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The Unpleasant Return Home

Even while I was away I figured things were fine. I was getting cute texts and photos and nothing was ever said otherwise. What I found on my return home was FAR from fine. The dogs were stressed and disheveled, and two of my three cats that were declared “in the basement, I don’t know, I haven’t seen them” were actually outside and missing.

They finally, nervously came home and were scared to come in initially. They were hungry. The house was an absolute disgusting mess. This was complete with water and mold in the basement, stains on the marble countertops, rotting fruit in the sink, ripped sheets and much more.

I declared I would never, ever leave my pets alone with a sitter again! This was a referral from a friend’s ex-wife. What could go wrong, right? She came to visit the dogs several times and walked them both with hers and with me there in case she needed help. She knew the layout of the neighborhood and the schedule. I thought I had the perfect pet sitting and house sitting solution!

What I Learned

What I learned is that not just anyone can look after your pets. My Bernese Mountain Dogs Grace and Benson, while good, are BIG and can be a handful if they so choose (Read THIS story to see what I mean)! They need a firm hand on walks! And you need to constantly reinforce good training habits with them or Benson will rip your arm out of its socket going after a squirrel!

The sitter last summer tried suing me for this very reason for physiotherapy, and also claimed to fall down on my property and live with mold (that she created…) and got town council and lawyers involved…After causing thousands of dollars of damage to my home and neglecting my animals…Oh, and after coming to walk them to get to know them ahead of time.

So this time around I decided that I needed to take a different approach and go the professional route or at least ensure that I had someone that would actually be competent with my pets. And hopefully not let the house and garden go to ruins (the sitter last summer did a walk around the yard with me to see what needed taking care of…declared in her email to lawyers that she was not hired to be a gardener when everything was dead upon returning home).

The Dogs

There is no question that it takes someone with big dog experience to watch Grace and Benson. When the lady that came told me that her family has a Bernese that she watched. It made me feel good about leaving the dogs with someone who knew the breed.

Boy, was I wrong! I’m not sure what kind of experience she really had! According to walkers, friends and neighbors the dogs were barely getting out and never at the same time. And as mentioned above, they were stressed out. Berners are a sensitive breed. Any amount of yelling or harsh discipline towards them does not help and makes them shut down. You can read more about Bernese Mountain dogs HERE.

The Cats

The cats are super easy. If you meet their basic needs (food, shelter, water) they pretty much take care of themselves! Asking where the cats were and being told they were in the basement I headed down to find them. Miesha was the ONLY cat in the house! Panicking, I ran outside and frantically started calling Bubbles and Whiskers since they had been out for who knows how long!

Bubbles, who is a treat fiend, showed up first when I went out shaking treats. She was scared, hungry and had lost weight. Looking at the house nervously, I managed to coax her over to me, gently pick her up and carry her inside. She looked around frantically and retreated to hide.

Calling and calling (Whiskers doesn’t like treats, weirdo!), there was no sign of him. Finally after dark he showed up wild eyed and looking everywhere! It took some convincing, but he finally came back in the house as well. And I had my family back together again.

The Next Vacation Looming…

After not travelling anywhere but home for the past two years due to the pandemic…I did something crazy…I booked us a trip to Mexico this spring! After being conditioned to just stay inside and stick close to home, just hitting the “BOOK NOW” button was a huge feat…Then it hit me…WHAT was I going to do with the animals…

Boarding

I considered boarding with the dogs. However, I am not a fan of confinement during boarding which immediately crossed a lot of places off the list. My dogs are really comfortable at the farm outside the city where they go for day trips though. And they have spent the night there before. They are welcome to roam their home for their stay. However, they aren’t booking boarding at this time.

I could also have considered placing them in someone’s home in the city but the dogs don’t do well in strange environments and Benson will end up pooping everywhere…inside and out…as he did in the RV and at my parent’s house when I took him home two summers ago…And even if I boarded the dogs, I’d still need to find someone to check in on the cats because boarding with them just isn’t an option.

An Alternative Solution

All this led me to start getting online and doing more investigating. And one option that really seemed worth checking out to me was a take on house swapping. You set up a profile, pay an annual fee and put up a listing for your home and your pets. I went with Trusted House Sitters and set up a profile and a listing for the dates we would be away.

The idea is that someone who is either visiting your area or in your area even comes to stay in your home. In exchange for free lodging, they take care of your pets and your home! They do background checks, ID checks and you can see references and reviews. Depending on what level of membership you sign up for there are other perks such as content insurance and lounge access at airports! You can even sign up to pet sit for someone else when you are travelling!

