So, you’ve made the pact – someone will be pet sitting your furry friend for an agreed portion of the week. You could be flying hither and thither on a work schedule, or going abroad with the family. Whatever the reason, it’s nearly time for a pet sitter to visit your home.
But what should you do in advance? How can the sitter feel informed, welcome, and familiar with the pet in question? Read on for some prep tips from Scamps & Champs Stockport…
Arrange an introductory visit
Dogs and cats rely on their sensory experience to make sense of something new. If they’ve never smelt, seen or had physical contact with your pet sitter before, it may take a while for them to feel comfortable around a stranger. We will always arrange a meet and greet session – in which your Stockport pet sitter can spend time with your pet, with you by their side, to lay the first stone of a relationship.
List any household instructions
Longer pet sitting periods will carry extra responsibility for looking after the home so write a guide for anything your Stockport pet sitter needs to know. How often, for instance, should the plants be watered? Does a window stick more than others when you’re trying to close it? What appliances should be left on at night? Simply having these instructions written on your online profile, will ensure the handover goes smoothly.
Tidy up anything that isn’t pet-friendly
Kids’ toys, chocolate, random batteries, loose change… All of these represent a hazard for dogs, or other pets who like to chomp whatever’s in sight. You don’t want your pet sitter to comb the house in a bid to move everything out of harm’s way. So do it yourself, a day before the pet sitting is due. Further precautions may include setting up all the necessary child security gates, barring your pooch, kitty etc. from off-limits areas.
Set timers and security systems
As we’ve mentioned, a long-haul sitting schedule is about more than feeding, watering and exercising your pet. The chosen pet sitting professional will also (to an extent) guard your home from intrusion. To do this, they must have the alarm code to prevent an unwarranted emergency, as well as any timer/switch information for security lights at night. Do them an additional favour by revealing how the boiler and thermostat work, just in case they need to take the chill off your home.
Detail your pet’s fears, allergies or medicinal routine
Like people, no two are pets are ever the same. Dogs and cats are vulnerable to their own fears – the hoover, for instance, or being stroked in a certain spot on their belly. Tell the pet sitting expert about them in advance. Similarly, break down any dietary/medicinal requirements that your dog or cat may have. This should include allotted portions, the types of food they’re able to digest well, and how often it’s supposed to be topped up.
Provide Working Keys & Home Security System Details
We require access to a set of keys when you schedule your Stockport pet sitting service with us. Please ensure you try the keys first and ensure they work if you have just had new copies made. It can be common for brand new keys not to work after being freshly cut.
If you have a security alarm, be sure to update the alarm code in the pet sitter software. This is completely safe and confidential. This will avoid any uncomfortable or stressful situations for your pet sitter once you have left. Please always leave emergency instructions should your alarm go off during the pet sitters stay. It is common for pets to trigger an alarm sensor.
Update your pet’s profiles
A successful visit with your pet begins with proper instruction from the pet parents and makes it more enjoyable for your pet. We’d rather spend time loving and caring for your pet than searching for supplies or food. In each of your pet profiles, please update:
- Photograph of your of Pet
- Pet’s Daily Routine
- Pet Temperament, Quirks
- Feeding, Allergies & Medication Instructions
- Where are Toys/Treats Kept?
- Rooms/Areas Your Pet Is Not Allowed
- Favourite Spots to Hang Out or Hide?
- Anything your pets don’t like or are frightened
- Anything they particularly enjoy
- Veterinarian Information
By taking these precautions, you have a masterplan for pet sitting success! All that’s left is to scour the web for someone to do the job… But you don’t need to, of course, when Scamps & Champs Stockport are right here, poised to offer the best pet sitting services in Stockport. Browse our site or speak to our team now for availability.