Pet Sitters

Experience working with pets or at an animal shelter will be useful for aspiring pet sitters.  

You must love animals and animals must love you. But this love for animals cannot be your only motivation—keep in mind that, as a pet sitter, you will be in business for yourself. You will not have a boss to give you assignments, and you will not have a secretary or bookkeeper to do the paperwork. You also won't have employees to take over on weekends, holidays, and days when you are not feeling well. Though some pet sitters are successful enough to afford assistance, most must handle all the aspects of their businesses by themselves. So, you should be self-motivated, and as dedicated to the management of your business as you are to the animals.

Pet owners entrust you with the care of their pets and their homes, so you must be trustworthy and reliable. You should also be organized and prepared for emergency situations. And not only must you be patient with the pets and their owners, but also with the development of your business. It will take a few years to build up a good list of clients.

As a pet sitter, you must also be ready for the dirty work—you will be cleaning litter boxes and animal messes within the house. On dog walks, you will be picking up after them on the street. You may be giving animals medications. You will also be cleaning aquariums and birdcages. Embracing all types of animals that need at-home care is critical.

Pet sitting isn't for those who just want a nine-to-five desk job. Your day will be spent moving from house to house, taking animals into backyards, and walking dogs around the neighborhoods. Though you may be able to develop a set schedule for yourself, you really will have to arrange your work hours around the hours of your clients. Some pet sitters start in the early morning hours, while others only work afternoons or evenings. To stay in business, a pet sitter must be prepared to work weekends, holidays, and long hours in the summertime.

For those who wish to start their own pet-sitting business, entrepreneurial skills such as marketing, invoicing, and supervising are necessary.