Leaving their fur babies at home alone is very difficult for some pet parents. We all have to go to work to provide our pets with plenty of food, treats and toys! Many owners have turned to professional pet care during the day. There is nothing like coming home to a happy pet.
There are still some pet parents out there who are skeptical. Often parents are worried about leaving their pets in someone else’s care. This is due to the misguided assumptions about professional pet sitting and dog walking services.
If you have a misconception about what a pet sitter does, we will debunk four pet sitting and dog walking myths we see all the time.
1. A Common Pet Sitting & Dog Walking Myth: Pet Sitting Is Not a “Real Job.”
Anyone who thinks pet sitting requires a sitter to sit all day is mistaken. Pet sitters typically have more than one appointment per day. Seeing and caring for multiple dogs and cats means travelling to different homes, tracking keys, reviewing files etc.
Sitters also have to deal with pets with different needs and personalities. Some require medical injections or oral medications. Sitters may even arrive at a client’s home and discover the dog or cat has made a big mess. If there are multiple pets in the house, they need to be cared for individually. Each appointment takes time and effort to ensure the sitter will meet the pets’ needs, and that owners are happy and satisfied with the service and visits.
At York Professional Pet Sitting, we also offer services to take care of your home while you’re away on vacation! This includes running the faucets to prevent water damage, flushing toilets, and checking out the home for any security concerns, mischief or damage. We will also water plants and collect your mail to give your home a more “lived-in” look to deter potential break-ins.
As you can see, a pet sitter’s duties extend way beyond taking care of the pet.
2. The Neighbourhood Kid Can Do It Cheaper.
Hiring your neighbours’ kid may sound like a good option for some pet parents. However, there are important things to consider.
Your neighbours’ 13-year-old kid might not know what the symptoms of heatstroke look like when walking your dog on a hot summer day.
When you hire a professional pet sitter or dog walker, you can be confident that they know how to care for animals and read animal behaviour. If something isn’t right with your pet, they will know right away. Most importantly, they will know how to act in an emergency situation.
Pet care professionals take the time to educate themselves on the best pet care practices. To work for a professional pet care company, they must be certified, insured, and bonded.
While you are paying for a service, please remember that you are paying for quality care. You can’t put a price on your pets’ well-being or your peace of mind.
3. Pet Sitting is Only For When You’re Out of Town.
Many people assume that pet sitting is only required when an owner leaves town. However, going on vacation isn’t the only time that your pet may need to be left alone.
A lot of us have been able to go back to work now. The average pet owner does have to work every day during the week. With our pets getting used to us being around for so long, having a pet sitter drop in a couple of times a day is beneficial.
Our pets thrive on routine and being in their environment. By choosing a pet sitter to look after your pet, you can keep your dog or cat in an environment they are used to, which will minimize stress and anxiety. If you are going out of town on vacation, having a pet sitter come by is great for your dog or cat, especially if they don’t do well in a kennel.
Another example of pet parents using our services is when they are going out for a day to a friend’s cottage, a ball game or wonderland. Nothing ruins a day out than clock-watching to get back in time to feed or let your dog out.
4. Pets Will be Scared and Depressed When Left With Sitters.
When you consider using pet sitting services, most companies offer a meet and greet service before you decide to move forward with a pet care plan. During these meet and greets, the person doing the meet and greet will go over very detailed information about your pet’s needs and all those little quirks.
Meet and greets give your pet time to get to know your sitter before visits begin.
When the sitter arrives for the morning visit, they find the pet up in their usual sleeping spot, as if the family was still there.
We hope this blog has given you some clarity on some pet sitting and dog walking myths. There are definitely more pros to hiring a professional pet sitter or dog walker over a neighbour or a friend. Before you know it, your dog will be best friends with their pet sitter and look forward to their daily visits!
Are you ready to get started with a customized pet care plan? Contact us today to find out more information on how we can serve you and your furry friend!
Morag is the owner and founder of York Regions most trusted premier in-home pet care and dog walking companies. In 2000 she saw a need for an alternative to kennels, catteries for family pets in the area and has always believed that pets are much happier and less stressed staying in their own familiar environment. Morag and her team are all certified in Pet 1st Aid and CPR, she also offers continuous training to her team members through online and hands on pet care and pet behaviour and care courses. Morag has earned her certificate in Professional Pet Sitting, Professional Dog Walking and Canine Attendant training. She has lived in the Newmarket/Aurora area since 1991 is a wife, a mother of 2 adult children and a grandmother of 2 delightful little balls of energy. She has also been owned by fish, birds, mice, rats, cats, dogs, gerbils and guinea pigs and is an advocate for all living creatures. In her spare time she likes to be involved in her community and events travelling, reading and cooking.
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