Manners Monday - Petiquette: 8 Tips for Civilizing your Furry Friend at Holiday Time & Beyond

In Beverly Hills, it’s quite commonplace to treat your pet like a person.  They are a bona fide member of the family attending power lunches, going to the salon and staying in the finest hotels. They hide inconspicuously in Hermés totes and parade down red carpets with equal ease.  They’re accustomed to accompanying their companions on shopping sprees at Neiman Marcus and finishing the day dining al fresco at The Ivy. 

Whether your pet is living the high life in a tony town or enjoying a more laid-back lifestyle by the beach, they must learn to be civilized and socialized just like the rest of the clan. To ensure your furry friend makes a positive impression, follow these recommended rules of petiquette guaranteed to keep them on their best behavior at holiday time and beyond.

1. Observe Pets Presentation. They say many pets resemble their owners. You’ll never see a disheveled or unkempt pet in Beverly Hills.  Just saunter through Saks on any given Saturday and you’ll see an assemblage of pets expertly coiffed, dressed to the nines, smelling like a rose in brand name carriers. These owners will have ample supplies on hand, wipes for muddy paws, portable water dishes with filtered water to quench thirst and resting pads for getting some shut-eye.

2. Approach with Caution.  Not everyone is aware of how to properly approach a pet.   Big, excitable or aggressive dogs must be tethered or leashed in the event a small child or elderly adult decides to get close without a formal introduction.  Want to get up close and personal? Ask permission from the owner first and then proceed cautiously.

3. Be Mindful of their Mess.  My aesthetician told me about a client who routinely brings her pet to the salon only to leave small presents on the bathroom floor for others to clean up.  This is not only unsanitary and could cost the salon its license, but it is inexcusable.  Rule number one is clean up after your pet's mess.  Have your scooper and small bags handy to remove said offenses immediately. Don’t let your pet relieve themselves anywhere, certainly not on other people’s property. Walk them curbside and encourage them to ‘go’ there.

4. Train them Young.  Obedience training is a must for all dogs.  It is for their safety and yours.  Simple commands such as how to ‘sit’ and ‘stay’ are a necessity and will help socialize your dog so that they can be around others.  Even dog lovers get annoyed when a pooch jumps and claws at them when they walk through the door. 

5. No Barking or Begging Zone.  Excessive barking can be a big nuisance and be upsetting to those within earshot.  Don’t risk a noise complaint from next door. High strung pets who live in smaller quarters should have a regular exercise routine to release repressed energy.  A little fresh air and running around will exhaust them and calm them down so they will not bark unreasonably.  Begging is unacceptable and can also spread germs. Never feed a dog table food and if begging ensues, remove them immediately from the scene.

6. Travel Companion or Therapy Animal?  As many a non-disabled person will circumvent the law and obtain a handicap placard for easier parking, there are those that claim their pet is a service animal so they may travel first class.  Pet Partners® has never been more popular!  If you have an emotional or physical disability and are in need of a therapeutic travel companion, I understand. Have your applicable paperwork, tag and license on hand. If not, please don’t subject the rest of us to your service pet antics, it is not very becoming.

7. Preferable Pet Sitting.  Don’t burden your family and friends with the responsibility of watching your pet when you leave town.  If they are interested in babysitting your pet while you’re away, they will let you know.  Neighbors make a nice option, especially if the relationship is reciprocal and you both leave at different times. Otherwise, enlist the help of a professional pet sitting service.  Check references and make sure they are insured and bonded before dropping your unsuspecting pet at their door.

8.  Love Me, Love My Pet.  You and your canine may be attached at the hip, but that does not give them license to tag along to your social engagements or accompany you at work.  Many people are allergic to pet fur. Untrained pets may damage furniture or permanently stain rugs leaving a wake of destruction in their path.  Showing up with yours unannounced can be considered incredibly insensitive.  If you are in a bind with your pet, have the courtesy to ask permission and wait for the green light.  Be gracious and make sure your pet is on their extra-special best behavior.

Don't forget to shower your pet with lots of love along with a treat or toy to reward them for their hard work.

Manners Monday - Six Manners Specifically for the Dog Days of Summer

Summer has officially graced us with her presence and just in time for the Fourth of July holiday. Temperatures have reached a sweltering peak putting our brains and bodies into permanent vacation mode. The LA traffic seems a bit less intense and schedules have simmered down allowing for some much needed rest and relaxation from the everyday stress of life in the fast lane. While we're all too eager to take our foot off the speed pedal, the dog days of summer still demand a sense of decency and decorum. Here are six etiquette tips specifically targeted for the next few months. 

1. House Guesting 101.  If you’re lucky enough to be invited to a friend’s summer home for a stay, make it your mission to be a gracious house guest.  Follow your host’s schedule and abide by their house rules.  If they want everybody in the kitchen for breakfast at 7am, be there with bells on offering to scramble eggs or set the table.

2. Pool Rules.  Long wild strands of hair wreak havoc on a pool. Before diving into the water to cool off from the extreme heat, neatly tie up flowing locks prior to taking a dip. Ladies, feel free to make your ponytail holder your new best friend and, gents, keep sporting that man bun at poolside. 

3. Ear Bud Etiquette.  Summer internships are all the rage and often provide a jump start towards future full-time employment down the road.  While you may be tempted to listen to summer hits while slaving away at your desk, fight the impulse to pop earbuds in your ears. Employers view this as a great distraction, especially when trying to solicit your attention for a task or inspiring you to collaborate with co-workers on a project.

4. Sweaty Palms Police.  Heading to an outdoor networking event where you’ll want to make a positive impression?  Don't let your palms put a damper on good greetings. Grab that antiperspirant and rub it on your hands to reduce sweating and provide that extra confidence when engaging in endless meetings with others.

