Pet Care Scoop

Following Up: The Key to Finding Pet Care Jobs

One of the first rules of job hunting is to make sure to follow up. While this might not seem to pertain to you as a pet sitter, here are three unique ways to follow up and make an impression on your clients that will help you make more money — and possibly even a better pet sitter — in the process.

Stellar (not stale!) references and reviews are the key to finding professional pet sitting work online, and fantastic follow-up skills will ensure you get those coveted stars — maybe even a few referrals.

Here's how:

1. Appreciative Emails
Never burn a bridge before you've crossed it. So, you've emailed with a potential client for a few days or weeks, but they didn't hire you for the job or you never heard back. Drop them an email through Care.com anyway and express your appreciation for their consideration of your services, and wish them the best with the sitter of their choosing. Be sure to remind them that you're available and interested in their business the next time around, and to keep you in mind if they are ever in need of pet sitting again. Staying "top of mind" will help you get pet sitting gigs in the future, and even if you're not the right fit for one family, they have friends! Courtesy and etiquette go a long way — especially these days!

2. Thank-You Notes
They may seem old-fashioned, but that's exactly why they work: Thank-you notes are an impressive way to leave your mark in the mind of a pet sitting client. After your interview or after your first gig with a prospective or new client, be sure to mail or leave them a thank-you card and let them know how much you appreciated their interest in your services. Order a set of blank thank-you cards with your name or with the logo for your business on the front, and feel free to enclose up to 5 calling or business cards so they can pass them on to friends and neighbors. If they're a first-time client, ask them politely to review your services on your Care.com profile or provide a reference.

3. Feedback Cards
Professionalism and politeness are of utmost importance to your pet sitting business, even if it's "just" a one-woman operation. Word of mouth marketing at the dog park can either make or break you, so offer your clients an anonymous way to give you constructive feedback. When you bill your clients or leave your invoice at the end of the week, month, or gig, enclose a postcard printed with fields for comments, ratings, or suggestions. These will help you collect and fine-tune your "bedside manner" so to speak, and will only strengthen your business in the future. Cards can be designed and ordered relatively inexpensively through services like VistaPrint -- or you can point clients to your Care.com profile -- but the improvements made to your services will be priceless.

Have a tip for following up with pet sitting clients that we missed? Share it with us by posting a comment below!

Pet Care Scoop: Greatest Hits

You think dog years go by quickly: Can you believe it’s been a whole year since we first launched the Pet Care Scoop here on Care.com? Well, every dog deserves her day, and today we’re celebrating with pawsitively very best blog posts of the last 12 months.

Check ‘em out:

Top 5 Rude Comments from Pet Owner Comments
Without a doubt, the topic that got the most dust churning at the dog park was our question about the rudest, most out-of-left-field comments you’ve heard while doing your daily pet sitting duties. If you haven’t had a chance to comment, or just needed more time to think, check it out again and be sure to add your own. If not, expect some belly laughs!

Dog Days of Summer: Heat Safety Tips for Pets
It may not have generated the most comments, but tips about pet safety sure were some of the most important reads -- and are again important now. Check out these literally life or death reminders for keeping your pet clients cool, safe, and happy this summer.

Best of the Worst: Bad Pet Sitting Stories
There’s no safer place to share your pet sitting horror stories than amongst your friends and fellow professionals, and share you did! We won’t give anything away -- well, unless you’re Hollywood, and then, man, have we got a good comedy to pitch you... But seriously, we love hearing your stories, so please, keep ‘em coming!

Best Pet Care Movies of All Time
Speaking of Hollywood, one of our favorite posts was this "best of" list we compiled back in October: the best pet care movies of all time. Don't see your must-have on this roundup of greatest hits? Please, share it with us by leaving a comment. We're always looking for the funniest, sweetest, most animal-loving-est fodder for our Netflix accounts!

Dealing with a Pet’s Death: A Checklist for Sitters
No one likes to talk about it, but every veteran sitter has to deal with it at some point. We laughed and we (mostly) cried, and we think you should read or re-read these heartfelt stories of pet sitter devotion -- plus their tips on dealing with a morbid crisis. If you have a story about a pet client you’ve loved and lost, please share it with the community here on Care.com, including any tips you might have for doing things differently.

