The Balanced Pet Sitter- What You Wish You Knew Before Starting Your Pet Care Business

SMASHWORDS EDITION

Copyright © 2019 by Renée Stilson

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means whatsoever, including graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without permission from the publisher.

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2019916276

1st edition, November 2019

ISBN 978-1-7340741-0-9 print

ISBN 978-1-7340741-1-6 ebook

To my beloved animal friends

Contents

Acknowledgments

Permissions

Author’s note

Introduction

What is a balanced business owner?

Mindfulness

How to use this book

PART 1: HOW TO PLAN YOUR BUSINESS MINDFULLY

Chapter 1: So you want to be a pet sitter. But why?

Exercise: What are your core values?

Values

Finding your purpose as a pet sitter

What kind of experience do you need?

Exercise: Narrow your niche

What kind of training do you need?

Pet first aid and CPR

Online Certificate from PSI

Advanced training

Your most important equipment: Reliable transportation

Chapter 2: How to launch your new pet-sitting service

Start by researching your market

Define your services

Possible startup services

Choose a business name

Decide on a legal structure

Register with your state

Secure a business license

Register your web domain

Buy liability insurance

Protect your identity

Rent a PO box

Secure a separate phone number

Where to find help with your new business

Legal services

Small business assistance

Professional organizations

Chapter 3: Defining your boundaries

Imaginative exploration

Where will you provide your services?

How much will you charge?

Should you discount your rates?

Exercise: Set your financial goals

Exercise: Invite prosperity

Chapter 4: Beginners’ branding

Develop a tagline and logo

Design and order business cards

Build a website

Chapter 5: Mindful networking

Connect with local pet sitters

Sign up for online registries

Optimize your online presence

Introduce yourself to veterinarians

Use social media wisely

Participate in community events

Offer referral bonuses

Chapter 6: Client materials

Folders

Service contract

Policies and procedures

User manual for Home Sweet Home Pet Care, LLC

Pet Sitting

Dog Walking

Chapter 7: Organizational tools for your business

Pet-sitting software

Taking payments

Bookkeeping software

Mileage and expense tracking

Keys or no keys?

Chapter 8: Your first client!

Respond as quickly as possible

Set up an initial consultation in real life

Let the client talk

Complete the service agreement in full

Contact information

Short Tail: Missing a safety net

Time frame for care

Care instructions

Preferred veterinarian

Details of the home

Supplies

Calculate fees

Review the agreement together

Give the client their completed packet

Make sure to update your files ASAP!

PART 2: RUNNING YOUR BUSINESS WITH INTENTION

This or something better!

Chapter 9: Mindful scheduling

Paper, electronic, or both?

Backups are mandatory!

Chapter 10: Working with people

How to find clients you’ll love

Exercise: Visualize your ideal client

Chapter 11: Other people’s energy

How to navigate in someone else’s space

Short Tail: Caught in the vortex at Fiona and Max’s house

Helping clients leave their pets

Short Tail: Protecting Sparky from projected feelings

Chapter 12: Dealing with difficult clients

Letting clients go

Exercise: Love vs Fear

Short Tail: Fire a client, love yourself

Chapter 13: Staying sane during crazy times

The daily rush

Summertime

Independence Day

Winter holidays

March madness

Plan for next year

Exercise: Deep breathing for stress relief

PART 3: CARING FOR OUR ANIMAL FRIENDS

Chapter 14: How to keep pets happy while their humans are away

Climate control

Playtime

Chapter 15: Dogs, dogs, dogs!

Scheduling dog care

A typical dog visit

Essential dog supplies

Adaptil Dog Appeasing Pheromone Spray

Biodegradable poop bags

Grain-free training treats

Rescue Remedy

Slip lead

Waist belt and bungee leash

Harnesses and collars

Short Tail: Walking does wonders

Chapter 16: Crate training

Puppies

Adult and rescue dogs

Why continue after they are trained?

