Top tips for successful pet minding

The questions we are asked most frequently by new homeowner members of Housesit Match is ‘will housesitters mind pet minding my pets’ and ‘how much does it cost?

Well the answer is yes they love pets and would be happy to care for them as your pet sitters and it wont cost anything after you’ve paid your small annual joining feel. Read on to learn more.

What is pet minding?

pet sitter pet minding three West highland Terrier dogs — A pet minder will care for your pets when you are away from home

Pet minding or pet sitting is the practice of caring for a pet or multiple pets in the owner’s absence.

What does pet minding entail?

There is a wide range of responsibilities for a pet minder, ranging from being company for the pets, to interacting with intelligent animals that need stimulation, and maintaining feeding and exercise routines.

Human company for the pets

cat playing with a human — Keeping pets company at home, some need regular human interaction

Feeding the pets

A pet sitter will care for your pets in their own home by helping you to maintain their routines for feeding and exercise when you are away from home. So the dogs will be walked at their usual time, all the pets will be fed at their usual time and there will be a watchful human being caring for them.

Two pet minders feeding coy carp in a pond — Feeding all the pets wherever they are on the property is a key responsibility

Dispensing treats according to the owners brief

dog sniffing at three jars of dog biscuit treats — Handing out treats to the various pets is one of the vital responsibilities of a pet minder

The really important guide here for the pet minding assignment is to follow the pet owner’s suggested guide for how many treats and when to give them.

Would a housesitter mind pet minding my animals?

a pet minder walking a dog — Dog walking is one of the expected duties among the pet minding responsibilities

Housesitters from the HouseSit Match network do not mind pet minding, in fact they are offering their services as an exchange for free accommodation so they are happy to care for your pets and home as part of that arrangement.

The most important part of this arrangement is that your pets will be cared for as you have briefed the pet sitter, in their own home for minimal disruption, and you wont have to pay a penny for that service. The pet care is understood to be part of the deal.

What can I expect from a free housesitter?

A free housesitter from HouseSit Match takes on the pet sitting as part of their assignment, it is a recognised and expected responsibility as is the care and maintenance of your home according to a reasonable brief.

And what if I have more than one pet?

The care for multiple pets is made easier with an at home pet minder. They are resident so none of the pets have to move or miss their surroundings in your absence.

Dog walking

Dog walker walking three dogs on a lead — Having a dog walker walk three dogs once or twice a day while you are away adds up financially

Plus it is cheaper to have a pet sitter live in to care for your multiple pets than to have to take all the pets somewhere else to be cared for like a kennels or cattery.

Feeding multiple pets

a new cat owner — Make sure you keep sufficient stocks of the right cat foods- with multiple pets this is key

If you have multiple pets and a pet minder is caring for them, make sure you have more than sufficient pet food for the duration of your trip. They shouldn’t have to buy anything for the pets on your behalf.

How should I brief a housesitter about the pet minding?

woman seen in a computer screen in a virtual meeting — Looking for the ideal pet sitter usually starts online, with selection of a short list and an online meeting

One of the challenges in preparing a practical and effective brief for any pet sitter or housesitter minding your pets in your absence is that your pet care routines are just that, they are regular routines and you might forget the details if telling someone else.

Prepared briefing templates available for you to use

So at HouseSit Match we have prepared a set of briefing templates that you can use to prepare a thorough brief for your sitters and pet minders. Our templates are tried and tested and have been evolved over many years to include all the details you might need.

As a pet owner on HouseSit Match you get an automated housesit and petsit agreement at the start of every housesit with the dates you have agreed with your sitter.

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Face to face briefing for the pet sitter before you leave

pet owners interviewing a pet sitter — Briefing your pet sitter about the pets face to face with the pets is ideal before you leave for your trip

Should ‘meet and greet’ with the pets before the pet sit begins?

If it is at all possible a pre-meeting before the pet minding begins is ideal so that you can brief the pet minder personally, and they can meet the animals.

However, if that personal meeting is not possible make a point of having several conversations and going through the brief together to ensure your details are well explained and understood.

Pet owner talking through the brief with with the pet minder — Running through the brief in person can make it easier

Another way to deal with the briefing is to invite then to arrive a day or two early so you can run through the routines with them in person.

Pet minding for unusual pets

Some homeowners have a wide variety of pets, all need caring for in the owner’s absence.

pet minder grooming a chestnut horse with a dog in the backrgound — Pet minding can include care for larger animals like horses and donkeys

Sometimes the pet care required is for larger animals and you need some specialist experience, such as with horses.

pet snake held by a man — You need to know how to handle a pet snake

Some exotic pets can be left in their sealed homes and you never have to touch them, just know how to feed them.

Communications during the pet minding assignment

Always make sure there is a clear communications channel for the pet minder to reach you or your representative if you will be out of reach during your trip. Make sure you name and offer contact details for your representative in the pet minding brief.

Good communications always make for successful pet minding assignments and satisfaction on both sides.

To find your petsitters through our trusted network register with HouseSitMatch as a homeowner

To register as a Homeowner or Pet owner follow this link

If you have pet care and homecare experience and want to travel and experience a new location why not register as on HouseSitMatch as a housesitter and pet sitter