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What Does In-Home Pet Sitting Include?

December 21, 2020 by Mary Telesz

dog is taking a nap while a pet sitter is pet sitting itWhen you have to travel or spend time at work, you want to be sure your pet is comfortable and not stressed out. Boarding your pet at a boarding facility or leaving it with a friend or relative is not always a pet owner’s first choice, nor is it likely your pet’s first choice. In most cases, your best option is to hire a professional pet sitter to come to your home and take care of your pet, but what does in-home pet sitting include?

Professional In-Home Pet Sitter Tasks

A professional pet sitter will take on the full responsibility of the health and well-being of your pet. An advantage to hiring a pro instead of relying on a friend or family member is the professional pet sitter is licensed, bonded, and insured, and adheres to the standards of pet care in the pet sitting industry. These professionals have kept abreast of industry standards and practices regarding animal care methods, emergency first aid techniques, and other important elements that elevate a professional pet sitter to the level of a professional. To reach professional status, these pet sitters have shown they are dedicated to the well-being of pets and their owners.

At a minimum, you can expect a professional in-home pet sitting to provide the following services:

Feeding and Changing Water

The most basic service a pet sitter will provide is regular feeding and watering. To minimize the stress on your pet, have the pet sitter feed your pet at the same time you do when you are home. Your pet may already be stressed that you are gone, and getting its meals at the usual time each day is comforting. Usually, pets need to be fed once in the morning and once in the evening, though many pets require more frequent feedings. A professional pet sitter can accommodate that schedule.

Fresh water with each feeding is important. A professional pet sitter knows your pet’s good health requires fresh water and clean food dishes.

Exercising and Playing With Your Pet

Your pet may be content sleeping most of the day and night while you are gone, but even the biggest couch potato benefits from a little exercise. A pet sitter can walk and play with your dog, play with your cat, and entertain whatever kind of pet you have. If you have a senior dog or a pet with special care needs, your professional pet sitter will provide that care.

Providing Lots of TLC to Your Pet

pet sitter caresses a cat that they are pet sittingA professional pet sitter knows how to give your pet the amount of TLC it needs. Many dogs and cats enjoy a good brushing or combing, which keeps their coats healthy. Grooming also gives them some comfort and reassures them that all is well. However, if your pet does not enjoy attention from a stranger, the professional pet sitter knows how to assess that situation and gives the pet the space it needs.

Administering Medication If Needed

If your pet needs medications administered, a professional pet sitter is the way to go. Most have been trained to give medications to even the most reluctant pet. With a professional pet sitter, you can have peace of mind knowing that your pet is not skipping needed medications in your absence.

Another benefit to a professional pet sitter is their ability to recognize and respond to a medical emergency involving your pet. If you have a pet whose health is compromised, a professional pet sitter often is the most responsible choice. The pet sitter will make sure you provide essential information pertaining to your pet’s health, your vet’s contact information, emergency vet contact information, and instructions on how and when to contact you in the event questions arise or to notify you of any emergencies.

Cleaning Litter Boxes And Other Pet Messes

Accidents happen. A professional pet sitter will clean up food and water spills, knocked-over knick-knacks, bathroom messes, shredded toys, and just about anything that your pet may have gotten into while unattended. You can come home to the same tidy, orderly place that you left.

Other Task Your Might Need

Professional pet sitters can provide a variety of other services to give you peace of mind while you are away from home. Some common services that pet sitters will provide include bringing in your mail, turning lights on/off, watering plants, and so on. These supplementary services will make it appear as if you are home and deter vandals. It is also nice to know that you will not have to tend to multiple chores when you return home. Whatever service you need, you can discuss it with your pet sitter and make appropriate arrangements.

Contact The In-Home Pet Sitting Experts At Paw Pals

dog looks at pet sitter that is pet sitting itThe pet sitters at Paw Pals can take care of any type of pet when you cannot. Their compassionate and reliable professionals are available to help you whenever you need them. Contact them for more information about their services.