Limitations and cautions

Transporting dogs

Chapter 17: The emotions of dogs

Dog body language

Calming signals

Shy and timid dogs

Short Tail: Leashless and lost

Nervous and protective dogs

Short Tail: Baby steps with Jackson

Separation anxiety

Chapter 18: Walking the dog

Short Tail: Learning to trust

Reactive dogs

At the dog park

Hazards on the walk

Off-leash dogs

Dog fights

Don’ts

Do’s

Fertilizers and other chemicals

Ice melt

Seeds, grasses, and foxtails

Short Tail: The dastardly foxtail

Chapter 19: Dog health

Common health concerns for dogs

Dental and mouth problems

Short Tail: Stick in the mud

Ear issues

Fleas, ticks, and parasites

Hot spots

Overgrown nails

Paw problems

Medications and treatments

Pills

Injections

Short Tail: My insulin nightmare

Healthy diets for dogs

Supplements

Chapter 20: The fantastic feline

Exercise: Grounding yourself for the cats

Scheduling cat care

Short Tail: Lonely Cleo

Essential cat supplies

Litter boxes and litter

Chapter 21: The emotions of cats

Cat body language

Shy and timid cats

Short Tail: The toy hog

Fractious cats

Cat bites

Chapter 22: Communing with cats

Cat enrichment

The Cat Catcher

Laser lights or laser pointers

Guidelines for laser-pointer playtime

Happy homecomings

Chapter 23: Cat health

Common health concerns for cats

Ear issues

Feline acne

Fleas and ticks

Illnesses

Litterbox issues

Overgrown nails

Cat health and household dynamics

How to get a cat into a carrier

Medications and treatments

Injections

Pills

Liquid medications

Ear gel

Healthy diets for cats

Supplements

Chapter 24: Chicken care

Short Tail: The pecking pullets

Chapter 25: Bunny care—It’s not just about carrots

Short Tail: The grumpy bunny

Veggies for bunnies

Chapter 26: The scope of our care doesn’t end there

Feathers, fins, scales, and more

Home care

Plant care

Know your locks

Short Tail: The Rapunzel story

PART 4: GETTING THE HELP

YOU NEED

Chapter 27: Collaborating with colleagues

Chapter 28: How do you know when to hire staff?

Finding the right people

Home Sweet Home Pet Care Standards of Practice

PART 5: SAFETY FIRST

Chapter 29: Staying safe out there

Short Tail: The cat burglar

After dark

Inclement weather

Client privacy

Chapter 30: Taking others with you on visits

Short Tail: Starting young

Chapter 31: Emergencies

Veterinary emergencies

Short Tail: Short-nosed and stung

When to keep watch

Chocolate poisoning

Skunk attack

Hazards in the home

Chapter 32: Runaway pets

Loose dogs

Short Tail: A tragic ending

Lost cats

Chapter 33: Disaster preparedness

Power outages

Boil-water alert

Broken climate controls

Natural disasters

PART 6: CARING THROUGH COMFORT

Chapter 34: Helping those sweet seniors

Chapter 35: End of life with our animal friends

Chapter 36: Emotional hazards for caregivers

Burnout

Compassion fatigue

Chapter 37: Self-care and time off

Recommended Reading

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank all of my wonderful clients and their animals, who have placed so much trust in me over the years. Without you, none of this would be possible.

To Donna Internicola, CPC, who coached me through getting started and kept me motivated to write, and spent many hours with the manuscript to help me get it to the next level.

To my staff, especially Katie Hartley, who diligently picked up the slack so I could focus on finishing this book during the busy summer season.

To my editor, Meghan Pinson, who provided countless hours of support and encouragement as well as expertise that helped bring this book to fruition.

To my friends, family, and colleagues who encouraged me, reviewed and proofed the manuscript, and provided valuable feedback throughout the process. I feel supported and loved.

To my husband, Mack, who was the original inspiration for this book, and who selflessly put up with the disruption in his life for me to write it.

Permissions

Grateful acknowledgment is made for permission to reprint from the following:

Ballner, MaryJean. Cat Sitting Secrets…Winning the Affections of a Scaredy Cat. www.catmassage.com.

Luppertz, Ute. Stages of Dying from the Tibetan Five Element Perspective. www.pets-point-of-view.com.

Author’s note

Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I would ever have a career that I love so much, yet here I am in middle age, quite happily running the business I started in 1999. I am very proud to be a professional pet sitter and dog walker.

All my life, I’ve had a passion for animals. I grew up with cats and dogs and was thrilled when I found my very first pet-sitting job at age twelve. Our next-door neighbors had recently adopted Dundee, the cutest little Sheltie puppy, and I got to take care of him. I looked forward to getting out of school every day so I could let him out to potty and then play with him. I was excited and happy to help raise that pup and keep him company, and I loved every minute of it.

I dabbled in pet sitting over the years that followed, helping friends and neighbors, even filling in for a pet-sitter friend so she could take a break. I always enjoyed my time with the animals, but I never considered making a career of it. After college I found a job in healthcare, and for twelve years I cared for people who were ill. Eventually, though, I was ready for a change.

My husband and I had a sitter for our pets when we traveled, and when she moved out of the area I had trouble finding someone as good as she had been. I realized that there was a great market in our area for a top-notch pet sitter, so I decided to hang out my shingle.

With my healthcare background, my knowledge of animals, and my people skills, I knew I had a good shot at making it work. I was still working full time at that point, so I only pet sat; I didn’t do any daily dog walking yet. I let our veterinarian know that I was available, and within six months I had as much work as I could handle.

As my pet-sitting clientele grew, I was able to cut my day job down to part time. After a year and a half, I needed to make a decision: Was I going to quit my job and go full time with pet care, or would I stay where I was? I was drawn to spending all of my work hours with my animal friends.

