are cheap,
but beware what you are doing. You get what you pay for and this pup may be unhealthy. The bills from the vet will likely
be more than the price of a pup from a good breeder.
Yes, it's true you may not show your dog but that's still not a
good reason you should not buy a dog from a show breeder. The fact that this breeder shows their dogs is a good sign
and it means they care and will take good care of the dogs. They also will carefully screen any potential puppy buyers like
you. You don't have to show this dog but you now know you have a dog from a breeder you can call any time with questions.
Even if your situation changes this breeder will take your dog back. This keeps our shelters in better shape. A dog from an
ethical breeder will provide you with a good idea as to what to expect for temperament, size, health and life span.
A pet store dog could grow to any size and could have un-fixable behaviour issues.
Puppies aren't goods like a computer
you decide to buy one day and dispose of the next. They will be a member of your family. Don't you want to be sure they come
from a responsible and ethical breeder? Just think....you will be helping to reduce the suffering of these other
dogs that are still being bred by irresponsible folks who just want to make more money by breeding any "hybrid"
or designer dog that has a good ring to it. They are sitting at your local Petl@^& store looking as desperate as ever.
You may pay thousands of dollars for a so-called "Shorky", "Puggle" or Pomeranian-hybird. Most of
the time more than a properly bred dog will cost. You will have no support system once you leave the store with their
puppy. You cannot return it if it has major health problems down the road. An ethical breeder will guarantee the health
of the dog for up to 3 years and often even life long. The store wants nothing to do with this dog or you once you paid
for it. It is only your money they are interested in. They train employees well at these stores. They
have heard all the questions you may have before and will say anything you want to hear. Please don't believe anything
you hear, do you homework.
