# questions about Pet Sitters



## kiera hulet (Aug 10, 2009)

Halo the GSD pup will come home on Sept 5. I haven’t decided what to shoot for as far as titling goes, but she’ll be in Schutzhund or PSA and possibly also agility.

My quandary is this: Halo’s going to need a pet sitter to let her hour in the afternoon, at least until she’s able to go for about 4 or 5 hours between potty breaks (I come home at lunch) and I’ve never used a professional pet sitter.

I have no idea what questions to ask them other than to ask for references, check BBB info, ask about employee background checks, verify licensing/insurance, and request information on their company policies regarding conduct, preventing the spread of doggy/kitty diseases, etc. 

So far I’ve got three consultation/interviews scheduled. 

Sure, I understand it’s not rocket science to uncrate a puppy, take her to the potty-spot out in the backyard, clean crate/change out bedding if needed, offer water, and play a little bit. I just want to be sure I screen the pet sitters properly, and once I hire a sitter, that I communicate the right / pertinent info to them. The last thing I want is to come home and realize that Halo suddenly has a weird aversion to biting her tug or something.

Any tips on hiring a pet sitter for a working puppy? Anything I should tell them to do or not to do when they are at my house?

Thanks for any insight or tips~


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## Ashley Campbell (Jun 21, 2009)

I know absolutely nothing about pet sitters, but did have a quick question. Are they bonded like "housekeepers" so that if they steal from your home you have recourse?


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## kiera hulet (Aug 10, 2009)

Ashley Campbell said:


> I know absolutely nothing about pet sitters, but did have a quick question. Are they bonded like "housekeepers" so that if they steal from your home you have recourse?


I believe they are similarly bonded, so that there would be recourse if damage or theft occurs.

Not sure if all pet sitters in MN have to be bonded, but I'm only going to work with licensed, bonded. and, they may have a surprise visit by me or a web cam to wave at. 

She's my first working pup and dang it, I want to do everything right


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## Anna Kasho (Jan 16, 2008)

That's funny, because in my area the pet sitters will be the ones spoiling a pup rotten, so I would expect them to get a lot more obnoxious behavior from a pup... Which maybe isn't such a bad thing 

The last time I let someone else walk Cyko, he came back dragging an entire seat cushion from a chair that he found in an alley. When asked Why, the girl replied, he growled and wouldn't give it up. That was it, no one takes him out anymore except me. :roll: :lol:


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## kiera hulet (Aug 10, 2009)

Well, thankfully Halo will only need a petsitter for a couple months or so. Once she's able to "hold it" long enough, I'll just make sure I'm home on time for lunch every day


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## Carol Boche (May 13, 2007)

Any way you can take her to work with you? 

The two best sitters I have are Elizabeth, who is 19 and Trae, who is 15. Follow instructions, handle the dogs well (as far as feeding, cleaning and moving them from one kennel to another), and can handle ALL of them without issues. 

Elizabeth is on our SAR team and has her own working dog, and Trae has had good work ethic instilled in him. (not to mention he tried to play tug with Jesea a couple years ago and got a lesson on watching the dog and not the people standing around)


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## Anne Jones (Mar 27, 2006)

I took my last puppy to work with me everyday for 6 months. I have 2 large crates in my truck, fans on the crates & a remote start so that I can run either heat or a/c according to needs from inside my office. I also would go out to take him for a potty break a couple of times in the am & pm & take a lunch break to walk him around to socialize him & play etc. I was also able to park my truck right outside my office window under the building overhang out of the elements & I could watch him all the time. On days that were too warm I brought him into my office & put him in a crate under my desk. I would give him a bully stick or stuffed frozen kong to keep him busy. I was lucky that I had the perfect set up to do this & he was quiet in his crate in the office & didn't disturb anyone.


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## kiera hulet (Aug 10, 2009)

Carol Boche said:


> Any way you can take her to work with you?


Unfortunately, that's not possible. Corporate office, everything un-normal is frowned upon and the sanity of the person is questioned... They already question my sanity. LOL

I could always bring it up to the neighbors, but I just moved here and I am definitely NOT comfortable talking to several neighbors about Halo and her fancy future. LOL "No sir, she's nothing special. Nothing to see here, just some mongrel shepherd thing. Sure is cute tho" :-\" I live in a nice neighborhood, don't get me wrong, but sometimes some weird weird people come rolling or strolling through.

So... a Pet Sitter to the rescue!


