Whether you’re new to pet sitting or have been using the same fantastic pet sitter for years, these five suggestions will make the experience better for you, your dogs, and your pet sitter.
1. Request that your pet sitter contact you prior to the first visit. You want to ensure that he or she began your pet sitting assignment on time. To be honest, we’re all human. When you told your pet sitter your travel dates, it’s conceivable that you were looking at the September calendar rather than the October calendar. Perhaps your pet sitter was driving when she received your message to begin this Friday, and she mistakenly typed down next Friday. To avoid any confusion, insist that your pet sitter phone you on your first planned visit, even if it’s simply to let you know she’s at your house, the extra key worked perfectly, and your pets are OK. If you haven’t heard from your sitter after the initial visit, contact the sitter or the pet sitting service straight once. Don’t put off speaking with your pet sitter for another day.
2. Stock up on pet supplies before you leave town. While most pet sitters would gladly accompany you to the pet shop to pick up dog food or cat litter, it may take some time depending on their pet watching schedule. You don’t want to leave your dogs without their favourite food or treats for an extended period of time. Furthermore, most pet sitting services charge between $10 and $20 for the trip to the shop. If you’re running low on supplies and need to travel out of town quickly, notify your sitter several hours before her scheduled visit to allow her extra time to collect your supplies.
3. Leave a pen and a new roll of paper towels for your pet sitter... maybe even a pad of paper if you want to leave some charming messages about your dogs when you get home. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve finished caring for Fido and Fifi and was about to write my pet care report when I realised I’d forgotten my pen in the car… or during my prior pet sitting session. Leave a pen on the counter if you don’t want the sitter searching through your kitchen drawers for one. When you go home, you’ll receive a wonderful report about your dogs. Also, your sitter should be washing off your counters after preparing your pet’s meal, as well as wiping out the pet dishes, so put a full roll of paper towels on hand for this purpose. This manner, you can avoid using your nicest guest towels to clean and dry the dog dish. Furthermore, you may be able to get extra counter tops cleaned!
4. Purchase a lamp timer and, if feasible, leave the front light turned on for your sitter. Light timers are an excellent method to give your house a lived-in appearance while you are gone. You may programme the timer to turn on the lights from, say, 7:00 to 11:00 p.m., which is definitely within the time limit your sitter will be at your house for the evening visit. This is a fantastic concept for the protection of your house, but it is also highly beneficial to your sitter. Entering a house with no porch light and no lights on inside may be a frightening process, especially if Fido hears you rattling your keys at the front door while looking for the keyhole. If he becomes overly agitated, your pet sitter may have a more difficult time entering your house. If your first planned pet sitting visit is at night, keep your front porch light on for your sitter; he will gladly turn it off when he goes for the evening.
5. Leave a note for your pet caretaker. If you leave a letter with instructions for your pet sitter, don’t feel like a control freak. Sure, knowing how to take the dog for a walk is common sense. However, each dog and each dog owner is unique. What is your dog’s preferred method of walking? Does he like to go pee in the backyard, then eat, then go on a stroll and focus on a longer potty break? What places does he prefer to visit? Which houses does he like to avoid? Perhaps your cat has a preference when it comes to the litter box. Is she more interested in a little sprinkling of litter or a very filled box? Pet sitters care for different kinds of animals, and each one is exceptional in their own way. Please do not hesitate to contact us. It will enable us to deliver a better pet care experience for your pets, and you will feel more at ease knowing that we are aware with the nuances of your house and dogs.