How To Conduct A Professional Pet Sitting Visit

With each pet sitting visit you are taking on the responsibility for the care and safety of someone’s precious angels. Each visit requires great attention and unconditional love for all animals. A pet sitting visit should take at least 30 minutes, depending on the type of animal and the amount of care one may need. In the example of a dog 30 minutes should be the minimum. There are few guidelines that should never be overlooked during a visit. Entering a strange house may be dangerous if you do not present yourself with confidence. The amount of exercise whether inside or out is vital to keeping a happy client. Whether breakfast or dinner following an animal’s feeding routine can be a life saver. No matter what type of animal you are sitting for there will always be some sort of waste to pick-up. Leaving a report card after each visit is a great way to keep the customer informed of what occurred during the visits. When exiting a customer house you are promising that customer that when you leave their house is secure. Following theses few guidelines could mean the world to not only you and your customer but your new life long friend, the animal you are caring for.

When you arrive at a customer’s house the first thing should be to check the mail box for any mail and the driveway for a newspaper. In some case even a garbage can that may need to be put away. It is important to keep the house looking lived in. Alternating light and blinds is also a good way to do so. If you are to enter through a garage be sure to close the garage door before entering into the house. You never know who is waiting on the other side ready to run. Don’t be fooled because entering through the front door can be just as dangerous. If you know there is a dog/cat on the other side waiting it is best to enter as quickly as possible. If you know there is a big dog waiting make sure to be alert. A large dog can easily jump up unexpected and may knock you down, leaving the door wide open for them to run. Always remember to enter a strange house with confidence. In the case of a big dog they may sense your fear and get scared themselves. This could lead to injury to yourself or the animal. If you make your presence friendly you should have no problem entering and leaving from here on end.

The best time of day for our four legged friend is playtime. Whether you are playing cat and mouse or throwing the ball for a dog this is a great chance for them and yourself to get some exercise. When the weather permits, for a dog outside time should take up the majority of the visit. It is important to remember a few things before letting the dogs out. When letting them out in a backyard make sure that all gates are closed and locked. When walking on a leash make sure to fasten the leash to the dog’s collar first and then open the door. One thing to remember when having to walk a dog that is trained is that you may have to keep up with the obedience.

Feeding time may be breakfast or dinner and sometimes both. These visits are most important so be sure to ask the customer appropriate questions about food, meds or other health conditions at your initial interview. It is important to follow the animal’s exact routine. Some dogs can become stressed when their owners leave and if not handled with correctly could result in other health conditions. One more thing to remember is to refresh the water bowls daily. With detailed notes you should have no problem with these visits.

Clean up is the same when dealing with dogs, cats, birds and even horses. You have to do what you have to do, even if it’s a little messy. When taking care of cats I find it most appropriate to clean under and around the liter boxes daily. With the traffic a liter box gets it is very hard to keep the area cleaned for long. Depending on the amount of cats and the usage of the box it may only need to cleaned out every other day. This is something else the customer should have specified at the initial interview. When walking a dog remember to always carry bags to dispose of the waste. I find it helpful to keep some in my car incase the customer does not leave any out. When the instructions are to let a dog out in the back yard I always ask the customer ahead of time if they expect me to pick up the waste. In any case the offer is out and the customer will be happy. You are not only taking care of the animals but the customer’s house as well. Do a once over the entire house to make sure there are not any messes in other rooms.

It is always a great idea to leave what I like to call a pet report card after each visit. This way the customer can have front row seats to everything that happened while they were away. If a dog misbehaved it is your duty as a pet sitter to inform the customer. This way if you write a note when you leave you should have no problem remembering what happened and when. If the dog is a perfect angel let the customer know. Everyone likes to see a good report card.

After each visit it is very important to pay close attention to detail when exiting a customer’s house. It may help to have a checklist to cross reference with. A few tips to remember are to always double check every door and lock even the ones you may not have used. Traveling can be stressful and the customer may have over looked something. If you find anything out of sorts you should contact the customer. You should always do another once over of the house before locking the door behind you. Always remember to double check the door you are exiting as well, make sure it is locked.

If you follow these few guidelines along with any others you may have picked up along the way, you should have no problem conducting a professional pet sitting. Because in the end keeping your promise to your customers when caring for there loved ones and their homes will mean the future business.