Going away on holiday can be a very exciting time for the whole family. After all, you may feel as though there is so much for you to do and even more for you to see. You may also have the whole thing planned out from start to finish and this is a great way for you to make sure that you avoid any unexpected problems along the way. The problem that a lot of people have when they go away is that they find it hard to find a reputable sitter. If this sounds like, you then you can get some help and support below.

Online Resources

If you don’t know where to start looking for a pet sitter then the best way for you to get around this would be for you to look online. You can search by your location and there are even websites where you can see the reviews that people have left for these services as well. This is a fantastic way for you to find someone who you can really count on and you’d be surprised at how many pet sitters are actually available in your local area. Another thing that you can do is try and talk with other pet owners. If you know that a friend used someone and they had a great experience with them then there is no reason for you to not look into this as an option, so do make sure that you keep that in mind.

Signs of Quality

It helps to look out for signs of quality when booking your pet sitter. When you look up the names of your pet sitters, you don’t want to waste your time with those who do not have any credentials, as they may not have the required experience to look after your pet. Of course, it also helps to make sure that your sitter has liability insurance and some kind of formal training. Some pet sitters are also able to work with veterinarians as well, so if your pet ever experiences any health issues while you are away then you know that they have the means to look after them and even get them the emergency help they need.

References

References are very important and if your sitter is not able to provide any then this can be a warning sign. After all, your pet sitter is probably going to have access to your home so it helps to make sure that they are who they say they are. It is very easy for someone to impersonate a pet sitter and the last thing that you need is to come back off your holiday, only to find that something has happened to your home while you were away. When you have all of the information you need, you then start making a list of all the people who are options and then list them in order of how much of a good fit they are for your pet.

Prices

Price can be an issue when booking a pet sitter. After all, some may ask that you buy a dog crate ready for when they arrive. At the end of the day, you need to find someone who can meet your price range but you don’t want anyone that is not able to meet the needs of your pet either. There is a very fine line between cheap and poor in quality, so don’t be afraid to negotiate on the price and always make sure that you have an idea of how much you can spend every day or even per night.

Interviews

It is a very good idea for you to give your pet sitter an interview when the time does come for you to hire them. Ask them why they love what they do and find out if they genuinely love pets. If you know that someone is only in it for the money then this can make it very difficult for you to trust them and they may not be willing to go that extra mile to make your pet truly happy. At the end of the day, you do want someone who is enthusiastic and passionate about what they do, but you also need to go with your gut instinct as well.

Services

Another thing that you need to do is check to see if they can provide you with any services. After all, your pet may have some special needs that need tending to. Making sure that your pet sitter is able to provide for these needs is crucial if you want to get a good result out of your experience with them. For example, if you have a dog that has very long hair then they may need grooming or brushing on a weekly basis. If your sitter is not willing to take the time to groom your dog then they may not be an option, so do take that into account.

Experience

You may know that your sitter has ten years of experience, and this is great because it will help you out with your peace of mind. If you have a Great Dane however then you won’t want someone who has ten years of experience working with Toy Poodles. If you want to get around this then try and find someone who has experience in looking after the specific type of dog that you have. After all, it is a known fact that certain dogs require way more exercise when compared to others and having someone who can meet this need is a huge plus.

All in all, it’s important to know that two weeks, or more is a very long time in the life of a dog, so if you are not able to find someone who you can trust for this period of time then you need to carry on searching. When it comes to your pet, you should never settle for anyone who is second-best because your pet will be completely dependent on them when you are away, and this is one of the most important things that you need to remember.