If you are a pet lover and are planning to become a petsitter, either professional or as a free exchange of services to travel, read this blog. It can be a challenge to fully understand what is expected of a petsitter until you start. New petsitters take note. Follow these guidelines and you’ll be on the right track.
Petsitters love and care for pets
Professional pet sitting
First and foremost if you want to be a professional petsitter you must love pets and animals. And you must be willing to look after them as a kindly responsible sitter.
Plus remember there are many responsibilities so you need to organise yourself to ensure you have appropriate insurance protection and a time and bookings management system so you never double book yourself on two gigs at once.
There are also a number of courses you could take to prepare to care for the pets in their owner’s absence. Pet first aid is a good idea, as are dog handling and puppy training courses.
Amateur pet sitting
Do you love animals and exploring new places? Then you would make a great petsitter for Housesitmatch.com. This housesitting and petsitting community offers sitters the opportunity to exchange services as resident petsitters for free accommodation across the network. Through this service you can travel to new locations, and stay in someone’s home in exchange for caring for the beloved animals and home.
However, there are a lot of responsibilities involved when it comes to being a pet sitter and especially a dog sit. This is especially true if you are caring for dogs. After all, you’ll be tasked with the important role of caring for someone’s beloved pet. So, if you’re thinking of delving into the wonderful world of in-home house and pet sitting, then read on to learn what is expected of you as a pet sitter…
What is expected of you as a petsitter?
A love of animals is essential
If you love animals it will show in how you present yourself to any pet owner considering taking you on as their sitter. Make sure you tell them of some of your fun pet care experiences. Share photos of your favourite pet charges. Ask about their pets and try to learn all you can about their personalities and what they will need in terms of care while the owner is absent.
Petsitter references and reviews
If you are planning to secure a petsitting job or assignment make sure you have a couple of personal references and reviews ready for when the pet owners invites you to discuss the assignment.
They will want to learn about your previous experience and any challenging situations you had to handle.
Be a respectful and responsible petsitter
The petowners will need to know that they are leaving their pets and home in safe hands. That you will manage their pet care and home care with the greatest sense of responsibility, care, and respect. Try to demonstrate this behaviour to them to inspire their trust.
Make sure before you take on any assignment you have discussed and understood all the necessary information about the pets, their care and the property you will be caring for. Documenting these details is essential so you have a guide in the owner’s absence. Remember while you are petsitting you are also housesitting for the owner and you will need to be respectful of their home and the space you are sharing with the pets.
Manage the pet’s routines
Every petsitting assignment will have specific routines that are appropriate to each animal. Sometimes a self contained pet like a cat may provide an easy set of duties. But don’t be too casual. The feeding and tray cleaning routines are still vital, and should be maintained to the pet owners specifications. Make sure you are completely sure of all the duties required of you and maintain them dutifully to maintain the pet owner’s trust.
Regular communications
Most petowners want to maintain regular communications with the pet sitter throughout their absence. Find out how they prefer to communication. Do they use Email. or SMS texting or another communication format such as WhatsApp, Telegram or Facebook Messenger? Each pet owner will have a slightly different preference.
Respect their wishes and keep in touch! it will keep channels open in case you need to ask questions, and it will build confidence in your relationship. Most of all it will help the pet owner see how happy and safe their pets are in their absence.
