What to Tell a Pet Sitter Before You Go on Vacation

Photo by Sarah Chai: pexels.com 

Professional pet sitters are trained and experienced in certain skills that make them the right choice for your pets’ care while you’re away from home. You can help pet sitters do their jobs even better by offering pertinent information about everything from behavioral traits to specific triggers, and much more. At a minimum, make sure to share the following.


Unexpected Behaviors in Different Scenarios

Like people, pets can behave differently depending on what’s going on around them. For example, a super-obedient dog may become extremely difficult to handle when he spots a squirrel, or an ordinarily calm cat may get severely spooked by certain sounds, sights, or even textures. How can your professional pet sitter protect themself from a cat’s sneak attack, a dog’s warning signals, or a bird’s defensive peck? Share details about any unusual behaviors and their causes to help your pet sitter avoid these situations.

Possible Anxiety Triggers, Plus Calming Techniques

When you’re not around, your pet may experience higher levels of anxiety. What does this look like for your pet? What techniques can your pet sitter use to calm your pet when they’re nervous? Anxiety triggers can take different forms, from wind, thunder, and hail for some, to ringtones and loud street traffic for others. Alert your professional pet sitter about any triggers, and share what might work to calm your pet. Does your pet feel safer in their bed or crate? Is there a toy or blanket that helps soothe them? Would dimmed lights or relaxing music help? Share what works best to keep your pet grounded. 

Foods, Medicines, and Allergies

Advise professional pet sitters of any potential allergies, just in case your pet gets into something and consumes what they shouldn’t. A sitter will need to know what to feed your pets, when to feed them, and how much to give them at each meal, along with what types of treats and how much of them (if any) they can eat. Write down instructions for any medicines or supplements that need to be administered. Review your instructions for accuracy and clarity. 

How to Reach You or the Vet

Leave your pet sitter emergency contact information. What’s the quickest, best way to reach you? Provide the following:

• Phone number they can call or text you
• Your pet’s veterinarian contact information, including name, phone number, and address
• Contact information for the nearest emergency pet clinic
• The name and contact information of a responsible individual you trust to help in an emergency or non-emergency situation, if you can’t be reached
• Pet Poison Control, 888-426-4435

You may know your pet well, but your professional pet sitter, no matter how experienced she is with animals, is new to your pet’s unique traits and special requirements. The more you share beforehand, the easier it will be for a pet sitter to manage situations and avoid issues. Write everything down for your sitter to review the information any time the need arises.