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How to Guide Your Pet Sitter for Your pet

As a pet owner, you know that caring for your furry friend is a huge commitment. That’s why it’s important to find a responsible pet sitter or pet boarding service to look after your pet while you’re away. But, how do you find a pet sitter who's right for you? And how do you prepare them to look after your pet? Below are a few tips that will help you to make sure your pet is in good hands.

Arrange a First Meet And Greet

An effective way to get your pet sitter and your pet on the right track for a positive relationship is to arrange a meet and greet while you are still there. Allow time for your pet sitter to play and bond with your pet, so they can familiarize themselves with each other. You may need to list down various introductions to ensure that your pet is familiar with your pet sitter.

Instruct Your Pet Sitter About Your Pet

Does your dog need a soft belly rub late at night to settle down for sleep? How about your cat that insists that you open the curtains every morning to watch the birds? If your pet has any personality quirks or specific likes/dislikes, share that information with the pet sitter so they might accommodate your pet's needs.

Provide Your Pet’s Supplies To Your Pet Sitter

If you remember only the night before your pet sitter comes that you needed to put your pet's medicines out for their special diet and that you are almost out of important supplies, it could create serious issues. It is a good practice to put your pet's food, treats, medications and any other needed supplies out so that they are visible to your pet sitter.

Conduct A Trial Visit

Before you leave, if this is your first pet sit, it may be worth setting up a brief trial visit. This way you and your pet can get to know the sitter, and you can figure out any potential problems. You can watch how the sitter interacts with your pet and you can also provide some guidance and feedback to tweak the routine.

Prepare Your Home For Pet Sitter

It is also important to prepare your home for your pet sitter, to ensure that there are no hiccups and your pet does not have access to something that could harm them. The easiest thing to do is to keep your home clean and make it easy for the pet sitter to find everything your pet needs. Clean the area of your house daily where your pet loves to spend most of their time.

Remove Any Potential Hazard For Your Pet

If you know your dog has a thing for dirty socks, then you will want to hurry through your home checking for potential hazards, such as hidden items you don't want them to get into - hidden away chords, plants, food wrappers, household cleaners. Some pets get anxious without their owners watching them, which leads them to exhibit strange destructive behaviours - so as long as you are leaving - plan ahead and get all potential hazards picked up before you leave.

Prepare For Outdoor Time

For pets that like to be outside, be sure your sitter knows where they liked to be walked, whether a leash is required, and any dog parks or outdoor spaces your pet enjoys. If your pet has a habit of wandering off, be sure to have them microchipped and wearing a neckband with current ID tags.

Special Behaviour Instruction

If your dog has any behavioral problems or accommodations, make sure to discuss these needs with your pet sitter beforehand, such as situations where your pet might show aggression, be fearful, or training that requires your dog to "sit" before food, and so on. You should motivate your pet sitter to discuss the best manner in which to address situations.

Discuss House Rules And Boundaries

All homes have rules and boundaries which are important to communicate to your pet sitter so you can have a great experience together. Here at qualified pet services we believe open communications at your pet sits and respect for your home's outdoor access, and pet interaction on how to care for your pet in respect to home rules will help create a positive home and pet care experience for everyone involved ensuring all pets remain in their consistent surroundings while you are away.

Clearly Define Your Expectations

If your pet sitter will be visiting or staying in your house, make sure to clearly state what your expectations are. If there are others who will be stopping by to pick up mail or take care of other household things, make sure to let your pet sitter know about that as well to make this clear and avoid any misunderstandings.

Let Your Pet Sitter Know Whom to Call In Any Emergency

Write a list of three emergency contact people for your pet sitter, in the case of an emergency, preferably friends or family nearby. Remember in what ways your sitter can reach you while you are away, through your phone call, the numbers of anyone travelling with you, and the phone number and address of your accommodation. Keep in mind that your regular vet clinic information, including phone number and address, is available to your pet sitter. Keep this emergency contact list in a visible location at home, and also text or email it to your sitter.