41 Questions to Ask Before Accepting a Pet Sitting and House Sitting Job

Before you start accepting house sitting jobs, it’s crucial that you ask potential pet and homeowners the right questions. This will ensure that both you and the owners are on the same page about expectations, duties, daily routines, and what to do in the case of emergencies.

If you’re a keen traveler or digital nomad looking for a fun and budget-friendly way to explore the world, give house sitting and pet sitting a try.

House sitting is when you stay and look after someone’s home while they’re away, whereas pet sitting also involves caring for their pets. Some house sitting duties include checking for mail, watering the plants, cleaning the house, and maintaining the pool. Pet sitting duties also involve feeding, playing, cuddling, walking, and bathing.

I absolutely love house and pet sitting; it’s allowed me to travel all around the world, from Tokyo to Brussels, Vancouver, and Edinburgh. Not only is it an amazing way to connect with locals, experience different cultures, and spend quality time with animals, but it also saves you tons of money on travel accommodations.

In this article, I’m going to cover the 41 most important questions to ask pet owners before taking a pet sitting job.

Questions to Ask About the Pets

First, let’s focus on the most important aspect of pet sitting: the animals. Here is my list of the 20 essential pet-related questions to ask before dog or cat sitting:

1. What are the pets’ personalities like?

Asking this question will provide you with a snapshot of how your pet sit is likely to be; is the pet energetic? Lazy? Affectionate? Playful? Reserved? By finding out, you know what to expect. Furthermore, any differences in their personalities or behavior can indicate possible discomfort whilst the owners are away.

2. What are the pets’ daily routines like?

This is one of the most important questions to ask pet owners, as it will give you the best idea of what your day-to-day life would look like during the pet sit. It’s also important for the pet’s sake, as most thrive on consistency.

3. When and where do the pets get fed? How much food do they get?

As I said before, pets love consistency, especially when it comes to something as important to them as food. Needless to say, this is an essential question to ask.

4. Do the pets get any treats? How often?

In my experience, the answer to this question always varies; some owners give their pets treats often as…