A Day in the Life of a Pet Sitter

Pet sitting is something I've always done...I remember posting flyers seeking employment as a dog walker as early as age 10. Since I can remember I've always been tasked with taking care of others pets. I didn't always get paid, but that was OK. I loved animals and I wanted to care for them. I started an official pet sitting business in 2003, after being laid off from my 'real' job. I've learned a lot about pet sitting over the past seven years and I love being a pet sitter. So, enough of that...you want to know what I do! What is a typical day in the life of a pet sitter? Here we go...July 3, 2010.

5:30 am: Alarm clock rings....ahhh...is it already morning? Yes it is. I'm actually happy to get up and going. I have a big day today because of the 4th of July holiday. My dogs stretch and get me up...breakfast time you know! I feed the dogs and jump in the shower.

6:15 am: A quick check of my email to see if any of my clients need anything. And to also confirm my schedule for the day.

6:30 am: Diet Coke and toast in hand, hair still wet, and dressed in capri pants, a tee shirt, and sandals, I say good bye to my pack and off I go.

7:00 am: My first stop is to see Bibi, Peasy, Minou, and Tawny...4 cats. Bibi is insulin-dependent, needing insulin at 7am and 7pm. Peasy is a cute tuxedo kitty. He and I have a lot of fun playing. After the shot, play-time, cleaning litter boxes, and feeding the kitties, I was on my way again.

7:45 am: Next stop on my pet sitting morning rounds is to see Rusty, an 18 year old senior kitty. Rusty sleeps a lot, but enjoys his routine of going outside and smelling all the flowers and then drinking from the fountain. He loves to be combed and purrs very loudly when I comb him. I adore him and dread the thought that he is not long for this world. After giving Rusty three medications that he always fights, cleaning the litter box, and replenishing his food and water, I am on my way again.

8:30: A quick stop to feed one of my sitter's cats, Cassandra and Boo. My sitter is doing an overnight job on the other part of town, so I offered to feed them so she wouldn't have to make a special trip home today. Back in my car and on my way again....

8:45: Time to see Katie kitty...a very social little cat that is full of personality. I picked her up and she started purring loudly. I always look forward to kitty sitting for my friend, Katie. My client's left me a note and asked me to water some outside plants and help myself to as much lettuce from the garden as I desired. Yay! I love the perks of pet sitting....what a nice treat. I was going to stop at Fred Meyer next to get some lettuce for Lil' Miss Funny Face, the turtle, but now I don't have to. After giving Katie lots of TLC, cleaning her box, feeding her and taking care of the plants, I'm on the road again.

9:30: a quick stop at the ATM to deposit last weeks' checks. It's hard to find the time to do these things.

9:45 am: Fish, geckos and Lil' Miss the turtle are next on my agenda. I prepare a bath for Lil' Miss so she can get hydrated. While she is swimming, I care for the geckos, fish, and plants. Then I clean Lil' Miss's cage and rip some of the fresh lettuce for her. I let her walk about the apartment...she loves to stretch her legs. Then I put her back into her aquarium...she dives into the pile of fresh lettuce...yummm. Back to my car and on my way.

10:30 am: Time to see Rusty and Sammy, two cutie tabby cats. Same routine as above. Sweet, social cats. Fun to see.

11:15 am: I swing down to the North end to see Iggy and Hobo....two sweet kitties. We spend all of our time on the deck, enjoying the beautiful day. After caring for them, I also water plants and turn the drip line on and off.

12 noon: Off to SW Boise to care for 3 corgis and a puppy. So cute! I take lots of photos.

1:00 pm. Back to the first kitties...Bibi needs a blood test mid-way between her shots.

2:00 pm. Home for a break! Then I jump on the computer to send updates up to my clients.

5:00 pm: Back to the corgis for dinner time, play and outside time.

5:40 pm: I head over to Mitchell and McMillan to see Max and Abby...two labs. After dinner, we enjoy a nice walk. Treat time when we get back.

7:00 pm: Round three with the first set of kitties...time for insulin.

8:00 pm. Time to visit Rusty for his second visit today. Not so many meds in the evening. He was a good boy for me.

9:00 pm. Home to take care of my pups, email clients, throw a load of wash in.

11:15 pm. Finally, I drop into bed so I can do it all again tomorrow!

Crazy schedule? Yes, but I still love pet sitting!

There you have it! What do you think now?!

My name is Julie Fredrick. I am a professional pet sitter and owner of The Pet Sitter, LLC of Boise, ID. I've been in the pet sitting business since 2003. My services include pet sitting, house sitting, dog walking, and pet taxi services. http://www.thepetsitterboise.com

Hiring a Pet Sitter

Going on vacation without the dog? Need to leave your cat for the weekend? You might want to hire a pet sitter. If you have never done that before, this article can help you avoid mistakes. Knowing you have a competent, reliable person taking care of your pets will make your trip less stressful.