Declawed & Barkless: Top Myths About Dogs & Cats
Before reading this post, did you know that chocolate actually isn’t the worst thing for dogs – grapes, raisins, and onions are actually worse? And that the debate over whether or not declawing a cat is inhumane or not is one of the pet world's most contentious? Check out the real skinny behind these pet myths, plus more important pet safety tips in this expose including tips from veterinary experts.

We love to hear from you! Got a pet care topic you'd really love to hear about, but which we haven't yet covered? Leave us a comment below and we'll put it on the list to research for this year's Scoop. :)

Starting Your Own Doggie Daycare or Pet Hotel

In the recent Disney movie Hotel for Dogs, based on the book by Louis Duncan, a pair of foster siblings unwittingly launches their own pet hotel business by providing a home and a family for unwanted and endangered stray dogs in New York City. In an abandoned luxury hotel. That just happened to be sitting there unused and unmonitored for decades. Hey, we love escapist fiction and animal movies more than the next person, but the reality is that starting a pet hotel or a doggie daycare isn’t quite so simple.

Check out these five easy, breezy tips, however, and you’ll be wagging tails in the pet business practically overnight.

1.    Sniff Out a Good Spot
If you’re thinking about starting a business as an at-home doggie daycare or pet hotel, be sure to check with neighbors, local officials, and state agencies before opening your doors. Make sure you have permission, legal right, and any necessary permits and insurance before caring for your first client. You’ll also want to check with experienced hands at national professional pet sitting groups about “best practices” – industry standards born of trial and error. Consider buying a copy of the book All About Dog Daycare...A Blueprint for Success by Robin Bennett.

2.    Plan the Perfect (Dog) Party
Think about how many and what kind of dogs you envision caring for in order to make your business viable. If you’re only caring for three small dogs at a time, that’s one thing, but if you’re talking about 25 dogs of mixed sizes and breeds, that can be something else entirely. Plan out the spatial needs of your business: space for exercise and play, both indoor and out; space for “time out” and discipline or training; separate space for large and small breeds; sleeping space if you’re taking on overnight guests; and possibly a space for quarantine or veterinary care of sick or injured animals.

3.    Helping Hands & Paws
Once you decide where and how you’re going to start your doggie daycare or pet hotel, decide whether or not you need employees or partners in order to make your business run smoothly or more successfully. Do you need an assistant to help keep an eye on all the dogs? What about an on-call vet in case something goes wrong, or a groomer in case your clients want a one-stop-shop sort of service? Reach out to complementary businesses in your area, or hire part- and full-time help as needed.

4.    Supplies, Supplies, Supplies.
When it comes to products for starting your business, you’re not only going to need the general doggie supplies -- like kennels, beds & blankets, toys, fencing and/or gating, cleanup supplies, first aid, extra leashes & collars, water and food bowls, food & treats -- but also office supplies to keep track of it all. Make sure to prepare for and ask each dog’s owners about allergies, food and toy preferences, behavioral issues, special needs and vaccination reports. You’ll also want to have them sign a contract and liability waiver, which moves us into office supplies. Stay organized! Keep your records organized by pet for easy access, and keep your books organized for your accountant.

5.    Think About Training
For you, not for them! What kinds of experience do you have in comparison to the services that you want to offer? If you’re talking about doggie daycare, where several strange dogs are playing together and dominance/submission or aggression issues might come into play, you might want to think about getting certified (at least at a basic level) in dog behavioral training. And, of course, animal first aid – just in case.

As with starting any business, make sure to keep your costs covered but your pricing affordable. Especially these days, pet owners can use every penny, as many are resorting to the heartbreakingly unthinkable because they no longer have the money to properly care for their pets. Be considerate, and think about offering “early adopter” pricing for your clients. Work with local shelters and rescues that might need temporary overflow options -- who can also send paying client referrals your way.

