How to make the most of your professional dog walker and pet sitter!
So you’ve hired a professional pet sitter or dog walker, and you want to make the most of their time with your pets. Here are a few tips to make sure you are getting the most bang for your buck from your professional pet sitting services.
Communicate with us. One of my favorite parts of being a professional pet sitter is to not only bond with your fur babies, but also you, the client. I love to walk into visits where clients leave me notes in their pets’ journal with updates. This communication allows us to do our job at our very best, giving you the peace of mind despite the ebb and flow of daily pet care.
For example, perhaps your dog had some diarrhea before you left for work. Leave your professional dog walker a note, or shoot them a text. Indicate any changes in pet care, or any special requests — we are happy to oblige. We are trained professionals, and if we notice your pet seems “off”, we will reach out to you with our concerns. Letting us know that you have a vet appointment for Fido after work, and that we should refrain from giving treats, and maybe even catch a fecal sample, will make you feel like you’re really getting so much more than just a dog walk out of our services.
Keep us abreast of any changes in your household. Maybe you put up a new hanger for dog leashes, or you moved the kitty litter box. Perhaps there is a contractor coming in to do some work, or you have family visiting for awhile. By letting us know about these changes, we can do our job more efficiently and effectively, allowing us to spend even more time loving on your furry companion.
Organize pet supplies for easy, quick use. No one wants their professional dog walker or pet sitter to waste time looking around for leashes and litter scoops, when our time could be better spent engaging with your loving pet. Consider dedicating a closet, a shelf, a drawer, or an area with all your pet supplies for quick, easy access for your professional pet sitter. Our job is not to snoop around your home, so please help us save time by showing us where everything is kept. Keep food and treats and other essential supplies well stocked. Label items if needed, such as medications or food bags. Maybe leave leashes and harnesses close to the door where we take your dogs out for a walk. The best part of our job is spending time with your pets, so let us make the most of our time by making your pets’ supplies easily accessible.
Have a plan in case of emergencies. Your professional pet sitter is trained and ready to handle pet emergencies, but every pet owner handles each situation differently. Prior to our services, clearly indicate your plan for an emergency situation. List all your veterinary information so we can pre-program it into our phones, and call your veterinarian to let them know when your professional pet sitter will be with your pets, in case we ever need to bring them in for vet care. Plan ahead for pet funds too, and clearly indicate to your professional pet sitter the amount you wish you spend at the vet. Leave all back up contact information, every extra phone number you can think of, email addresses, hotel and travel itinerary, and a list of emergency contacts in case we cannot reach you directly. Let us know all the essentials, so we can just worry about getting your pet care, instead of running around trying to figure out all the details.
Follow these tips, and let your pets enjoy the most out of their professional pet sitter and dog walker!
by Katelyn Schutz, CPDT
