Choosing a dog sitter is a big decision. You will be leaving your beloved dog in the hands of someone else and trusting them to visit your home, feed your dog, play with him, and know what to do if there should be an emergency. How do you find the perfect dog sitter?
There are some basic approaches to finding a good dog sitter:
1. Ask around. If you have friends or family who have used a dog sitter in the past, find out who they used and if they would recommend them. The advantage of using someone that is known to your friends and family is that this person comes with a built-in recommendation.
2. Check with your vet. Your vet sees a wide assortment of pets in your community. They also know many pet professionals. They may be able to recommend a good dog sitter. The same is true of your pet groomer and other people you see regularly for your dog's care.
3. Check bulletin boards. Many dog sitters advertise on the bulletin boards at vet offices, pet groomers' shops, dog supply stores and other pet-related businesses. This is a good way to make a connection with a dog sitter but it does not provide you with a recommendation about the dog sitter's abilities.
4. Check your phone book for local dog sitters.
5. Check online for local dog sitters. Superpages.com often lists dog sitters (and other pet professionals) in local areas.
6. You can check with Professional United dog sitters, the National Association of Professional dog sitters, and dog sitters International to find professional dog sitters in your area. Simply type in your area code or other information about your locality and they should be able to offer suggestions.
Once you have found some likely pet sitting candidates there are some things you should ask them before you hire them. You need to discuss the following subjects with your potential dog sitters:
- Is the dog sitter insured?
- Can they provide references?
- You should check with other local pet professional businesses in your area to find out about the dog sitters reputation.
- You should ask to see the contract for pet sitting services.
- Make sure that you understand the costs and what services are included.
- Ask the dog sitter about their pet education and if they have and certification or accreditation.
- Do they know first aid for pets?
- Do they belong to any professional organizations such as a professional pet sitting group or other pet care group?
- Is there a backup plan in case the dog sitter has a personal emergency? Who will take care of your dog?
- Is the dog sitter properly licensed?
You should also ask questions about how the dog sitter interacts with your particular dog. Have they cared for a Greater Shantung Westheimer before? (Insert your breed.) Do they know how to care for them? How many times per day will they be coming to your house? Will they be staying at your house? And so on. Make sure you cover all of the details of their care of your dog, especially if your dog has any special needs.
Whew! It's a lot of information to cover but you will be gone and you will be asking someone else to take care of your dog -- you can't be too careful. You should interview a dog sitter just as you would interview a baby sitter or anyone applying for an important job.
It's best if you start trying to find a dog sitter far in advance. Not only will it take you some time to choose a dog sitter but good dog sitters can be hard to find. Good dog sitters can book up early.
If you follow these suggestions you should be able to find a good dog sitter in your area. Make sure you have several phone numbers so you can reach them at various times. No matter how much confidence you have in them you will probably want to check in frequently.