The best way to find a pet sitter is to ask your veterinarian or friends who have pets for recommendations. There may be people who do it occasionally, like I do, just not as a business. Some pet sitters will advertise in the yellow pages or newspapers. Most will leave flyers or business cards with veterinarians.

Many pet sitters belong to professional organizations, and some of these have websites you can visit. Some of them offer a search feature, but remember that only their members will be listed. Some smaller towns may not have local professional pet sitters.

Keep your expectations realistic. Normally, a pet sitter will feed the animals, let them out or walk them, change litter boxes and do whatever else is needed to care for the animal. They will spend an average of thirty minutes for each visit. They might even pick up your mail and water your plants.

There is usually an extra charge for additional visits during the day. Some sitters may be willing to spend the night - something you may desire if you have older or sick animals.

Make sure the pet sitter will come and meet the animals before you hire her. It is important that both the animal and the sitter be comfortable with each other.

Be sure to plan well in advance, as pet sitters are usually in heavy demand. You should ask for the pet sitter's fees and policies in writing, so you know exactly what to expect. I would suggest getting references; a trustworthy businessperson will have these readily available.

Ask what other kinds of animal experience the person has. Someone with veterinary experience, such as a technician, is a good choice for special needs pets. A dog trainer, or someone who has trained a few animals will know how to handle dogs with behavioral issues. A pet groomer will have experience handling both dogs and cats in stressful situations.

Pet sitters are not required to have any special licensing, but those who have gone to the trouble of acquiring accreditation from one of the pet sitter organizations show a high degree of professionalism in my opinion. They will have been required to take a course that usually includes business management, animal care and animal health instruction. Accredited pet sitters will therefore likely have more diverse knowledge and experience than someone who has not been through the course. Once you have found the right sitter for you, be sure to give and get all the information you both will need.

You will want to leave phone numbers for where you can be reached, as well as a friend or neighbor who might be able to answer questions or help out in emergencies. Provide the sitter with the name, address and phone number of your veterinarian, and leave a signed letter giving permission for necessary medical procedures to be preformed. Additionally, make sure you have a way to reach the sitter at all times, in case something comes up.

Be sure to tell the pet sitter of any special behavioral problems or quirks. If your dog is afraid of people in hats, say, the sitter will not make the mistake of wearing her rain hat indoors! Point out where all the supplies are; food, dishes, toys, beds, etc. Tell the pet sitter your rules on treats, how much you feed, how often and when. If you can put everything the pet sitter may need in one central location, so much the better.

If your animals are on strict schedules for feeding or medication, ask if these can be accommodated, and work out an acceptable compromise if need be.

Be sure your pet sitter is bonded and insured. Don't forget, she will have the keys to your home. Also, make arrangements for payment and the return of your keys.

It is a good idea to have a contingency plan in place in the event that your return is delayed. Plan to call the sitter on your return or ask her to call you at a specified time.

The pet sitter should also have a backup plan in case he or she is unable to attend to your pets for some reason. If not, you had better make a backup plan of your own.

Leaving the pets behind can add unnecessary stress to your trip. Knowing that you have hired an experienced pet sitter, and that you have provided her with everything she needs to do the job right can help ease that stress.

The author is an experienced pet owner, with knowledge of pet nutrition, feeding and training. She is past owner of a natural treat company. Elyse is also a herbalist, and uses herbs and holistic remedies for her animals. http://www.pethealthresource.com

Become a Pet Sitter

Pet sitters have a variety of responsibilities. While a pet's owners are gone away on business trips, vacations, or just for the day, pet sitters take the time to play with pets, feed them, take them for walks, clean up after them, or simply spend some quality time with them for a while. The specific duties that will be required of you will vary according to each client's requests, so you should be prepared to be somewhat flexible if you decide to pursue a career in this field.

You must have a genuine love of pets in order to be a successful pet sitter, of course. However, there are other things involved in operating a pet sitting business, and you must be prepared to handle them if you are considering this as a full or part-time business.

Getting Started

First of all, you need to check in your county, city, and state to see what type of business license(s) you need. Even if you are going to operate solely out of your home, you will still need to have the appropriate licenses in order to be compliant with your local laws.

In addition, you should also obtain some liability insurance to protect yourself in the event something should ever happen to one of the pets you are watching, or a pet owner who happens to be on your property at the time of an accidental injury. Depending on where you live, you might also need to be bonded, so make sure that you find out all of the legal requirements involved in operating this type of business before you start accepting clients.

If you are not already familiar with the different types of animals that people generally want someone to sit with, spend some time conducting a bit of research. The more you know about these different animals, the better prepared you will be for taking on a variety of different types of clients.

Marketing Your Business

To get your business started, you will need to have some business cards created that accurately reflect the image that you want your business to present. Carry your cards with you everywhere and hand them out wherever you go. Word of mouth is an excellent way to generate interest in your new business, and once you have people recommending you to their friends and family, you will be surprised at how quickly your business takes off.

You might also visit pet stores and veterinarians in your local area and ask them if you can post flyers or brochures in their facilities. This will help you to advertise your business for very little money, and it just might create enough interest in your business to start you off with several customers.

