Adventures In Petsitting

 

It would seem that once again I’ve neglected my blog. I need to get back into it so I thought that Adventures in Pet Sitting would be a good place to start.

Anyone who is considering pet sitting because they think it will be an easy job should think again. It can get quite dirty and nasty and yes, heart breaking. On the other hand it is one of the most rewarding and fun jobs I have ever had. And yes it is a job and a career, at least for some people. For me it’s more of a hobby business. Not because I don’t need the money, believe me I do. But because I am such a lousy business woman that this particular career would never support me. I’m pretty much in it for the animals.

 

But then most of the sitters I know are in it for the animals.  And I have never met a pet sitter who isn’t passionate about animals of all species and sizes. Ok, to be honest, some of us are a little squeamish around snakes and some specialize in domestic pets as opposed to large farm animals. Some do only cats and some only dogs. But by and large, pet sitters love ALL animals.

As far as I can see, there are two types of pet sitting, the sitter goes to the client’s home or the client brings their animals to the sitter’s home. Some do not consider the later as pet sitting but I do. I take dogs into my home and believe me, my house is not a kennel. Sometimes it feels like a dog house, but it’s definitely not a boarding kennel.

Some of the requirements to be a successful pet sitter include, a love of pets, people skills, a willingness to work hard, a modicum of computer sense (as in can you type, even if it’s just hunt peck and paw), a willingness to work holidays and weekends, a deep sense of responsibility, good business sense and marketing skills. I am woefully incompetent on that last one and while I have good business sense I sometimes neglect to use it. In short, when it comes to animals, I am a sucker. My business is small and sometimes not all that profitable. For me small is good. If I don’t make a lot of money, well that’s ok too. (Don’t tell my family I said that and if you guys are reading this, I do make some money, just not a lot of money.) 

L

Let’s take a moment to consider the above requirements:

• A love of pets – well that’s pretty much a given. If you don’t like pets you probably won’t be in this business.

• People skills – while the primary part of your job deals with animals, the one writing the check is human. It’s a good idea to be a bit diplomatic with this person and not offend. But keep in mind that in the world of Pet Sitting, the customer is NOT always right. That being said, it’s not a good idea to come right out and tell them so, at least not on the initial visit. And that initial visit is as much for you to meet and interview the client as it is for the client to meet you. And don’t forget employee relations. Yes, a lot of pet sitters hire independent contractors. Again, interviewing and management skills are a must.

• Willingness to work hard - You’re going to need to be willing to clean up a mess, walk a dog regardless of weather conditions, possibly bring in the garbage cans, mail and newspapers, water plants, run down & catch clever escapees. If there are multiple cats cleaning out litter boxes can be a bit of a challenge. The list can go on and on.

• Modicum of computer skills – right off the bat you’ll be sending and receiving e-mails and probably text messages too. You’ll want to have a web site and/or a Facebook page. Keeping accurate records is a must. (Remember this is declared income and accountable to the IRS.)

• Willingness to work Holidays and weekends – that’s pretty much a no brainer as far as I’m concerned. People do tend to leave town on Holidays and weekends. Some sitters charge extra for Holidays, I’m not one of them.

• Deep sense of responsibility –another no brainer. These are live social creatures we’re working with. They need to be watered and fed, taken or let out to potty, played with and  walked.  Not showing up for work is simply NOT an option. Additionally, you’ve just been handed the key to the castle, you really shouldn’t lose it, or forget to lock up when you leave. Need I go on?

• Good business sense and marketing skills– no matter how much you love visiting and playing with animals, this is a business you’re running and you need to charge money. A bit of booking keeping and record keeping skills are a must. Remember that old IRS guy. You’ll need to account for income as well as expenses. And don’t forget to track your mileage and phone bills, both deductible business expenses. Pricing is not as simple as it might appear. You can’t under price, thereby devaluing your services; you can’t over price thereby ‘pricing’ yourself right out of the market. You need to figure out fair market value. And don’t forget to set up multi-visit packages.
•  Marketing? –if you want to achieve a successful business and bring in decent profits, you have to know how to advertise; to sell yourself and the concept of pet sitting. Use of social media is a must in this department. If you aren’t good or don’t feel comfortable with it, then find someone who is. As I mentioned above, marketing is not and never has been my strong suit and therefore my business is small. Most of my clients come from personal referrals. However, you can make your business as large or as small as you want. It can be profitable enough to raise a family and send kids through college… if you have the right business and marketing skills.

  

. 

(To Be Continued)