If you have been looking at pet sitting services, you might feel a bit overwhelmed by the choices. What kind of visit do I need? What is the right service for my pets?
Here we’re going to look specifically at pet sitting, which is generally a visit when you are not home. This may be multiple days while you are on vacation or on a single day where you will be out of your house for an extended amount of time. It is when you are in need of more than just a walk for your pets. Here is a quick set of questions and guidelines you can use to narrow down your pet sitting decision.
How many pets do I have?
If you have a single pet or two easy-going pets that don’t need a lot of specialized care, a 15-minute visit might be plenty if they don’t need extra attention.
If you have more than two pets or any kind of specialized care routines, a 30+ minute visit is likely needed.
Does my dog need a walk?
If your dog needs a walk, you are going to want a 20- to 30- minute visit. Your pet sitter needs time to get your dog ready and take them on a good walk. You want time for the walk and for everything else the visit entails. If you have multiple dogs that need to be walked separately, more time might be needed.
Does my litterbox need to be cleaned?
Cleaning a litterbox takes time, and cleaning multiple litterboxes takes more time. Any time you need your litterbox scooped, it’s a good idea to schedule at least a 20-minute visit. Many cats get sad if a whole visit is spent focusing on their litterbox and not them! (Even the shy ones!)
Do my pets have special feeding or medication requirements?
If your pet grazes all day and just needs fresh water, that doesn’t take much time. If your pet has a special meal requirement or needs medications, that can take longer to prepare. Medications can be challenging depending on how well your pet takes them and how much coddling and trying is required. Allow at least 30 minutes for visits with special needs.
Is my pet a human velcro magnet who adores attention?
If your pet loves being around people and snuggling and getting pets, consider longer visits. A 30-60 minute visit can help them get the affection and attention that keeps them happy.
Is my pet a hider who hates human attention?
If your pet is not very human-oriented, a short 15-minute visit may be all that is required. A pet sitter can check on food and refill water and make sure everything is good with your pet.
Does my pet have a specific routine?
If your dog likes to eat, wait 20 minutes, and go on a walk, make sure you are allowing time for that. If your normal dinner routine takes an hour, plan for an hour visit. If you know your pet is super shy and may take longer to coax into their routines, allow time for that.
How many visits does my pet need?
If your dog needs a pet sitter to go to the bathroom, you should schedule at least three visits in a day. This allows for a potty break roughly every eight hours. If you have a puppy or older dog, you may want to have four or five visits so there is more time for potty breaks. You can also look at in-home boarding and bed and breakfast options.
If you have cats or pets that don’t need to go outside, once a day may be plenty. Even if your pets are easy and don’t need much care, it is a good idea to have a sitter come at least once per day to feed them, give them water, and make sure they are doing well.
Also remember that you can mix it up. Maybe the morning visit has extra requirements and needs to be longer but an afternoon visit just requires a quick potty break and can be shorter.
Can’t my pet sitter just stay longer?
We absolutely love animals and adore your pets, but pet sitters generally aren’t able to stay extra since we often have additional visits scheduled. If you are scheduling multiple pet sits and noticing it takes your pet sitter extra time, every time, consider scheduling longer visits. We will always work to be efficient and make sure your pet is taken care of, so please schedule the right amount of time. It’s hard on sitters to feel rushed and have to leave a dog wanting more attention than there is time for. The worst case scenario for a slightly too-long visit is that your pet will get extra attention and you will return to a slightly more spoiled version of them. (Yes, he did get a 7-minute kitty massage every day while you were away! He loved it!)
If there is extra time in a visit, we will fill it taking care of your home, pets, and providing additional care and affection.
What pet sit is best for my pet?
If you still aren’t sure, reach out to Peak City Puppy and we would be happy to help you decide!
Peak City Puppy: https://peakcitypuppy.com/
Pet sitters: https://peakcitypuppy.com/plans-pricing/
