We all want the best for our pets. Sometimes that means having to leave them in the care of someone else, and when that happens, pulling out all the stops is the only way to go to ensure that our four-legged friends are happy, healthy, and safe. The following are some essentials to check off your list as you go forth in your pet sitter search.
Use a well-vetted search tool. Rover.com is a pet-sitting network that’s specifically designed to make sure you find the perfect match for your pets and your lifestyle. Because while many people own pets, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. We all have different schedules, animals with different needs, and simply our own lifestyles that present needs for a pet sitter when we least expect it. Rover maintains the highest standards for its sitters, running background checks and vetting for solid experience in pet care before signing them up. So regardless of when or where you may need Rover’s help in caring for your four-legged friend, they’ve got you covered.
Found a few sitter options? Here’s how to make sure they’re right for your pet.
Once you’ve tapped into the Rover universe, you’re likely to stumble across more than a few excellent candidates for the tantamount task of caring for your sweet canine or feline friends. You of course need to narrow it down, though, and the first step to doing that is through thorough communication with prospective sitters. Luckily the Rover messaging system makes it ultra-easy to reach out to sitters that look like they’d fit your needs. Here’s how to narrow down the options — or if there’s just one candidate you’re approaching, how to make sure they’re the right fit for Fido.
- Ask if they have a few spare minutes for a phone call. This is a great way to gauge their level of professionalism, how well they communicate (i.e., if and when they’re caring for your pet, will they have the communication skills to update you on how your furry friend is doing?), and an overall sense of their personality.
- Arrange a Meet and Greet with your pet. Chemistry between a person and an animal is nothing to take lightly — sometimes despite the best of intentions it just doesn’t work. Make sure that your pet and their prospective sitter have the right connection by arranging a visit with the sitter, be it at your home or a dog park. This is the best way to get a sense of their confidence level, experience as a sitter, and ability to be responsive to your pet’s unique personality, needs, and behavioral quirks.
- Check out the testimonials on their Rover profile — and look for the details. Do past clients mention the sitter going above and beyond? Did they give past pups extra exercise and fun field trips? Did they communicate well with text and photo updates? The more consistent the reports of above-and-beyond pet care, the more you can trust that you’ve got an expert in your midst.
Above all: know your pet’s needs, plan ahead as much as possible, and take the fullest advantage of the Rover experience. Their network of sitters is truly designed to be there for you and your pets, so don’t hesitate to jump in and start your search for the amazing sitter that your pet deserves.
Author byline: Written by Casey Dickson, Rover.com community member. Rover is the nation’s largest network of 5-star pet sitters and dog walkers.
