Archive for the ‘For pet sitters’ Category

1.   Remember your posture and sit in a relaxed manner, whether you are at the conference room table or in someone’s living room.  Leave all nervous habits behind! No fidgeting, eye rolling, hair flipping, nail biting, or scratching!

2.   Make eye contact, smile and know how to converse and write correctly (using spell check!).  “Hello! How can I help you?” is a good start to any business conversation.

3.   Be on time for your appointments.  Five minutes early is even better.

4.   Acknowledge mistakes and apologize immediately, offering to correct the situation.

5.   Lead your younger colleagues and clients in a positive direction, allowing them to benefit from your wisdom and experience.

6.   Give and receive compliments easily.  A simple and genuine “Thank you, what a nice thing to say!” is the very best response to any compliment.

7.   Politely ask for help when you need it and remember to say thank you.

8.   Learn to say no graciously – and mean it.  For example, “Thank you, but I’m going to have to pass this time.”

9.   Be discreet about your personal life; nobody is interested.

10. No drama! Especially in public places. A mature and savvy business owner understands how to reduce stress and get an escalating situation under control.

In recent years, attitudes and laws have changed regarding the care and keeping of domestic animals.  Many pet owners regard their pet as family, and want to provide them with the best care possible when they are not able to do so.  Imagine this unpleasant scenario: you are vacationing in a distant state and get a voicemail from a neighbor saying that your dogs are running wild throughout the neighborhood.  This in fact happened to me, when instead of hiring a professional pet sitter, I asked my neighbors to “keep an eye” on my dogs.  WHAT A MISTAKE! As well meaning as my neighbors were, they had left my dogs in the back yard unattended, long enough for one to jump over and the other to dig under the fence and indeed they were on the run.  I was extremely upset and vowed never again to entrust my precious dogs to anyone other than a professional.   Now when I travel, I can relax and enjoy myself, knowing that my pets are well cared for and in the best of hands.  Should a medical emergency arise, the sitter will know where to go and what to do.  There will be lots of playing & cuddling and I will get regular photos sent to my phone and/or text messages letting me know all is well.  Yes, it costs money and YES, it is well worth it. When I arrive home, I am met by pets who have been lots of attention, my mail is neatly piled up and the newspapers have all been brought in.  Now, when I plan my vacations or business trips, the first thing I budget for is the pet sitter.  Why hire a professional pet sitter? Peace of mind is worth every penny. 

1. Confirm your visits prior to leaving, with the pets’ names and dates of service in the subject line of an email.

2. Prompt payment is always appreciated.

3. Have extra keys made and make sure they work.

4. Shovel out a parking spot.

5. Leave lights on or on timers so the pet sitter is not walking into a dark home.

6. Leave updated instructions with any changes (eg, the painter will be here on Friday etc). Tell the pet sitter to help herself to water or cold drinks if possible.

7. Scoop your kitty litter prior to leaving.

8. Leave brushes, toys and treats in plain view so your pet sitter can you give your pet a little extra TLC.

9. Ask a neighbor, friend or family member to be on call in case of emergencies.  Pet sitters are human and get sick, have car accidents etc.

10. Leave a nice tip (in cash), especially during the holidays.

1. Before leaving home, make sure you have all of the keys you will need for your visits each day.
2. When you arrive to do the visit or walk, quietly go about your business, attending to work before “play”.  Read the client’s instructions first. Make sure the food and water bowls are freshened and the litter is scooped and disposed of properly.  Do take time to play with or give affection to the pets who want it.  Remember, each client has paid for and contracted for a visit 20 to 30 minutes in length. Take an extra moment to send a photo or text to let the client know all is well – this goes a long way!
3. Make sure dogs are leashed properly.  Do NOT hook the leash to the thin ring that holds the name tags on rather than the thick ring that is attached to the collar.
4. Do not leave doors open so that pets can escape.  Lock the client’s door while you are walking the dog.
5. When walking a dog, always be aware of your surroundings.  It’s not a good time to text, tweet or talk on the phone.  Avoid confrontations with other dogs or people and do not allow strangers to pet the dog you are walking.  A polite, “This dog is in training – sorry!” should suffice.
6. It goes without saying that all messes left by any pet should be cleaned up, whether inside or out.  It is not a good idea to throw bags in the neighbor’s trash.
7. Use common sense while inside a client’s home. If you see mail piling up on the floor or newspapers on the porch, bring them to a high table or counter and pile up neatly. Water any plants that look dry.
8. If you see anything that looks suspicious or unusual, such as a broken window or signs that the furnace is not working, please contact the client and your superior immediately.  Call 911 if an intruder is in or near the house (not the mail carrier or cleaning lady, of course!)
9. Prior to leaving a client’s home, make sure you have all your keys and supplies.  Leave a nice note if possible, unless you know the client prefers not to have one.  Often, they appreciate the note even if they do not say so.
10. Any problems unrelated to the visit itself (key issues, leash issues, behavior problems, nosy neighbors etc) should be discussed with your superior, and not in the note left for the client.
11. Try to make sure the client comes home to a house that looks as good or better than they left it.  Do not hesitate to wash a few dishes, or wipe a counter and sink off. It pays off to do more than needed rather than less.  Some clients like the pet sitter to use the sweeper or a broom and dust pan to make things look as neat as possible.
12. Do your first final clean-up on the next-to-the-last visit if possible, just in case the client arrives home early.
13. Do your visits as if you are being recorded on camera because often you are, or at the very least a neighbor has been enlisted to time you and watch you while with the client’s pet.  Conduct yourself professionally at all times.
14. Do not take friends with you to do visits. This increases all the risks.
15. Finally, if a pet looks sick when you arrive, contact your superior and be prepared to take that pet to the closest emergency vet clinic.

