The Pleasures of Hiring a
Pet Sitter
By Kendra Ballantyne, Esq.,
As told to Linda O. Johnston

Have you ever asked your favorite pet-sitter how he or she got started in the creature-care business?

I, for one, didn't set out to be a pet-sitter. In fact, when I was one of the top litigators in L.A., I never considered anything but lawyering as a career.
But things change. My law license was temporarily lifted, and the drop in income forced me to look around for an interim profession so my tricolor Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Lexie and I could eat. That was when my good friend Darryl Nestler, owner of the Doggy Indulgence Day Resort in the San Fernando Valley, convinced me to take on my first pet-sitting client.
The rest is history!

I loved pet-sitting from the first! My initial clients consisted mostly of enthusiastic dogs, with the occasional cat deigning to allow me to feed and care for him.

And then came Pythagoras, the ball python. The idea of defrosting dead mice as a treat for a slithery client had never before crossed my mind--but I have to tell you, it sure beat finding the murdered bodies of some of my favorite human clients.

Let me share with you some of my personal tips for my favorite pet-sitting customers.

1. Litigation may be dog-eat-dog, but the best pet-sitting consists of dog-eat-breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks--at least from the dog's perspective. Be aware that most pet-sitters--me included--adore pleasing their charges. But it's up to you, the owner, to provide clear instructions to assist pet-sitters like me to know how not overfeed your ever-begging animals. Be clear, and hopefully you won't come home to a hound who's gained a pound or five.

2. I've come to the conclusion that there are major differences between law clients and pet clients:

- Law clients take a position that they're sure is right and are ready to fight to the last penny to prove it.
Pet clients take lots of positions to give themselves comfort--sitting, lying down, whatever. But of course they need exercise to maintain their health.
The best owner clients, since they're paying for primo care, provide instructions to us about walks, games, and other favorite activities to engage in with their delightful charges.

- Law clients will call at the last second and demand attention. Pet clients will wait patiently for their pet-sitter to arrive and provide them with attention. And my favorite pet owners also provide us sitters with plenty of notice instead of calling at the last minute to make demands on behalf of their beloved pets.

3. Have you given your okay for your sitters to bring their own best friends along to visit your pet? That should depend on your pet... and theirs. I often bring Lexie, but that's because Cavalier King Charles Spaniels tend to love everyone, human, canine, feline and even reptilian. However, if your beloved pit bull chews other breeds in effigy or otherwise, or your cute little Chihuahua loves to nip noses of other pups who might say hi to him--well, better warn your sitters to leave their own pets at home. Same goes if your sitters' pets don't play well with other children.

4. Should your sitters pamper their client-pets with treats? With your pet, that should only happen if you okayed it in advance. The sitter's charges will adore the tasty attention, of course. But your pet may have health issues that aren't readily apparent. And your sitters will want those dogs in their care to bark, not barf.

5. Do your sitters have to adore each pet they tend? Well, look. Sitters are only human, and their charges may be any kind of creature beloved by another person. Sitters may be cat people who are in charge of a whole kennel of dogs. Or pet-care specialists may prefer tending bunnies to ball pythons. Just make sure you inform your sitter what to expect right up front. Your sitter may not adore your cherished pets as much as you do--but every good professional will treat them as if your baby is precious.

Okay, to recap... what's the most important tip of all? Tell all to your pet-sitter! Leave detailed instructions. Your pet will appreciate it, and your sitter will, too! Of course it's the sitter's business to do the best job possible taking care of your pet, but it's in your pet's best interest for your sitter to have enough information to do a great job.
Hey, by the way, as you depart on a difficult business trip, are you entitled to be jealous of your stay-at-home sitter? Why not? They're in a business that can be better than nearly anything else--except maybe practicing law. When you're litigating and winning a case, that is.
So... enjoy! And in your spare time, be sure to relax with a Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter mystery

Kendra is the protagonist of Linda O. Johnston's Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter mystery series from Berkley Prime Crime, which started in January 2005 with SIT, STAY, SLAY. Please visit them at Linda's website: www.LindaOJohnston.com.