Do you use a home/pet sitter while traveling?

[Cameron]

I've hired a home/pet sitter for while I'm away on an upcoming 3-week trip. In the past, whenever I've had someone stay at the house, it's usually been a friend of the family who I knew well enough to make my home very welcoming.

Instructions for wifi, appliances, emergency contacts, etc. are put together.

This wonderful young woman house/pet sits for a former neighbor and is very reasonably priced compared to what I'd have to pay for boarding my poodle.

What do you do about food, if anything, for the sitter? Do you stock your fridge and panty for the sitter? Do you leave a gift card for buying groceries?

As an extra perk, I'll leave instructions for using Netflix and she won't need my login information as I have it preset. She's welcome to read any books on my shelves, of course. Any other entertainment perks?

My guest room and bath have already had a trial run when a friend stayed, so that's all fine as I'll leave the bath stocked with new toiletry basics (toothpaste, mouthwash, shampoo, lotion).

On the day my house is cleaned, I've asked her to take Brie to doggy daycare and I've prepaid for several extra days in advance in case her schedule necessitates it (she's a researcher at the major hospital near me).

I'll leave her maps of the wooded walking trails, etc. She lives in the same city, so she knows her way around.

What else can I do to make this work well for her?

Thanks!

 

[Pauline]

We used pet sitters in Santa Fe for our cats and were lucky to use each one for many years. We did 2 month trips to Europe and it was nice to have someone in the house and to have the cats at home.

I had a detailed house book like you have. I didn't leave food (but that is a nice idea) or pay for food, but I paid a good daily rate plus gave a cash present if something exceptional happened (our cat died when we were away and our house sitter had to deal with all that - even taking time off work to be with him when he was put to sleep because we couldn't make it home in time). And, like you, I paid for regular house cleaning while they were there.

I can't think of anything more than you have done. One thing I did in the house book was include full photos of each cat in case they got lost and the sitter had to look for them at the animal shelter (although they were chipped - perhaps OTT).

 

[Cameron]

Brie has a chip, but the photo is a great idea, too.

Thanks!

 

[Lisa in Ottawa]

I had the most marvellous experience several years ago when we went to Oxford for 3 months. We had a retired couple stay with our 2 elderly dogs. I left detailed instructions as well as lots of food and info at the vets. I also left credit card info at vets and upward amt I was willing to spend if one of them got sick.
I think we were incredibly lucky. I simply browsed a website w/o registering and saw this couple and just knew they would be perfect. And they wanted to stay in Ottawa over the winter! I booked them a year in advance and met them beforehand. I also kept regular contact via email before and during their stay.I was afraid with such a long lead time something would happen and then we'd be in a mess. But it worked perfectly.

 

[Cameron]

That's a great story! Thanks.

My petsitter isn't going to work out this time around, so Brie will be boarded and my son and his wife's mother will look in on the house often.