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## kiera hulet (Aug 10, 2009)

Anna Kasho said:


> That's funny, because in my area the pet sitters will be the ones spoiling a pup rotten, so I would expect them to get a lot more obnoxious behavior from a pup... Which maybe isn't such a bad thing
> 
> The last time I let someone else walk Cyko, he came back dragging an entire seat cushion from a chair that he found in an alley. When asked Why, the girl replied, he growled and wouldn't give it up. That was it, no one takes him out anymore except me. :roll: :lol:


 That's funny about the cushion! I'm sure that pet sitters here also spoil em rotten. Hopefully no seat cushions tho! Unless she's willing to share with Benny and the kitties


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## leslie cassian (Jun 3, 2007)

I'm a couple of months ahead of you on this with my puppy.

I didn't do the petsitter thing, just came home at lunch every day and cleaned out the crate when I needed to. Poop only once or twice, only in the afternoon, because I didn't give her enough yard time when I came home. I only have about 10-15 minutes at home, and I'm lucky that my work has been tolerant of me being 5-10 minutes late sometimes, but on those days, she just didn't go in the time I had.

At about 14 weeks, she stopped needing to poop at lunch. Made things easier. She's pretty sleepy still at noon, so I don't do much with her other than make sure she wanders around the yard enough to stimulate her to eliminate. Then she gets a treat in her crate and I go back to work.


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## Tanith Wheeler (Jun 5, 2009)

I use a family member as my pet sitter, she comes lets puppy out, sits with her for an hour, lets her out again and goes away.

She has a list of words she is not allowed to use with the pup or adult dogs. 

Knows that the adult dogs must be caged before pup is let out of hers and vice-versa.

If you explain to the pet sitter that she is to interact as little as possible - this is how we play, this is how you redirect the biting etc.
Otherwise you may end up drive being diminished by them teaching the pup 'manners'


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## Carol Boche (May 13, 2007)

With a puppy, and I have been really lucky.....I get up an hour earlier (yuck I know) and feed....then enjoy a cup of coffee and check my email...which I get a ton of.....then it is outside for potty first then vigorous play and then they usually potty again.......then I crate....shower, get ready for work, potty and then crate. 

This is IF I am not taking the pup to work. I rotate my dogs at the office. 

I do come home at lunch for a potty break and play session and switch dogs....

Have had two accidents in 4 years with several pups through here. 

The other thing is, make sure the crate is just enough to fit your pup.....stand up, turn around with a little head room.....pups that were kept in a clean whelping and puppy box, generally will not "go in thier bed". 

My sister "rescued" or rather "got sucked into" taking a Corgi because she felt bad for how it was living and she is having a heck of a time potty training because he just goes wherever and then will sleep in it. 

So guess who is coming to my house for a week to be babysat while she is on vacation....yep, that's right.....my house....there goes my good luck.....LOL


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

I would do the same as suggested by Carol and Leslie, or you can always just stick the crate (take the door off), in an x-pen in the back yard, though I would still come home for lunch.


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## Kristen Cabe (Mar 27, 2006)

Those of you that can bring your dogs in to work with you are lucky.


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## kiera hulet (Aug 10, 2009)

Thank you everyone for posting your suggestions!  I will definitely join the Groggy Doggy Early Morning Mom Club :-D Halo will get out 2 or 3 times before I go to work in the morning, and Benny will also get a walk or a good chase-around the back yard (he loves the games keep-away and gonna-getcha)

For the Pet Sitter, these are the basics so far:
* minimal interaction
* communicate words/phrases not to say (like commands...)
* no "training manners into the puppy"
* show the pet sitter where the puppy goes potty
* no unsupervised contact between puppy and cats/ adult dog/pther people
* keep an eye on Door Dodger Kitty and ignore the crying crate-dancing Labrador, he was out at 10:30am and he's fine 
* cover the essentials (vet info and emergency contact info, cleaning supplies, water, extra bedding etc)

After about 2 months, Halo will be old enough to hold it long enough so I can just let her out a few times in the morning, then let her out at lunch, and again right away after work at 4pm before we play, train, exercise the crew.

Once she gets to that point, I'm totally taking over 100%  Can't have the the neighborhood bereft of seat cushions LOLOL


*editing*
just wanted to make sure I covered everything- 

Keeping Halo outside wasn't really an option at my house. The yard doesn't have good enough fencing to keep people out very well, and I already have "various kids" coming into my yard during the work day. Evidence: food wrappers and the occasional food/beverage in my yard. The neighborhood has some dodginess. At any rate, I'll re-fence in the spring, but it's just not safe enough to leave a dog or pup outside unattended. Oh and there are hawks. three of them... no good for pupperoos! 

I agree that taking a dog to work would be AWESOME.  Those of you that can take a dog (or more than one dog) to work are very, very fortunate indeed


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