Summer is a very busy time for pet sitters and this Summer is no exception so far.  We have many dogs boarding at our home and a lot of  visits to clients homes to take care of their pets.

Yesterday when I was taking care of Dakota a sweet Golden Retriever, it dawned on me just how therapeutic visits are – actually they’re Zen like.  It forces me to focus on the here and now and just enjoy being in the presence of this beautiful creature.  The business side of pet sitting can make you forget the reason you started sitting in the first place. 

I decided to make my first video for my blog with me in it.  I had to get over seeing myself on camera with my scrunched face and the sun in my eyes.  I looked like Popeye!  As Social Media Maven Ann Evanston says – you have to get over what you look like and just do it!  Ann’s this one’s for you.

I hope you enjoy this fun video and see how great my job is.

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We need your help!

You know that saying by St. Francis of Assisi, “For it is in the giving that we receive”.  Of course I know what that means on the surface, but I never really felt it in my heart until I saw an episode of “Undercover Boss”.  The premise of the show is the CEO of a big corporation goes undercover and takes a job with the everyday people working in the trenches.  While doing this, he gets to know them and what their dreams are and their ideas to make the company and their jobs better.

In the end, he reveals himself to the employees.  There was one man that had always wanted to go to a certain school (I can’t exactly remember the school), but was too financially strapped to ever imagine this could come true.  The CEO surprised him with a leave of absence and a full ride to that school.  Not only that, his job would be waiting for him when he returned.  The look of pure gratitude, happiness and relief brought me to tears in a wonderful, happy way.  It was as if he was drowning and was thrown a lifesaver.

In that moment, I really grasped what St. Francis was saying to us.  That awesome feeling of bringing so much joy to another human being felt so good that it’s almost like a selfish act.

Why am I telling you this story?  Because I want to encourage you to pay it forward to our animals in need.  Helping those that have no voice,  the beaten, the battered and the neglected.

My own dream for the future is to create a foundation to raise funds for animal shelters and rescues.  Right now a portion of the proceeds from Waggy’s online store will go to this effort.

If you feel deeply about animals, here’s how you can help:

Volunteer your time to an animal organization that you feel strongly about.  Get involved and help with fundraising efforts, walk dogs, clean out kennels – anything that helps out their cause.

Connect on Facebook and other social media outlets.  There are thousands of people working night and day to help out rescue animals.  Google for media sites that are specifically geared toward animals.

Get involved in animal advocacy or legislation. Get people to sign petitions offline and online, campaign for causes, make phone calls.  If you pick a cause that you really feel strong about, it will be easy to explain your side to people and get them to join your cause.

Start your own non-profit.  2 Hands 4 Paws (her website was hacked, so this URL is from Volunteer Match) was started by Maureen Gendron in Rhode Island to give temporary housing to pets that have been affected by the housing crisis.  She is looking for families to house these pets while their owners get back on their feet and find a permanent home.  In my pet sitting business, I get many calls asking for this very thing, but we’re not set up to do that and it would cost the owner too much.  However, I’d love to start something like 2 Hands 4 Paws.

Donate your money.  If times doesn’t allow you to volunteer for the organization of your choice or cause, I’m sure they will gladly accept your money.

Become a pet sitter.  Of course this isn’t like volunteering for a shelter, but you are helping pets feel safe, secure and loved while their owners are away.  You can’t imagine how much unconditional love you get sitting dogs and cats.  Basically, that’s my selfish pleasure.

If you’re looking for something more globally, check out Charity Navigator to find just the right cause that’s dear to your heart.

You’ll never get more as when you give of your heart.

Chris L Wagner

From One Pet Lover to Another

The airline flight is booked, the hotel is waiting for your arrival and you’re all pack to go on your wonderful vacation!  In all your reveling, you look down to see your precious pup looking up at you and you suddenly realize that you forgot to get a pet sitter to watch over your pet!

At this point you have 3 options to ponder over:

Get a neighbor to come over a few times a day or have them keep them at their house.  If you don’t know that many people or don’t want to impose on your friends, this may be an undesirable option.

Put them in a kennel at the dog hotel or veterinarian’s office.  However, thinking about your pet in a cage or kennel while you’re whiling away the hours on a beach may cause stress and ruin your vacation due to excessive worrying about their well being.

