Holiday Pet Care, Who Will Care For Them While You’re Away?
The holidays are right around the corner. If you have travel plans, who will watch your pet while you’re away? The best pet sitters and kennels will fill up fast. If you’ve never used a kennel or pet sitter before, how do you know which option is best for your pet?
If your dog is crated while you’re out of the house, a pet sitter is probably not the best choice. A sitter will come to your home two to three times a day to exercise and feed your pet. It’s unfair to ask your pet to stay in their crate for the other 23 hours of the day. If you can find a pet sitter who will do overnights so your pet can romp, stretch and play when they’re home, this is a viable but likely expensive option. You might also find it difficult to find a pet sitter to do overnights on holidays.
If your dog or cat is well behaved in the house and does not resort to destructive behaviour when they’re left alone, a pet sitter is the ideal solution for you. Your pet will be more comfortable at home where they do not have to listen to a kennel full of other howling dogs and cats. You won’t have to worry about them picking up any fleas, and when you return from your trip they won’t need a bath to get rid of that kennel smell. They’ll greet you at the door, happy and relaxed!
Pet sitters are also excellent at keeping your home looking lived in during the holidays. Empty homes often become targets for robbers and vandals. With a pet sitter coming and going, they will open and shut blinds, alternate lights, bring in the mail and newspaper, and even turn on TV or radio so thieves will look for an easier target.
Right before you leave, have some new cat or dog toys ready to keep your pet busy while you’re on holiday. Dog toys such as the Busy Buddy Tug-a-Jug are ideal because they keep your pet engaged for long periods of time. Put some small treats inside the Busy Buddy Tug-a-Jug – your dog can see and hear them rolling around inside as they play with it. The treats are dispensed slowly so they will continue playing with it. Ask your pet sitter to add some more treats on each visit so your pet has something to do while they’re alone.