Paw Pals Pet Sitting

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What Is Involved In Pet Sitting?

November 23, 2020 by Mary Telesz

pet sitting can also provide companionship for pets while their owners are awayPet owners who love their pets hate leaving them alone. Most pet owners are happiest with their pets beside them on vacations, at work, at play, or just running errands around town. In reality, however, pet owners know that their pets cannot accompany them everywhere they go.

If you are a pet owner and need to be gone longer than the pet can safely be left alone, you have a choice: 1) You can take your pet to a boarding facility (which can be extremely traumatic to your pet and even dangerous to the wellbeing of some animals); or 2) you can enlist the help of a pet sitter—that is, a person (often a friend or family member) who can come to your home and care for your pet.

What Is Pet Sitting?

Pet sitting for pets is similar to babysitting for children. A pet sitter is a trusted person who comes to your home and cares for your pet while you are gone. In the view of most pet owners, having a pet sitter come to their home is far better than taking the pet to a boarding facility. Under the care of a pet sitter, your pet is able to remain in the comfort of its own home and follow its daily routine. Your pet will experience less stress about your absence than it would if left in a strange environment.

If you have a reliable friend or family member available to care for your pet, you can save yourself some expense. But do not rule out the services of a professional pet sitter. A pro may be less stressful for you and for your pet. A professional pet sitter will adhere to the schedule and provide the services that your pet needs. Additionally, most pros are animal lovers who have received training on how to administer medications to pets, recognize a medical emergency, provide first aid to your pet, and provide a range of other services based on your pet’s needs.

What It Involves

Pet sitting involves caring for a pet in its own home while the owner is away. Pet sitting involves taking on the full responsibility of the health and well-being of your pet. A good professional pet sitter is usually licensed, bonded, and insured, and adheres to the standards of pet care in the pet sitting industry. They have kept abreast of industry standards and practices regarding animal care methods, emergency first aid techniques, and other important elements that make a pet sitter a professional.

At a minimum, you can expect a professional pet sitter 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.

Fresh water with each feeding is important. A professional pet sitter knows the importance of fresh water and clean food dishes to your pet’s health.

Exercise and Playtime for Your Pet

Your pet may be content sleeping most of the day and night while you are gone. 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 give pets of any kind some cuddle time. Brushing or combing their coats keeps them shiny, and most animals find gentle grooming reassuring.

Administering Medication If Needed

pet sitter can take pet outside instead of letting it languish in the homeIf 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.

Cleaning Up 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 Individual Needs

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 do include bringing in your mail, turning lights on/off, watering plants, and so on. Whatever service you need, you can discuss it with your pet sitter and make appropriate arrangements.

Work With The Professional Pet Sitters At Paw Pals

dog walking can be part of the pet sitting serviceThe 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
5.0
Paw Pals Pet Sitting
Paw Pals Pet Sitting
5.0
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!
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.
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!
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.
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!
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.
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!
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!
Taylor Smith
Taylor Smith
21:22 03 Oct 21
I never worry when Mary and team take care of my dog!
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.
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.
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.
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