Pet Sitting, Dog Walking, House Sitting – Gold Coast

Posts Tagged ‘house sitting’

As I always like to network with my fellow professional pet carers on the Gold Coast, I was surfing the listings on the Gold Coast Gumtree Pet Services category.  Noticed a new company had sprung up (there seems to be a new pet care type of business every week) …   I was intrigued by their Gumtree advert.

Went to their website to find out more information as what intrigued me was their claim:

‘Sit My House’ Initial House Check Up and ‘Sit My House’ Call Me’ Program – we can assure you that we offer a service that no other pet sitting company does.

Here’s the thing:  this is a false claim.  I would question their research methodology to come to this conclusion.

Why?

Gold Coast Pet Sitting has been been offering this service and will continue to offer a similar service for many years to come…   except …. we have many years worth of experience to knonw that not every person “likes” their neighbours or vice versa.

Gold Coast Pet Sitting never presumes to “know” your situation better than you.

Thus we won’t be leaving “call me” cards on your neighbour’s doors unless you specifically tell us we can inform the neighbours.  We actually are happy to give you extra business cards with our names and phone numbers upon them for you to give to your neighbours if your neighbours need to call us direct.  If your neighbours even need to know the makes and rego of our cars, we are happy to provide these details as well (which we have for many clients).

I personally have also been on the “call” list for the security company for a few clients.

Another unknown fact is that I personally am trained in home safety/security through a course that was put together with the assistance of Five Star Security Training.  This is a course I can assure you is unique and has not been created by anyone else as it has been developed specifically for pet carers.  It’s BECAUSE I’m a single lone female that I created this course: for my own safety as well as the security/safety of the home of the client.

There are a lot of “little” things as well as “big” things that we do as part of our overnight house sitting services to make them incredible value for money …. that we do not scream from the mountain tops about because I believe in being humble and also tailoring each service to the clients’ needs.

Other articles we have published you may find interesting….

• Pet Sitting with Car Magnets = Bad Idea on the Gold Coast ! (goldcoastpets.com.au)
• Need A Lift? Gold Coast Pet Sitting Does A Pet Taxi (goldcoastpets.com.au)
• Very Important Medical Info for Gold Coast People (goldcoastpets.com.au)

From PetSitUSA’s blog:

If you’re looking for a pet sitter for the first time, you really need to get busy. You’ll need to  allow for enough time to meet with at least one pet sitter before you hire someone. Since you’re hiring someone to care for your pet and home, you don’t want feel rushed into making a decision that may not be a good fit. Planning early can help.

If you already have a relationship with a pet sitter, and need pet care between now and the end of the year, give him or her a call right away! If not, you’ll risk hearing, “I’m sorry, but I”m booked!”

{ read full article here }

If you are a current client of Gold Coast Pet Sitting, I’m already “book out” for Live In House Sitting and Overnights on select dates. If you are a new client, I would strongly advise you to get into action sooner rather than later:  we do offer two free meet n greets with every booking to help you.

As I am the Founder of the Network of Professional Pet Carers Gold Coast, if I cannot be of assistance I will be able to be of assistance to you by finding the appropriate available pet carer for your requirements.  At the same time, the majority of Network members are already quite busy for the last two weeks of December and first week of January.

It is wonderful to have pets in our homes; they help us relax on stressful days. For some of us, pets are our only reliable companions. Our pet dogs not only will help us relax and provide companionship that we need, they also guard our property. There are so many other benefits in owning a pet. However, there are number of complications as well in owning pets. Even though we may not be extensive travelers, there might be occasions in life that would force us to travel for a couple of days or we might like to take a vacation for a week to rejuvenate ourselves after a stressful year. In all these situations life can get bit complicated when we own a dog or other pets because travel and pets or vacation and pets are very bad combinations. Not all our friends may be that passionate about having to visit your home to help care for your pets. We cannot travel with our pets either in most situations. How do we handle such situations?

This is where the role of Professional Pet Sitters comes into play. These days we can get professional pet sitters who will be interested in taking care of our pets ( for a fee ) while we are away. This service creates a win-win situation for both parties. You, as the pet owner, can have stress free travel with the thought that your pets are being taken care of and that they are safe and at the same time the professional pet carer too continue doing what they love to do.

Professional Pet Sitting is becoming one of the most popular services these days as the number of people who own pets is also increasing day by day. Soon we will need more pet carers than baby sitters. More and more people realize the benefits of having a pet at home. Though there are some discomforts and responsibilities that come with it, families are still interested in owning pets. Services like Professional Pet Sitting come as a very timely service for pet lovers.

