Summer is officially here and it’s time to start thinking vacation.  Sunscreen – check, bathing suit – check, sunglasses – check, relaxing get away – check, someone to watch your beloved dog…uh oh.  Follow the simple steps below to make sure that while you are enjoying your 5-star vacation, your dog is enjoying his own 5-star staycation.

Pet Sitting Tips:

1. Give your pet sitter the name, number and address of your veterinarian.  Let your vet know that you will be out of town, for how long and who is pet sitting.
2. Create a list of any medications your pet is currently on, including dose and frequency of administration.
3. Introduce your dog to the pet sitter in advance of your vacation.  This can include taking your dog to the pet sitter’s house or going for a walk with your dog and the pet sitter so they can become familiar with one another.
4. If your dog is going to stay at your pet sitter’s house, check to see how many other dogs will be there and if the sitter requires that all vaccinations are up to date.
5. Check to see if the pet sitter is bonded and insured.
6. Let your pet sitter know about any behavioral issues.
7. Pets love routines, so map one out with the pet sitter that can be easily followed every day.
8. Give clear feeding instructions.  If you have multiple pets with different food needs, label the food and bowls with the pets’ names.
9. Make sure there is plenty of access to water.
10. Microchip and register your pet.  Go to the free Found Animals Microchip Registry for more information.
11. If you don’t already have a pet sitter, check out Rover.com to find the perfect neighborhood dog sitter, which is often less expensive than a kennel. You can also sign up to be a pet sitter and donate a portion of your earnings to Found Animals by selecting us when you create your user profile.

Happy vacationing!

Read our blog about finding a pet sitter for more information on where to start and what to look for.

cat care    dog care    pet care