Best Tips for Choosing the Best Dog Walking and Sitting Services Articles | Dog and Puppies

By: Jeremy C.W

Just because your boss is such a slave-driver and that you can't even get to squeeze a little "me time" for yourself, it doesn't mean that you have to ignore your dog-walking duties. Of course, you're going to say to yourself that you're tired and you need a minute to rest, but again, it doesn't mean you can't delegate. This is why dog sitting and walking services exist. Dog sitting services fill the dog walking need for busy pet owners like you. Here you'll find out how to find the most suitable dog walking and sitting services for you.

You can't just pick out a random dog walking and sitting service and entrust your pet's life to them, right? There are a few things you must do before handing over your pet to doggy day care. Below are some tips that may help:

1. Do some canvassing for dog walking and sitting services. It is important that you find out what exactly is on the itinerary for a normal day with your pet. You should also know how long the dog sitter has been offering this service to make sure he/she is knowledgeable in the pet care industry. Compare the prices and schedules of different dog sitting services so that you can find the one that is most suitable to your work schedule and budget.

2. Reputable dog walking and sitting services should be able to give you some references of pet owners who have been employing their services for a long time. This is important because some dog sitting services pretend to be pet-friendly but they really aren't. Remember that you are leaving your pet with these people for several hours in a day. You need to make sure you can trust them to be with your pet all day.

3. Arrange for a face-to-face meeting before agreeing to employ a dog walking and sitting service. You'll need this to see how your dog responds to his walkers. If your dog isn't hostile to the walker, then you know that your pet will be in good company.

What You Should Look for in a Dog Walking and Sitting Service

As you canvass different dog sitting services, you are most definitely going to find several bad ones and a few good ones. Here are some things you should look for in every good dog walking and sitting service.

Below is a set of criteria you can keep in mind when considering a dog walking and sitting service. With these 5 criteria, you'll be able to make a more complete decision that's perfect for your pet:

1. References - Sometimes the best advertisements come from complete hearsay. If you've heard of a good dog walking and sitting service from your neighbors or workmates, then it's best that you check out the service for yourself. The service itself could also give you references but they could be biased customers as well.

2. No Discrimination - Disabilities, diseases, breed or size should not be a problem for the good dog sitting services. It's their job to take care of your dog for you while you are busy with a full day's work or if you're away from your home.

3. Insurance - A good dog walking and sitting service should have insurance. Although not a requirement by law, insurance is good to have . They should be able to cover any damages in case of an emergency.

4. Flat rates - You shouldn't be asked to pay surcharges of any kind because the dog sitting services that do usually just look for extra ways to make money and don't really care about the pets. Look for a flat rate all year round.

5. Flexibility - A good dog walking and sitting service aims to help you take care of your pet while you work. With that, they are aware that your working hours may change from time to time and they should be able to work a good time around that.