A Pet Sitter's Guide to House Sitting

Pet sitters accept a variety of jobs caring for cats, dogs, fish, guinea pigs and more exotic pets such as snakes, geckos and llamas. If you will also be house sitting along with pet sitting, some clients will expect you to be on hand 24/7 to care for pets during their absence. But how should you handle a temporary live-in pet sitting/ house sitting job?

Are You Expected to Be on Call All Day?

The benefits of hiring a pet sitter who will also house sit are obvious. Rather than having someone come by for 2-3 hours each day to look after Fluffy and Rover, a house sitter will be on hand throughout the day to care for the individual needs of pets. But even if you have agreed to stay at the house, you should find out as much as you can about the client's expectations.

For example, are you expected to be on call all day? Can you take a break away from the house? If so, how long can you be gone? A lot will depend on the species of pets you are caring for. Cats can normally fend for themselves for short periods of time, whereas dogs need to be walked regularly.

Are Additional Household Chores Part of the Deal?

House sitters will generally perform light household chores during a client's absence, but this will depend on circumstances. Pet sitters who have a whole farm of animals to care for may not have the time or the inclination to dust, mop and vacuum.

Talk to your client in advance and find out what their expectations are while they are gone and make it clear what you are prepared to do. Bringing in the post, putting the bins out, watering plants and making sure the home looks inhabited are basics that will not take much time out of your day, but if you are expected to take care of heavier duties, in addition to caring for the pets, you need to work out the extra arrangements and if you will charge extra for any additional services.

Pet sitting offers a great deal of variety, which helps keep the work enjoyable. If you have accepted a pet sitting job where you will also be house sitting for clients, you will need to find out as much as you can about the client's expectations. You should at the very least find out if you are expected to be on call all day, or if you can be away from the client's home at certain times during the day, and if you are expected to perform additional household chores.

More from this contributor:

House Sitter Dos and Don'ts.

What to Include in a Checklist for Pet Sitters.

How to Become a More Responsible Pet Sitter.