If you travel a great deal for either work or leisure you may already be regular user of our petsitters and housesitting service. Anna Naylor from Maiden Voyage one of our partners, a social network that makes business travel safe and social for women, has given us some ideas in this blog about how to connect with your pet while you travel on business. Read on to learn about some rather innovative solutions.

There is nothing quite like the loyalty of a trusty pet, which is why it can be so difficult to leave furry (or not-so-furry) friends at home when we travel for business or leisure. However, there is no need for ‘out of sight, out of mind’ to apply to pets when travelling with these five methods of keeping the pet-bond thriving even while you are apart.

1. Petsitters can give you peace of mind

When travelling on business as many of us do these days it can be reassuring to find experienced petsitters who can step into your shoes, pet-sitting at home and caring for your pets while you go about your business. Some petsitters will charge for their services and others will exchange their time and experience for free accommodation, through various online networks. Most pet sitters will also make a point of sending regular updates to ensure you get pet news while you are away, it can be very reassuring to have this regular contact from the sitter in residence.

2.Recruit a fluffy travel-buddy

That’s right. Simply take your pet with you! Domestic travel that involves train or car make it quite easy to bring pets on business trip. Internal airlines in the USA typically allow passengers to bring small pets in cages that fit under plane seats, while larger pets are put in cargo. In fact, Midwest Airlines recently started providing travel packs for pets on some routes which include dog treats for your fellow passenger. International travel makes it slightly harder due to restrictions but not impossible should you be determined to take your pet around the world with you!

If your pet is small and you aren’t travelling far, carry your pet in comfort and style with these bags:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.  Get a pupgrade

If you are travelling further afield with your pet and will be depending on hotel accommodation, you will be pleased to know that more hotels now offer facilities for pets. Business travel can be lonely and you will welcome being greeted by a familiar face upon your return to your hotel room. If you aren’t sure how to find pet-friendly hotels, you aren’t alone. Melissa Halliburton created bringfido.com when she struggled to find a hotel that would cater for her little Coco. The website provides pet owners with a directory of pet-friendly hotels and 20% of users are business travellers. Some hotels even have a ‘pupgrade’ option and offer pet sitters and dog-walkers so you needn’t worry about leaving your pet alone while in meetings or events.

4. Call Your Pet or Let Your Pet Call You!

No choice but to leave your pet at home? If you want to maintain a personal connection with your pet with some tactile features, you can install a PetChatz device in your home before you leave. Before jetting off, train your dog or cat to respond to the ringtone of the device which you can call from a smart device. The device features a screen and a camera for you and your pet to see one another. You can also activate a treat-dispenser with the touch of a button from any location, as well as release a comforting scent from the device for your pet! You can even play ‘Pet brain games’ and stream DOGTV for your pet to stay entertained during the day. Seeing and interacting with your pet in real-time gives you the reassurance that your fur baby is safe and happy.

Taking it one step further, add a PawCall extension to your PetChatz setup so that your dog or cat can call you when they’re missing you. Your pet simply places their paw on the pad and calls you on your device. There’s nothing quite like reciprocated affection and knowing that your pet is missing you too.

5. Facetime

If there’s no time to train your pet to use the PetChatz, check if your pet sitter/family member has a smart device which is video-call enabled (such as Facetime or Skype). You can still interact with your pet on the go in any time-zone.

For every eventuality, there is a way to stay connected to your pet. As Edith Wharton said, “My little dog- a heartbeat at my feet.”- now you can keep that heartbeat close by wherever you are in the world, be it in person or via technology.

Looking for petsitters or housesitters for when you travel on business?

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

To register as a Homeowner 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

To register as a House-sitter or Petsitter follow this link