Man’s best friend in need is a friend, indeed, and the need for affordable pet hotels and dog daycares that still offer quality, loving pet care is greater than ever!

Have you started your own dog daycare or pet hotel? Share your tips for getting started and your experiences with your fellow pet sitters here!

Dog Days of Summer: Heat Safety for Pets

It's officially summer, and it's already hot. Really hot. (Thank you, global warming...)

We're all more than ready to ditch the indoors for fun in the sun, but make sure you read these heat safety tips and important reminders before planning an outdoor adventure with pets. In some cases, however, these precautions can literally mean the difference between life and death for a dog!

HOT CARS
Never leave a dog alone in a car in the summer, even with the windows down, for more than 5 minutes. As anyone without air conditioning in their car can tell you, the heat will quickly get stifling: up to 100+ degrees in less than 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the temperature outside.

To spread the word about the dangers of leaving dogs in hot cars in the summer, check out MyDogIsCool.com to download free flyers you can stick on car windows. If you see a dog (or a child, for that matter) left alone in a car on a hot day, however, please contact the police and local animal or child rescue authorities immediately.

PLAYING VS. PANTING
Dogs don't sweat like people do—their only way of shedding excess heat is by panting. Keep an eye out for signs of heavy panting and distressed breathing, especially in short-snouted dogs like pugs, St. Bernards, bulldogs, and boxers. Don't overdo it on exercise and play outside, either: gauge what's right for the dog by cutting their normal exercise regimen in a third, and by two thirds for older and overweight dogs or those with health issues. For dogs that need vigorous exercise year-round, try to change or split the routine in the early morning hours and evenings when temperatures are cooler, or try taking them swimming!

If you think the dog may have had too much exercise and is suffering from heatstroke or other heat-related distress, follow these steps from The Home Pet Vet Guide to Dogs, by Dr. Martin Green:

Treating heatstroke
Act quickly, and consult a veterinarian as soon as possible. Most likely to occur in pugs, St. Bernards, bulldogs, boxers, Pekinese and Puggles. Signs include uncontrollable panting, foaming at the mouth, depression, agitation, loss of consciousness, tongue and gums that are bluish or gray. Restrain the dog if necessary, and bathe or hose the dog with cold water until temperature subsides, or take the dog to a cool, well-ventilated place and wrap it in a wet, cold sheet or towel. If necessary, pack the dog's head in ice until it stops panting.

WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE
Leaving dogs in the yard or otherwise outside for long periods of time is risky business in summer, but if it must be done, make sure there's plenty of fresh water available and ample shade from the direct sun. Best yet, try filling and leaving a kiddie pool in the shade, too, so that dogs can take a dip to bring their body heat down if they fatigued.

Also, if you see signs of vomiting, extreme fatigue, or bloody stool, take the dog to a vet hospital immediately. These symptoms may indicate not just dehydration but gastroenteritis, meaning the dog needs immediate fluids by IV. Gatorade isn't going to cut it!

SUNBURNS
It may sound silly, but dogs get them, too—especially white or light-colored dogs and those with short hair, like greyhounds, dobermans, and Chinese crested terriers, leaving their sensitive skin exposed. Just like babies, try to keep them in the shade—especially in mid-day—and slather waterproof sunscreen with at least 30 SPF on their heads, necks, the ridge of their backs, and ears. (Coppertone will do—no need to waste your money on fancy dog sunscreens!)

BARBEQUES & OUTDOOR ENTERTAINING
Some of the best things about summer are backyard barbecues and campfire kumbayas. Protect dogs from burns around open flames and grills, and keep a first aid and burn kit and charged cell phone handy just in case anything happens. Be vigilant about keeping food and drinks separate from the pets—while you sip on a frosty one, make sure Spot has plenty of ice cold water to sip on, too, and keep people scraps safely out of reach.

"Keep citronella candles, insect coils,  and oil products out of the reach of pets, as well," warns the ASPCA. "Ingestions can produce stomach irritation and possibly even central nervous system depression, and if inhaled, the oils could potentially cause aspiration pneumonia."

