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Professional pet sitting is more than a career—it’s a lifestyle. PSI launched its #petsitterlife initiative to highlight the unique joys and challenges of the pet-sitter lifestyle, and the #petsitterlife feature series has that same goal. Each month, we’ll feature a different PSI member in a Q&A blog post, a Facebook Live interview and an Instagram “takeover.”

This blog post will help you learn more about this business owner’s #petsitterlife and provide you with some tips and advice for your own pet-sitting business.

PSI members, if you are interested in being considered for a #petsitterlife feature, please fill out this online form.

Meet Judith Tait, owner of Move Your Doggie in Whitby, Ontario, Canada.

Name: Judith Tait

Business name: Move Your Doggie

Location: Whitby, Ontario, Canada

Year you started your pet-sitting business: 2016

What was your previous job/profession? Police Officer

Why did you decide to become a pet sitter? I have had a life-long passion for pets. I honestly think I missed my calling. If I could go back in time I would likely have chosen an animal related field as a career. I also know that pet care can be expensive and I wanted to provide pet care for people who love their pets and need someone they can trust with their pets. I also want people to feel a peace of mind, a sense of trust and security when deciding to leave their pets with someone. I knew that I could be that person because that’s what I would expect from someone taking care of my pets.

Number of current clients: 70

What does your typical day look like? My day is very administrative with some overnight pet sitting jobs occasionally as I have staff.

Is your service area urban, suburban or rural? The area we serve is both urban and suburban.

Do you offer any services besides basic in the client’s home pet sitting and dog walking (pet taxi, grooming, etc.)? Pet taxi, administer medication, reasonable household chores when doing live-in pet sitting assignments

Do you use staff sitters, and if so, how many? 4

Can you offer any tips for recruiting and managing staff? When recruiting you have to clearly communicate what the job role and requirements are so that you attract the right type of applicants.  List the specific duties and responsibilities, and even break them down in to mandatory and preferred requirements. This can help to weed out people who don’t really qualify for a variety of reasons. It may also set apart the serious from the not-so-serious-about-the-job people.

You must also try to position yourself as an employer of choice. Why would people want to work for you? Not only should you look at how the applicant can be an asset to your business, but also try to see it from the applicant’s perspective which may be, “how can this business be of benefit to me.” A genuine question because, people are not only looking for a job they enjoy, they are looking for security, which may come in the form of employee benefits, for example. This is something that may attract better quality and loyal staff.  

To manage staff I do not believe in micromanaging. I believe in empowering staff to make decisions regarding their jobs, and I really focus on a team work mentality. I find that this keeps everyone happy and motivated. Even this past winter when we had days of snow, ice and minus 20 degree temperatures with the wind chill, my team was hard at work, doing their visits. No complaints because they love what they do.  Either me or my team manager will check in daily to let them know that we’re there if they need us, and to ensure that they are okay. I am also approachable so that if they have any concerns they are comfortable talking to me. I hold team meetings online via Zoom twice a month and I recognize their loyalty and hard work by getting together in person and treating them to a fun activity or lunch.

What PSI resource have you found most helpful? The magazine

What educational opportunities have you taken advantage of since becoming a pet sitter? One of the first things I did was I received my Pet First Aid and CPR training. I have participated in educational webinars both through PSI and other pet educational resources. I have purchased and read eBooks related to pet care and running a pet sitting business. Most recently my team and I participated in a customer service workshop as I believe in providing an exceptional customer service experience.

When I started my business, I knew that I wanted to go beyond dog walking and pet sitting. I wanted to have a strong presence in the community not only by providing quality pet care, but also by creating jobs for people who share my passion. However, I didn’t know anything about managing a business. So, I enrolled myself in a Business Administration degree program and graduated with my Bachelor of Business Administration degree three years later.

I also have a business coach and mentor from who I am constantly learning from and receiving guidance.

What advertising methods have worked best for your business? Most of my clients have found me on Google as I have a Google AdWords campaign. I also have both Instagram and Facebook profiles from where I get a lot of business. Finally, after being in business for a little over two years, I’m getting a lot of word-of-mouth business, which tells me that we’re standing out!