As founder of the Network of Professional Pet Carers, I can attest to the fact that the number of pet sitters are also increasing !  Only because there is an increasing demand for this type of service. Professional Pet Sitters will take care of all your pets needs, they will provide your pet with food and water at regular intervals and ensure that they are fed in a healthy way. They will also spend time with your pet engaging them in playful activities and give them the exercise that they need so that when you are back you will not find a depressed and hungry pet but a happy and active pet.

With Professional Pet Sitting services, you don’t have to worry about putting your dog with other animals in the kennel boarding where they can contract infections or where they can be bullied by stronger dogs. (The same can be said about catteries.) It is important that you should find a reliable and experienced Professional Pet Sitter in your locality.

If Gold Coast Pet Sitting cannot be of service, as Founder of the Network of Professional Pet Carers Gold Coast, I can have a variety of other professional service providers contact you or you can easily find a Professional Pet Sitter in your suburb by using the Network’s website, which has a comprehensive database of Professional Pet Sitters in almost all the Gold Coast. Visit www.goldcoastpets.com.au/petwise to find your Professional Pet Sitter today.

Contact Vanessa at Gold Coast Pet Sitting for your free no obligation quote !

As a founding member of the Gold Coast Network of Professional Pet Carers, I’ve noticed the business of dog sitting has grown considerably! Dog sitters make sure that your beloved pet is walked and fed properly while you are away or at work.  Dog sitters are also known as pet carers, pet sitting, dog minders or dog walkers.

If you’re trying to figure out what to look for in a professional dog sitter, consider the following:

• What is your budget ?

Whilst using a friend, family member, neighbourhood kid and so forth is the obvious affordable option as they will do it for free I can assure you as a professional pet carer who has “job shared” with family friends or relatives or neighbours, the saying “you get what you pay for” (or in this case do not pay) is true.  These people have their own lives and usually their own animals thus may not put the needs of your animal(s) at the top of their list or even miss visits because they know you have employed the services of a professional dog sitter.

At the same time, using someone who is obviously doing this for some extra side cash or a paying hobby (thus not charging the same price as professional services like us at Gold Coast Pet Sitting) isn’t always the next best option.  No doubt they have a passion/love for animals (and may have plenty of their own) or else they would not have opted to do this for some extra cash or a paying hobby!  Please be very aware that these people are doing this around their current life and jobs.  They will most likely be doing it all by themselves without a support network behind them or even procedures/systems in place for all the situations that can arise or just not have the same professionalism. Since they are not a full time business (only a paying hobby or extra side income), their own lives will come first.  Even the vet nurse working at your vet who is offering dog walking or pet sitting isn’t the best option.  This vet nurse has to be available for any last minute emergencies at her current workplace first and foremost thus may work long hours.  If you work long hours that are emotionally and physically draining (“on your feet”), you know you are not always going to be operating at your best at the end of the day.

• Does your dog sitter have an Australian Business Number, Company Number and/or Registered Business Name ?

This along with the next point below is the huge point of difference between someone doing this as a hobby or extra income versus a professional dog sitter.  Leaving the care of your beloved animals should be approached just like you would if you were to hire any contractor such as a plumber or electrician.  This shows that the person has determined they want to be different and more professional than the “kid next door”.

Just a note in regards to registered business names: after the first year of having the business name it costs the owner of the name to acquire a current certificate from the Office of Fair Trading. Not all business owners will opt to purchase this certificate + instead will give you their current business name number instead. If you really want to do your research, you’ll have to invest up to $50 to get a “business name extract” from the Office of Fair Trading to receive further details (such as when the business name is due for renewal, if it is a current business name, and so forth.

You can check to see if a business name is currently registered by clicking here and you can check if someone’s ABN is in fact their own ABN by clicking here.  It is illegal for someone to use an ABN that is NOT in their own name.

• Does the dog sitter have their own public liability insurance ?  Can they show you a copy of the certificate of insurance ?

Do not just take their word that they are insured.  Organisations such as Australian and New Zealand Pet Sitting Organisation will only list businesses who have shown proof of insurance – ask for the same proof when you meet them!  It is easy for anyone to “say” they are insured.  This insurance will also help with your peace of mind.  This person is taking the responsibility of the care of your home and property (which includes your animals as they are legally considered property) seriously. This point alone can separate a lot of people because insurance is costly and some people are not planning to do this for that long.

