Are you wondering what happens during a pet sitting visit? Many people who contact us have never used a pet sitter before and they are not sure what to expect. We understand that! It can be nerve wracking using a new service where a new person will be coming into your home for the first time to care for your most valued possession: your pets!

How Does the Visit Start?

Each pet sitting visit is tailored to the needs of your pets so each visit is going to look a bit different, but we do have some basics that we cover no matter what. When your sitter arrives at your home she will check in to the visit with our software. This tags the sitter via GPS, so we know they have arrived on time. When the sitter leaves she will check out so we know the visit is complete.

The beginning of the visit will depend on the pets. Some dogs are excited to go out for a potty break right away so we get them out first thing.  Some more shy pets, especially cats, need a quiet moment after we arrive to adjust to our presence.  It is not uncommon for a sitter to sit on the floor for the first 5-10 minutes of a visit to allow the pets to come greet them on their own terms.

What Happens Next?

At each visit we do a check on all of the pets and the house. Unless otherwise requested, we get a visual on every animal, including the shy kitties, to make sure they are all happy and healthy.

Once we know everyone is doing well we set about with the basics of a visit.  For most houses we feed the pets, provide water, medications, dog walks, litter box scooping, etc. Some dogs benefit from a longer walk or a session of fetch in the yard. If possible, we love to play with the cats and get all of the animals as much exercise as possible. We are firm believers that a tired pet is a happy pet, especially when talking about young dogs!

When all of our tasks are done and everyone is settled, we send you an update via email or text and leave a note with details of the visit. This way you can relax knowing your fur kids are cared for. We will also reach out during the visit if we have any questions or concerns, so we have plenty of time to chat with you.

What About Shy or Quiet Pets?

Some animals do not enjoy as much interaction as others.  Smaller or older dogs can appreciate cuddle time on the couch more than a walk.  Cats can benefit from just having company in the same room. We have recommended schedules for different types of pets based on their personalities. When we are picking a sitter for you we make sure the sitter’s personality is a good match for your household, so it important that we learn as much about your pets as we can during set up.

Do You Take Care of the House?

In additional to taking care of your fur kids, we also take care of the normal activities around the house. This includes alternating lights, opening/closing blinds, bringing in the mail and packages, bringing in the newspaper, watering a handful of indoor plants and taking out the trash.  These efforts all help keep up the normal appearance of your home to make it seem lived in, as well as make your adjustment when you come home a little easier. We try to estimate how much time this will take and account for it when we schedule your visits.

Overall

Your sitter is there to provide thorough and loving care to your pets and home while you are gone. We work to match your normal routine to the schedule of your sitter, so your pets can be happy and relaxed while you are gone. If we find a schedule is not working out well for your pets then we are happy to change it and make suggestions on what might be a better fit. The care and comfort of your pets is our primary concern and we want to work with you to make your time away as happy for everyone as it can be! It is not unusual for human clients to tell us that their pets get more individualized attention when we are watching them than they normally do. That is our one and only job!

 

Do you have any questions about how we will care for your pets?  Contact us today!