{"id":1266,"date":"2016-04-05T09:00:17","date_gmt":"2016-04-05T16:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.sittingforacause.com\/blog\/?p=1266"},"modified":"2018-08-15T10:25:36","modified_gmt":"2018-08-15T17:25:36","slug":"6-things-to-share-with-your-pet-sitter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sittingforacause.com\/blog\/pet-care\/6-things-to-share-with-your-pet-sitter\/","title":{"rendered":"6 Things To Share With Your Pet Sitter"},"content":{"rendered":"

After a recent vacation away from my two dogs, I realized that communication with your pet sitter is very important. How was my sitter supposed to know that little Taco would throw confetti parties with the toilet paper if I didn\u2019t tell her? Often it is assumed that pet sitters will automatically know your dog\u2019s routine, but the truth is every dog, and sitter, is different.<\/p>\n

When picking a pet sitter, resources like Sitting For A Cause<\/a> can make choosing the right person a simple matter, but the work isn\u2019t done there. After you\u2019ve found the best match for your cat or dog, it\u2019s key to communicate with the sitter about what your expectations are. It can be hard to remember all the little tasks you complete when looking after your pet everyday, and even harder to relay what these tasks are to the person watching over your pet. So, here are 6 important things to share with your future pet sitter:<\/p>\n

\"6<\/a>1. Everything about Eating<\/strong> \u2013 Dogs and cats usually have personal eating routines. They eat a certain brand of food at a certain time, and changing this pattern could greatly effect your pet\u2019s actions. It\u2019s always a smart option to create a small calendar or outline that describes how much your pet should eat, what they should be eating, and when they should be eating this food. Also, add in any other important information regarding allergies or items that you know specifically upset their tummies. If you have multiple animals with different needs make sure to leave different, yet specific instructions! This will make it easier for your pet sitter, and in the end, you!<\/p>\n

2. All about Outside<\/strong> \u2013 Whether your pet is an indoor or outdoor animal, it is crucial to let your pet sitter know how much time they should be spending outside. For dogs, outside time is essential. Your pup is used to their bathroom and play time schedule and changing this up, even for a few days, can be a messy mistake! Along with a food schedule, add in when your pet usually gets to go outside. For cats, make sure to include any instructions regarding their litter box. Also, add in if and when they like to be outside! You pet sitter doesn\u2019t know your pet\u2019s cues that show they want to be outside, so make sure to share these things before you leave.<\/p>\n

\"6<\/a>3. Heads up Regarding Health<\/strong> \u2013 Your pet\u2019s conditions are normal for you, but foreign for your sitter. Just like humans, animals have health issues that are important to be aware of, so let your sitter know if your pet is currently facing a health issue that requires medication. Be specific about what the medication is, how it should be given, and how often your pet will need this medication while you\u2019re away. It\u2019s also a good idea to list common side effects and other important info about the medicine just so your sitter has a thorough background before caring for your pet! Also, mention any disabilities your pet may have like deafness or blindness so your sitter can make appropriate accommodations. Whether your pet has specific medical issues that should be addressed or not, it is essential that you leave your sitter with resources to your vet. Include the name, phone number, and address of your vet so that if anything goes wrong appropriate action can be taken immediately!<\/p>\n

4. The Know about The No\u2019s!<\/strong> \u2013 Can your pet sit on the couch? Are they allowed in every room? Only you know what your dog is and isn\u2019t allowed to do! Make a list that gives your sitter a better idea about your pet\u2019s \u201chouse rules.\u201d You don\u2019t want to come back\u00a0from a trip and find that your cat or dog has gained a new bad habit! In the same way, you wouldn\u2019t want your pet to get in trouble for something you find totally ok.<\/p>\n

\"6<\/a>5. The Lowdown on Rewards<\/strong> \u2013 Don\u2019t only share what your dog should be punished for, include when and how the sitter should reward your pet! Talk about what you use as treats and when you give them. You don\u2019t want your furry friend going without the happiness that is a treat while you\u2019re away, so share this info with your sitter!<\/p>\n

6. The Scoop on the Little Things<\/strong> \u2013 Maybe your dog really loves to destroy toilet paper like mine, or maybe your cat likes to swat everything off of your counter. Either way, it\u2019s important for your sitter to know the little things that you deal with everyday. You know to keep the bathroom door closed at all times or to keep those breakable items out of reach, but your sitter doesn\u2019t. Look back at the lessons you\u2019ve learned about your pet and share them with your sitter ahead of time.<\/p>\n

When it comes down to it, only you know what you should share with your sitter. Talk to them about what you feel is important for your pet, and also offer a chance for them to ask questions. If you communicate thoroughly with each other the process should be smooth and mess free.<\/p>\n

What are some things you\u2019ve found useful to share with your pet sitter? Tell us in the comments below!<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

After a recent vacation away from my two dogs, I realized that communication with your pet sitter is very important. How was my sitter supposed to know that little Taco would throw confetti parties with the toilet paper if I didn\u2019t tell her? Often it is assumed that pet sitters will automatically know your dog\u2019s routine, but the truth is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":5074,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[6],"tags":[19,18,282],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sittingforacause.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1266"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sittingforacause.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sittingforacause.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sittingforacause.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sittingforacause.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1266"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.sittingforacause.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1266\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5076,"href":"https:\/\/www.sittingforacause.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1266\/revisions\/5076"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sittingforacause.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5074"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sittingforacause.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1266"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sittingforacause.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1266"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sittingforacause.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1266"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}