What does it take to be a good pet sitter?

Lyla would prefer we never leave town. Thankfully she loves her pet sitters

Cuddling pets and sunny dog walking for a living may sound like all fun and games, but there is definitely work and TONS of responsibility involved.  When you care for people’s beloved pets, you are caring for their babies.  There is no room for error, and a pet sitter must be diligent, meticulous, observant, punctual, honest, patient, accountable, and completely in love with their job.  A sitter’s schedule changes from day to day, requiring them to be completely married to their calendar, an expert planner, and being prepared for the variety of jobs they may be doing that day.  This job is ALL about paying attention.

Skilled Pet Sitters are big fans of preparedness.  We carry first aid and pet care kits in our cars and keep them stocked with everything from leashes and water to paw protectors.  Most days there is a mixture of treats and neatly folded waste bags in our pockets – just in case.

We are also big fans of policy.  A good pet sitter knows their policies and follows them to protect themselves and the pets in their care from potential danger.  We must be educated on how to handle strange animals approaching, what to do in case of dog fights, how to handle/prevent household emergencies like frozen pipes, and the list goes on.   Factor in the detailed information that a pet sitter keeps for each of the hundreds of clients they meet in a year, protecting that information, and phew!  We need to go cuddle a puppy just thinking about all of it!

With that in mind, we give you a list of things to look for in a good pet sitter.

Professionalism.  Pet sitting is a business and anyone who does it well will treat it as such.  A good pet sitter has a legitimate company name and identity with a website and main business phone.  They carry insurance, are members of the pet sitting community through organizations like Pet Sit USA, and have First Aid, CPR, and possibly other animal care certifications.  They arrive on time and appear clean and professional (maybe slightly hairy and a little drooled on, but hey we’re only human).  Their effort and investment in their business should be noticeable from the very beginning.

Animal Sense. Pets are sensitive, and some really don’t appreciate a strangers hand in their face or loud, high pitch voices.  Your pet sitter should not make any assumptions about your pet’s personality before they get to know them.  Shy cats and dogs need space to decide if you are a friend or foe, and the super playful and outgoing love attention.  Either way, we proceed with caution to get to know the animal first.  Only then can we adjust to be who they need us to be while their family is away.  Be wary of any pet sitter who speaks loudly and hugs all over your pets in the first view minutes they are there.  If they are more concerned with snuggling than they are the details in properly caring for your animals, that is a recipe for disaster.  A good pet sitter will meet, touch, evaluate, and show caution toward your pet before they ever hug all over them.  They will ask you about moles, bumps, sensitivities or any other noticeable skin, fur, eye, nose, ear, and hind abnormalities.   It doesn’t mean they won’t be romping in the back yard before long –  It’s just a matter of finding out what is good for the animal first.

Details, details! All good pet sitters conduct a Meet & Greet before taking a new client – for our safety and yours.  This is our chance to go through all of the details, ask all of the questions, and most importantly:  meet your pets!  You should feel like the sitter has done this before.  There is a process to learning about you, your pets, and your home.  The paperwork should be fairly detailed, and you should feel confident when your pet sitter leaves.  Your pet sitter may even ask about things you didn’t even think of.  That’s a good sign!

Communication.  Most pet sitting companies try to keep set business hours for taking reservations, as pet care can be a 24/7 job that burns a lot of pet sitters out if they aren’t careful.  For general calls during business hours, 24 hours is the standard response time for most professionals, so allow a pet sitter time to respond.   Emails and texts get lost and calls fail, so we recommend trying twice before you give up.  But if your calls or emails are repeatedly ignored or delayed, be cautious.   Also, does the pet sitter have a standard form of telling you when they arrive, what happens while they are there, and how to contact them in case you want to check on your babies? What about in case you need to contact them after hours?   Our pet sitters keep a journal for all of our clients and often send emails, texts, and photos to our clients letting them know that their fur kids are happy and well.

