When we’re away for long periods of time, we want someone to take care of our dogs. Take them on walks, feed them, and do what you do until you come home and re-take your rightful place atop your house’s food chain. You probably hired a sitter, had the interview, and thought everything was dandy, and then came home to see just how wrong you were. For those who have not had this problem and are currently looking for a dog walking service in the UES, here are the telltale signs that it’s time to ask for your money back.
#1. Messy food and water bowl
When you get home, check the condition of the food and water bowl of your dog. If both are empty, ask the sitter how long that they’ve been empty, then check for yourself. If the water bowl is bone dry, then that means your dog has gone at least a day without water. And on the other hand, if there are food and water all over the place, it shows that your sitter hasn’t been cleaning up around the feeding area.
#2. Signs of not being walked
These include, but are not limited to: urine/feces/both scattered throughout the house, a lingering odor from said leavings, scratch marks on the front door from your dog trying to get out etc. It’s important that you deal with this as soon as you discover it, because if you suspect that you’ll be leaving your dog in a sitter’s care more in the future, it’s important that they remember to walk them every day. A dog who has to hold in their urine for too long is more likely to develop painful bladder infections later on.
#3. No respect for your home
There is a risk you’re taking when hiring a pet sitter. To the paranoid, it basically looks like inviting a complete stranger into your home saying “here, take everything I own. And take my dog while you’re at it!” and while this is highly unlikely, especially when you do the proper research on your sitter. Even if they don’t steal anything, there may be cigarettes or other junk lying around the house, or the furniture might be out of place, or even them admitting other strangers into your home to have a party. If you find any evidence of this, fire the sitter immediately.
Discerning whether or not you signed on with the right sitter or not is a relatively easy task. It’s just a matter of taking a good look around your house and making sure everything is still in its rightful place. If you want a dog sitting service that won’t let you down or make any of the above listed mistakes, contact New York Tails and schedule an interview with one of their professionally trained sitters and walkers.