When you meet with potential clients, always carry a standard form with you containing a list of important questions that you will need to ask concerning the person's pet and that pet's needs. You will need to put a great deal of thought into creating your standard client questionnaire, but once you have it done you can simply make copies and use it for all of your clients. If you think of additional questions along the way that you should be asking, simply revise your form from time to time. Such improvements will only serve to improve your business and make you look more professional, as it will give clients the impression that you really know what you are doing.

Pamella Neely writes about how to start a dog walking business, including how to find dog walking jobs.

Choosing a Pet Sitter - What to Look For

Choosing a great pet sitter is important to you and your pets. You want someone who is reliable, trustworthy, does what you ask, and most of all, is affectionate with the furry and feline members of your family. You want a pet sitter who loves your pets almost as much as you do and will go the extra mile if your pets have a medical emergency. You want someone your pets are happy with too!

The first thing you should do with a potential pet sitter is schedule a meet and greet at your home. This is the time for you, the pet sitter, and your pets to all get acquainted. This will take some time initially, but it's time well spent and will give you a chance to ask questions, be comfortable with your decision, and start the communication ball rolling. The pet sitter will certainly ask you lots of questions about your pets; feeding, walking, vet info, etc, but there are some important items for you to cover at the initial meeting.

1. Ask about the pet sitter's background. How were they trained? How long have they been a pet sitter? What other training do they have, such as Red Cross pet first aid and CPR?

Previous lines of work? Other interests? Do they live close? What is their home address? Email address? Chat them up! As a pet sitter on the other end of these conversations, I have found out that one client's ex-husband used to coach my daughter's soccer team, another client had an upcoming appointment with my husband's coworker, and yet another client and I used to live in the same town in another state. It's comforting for everyone to start off on some common ground.

2. When talking with your potential pet sitter, watch how they interact with your pets. Do they give your dog a cursory pat on the head and give all the attention to you? Or do they have a grin on their face as they find the special spot to scratch behind your dog's ears and then croon to her during lulls in adult conversation? You want to get the sense that they LOVE animals, yours specifically, and they LOVE their job.

3. Do they keep a journal and write in it after each visits? You want to know when they notice some slightly unusual behavior or off-colored poo. Let them know what you consider important enough for an immediate phone call. You need to set the parameters of communication with your pet sitter.

4. Are they insured and bonded? Technically they don't have to be, at least in my state, but you certainly want them to be. Ask for copies of both documents and check to make sure they are up-to-date.

5. Most pet sitters have written contracts but if they don't produce any, ask them to do so. Contracts that spell out what they are going to do or not do, is important protection for both of you. Keep copies for yourself.

6. Ask for references! I am amazed at how many people do not ask for references from pet sitters. Pet sitters should have these handy. If they're good, they have no problem supplying you with this information.

7. What plan do they have in place in case they have a personal emergency? Do they have another petsitter who can cover for them? Also, do they have back-up petsitters for when they manage to work in a vacation, or are you on your own to find one? You can ask to meet any back-up petsitters, after all, it's your home and your pet.

Following this advice should help you hook up with an amazing pet sitter, one you're comfortable with and trust. You'll be happy you did because a good pet sitter will become like a member of your family!

Peggy Baron pet sits rain or shine in Colorado. Her website, http://thepetsitter.info/blog is packed with valuable information for pet owners and pet sitters everywhere.

Pet Sitting - 3 Tips on Finding the Right Pet Sitter in Your Town

If you are going on a vacation or just need someone to walk your dog during the day then consider using a pet sitting service instead of a pet boarding facility. There are many advantages to using a pet sitter and once you find the right one then your pet will be much happier when you do go on vacation if you can live him or her at home.

Tip 1 - Make sure your pet sitter has experience and understands the needs of many different breeds of cats, dogs and other animals. Before you signup you need to interview the sitter. This normally does not cost you anything. See how your pet interacts with the person and ask questions about their experience with your breed of pet.

Tip 2 - Make sure you understand the policies of the pet sitting service. Most of the time the policies will be listed on their website but ask for a hard copy of the terms of service and billing procedures. You want to make sure of the rates and what tasks the service will perform when at your home. Most pet sitting companies will walk your pet, feed your pet, give fresh water, give some love, take in the mail, switch lights on or off, and give medications to your pet if needed. Most of these services are included in the price of a normal visit. Always get what you are paying for in writing.

Tip 3 - Make sure the pet sitters have your emergency contact numbers. You don't want to be on vacation and find out that something went wrong when you get back. Leave at least three contacts for the sitter, so that they can get in touch with you if something does go wrong.

Pet sitting services have many advantages over traditional pet boarding. Make sure you interview, understand the fees and policies, and leave contact information.

Pet sitting Atlanta GA provides professional pet sitting services at reasonable rates. For more information about pet sitters in the Atlanta Georgia area please visit http://www.petsittingatlanta.com where you will find resources, rates, and information concerning pet sitting in Atlanta GA.