Also, beware of mixing pets and fireworks: not only can the sparks ignite pets' fur, but the noise is amplified in their sensitive ears, and they might get spooked and run away. Fireworks and parades are very traumatic for dogs—best to keep them separate.

ICY TREATS
Dogs love the ice cream man as much as we do, but try to opt for more animal-safe options instead. Fill water bowls with ice cubes, or try picking up some Frosty Paws—basically Hoodsie cups specifically made for dogs, sold right in your grocer's freezer.

Check out some of these products (and additional tips) from the ASPCA and the Drs. Foster & Smith catalog to keep pets cool and happy all summer long.

Reporting Animal Abuse or Neglect

Most people who hire pet sitters to care for their animals are loving, caring "pet parents", otherwise they wouldn't be spending money to have you care for their pet in their absence, As a regular pet sitter or pet care professional, however, you can sometimes be the first to recognize signs of potential animal abuse or neglect in your furry clients, which can be not only concerning but heartbreaking.

In 11 states across the US, veterinarians are actually required, by law, to report any and all suspicions of animal cruelty, and the ASPCA cites their "responsibility to the welfare of animals and the public and [since they can be] the first to detect animal abuse in a family, they should take an active role in detecting, preventing, and reporting animal abuse." As professional pet sitters and pet caregivers, we should feel the same level of responsibility and concern for prevention. It's our mission to keep pets happy and healthy! Don't be afraid to speak up if you're seriously concerned about a pet's welfare at home.

Gently mention your concerns to the pet owner, like "I notice Sparky is rather thin—has he been eating normally lately?" or "Poor Mittens! How did she get that big gash?" If the response isn't satisfactory to you, you may want to consider reporting your suspicions to the animal abuse authorities. You may save a human's life, too—according to the ASPCA and Humane Society, animal abuse or neglect often goes hand in hand with domestic violence or child neglect.

Some common signs of abuse or neglect, from the ASPCA's Top 10 Ways to Prevent Animal Cruelty:

• Tick or flea infestations. Such a condition, if left untreated by a veterinarian, can lead to an animal's death
• Wounds on the body
• Patches of missing hair
• Extremely thin, starving animals
• Limping
• An owner striking or otherwise physically abusing an animal
• Dogs who are repeatedly left alone without food and water, often chained up in a yard
• Dogs who have been hit by cars—or are showing any of the signs listed above—and have not been taken to a veterinarian
• Dogs who are kept outside without shelter in extreme weather conditions
• Animals who cower in fear or act aggressively when approached by their owners

If you've noticed any of these warning signs, report your concerns to the appropriate animal cruelty prevention officers, including your city or town Animal Control Department or animal shelter's animal abuse law enforcement agency.

For more information, check out the Reporting Abuse FAQs from the Humane Society and the Reporting Animal Abuse or Neglect FAQs from the ASPCA.

Pet Sitter Safety -- Job Interviews

Living in Boston, we’ve heard all the daily updates and news reports about the tragic Craigslist murder that’s made headlines across the country. Unfortunately, these events can happen anywhere. Right now in Minnesota, a man is on trial for murder after allegedly luring a young woman to his house under the ruse of a fake babysitter job posted on Craigslist.

I wanted to write to all of you—our caregiver members—and share this personal note to ensure you’re taking proper precautions when using any classified service—whether online or offline. There are safety measures you can take throughout the interview process that will make sure your job search goes smoothly.

Before you accept an interview, make sure you’ve spoken on the phone and had thorough email communication.  While it’s impossible to know someone completely after exchanging a few emails, it does help you spot any potential warning signs or inconsistencies beforehand. 

When you do schedule an interview, it’s often best to meet in public first, before going to your potential employer’s home. Coffee shops are great places to meet. Often, meeting in public can make you feel more relaxed, meaning you’ll give a better interview, too! And no matter where you schedule an interview, make sure a friend or family member knows where you’re going first.

If possible, try to check “references” for the family you’ll be working for. They’ll ask you for work references, and you should try to find out a little bit more about them. If a friend or one of their past employees referred you to the family, ask them what they’re like and what kind of a work environment you’ll be in.