Emergency Protocol. What if ___?   Can your pet sitter get your pet to the vet if needed?  Can they cover the costs until you return? What if the sitter is sick and can’t make it to the visit?  What if you need to contact your pet sitter after hours in an emergency?  Professional Pet Sitters have very clear emergency protocol for often unavoidable emergencies and can explain those to you in detail.  For example, our team at Leaps N’ Hounds works as a team.  We cover for each other in emergencies, cross train on more complicated pet care routines, and have after hours emergency call protocol so our clients can reach us in case of emergency.

Observant with a Tough Stomach. Vomit, feces, drool, hair – It’s all in a day’s work!  Good sanitation is important and the distinct smell of cat urine should never be ignored.  Sanitation also involves knowing the best ways to get a stain out of the carpet or realizing a dog stepped in poo before they enter the house.   Whether it’s an overzealous cat kicking the litter from the box, or just making sure the garbage is out so it doesn’t stink up the house; a good pet sitter takes care of things best to their ability so you don’t have to come home to a stinky mess.  This is not a job for the delicate and sensitive.  If your potential pet sitter seems gun shy about picking up poop or vomit, be afraid.  Be very afraid.

Availability.  Good pet sitters get busy fast, so booking them in advance is a smart move.    A busy pet sitter may be juggling anywhere from 6 to 16 clients in a day during busy seasons.  The number varies based on the size of the territory your sitter covers, the length of their visits, and the time of year.  Most pet sitters resolve to working very long days around the major holidays, but on a regular basis managing 4-10 clients a day is considered steady.   It is dangerous to overbook, and juggling too many clients in a day may require that some visits get cut short.  If your pet sitter is booked, they should tell you.  And if you still decide to hire them, know that your pet’s visits may be brief. If you choose to book a pet sitter last minute, it is good to have already been a client, as existing clients often get first priority.

Versatility.  Lawns need watering, trash must go out to the curb, dogs get stinky, and pets need exercise.  None of these things change when you leave town.  A good pet sitter can help and most will water plants, rotate lights, walk the dog, and take trash as part of their standard visit.  If you ever need more, it is nice to have the option.  An extra $5-$10 to set out the sprinklers or run the dog tired sure is nice!  Some pet sitters, like us, can even give the dog a bath before you get home, throw them a birthday party, and even help train them.

Experience. Handling animals confidently is a skill that comes with time, patience and lots of practice.  Many good pet sitters worked (or still work) in other areas of pet care like Vet Tech, Groomer, or Trainer where they have honed this skill.  Since schedules are flexible, we often volunteer with rescues and shelters to give back while gaining more experience.  There is no perfect resume for a pet sitter since it is a job based on passion and dedication, but experience goes a long way and should be considered heavily when hiring.

Ethics & Honesty.  A good pet sitter will be honest about the minimum amount of time they need to spend with a pet or pets in order to take proper care of them.  It’s not about the money, it’s about what your pets need.   If you want more time, they will happily oblige in most cases as long as availability permits.   But asking a pet sitter to come less than recommended may conflict with their ethical standards of proper animal care and cause them to decline service.  To quote a very wise and successful pet sitter, “We are in the business of animal CARE, not neglect.”

Dollars & Sense. In-home pet care is intended to be specialized and provide the best possible care for your animals.  But if you have 2 or more pets, it can also be a fairly budget friendly service compared to boarding.  Factor in the effort and expense in taking multiple pets to and from the boarding facility, and pet sitting wins almost every time.  For cats it seems like a no-brainer.  Most cats hate to be boarded and require fewer visits for in-home care making it affordable while keeping kitty in a happy place.   But it seems that every pet care company charges differently, so do the math and read their pricing information carefully before weighing your options.  Some pet sitters have a regular visit charge plus an extra $2-$4 per animal, while others (like us) are strictly time and service based. Naturally, time is money and an overnight visit or other specialty visit may cost more.  However, paying a pet sitter to come 3 to 4 times a day may not be too far from just paying them to do an overnight with a mid-day visit. Play with the service list a little to figure out what is best for your pets both in time and money.   Other items that may cost more are: travel fees, cage cleanings, back yard poop scooping, baths, doggy field trips, and other specialty services if offered.  All of these can be agreed on in advance so there are no surprises.