Find a professional pet sitter to come watch them at your house or board them at the sitter’s home.  Personally, this is the best option for your pet.  Not only are they looked after by a professional that knows how to care for pets, but you can relax and have a great time!

However, not all pet sitters are equal.  So, how do you evaluate and choose a pet sitter?

I’m assuming that you want to hire a professional pet sitter and not a neighbors child or teenager.  This can spell disaster and not worth your peace of mind.

Start by going to the Pet Sitter’s International (PSI) or NAPPS websites and find a pet sitter in your area in their directory.  PSI and NAPPS are probably the best known pet sitter associations and offer education about pets, marketing and business practices.  They are dedicated to providing the best the industry has to offer.  I’m a member of PSI and we have to abide by a Code of Conduct for Pet Sitters.  Most pet sitters that belong to these kinds of organizations, are professional and conduct themselves as such, but there are always a few bad apples.

Make sure they are licensed, insured and bonded. In my city, there really isn’t a “pet sitting license”, but I do have a business license to run my pet sitting business.  Insurance is a must.  If anything happens to your pets or home while you’re away and it’s the sitters fault, they can file a claim with their insurance company and reimburse you.  Bonding is really more for peace of mind to the client.  The bonding protects the pet sitter and you from loss as a result of theft committed by the sitter, it’s employees or independent contractors.

Do they have a website that you can look at to read testimonials, check out their services and prices and generally get a feel for what they’re like.

Once you’ve chosen a sitter, give them a call.  If you have to leave a message, how long did it take to call you back? They should return your call within 24 hours or less.  If they don’t, move on.  This could be a red flag for disorganization and things can fall through the cracks.

Are they upbeat and positive when you connect on the phone?  Don’t use them if you even sense that they are, what I call, “drama people”.  They should be willing and happy to help you with your pet’s care. 

Do they have established service fees and length of time for the pet care?

If the sitter is a sole proprietor, what is their back up plan if they get sick or can’t get to your home?

How much experience does the sitters have with your type of pet?  I was talking to a potential client about watching her horses.  I’m sure I could have done the job, but I referred her to another sitter that I know does farm animals.  The reason I turned it down was in case the horse had a medical problem that I wasn’t able to detect because I’m not familiar with equine medical issues.

Do they have proper contracts and forms to get all the information they need to care for your pets properly?  They should have forms for Client Information, Pet Information, Vet Release Forms (discuss what happens if your pet has a medical emergency), Contracts spelling out what is and is not expected, and Emergency Contact Information in case the sitter cannot get a hold of you for guidance in making medical or emergency decisions.  They should also leave a report card to let you know how things went.

Most sitters insist on a consultation before the service to meet you and your pets.  To me this is crucial.  This is the point when you can evaluate how the potential sitter interacts with your pets.  If they come in and barely acknowledge your pets, don’t use them.  Sitters are true animal lovers and they should be paying a lot of attention to them.  This also establishes a rapport with your pets so that they feel comfortable with the sitter as well.

They should be willing to give you references. Check them!  Don’t just assume because they give you a few names that they are legit.

Just remember that until you actually hire the sitter, you are under no obligation to use them.  If after meeting them you feel even the least bit unsure, don’t hire them.  This is where you really need to use your gut.  It’s usually right and your pets are relying on you to find a caring sitter to take care of them.

Chris L Wagner

From One Pet Lover to Another

Waggy’s Eco Smart Pet Products

Waggy’s Pet Sitting Service

The last two posts about the pet sitting business, educated you about the pros of dog boarding and cons of dog boarding.  Now it’s time to discuss pet services in the clients home.  In home pet services are when the pet sitter goes to the client’s home to take care of their pets and home.  This may include walks, feeding and changing their water, cleaning out the litter box, administering medication and/or injections, playing with them, picking up waste, and anything else the owner wants.  It can also include watering plants, taking in the mail, garbage, turning blinds etc.

Overnight pet services are also included in this category.  Overnight pet services are when the sitter goes to a clients home in the evening and spends the night with their pets. Usually, the owner will let you sleep in a guest bedroom or their own.  If you feel uncomfortable about sleeping in someone’s bed, you can always bring a sleeping bag and sleep on top of the bed.

