As if organizing work and family for a pending summer trip or ski weekend isn’t stressful enough, I must also find the right person to watch the dogs and care for the house. Like many of you, our dogs are members of our family and we care greatly how they fare in our absence. My house sitter options range from the tweener next door to a slew of professional services that are bonded and insured. Over the years, we have had both good experiences and not-so-good. In the end, fit between the pet/house sitter and our needs is key. Further, the trust must be absolute as I am giving them run of our home.
A few of things I have learned along the way: (1) start your search early and ask others who you trust who they use both their house sitting needs; (2) interview candidates ahead of time with a checklist of actual needs not just a vague outline; (3) utilize local police and neighborhood watch programs and inform sitter so they feel an added level of accountability and security; and (4) draft a detailed list of instructions and expectations and then review in person before your set off on your trip. Remember, you get what you ask for, not what you necessarily pay for! Set the expectation bar high for your search and your sitter.