I took a leap of faith that it would all work out, and I quit my job in healthcare to begin an amazing journey into living my purpose and feeling wholly fulfilled with my work.

Before long, a steady flow of work from a great client base led to a comfortable living.

Throughout the years I have mentored many people through starting their own pet-sitting businesses, and watching them succeed is incredibly gratifying and fulfilling. Now it feels like it’s time to broaden the reach of my experience.

In this book, I will address the pet-sitting/dog-walking business from start to finish. I’d like to share my unique perspective with those of you who are interested in this profession. My hope is that you can find success and avoid some of the pitfalls you’re likely to encounter over the years.

The fact that you are reading this book is a clue that you’d like to be your own boss, work with animals in a fulfilling way, and make a difference.

When I first began my business, I started out as a sole proprietor with an LLC; I now have a great team of spirited pet sitters. Our life is good, and yours can be, too.

Introduction

What is a balanced business owner?

The methods that I teach in this book will help you become a successful entrepreneur without sacrificing your own well-being. You’ll learn mindfulness techniques that help keep you on track so you can determine your best path to success from the beginning.

It is so much easier to learn healthy habits from the start instead of backtracking later, when you are in survival mode. Business ownership is not for everyone, but if you choose to follow your dream, there are ways to do it without letting the business own you.

Mindfulness is not about religion. It doesn’t matter what your spiritual orientation is; people of all walks of life can learn to become self-aware. If you have not had an opportunity to practice mindfulness, I’m confident that you’ll find it invaluable in many areas of your life.

So many entrepreneurs follow their passion, then find themselves consumed by the details of running the business—and lose their passion in the process. Owning a business doesn’t have to be that way. The goal of mindfulness is to create your own experience so you don’t lose track of what’s important.

There is a way to lead a balanced life, be your own boss, and look forward to going to work every day.

How about we dip our toes in and see how it feels?

Mindfulness

mind·ful

\ˈmīn(d)-fəl\ adjective

1 : bearing in mind : AWARE 2 : inclined to be aware — mind·fully \fə-lē\ adverb — mind·ful·ness noun

Mindfulness is a state of active, open attention on the present. When you are mindful, you carefully observe your thoughts and feelings without judging them as good or bad. Mindfulness makes it possible for you to live in the moment and awaken to your current experience, rather than dwelling on the past or anticipating the future and letting your life pass you by.

By approaching pet sitting and dog walking from a mindfulness perspective, you can set yourself up for success by being very conscious of how you are feeling, thinking, and sensing each situation you find yourself in. This will serve you well. Let’s start at the very beginning and pay attention to how you feel about becoming a professional pet-care provider.

How to use this book

This book contains exercises for exploration and reflection; I recommend that you dedicate a notebook or journal to this process. You can also make plans for your business as you go along.

I’ve also included stories of many real-life situations that will help you learn the ropes; I call these Short Tails, and I hope they’re helpful to you.

I list many resources within the body of this book. You will see this link, ☞reneestilson.com/resources, in each of these cases. The link will take you to my website where each resource is listed. Use them as you are going along, at the end of each chapter, or whenever you need more information.

PART 1

HOW TO PLAN YOUR BUSINESS MINDFULLY

Chapter 1

So you want to be a pet sitter. But why?

Many times, folks who want to become professional pet sitters are in other professions and are ready for a change, or want to become their own boss. They want the freedom to make their own schedules and call their own shots. Some people think, I love animals. How cool would it be to take care of them and get paid for it?

Professional pet sitting is one of the most rewarding careers out there. It does, however, take more than simply loving animals.

In order to be a successful pet sitter, you must either have or gain the knowledge on how to handle situations that come up with animals regarding their health, behavior, safety, and well-being. You must be dependable, honest, have reliable transportation, and be able to make people feel comfortable leaving their pets and homes in your care.

As well as knowing how to meet the animals’ basic needs, you must be a trained observer who is able to provide loving care for the animals to ensure their safety and happiness while their people are away from them. We provide peace of mind for our clients, which is worth more than its weight in gold. Our clients put the ultimate trust in us and we need to be worthy of that trust.

Do you have what it takes? Basic animal knowledge is crucial, and you can learn much more along the way. The one thing that you can’t really learn, though, is how to be with animals and help them feel comfortable. That is a gift. If you have it, you are steps ahead of everyone else. Do you understand animals? Are you able to be quiet with them and hear what they need?

The biggest compliment that we pet sitters can get is when our clients come home and tell us that their animals were most nonchalant when they returned. That means that we were able to meet the needs of the animals and reduce their stress when they were apart from their people.

In addition to knowing how to relate to animals, you’ll also need to be able to go with the ebb and flow of business. There are feast and famine times in the first few years, and you’ll need to have a do what it takes mentality