Phantom lounging on his mommy's bed

For my pet sitting business, I choose to board dogs in my home and do very few in home pet visits.  I prefer to stay at home and not drive all around town.  The only pet visits I do now are ones that I’ve been doing for years as it’s very hard to say no and not to mention that you get attached to the animals.

When I first started out, I tried everything and weeded out what I didn’t like to do.  However, if you decide you don’t want to do a specific service, it’s hard to say no to a client you’ve been servicing for a while.  Getting yourself clear at the beginning will alleviate a lot of stress later.

So, if your still on the fence, here’s the pros and cons of Pet Services and Overnight Pet Visits in the clients home:

Pro’s:

• You get to play with animals all day!  Each home you go to has different animals with all new adventures.

• In home pet visits can be very profitable.  Depending on your rates, you can make hundreds of dollars a day.  For instances, if you charge $20 a visit and have 12 visits a day, that’s $240 a day.  Of course it take years to have a regular clientele that can afford you this many visits.

• You will get plenty of exercising walking dogs and being outdoors is a plus.  9 times out of 10, they will want their dogs walked and that could be a lot of walking!  Of course cats don’t need to be walked.  If you are unable to walk this much, then pet sitting is not for you.

• You can make your own hours.  You establish how early and how late you are willing to perform your duties.

• Variety.  In addition to sitting dogs and cats, there are a number of other animals – Rabbits, birds, hamsters and the other rodent varieties.  Let not forget those reptiles!  If you’re lucky enough to live in a rural area, you can visit farm animals. Of course if you’re afraid of reptiles, you don’t have to do the job.  They are so few and far between, that it won’t affect your bottom.

That's me with a Boa!!

• For Overnight visits you can think of them as mini-vacations.  There’s no laundry or errands to do – Just keep their pets happy.

Con’s:

• Pet Sitting is not for late morning risers.  Depending on the dog’s access to the outside to go potty, you may need to be at your clients home, usually no later than 7:00 am, and let them out at night for a last potty break in the evening around 8:00 or 9:00 pm.  These times will be worked out with the owner at the initial consultation.

• However, many dogs have access to the back yard and cats can be visited at any designated time during the day.  The most common times that people need pet visits is in the morning, sometimes mid day and evening.  Depending on how many visits you have, you’ll have free time in between

• If getting up early in the morning doesn’t appeal to you, you can always specialize in cats or mid day walks, but keep in mind this will limit the amount of your income.

• You will have to do a lot of driving around town.  Know how far you will be willing to drive before you market yourself to a certain area.  You don’t want to drive 20-30 minutes for a 30 minute visit.  That just doesn’t make sense unless you charge a service fee for out of area clients.  This may not apply if you live in rural areas and the homes are spread out.

Whitey the super predator cat!

• Pet sitters work 24/7.  People go on vacation all the time and will need their pets to be looked after on the weekends too.  I have been at social functions and had to leave for ½ hour to do a visit.  It’s only for a short time and people may not even miss that you’re gone, but it’s hard to leave. Once you are with the animals, however, all is well with the world.  They’ll put a smile on your face every time and you won’t miss being somewhere else.  But, if you go away for the weekend a lot, or your children need to travel for sports, this may not work for you.

• If you have an infant or toddler children, you will not be able to take them to the clients homes.  The likely hood for injury is just too great and it would be very unprofessional.  You are there for the clients animals and small children are just too distracting.  You should be the only person entering the clients home.  It’s a business just like any other.

• Exhaustion.  If you’re that busy, hire an employee or Independent Contractor to take up the slack or learn to say NO!  Remember, you got into this because you love animals.  If you’re exhausted, you won’t be able to enjoy yourself.  Pet Sitting has a high burn out rate, so you need to construct your business to your life.  Believe me, it can take over your life in an instant!

• Overnights can be hard if you have children or choose to board dogs in your home.  Seriously talk this over with your significant other to decide if this is something you can live with.  Some overnight assignments can be a week or more.  An overnight here or there may be all you’re willing to do.

I realize that pet sitting sounds like the most fun, awesome job in the world, but it is a business with pros and cons.  Think very carefully before you dive in.  Do you have the time it takes to market yourself?  Do you want to work weekends and holidays?  Talk to other pet sitters (out of your area) and get the real scoop from them.  I’ve had a few calls from people thinking about getting into the business.  We love to help other animal lovers!

