Pet sitter: what are your duties?

Pet sitting means all the activities of taking care of a pet in his home while the owner is away. Both dog sitting (dog care) and cat sitting (cat care) fall into the category and are the most common variations of this job, but pet sitting can refer to any pet: rabbits, hamsters … or snakes. !

The fact that it is an activity to be carried out in the house where the pet lives is what makes the difference between pet sitting and boarding for animals. But what exactly are the pet sitter’s duties?

In this article we analyze the most common and help you to clarify the service you can offer as a pet sitter.

Before delving into the specific tasks of the pet sitter, let’s see what are the benefits of this job.

In fact, there are numerous services dedicated to the care of pets in outdoor facilities, but pet sitting has great advantages for both the animal and its owner.

As a pet sitter, it is important that you understand these points as they will be your business card when offering your services:

There are three great advantages that tip the balance towards pet sitting services:

1. The happiness of the pet

Caring for a pet without forcing it to change its habitat will make it happier. The cared for animal may miss its owner, but it will certainly be spared the great stress of having to move to an unfamiliar environment.

2. Continuity in diet and exercise.

The pet sitter takes care of the pet’s diet and physical activity exactly as its owner would. Whether the owner is absent for a long period or he is out for a shorter time, the pet’s daily routine will not be affected.

3. The stress of the journey is canceled out.

Traveling can be stressful for both the pet and its owner. The presence of the pet sitter prevents both of you from turning the trip into a moment of anxiety and organizational tasks. Furthermore, by staying at home, the risk of the animal having health problems is considerably reduced.

Now that we have seen the general benefits that give value to the pet sitter’s duties, let’s go into the details of his ordinary activity.

To work as a pet sitter, loving animals is not enough . In fact, there are several tasks that also bring into play organizational skills and practical sense .

Here are the main tasks of a pet sitter:

Many dog ​​owners are looking for a pet sitter because they don’t have enough time to go for daily walks with their dogs. The dog sitter then takes care of taking the dog for a walk or, at times, giving it a jog: this depends on the breed of the dog and the requests of its owner. If in doubt, make sure you have comfortable shoes to walk in for a long time.

Perhaps it is the least fun part of a pet sitter’s job, but cleaning the pet and the environment in which it lives are among the most important tasks. To take care of cleaning a pet you will need to:

The pet you are looking after will need to be fed: it seems obvious, right? However, remember that some pets require a strict diet . Cats, for example, have a high-protein diet; some dog breeds need an important calorie intake; rabbits, on the other hand, love fresh fruit and vegetables. Like every member of the family, a pet also has its own dietary needs and as a pet sitter you will have to take care of respecting them. It is therefore important that you fully understand all the instructions left by the owner and then follow them to the letter.

Some pets take medication-based treatments: this could be sprays, pills, creams or injections. As a pet sitter, you will be responsible for administering this care in a timely and correct manner . Depending on the therapy, you may need to keep track of the drug administered and the time. In short, you cannot miss organizational skills and punctuality!

Pet owners often leave their house keys with the pet sitter. This means that, during their absence, you will also be partially responsible for keeping the home safe and secure . For example, you will have to make sure not to leave doors open so that the animal does not go out secretly or to remedy any disorders combined by a dog or a cat that is too lively. Sometimes, especially in the event of the owner’s prolonged absence, the pet sitter waters the plants in the apartment, collects the mail or takes out the trash. To maintain a good relationship with the owner, we recommend that you always communicate clearly and in advance the tasks you do not intend to perform.

Loving animals isn’t enough to be a good pet sitter. Whether you’re looking after a dog, cat or hamster, you’ll also need to demonstrate organizational skills and good practical sense.

In this article we have seen what are the benefits of the pet sitter activity and which are the most common tasks to perform in the absence of the pet owner.

Have a nice job!