Caring for Animals on a Homestead - Best Practices for Housesitters

Housesitting with pets is a lot of fun, caring for animals on a homestead also requires some careful considerations to keep everyone safe and healthy. Read on for some handy tips.

Best Practices for House Sitters: Caring for Animals on a Homestead

a lamb is often one of the traditional animals on a homestead — The can be a wide variety of animals you may need to care for when housesitting for animals on a homestead

Image credit: Rod Long

The Preparation – Caring for Animals on a Homestead

As a housesitter, many of the house sits you sign up for involve caring for some type of pet. In a survey of 5090 homeowners seeking a housesitter, only three had zero pets, less than 0.01%. House sitting on a homestead is a whole experience in itself, especially when you’re responsible for a bunch of animals.

Keeping everyone fed and the house clean is one thing, but you also want to ensure those animals are as happy and healthy as if their owners never left. That’s how you build trust and score great reviews that lead to even more housesitting gigs! You want to be invited back—or better yet, recommended to others.

Start by having a good, long chat with the homeowners

Go beyond a quick rundown of where the food is kept or how often the dogs go for a walk. Get to know the details of what the animals need on a daily basis, what might throw them off, and what you should do if something unexpected happens.

Will you need to procure your own hay for livestock, or is it supplied? Do any of the animals require medication? Are there certain parts of the day where feeding is more effective? It’s good to get a well-rounded picture of everything required before you begin!

Best practices during the house sit

Once you’ve settled in, following some simple rules can help ensure everything runs smoothly, especially when it comes to the animals. Every homestead has its quirks, and so do the pets. Maybe the cat only drinks water from a running tap, or the chickens need to be let out at the crack of dawn—whatever the instructions, stick to them like glue.

The homeowners have their reasons, and your job is to keep things as close to normal as possible when caring for animals on a homestead. Even if it seems a little odd, trust that there’s a method to the madness.

Maintaining Routines

Routines aren’t just for keeping things orderly; they’re crucial for the well-being of the pets in your care, especially when caring for animals on a homestead where all the animals will be likely spread out on a larger piece of land and not visible to you all the time. It may be feeding times, dog walks, or weekly garden watering, consistency is key.

working dog alert — You might have working dogs among the animals on a homestead you are housesitting. Remember their routines

Photo by Alimurat Üral

Pets thrive on routine—it keeps them calm and healthy. So, if the dog is used to getting his breakfast at 7 AM sharp, make sure you’re up and ready to serve. The same goes for household chores like taking out the bins or collecting the mail. Stick to the schedule, and everything should run like clockwork.

Give the pets some TLC

Feeding and walking routines? That’s the absolute baseline. To really excel as a house sitter, you need to go the extra mile and shower the pets with love and attention. Play with them, give them a cuddle (the fun part), and keep them mentally stimulated.

Whether it’s a game of fetch, some puzzle toys, or just lounging on the couch together, this extra effort makes a huge difference. Remember, these animals are missing their owners, so a little extra care goes a long way in helping them feel secure and loved.

woman feeding chickens — If you have chickens to care for don’t forget they need attention too

Photo by RDNE Stock project

Communicate with the owners

Some pet owners love getting regular updates and photos of their fur babies, while others prefer to unplug and only want to be contacted in an emergency. Make sure you know what they prefer before they leave.

If they’re into updates, snap a few cute pics and send them along with a quick message. If they’d rather be left alone, respect that, but ensure you have a clear line of communication in case anything urgent arises.

Unless the homeowners specifically say otherwise, you’re expected to be there overnight. Pets can get anxious if left alone for too long, especially overnight. Plus, being on-site ensures you’re there to handle any unexpected issues. So, plan your days around being back at the homestead in time to settle in with the pets for the evening and be mindful of any time restrictions given by the owners.

Seek help if needed

Things happen—When caring for animals on a homestead you will see that they can get sick or injured, and it’s your responsibility to act quickly. If you can’t reach the homeowners, don’t hesitate to take the pets to the vet. Always err on the side of caution.

A pre-sit chat should give you a good idea of what to do in various scenarios, but when in doubt, prioritize the animal’s well-being. Better safe than sorry!

Don’t forget to enjoy yourself

One of the best parts about housesitting on a homestead or farm is the chance to enjoy a unique holiday experience. It’s not all about chores and responsibilities—enjoy the rhythm of farm life and enjoy a refreshing change. Once you’ve ticked off all the tasks on your to-do list, make sure to carve out some time just for you.

Whether you’re traveling solo, with a partner, or with family, enjoy a chance to slow down and breathe in the fresh air. This house sit is an opportunity to experience a different way of life, spend some time with animals and immerse yourself in the charm of rural living.

Looking for your next house sit? Consider caring for animals on a homestead

HouseSitMatch is full of great housesitting opportunities, both short and long-term, with plenty of petsitting options! Sign up today and easily filter the available housesitting and petsitting options to find your next fun and fluffy assignment!