Vacation Check List!

So you're heading out of town and you've booked a sitter. Awesome! Now let’s make sure things go smoothly for your fuzzy babies while you’re gone. Here's how to set your sitter up for success so their visits don't turn into a scavenger hunt for cat food.

1. Reality Check That Pet Profile

You've filled out all the necessary fields in your pet sitter's app...but that was three years ago! (I use Precise Pet Care) Check your account profile and PLEASE update if outdated. Because if your profile says your cat “free-feeds” and I show up to find a locked kibble bin that says, KEEP OUT, 'Houston, we've got a problem.'

So before you jet off—check the info. Update it. Easy-peasy lemon squeezy!

2. Leave Food & Supplies Where I Can Find Them

Yes your profile tells me the canned food is 'under the third cabinet to the left of the troll that looks like a garden gnome and the secret password is Fahrvergnugen.' However, be nice to your pet sitter...Please leave all food, treat and medications (clearly labeled with CLEAR instructions), litter, leashes, poop bags, instructions, etc. out in the open where we can find them. We'd rather not embark on an epic odyssey to find the lost treasure of Purina.

3. Stock Up on Cleaning Supplies

I’m not saying there will be an accident...but 9 times out of 10 pets will leave their best surprises for when you’re gone. Paper towels, pet-safe cleaners, trash bags, brooms and vacuum cleaners. Leave 'em where I can find them. I’m good, but I can’t MacGyver a clean-up with toilet paper and Comet.

4. Give the Place a Once-Over (Especially for Overnights)

No need to roll out the red carpet but if I’m staying overnight, a clean space goes a long way. You don’t need to scrub grout with a toothbrush. Just don’t leave me a science experiment in the shower or dishes in the sink that doubles as Oscar the Grouch's second home. Sitters operate better within a clean environment.

5. No Surprise Guests. Seriously.

Your cousin dropping by “just to check on things” or your neighbor watering the plants might sound harmless but to me and your pets, it’s just a stranger suddenly showing up and possibly opening the door. Which is stressful for everyone, especially if I’m in my pajamas eating an entire Domino's pizza. (It’s happened.) Cuz I'm quick to call the cops on any and everybody! I don't care if they're Fido's play Auntie once removed.

Help Me, Help You:

A little prep means happier pets, a calmer sitter, and no frantic texts while you’re poolside. Everybody wins!

I Can't Care More Than You. But I'll Still Quietly Judge You!

During the first couple years of my pet sitting business, I equated being a great pet sitter with being a Judgmental Auntie at Thanksgiving!

It wasn’t long before I found myself chastising clients for what I considered basic pet care lapses. Dirty food bowls? Overgrown nails? A smell coming off the dog that could be used as a biological weapon? I took it personally.

I'd show up to take care of a dog or cat and leave feeling like I needed to stage an intervention. “Have you considered…giving Muffin a bath?” I’d say gently, while my eyes screamed, for the love of God, do something about the stench!

But here’s what I’ve learned over the years: I can’t care more than they do. And even if I do, it doesn’t mean they’re going to suddenly change because their dog walker gave them a polite nudge and a bottle of dog shampoo.

Now, if I notice something’s off, long nails, matted fur, green fuzz growing in the water bowl...I mention it once. That’s it. OK, maybe twice. I make my closing argument and leave the decision up to a jury of two. I have to remember I am not Johnnie Cochran. I’m the pet sitter. And my job is to keep their furry family member happy, safe, and well cared for. Not to make them feel like they're being subjected to scrutiny by the D.P.S. (Dog Protective Services).

However, 9 times out of 10, they do something about it. Eventually. Maybe not after my first gentle heads-up, but at some point, they’ll text me saying, “Hey! We finally trimmed Bella’s nails!” 

For the past several years I've been leading with compassion, grace, and just enough sarcasm to keep myself entertained. Because being a great pet sitter doesn’t mean fixing everything, it means showing up, doing your best, and understanding that people love their pets in their own messy, imperfect way 💖 - while I continue silently judging them.😂