• Trust Google versus the Yellow Pages

If the business fails to show within the first or second page of your organic (not paid) search results on Google please do not bother with them as a business.  Anyone can be listed in the Yellow Pages – it doesn’t take any skill, effort or investment to have a basic listing.  Not just anyone can be listed and show up on the first or second page of organic (not paid – ignore the yellow paid listings) search results on Google.  This takes an investment by a person whether their own time, effort and/or skill or hiring someone else to do so.  This also reflects on the quality of the business too.

When searching for professional pet carers to join the Gold Coast Network of Professional Pet Carers, I did use the Yellow Pages online to contact people. The difference between the quality of professionalism with the people I found via Google and the people listed within the Yellow Page astounded me !  It still does to this day.

Along the same lines, check that the website you are visiting is up-to-date!

• Find an independent website to search for reviews and check references

I encourage this even with my own business.  Anyone can create a testimonials page!

Gold Coast Pet Sitting purposefully became a member of the Ask Erni directory of businesses because it is independent.  The team behind Ask Erni will interview businesses (as they did me) to ensure they are a good fit for the directory.  This ensures you, as the consumer, are only given quality business listing within this resource.

Do not trust reviews you see on Google Maps as these can be created by anyone with an email account. There is no real verification in these reviews.

I hope the above has been of assistance in helping you to find the best dog sitter for you.

Danielle "Bella" Vasta

I just need for you to come by for 10 minutes to let my dog outside.

My cat only needs a visit every second day.

My cat is an outdoor cat, you only need to check the food and water.

I’ve got Guinea Pigs/Rats/Snakes that only require you to come by every other day.

How much will that be?

By Bella Vasta [ SOURCE ]

I have been getting this question frequently these days. More people are looking to cut costs, which is understandable if you are one of those people who believe everything that is written in the newspaper or heard on the TV. However – especially in these times, can one really cut short the care they give to their home and pets?

Being a professional pet sitting company it is our DUTY to our clients to take our job seriously. In my own mind taking it seriously means having enough time at a home to accurately deal, assess, and care for our clients homes and pets. Our home, is our sanctuary, place we can feel at ease, please where you are safe. Our pets, are members of our family! Cutting cost on the care of one’s home or pets while they are not there is one of the biggest risks one could take when they go away. They could come back to NO home!

Things that HAVE happened in the past 7 years while I have been a pet sitter:

Four legged client was peeing blood. A trip to the emergency vet proved initially that it was a bladder infection. Further investigation showed that it was a tumor inside the pet and it was cancer.

Children left the sugar cereal out leaving a 40 ft trail of ants leading all the way from a crack outside into the kitchen. Those creatures are amazing! We were able to get an exterminator over before they infested the whole home!

A client, while in their back yard WITH their pet has had a hawk swoop down and carry away their beloved pet! This ended tragically.

I have been on walks where we have encountered javalina. Throwing stones will scare them, unless you encounter a mama with her cubs.

I have pulled up to a home where there was a BOBCAT trotting around the front walk way. Imagine if the client had a doggy door and a small pet?

Another clients home was very warm in one area of the home. It was a wing that I wasn’t even doing overnights in. Although because I was able to notice the change in tempature and get a AC Repair Company, the SPARK that the shortage casued didn’t start a fire because we were there to stop it before it got worse.

So may things have happened over the years. Imagine if there was just a friend running in and out of your home? Or better yet – a neighborhood child who checks on your pets when they “happen” to remember to go over?

I can readily think of some very real and recent cases myself of neglect by friends and/or neighbours:

I was hired to do the morning visits and the client was relying upon his neighbour to do the afternoon visits.  All the food had already been ‘made’ for each morning and afternoon visit (for which I was thankful).  On my last morning visit the neighbour walks through the gate and is surprised to see me (and vice versa).  He was a bit confused.  It seems he had not done ANY of the afternoon visits and got his wires crossed in regards to key access to the property (didn’t remember the instructions properly).  I’m lucky the dog was otherwise healthy (as I do a snout to tail assessment), had plenty of water and was fed by me routinely each morning.

Another where the neighbour had been asked to check in on the puppy. I was only hired to do the afternoon visits.  This was obviously not enough or else the puppy had not be adequately exercised !  The puppy was trying to dig his way out under (and thus through) the front gate/door.  I noticed this and took steps to at least try to make it a lot harder for the puppy to continue digging in this particular spot.  The neighbour obviously had only really thrown him some food and left it at that to the detriment of the puppy.  If the puppy had been properly exercised (a good long run/walk), it wouldn’t have been as destructive between visits.

Another client hired me as a dog walker even though they had someone being a house sitter because they didn’t trust the house sitter was adequately exercising their dogs.

This is a very serious matter. Our small fee can really help give you the peace of mind that you can come home to your home in once peace and your fur baby healthy.

