In-home pet care has many benefits including reduced exposure to communicable diseases, stress reduction, and convenience for pet owners. Yet, most pet sitting companies have to be sure that a pet is comfortable with the idea of an unfamiliar person entering their home before confirming services. Today, we want to answer the question, “is in-home pet care for my dog” to ensure that those leaving their pets in the care of an in-home pet sitter are making the best choice for their pet, especially if they are headed out of town.
Consultation
Because some clients only schedule services a few times a year, making sure your dog is comfortable with our visits is a huge factor in whether or not your dog will be a good candidate for in-home pet care. For this reason, Shoreline Happy Paws requires a meet and greet or in-home consultation before taking clients.
Our consultation allows new clients and their pets to get to know our company’s representative, usually their primary pet sitter. It also allows our professional pet sitters and dog walkers to assess the dog or dogs’ comfort level with a non-member of the family entering the home and interacting with them. If a dog shows signs of discomfort like cowering or hiding, growls or lunges, or otherwise indicates that they are not comfortable with the unfamiliar person’s presence in the home, we will conclude the consultation and remove ourselves from the house for everyone’s safety and wellbeing.
Trial Visits
If a dog is comfortable with a pet sitter during the consultation, that is a good sign that they will welcome a pet sitter in their home. That said, if it’s a dog’s first time being cared for by an in-home pet sitter, it is wise to schedule a trial run before travel or important events during which they will need care.
A trial run should be done when the pet’s family or caregiver is in town but not in the home. Trial visit lengths will depend on the pet’s comfort level. We do not want to overstay our welcome. If the dog responds to our visit poorly, our presence for even a few minutes can be too long. For this reason, we ask that our clients trust our expertise and judgment when scheduling trial visits. If we push the dog’s limits during the trial visit, we could cause trauma that makes future visits impossible.
The number of trail visits a dog needs depends entirely on the dog. Many dogs ace the trial visit and go on to enjoy a longstanding relationship with a pet sitter. Others, however, take some time to warm up to the idea. We will let you know what we think the best course of action is for your pet.
Short Trips
If a pet is new to in-home pet care, it’s best to plan services for a shorter trip to start. Leaving a dog that has never experienced in-home pet care during a three-week European vacation is a risk. Start, instead, with a short trip. One or two nights away nearby, will give your dog a taste of in-home pet care without an extended absence.
To learn more about our services and discuss your dog’s pet sitting needs, contact us at info@cthappypaws.com or 860-964-0464. We are happy to work with you and your dog to ensure that your first time leaving them in our care will be a great experience for all involved.
