So, you’ve landed your very first pet sitting job… good work! all of those emails as well as Skype phone calls lastly paid off as well as you’re off to a new location to look after an lovable pet (or 10) for the next few weeks (or months).

Now that you’ve discovered a job, you can unwind a bit…. however not completely. There are some important things you ought to think about in the time leading as much as your flight to your new short-term home.

1. book Flights

An experienced home sitter understands that house owners always have horror stories from previous sitters. one of the most typical of these accounts is typically the pet sitter cancelling two weeks before they were supposed to arrive, leaving the house owner with non-refundable flight tickets and nobody to view their pets.

The very first thing you ought to do after landing your task as well as confirming that you are 100% hired, is book your ticket. when you have the eTicket, ahead it to the house owner’s email. This will alleviate much of the stress and anxiety that he or she may have about your arrival.

Note: It has likewise occurred that the house owners cancel on the home sitters, leaving them with pre-paid, non-refundable flights. It is a great concept to have the house owner send you their eTicket as well. It’s not a set-in-stone method, however it assists to show commitment on both sides.

2. email The house owner Regularly

It’s always smart to keep in get in touch with with the house owner in the weeks or months leading as much as your arrival. It will keep them at simplicity understanding that you’re there for concerns as well as that you’re still planning to come. We can’t tension sufficient exactly how anxious some house owners can be after poor experiences, so reduce their stress and anxiety as much as possible by emailing them every couple of weeks with an update.

3. Do Some research study on Where You’re Pet Sitting

You’re going to want to understand where you’re living, what is around you as well as what type of things to view out for. In our experience, we’ve discovered a great deal of info about the towns that we sit in online, however the very best location to discover advice is from the house owners themselves. They’ve lived there, they’re locals as well as they understand all the solution to the concerns that you may have.

If you are handling an experienced house owner who has had pet sitters before, they will likely send you pre-written info about the dogs, the home as well as the area. If they haven’t done this already, you ought to get in touch with them as well as ask them for some information.

 

While it can be good to sit “off the grid”, in some cases these type of tasks can be a hassle. If the grocery store as well as all amenities are a 2 hour drive away, you may feel disconnected as well as bored.

Find out as much as you can about the house, the animals as well as the place before agreeing to any type of sit.

4. Driver’s Licence

Hopefully the house owner is leaving you with a car while they’re away, in which situation you’ll requirement to discover out precisely what is needed of you to drive in the country you are visiting. Some countries need an worldwide driving permit (IDP), while others will only need you have a valid driving licence from your house country.

In some countries, you’ll requirement to go into the authorities station as well as apply for a regional driving permit when you show up for your pet sitting job.

Before the house owner leaves, you’ll have to head to the station as well as show the policeman your passport as well as your house country driving licence to get this permit. These permits frequently expense between $10 as well as $25.

There are some listings on the internet that show which countries need an worldwide driver’s permit, however in our experience these listings are unreliable. It’s finest just to inspect with the house owner.

5. travel Visa

For some countries, you will requirement to obtain a travel visa before arriving. This typically implies that you’ll have to go into the destination country’s embassy in your house country as well as apply for a visa there.

In many locations where there are home sitting jobs, you’ll either get visa-free entry or you can pay for the visa upon arrival at the airport. These policies modification often as well as vary depending upon your nationality, so it’s always finest to inspect the country’s government site to be sure of the visa situation.

6. filling Out The entry type (Don’t state Pet Sitting)

If you’re sitting internationally, then while you’re on the airplane headingto your new short-term home, you’ll have to fill out a customs as well as immigration entry form.

It is essential that under the “Reason For Visit” category, you inspect the “Tourism” box. Ticking the “Visiting Friends” or composing “Pet Sitting” will practically definitely result in a hold up at immigration when you land.

This is not lying, you are a tourist.

Also, it is imperative that you have a regional address on hand. We extremely suggest getting the address of a regional hotel, rather than putting down the residential address where you’ll be staying.

Immigration will never look twice at this, however if you put a residential address, you may be held for doubting as well as you never understand what occurs in those back rooms! It would be a pity to be sent house since you’re staying in a residential house as well as you don’t have a “Social Visa”.

Don’t let all this bureaucracy frighten you. just inspect the tourism box as well as provide them a hotel address. Simple.

7. spend a Day or two With The Owner

The owner will most likely request that you come a couple of days early as well as it’s essential that you do so. For these couple of days, you’ll be shown around the city, as well as you’ll get a rundown of all of the home as well as pet chores that will be requested of you.

Be sure to pay the animals lots of interest during this time. Not only will this show the owner that you’re dedicated to their animals, however it will likewise assist the animals to get utilized to you while feeling protected around their owner’s presence.

8. stay At The home For The very first couple Of Days

We always choose to stay “home” for the very first 2 – 4 days after reaching a pet sit. We’ve discovered that the animals are frequently confused or even depressed after their loving owner has left them.

It’s critical to make the animals feel comfortable as well as taken care of in the early days of the sit to ensure that they can develop a bond with you much more quickly. provide them additional interest as well as perhaps a few additional treats as well ?

Animals are understood to go with some separation stress and anxiety when their owners leave, however having a loving sitter there to calm them as well as play with them can do wonders.

9. keep The Pet’s routine As much As Possible

This is particularly necessary in the very first few days of your sit. The animals will probably have a solid routine that they’ve always complied with with their owner. If you throw this routine off as well quickly, you run the danger of stressing them out.

For the very first few days, try to walk them when the owner walked them, get up when the owner typically did as well as feed them at the exact same time that they are used to. Of course, over time the pet will ended up being accustomed to your own rhythm, however at very first you ought to stay in their routine as much as possible.

10. keep communication With The Owner

This is the most essential part of your task as a pet sitter. everybody we’ve pet sat for has liked our constant communication, pictures as well as comprehensive updates. We send an email every few days, just to let the owners understand that whatever is okay.

We include pictures of walks, playtime, bath time, grooming etc. It’s crucial to let the owner understand that the animals are in great hands as well as having a great time!

Also, if there are any type of problems with the animal, when you have to take them to the veterinarian or administer new medications, make sure you get in touch with the owner before doing so.

Usually the owner will have directions for you in situation of any type of emergency, however during these times it’s important that you keep constant communication as they will likely be extremely concerned about their furry friend.

That’s It!

Now you can just unwind as well as delight in the business of your new friend(s) while you pet sit in your short-term dream home! While many people are just thrilled to get their very first job, it’s essential to comprehend that there are still things to think about after you get your preliminary sit.

Hopefully these 10 things will assist you to be a much better pet sitter as well as enable you to get much more tasks pet sitting around the world. If you do your task to the very best of your ability, the owner will likely invite you back over as well as over again. great luck!

More information about pet / home sitting:

How To Land Theideal Pet sitting Job

Why home Sitters are important To house Owners

5 methods To save money on Accommodation

House Sitting: often Asked Questions

How We saved $24,000 on Accommodation

even much more about home Sitting

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