Are there any must-have business tools your business could not do without? A very good, user friendly, pet-sitting software system. Is it possible to do business without it? Yes, but it would be too time consuming, especially if you are planning for growth and expansion. Before I had pet sitting software, I did everything manually. As I grew in both my team and clients, it was becoming too difficult to manage and created a lot of frustration. I then did a lot of research on pet sitting software, compared prices, and services. I finally decided on Time to Pet. I have no regrets. My clients love it. My team loves it and I love it!

What steps do you take to practice self-care and prevent burnout? Grounding meditation, prayer, Daily Affirmations and constant practice of gratitude. And most important I stay connected to family and friends.

Are there any tips you would share for establishing a healthy work-life balance? In addition to getting a lot of exercise, you must eat healthy, and get proper rest. You have to be physically, mentally and emotionally strong to be successful. I, personally, have a daily practice of meditation and prayer, as it helps to keep me centered and balanced.

It’s also important that you have a good support system, someone to talk to, share experiences with or to just listen. We all love taking care of pets and would probably do it 24/7 if we could, but it’s important to have some down time, days off, and to spend time doing things you enjoy with the people in your life who are important to you.

Do you set goals for your business each year? Absolutely! You need to have goals. They help to provide direction and focus. Setting goals will help you to create a plan or road map. On this road map are milestones that can help you determine whether you’re on the right track or on target. By not setting goals you are depriving yourself the opportunity for growth and development. 

Do you have any tips for setting and achieving business goals? Many people would say make sure your goals are realistic and achievable. I say DREAM BIG. Dream the impossible goal and take action because it forces your brain to think in a bigger way. When you have those goals in mind they must be non-negotiable, meaning that, regardless of what happens or what anyone says, you’re going to hit that target. You will not stray. You will not give up. You will not settle for less. You must also be laser focused on that goal and so connected to your WHY, so that when the challenges and distractions that life throws at you pops up, nothing will knock you off course and you’ll keep moving forward.

Do you have any tips for establishing boundaries/learning to say no? This can be hard because we want to help and serve everyone, especially when it comes to pets. You need to decide what your boundaries are, make sure those boundaries are non-negotiable, and stick to it. If saying yes causes any kind of stress or anxiety, then you know you need to set a boundary. Once you’ve set your boundary or have had to say no, let it go and be proud of yourself for making a decision. Sitting on the fence and then caving to demands or requests just creates resentment, which is not healthy. What I find that helps is that if I have to say no, I do my best to provide another option or alternative for clients. Ultimately they are looking to us to solve a problem. By helping them find a solution they are happy and appreciative.

Do you network with other pet sitters/pet professionals in your area? Yes, and it has been great! We refer clients to each other, bounce ideas off of each other, pick each other’s brain for business advice and act as a support for when we are trying to work through any client/pet related issues. I love this as well because I market my business as the “Go-to Dog Walking and Pet Sitting service for all your pet care needs.” So, I can refer clients to a few pet stores, groomers, veterinarians, dog trainers and even other dog walkers. I like being able to refer clients to someone if there’s something that I can’t help them with. I also love to support other local businesses.

Share tips for connecting with other pet professionals (e.g. pet sitters, veterinarians, dog trainers, etc.). It is so important to get out there and network to get yourself known. Also, be sure to drop in and visit pet stores, vet offices and even the Humane Society frequently. Introduce yourself and get to know the owners and staff by name. This has to be done frequently because pet professionals will only refer people and do business with people they know, like and trust. You can also attend community events where you know other pet professionals will be. Connecting with pet professionals online is another great way to meet, learn from and share ideas and experiences with others.

What advice would you give to other pet sitters who would like to grow their businesses? The one thing that I can honestly say has worked for me is networking. This has given me the opportunity to be known in the community and to work with other business owners. It has provided me with many tools and resources that have contributed to both my personal and business growth and development. As a young entrepreneur I feel truly blessed to have a network of support leading me and guiding me in the right direction.