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By Beth Stultz-Hairston, PSI President

When discussing pet sitter safety, the common topics that likely come to mind are dealing with aggressive pets and taking proper precautions when entering clients’ homes. These are important topics, and we’ve addressed them in the previous posts in our pet sitter safety series:

• 4 pet-sitting assignments you should turn down
• Bites, scratches and the professional pet sitter
• 4 precautions to take when arriving at a client’s home  

In addition to being aware of these potential outside dangers and taking the necessary precautions, it’s vital that professional pet sitters and dog walkers practice self-care.  Running a small business—particularly one in the pet-care services industry—seems to leave little time for much else, but it does not mean that you have to put yourself at the bottom of your to-do list.

In fact, moving yourself higher up on your list can help you offer better service to your clients and keep yourself safe. An overworked, overtired and overcommitted pet sitter or dog walker is less alert, may not recognize red flags that could indicate danger and may make simple mistakes that put him or her in harm’s way.

To help stay safe, practice these important self-care tips for pet sitters and dog walkers:

1. Learn when (and how) to say “I’m booked.” Remember, you do not have to accept every client who contacts you and you don’t have to take on every pet-sitting request, even if it is from a current client. It’s important to recognize your limitations and know how many visits you can complete in a day without compromising the care you provide or jeopardizing your health or safety. When your schedule is overbooked and you are short on time, it’s much easier to make careless mistakes such as forgetting to lock the door behind you or leaving your keys in your car. You may also overlook red flags you would typically catch, such as a broken window or even misplaced items in a client’s home.

The best way to be able to say “no” (and to not feel as guilty about it) is to plan ahead—know when you are at capacity, then have a response ready. This way, you will not be caught off guard and will not feel pressure to simply give in and say “yes.” 

For example, if turning away clients when you are booked is difficult for you, network with another local sitter in advance that you will feel comfortable referring them to. That way, when a last-minute pet owner calls, you can have the confidence to say: “I would love to be able to care for Fluffy, but I cap my schedule at a certain number of visits to ensure all furry clients receive the absolute best possible care. However, I know a wonderful professional pet sitter who also services your area that I can refer you to this time, but I’m happy to take your information to put you on my e-mail list and would love to pet sit for you in the future.”  

2. Know your limitations in regards to the services you provide and pets you service. Schedule aside, there are other pet-sitting assignments you should turn down because you don’t have the experience and/or they are simply not a good fit. Practicing self-care includes being honest with yourself about what you can and cannot handle. While it’s tempting to try to help every client that requests your services, some services and some pets can put you in danger. For example, unless you have extensive animal-behavior training (and in many cases, even when you do), an aggressive pet can pose a real danger. While you may want to help, consider what would happen if a pet bite or attack seriously injured you. The physical, financial and professional implications could destroy your business.

While not posing the same immediate danger as an aggressive pet, other pets may not be a good fit for you and your business. For example, if you are not comfortable walking larger dogs or dogs that pull (or are not physically able to handle these dogs), then offering this service could ultimately result in injuries—whether damage to muscles/tendons in your arms and shoulders, or other injuries that could result from a fall or being pulled by the dogs.

When putting your health and safety first, you may also find that some pet-sitting services are not a good match for you. For example, if you are unable to sleep well in clients’ homes, ongoing overnight pet-sitting assignments could negatively impact your health (if you aren’t getting adequate sleep). Sleep deprivation can have a negative impact on both your health and your performance as a pet sitter. If this is the case with you, don’t offer overnight sits (or use a staff sitter for these assignments).

With your personal safety and well-being in mind, take time to do a personal inventory to determine what types of pets and services you will and will not offer. For services you will not offer or pet issues you cannot handle (aggressive pets, pets with specific health issues, etc.), compile a list of local resources (veterinarians, dog trainers, etc.) that you can provide to pet owners when you cannot offer services. In this way, you are putting your safety as a priority but also serving as a resource to the pet owner.

3. Focus on your health.  It’s easy to put yourself last, but don’t make this mistake. Of course, you are busy, but make time for your annual check-up, eat healthy, get enough sleep and exercise. Many pet sitters find that preparing meals in advance—quick, balanced meals or smoothies they can bring along with them—is one of the best ways to avoid skipping meals or being tempted by the nearest drive thru.

Be mindful of weather conditions as well. Extreme cold or extreme heat can be detrimental to both you and the pets in your care. Plan your schedule accordingly, either planning walks for times of day that do not expose you to the most extreme heat or cold, or plan alternate activities, such as indoor play.

Regular doctor visits also help you catch any potential medical issues or injuries early. Don’t ignore aches and pains that could indicate pulled muscles or other injuries that could prove debilitating if not addressed. Also, don’t skimp on buying quality shoes (your feet will thank you!) and remember to wear sunscreen.

In addition to your physical well-being, focus on your mental health as well. Burnout and compassion fatigue are very real issues in our industry—and, if left unaddressed, will begin to chip away at the professionalism of your business and the pet-sitting industry at large. (If you are unsure of what pet sitter burnout or pet sitter compassion fatigue are or how they are different, please be sure to read this previous post on The PSI Blog, “Pet Sitter Burnout and Compassion Fatigue—What you should know.”)

Being the best “you” you can be not only contributes to your own well-being—it also makes you a better pet sitter! If you have any health (physical or mental) concerns, be sure to contact your doctor. Just as we encourage pet owners to leave pet sitting to the professionals (like you), it’s important that you look to professionals for medical and/or mental-health advice.

4.  Build a strong support network. This industry has unique challenges, and it’s important to have others who understand the daily joys and struggles of pet sitting—as well as potential safety concerns. Network with local pet sitters and take advantage of opportunities like PSI’s annual conference and PSI’s free private member Facebook group to make connections with pet sitters from around the globe. There’s likely nothing you’ll experience in your pet-sitting business that has not been experienced by another pet sitter before—and having another pet sitter offer advice or just kind words is invaluable. In regards to specific safety issues, other pet sitters can often offer safety considerations that you haven’t thought of (e.g., how they screen clients in advance, red flags they only realized after an experience with an aggressive pet, etc.). Simply having an outlet to discuss any concerns you have can help reduce your stress and give you the confidence to establish and enforce policies and procedures for your business to keep you happier, healthier and safer.

Remember, safety first! If you aren’t taking care of yourself, you will not be able to take care of your pet-sitting business or your clients.