Pet Sitting
By Roberts
A Sitting Business Checklist If you re an animal lover, sitting can be a very profitable business. However, you want to make sure that you re ready to safely handle another life. Before you start, use this sitting checklist to make sure that you are qualified. Pet Sitting Clients Before you begin sitting for someone s pet, get acquainted with the family. Visit the house, meet the owners and meet the animal before the first day on the job. You want to make sure that you re comfortable with the animal and the home before you agree to sitting. Make sure that you and the owners have a clear agreement on what services you re going to provide and what routine tasks you need to perform. Particularly if you re going to be spending the night, find out the house rules and expectations. Make sure you know any special accommodations that the needs. As far as payment goes, have a general discussion with the owners but ultimately put it in writing. Putting the agreement in writing just prevents any conflict in the end. Make sure that you and the owners agree on the services you will be providing and the final price. Let them know that the contract is for both your and their benefits so there are no misunderstandings. This is true because if you don t do what you re supposed to then they are not obligated to pay you. Keep a copy of the contract and give them one as well. Feeding While Sitting Before you start sitting, you should have clear instructions from the owners on the feeding routine. It is a very good idea to have the owner write down the feeding schedule and all of the details involved so you have it on-hand. You re only human and you can t expect to remember every little detail. However, if it is in writing then you have it for reference. If there is more than one pet, it is especially important to have detailed and clear instructions: who, where, what, when, and how? Find out what time you should feed the pets. Find out what gets what food if it is not all the same. Find out if you should stand around until they re done eating or if you can leave them unattended. Pet Sitting And Medication While you re sitting, you may need to give some medication. Have an extremely detailed list of how you are supposed to handle the medication. You need to know where it s stored. You need to know what time it s taken and what dosage. Find out if there s any special attention

the needs afterward. Just to be safe, ask if they can show you the medicine process while they re still home just so you re totally comfortable. Pet Exercise While Sitting Get detailed instructions on how to exercise each pet. How often should they be walked and for how long? How should you clean up after the pets? Also, is there a fenced yard or a park where the should play? Just make sure that you are comfortable and you know what you re doing. Overall This can be a super fun and fulfilling job. You just have to make sure that you can take care of another living thing. When sitting, always remember to think of the pets as if they were your own, don t put them in any type of danger that you wouldn t put your own in. Treat the pets as you would like yours treated if it was vise versa.