After you’ve gone through the interview process, start a trial period. If you’re going to be a full-time caregiver, you’ll want to take a couple weeks to make sure the family you’ve found is a good fit. Usually the interviews you’ve gone through will be a good indication and you’ll be a great match. But sometimes, things change once you start on the job. If you feel like it’s not the right place for you, don’t feel bad about telling them it’s not going to work out—just give them advanced notice if safety issues aren’t involved.

Whether you use online or offline classifieds or even respond to ads at your church or local library, staying safe requires taking your time and doing as much background research as you can. If you ever, at any point, feel like an interview or a job situation is unsafe, then leave as soon as possible. 

We hope your job hunt is safe and fruitful one.

Cheers,

Sheila

Tax Tips for Pet Sitters

So, you started a pet care business, and from day one you've had cash in hand from your dog walking or cat sitting clients. Now it's almost April 15th, and you're tweaking out about your taxes with no accountant in sight. Don't fret. Check out these major categories of deductions applicable to most pet sitting businesses, then use TurboTax or another tax software program to walk you through the steps. Gather and add up your receipts, then it's as simple as plug and payout—you may even be able to file for free!

1. Gear
Go ahead: giggle. As a professional pet sitter, the yearly cost of poop bags is a legitimate and qualified expense on your itemized deductions, and so are any other business-related products: sneakers and rain gear for yourself (if you're a walker); shampoos, brushes, and your water bill if you're a groomer; and more. Think long and hard about everything you've bought over the course of the year that you use in your job daily. For next year, try purchasing your supplies in bulk so they are easier to track as expenses come tax time.

2. Getting Around
Do you use your car more than 50% of the time for your pet sitting business? You're in luck. That qualifies you to deduct gas, mileage, repairs and maintenance from your taxes. For next year, you'll need to keep a log in your car and an envelope for receipts to track daily use and maximize your allowable deductions, but for this year, you can at least deduct oil changes and other wear-and-tear if you have the receipts and documentation.

3. Tech Stuff
You know you need to stay connected in order to be professional, but did you know that you can claim all those wired needs as tax deductions? Your cell phone, computer repairs and equipment, web design and hosting fees, blog, cable internet access—even your Care.com Featured Caregiver status—all qualify as business-related expenses.

4. Helping Hands
Do you donate to pet-related charities like the Humane Society or ASPCA? Even if you aren't donating money, clothing and supply donations are deductible in the amount of their estimated value. Get rid of gently used items from your own business, help out your local shelter, and catch a tax break next year at the same time—just make sure to ask for a receipt. If you make a larger cash donation for an annual event, like the Walk for Animals, or sponsor a team, you can use that to offset taxes owed (because, as a small business owner, you should be filing quarterly.)

5. Information Overload?
In order to do your job well, you probably subscribe to at least one pet-related magazine and belong to at least one professional pet sitting organization, like NAPPS. Make sure to document and track your subscription and membership fees over the course of the year, including any professional development courses or seminars, because these also count as business-related expenses and can save you serious cash come tax time.

May your refunds be as big as a Mastiff and your payments be small as a gerbil!

Did we miss anything? Share your best tax tips for pet sitters with us and the whole Care.com community by posting a comment below.

Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month

Of course, every day is a day to love animals! But April has been set aside as National Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month. If you can over the course of the next few days, try to spread the word and make sure that every pet has the care it needs to be a happy and healthy animal.

Here are somethings you can do to get involved. We've put a list together of our favorite pet charities, so see if there's anything you (or your employers) can contribute to. Your donation doesn't have to be money, either, many of these organizations are looking for people who have time to pitch in and help.

The ASPCA has a great way to show your colors. They've launched a Go Orange intitiative where pet lovers can buy gear for themselves (or their pets) and the proceeds go to the great work that the ASPCA does in thousands of cities and towns across the country.

Are you doing anything to pitch in for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month? Let us know!

