The kids are off of school so that means one thing: VACATION TIME! Will you be heading to Disney? Perhaps a staycation at a local hotel? Regardless of what your plans are, make sure your furry friend is covered as far as a pet sitter! However, if your main concern is not knowing how to find the best care for your pet, here are some simple ways to ensure you are!
Here’s 5 ways to pick a reliable pet sitter while you are away:
Search The Web
Starting online is the best way to begin any search. You can use apps such as Rover or Facebook groups to find people in your area. You can also check out professional pet-sitting associations like the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters to find legit and reliable sitters you can trust. Taking online searching a step further, you can choose someone from the aforementioned sites and then do a personal background check of their social media pages to make sure they’re the people they pose to be.
Ask Those Around You
If you have friends with dogs, asking for first-hand recommendations can help you skip all of these steps. Having a friend that cares for their pet to the same degree as you and has found a trustworthy sitter can be an easy way to hire someone without the need to interview and background check them. However, if no one has a reliable source, check out tips on how to interview potential sitters below.
Interview Your Potential Sitter
Ask your sitter their qualifications, out-the-door fees, and specific services. Have they been watching dogs for 10 years or is this their first time? Will they offer to take your pet into their home or will they be dropping in x number of times a day? Will they charge per walk or is the sitting a fixed fee? These are all important questions to get to the bottom of whether this dog watcher is good for your needs!
Schedule A Time To Meet With Your Sitter Before Leaving
This step is crucial in ensuring that this person is the right dog sitter for you! Allowing your pet to get familiar with someone while you are present shows them that they don’t have to be scared and that this person is not a stranger. Also, getting general vibes about whether your dog likes this person or if you should find someone else is very important. For example, if your dog is friendlier with girls and you choose a boy sitter make sure that your dog is okay with this male before handing them over. Always make sure the sitter is who they described based on appearance and attentiveness during the meet and greet.
Prepare For The Worst
If the sitter you have been interviewing and meeting with does not work out, always make sure you have a backup just in case! Whether this is a family member that wasn’t quite ready to take on the full responsibility, make sure there’s someone there if the sitter ends up not being as reliable as you once hoped. Also, having a neighbor that you are close with checking in on your pet while the sitter is there could be a major game changer. Or, simply install a camera to watch behavior between the sitter and your dog.
No Comments