A Tail-Wagging Experience: Dog Pet Sitting from a Pet Sitter's Perspective

Pet sitting is more than just a job; it's a rewarding and heartwarming experience that allows pet sitters to connect with furry companions on a personal level. Among the many pets that bring joy into our lives, dogs stand out for their loyalty, playfulness, and unconditional love. In this blog, we'll explore the world of dog pet sitting through the eyes of a dedicated pet sitter, shedding light on the challenges, joys, and unique moments that make this profession so special.

Building Trust with Furry Clients:

One of the most crucial aspects of dog pet sitting is establishing trust with the canine clients. Building a strong rapport from the beginning helps the dogs feel comfortable and secure in their temporary home. Patience, gentle gestures, and positive reinforcement go a long way in winning over the furry friends and ensuring a stress-free experience for both parties.

Understanding Each Pup's Unique Personality:

Dogs, like humans, have distinct personalities, preferences, and quirks. A skilled pet sitter takes the time to understand each dog's individual needs, whether they are energetic and playful, shy and reserved, or somewhere in between. This understanding allows the pet sitter to tailor their care approach, providing a personalized experience that ensures the dog feels loved and content.

Playtime and Exercise:

Dogs thrive on physical activity and mental stimulation, and a good pet sitter knows the importance of playtime and exercise. Engaging in interactive games, walks, and even a little fetch in the backyard not only keeps the dogs physically healthy but also contributes to their overall well-being. Pet sitters often become part-time doggy playmates, creating lasting bonds with their four-legged charges.

Maintaining Routine and Comfort:

Consistency is key when it comes to dog care. Pet sitters strive to maintain the dogs' routines as closely as possible, from feeding schedules to bedtime rituals. Creating a familiar environment helps dogs feel secure and reduces any potential stress associated with being away from their owners. Additionally, providing cozy and comfortable spaces for rest ensures that dogs can relax and recharge during their stay.

Communication with Pet Parents:

Effective communication with pet parents is a cornerstone of successful pet sitting. Regular updates, including photos and videos, provide reassurance to owners that their beloved pets are in good hands. Being transparent about any concerns or issues that may arise during the pet sitting period fosters trust and ensures a smooth experience for both the pet sitter and the pet parents.

Unexpected Joys and Challenges:

Every pet sitting experience comes with its unique joys and challenges. From the hilarious antics of a mischievous pup to the heartwarming moments of companionship, pet sitters navigate a spectrum of emotions. Dealing with unexpected challenges, such as a sudden change in the dog's behavior or a medical issue, requires adaptability and quick thinking, showcasing the pet sitter's dedication to the well-being of their furry charges.

Dog pet sitting is a fulfilling journey that allows pet sitters to form lasting connections with the canine companions they care for. Through trust-building, personalized attention, and open communication, pet sitters create a home away from home for dogs, ensuring they feel loved, secure, and happy in the absence of their owners. As a pet sitter, the reward lies not only in a paycheck but in the wagging tails, wet noses, and the knowledge that you've made a positive impact on the lives of these furry friends.

If you and your pup are considering a dog walker and you live in Elmhurst, Villa Park, Lombard or Naperville, IL, our amazing staff would love to help. Give us a call at 847.802.9538 or contact us to set up your free meet and greet.

Tips for Conducting a Pet Sitter Interview

Just as much as you are interviewing a potential pet sitter, they are interviewing you as well.  You always want to make sure to thoroughly vet your pet sitter and make sure they will be a good fit for your pet and for you.  Each pet sitter and pet sitting company probably operates a bit differently from each other, as there is no right way to run a pet sitting company, but there are some basics that should be in place when selecting a pet sitter.

There is no one size fits all for pet sitters, as some specialize in just cats or just dogs, or even provide care to exotic pets and livestock.  With the boom of on demand pet sitters through apps like Wag and Rover, you will need to be more prudent than ever in your search to find a reliable pet sitter.  You must set aside time and realize that it may take time and even a few phone interviews until you find someone or a company who would be a good fit.

Before leaving your pet in the care of a pet sitter or dog walker there should always be an initial meeting, called a ‘meet and greet’ or ‘consultation’.  This is as much an opportunity for you to interview the potential pet sitter as well as an opportunity for them to interview you and your pets.  This also gives the pet sitter a chance to meet your pets in their home and interact with them.  There are many times I arrive at a meet and greet and I hear ‘Wow, Fifi is connecting with you more than the other person we interviewed’.  For me this is a good sign, not only does it indicate to me that the dog is a good fit, but the owner is too.  They are taking the time and putting in the effort to find the right fit for Fifi.  While The Pet Lady provides a free meet and greet for all potential clients, it is not uncommon for a company or person to charge for a meet and greet or consultation.

