Have you ever considered pet sitting with kids? Since we have completed a lot of house sits with our kids, we decided to create a guide that will give you helpful tips so that you and your children are prepared for the responsibilities involved with pet sitting while house sitting.
We know that you will love the experiences you’ll have as much as we do – it is fun and rewarding for the entire family.
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An overview of pet sitting as a family:
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Pet sitting with kids allows them the chance to have more responsibilities as they learn to help with caring for different kinds of pets.
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You are your kids will learn how to engage with pets of different temperaments, from calm pets to energetic ones.
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Communication with the homeowners will help prepare you for the house sit and help you learn about the best care for their pets before you arrive, so you know what to expect.
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While travelling, pet sitting will allow your family to enjoy a larger living space than a hotel, along with free accommodation in exchange for caring for a pet and a house.
- There are many platforms for housesitting. We use Trusted Housesitters, but here’s a guide for finding housesits in places you would like to visit.
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The Benefits of Pet Sitting with Kids
One of the benefits of pet sitting with kids is the positive impact it has on everyone’s emotional well-being. Travel can be stressful at times, but interacting with pets can help alleviate anxiety by promoting a sense of safety and love through the release of oxytocin. This bonding experience can be quite soothing and give everyone in your family a sense of companionship and security while you are staying in a new place.
Have you ever thought about how caring for pets can boost a child’s self-esteem and sense of responsibility? We encourage our kids to help with feeding, grooming, and walking the pets, as well as playing with them to help them burn off energy – the pet’s energy and our boy’s energy.
Even though we don’t have any pets of our own, our boys have learned how to be dependable and considerate with the animals we have cared for. This sense of responsibility has translated into other areas of their lives, and we know that they are more well-rounded because of these experiences.
Families can learn together as they care for someone’s pets and home. There are so many opportunities available all over the world, so why not explore the world and petsit along the way?! We’ve pet sat in the UK, Germany, France, Switzerland, the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Petsitting in Europe was a great way for us to experience travel while saving on accomodation.
Our best tips for petsitting with kids
Ensuring a Safe Environment for Pets and Kids
As you and your family jump into the world of pet sitting, be sure to speak with pet owners about their pet’s experience around kids, as you apply to housesit and petsit for them. We have pet-sat many times where the pet’s owners have told us in advance that their dog is shy around kids, but not aggressive. And in a lot of these cases, the dogs warmed up to our kids so quickly because of the experience we’ve had being around shy dogs. Our boys know how to respond to them, and the dogs can sense that.
Make sure that no matter how experienced you are with pets, you be sure to supervise interactions between your children and the pets to be sure they are comfortable around everyone. Observing how the pets react to your children during the initial meet-and-greet time can help identify any potential behavioral issues and will help everyone understand what the pet’s boundaries are.
We make sure our kids understand that the pets need to be left alone when they are in their “quiet space,” like a pet bed or quiet room in the house.
In the US and Canada, we often petsit with our RV in the driveway, so if we notice the pets may need some extra space, we’ll go out to the RV for an afternoon. We’ve found petsitting has ben a great additional to RVing. In most cases, the pets warm up to us after a few days.
Our boys have learned that they have a part to play in making sure the pets feel safe around us, and we can help reduce any stress the pets may have being around new people. Teaching your children to understand a pet’s body language is a good idea so that, as they interact with pets, they can reduce the likelihood of accidents. Kids can recognize signs of stress or discomfort, such as a tucked tail or flattened ears, and learn how to respond.
Make sure you go over the rules with the pet owner when it comes to where their pet is allowed to be in the house and how their pet is allowed to be played with. Maybe they have particular toys you can give their pet to play with, along with a few treats. Be sure to teach your kids about safe play behavior so that no one gets hurt. Your petsitting experience can be safe and fun for everyone in your family.