Within a matter of two days I had a sitter lined up for the pets and the house! I have been very pleased with the process so far. I have been diligently working on filling out the Welcome Manual and am optimistic for a good experience! I’ll be sure to write an update post-trip!

Considerations

Cats

There are so many things you need to take into consideration if you are leaving your pet! I was just far too trusting and didn’t do enough due diligence. The first thing to consider is the type of animal you have! Most cats are MUCH more comfortable at home! When we first moved into our home I didn’t find Whiskers for three days!

Many cats without medical issues will be fine left at home alone with sufficient food, water and access to kitty litter for a couple days (think a weekend). It is worth having someone stop by every couple of days to check in though just to make sure all is well.

Dogs

Dogs, on the other hand, need more hands on care (I know I’m stating the obvious as dogs really are just like children who never grow up!). Only you know your dog and what they will tolerate in terms of boarding and care. At a very minimum they should be up to date on their shots and healthy. Will your dog do well if they are crated for periods of time? If so, then you should have a good amount of options available.

If not, you could consider in home sitting or having your dogs visit a dog sitter’s home for the duration of your trip. My dogs are most comfortable in their own environment which is why I find it important to find someone who is able to come stay with them in their own home.

Age or Other Conditions

Age of the animal also makes a difference. A young kitten should not be left at home unsupervised for long periods of time because they can get into so much trouble! You know, chewing wires, shredding curtains, getting caught up in something…And older cats and dogs can also need extra care which is where in home sitting situations may be a better option. If your animal has any medical needs an in-home sitter can ensure they are getting the proper care and attention they need.

What To Look For

Experience

Does the pet sitter you are considering have the appropriate experience with your animals? Cats generally are easier than dogs since they are pretty much self-sufficient once their basic needs are met. They may have some attention and grooming requirements. If they have medication requirements, you may need a pet sitter who is experienced in administering medications including pills, drops and injections (i.e. for diabetic cats requiring insulin – you can read more on feline diabetes HERE).

Dogs on the other hand are much more dependent on their caregiver. They require exercise and attention. They may be more laid back or very energetic! My dogs are gentle giants, but I still need someone with experience handling large dogs or it can be an issue as I mentioned above. If you can, try to have your pets meet your pet sitter ahead of time to see how they react with and handle your pets.

References

Reference checks are important! You want to find out what experience the other pet owners had first hand. This is where I really like Trusted House Sitters since you can see reviews from previous pet siting visits right from the pet owners easily on the website. Be sure to have a list of questions to ask so you are getting all the information you need! Don’t be afraid to ask the hard questions.

Are They Insured?

Liability insurance helps cover issues such as accidents and negligence (such as damage to your home or injury to your pet). They could also be bonded to protect against theft, which also includes having a background check. Having some sort of insurance provides you with additional peace of mind.

If I had done a proper search and found either a pet sitter with insurance or a company that provides coverage I would not have had to worry as much when I came home to find damage to my home last summer. I am just thankful that my animals (when they were all back home) did not have any injuries. The cats that were left outside easily could have been killed by a predator with the foxes and coyotes in the neighborhood. There was also an instance of the leash being let go as Benson chased a squirrel and ran across a busy road.

Additional Certification or Training

Does your pet sitter have any additional certification or training? Like pet first aid? It is important for you to know that your pet will be looked after properly in case of an emergency or if a health issue arises!

Make It A Success!

We all want a pet sitting experience to be a success for all parties involved! There are a few things that you can do ahead of time to ensure that everything goes smoothly.

Pet-Sitting Manual

Be prepared with a pet sitting manual! Be sure to provide as much information and be as thorough as you can with regard to:

1. Feeding schedule
2. Exercise schedule
3. Special needs
4. Likes and dislikes
5. Personality
6. How to look after your house
7. Where to find things in your neighbourhood
8. What to avoid

By giving your pet sitter all the information ahead of time it can head off problems down the road and make things much more smooth for your pet and your pet sitter!

Meet Ahead of Time

Meeting your pet sitter and having them interact is important as well if you are able to arrange such a meeting ahead of time. You can see if your pets are comfortable with your pet sitter and vice versa. This helps you determine if they are a good fit.

In Conclusion

I have learned a lot through my experience what to look for (and what not to do) when bringing someone into your home to look after your pets. Hopefully after reading this you have a good idea as well what you think would be the best solution regarding finding a pet sitter for your pets!

Let me know in the comments below what you have found works for you!

The post How To Find The Best Pet Sitter For Your Pets first appeared on Help! I've Got Pets.