Advice for hiring a pet sitter & dog walker

As someone who has worked in the animal world, groomer, sitter and dog walker. Always look at how your pet reacts to them and the response from the person to your pet. It should be just like family coming home, happy, wagging, jumping for joy happiness. All the furbabies I would sit for I loved like my own.

I look for how my dogs react to them and how they enjoy them being in their home and space. So, I usually do a few meet and greets to get a feel for the sitter. If my dogs arent going bat sh*t crazy on you and bouncing all over you, excited to meet you or see you, they dont like you simple as that lol  I’ve had a few that its happened to and my dogs are extremely loving & social. The nose knows right! 

I just got my girl a pet sitter for this weekend while we go to VEGAS for a concert I picked her because she only watches 1 dog at a time at her house

As someone who has been a Dog walker/hiker…I’ll give you the best advice for finding a good Dog walker. Put the prospective applicant, your pup(s) in a room, and watch how your dogs react to the energy of the person! Their reaction will tell you everything as Dogs respond to vibes/energy more than anything. Use this method, and I promise you find the right one.

My granddaughter only for a few days in the daytime she was wonderful .My dog has seperarion issues i knew she would pet and calm her took her out and played with her .patients is a key to a dog sitter and one who loves dogs .

Yes I have, I only used family. I only allow them to babysit if they will be with my dog the whole time. Plus watch her from jumping off the sofa and know or learn how to hold her for her back. My little one has back issues so they have to be willing to learn how to take care of her.

I get referrals from people I know. My last dog would sleep on the couch with the woman who stayed with him, while she watched TV. In 3 years this dog would not stay in the same room with me. When she told me, I felt jealous but happy that he could finally relax.

I hired someone from my veterinarian’s office with good recommendations.

Got to really like dogs cause if they mistreated my dog they would get it back ten fold

Patience! Lots of patience! My dog could be very difficult!

First I want verifiable references (that I can talk to or email.Second, do my Golden’s like them (not a real good indicator thou because they like everybody as happy, animated, energetic dogs.

Get a referral. In terms of qualities they have to LOVE Dogs (not just doing it for the money) and CARE for their own (KINDNESS). One of my sitters use to work at a daycare and I randomly ran into her while she was working at a pet store. She has dogs, Feeds them well, trains well, HOUSE IS CLEAN and loves her dogs and my girl too. I watch my dogs reaction when I drop her off and when I pick her up. Always do a meet and greet where the dog will be staying. You can see the environment and just watch how your dog reacts to the sitter and their dogs. I have had a meeting where the person was perfectly nice, but their house was A mess of clutter including yard. Nope. I don’t want any accidents or my dog getting into something dangerous. I’m drawn to like minded people that live like we do. We’ve been very lucky.

Someone with an actual professional business and not one of the tech apps. Someone who can show me they are insured and bonded. Extra points if their team are actual employees covered under a workers compensation policy and not an independent contractor. Years in business. Reviews? References?

Put up cameras in ur home, dont pay them in advance, make up a contract. Iv gotten a lot of no shows. Then they call u with BS excuses, then u have 2 cut ur plans short & get back home…

It would have to be someone who knows how to walk a dog. Also, someone who doesn’t confuse canine with human.

He should not pull the leash of my dog when he wants to sniff to relive himself, nor Slap my dog

Check they are registered with an association and insured, even if recommended. In all my years dog sitting I never lost a dog or had one fret for its owner, in fact, some sulked when I left as their owners had to work and I was there 24/7.

Everything. I suggest a prior meet and greet. The dog will tell you!

I am a pet sitter. This is a good one! And yes, if your dog trust the person, then pick them!

They leave notes about what occurred while they were there that’s very important it helps you understand how they were while you were gone