What to Look for When Selecting a Pet Sitter

Looking to hire a pet sitter for an upcoming business trip or vacation? There are certain qualities and standards of practice that any professional pet sitter should have. Keep these 10 tips from pet sitting clients in mind when deciding if a pet sitter is truly a professional that will take excellent care of your pets!

1.Knowledge – Most people want to hire someone with knowledge on animal behavior, and someone who knows the characteristics of each dog breed, or animal species.

2.Insurance – The fact that you are bonded and insured shows you are a serious business owner and, if anything were to happen you will be covered as will the pet owner. Other owners wanted to be sure their pet sitters were licensed. Makes the owners feel a bit more comfortable about having you in their home.

3.References – If a person has no references, you will not know how that person is with pets or people. Word of mouth is the best advertisement, therefore having good references helps make the pet owners feel more at ease when hiring a new pet sitter.

4.Personable – Pet sitters should look professional and be friendly. If you do not feel comfortable when first meeting a pet sitter, then you will not want them in your home when you are gone. Being good with people is a must, and making a good impression is so important. Offering a free meet in greet is always a plus with any pet owner wanting to hire a pet sitter.

5.Medication – A good pet sitter will know the right ways to administer medications, whether it is oral, topical, sub –q, or rectal. Good handing skills are also a must, because most animals do not want to sit still when taking medication.

6.Pet interaction – A lot of people I asked said they wanted to see the pet sitter getting along with their pets. If the animals like the sitter, they are more likely to choose you over someone else. Know how to approach new animals, keep your energy calm, and interact with each pet individually. Show you have a love for pets!

7.Pet sitter association – This is not a must, but it does help to show how dedicated a pet sitter is to their work. Being a member of one of these associations shows the pet owners that this is something the pet sitter is passionate about.

8.Extra services – It is always nice to have a pet sitter who will offer little extras, like bringing in mail, taking out trash, or bringing their own dog treats.

9.Keeping records – A few people expressed that they felt more comfortable when they had a pet sitter who left notes, and took records of their daily visits. That way, when they got home, they had a list of things that were done, and knew exactly what the sitter did throughout each visit.

10.Keep In touch – Lastly, I found that a lot of pet owners liked it when their pet sitters kept in touch with them after the visit. Knowing the names of each animal, and checking up on them once in a while can really make a difference and create a great bond.