If​ ​ you​ ​ are​ ​ planning​ ​ a​ ​ vacation​ ​ or​ ​ business​ ​ trip​ ​ anytime​ ​ soon​ ​ and​ ​ cannot​ ​ take​ ​ your beloved​ ​ pets​ ​ along,​ ​ you​ ​ will​ ​ want​ ​ to​ ​ make​ ​ sure​ ​ that​ ​ you​ ​ are​ ​ leaving​ ​ your​ ​ pet​ ​ sitter with​ ​ everything​ ​ they​ ​ could​ ​ possibly​ ​ need​ ​ to​ ​ care​ ​ for​ ​ your​ ​ four-legged​ ​ family member(s).
When​ ​ Marion​ ​ and​ ​ I​ ​ started​ ​ pet​ ​ and​ ​ home​ ​ sitting​ ​ several​ ​ years​ ​ ago,​ ​ we​ ​ can​ ​ still remember​ ​ one​ of ​ our​ ​ first​ ​ pet​ ​ sitting​ ​ assignments.​ ​ Two​ ​ Basset​ ​ Hounds.​ ​ Every morning​ ​ we​ ​ would​ ​ pull​ ​ a​ ​ chair​ ​ up​ ​ to​ ​ their​ ​ food​ ​ bowls​ ​ and​ ​ sit​ ​ and​ ​ wait.​ ​ One​ ​ sniff, raised​ ​ heads,​ ​ and​ ​ sad​ ​ eyes,​ ​ but​ ​ no​ ​ eating!
We​ ​ WhatsApped​ ​ our​ ​ client.​ ​ Her​ ​ response​ ​ was,​ ​ oh​ ​ yes,​ ​ sorry,​ ​ forgot​ ​ to​ ​ tell​ ​ you, they​ ​ always​ ​ have​ ​ a​ ​ table​ ​ spoonful​ ​ of​ ​ plain​ ​ unsweetened​ ​ yoghurt​ ​ mixed​ ​ into​ ​ their breakfast!

All​ ​ this​ ​ wasted​ ​ time​ ​ and​ ​ worry,​ ​ and​ ​ these​ ​ pups​ ​ were​ ​ just​ ​ waiting​ ​ on​ ​ us​ ​ to​ ​ give them​ ​ yoghurt! For​ ​ your​ ​ pet​ ​ sitter​ ​ to​ ​ do​ ​ the​ ​ best​ ​ job​ ​ possible,​ ​ it​ ​ is​ ​ important​ ​ that​ ​ you​ ​ provide​ ​ the pet​ ​ sitter​ ​ with​ ​ a​ ​ check-list​ ​ prior​ ​ to​ ​ your​ ​ departure.​ ​ This​ ​ list​ ​ should​ ​ include:-

• Name,​ ​ telephone​ ​ number,​ ​ physical​ ​ address,​ ​ and​ ​ opening​ ​ times​ ​ of​ ​ your​ ​ vet. It​ ​ is​ ​ a​ ​ good​ ​ idea​ ​ to​ ​ let​ ​ your​ ​ vet​ ​ know​ ​ that​ ​ you​ ​ will​ ​ be​ ​ going​ ​ away​ ​ and​ ​ the​ ​ name of​ ​ your​ ​ pet​ ​ sitter.
• Type/brand of food, what quantity and at what times your pets are to be fed.
• Should there be a need to purchase additional food, at which store, pet shop, or vet should it be purchased.
• Are your pets allowed to have treats, if so, what, and at what times and in what quantity.
• If any of your pets are on medication, please take time to show your pet sitter how such medication is administered, in what quantity and at what times.
• It is a good idea to confirm, both indoor and outdoor activities and sleeping Arrangements.
• Also, please take some time to explain to your sitter your pet’s sleeping habits. Where and when.
• If you have dogs that need walking it is a good idea to show your sitter where, for how long and how often.