If you’re going away and leaving your pet in the care of a pet sitter, these tips from Grace Carter for Pet Problems Solved are a must…
Writing A List Every Pet Sitter Needs To Have
You’re leaving your beloved pet in someone else’s care for a day or two or even a week. While it’s hard to leave, it’s even harder for your sitter if they don’t have a list of clear well thought out instructions to help keep your pet happy.
Here we look at how to write a list every sitter needs to ensure complete pet success, giving you and your animal peace of mind.
Never Assume
You know your dog likes to have his bowl placed just so, but there’s no way your sitter has the low down on everything that makes your dog tick. Write down all the little things that are going to make life perfect for your pet when it comes to feeding, walks and tummy tickles in just the right places.
Make sure you start with the basics and work from there, thinking about exactly what you normally do in your day–to-day interactions with your pet.
Animals With Needs
A pet sitter will worry if they have to administer medication to a pet and the instructions left for them are not crystal clear. Make sure that you let the sitter know exactly where any medicine is kept and precisely how much to give and when.
The same goes for any specific dietary requirements your pet may have. Write down when your pet has her special food and at what time of day.
If there are any problems make sure you have your telephone number and that of your vets to call in an emergency.
House Rules
If you have some areas of your house that off limits for animals, let your pet sitter know. Perhaps they’re allowed to sleep on the beds, spell it out.
Your pet may be wary of strangers or always greets the postman in a certain way, whatever strange quirks your pet has write them down so your sitter isn’t in for a surprise.
When it comes to your house, list the instructions for turning on the hot water and the heating and where you keep a spare key. All of this will come in handy when your sitter is trying to figure out why your house is so cold and your dog refuses to budge from its bed. 
Prepare Your Home
Finally, prepare your home for your pet and for your sitter. Make sure you lock away any valuables or precious items you have lying around so there can’t be any bad feelings over a broken vase or a missing ornament.
Make sure any poisonous cleaning products are out of your pet’s reach and safely stored in a locked cupboard. Make sure that your garden gates are closed and any holes in fences blocked up. Make a massive fuss of your pet before you go and you’ll feel better knowing someone else will be there to do the same.
Lastly, make sure your pet and your sitter have plenty of time to meet up beforehand and ensure that they have lots of opportunities to get to know one another before you leave.
Leaving a beloved pet, particularly for the first time, can be a somewhat traumatic experience. You worry that they aren’t being looked after properly and that the sitter doesn’t really understand exactly what your pet needs.
By writing a comprehensive list from the very basics to in-depth detail about your pets likes and dislikes you’re going to feel a lot better about the process, plus you’ll be answering your sitter’s questions even before they ask. With a little bit of thought, you’ll return home from your trip to a happy, well cared for animal.
About the author:
Grace Carter is an owner of a rescue dog Curry, they enjoy morning runs together. Grace is a content manager at Essayroo academic website.
