Pet & House Sitting

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These are rules that I have written and come up with as a model with which I run my dealings with all my kids and clients.

You never know when you just aren’t going to mesh with an animal or person. Sometimes it’s instant, sometimes it’s not. There are people that I can tell via text message that I’m going to turn down. Then there are people that I adore and once I get to their house, I realize that it’s never going to work. Either their homes are super gross, or their animals are just too out of control, or their animals and I aren’t going to get along at all. This is my life, and ultimately my choice. That said, even if I love everything about everyone - but the animals just *H A T E* me - it's a no go. They get the last veto power.

Don’t tell someone that you’re going to be at their house, watching their pet, 24/7 while they're gone if you have a second job. Don’t tell them that you can give an insulin shot if you’ve never given one before. Don’t say you can give pills if you can't ensure an animal gets its pill.

If you can’t pill a dog, say so. If you can’t pill a cat, say so. Just because you can do one, don’t assume you can do the other. Giving meds isn’t the same as giving shots. Take the time to understand and hear what your client is telling you about their pets medical needs. You may not agree with everything they are doing, or think they should be doing more, or whatever else, but here’s the thing - it’s not your pet. And if you are truly uncomfortable regarding some aspect of the care they are asking you to provide, then you shouldn’t be doing the job. Don't be afraid to take notes. I often bring a notebook to meet new clients or take notes on my phone.

A big dog has very different needs than a little dog. A cat has different needs all together. An older dog needs different attention than a puppy needs. Rescues who are veterans in the house can be no big deal, or they can be knocked back to square one. New rescues/fosters can require more work and attention than a newly whelped litter. If you don’t understand what you’re dealing with and/or the needs of the breed, then it might be best to pass the client to another more experienced handler/sitter. Certain situations can be devastating if handled incorrectly. A new rescue treated like “any other dog” can send them back in learning trust. A puppy not taken out every few hours will lose all progress in house training. An older dog not forced outside every now and again may develop a UTI from holding it while napping.

There are stereotypes for a reason. No one likes to be lumped into a group, but, seriously, we make fun of labs because they’re goofy and easy to make fun of. If you don’t know what you’re dealing will, research it. Otherwise you’re going to find yourself being bitten by a herder and not knowing why (they like to use their mouths to guide you, take you places). There are universal danger signs for every animal, and some of them look similar to breed specific behavior. It’s important to know the difference. Raised hackles isn’t always an immediate sign of aggression. Labs and double coated dogs hackles go up at the slightest provocation from anxiety and excitement. Rough play and biting isn’t always aggression, neither is going for the throat. However, going for the belly or showing gums are two things that I never tolerate and will always step in to stop.

The goal should be too have the pets not be riddled with anxiety over their owners not being home. So you should be adjusting to their world, not bringing them into yours. Make sure feeding times, meds, potty breaks, etc., are all as close as possible to when they would be when their owners are home.

Most of my clients are amazing (if I do say so myself, having hand picked most of them 🥰) and are very generous with their homes; offering me free reign to whatever is in the fridge, freezer, and cabinets. They also allow me to use their washer/dryers. All that said, this isn’t a hotel stay. There isn’t a maid coming after I leave to clean up before they come home. If you can’t *at least* leave the house in the condition you found it in, then you *most definitely* need to find another line of work. I used to take off work the first and last day that I stay at a clients house (when I worked a second job). The first day to get to hang out with the pets and help them adjust, and the last day to clean. I also strip, wash, and replace the sheets of whatever bed I slept in.

It’s not just the pets. It’s the plants, taking out the trash, not trashing their home, shoveling snow if need be. It’s all a part of it. I even mow the occasional lawn.

Some pups need walks. Some just get let out in the yard. Some need to be played with. That’s your job. You don’t get to just sit on their couch and watch TV doing nothing if they have a 6 month old puppy. You sit on the floor and you entertain the little heathen until it falls asleep. Then you can watch a bit of TV, until it wakes up, then you better get it outside so it can pee in the right place and you don’t ruin the house training progress. Animals are social creatures. They need to be spoken to, interacted with. If you can’t do that, then this isn’t for you.

You need to know what vaccines the pet has had and where these are located/kept. You also need to know what vet the owners use. If you don’t have the money to front for an emergency visit then they need to place a credit card on file with their vets office and should, in any case, notify their vet that a sitter is watching the animal and may be calling in the event of an emergency. You should also know where the closest emergency clinics are as well as where their regular vet is.

Making sure the pet is up to date on vaccines isn’t just good pet care for them, it’s good for you, too. If you have pets of your own you can bring things home. The last thing you want is to bring home kennel cough, worms, or something worse.

Sometimes, even if you can get along with a pet, you’re going to have issues. Using a towel or blanket (or welders gloves LOL) to pick up a pet that is trying to snap at you is a safe and easy way to ensure that a job gets done and no one gets hurt in the process.

I personally feel animals should be fed twice a day. That meals should be split and given throughout the time that they are up and about. I don’t have any issues with table food being given to pets, and I think snacks are good for everyone. I also had a fat lab. This isn’t the same for everyone. And that’s ok. There are some people who only feed once a day. And there are some who never give table food. And there are some who never give snacks. It’s not for you to change an animals feeding habits based on your beliefs. Sometimes it’s due to medical issues, sometimes it’s due to the lifestyle of the family, and sometimes it’s just the way the family operates. Again, this isn’t your pet. If you can’t handle doing it their way, then you can’t do this job. The only thing I don’t negotiate on is vaccines. I’m not risking my pets safety for money. If they don’t vaccinate, they don’t get my services.