How to Pet Sit

There are a number of professional pet-sitting businesses in virtually every community. But in my circle of friends, that can be a pricey service if you have multiple pets (especially dogs) and plan to be out of town for more than a couple of days.

Somewhere along the way I was tagged as the 'animal' person at my office, in my neighborhood and among my friends and family. So, I usually get the call, "I'm going out of town for a few days, can you take care of (insert animal name here)." For the most part, I'm happy to do this for my friends, and I've learned a few things along the way.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Respect the wishes of the pet owner. Regardless of your personal beliefs in what kind of food or treats an animal should get, you must respect the care of the owner. Don't bring in your own food or treats. This can cause the animal to have digestive issues if their food is suddenly changed.

2. Stick to the schedule provided by the pet owner. If you've agreed to let a dog out of the house by 8 a.m. and again at 6 p.m., do it. Don't let your own life interfere (unless of course it's an emergency). These four-legged friends are going to be nervous because their person is gone. Being consistent with their schedule will alleviate additional stress.

3. Don't forget to check their water supply, especially in the summer months. Personally, my dog will head to the toilet as an alternative to his drinking bowl. But smaller animals don't have this alternative, so be sure to always check that they have plenty of water in the house and outside.
   
   If it's especially hot and the dog or cat is an outside pet, check in more regularly throughout the day if possible. Ensure they have plenty of shade and if it's too hot, move them to a cooler location like a garage or in the house if possible.

4. Play with the pet or take them for a walk. As mentioned previously, the animal will be sad, and you may find that they won't eat while their owner is away (this is actually normal; don't worry, they'll eat when they want to), so spend a bit of play time with them on your own, but don't over-exert the animal. For example, if you're a runner, don't take the dog you are caring for on a run unless you know that he's used to this type of activity. It takes time for animals to get in shape too, and if they aren't used to a hard run, they could over exert themselves - with a disastrous result.

5. Get contact information for the owner as well as their vet should something go wrong. However, if possible, call the owner before taking an animal to the vet--sometimes what appears to be an issue is really normal. You don't want to run up an unnecessary vet bill. But with that said, if it's an emergency, don't hesitate to get medical care.

Tips & Warnings

• Make a visit to the pet owners house prior to their leaving town so you can know where everything is and meet the animal ahead of time. Making friends-- especially with dogs--can be the difference between helping out a friend and losing your arm!
• Clean up after everyone. As mentioned already, animals will stress when their owners are gone. You may notice an accident here or there in the house. Don't just leave it for the owner to deal with; clean it up.
• Enjoy the kitty or pooch! And give them some love. If you have animals yourself, turnabout is fair play; get ready to ask for a return pet-sitting favor. If you showed extra care and love, your friends will not hesitate to come to your aid.
• If you haven't met a dog before going to their house to care for him, let the dog sniff you and get to know you before you barge into his domain. Some dogs can be territorial and won't understand why you're entering their yard or house. So, as a precaution, ease your way in and let the dog realize you are not a threat. Once you get out his food, he'll quickly figure out that you're friend not foe!