Paws of Affection, Ltd. is owned by Lorraine McDonald of Arlington Heights, IL.

We are a Dog Walking and Pet Watching Service.

I have been watching friends' pets for years.  I would not take money from my friends.  So, they would give me gift certificates for various restaurants.  Needless to say my family and I were eating out and eating well.

I decided to turn my love for pets into my own business.  I have hired dog walkers and pet watchers as my business has grown.  Heide is my number one backup.  Heide, Michelle, Karen and Diane are all animal lovers.  A little further down I have some fun animal stories.

I love each and every pet that I visit!  I talk to the fur kids (I got "fur kids" from one of my clients) and actually blow kisses to them when I leave.  My clientele includes over 55 different types of cats and dogs.  I am always excited when I meet a new breed.

My family does include two fur kids, Shih Tzus.  Mo is 7 and Mitzi is 3.  They, of course, sniff me when I get home to smell who I am cheating on them with.

Fostering

Recently, I fostered a two year old female Shih Tzu named Sugar for four weeks.  The woman who owns the dog went into the hospital.  The dog had nobody for a week.  I was asked to step in and help.  The poor pup needed a bath desperately.  I had to wash her twice and clean the rear end very well.  You lucky fellow animal owners know what that entailed!  A couple of days later I took her to The Grooming Spa located on Wilke Road in Arlington Heights.  A beautiful little fur girl emerged from under all the matting and knots.  Now she looks like a Shih Tzu!  Sugar knows her name and comes running when called.  She did not understand it when I tried giving her a treat after she did her business.  She also did not know the "sit" command.  Well, on day two she got both figured out.  We mastered "wait" and "come" as well.  She liked my fur kids.  She especially liked one of my human sons.  I think that the feeling was mutual!  

I took Sugar to the veterinarian the first week as well. I believe that it was her first visit ever!  She checked out fine.  The vet did say that she will have arthritis in her back legs as she gets older.  He also said that Sugar is at a good weight right now with her small frame.  She weighs 10 pounds.  Obviously, if she gets very heavy, it will be hard on her back legs.  It was nice to see that she got a clean bill of health.  A few weeks later Sugar went back to the vet to be spayed.  The next couple of days she just wanted to lay next to me.

Well, Sugar just loved playing with my little Mitzi.  The girls loved to chase each other around the house.  They would stop every once in awhile to rest or clean each other.  Mitzi would want to help Sugar finish her breakfast.  How thoughtful!  Mitzi liked to go outside with her while she did her business.  Talk about two peas in a pod!

One of my customers lives in a condo.  And I was asked to bring her dog over once a week to run around in my fenced in backyard.  Well, Sugar loved chasing the Miniature Australian Sheep dog.  He loved being chased!

The time came for me to take Sugar home.  When I was driving her back, I had tears in my eyes.  I tried not to get too close to her during the past four weeks, but it was hard not to with such a cute little dog.  She reacquainted herself with her mother.  Sugar was back to sitting in the bay window and barking at everyone outside by the time I left.


Fun Animal Stories

Heide has been with me for over a year.  She was my first hire.  We love to talk about the fur kids on the phone and we just laugh at their antics.  The pugs, Chloe and Lucy, love to chase cars.  Their brains are spinning, "on your mark, get set, go!"  Ellie just wants to cuddle.  The puppy Portuguese Waterdog and the puppy Airedale just love to wrestle and play!  When Bella walks she likes to keep her building in sight.  And we have the dogs that try to eat--and boy do they try--whatever they can on the walk which we do not allow.

Michelle is my neighbor and couldn't wait to come on board.  She moved here the beginning of 2008 from California with her husband.  They have multiple cats.  Each one knows their name.  When Michelle calls out a name, he or she wags their tail.  Michelle takes turns with each one of them.  Smart kitties!  Michelle has become very confident with the dogs.  She was out walking one of the fur kids when someone else's dog escaped from their yard.  The dog was charging toward Michelle and the dog.  She put up her hand and yelled, "stop."  The dog immediately turned around and went back home.

Karen came onboard to help when one of my walkers went on medical leave--not due to dog walking.

When I get busy busy, Diane is happy to help.  Bitsy is a chocolate lab who has never had a chewy.  Her mom said that Bitsy could have one.  Diane gave Bitsy a big chewy and the lab walked around the house with it in her mouth like a cigar.  Bitsy was confused (we know this since her brow was crinkled as she walked around).  She would not give it back.  Bitsy knew that it was for her but what to do with it!  She eventually figured out to chew the chewy.  Bitsy loved it!

One summer day I was walking a pair of King Charles Cavalier Spaniels named Kelsey and Bailey.  The two fur kids live in a condo.  There is a big area of grass before reaching the sidewalk leading away from the complex.  The ground was uneven and I stumbled and ended up on the ground.  I could not help myself but started laughing.  Kelsey and Bailey thought that I did this on purpose and started jumping on me and giving me kisses--yippee, playtime!  A man walking on the other side of the street was watching all this.  Stumbling, landing on the ground then laughing--what the man probably thought (is she drunk)!

While playing with Chumley the Bloodhound outside, a woman walked by.  She saw Chumley and said "is someone missing?"  Good one!


One of my first cat customers is Pounce.  She is an orange cat and loves to be brushed.  She actually moves with the brushing.  Pounce has a mini cat that I move around each time I leave (on top of the couch or peeking out under a throw rug).  She moves it while I am gone.  When I arrive the next day, I look for it and move it again for her.  Our little game!

A friend of mine has a Shih Tzu as well.  We decided early on that we would take care of each other's fur kids while on vacation.  The first time Bruce came over he was a puppy.  He followed me everywhere.  Once he even followed me inside the closet.  I closed the door and walked away.  I heard him barking from inside the closet.  Bruce loves to be next to his buddies!  Another time I was soaking in a bubble bath.  I left the door open so that he could walk in.  I was feeling relaxed after a long day.  I had my eyes closed but not sleeping.  I heard nothing but I just happen to open my eyes just in time to catch Bruce in midair.  What a daring leap!  Now when I take a bubble bath, he sits on the tub deck with his head next to mine.  I guess that I am one of his buds!


A Sad Goodbye

In the past year five of my fur clients have passed away.  First, we say goodbye to Rudy.  He was a cutie whom I always had to ask if I may pet him.  If I was allowed then he would move closer for me to pet him.  Then we said bye to Tweetie who passed right before Spring Break at the age of 17.  I would always put him up on the chair with a blanket underneath so that he wouldn't get stepped on.  He only weighed about two pounds.  A very sad goodbye to Max, Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier.  Everyone knew him since I have been taking care of him since before I started my business.  He passed while laying in one of his favorite spots outside.  He had such a great look when he looked up at you with those big eyes.  The last male we said goodbye to was Max the Schnauzer.  He passed after battling diabetes and blindness.  Max would play keep-away with us both laying under the family's dining room table.  All of these males were over ten years old.  A heart wrenching goodbye was to Chloe (the Pug in the Fun Animal Story above) who passed this December.  She battled with an esophagus condition for over three years.  When she looked at you, she always appeared to understand what you were saying.  She even knew the word "shopping."  Chloe was seven and a half years old.  Tweetie left behind a brother two years younger.  Rudy and Chloe both left behind little sisters.

This business certainly is the circle of life.  New puppies becoming clients who fumble over their own feet when running.  We watch all the fur kids get older and sometimes slower.  They melt our hearts because each pup or cat is so happy to see us--knowing we are there for them!  Many battle illnesses and we are right there to help the family the best we can.  Our hearts cry for quite some time after a death.