Caring for Dogs and Cats: Essential Tips for Beginner House sitters
In collaboration with The Wandering Petsitters. Jump to their tips here
Recognizing certain pet behaviors and signals can be challenging, especially when starting out as a house sitter. That's why we've teamed up with Jen and Pamela, the creators behind The Wandering Petsitters, to offer their expert advice on the topic!
In this post, Jen and Pamela will provide their tips on how to provide the best animal care as a beginner pet sitter. Whether you're new to house sitting or looking to improve your skills, you've come to the right place to learn from the best!
Meet Pamela, 40 (left) and Jen, 34 (right) - expert pet sitters and founders of The Wandering Petsitters!
Their Knowledge and Experience in Pet Care is Extensive
Jen out on the farm in Scotland with Mr. Sheep.
Jen and Pamela's background in pet care is nothing short of impressive. Jen qualified as a Veterinary Surgeon in 2011 and possesses vast experience in pet health and behavior. She still works as a veterinarian between house sitting gigs and, while on the road, she also collaborates with an online company to conduct clinical trials and provide veterinary advice and consultations for pets suffering from illness.
Pamela and her furry friend all snuggled up!
Pamela has substantial experience with pet care as well. Growing up surrounded by dogs, cats, turtles, fish, and various other animals, she has developed a deep understanding of what it takes to provide excellent care for pets. Together, this duo's passion for animal care makes them an unbeatable team, ensuring that any pets in their care are safe, comfortable, and happy.
How Their Adventures as Traveling Pet Sitters Began
Pamela pictured with the dog they were sitting in the Swiss Alps
We are so excited to share Jen and Pamela's expert tips with you today! But before we jump in, we wanted to take some time to better introduce you to this amazing couple. We met The Wandering Petsitters through our community of animal-loving travelers on Instagram. We have a high regard for them, not just as experts in the area of pet care, travel, and house-sit exchanges, but also as friends. Not to mention, we thoroughly enjoy keeping up with their adventures! Over the last 5 years, Jen and Pam have cared for pets all over Europe, as well as other far-off destinations such as Guatemala and Barbados. From countryside farm stays in France to cat sitting in sunny Malta, we'd say that these two know how to vacation right!
Their story as traveling house sitters began when Pamela discovered house sitting one day out of the blue. While scrolling through her Facebook feed, she came across a post in one of her favorite travel groups discussing "house-sitting exchanges." After reading that travelers were using house sitting to unlock affordable and comfortable travel worldwide, her interest was piqued. She shared the details with Jen, and they decided that they were seriously interested in giving this travel opportunity a try.
They joined TrustedHousesitters, and after finding a house sit that sounded well-suited for them, they applied for their first-ever house sit in Gran Canaria, Spain.
As new sitters on the app, they didn’t know if they would get a response. Especially since their only reviews were from family and friends. To their pleasant surprise, they got a message back from the pet owners that they were interested! The owners were impressed by their qualifications and wanted to meet over a video call. The meeting went well, and the four set the agreement for Jen and Pamela to look after the pets in the couple's absence.
As the day of the house sit approached, they understandably felt nervous - they even took note of nearby Airbnbs just in case (hey, we've all been there!). They had absolutely no idea what to expect and could only hope for the best. Luckily for them, the owners were veterans. They had worked with multiple sitters in the past and knew exactly what to do. Jen and Pamela reported that the owners were so relaxed about the handoff that they were surprised by how casual the experience was. But, they weren’t out of the woods yet! The real test had just begun, and they cautiously wondered if everything was going to go as smoothly as the handoff had.
Before the day's end, they had settled in and happily discovered that everything was just as described. The two enjoyed a stay in a comfortable two-bedroom apartment with two lovely dogs. Both dogs were in the late stages of life and were content to spend the day snoozing. This made it easy for Jen and Pamela to venture out for 4-5 hours a day, exploring the island at a relaxed pace.
The Wandering Petsitters had ample time to explore Gran Canaria while still managing their pet care responsibilities.
Before they knew it, their time on Gran Canaria had come to an end. The house sit had gone better than they could have imagined. After that experience, they thought, "We want to travel like this all the time." Five years later, and that's exactly what they've done!
Today, The Wandering Petsitters have completed over 22 house sits together, and they have no intention of giving it up any time soon! As you can imagine, that much experience house sitting across the world teaches you a lot about this lifestyle. So when these two agreed to share their expert knowledge with us, we couldn't wait to pass it along to you. Now without further ado, here is what these two expert house sitters had to share!
The Wandering Petsitter’s Pet Care tips for Beginner House Sitters
Pet-sitting is a great way for pet owners to leave their pets at home without worrying about them going to an unfamiliar environment, like kennels. Pets are undoubtedly much happier in their own homes, even if the people looking after them are not their owners.
This blog is aimed at beginner pet-sitters. Not everyone has as much experience when it comes to pet behavior and what may be normal or not. Jen qualified as a Veterinary Surgeon in 2011 and has vast experience in pet health and behavior. She also writes articles for pet owners about different illnesses that pets can suffer from.
Pet Care Tips for Cats
Cats are extremely sensitive animals and can become stressed with any changes in their environment. Symptoms of stress in cats include spraying, passing urine outside of the box, aggression, eating less than normal, hiding away, and excessive grooming.
Our top tips for looking after cats:
• Find out their normal routine and stick to this. Make sure litter trays are cleaned regularly and that they always have access to clean water.
• Ask their owners if they have any certain behavior to look out for.
• Never restrain cats if not required. If they want attention, they will come to you.
• Give them space, try not to approach from above, and avoid disturbing them in their safe or sleeping spaces.
• Some cats prefer not to be patted, while others like a lot of attention.
• Make sure they have enough mental stimulation, play games or hide treats for them.
• If they show any signs of illness then contact their owner as soon as possible to find out what steps to take. Find out in advance what vet clinic they are registered with and how to get there.
Pet Care Tips for Dogs
Dogs are also sensitive to changes in their environment, some more than others. Symptoms of stress in dogs include barking, aggression, upset tummy, eating less than normal, destructive behavior, restlessness, and shivering.
Our top tips for looking after dogs:
• Find out their normal routine and stick to it. This includes any medication they may be on; make sure it's given at the correct dose and at the correct times. Also, ensure they have constant access to fresh water.
• Provide adequate physical and mental stimulation. Walks, toys, and teaching new tricks are all great for this. Let them sniff, as it's excellent stimulation for dogs.
• Try not to approach nervous dogs from above or corner them.
• Pay attention to their body language. Crouching down, ears back, and dilated pupils can all indicate stress.
• Make sure you know if they are allowed off the lead or not, and if they get on with other dogs when out walking. Use the same commands as their owner to avoid confusion.
• Avoid shouting and punishment; this can make both unwanted behaviour and stress worse.
• If they show any signs of illness, contact their owner as soon as possible to find out what steps to take. Find out in advance which vet clinic they are registered with and how to get there.
- Written by Jen and Pamela Macindoe
There you have it! Expert pet care tips from our friends, The Wandering Petsitters! We'd like to express our gratitude to Jen and Pamela for sharing their valuable insights with us. We truly believe that their expertise will help many new pet-sitters provide the best possible care for furry friends. We hope that you found these tips to be useful and informative. If you're as inspired by The Wandering Petsitters' adventures as we are, you can follow along with their adventures on their Instagram. There, you can find even more of their best house sitting hacks, tips, and tricks, that they’ve learned along the way!
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