Dog sitter

Wednesday May 27th, 2009

Question:

What should I know about hiring a dog sitter?

Answer:

Hiring a dog sitter should be undertaken as seriously as researching a sitter for your children. After all, that person will be responsible for your dog's welfare in case of an emergency and will have a direct effect on your dog's health and emotional well-being when you're not there.

The best way to find a dog sitter is through a referral from a trusted veterinarian, pet professional, or a friend or family member who has a sitter they know and like. If you can't get a personal recommendation, check the website for Pet Sitters International, a well-respected professional organization for pet sitters. The site has a search feature by zip code.

Before you meet with any potential candidate, have a phone chat. Ask a few basic questions about qualifications, experience, fees, and availability for your specified dates. (Don't be surprised if you can't find a sitter last-minute, as most are booked at least two weeks ahead.) If you want someone to stay at your home, as opposed to stopping by a few times daily, ask whether that service is offered. And be sure to ask for local references.

The next step is to meet the potential sitter in person, as you want to see how she will interact with your dog (and vice-versa). Do you get a positive feeling about the person? Do you like the way she interacts with your dog? Does your dog seem to like her? Above all, go with your instincts. If you feel uncomfortable or hesitant for any reason, keep looking.

This is also the time to discuss specifics. If your dog has special needs as far as medical conditions or other care, does the sitter have experience in that area? If the person will not be staying overnight at your home, how many times per day will she stop by and how much time will she spend during each visit? Would you like her to take your dog for a walk, or simply feed, water, and spend time in the home keeping your dog company?

If your dog has any behavioral issues, such as aggression or separation anxiety, they should be discussed as well. Be sure the sitter is comfortable and experienced with any of these relevant issues and give clear directions as to how to handle them.

Now for the business considerations:

1. Stipulations about dates, fees, frequency of visits, and specifics as to what visits will entail should be laid out in a contract. Many pet sitters will also routinely provide extra services such as picking up your mail and watering plants while you are gone.
2. Your sitter should be bonded and insured, as are most professionals who do the job full-time.
3. Your sitter should be certified in canine CPR.

Once you have made arrangements, prepare an information packet. Detail the daily care routine for feeding, medications, and anything else you feel is important. Note the phone number and address of your veterinarian, as well as the information for the nearest emergency clinic. Leave your contact information, and be sure you have the sitter's preferred contact number/email to check in while you are gone.

Yep, it's a bit of a process, but the peace of mind you'll have knowing that a competent, compassionate professional is caring for your dog while you are gone is well worth the effort.

Nicole Wilde is a Los Angeles–based Certified Pet Dog Trainer specializing in behavior issues, and is the owner of Gentle Guidance Dog Training and the author of several books, including Help for Your Fearful Dog.

Tags Dog Daycare, Dog Day Care, Dog Sitters And Dog Walkers

DogTime newsletter

Recent conversations on these topics

Day care is not the answer for all dogs
I found this article informative about choosing a daycare for my dog. <a href="http://dogtime.com/dog-daycare.html">Finding a good doggie day care</a>
doggie daycare
is there anyone here who has worked in a doggie daycare before?
Dog Won't Play Anymore
My six year old Peke used to play tug of war or chase stuffed toys. In the past seven months, we moved from China back to the USA, stayed 3 weeks in Nebraska, then four months in St. Augustine, FL before finally finding a place to stay for this year in Lakaland..I'm renting a room there. I can't get Angel, my Peke to play anymore -- not anything at all -- hide & seek, tug of war, chase a toy, nothing ..am a bit worried about him. Any ideas as to what is wrong and what I should or shouldn't do to get him back to his "old" self?
Puppy Proof Your Home
It's also a good idea to set your pup up for success by puppy-proofing your home. Your new bundle of sweetness can completely destroy your house in less than an hour, so make sure your pup doesn't develop destructive habits by discovering the joys of baseboards! Here's your checklist: Clear the surfaces: Keep papers, books, magazines, knick-knacks, remote controls, and everything else off your coffee table, counters and other tables for the next 2-3 months. If your pup grows up believing that there’s never anything interesting on these surfaces, he’s much less likely to search there for fun in the future. Food, food containers, plates, candy wrappers and other food-related items should be thrown out or put away as soon as you’re finished with them. Never leave food on tables or on the counter or you’ll be training him to “surf” these areas for reinforcement. If you don’t want your pup in the bathroom garbage, shut the bathroom door. Secure your kitchen garbage out of your puppy’s reach, locked under the sink or behind a shut door. Spray all baseboards, furniture legs and lower portions of walls with a taste deterrent before your pup discovers the joys of wood and drywall. Secure electrical cords to baseboards or better yet, make them inaccessible. Apply a taste deterrent to these cords as well. Keep holiday ornaments out of pup’s reach. Never burn candles where your pup can reach them by jumping. Don’t leave cigarette butts in ashtrays where your puppy can get to them. Keep medication bottles out of your pup’s way. Childproof containers are not puppy-proof. Keep the toilet lid down if you use toilet bowl cleaners. Wipe up all antifreeze drippings in garage or driveway. Antifreeze tastes sweet to your puppy but is highly toxic. If you’re using antifreeze in the toilet to stop pipes from freezing, tape the lid shut and label “Toxic to dogs!” Keep cellar doors and upper story windows closed, just as you would for a young child. Dispose of cooked poultry bones carefully; these can be life-threatening if ingested by your pup. Put away needles and pins. Use pesticides and rodent poisons with great caution, making sure your pup has no contact with them. Store all poisons out of puppy’s reach. Many lawn treatments and weed killers are also toxic. Consider other methods such as organic gardening. Toxic plants to avoid include rhododendron, Japanese yew, Lilly of the Valley. Watch out for peach and cherry pits. Complete article at http://dogdaysusa.com/puppyproofyourhome.html