Chris L Wagner

From One Pet Lover to Another

Waggy’s Eco Pet Products

Waggy’s Pet Sitting Service

Waggy’s Pet Tips and Tales Blog

Holistic Pet Food

My last post on the pet sitting business dealt with the Pros of Boarding Dogs in your home and there are many positive aspects.  However, if you’re thinking of becoming a pet sitter, you will need to know some of the downsides to make an informed decision.  Don’t get me wrong, I love having the dogs in my home and they bring me untold happiness, but it’s not all hugs and kisses.  With that being said, the pros far outweigh the cons.

7 Downsides to Private Dog Boarding in your home

A typical night at my sitter's Franks House

Garden can get destroyed.  If you like to garden and have a lush green lawn and want to keep it that way, this is not for you!  I love to garden and have had to put barriers around certain garden beds to keep them from trampling the plants.  Let’s face it, when you get a bunch of dogs together, they will rough house and run around.  That’s want you want them to do.  You want them to have a great time!  As you can see from this Waggy’s video of Murphy the Dane and Norman the Bulldog that I have barriers around my plants. They’ve been there a while now and need to be replaced.  Also, my son needs to mow the lawn!

As for your lawn, Forget about it!  Unless you have artificial grass, you will have urine burns and patches where the lawn just doesn’t grow anymore.  Oh yea, don’t forget to buy a big pooper scooper for the backyard!  For tips on how to have a more pet friendly back yard, please read my interview with Elizabeth Bublitz of PawFriendly Landscapes.

Going potty in your home.   No matter how old or potty trained they are, some will relieve themselves in your home.  There are just too many smells and they can’t help it.  I always have them go out in the back yard when they first arrive to get that out of the way.  It would be best if you had tile or wood flooring on most of the areas that the dogs will be in.  9 times out of 10, if they go, they will go on my area rugs and not my tile.  Same goes for poop and vomit!

Dog fights.  Screen carefully for aggressive behavior in dogs.  If you have a dog that doesn’t get along with other dogs, you will be looking for trouble.  Even with non aggressive dogs, the rough housing can get heated and you have to watch it very carefully.

Wendy with her dog Honey and friends

Can’t be spontaneous about vacations.  Once you build up a regular clientele, it’s likely that you could have boarders everyday especially during summer vacations and holidays.  It’s OK to have your vacations and time away, you just have to put it on your calendar far in advance and don’t book clients during that time.  If you’re the spontaneous type that likes to go away at a drop of a hat, boarding is not for you.

Clean up. There is a lot of cleaning you have to do.  From the dog hair, to accidents to dribble across the room from drinking out of the dog bowl.  Get a good vacuum and mop and make friends with your broom.  I have a wonderful steam cleaner for hard surfaces that sterilizes with water.  It great for tile floors.

To my surprise there hasn’t been a lot of damage done to my house (except my carpets!) as you would expect.  However, I’ve had pillows chewed up and some scratches on my furniture.  If you have a house full of antique figurines and white furniture, put the figurines away and get slip covers for your couches because they will go on your furniture.  I have a leather couch and one that has a slip cover on it.  I just pop it into the washer to clean it.  99.9% of my clients have inside dogs, so, if you’re reading this and thinking, I’ll just keep them outside, think again.  Your clients want them to be in the house – that’s the point.  Here’s another video by Murphy and Norman rough housing on the “dogs” furniture.

You must put a fence around your pool.  As they’re running around the backyard, sometimes they can fall into the pool, and they’ll try to get out where they fell in. It’s a struggle for them to get out and if you’re not there, they could drown.  That would be devastating for you and of course for your clients.  It’s just unthinkable.  If you’re out there every time they are playing, it’s OK, but just like a child, you can’t take that chance.  This is definitely a time when it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Forget about sleeping in.   Dogs don’t care what day of the week it is and they usually wake up with the sun.  If you’re a night owl and like to sleep in, private dog boarding is not for you.

Private boarding is a lot like day care for kids.  You treat them as if they are children because to their owners, these dogs are the light of their life and you can never forget that.   We have a lot of fun boarding dogs as long as you keep the number to a reasonable amount.

Now go out and mop your floor.

Chris L. Wagner

Waggy’s Eco Pet Products

Waggy’s Pet Sitting Service

Waggy’s Pet Tips and Tales Blog