Declawed & Barkless: Top Myths About Cats & Dogs Unleashed

No matter how long we've loved, owned, and worked with animals, there are still some Old Wives Tales that seem to get passed around from generation to generation like a huge game of telephone. We culled the Web and found advice from the experts, debunking the Top 10 Most Popular Myths About Cats & Dogs.

Here's the real scoop on pets:

1. Chocolate is the most dangerous thing for dogs.
As we reported in Pet Hazards & Safety Tips, while chocolate is harmful to some dogs—especially dark chocolate—their are other human foods like onions, grapes & raisins, and nuts that can be equally harmful, even fatal, all depending on the dog.

2. Declawing cats is perfectly safe and acceptable.
Opting to have a cat declawed is more than just a manicure: declawing is a painful process for the cat, and one that can lead to numerous health and behavioral problems. As the Humane Society educates on its website: "Too often people believe that declawing is a simple surgery that removes a cat's nails, the equivalent of a person having her fingernails trimmed. Sadly, this is far from the truth. Declawing traditionally involves the amputation of the last bone of each toe and, if performed on a human being, it would be comparable to cutting off each finger at the last knuckle." Declawing a cat is actually considered inhumane—and is illegal—in many countries outside the US.

3. Crating dogs is mean and unnecessary.
Pet crates can be a great training tool with puppies, but can also be highly controversial amongst pet owners and pet welfare advocates. The key is not whether or not the crate is used, but how the crate is used. Even such compassionate and benevolent dog trainers as the famous Monks of New Skete, who authored the best-selling behavioral guide How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend and who use crate training extensively, admonish owners to avoid "canine incarceration," i.e., leaving a dog confined alone for long periods of time. A crate should be a safe haven for your dog, a "den," used for short periods of time as positive reinforcement, not a prison.

4. "Humping" is a sexually charged activity.
Most new dog owners or bystanders are shocked by dogs "humping" one another, and erroneously apologize for the embarrassment to family members or the other dog's owner. Dogs, unless the female is in heat, "hump" for dominance—to sort out who's the king of the mountain at the dog park—not because they're aroused. To read about this comical reality in more detail, check out this interview with Dr. Rena Murray, founder of dog dominance FAQ site PawPersuasion.com.

5. Dogs mouths are cleaner than our own.
According to Dr. Marty Becker, celebrity veterinarian and author of dozens of books on pet care, the myth pervades that dogs' mouths are cleaner than our own because when they lick their wounds, the wound tends to heal faster. The only reason that dogs' mouths might be considered cleaner, however, is because their germs aren't the same as ours, and so the germs like strep and staph aren't infectious to us. Read Dr. Becker's full interview with 20/20 about pet care myths or check out DrMartyBecker.com for more info.

Share your thoughts and experiences with these pet care myths with the entire Care.com community by posting a comment below—and feel free to add your own!

We'll be doing a follow-up story debunking more myths about dogs and cats soon...

Oprah in the Pet Care Scoop

Oprah Winfrey, possibly the most famous pet advocate on the planet, has been in the puppy-related headlines lately for two different subjects we've covered here on the Pet Care Scoop. She's had both good and bad news on the doggie front.

First, we're saddened to share that one of Oprah's dogs, a cocker spaniel named Sadie, passed away from a parovirus—a common malady that especially affects young, non-vaccinated puppies. We wrote, just a couple weeks ago, about what to do when a pet passes away. The parovirus is can be spread from dog to dog and is caused by the puppy coming into contact with fecal matter or vomit. Their underdeveloped immune systems can't handle the bacteria. However, with early treatment, most dogs can survive, so be on the lookout of you're caring for a puppy that taken ill.

But there is good news... Oprah just welcomed a 9-week-old, blonde cocker spaniel into her family! She adopted the pooch from a PAWS Shelter in Chicago. Recently, we talked about the fact that the recession has forced many families to surrender their pets to local animal shelters, which are now over-crowded and in need of help. It's great to see Oprah doing her part to help out—every little bit counts!

If you're looking for ways to help animal shelters, check out the recent Scoop.

Happy pet sitting!