Pet expert Paris Permenter is also Skype’s Pet Brand Ambassador, and shares some good reasons for why pet owners might want to consider using Skype to keep in touch with their furry friends when they’re separated from them.
“I use Skype both to stay in touch with our pets when I’m traveling without them and to introduce my friends to our pets since they’re a special part of my life,” she writes on Skype’s Big Blog.
“We love to take our dogs traveling with us but they’re not always able to go on every trip,” she says. “Recently I spoke at a cat conference where our dogs really wouldn’t have been a good fit; it was nice to return to my room at the end of the day and hop on Skype to see them.”
Using Skype to check up on your pet’s eating habits and whether your animal’s automatic feeder is working properly while you’re away can also help ease your mind if you worry about that.
“Many cat lovers leave their cats with food and water overnight without a pet sitter,” she writes. “If you do, Skype can be an excellent way to check in and make sure that automatic feeder is working properly, that your cat hasn’t turned over the water bowl, etc. Leaving food and water near the webcam can keep them in sight for a quick check-in.”
If you’ve got a new pet sitter, you can use Skype as a “nanny cam to watch your pet sitter,” Permenter writes. “Skype can be an excellent way to keep an eye on your pet sitter to make sure the pet sitter is interacting with your pets in the manner instructed.”
You can even use Skype to teach an old dog new tricks, she says. “With positive reinforcement training, some great treats, and the help of a friend, you can teach your dog to look at the monitor. Like all training, it’s an ongoing process and one you want to start in advance of a time when you really want your dog to come look at the monitor, like during your cross-country trip.”
To read Permenter’s full post, head over to Skype’s Big Blog.
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Suzanne Choney
Microsoft News Center Staff