Most dog owners will tell you that their dog isn’t just a pet, in fact, it is much like a part of their family. They treat him like a part of a family so naturally, they will be drawn towards his or her care like their loved ones. It will even be one step ahead as they cannot speak like humans so leaving it alone in the house when you cannot take it out is a tricky situation. Things can be challenging for them.
This is where the service of a dog sitter comes in handy. You should know how to find a dog sitter for your dog. This is because dogs can get pretty frustrated and even panic when they find themselves alone in their home without any human around. They can even cause some heavy damage as well. So it is compulsory to find a pet sitter that can take care of your dog without any issue, expertly. Here is how to find a dog sitter if you don’t know how to take care of dog?.
1- Know What You Need/Expectations
This is something that will help you to decide if this dog sitter is what you need. We all have some expectations or criteria in our minds when we need to hire any service. This should be applied when you are trying to find a pet sitter. When you are trying to find a dog sitter then you will need to make sure that a sitter is actually a dog person as they can understand dogs effectively.
Not only just that, but they should also like and love your dog just like a family. In this way, they can offer your pooch the comfortable touch that he or she feels every day. They should be offering reliable and trustworthy dog care services. This should be part of your “expectations” while looking for a dog sitter for the dog. This attitude is also helpful if you are learning about how to be a good dog sitter?
2- Reputed Dog Sitter Agency
One of the most important steps to finding the best dog sitter agency is to look for a reputed agency providing the dog sitter service. What you want or what you expect for your pooch can only be provided by professionals. This is because of their experience in the field and working with hundreds and thousands of pooches throughout their service duration. They will ask you some questions that you shouldn’t feel hesitate especially when you are wondering where to find a dog sitter? The questions may be:
- Do you prefer a sitter with specific breed experience (big or small dogs) or you are fine with any dog sitter?
- Are you looking for a dog sitter who can stay at home all day with your dog or you can take your dog with you to work?
- Do you want a dog sitter who stays at your house or you can leave your dog at their location?
- Do you prefer a dog sitter who has experience with dog medication?
- Is your dog happy around other dogs or is shy by nature.
3- Look for the sitters in Your Area
The next step in our How to Find a Dog Sitter task is to look for the dog sitters in your area. Not only they can be accessed easily but you can contact them in an emergency setting as well. You should use Google and input your query such as “find a pet sitter” (your area) You can further narrow down your search by knowing your criteria. There are business directory websites that offer zipcode searches so you can find the dogsitter exactly in your area. Once you found them, go through each one’s profile to see if they fit your criteria.
4- Check Their Profiles
While looking for a dog sitter you should find a pet sitter profile for a better idea regarding how well it can do for your dog. Their profiles should contain information such as certificates of training and taking care of dogs, basic information, contact information, feedback, and reviews from previous clients. You should get an idea about how and what will suit your requirement as a dog sitter.
5- Background Check
While interviewing an individual dog sitter, you should perform a background check as well. When you are wondering how to find a dog sitter then this shouldn’t be overlooked. Ask your dog sitter about their background. Make sure to check if they have any history of animal abuse, violence history or any criminal record. After all, they are about to stay in your house with your dog alone or you may have to take your dog to their location so make sure to perform a background check for peace of mind.
6- Trained in First Aid
Dogs can get hurt while playing. Though it isn’t very common while you are wondering about how to find a dog sitter, make sure to find one that can offer proper first aid to your dog. Not only just that, but it should also have the idea that when your dog needs to be taken to the vet. This is crucial to understand as you never know when your dog will start to act weird and will need assistance from a vet.
7- Meet Them Personally
If you have shortlisted some names as your potential dog sitter then you should meet them personally. This will give you insight into how the person is (appearance matters). But this isnt just about the appearance of that mattress, you can take a closer look at their living style, their attitude towards animals (dogs), and if the place is good enough to let your dog stay for a whole day till you come back. If you are trying to find a pet sitter then a pet sitter with a clean apartment and living is sure to go.
8- Ask Them Appropriate Questions
Wondering how to find a dog sitter? Well, there are some questions that will help you to find out a good dog sitter. Just when you are interviewing them individually ask these questions. It will help you determine if you should hire the selected dog sitter or look for another one. The questions are:
- What types of dogs do you usually sit for?
There are types of dog sitters who just work with a specific kind of dog breed. Some will sit only for larger breeds and some will take better care of smaller dogs. Consider hiring a dog sitter that has experience in taking care of your dog breed type for a better experience.
- Where you have completed your training?
Pet sitting job requires a training such as basic sitting training, pet’s first aid, and behavior modification course. All of them should have been completed according to the pet sitting organization.
- What Types of Sitting Services you Provide?
Just when you are thinking about How to Find a Dog Sitter you will need to think about the services a dog sitter can provide as well. Not every dog sitter can stay at home for the whole day. Some can provide dog walks, dog exercise, and even pick up your mail as well. Consider asking them the list of services they can provide.
- Can you offer any references?
Ask for any references from their previous clients. They shouldn’t be hesitant in providing the reference of their previous clients.
These questions will help you to determine if the sitter you are looking for is good enough. Should you hire for your dog and should you trust it or not.
10- Introduce Your Pet
Once you have found your pet sitter, now is the time to introduce your pet to the pet sitter. If your pet sitter is up to your expectations and you know they have potential. Then go on a vacation without any stress. Just enjoy your tour or your job stress-free while the pet sitter is taking care of your dog. Check our Dog care blog for further guides, tips, and tricks for pet care.