Filed Under: Pet Sitting

Contact Paw Pals for More Information

Paw Pals specializes in professional dog walking, dog sitting, and pet sitting services. One of our reliable, adult staff members will keep your pet safe, while providing your pet the love and care they need when you are away. Contact us to learn more!

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Office Location

Paw Pals Pet Sitting, LLC
14001-C Saint Germain Drive #213
Centreville, VA 20121
(703) 345-1695

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Office Hours

Monday
9am - 5pm
Tuesday
9am - 5pm
Wednesday
9am - 5pm
Thursday
9am - 5pm
Friday
9am - 5pm
Saturday
Closed
Sunday
Closed

Areas Served

Centreville – 20120, 20121
Chantilly – 20151
Clifton – 20124
Fairfax – 22030, 22033
Fairfax Station – 22039
Manassas – 20109, 20110, 20111
Reston – 20191, 20190

Google Rating
4.9
Paw Pals Pet Sitting
Paw Pals Pet Sitting
4.9
Taylor Smith
Taylor Smith
21:22 03 Oct 21
I never worry when Mary and team take care of my dog!
Michæl Silva
Michæl Silva
21:38 01 Jul 22
Mary at Paw Pals Pet Sitting is the greatest! She has helped me train my pooch Chico how play nice with other dogs and for that I am extremely grateful! A+A+A+A+A+A
Kwi Kim
Kwi Kim
22:37 17 Jun 22
I hired Paw Pals based on my sister’s referral. Meet & greet was very thorough and detailed. I was surprised that my finicky cat came to check the sitter out. Subsequently, a sitter watched my cat over several separate visits, and it was clear through the visit reports that my cat loved the sitter. All the visits were completed having followed my directions & with professionalism.I would highly recommend Paw Pals to anyone who’s looking for a dependable, personable, & professional sitter.
Joseph Walter
Joseph Walter
19:55 13 Jun 22
Paw Pals provided a large number of photos of our pets along with a personalized message on how our pets were doing with every single visit. I would highly recommend using Paw Pals, we'll be continuing to use them whenever we go on vacation.
Ashley Manning
Ashley Manning
09:50 11 Jun 22
Highly recommend as pet sitters!Initially, a sitter from the company will visit the house to meet the pets and learn where everything is. Tatiana took careful notes and we got her some spare keys.While we are away, Paw Pals sends sitters to come and look after our boys. They feed them, scoop litter, bring in mail and packages, and they will even manage trash, recycling, blinds and lights so that everything is comfortable for our kitties. Each time they check in, we receive an email message with updates and pictures, which is so comforting when we are on the road.Also, if you don’t let Paw Pals know when you are home, they assume something has happened and will continue to care for your babies. If something were to happen, I know they would be okay.Five stars for Paw Pals!
Brian Wood
Brian Wood
04:08 22 May 22
We have used Paw Pals for a number of years now and would highly recommend to anyone looking for help with their pets. Great communication from owner Mary and flexibility to make adjustments in schedule as life changes over time. Have had a consistent set of walkers who have gotten to know our pup and the various walking routes around our neighborhood quite well.
Lesley Bush
Lesley Bush
13:58 18 Mar 22
We can't rave enough about Paw Pals. They took care of our 18 year old Cat and 20 year old Chinchilla while we were away and when our flight got cancelled, they were so accommodating and available last minute for an extra day. We worked with Jen to coordinate visits from Miko and Danny. I loved the pictures and updates on how our Lil geriatric guys were doing. Thanks a million, Paw Pals!! Our special pets were so well cared for.
Sebastian Barnes
Sebastian Barnes
01:06 17 Jan 22
I have used Paw Pals for several trips over the last few months, and they have been phenomenal every time! Mary is extremely kind and responsive, and she makes sure that my cat and dog have the care that they need every time I am out of town. All of the pet sitters that I've had have been incredibly sweet to my pets, and they treat them like their own! Will gladly continue using Paw Pals every time I need a sitter.
Julie Shildt
Julie Shildt
17:45 14 Nov 21
