While it is Pet Sitter Education Month, we at Off Leash K9 Dog Training wanted to take a moment to provide some tips on how to screen dog sitter for your fur baby.
Many pet sitting and dog walking companies leave it up to the client to ensure they screen the sitters/walkers who advertise their services on the application which the company provides. This is one of the most important topics for clients who select this type of service as the best option for their pet family.
There is now an immense number of pet care services across the US. if you’re in need of a helping hand to take care of your furry loved one while you’re away from home. With a click of the mouse a pet sitter is sent immediately to your door. Though these apps are convenient, there can be unfortunate consequences for failing to screen your pet sitter correctly.
It’s common for pet owners to overlook a proper interview with their potential sitters. There are plenty of people out there who are genuine animal lovers and take pride in their work. But we need to be aware, there are also a few bad eggs looking for a quick buck, who will take advantage of your trust at the first opportunity. While reading online they shouldn’t be the only cautionary steps you take, as both can be easily misleading. Here are important questions to ask anyone watching your pooch:
The Sitter 7
- Do you enjoy pet-sitting?
This question is often overlooked because we assume anyone advertising a service to watch dogs enjoys dogs. Look for the passion that the person answers the question with and the length of the answer. We all know how much “Dog Pawrents” talk about their kids, a sitter should be no different.
- What is your experience?
Having an experienced pet sitter can make your vacation a lot more enjoyable knowing your pet is in good hands. How many dogs have they watched? Do they have repeat pups? Are they CPR trained? All good things to inquire about.
- Can my dog meet you first?
If you really want to see how a pet sitter interacts with your dog, bring them along to the interview. Sometimes pets have an instant negative reaction to a person. See how the candidate interacts with your dog. Are they comfortable playing with and being around your pup?
- How often can you walk my dog?
Make sure your sitter is able to fit into your dog’s normal schedule. That way your dog won’t have too much pet up energy and will be less anxious without a disruption to their routine.
- Will there be other pets around?
Some sitters can watch up to 4 or more dogs at a time. If this is not a good setting for your pooch you may want to seek a sitter who can provide their full attention to your dog.
- Can you provide a list of references?
Always as your pet sitter for a few references you can reach out to. They can be a past client, repeat client, or the pet sitter’s vet, or even a pet professional who knows them well.
- How would you handle an emergency?
If something happens to your dog that requires quick thinking and a hospital visit makes sure you feel comfortable with your sitter’s course of action. Make sure your sitter knows where your regular vet is as well as the nearest emergency after hours vet and the best way to reach you.
Knowing everything you can about your pet sitter will allow you to not worry about your dog when your out of town and hopefully will provide your pup with a vacation of their own.