Do you want to become a petsitter but not sure where to begin?  You may love animals and perhaps you have been a petowner yourself in the past. In this article we offer you some top tips on how to become a pet sitter with no experience, or if you do have experience how to exchange your knowledge for affordable travel.

We help you to learn the key points and to prepare before you start.

Want to become a petsitter ?

If you have always fancied the idea of caring for or working with pets, consider becoming a petsitter. Whether you love dogs or cats or fish you can find ways to spend time with them and care for them either as a paid sitter or unpaid in exchange for free accommodation. Let’s learn a little more about the life of a pet sitter.

What is a pet sitter?

A pet sitter is someone, who cares for domestic animals by pet sitting either professionally or as an amateur pet lover. From a pet owner’s perspective the reasons as to why you keep pets at home with petsitters can be really beneficial.

You can also read our Beginners Guide to Petsitting. 

What is pet sitting?

Pet sitting is the act of temporarily taking care of another person’s pet for a given time frame. It commonly occurs at the pet owner’s home, but may also occur at the provider’s home or at a pet sitting place of business or organization. Pet sitting is a more personal and individualized arrangement for care compared to boarding or kenneling.

Specialized training is usually not required for pet sitting and it really wasn’t for our dogsitting in Cornwall.  Puffin was a very well trained dog, and the home and garden were easy for us to care for, as we are also homeowners and keen gardeners.

The pet sitting usually takes place in either the pet owners own home, or the pet sitters home when boarding.

Want to become a petsitter – Then consider these vital points

Are you thinking of pet sitting or know you want to become a petsitter? It can be a fun and rewarding job or a way to exchange your experience in pet and home care for affordable travel as a working holiday.

However, there are some things you should consider before taking on this responsibility if you want to become a petsitter. Pets can be a lot of work, and it’s essential to make sure that you’re up for the challenge. In this article we will discuss some of the most important things to think about before you sign up to become a pet sitter. 

Key points to appreciate if you want to become a petsitter

Amateur pet sitting – Holiday housesitting and petsitting

Our housesitting and petsitting service HouseSit Match is dedicated to amateur petsitting i.e. no money changes hands between pet owner and pet sitter. We are committed to facilitating amateur pet sitting exchanges between pet lovers who also love to travel.

Call it holiday pet sitting or working holiday pet sitting, we encourage a good exchange of services between people who can help each other through a semi formal pet sitting or housesitting arrangement.

Our key points to note if you want to become a petsitter

If you want to become a petsitter in order to benefit from a different form of travel where you give service and you benefit by staying in someone’s home and caring for their pets, read on. These are the eight key point you need to appreciate and use as your guide before starting your pet sitting journey:

The 8 key points

1. Are you able to commit? – One of the most important things to consider before becoming a pet sitter is whether or not you are able to commit. Pets need regular feeding, walking, and playing time, and if you’re unable to commit to this schedule, it’s best not to become a pet sitter.
2. Do you have experience? – If you want to become a petsitter, it’s essential to ask yourself if you have any prior experience. Although it’s not necessary to have years of experience, it is helpful to have some knowledge of animal care. If you don’t have any experience, be sure to do your research and learn as much as you can about taking care of pets before taking on the responsibility.
3. Are you comfortable around animals? – If you want to become a petsitter this is a primary consideration. You must be comfortable around animals before you start. If you’re not used to being around animals, it can be overwhelming. Pets may take a while to warm up to you. So be sure to spend some time around animals beforehand to see if it’s something that you’re comfortable with.
4. Do you have the necessary supplies? – Before becoming a pet sitter, it’s important to make sure that you have the necessary supplies. For example soe people like to take portable cat and dog toys they know will entertain their new furry friend. It can include things like food treats, water dishes, leashes, toys, and more. Ensure you get the pet owner’s permission.
5. Are you familiar with animal behaviour? – One of the most important things to know as a pet sitter is how to read and interpret animal behaviour properly. If you’re not familiar with this, it can be challenging to determine what your pets are trying to tell you. Be sure to research animal behaviour before taking on any new pets.
6. Are you able to handle emergency situations? – As a pet sitter, it’s important to be prepared for emergencies. This includes things like illnesses, injuries, and more. If you’re not comfortable dealing with these types of situations, it’s best not to become a pet sitter.
7. Do you have the space? – If you are caring for pets in your own home, then there are a few more questions to consider. One important thing to consider before becoming a pet sitter is whether or not you have the space. Pets need a place to sleep, eat, and play, and if you don’t have the necessary space, it’s best not to take on any new pets. You can consider installing a cat enclosure for extra safety.
8. Are you prepared to care for multiple pets? – If you’re considering becoming a pet sitter, it’s important to ask yourself if you’re prepared to care for multiple pets. Some pet sitters only take on one or two pets at a time, while others may take on more. Be sure to consider your own schedule and ability before taking on any new pets.

Create a strong petsitter profile

If this sounds appealing and you love the idea of travel by housesitting and petsitting then join HouseSitMatch as a sitter and create a strong petsitter profile. Your profile gives you the opportunity to communicate your passion for animals and your experience in caring for them.  This is a huge help in securing good petsitting jobs whether paid or unpaid.

Professional pet sitter

If you want to become a professional then you need to research how to become a certified pet sitter. If your aim is to earn money professionally by pet minding either in your own home or in the pet owners home then you need to do some research. Look up details on the following items:

Points to note if you want to become a pet sitter for professional work

• How to get certification as a pet sitter – There are many informal pet sitting groups in social media that may be able to help you secure free pet sitting certification.
• Get certified in pet first aid – You could start at your local veterinary surgery. They may have options for you to learn pet first aid.
• Get pet minding insurance – if you are a registered petsitter you can also apply to get a tailored professional indemnity insurance for pet minding.
• What are the best sites to become a pet sitter professionally – You could research a platform that suits you in how to become a pet sitter on rover for example. There are other platforms like Tailster.com, and Bark.com also. Depending on where you live they will have different concentrations of both jobs and people competing for those jobs.

Final pointers if you want to become a petsitter

These are just some of the things to think about when you want to become a petsitter. Pets can be a lot of work, but they can also be incredibly rewarding. If you’re considering taking on this responsibility, be sure to do your research and make sure that you’re prepared for the challenge.

JOIN HOUSESIT MATCH

Join Housesitmatch.com a professional service that offers access to help you find free checked live in petsitters and housesitters, for a moderate annual fee. These petsitters will help you keep pets at home safely and happy in their daily routine.

FURTHER READING ON PETSITTING AND PET SITTER SERIVCES

What are pet sitting services?

What is in home pet sitting and how much will it cost?

Housesitters keep pets safe at home and save money

The Affordable Alternative to Dog Kennels

What is House Sitting?