We will discuss a few important questions you should be asking your potential pet sitter or dog walker next, but please note that Pet Sitters International has a great free download checklist of the top seven questions you should be asking your pet sitter in an interview on their website, www.petsit.com.  

The first one I will touch on is a combination of two of PSI’s most important questions to ask.  Licensing, insurance and bonding.  Sounds fun, right? Well, it is important to ask these questions, fun or not, as you need to know if you, your pet, or the pet sitter is covered in an emergency.  Things happen and we need to be PUPared for them.  Also, certain states, cities and jurisdictions require different business documents, so you should familiarize yourself with what may be required in your area.

The second one I will touch on is can the person or company provide references.  For example, The Pet Lady asks our clients for feedback on Google, there many companies will get reviews and these are viewable to the public.  If there is a negative review, how does the person or company handle the situation?  Beyond that, can the person or company provide current clients who can provide references.  

Another thing I get asked a lot: is there a contract we need to sign.  The Pet Lady does have all clients sign a service contract.  This lays out what the duties of the company are in terms of care of pets and the client's home as well as what the expectation of the client is.  This is an important thing to ask, so the person or company can provide you with all details.  For example, if you want your pet sitter to arrive at dinner time to feed Fluffy, for one company that may be 4pm and another may be 6pm.  Contracts and service agreements lay out the time frames for those services.  The Pet Lady provides our dinner visits between 4pm and 530pm. 

A great thing to bring up in your pet sitter interview is if the person or pet sitter has any specialized training or is a member of an educational association.  I am a Certified Professional Pet Sitter, this means I have taken the time to learn and study all aspects of the industry from the business side to the pet side and have completed a course and test.  This also means I am committed to continued education to keep my certificate active.  This is a great way to learn more about your pet sitter and their passions within the industry.  Hiring a pet sitter who is a member of an organization such as Pet Sitters International or the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters demonstrates the pet sitter’s commitment to the job and industry at large.  These professional organizations provide educational resources and business tools to help their members provide the best possible services to pets and their owners.

Other considerations to take into account would be things like how much notice the sitter needs in order to schedule a service request from you.  Some sitters will take last minute bookings, while others require a specific notice.  Does the pet sitter have office hours and when will emails, texts and messages be answered? Most sitters and companies, while they work long hours, only are available to answer questions during specific hours of the day.  

One of the most important things I mention to all clients are our emergency policies and this is something I highly recommend you ask your potential pet sitter.  What if they are sick or their car breaks down? What if your pet needs medical attention? Or depending on the area you live in, what if a natural disaster occurs? While each sitter and pet sitting company is different, they should all have policies in place for if emergencies happen.  The Pet Lady employs staff who pride themselves on working as a team when emergencies arise.  

While a lot of these questions can sometimes be answered on the sitter's or company's website, it is good to review these things during your interview.  The potential pet sitter will have questions for you regarding care of your pets and your home as well.  According to PSI “When you engage the services of a professional pet sitter, [...] make sure all your questions are answered to your satisfaction.  This ensures that you can leave your beloved pets with the peace of mind knowing that they will be well cared for.  That’s a win-win-win situation for you, your pets and your pet sitter.

If you are in need of pet care, consider hiring a professional pet sitter in your area.  If you are located in Naperville, Elmhurst, Villa Park or Lombard, IL, we would love to meet your furry friends! You can contact The Pet Lady here or call 847.802.9534

What Does Cat Care Entail? - A Pet Sitters View On Cat Care

Cats have surpassed dogs to be the commonly owned pet.  As a pet sitter, most people think we mainly deal with dogs and their owners.  I have to say, our client list reflects the national percentages and we have more cat clients on our list than dog clients.  Cat care makes up a huge portion of the pet sitting industry, and there are many pet sitters who are cat only.

So I know many people believe that cats are so independent that they may not need as many visits as a dog would.  Some will want to schedule only a few visits per week if their cat has a feeder or multiple bowls of food for them to eat over a few days.  At the minimum we will see cats every other day, that is far and few between and we only make exceptions if the cat is set up for success and they have a large supply of water and food for them.  More commonly, we see cats daily.  They not only need their food and water refreshed, but cats can get lonely.  

