The Adventures of a Full Time Pet Care Provider
Updated: Aug 31
I'm currently at a live in sit for clients I've worked with for over a year now. I adore everything about their pet family including their quirks and special care needs. I love a family who loves their pets like this; I sit here with them feeling lucky to witness a happy little home with content four-legged family members.
I've decided to begin blogging some of my live in sits and other pet care services I offer. I want to be off social media which in itself is a daunting task, let alone for a small business owner. I want to experience more presence, less algorithm influence and regain some of my attention span (among other things). I've already seen some small changes after 48 or so hours (maybe...I can't remember anymore!) which may be a placebo effect considering changes in neuroplasticity take time, but, here I am, sitting with my animal clients' at 6am, happy, slow, present and fulfilled; them and me! So, let's go on this journey of analog pet care together!
I'm with my buddy Jackson this week, a big lab/shepherd mix of a thing. He was a challenging dog for me in the beginning and I wasn't sure I'd last. Lucky for me, I'm an extremely loyal and dependable person (great for this type of work!) and his owners were right there with me every step of the way which makes for a winning combination. Clients need to be honest about their pets difficulties, as pet care workers, we do figure it out eventually anyway. Being honest from the beginning is an important step in creating a lasting working relationship. The clients were honest, open, communicative and supportive all the way. I'm proud to say that Jackson has now become one of my favourite and most treasured dogs to work with. I adore everything about him, and as a rescue, I just keep thinking that his previous owners really missed out on the best boy - no shame intended, he was hard and still has bad moments. I don't judge them for surrendering him - but how lucky am I to now have him in my care.
Now enter the newest addition, a kitty named, Salt. At 3 months old at the time of writing this, and not yet fully integrated into the household (two other older cats live here and have objections to Salts existence), I wasn't sure what to expect and felt some anxiety rising. I'm not a big fan of change unless it's on my own terms, and even then, I'm prone to severe anxiety. That said, I have learned through experience (and therapy) that the world waits for no woman and we have to push through (within reason - if you're reading this and have anxiety, you know your limits and they're valid). Now on the job for just under 24 hours, I can gladly say this is another example of why pushing through is beneficial and Salt is the BEST young cat and addition to the household. He is very social, people oriented, brave, and overall a happy and healthy kitten. We're still working on all the moving parts, but he's a joy to be with - especially if you have a sense of humour.
The summer is slowly coming to a close and my calendar is beginning to fill up for the fall and into the new year. If you're looking for pet care, please reach out. Ideally, you have some flexibility in your dates and before you've booked your flights. As just one person, I experience a lot of overlapping requests for the same dates and in order for me to be available for you, some planning with me is the best shot at securing a spot.
I hope you've enjoyed my first entry. This is new and old at the same time - I feel as though I'm dusting off some old forgotten skills (I'm handwriting this first before typing it into my computer because it's better for the brain). I'll be sure to post again about this sit or while I'm on my next adventure!
*Please note, all clients' signed a waiver to allow their pets to be used in online publications
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