Have To Leave Your Dog?
So let’s take a minute and talk about leaving your dog in someone else’s care…
People have lives, and sometimes need someone to watch their dog, or somewhere to take their dog to stay for awhile… I get it. But are you really leaving your dog somewhere safe?Do you know what to look for when leaving your dog with someone?
This list is if you’re not using family, if you’re hiring someone to care for your dog.
Taking Your Dog To Stay Somewhere…
1. Have you inspected where they will stay?
2. What will your dog’s day look like while there?
3. Is there an inside and outside area?Is their air conditioning / heating?
4. Do they ask that you sign a contract?
- Did you really read it?
- Did they let you know what would be done if something happened with your dog and they couldn’t get ahold of you?
- This helps make sure there’s a plan in place.The contract is a sign of professionalism that let’s both parties clearly know what was agreed to and what can be expected.
5. What are their cleaning procedures to help prevent disease spread.
6. Do they have enough medical training or experience to be able to spot warning signs of a problem?
7. Will there be playing with other dogs? (is that something you want)?
8. How do they prevent or break up dog fights?
9. What vaccines do they require?
10. Are they insured?
11. Do they have CPR training?
12. Are they sending you daily updates about your dog?
13. Do they let sick animals come stay at the facility? (if yes, they should be confined to their own portion of the facility and not allowed to socialize with other pets while there).
14. What are their policies on feeding the dogs? Are they all separated? Do they have down time at least 30 minutes before and after eating to help prevent bloat?
So What’s A Responsible Owner to do?
Can a facility answer the above questions appropriately? Great! If you’re comfortable leaving your dog there you at least know you’ve asked the right questions!
If your dog is currently sick or immune compromised in any way (like diabetes) hire a professional pet sitter with credentials, experience and medical training to come into your home so you don’t expose your pup to more threats.
Ask other professionals who they would recommend and what their experiences with that person or place are.
Please don’t blindly use services like Rover.com …. a majority aren't professionals!
- And here’s why:Anyone can call themselves a pet sitter
- People rarely have enough training for medical emergencies when doing daycare as a side thing out of their home.
- You won't know what other dogs are there or how they will get along with your dog, and you just can’t trust someone without experience to manage multiple unknown dogs safely.
- In home boarding like that is rarely “cleaned” like a professional place would be and you have no control over what your dog will be exposed to.
- Does this mean all Rover and similar sight sitters are bad? Absolutely not, but they better have pet sitting credentials of some kind to leave your pet with them.
So What About Finding A Pet Sitter to Come To Your Home?
Believe it or not, there's no lawful requirements of what someone needs to have in order to call themselves a pet sitter (or a dog trainer for that matter)! There's a big difference between a hobby sitter and professional pet sitter. So, like with daycare places, you have to be extra vigilant about who you choose to come check in on or stay with your pet. Here's some things to be sure to check for!
That said, there are steps that a professional pet sitter will take to show that they are serious about their business like: getting CPR/Pet First Aid Certified, Getting Certified as a Pet Sitter, Getting Insurance, Being Bonded. Joining a club/ organization by just paying fees and being able to post membership doesn't make you a professional on any level, just about anyone can pay to get a membership. CPR and PET FIRST AID shouldn't even be a question. No one should be taking care of someone's animals and getting paid with out having basic CPR and basic emergency medical knowledge. The license, insurance, and bond are just an extra step to show that someone is putting time and effort into their business. Do these things MAKE SOMEONE A GOOD PET SITTER? ABSOLUTELY NOT. Credentials after your name don't make you good at something. Especially when even the credential criteria is a bit lax in these areas. Experience does make you great at something, but certification shows you put in the effort to learn at least the basics. And I always recommend that people look for someone with Credentials & Experience & who your animal is comfortable with.
Similar Questions Apply for Someone Coming Into Your Home:
1. What are their Qualifications? What is there experience?
2. What will your dog’s day look like while they're there?
3. Do they know how to work the air / heater for your pup's comfort
4. Do they ask that you sign a contract?
- Did you really read it?
- Did they let you know what would be done if something happened with your dog and they couldn’t get ahold of you?
- This helps make sure there’s a plan in place. The contract is a sign of professionalism that let’s both parties clearly know what was agreed to and what can be expected.
- Do they have the proper supplies in case of an emergency? Are they able to transport your dog alone? If not, do they bring equipment that enables them to? Like a portable pet stretcher? Do they have transportation to get your pet to an emergency vet?
5. What measures do they take between clients to ensure they aren't spreading disease between houses?
6. Do they have enough medical training or experience to be able to spot warning signs of a problem?
7. Will there be playing with other dogs? Are they bringing another pet to your home? (is that something you want)?
8. How do they prevent or break up dog fights?
9. What vaccines do they require of their clients? This is important to know if the other animals they're babysitting are vaccinated as well.
10. Are they insured?
11. Do they have CPR Training & Emergency Pet First Aid Training? There is no excuse for someone calling themselves a pet sitter to not AT LEAST have this.
12. Are they sending you daily updates about your dog?
13. If you have multiple animals they're watching do they know how to feed them properly if they need to be separate?
Please remember, YOU are your pet's best advocate. They can't tell us exactly what they need or what happened to them while you went away, so it's our jobs as responsible owners to try to pick the best and safest places / people for them to stay with.