At The Pet Lady, Ltd. we make sure to give each cat the personalized care they need or want.  There are some basics that are part of our visits that we perform with each client.  Firstly, we make sure all food and water are refreshed.  If your pet has a water fountain or water bottle container we will always check to see if it needs to be topped off with water.  All free stand water bowls are washed before they are refilled.  We also make sure to wash and dry all wet food vessels and check any kibble dispensers and feeders to make sure they are full.  We also scoop the litter boxes at each visit.  Typically, litter boxes are scooped out once per day, but if we are visiting cats multiple times per day, we do scoop them accordingly.  Cats like their boxes to be nice and tidy so we make sure they want to use their boxes and will not have to step on any waste.

The rest of our visits are personalized for each cat.  Some like to play fetch with a spring or ball and we will toss it as long as your cat wants to chase! Others like a laser pointer to hunt or an electronic toy turned on to hunt, chase or bat at.  Our sitters love wand toys just as much as our feline friends! All of these activities allow your cat to tap into their natural instincts to hunt.  This can be very enriching for your cat along with giving them some vigorous physical activity.  

Not all cats want to play on demand while we are there.  We have a lot of friendly felines who just want all the rubs and cuddles.  We have tons of cuddles and love to give all the pets in our care.  We also will provide light grooming for any pet who wants to have a little pamper.  We will brush out cats and most absolutely love it, and in return we get lots of purrs.  

We love to celebrate all our clients and pamper your pets while you are away!

We love our feline FURiends and would love to meet your cat! CLICK HERE to get started with cat sitting services from The Pet Lady!

A Day In The Life Of A Pet Sitter

When someone says “I’m a pet sitter!” what is the first thing you picture? It is probably a picture of playing with puppies and kittens all day. Well, that is part of it. It is not all play and fun, although I will say this is the most rewarding occupation I have ever had and now I cannot think of doing anything else.

Early to Rise
One of the first things as a pet sitter is we start our days bright and early, sometimes even before 6am, just to make it to Fido in time for his morning walk.  As a pet sitter we are up with the sun and making rounds to see dogs and cats while their families are out of town.

Office Time
This may not sound like the most fun or interesting part of the job, but it is a main part.  Not only am I a sitter, but our staff includes five other sitters.  It is all part of the job to keep schedules, contact clients and keep up with all the paperwork associated with caring for pets in our communities. One of my favorite parts of office time is creating content for our clients, the community and the social media world.  I am able to share my knowledge and pet care tips with everyone.

It’s All in the Shoes
This might sound like a funny thing to talk about, but ask anyone who is on their feet all day and it’s all in the shoes.  As pet sitters we are walking, sometimes running, but more importantly we are all on our feet. Even as a pet owner, it is a good idea to make sure you have good shoes to walk Spot.  They will thank you at the end of their walk.

Daily Walks
A big part of pet sitting is daily walks.  At The Pet Lady, we call them mid-day walks, which are what they sound like.  We go from Spot to Fido to Fifi to Champ to Bella to give each pet their personalized time with their sitter.  These services are typically used by pet parents who work during the day and may not have the time to let their pets out mid-day.  Each pup gets their walks, cuddles, and playtime.  

Clean the Litter Boxes and Feed the Ferrets
As a pet sitter it is not just about walking and playing with dogs.  Each visit with a cat requires scooping the litter box. Yes, there is a lot of poop involved in the job.  Cats not only need exercise, but play.  Although not all animals require as much play, there is still cleaning cages, refreshing water, and preparing each pet’s meal per owner’s instructions.  It does sometimes require more than scooping kibble into a bowl, certain pets require special diets.

Back to Fido
After visiting daily dogs, cats and caged animals, we go back to those pups whose owners are out of town and require multiple visits per day.  Back to walk, play and definitely more cuddles for each dog in our care. Most dogs will require a minimum of 3 visits, while cats and most other animals may only need one.

It is no secret that the life of a pet sitter is a busy one! But as I mentioned before, it can be a highly rewarding one.  As a pet sitter, we are able to build bonds and form caring relationships with all the pets in our care.  I get soooo many doggy kisses and kitty purrs daily, that the love they show us is worth the long days and miles on foot.  Every home we walk into we are greeted by happy pets who are excited to see us and happy we have returned!

At The Pet Lady, our staff loves what they do.  They give up weekends and holidays to share their love with our clients’ pets.  We believe that it is a privilege to be granted the opportunity to care for pets while their owners are away and we would be honored to care for your pet!

We love our jobs as dog walkers and pet sitters! We have fun every day and you should make sure your pets get in on the fun! CLICK HERE to get started with dog walk or pet sitting services with The Pet Lady! We would love to meet your pet!