One of the more interesting things about Los Angeles is that people make very last minute plans. I'm not sure why, but when I first moved here from Canada, it drove me crazy. I always wanted to know by Wednesday what my weekend plans would be. Over time, I came to realize that the way of the wild west is really wild. Because you CAN just jump in a car and head to Santa Barbara, San Diego, Palm Springs or Las Vegas for a quick weekend getaway...people do!
Sometimes people with dogs are able to plan a bit further out -- they'll do research online, do google searches, interview and get references on walkers, sitters, boarding facilities. Bottom line, dogs are just not self-sufficient in any way. Even outdoor-only dogs (that was new to me, too, here) still need some human time each day or they get depressed.
Cats, on the other hand, do tend to be self-sufficient. You change their water, refill dry food, empty the litter and they are good to go. Or are they? Cat owners have discovered that their fuzzy pets will also get pretty darn down if they don't get their daily dose of the human factor. But because their cats generally are low maintenance, when a last minute travel op comes up, panic sets in. Maybe they've only gone for an overnight before...but when the cat owner gets into the LA groove, they, too, start setting up last minute travel plans.
If I did a survey (it would be very unscientific), I could tell you that 80% of my clients book their dogs with me 2 weeks to 4 month in advance. Basically when they make their longer vacation plans. They secure doggie care before their trip so they can book with an easy mind. I could also tell you that only about 20% of my cat clients book further out than 2 weeks. There may still be the last minute scramble for dog or cat pet care for those last minute forays, but 8 times out of 10, it will be for a cat.
I find that fascinating.
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