Pepper Street Pets

04/12/2026

Spring break season in Ridgefield is its own thing - private school, public school, college kids home for a stretch - and we've been in full peak season for March and April. Some 315+ visits across adventure outings, vacation care, overnights, and everything in between. This little one said goodbye with a wave, which feels about right.
To every family who trusted me with their pets during this stretch - thank you, it genuinely never gets old.

And a friendly nudge: Memorial Day is six weeks away and summer fills faster than people expect. If you've been thinking about reaching out, now is the moment to lock in your pet care for that next peak.

PepperStreetPets.com 🐾

04/01/2026

Pepper Street Pets is excited to announce all clients will now be able to select the weather conditions when scheduling their pet services.

After several muddy adventures, surprise rainstorms, and one very dramatic refusal to walk in wet grass, we paired with our software program to find a solution to weather shenanigans. When booking, simply select your weather preference as an add-on and we'll make it happen!

Options include:

The temperature is between 60–67 degrees
The ground is dry but not crunchy
There is a light breeze but not windy
The sun is out but not too bright
No humidity
No rain
No mud
No visible squirrels
Excellent stick availability
My dog is crazy, one foot of snow

Thank you for choosing Pepper Street Pets, where we continue to provide the highest level of service possible to all our clients.

Happy April Fool’s Day!
(That last line is true - if you're looking for the very best care for your pets and a seamless experience for you, let us know!)

06/29/2025

It's that time of year! In an effort to help those who have pets (and people) who have a hard time with the fireworks, here's a schedule of official celebrations in and around us.
Please be mindful of any neighbors that could also be celebrating, that's where having a leash whenever outside can really save the day. Be aware of the heat and humidity, chip and bread bags from backyard parties are a suffocation risk, and water safety around pools and lakes - be prepared!
Wishing everyone a safe and as stress-free as possible holiday.

06/23/2025

Be smart and be safe in this heat!
- Limit outside time for pets, earlier in the AM or in the evening may be better.
- If midday, keep breaks quick.
- Avoid hot pavement, sidewalks, driveways and stick to shade or grassy areas.
- Do not exercise or cause exertion for them. If your dog usually runs or exercises with you, these next couple days are good to skip. Dogs need time to acclimate to heat and it's not worth heatstroke.
- If your dog has a vet or grooming appointment, keep car cool before they get in and when they're in the car - go straight there or home - do not run errands or risk time in a hot or sun-drenched car. They also may already be stressed from their appointment.
- Provide water throughout the day and evening, an extra bowl can't hurt if they're home alone most of the day.
- Get something frozen in a Kong or enrichment toy for them to play with - helps keep them cool and entertained.
- Bad weather days are great opportunities to stay inside, be safe, and work their brains.

04/01/2025

🚨 BIG ANNOUNCEMENT! 🚨

🐕‍🦺 Our dog adventure hikes and field trips have been such a hit that we’re officially expanding… to now include cat hiking excursions!
🐱🥾

That’s right—introducing "Hiss and Hike" - our exclusive hiking experience for adventurous felines!

✔️ Scenic area routes tailored to your cat’s energy level
✔️ Frequent snack breaks (because motivation is key!)
✔️ Custom harness fittings for maximum comfort
✔️ Personalized coaching to encourage forward movement (or… peaceful sunbathing)

Your feline friend will love exploring nature just like their canine counterparts do - at their own… very unique… pace. 😹



(Yes, the cat hiking service is an April Fools' Day joke, but our Cat Care program already exists and is real - do reach out if you need help with their care while you are out of town.)

03/04/2025

Excited to attend PSI's FOCUS 2025 Online Summit to learn from industry experts with seminars on pet care, business growth, marketing, and the latest practices. Pet Sitters International is the world’s leading educational association and largest membership organization for professional pet sitters. PSI has been educating pet sitters and dog walkers and elevating the pet-sitting industry for three decades.
By continuing to invest in education through the years, Pepper Street Pets ensures your pets receive excellent care from knowledgeable, trusted, and dedicated professionals.

06/26/2024

For the Ridgefield area, here are planned local and nearby July 4 fireworks that may be audible from your home.
If you have pets that get scared, or are unaware, we hope this info helps you in your efforts to keep them as calm and safe as possible.

Some of these are public, private and resident-only events, and please remember that neighbors may celebrate at any time.

Wishing everyone a fun and safe holiday! 🐾

06/18/2024

Our extreme weather policy is in effect with the high temps, humidity, and/or air quality alerts for the area. Outside time will be limited with indoor fun, enrichment, and play boosted. Safety is always out top priority - stay cool and stay safe!

Below are infographics on the temps for asphalt and concrete and how to keep paw pads safe.

05/08/2024

What do you see or notice when your dog yawns?

Language of a Yawn

Yawning is one of the many signals that dogs use to calm themselves or others down when they’re feeling stressed or uncomfortable.

Neuroscience shows that yawning is also triggered during moments of transition from one behavioural or emotional state to another - waking up, falling asleep, moving from being relaxed to alert or from an anxious to a calm emotional state.

Although we may be unaware of it, we also use types of calming signals. Think about the kind of body language we might show when we’re in a situation that doesn’t allow us enough personal space, like getting into an elevator with a group of strangers.

We may instinctively not face anyone directly, look down at the floor, watch the indicator buttons, focus on our phone and avoid any eye contact - these are all “calming signals” that people use to prevent any potential conflict.

If you notice more yawning than usual, or yawning in a specific situation, look into what may be causing this.

A yawn caused by stress is usually longer, more intense, with the tongue curled up at the end.

Sometimes there is so much more to a yawn than we may think.

04/08/2024

Today is the Solar Eclipse! 😎
Today is the big day and here are my own personal tips:
- keep pets inside, it’s just easier and safer. Don’t take them to gatherings, people are going to be extra oblivious and avoiding any crowds that could make a pup nervous or anxious can’t hurt.
- keep ID on them
- don’t leave them out unattended
- do I think they’ll look at the sun, no, but especially with any anxious pets, a spot on the couch is perfect this afternoon

Have fun, be safe, in this time of tech we’re in - what a natural communal phenomenon we can all enjoy! 😎

- All these photos were taken pre-eclipse and for fun.
- Fountain eclipse graphic by me.
- Bandanas from where I get 99% of my photo props for work and all the fun accessories for my own dog 🐾

03/06/2024

Excited to participate and learn today with Pet Sitters International's one-day online seminar "FOCUS 2024: Focus on Senior Pets."
Continuing education is an important aspect to professional pet care and is one of many ways we strive to provide the very best for your pets. PSI, which I've been a member for years, is the world’s largest educational association for professional pet sitters and is dedicated to educating professional pet sitters and promoting, supporting, and recognizing excellence in pet sitting.

Topics today include:
• What You Should Know about Dental Health in Senior Pets
• Old Dogs, New Tricks: Brain Games through Enrichment and Learning
• Gentle Goodbyes: Supporting Pets and Owners During Palliative and Hospice Care
• Friends for Life: Caring for Senior Felines

I look forward to learning some new things and seeing how we can further support and assist the area pets - and their families - that entrust Pepper Street Pets with their care.
Happy learning!