Tips on Running a Successful Pet Sitting Business for Kids
Kids who love animals and are ready for the responsibility can make extra money by pet-sitting animals while their owners are away. Whether you want to care for cats and dogs, or specialize in more exotic animals like snakes and lizards, pet sitting is a big responsibility --- but with some planning and hard work, you can be a successful pet sitter.
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Start Small
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When you're first starting out as a pet sitter, start small. Perhaps you start as a dog walker, or help customers take care of their pets during the day while they are at work or school. Starting off by doing small tasks for just an hour or two at a time will help you get comfortable taking care of pets, and also help you prove your responsibility to the owners. It also helps you get to know the pets, so that they aren't as scared or uncomfortable if you take care of them overnight or for a few days.
Get Help
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Even though pet sitting is your business, you will need the help and permission of an adult to run it, especially if you'll be caring for pets overnight. No matter how responsible you are, or how good with the animals you might be, potential customers want to know that a responsible adult is there to help you in case anything goes wrong. You're also going to need your parents' permission if you are going to have pets come stay at your house, or go to someone else's home to care for their pets.
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Market Yourself
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As with any business, getting the word out is the most important part of running a successful pet sitting business. You'll need to create a marketing plan for letting people know you're available for pet sitting. Start with your neighbors, friends and relatives and build a customer base. Talk to the local pet store, animal shelter or veterinarian's office. Sometimes they have bulletin boards where you can post fliers, or they will add your name to a list of local pet sitters to give to customers who ask for it. Whenever you take care of someone's pet, ask her if you can use her as a reference for other customers, and ask her to recommend you to her friends and family who need a pet-sitter.
Be Prepared
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Being a successful pet sitter means more than just feeding, watering and walking animals. Take the time to learn about animals and how to interact and play with them. Some animals are very friendly and welcoming, while others are shy or protective. Learn how to handle all kinds of pets. If you can, volunteer at an animal shelter or veterinarian's office for some hands-on training in pet care. And before you sit for any pets, get to know the animal with its owner around, and develop a checklist for the owner to fill out listing all of the important information about the animal so you can avoid trouble.
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- Photo Credit dog walker image by robert mobley from Fotolia.com