1.  You are absolutely out of your mind crazy about animals and would gladly run in front of a speeding vehicle to save one. 

2.  You have no life and nothing better to do with your time anyway.

3.  Your personality does not fit in with office politics, cubicle etiquette, dress codes, and 9 to 5 hours.

4.  You despise bosses who lie, cheat, steal and treat employees like crap – and expect you to do the same.

5.  You need money to survive and welfare just won’t make it.

6.  You have a gift for listening, getting people to trust you and to feel safe with you and you are a good conversationalist.

7.  You don’t blink an eye when a potential client asks you to feed Fi Fi from her special spoon on her special china plate at the formal dining table.

8.  You don’t mind working 365 days a year because you are usually alone on the holidays and weekends anyway.

9.  You love driving to neighborhoods you never knew existed, creating your own parking spaces where there were none, finding houses with no numbers, and figuring out how to get into them with keys that don’t work.

10. You have no intention of becoming a millionaire, and just want to earn an honest living doing what you love, hanging around with dogs and cats all day.

Check out this treadmill, designed specifically with dogs in mind.  It comes in different sizes and I have personally used this with a client’s dog.  It works!

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http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10023/1030423-62.stm

• All client’s keys should be labeled (preferably with a number, not a name or address) and on one ring. Keys should never be left on the seat of your car in plain view.
• Each day check to make sure you have your client key ring and a complete list of names, addresses and phone numbers when you leave to do your visits.
• During each visit read any instructions, feed each pet as needed and give fresh water. Wash the bowls and food cans out thoroughly.
• Scoop soiled litter into doubled bags and place near litter box with scoop. Take out to garbage on last visit. If needed, clean the litter box out and fill with fresh litter. Place all waste in an outdoor garbage receptacle prior to the client’s return. It is not acceptable to throw dog waste into a neighbor’s garbage can. If multiple dog visits are done, it is thoughtful to place all the waste bags into one larger garbage bag.
• A thoughtful and considerate pet sitter will tidy up during visits, including running the vacuum if needed, washing up a few dishes and wiping the sink and counter area dry. Remember, clients often return early. Each visit should be completed as if the client will be returning that night.
• Bring mail in and stack neatly. Most clients appreciate junk mail being piled separately or placed in with the recycling.
• Pay attention to the client’s recycling habits and try to respect their routine.
• Use common sense; if you see a client’s garbage cans rolling around in the street, please bring them in to the property and place where you believe the client keeps them.
• Make sure you have your client key ring with you when you leave the client’s house. Maintain a relationship with a professional locksmith in case you leave your keys inside.
• When writing a note, adding a comment unique to their pet can mean a lot. (Fluffy enjoyed playing with her laser and sitting on my lap. Or, Fluffy was shy as usual but daily sightings under the bed were made.)
• Be courteous and friendly to neighbors, mail carriers etc. Feel free to introduce yourself as a professional pet sitter but do not announce that the client is out of town, only that you are helping to care for their pets. Questions about the client’s travel dates can be answered with a simple, “I’m not sure.”
• In a true emergency, call for help immediately. If a house looks as if it has been entered illegally, call 911 and stay in your vehicle. Pet sitters can be an invaluable resource in the case of broken furnaces, frozen pipes, etc. An emergency contact person and their phone number should always be on record for each client.