Petsitting as a family has been a great travel experience
Preparing Your Kids for Pet Sitting
We prepare our kids before a housesit/petsit by letting them know what responsibilities we are giving to them for the care of the pets. We want them to understand the importance of their role as pet sitters. We encourage them to participate in the pet care tasks, such as feeding the pets and cleaning up after them, because we know that this fosters responsibility and builds trust between them and the pets.
We like to show up at a housesit in advance of the homeowner’s trip for a chance to meet the pet(s) and the homeowners, learn about their routines, and get comfortable with what the expectations are. Sometimes we go over to the house to meet the homeowner and pets the day before our housesit, and other times it’s better for us to arrive about one hour before the homeowner leaves for their trip. We involve our kids in the process of going over the routine of the pets with the pet owners so they learn responsible interactions with the pets from the start. Doing this helps our kids to be prepared for the tasks of caring for the pets, and it also helps them feel more confident and competent in their new role.
We assign each of our kids a pet care task so they learn some responsibility to help our family have a successful petsit.
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Communicating with Homeowners About Kids
It’s important that, before you accept to housesit for someone and care for their pets, you let the homeowners know that you are traveling as a family and have children. Give the homeowners as much information as possible about your family, including the ages and number of children. Don’t be discouraged if a homeowner declines your application to house/petsit because you have children coming with you. Some pets are not comfortable around children, and that’s ok, because there are many other opportunities available for families to pet sit.
Homeowners may specify preferences for children, including age limitations or the number of children allowed. There have been times when we applied to housesit and were declined because of the age of our kids. Other times, our application was declined because the number of people in our family would be too overwhelming for their pets. It’s important to respect these preferences and not be discouraged when your applications are declined. Trusted Housesitters offers a filter option labeled ‘family-friendly’ to help families find suitable pet-sitting opportunities.
Being upfront about your family dynamics and maintaining open communication alleviates homeowners’ concerns. Be transparent and truthful in your applications so that you can find the pet sitting opportunities that work best for your family and the pets involved.
Meet & Greet: Introducing Kids to Pets
Scheduling a meet-and-greet session is a good idea if the pet owners are hesitant about having kids around their pets. It helps the pets get to know your family ahead of time and reduces stress before starting the pet-sitting job. The primary purpose of the meet-and-greet is to discuss the details about the house and the care of the pets, ensuring that both parties are on the same page.
Our approach to meet-and-greet sessions involves meeting the pets a day before the house sit, or in the morning before the homeowner leaves. We prefer to leave the house after the meet-and-greet for a short period (to familiarize ourselves with the area or get groceries) and then be at the home with the pet as the homeowner is heading out for their trip. Doing this helps the pet have less stress from strangers arriving after the homeowner has left. This hasn’t always worked with our schedule and the homeowner’s schedule, but it’s what we aim for when it’s possible.
Introducing pets to your family gradually and in a controlled manner helps make the transition of the pet owner leaving and you arriving smoother for the pets. This step will help you build trust between the pets you care for and your family.
Family-Friendly Pet Sitting Listings
Finding family-friendly pet sitting opportunities is easier than you might think. Trusted Housesitters currently has 6,065 listings worldwide, with 1,690 categorized as family-friendly house sitting opportunities. While family-friendly listings are fewer compared to the total number of house sit listings, there are many opportunities where families are welcomed to apply. (save 25% on your Trusted Housesitters membership here!)
Pet sitting requires a low time commitment, making it suitable for families who want the opportunity to care for a house and pet while they travel. It also provides an excellent opportunity for children to develop the skill of being responsible for the care of a pet.
Options exist for those considering applying for pet sits not marked as family-friendly. We don’t ignore a listing simply because it isn’t marked as family-friendly. If space in their home for a family is a concern for the homeowner, you might consider bringing your RV, like we do, and mentioning this in your application. This flexibility of having some of your family sleep in your RV at night in the driveway can open up more opportunities and ensure a comfortable stay for your family.
Our boys love petsitting and are always asking if we’re looking for houses to sit
Handling Common Challenges
Here are some tips for how to handle challenges so that you can have a stress-free time pet-sitting with your kids.
