Celebrate Pet Sitters Week with Us – 6 Super Hero Pet Sitter Stories

Today marks the official start of Pet Sitters Week – a week dedicated to celebration of the role of professional pet sitters in today’s pet care industry. At the APSE we have chosen to celebrate this annual event by sharing the stories of 6 heroic pet sitters who in their everyday job of caring for pets went above and beyond and were a Super Hero Sitter for their clients. Starting tomorrow (Monday 7th March) at the Association of Pet Sitting Excellence blog we’ll be bringing you the stories of these sitters: Gus Elfving – owner of Pet Peeps in Washington, DC – Monday, March 7 Tori Lattig – co-owner of Endless Pawsibilities in Toms River, NJ – Tuesday, March 8 Miranda Murdock – owner of My Pet’s Buddy in Shrevesport, LA – Wednesday, March 9 Jan Brown – owner of Jan’s Pet Sitting in Foster City, CA – Thursday, March 10 Bella Vasta – owner of Bella’s House and Pets in Scottsdale, AZ – Friday, March 11 Jason Hoffman – owner of 203 Pet Service in Fairfield, CT – Saturday, March 12 I’m sure we are just touching the tip of the iceberg with these tales or heroism. As pet sitters each and every one of us has had an experience where we have gone above what is expected of us to come through and save the day for our clients. If you want to share your story – we’d love to hear it! Please leave a comment here on Working with Pets – or on the APSE blog. How are you celebrating this special week for Pet Sitters?

Owning a pet business does not guarantee you success, but it is generally not difficult to set up your own pet business adn many who own pet businesses love the hard working lifestyle and the closeness to pets. You will have to compete with those who may be better trained, may have lower cost structures and those who “pretend” to have your skills and experience when they do not. (eg not all those who advertise themselves as groomers are actually Groomers).

There are also key skills that all dog industry professionals should possess. Here are some of the most critical skills and abilities for those hoping to work with dogs professionally: Basic Dog Handling and Training Skills, ability to recognize behavioral signals.

Animals can be somewhat unpredictable when they are under stress or in an unfamiliar environment, like when they visit the veterinary office or the grooming salon, so it is important to be attentive and stay aware of the animal you are handling at all times.