5. Condiment Clarity.  Barbecue fare is chalk full of hamburgers, hot dogs, and other summer favorites just begging for a dollop of ketchup or mustard to make the meal complete.  Set a precedent when dining by passing all condiments in pairs and passing all pairs to the right.  Your table mates will thank you.

6. Petiquette.  If you have to skip out of town on a last minute business trip, don’t pressure your family or friends into babysitting your pooch for the summer. Rather than risk putting your relationship in jeopardy, find a comfy place to board your pup instead. He will probably find it more fun and even make a few new pet pals.

National Dog Day - Start Your Pooch off on the Right Paw with these Simple Rules of Petiquette

Before children, we had a pet Maltese dog named Max.  He was white, fluffy and absolutely adorable.  He was the love of my life until our girls were born.  I bought him cashmere sweaters, made homemade doggie treats and threw him dog birthday parties in the park.  He was very high maintenance and a tremendous medical expense with so many visits to the pet hospital that our pet insurance cancelled us. Unfortunately, Max had become so severely ill that we wound up having to finally put him to sleep.  It was extremely sad and, ever since, our pets have been limited to whatever can fit into a fish tank. In second grade, my daughter won a blue crayfish at school and named him Georgie.  He was a smart crayfish constantly finding sneaky ways to escape his tank.  One day we would find him hanging out in the kitchen sink, the next he would be crawling around on the hardwood floor.  Lord knows how he got there.  After about 5 years and several layers of shedding his shell, he passed away and we have buried him in our backyard. Now we have Jambalaya, the pet turtle.  My nanny Sonia bought him as a gift one Christmas. He is a colorful painted turtle and lives happily in his tank feeding and burrowing holes.  He is very low maintenance, requiring only food and a clean tank.  We live in the canyon without sidewalks so as much as our girls ask for a dog, it is not happening anytime soon – at least until they are old enough to walk a pooch safely on the street. 

Here in Beverly Hills, it is quite commonplace to treat your pet like a person.  They are a bonafide member of the family attending power lunches, going to the salon and staying in the finest hotels. They hide inconspicuously in Hermes totes and parade down red carpets with equal ease, but just don’t let me catch your pet relieving themselves on my nice Persian rug or clawing their way up my expensive wool coat.  Follow these recommended rules of ‘petiquette’ to keep your furry friend in check.

Be Mindful of their Mess.  My aesthetician told me about a client who routinely brings her pet to the salon only to leave small presents on the bathroom floor for others to clean up.  The dog isn’t exactly potty-trained.   This is not only unsanitary and could cost the salon its license, but it is inexcusable.  Rule number one is clean up after your pets mess.  Have your scooper and small bags handy to remove said offenses immediately. Don’t let your pet relieve themselves anywhere, certainly not on other people’s property. Walk them curbside and encourage them to ‘go’ there.

Approach with Caution.  Not everyone is aware of how to properly approach a pet.   Big, excitable or aggressive dogs must be tethered or leashed in the event a small child or elderly adult decides to get close without a formal introduction.  Want to get up close and personal? Ask permission from the owner first and then proceed cautiously.

Train them Young.  Obedience training is a must for all dogs.  It is for their safety and yours.  Simple commands such as how to ‘sit’ and ‘stay’ are a necessity and will help socialize your dog so that they can be around others.  Even dog lovers do not appreciate a pooch that jumps and claws at you when you walk through the door. 

Travel Companion or Therapy Animal?  As many a non-disabled person will circumvent the law and obtain a handicap placard for easier parking, there are those that claim their pet is a service animal so they may travel with them first class.  Pet Partners® has never been more popular!  If you have an emotional or physical disability and are in desperate need of a therapeutic travel companion, I understand. Have your applicable paperwork, tags and licenses on hand. If not, please don’t subject the rest of us to your service pet antics, it is not very becoming.

Observe Pets Presentation. They say many pets resemble their owners. You’ll never see a disheveled or unkempt pet in Beverly Hills.  Just saunter through Neiman Marcus on any given Saturday and you’ll see an assemblage of pets expertly coiffed, dressed to the nines, smelling like a rose in brand name carriers. These owners will have ample supplies on hand, wipes for muddy paws, portable water dishes with filtered water to quench thirst and resting pads for getting some shut eye.

No Barking or Begging Zone.  Excessive barking can be a big nuisance and upsetting to those within earshot.  You don’t want to risk a noise complaint from next door.  High strung pets who live in smaller quarters should have a regular exercise routine to release repressed energy.  A little fresh air and running around will exhaust them and calm them down so they will not bark unreasonably.  Begging is unacceptable and can also spread germs. Never feed a dog table food and if begging ensures, remove them immediately from the scene.

Preferable Pet Sitting.  Leaving town and need a place to park your pet?  Don’t burden your family and friends with the responsibility.  If they are interested in babysitting your pet while you’re away, they will let you know.  Neighbors make a nice option, especially if the relationship is reciprocal and you both leave town at different times. Otherwise, enlist the help of a professional pet sitting service.  Check references and make sure they are insured and bonded before dropping your unsuspecting pet at their door.

Love Me, Love My Pet.  You and your canine may be attached at the hip, but that does not give them carte blanche to tag along to your social engagements or accompany you at work.  Many people are allergic to pets fur. Untrained pets may damage furniture or permanently stain rugs leaving a wake of destruction in their path.  Showing up with yours unannounced can be considered incredibly insensitive.  If you are in a bind with your pet, have the courtesy to ask permission and wait for the okay.  Be gracious and make sure your pet is on their best behavior.