The following quote from Bella in her blog post is especially true for Gold Coast Pet Sitting even though we charge based on time – it is not unheard of for us to spend extra time with the animals in our care whenever possible.  Our first priority is the animals + if we need to spend a little extra time at a booking for whatever reason we will.  We all work together as a team.

We are a professional pet sitting company and I take this very seriously. … We are there for however long it takes to ensure that the routine for your pet has been preformed, they are happy and your home is safe. If they decide to take a longer walk, make a mess that we need to clean up, plants need to be watered, this is all included in our fee. We are a professional company, providing a professional service.

By William Kyle

There are few things more frustrating and upsetting than having a sick pooch. Pets are special members of the family but happen to come with a certain language barrier that keeps you from explaining the bitter little pill you’ve been trying to hide in a certain someone’s dinner. Here are a few quick suggestions and tips to help you and your special canine get through any illness in comfort.

When your family dog is in need of medication, it’s important to realize that both their illness and medications may likely be just as serious as your own. When any pet is prescribed a pill or shot, whether he gets his meds on time and in the right amount or not can make the difference between a speedy recovery and lingering or worsening symptoms.

Above all other advice, keep in mind that your pet’s veterinarian can offer the most authoritative and essential information about any condition or medication. During you and your dog’s visit to the doctor, never hesitate to ask lots of questions about dosage, ways of administering the medicine, what to do in the case of a missed application and other applicable issues.

Administering Medication

Although getting your dog to swallow his medicine may sometimes be a lengthy and arduous ordeal, the benefits surely outweigh the cost. If you’ve come to the end of your medicine-applying rope or are simply looking for some helpful hints before tackling the job, this quick advice might help make the process a bit simpler.

Pills

Pills are generally the most difficult type of pet medication to administer, due to the fact that your dog must voluntarily swallow them and their often seemingly awful taste. The approach you choose to take when offering pills will vary depending on the personality, temperament and condition of your particular four legged friend.

If your dog tends to wolf down snacks and is in good enough condition to do so, your task may be quite simple. Try to hide a pill completely in a snack your pet is used to and offer it under normal snack-giving circumstances—if your dog senses something amiss, he’ll be more likely to take his time or investigate.

This camouflaging approach can also work at mealtime, but can make verification a bit trickier. Try to avoid crushing pills, as it will be difficult to determine whether an entire dose has been administered and crushing can tend to make your dog’s normal meal taste strange, possibly leading to rejection.

Liquid Medications

Liquid medication application tends to be a bit easier to accomplish since specialized syringes are available specifically for the task. Before administering the medication, try to bring your dog to a calm and relaxed state—the more comfortable he is, the simpler your job will be. Since your pet trusts you, you can turn medicine time into a routine that ends in a generous treat for a job well done.

Be Aware of Common Conditions

Most people have a general knowledge about illness that affect people, including symptoms, preventative measures and treatments. When you choose to share your home and life with a dog, it’s your responsibility to be aware of common health issues that could become an issue during your pet’s lifetime. This basic understanding will help you recognize the signs of potential health issues when they pop up.

A great way to get a general overview is simply by asking your vet and checking out a library book or two on the subject. If your dog is a pure breed, keep in mind that certain breeds are affected by special problems more so than others. Pure bred pups are often more susceptible to health problems as well due to a more limited gene pool than would be available to mixed breeds.

Knowing and Caring For Your Pet

No one ever wants her dog to get sick. Although dealing with the occasional illness or accident is an inevitable part of being a pet owner, the best way to show your love for your pooch is to take good care of her. A healthy dog’s love should be filled with lots of exercise, affection and a carefully controlled diet that’s rich in vitamins, minerals and essential fats.

The other side to this coin is attention and vigilance. Since your pup can’t very well speak up and let you know if something feels different, it’s up to you to notice any changes in your dog’s behavior and determine whether a visit to the vet is appropriate.

Just as with human health, prevention is an excellent strategy to keep your pet in great health. By staying well informed about common dog illnesses and issues and administering lots of tender love and care, you and your dog are sure to enjoy a long and happy life together.

Article Source: Articles Engine

Tomorrow Stacy will reveal some things you can do to help your pet overcome separation anxiety (without destroying your home!) …. STAY TUNED !

Author: Stacy Braslau-Schneck, CPDT

Stacy’s Wag’N'Train in San Jose, CA (USA) will teach you how to communicate your rules to your dog while enhancing the relationship between you and your four-footed “family member”. We’ll help you learn how your dog learns and how you can take advantage of all the good things you provide to get the behavior you want.

WEBSITE: http://www.wagntrain.com/