It has been a pleasure doing business with paw pals. We have used this company for several trips we have taken over the past 6 months. They have been wonderful caretakers for our 2 cats. Anytime there is ever a question they don't hesitate to give us a call and they leave the best notes and pictures in the emailed report of each visit. We are so glad have found such a great company.
Andrea Hall
Andrea Hall
22:45 03 Oct 20
I wasn't sure about hiring a new doggie walker service... after all they are our kiddos... my babies were in great hands and I felt relaxed having them in their care. Thank you for everything!
Katie McCune
Katie McCune
19:19 15 Jul 21
I honestly cannot recommend Mary and her whole crew enough! We started using Mary originally about 7 years ago to stop by occasionally when our Aussie Lana was younger. Over the next couple years Lana stayed with Mary and her family for a couple weekends when we went on vacation. When we moved to our new house in Manassas, Lana stayed with Sam, who lives in Manassas, overnight for moving day, and did great. Right before the pandemic, we adopted our second Aussie, Goose, and Mary recommended a fantastic trainer for him.We now have weekly walks for the dogs, and they love all of their walkers! Trevor, Paul, Hazel, Sofie, and probably a couple others have helped Goose get used to more people, and have helped my husband and me when our schedules are crazy.Paw Pals is our go-to for any help with our dogs, so I highly recommend them!
Alexandra Hill
Alexandra Hill
22:43 23 May 21
I was a nervous mommy to leave my cats with a sitter service for the first time. Paw Pals went above and beyond to care for my cats and ease a nervous mommy. I already made a reservation to use them again!
Cindy Welgoss
Cindy Welgoss
13:12 27 Nov 20
We have been using Paw Pals for several years, and through a variety of pets that we have loved. Mary and her team have always been *exceptional* in every way. They are professional, courteous, and truly love our fur family! Mary herself is an organized and stellar administrator of her pet care business, keeping detailed records of our pet’s needs, scheduled pet visits, payments, and balance due easy to keep track of as the pet owner. The pet caretaking team is reliable and trustworthy. When our dogs see any of their Paw Pal friends, they get SO excited to see them! Follow up comments are left via text to keep the pet owner informed of the visit and how the pets are faring. Paw Pals has allowed our family the peace of mind to leave our pets at home, for work, weekend getaways and longer times away when necessary, where they are the most comfortable and familiar. We are grateful to Mary and her team for giving us the ability to enjoy pet ownership without feeling tied down. The responsibility of having pets comes with the need to keep them safe and comfortable at all times, and Mary and her team affords us this when our family has to be away.
Dr Tammy Cashion
Dr Tammy Cashion
21:11 12 Mar 19
We have used Paw pals pet sitting on multiple occasions for our bunnies while we are away. Many pet sitters are not interested in small pets however; Mary and her team, are amazing and we trust her implicitly! We are very happy with the outstanding service we have received from her team including texts and photos of our pets when we are out of town. They always go the extra mile and we highly recommend them!
Kristin Conrad
Kristin Conrad
16:00 16 Nov 19
We are so grateful we found Mary and her team at Paw Pals. They are exceptionally responsive, amazingly organized and detail-oriented.We have such peace of mind when we travel knowing our home and pets are so well cared for. Paw Pals is the best pet sitting service we’ve used, and we’re so happy we found them.
Katie Russell
Katie Russell
15:01 17 May 20
Paw Pals is fantastic! I have had a great experience with Mary! Compassionate, professional, responsive, and prompt! Thank you!
Phillip Evans
Phillip Evans
14:38 11 Jul 20
When we adopted our new dog in January, Paw Pals agreed to walk her and give her some outside time so she wasn't in the crate all day. She loved her dog walker and you could see her excitement every time the walker showed up. We moved out of the area but would recommend Paw Pals to anyone needing someone to care for their pets.
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