Pets may feel anxious around children, especially those who have not had as much experience being around pets. It’s important to educate your kids about gentle pet interactions so they can help alleviate the pet’s anxiety. Planning to meet beforehand allows pets to warm up to the idea of having children around, reducing any anxiety the pet, homeowner, and your family might have.
It’s important to be familiar with the pet’s schedule so that they are as comfortable as they can be while their owner is away. Keeping feeding and play times consistent assures pets that their needs will be met, which can help reduce stress. In case of incidents, having a plan for quick supervision can prevent situations with pets from escalating.
It’s also important to keep your kids’ preferences in mind when choosing pet sitting opportunities. If your children are uncomfortable around large dogs, avoid applying for sits involving them, regardless of the pet’s friendliness. You might decide that caring for cats is your preference, and you can narrow your search on Trusted Housesitters to only show you opportunities to care for cats. Consider what’s best for your family as you apply for housesitting and petsitting to keep everyone happy.
Experiences from Families Who Pet Sit
Families who regularly pet sit often report their positive experiences – petsitting enhances their family trips as they get to love and care for pets in a comfortable home while they explore new places. The satisfaction of knowing their pets receive proper care and attention alleviates a pet owner’s anxiety about leaving them. This peace of mind is invaluable for pet parents, especially when they choose a pet sitter. And parents of families who travel have peace of mind that their family will be comfortable in someone’s home in a new place.
It’s fun to watch a pet’s excitement when the pet owner returns from their trip, especially when the pet moves back and forth from us to the pet owner as they look for affection and attention from everyone at the same time. This bond the pets have created with us is a testament to the love and care we provided, and makes the experience rewarding for everyone involved.
Several families choose to become pet sitters because they are motivated by the fulfillment they find in caring for animals after their own have passed away. This heartfelt motivation drives them to continue providing loving care to pets, enriching their own lives in the process.
We love taking the pets we’re caring for to explore the area with us
Summary of Petsitting With Kids
Pet sitting with your kids offers numerous benefits, from alleviating the anxiety that might come with traveling to teaching your kids the responsibility of caring for pets. Ensuring a safe environment, preparing your kids, and effective communication with homeowners are crucial steps for a successful experience with pet sitting. Remember that the meet-and-greet sessions are important to help build a bond between your family and pets. You’ll be surprised how many family-friendly pet sitting opportunities are available around the world!
As your family becomes more comfortable with caring for all kinds of pets, you can embark on a rewarding pet-sitting journey even while you travel to new places. Embrace this unique opportunity to bond with your children, provide loving care to pets, and create unforgettable memories together.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pet Sitting as a Family
Can kids do pet sitting?
Yes, kids can do pet sitting. Apply to housesit in homes with pets that are comfortable with kids. And encourage your kids to handle some of the responsibilities for the pet’s care. It’s important to ensure that you guide them as they learn to help care for the pets.
What do sitters receive in exchange for their services?
Sitters receive free homestays and unique travel experiences in exchange for their time, care, and expertise on a platform like Trusted Housesitters.
What types of pets can be cared for through TrustedHousesitters?
TrustedHousesitters lists housesitting opportunities with a variety of pets, including dogs, cats, poultry, horses, fish, birds, reptiles, livestock, and small pets. You have plenty of options to care for all sorts of pets with this platform.
How does TrustedHousesitters provide customer support?
TrustedHousesitters offers customer support through a friendly Membership Services team, providing assistance via helpful articles and chat support on their Help Desk. They prioritize customer satisfaction through accessible and responsive service.
What should I look for when choosing a housesit for my family?
Consider things like:
- How long can the pet be left at home if you’re wanting to go sightseeing?
- How does the pet get along with kids?
- Are there any special medications that need to be administered and are you comfortable with those?
- Where is the pet sit located and how will you travel there?
Here’s a more complete guide to choosing the perfect house sit for your family.
Have more questions about petsitting with Trusted Housesitters?
