Tips for Providing the Best Pet Care While House Sitting

If you are a house sitter, in most cases you will also be caring for pets. Providing excellent pet care during your sit is important – but why?

First and foremost, it’s your responsibility to provide the best possible care for the animals – just as their owners would. On top of that, if you want to be given more house sitting jobs, how you care for the animals and the house is vital.

What should you do before your house sit?

Before your house sit, it’s important to talk with the homeowners about their pets’ needs and exactly what they need you to do while they’re away. This conversation is paramount – the clearer you all are on the expectations, the better. Don’t just talk about what’s expected, talk about all the things that might go wrong and what they expect from you in each scenario. You should discuss things like who to contact in an emergency and what the daily routines are.

What should you do during the house sit?

Once you have moved in, here’s what you should do to ensure you have a smooth stay:

• Follow the instructions. No matter how unusual, always follow the instructions of the homeowners when it comes to the house as well as the pets.
• Stick to the daily routines. There will be daily or weekly routines when it comes to the house – putting bins out, watering gardens, collecting mail. Pets will also have a daily routine with things like feeding, walking and perhaps giving medication. It is imperative that you stick to these for the health of the pets in your care.
• Give the pets some TLC. Their basic routines are important – but they also need some mental and physical stimulation (think playing games and cuddling). There is a big difference between staying in someone’s house to put a handful of biscuits in a bowl each day and providing the best care you possibly can by investing quality time with the pets.
• Communication with owners. Some owners are keen to see regular updates on their pets and hear how you are doing. Others want to be left to enjoy their holiday and only want to be contacted in case of emergency. Make sure you know what is expected; and send through some photos of their fur babies if requested!
• Never leave pets unattended overnight or for very long periods. Unless otherwise indicated, you’re expected to be at the house overnight during the whole house sit.
• Remember to seek help if needed, particularly in a medical emergency. If you can’t contact the owners, err on the side of caution and take the animals to a vet. But as always, a chat prior to the house sit will help you determine the best course of action.

While all of this may sound like a huge responsibility, it is also a really wonderful thing to do.

You might even find yourself making some very special lifelong bonds with certain pets! That will also hopefully mean more sitting jobs for you.