True 2 Gold

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Pet Sitters

Here are some tips on hiring a pet sitter. Don't leave your pets in the hands of unqualified people. Good friends and family members are great since they already know your pets, but only if they have the necessary skills to handle the daily tasks and any emergency that may arise.

You take for granted how much you know! When you find a reliable pet sitter invite them over just to play with your pets and get acquainted with them. This way your pets won't feel any trauma if you have to leave them under the care of someone else.

Personally I always have someone come to my home, I don't trust other people's facilities or their guests. I always check references and make sure the references are viable customers not boyfriends and family members.

Here are some suggestions. Please don't use all of the questions, it would be overwhelming! Choose those that are relevant to your situation and use your own words, making the candidate feel welcome and comfortable.

Allow the candidate to ask you a lot of questions too. If they seem over confident they may not be prepared for the unknown. Present the good and bad features of your pet so that your sitter is not surprised if your pet runs off with her cell phone!

We always consider taking care of our own pups no matter how old they are. They must be current on all shots or titer tests and behave appropriately. If your dog is not behaving, please call us, we can help.

43 Questions for a Pet Sitter Interview

Published: Monday, March 25, 2013 by PetSitter.com

• Can you describe your philosophy of raising animals?
• Have you had pets of your own?
• What are your hobbies and interests?
• What do you consider to be your greatest strengths?
• What do you consider to be your weaknesses?
• What are your most significant accomplishments?
• Do you have a current position and why do you want to leave?
• What are your expectations for your next position?
• What are your long-range goals?

2. Attitudes towards pets and pet care knowledge

• Why did you choose to become an animal caregiver?
• What qualities do you have that make you a good caregiver?
• What do you enjoy about looking after pets?
• How many years of experience do you have with pet care ?
• Do you have experience with house training animals?
• Do you feel competent to look after baby animals?
• What kinds of activities would you do with the animal(s) in your care?
• In the case of dog sitting, how many walks a day to you feel are necessary?
• How would you handle a dog's crying and cat's whining?
• Are you able to take the pet to training programs?
• If you are pet sitting at your home, are you comfortable with an animal sleeping with you in a bed?
• Would you consider it safe to unleash the dog in a leash-free animal park?
• What do you find the most challenging/interesting part of working with pets?

3. Talents/Skills of Candidate

• Do you enjoy playing with the animals in your care?
• Are you willing/able to groom animals in your care?
• Are you confident and willing to administer medicine to an animal?
• Are you willing to come to the house at a set time each day?
• Are you trained in First Aid?
• What would you do in the case of an injury to the pet?
• What would you do if the pet is choking?
• How would you handle aggressive behaviour from another animal?
• How would you treat a pet's illness?
• Do you have a driver’s license?
• Are you able to drive a standard or automatic car?
• What type of insurance do you have? (full/ comprehensive/3rd party?)
• Would you be willing to care for an animal in your own home?
• Are there any other duties you would consider doing?
• checking mail
• picking up flyers and newspapers
• Do you speak a second language?

4. Employment Details

• When would you be available to start a new position?
• What salary are you seeking?
• Can you provide two current references with phone numbers?
• How do you feel about a trial period; how long should this be?
• What hours do you expect to work each week or bi-weekly?
• What are your holiday expectations?
• Would you be willing to sign a contract?

5. Concluding Remarks

• What would you like to say about yourself and this position to conclude this interview?