Emergency

Coping in a Dog Sitter Emergency
By Ben Waterworth
 
No matter what precautions you may take, emergencies sometimes can happen during your stay as a dog sitter with your client's dog. Whether it is something serious happening to the dog or to the place you are staying in, you should always be alert to potential dangers and know how to deal with them if a crisis occurs. Below are a few helpful in-home dog sitting tips to try and get you through an ordeal if something bad happens.
 
1. Stay Calm: It is always important to remain calm in any emergency situation. This is of course easier said then done, however nothing will be achieved if you get into a state of panic. Assess the situation that confronts you a best work out a plan of attack, and always try and stay focussed on what you need to do in order to make things better again.
 
2. Call for Help: Make sure you have been given the correct contact details in case of an emergency. Seek one when your pet owner is signing the contract with you and providing you with the dog sitting checklist. If the dog you are sitting is injured or sick, immediately contact its vet and inform them of the situation. If there is something wrong with the house or anything else, you should contact the emergency services immediately. Make sure you do contact the correct people and always ensure you get as much details from the clients before they leave you in control. You can never have too much information and this will be the case in an emergency!
 
3. Notify the Client: It's a hard phone call to make but it has to be done. Let them know of the situation and ensure them that you are in control and taking the relevant steps to make things better. Unless it is a dire emergency you should tell them to stay put and give them regular updates once you know more information. If the situation isn't as serious as first thought, you can always wait until after the emergency has cleared. Never try and cover it up as this can only lead to more drama on the clients return.
 
4. Remain in Control: Just as you shouldn't panic, you should always try and remain in control of the situation. Observe what has happened and try and work out how it did. By staying in control you will be a better judge of how to make things better as well as doing the right things in order to achieve that.
 
5. Take Responsibility: Even if the emergency was not directly your fault, you should still always take responsibility as it happened in your care and when you were in charge of dog sitting. Politely explain exactly what happened to the client and inform them that you are taking full responsibility and will cover any costs that occurred during the emergency. The client may not always take you up on this offer but as it did take place under your care it's always the polite thing to do.
 
Obviously every emergency situation is unique and you may not be faced with any of these circumstances during the emergency you face. But by following the basics in this article you will go a long way in coping in an emergency situation and ensuring things don't easily become worse. You earn good reference by pet sitting. We offer a comprehensive tips and articles on dog sitting. If interested to become a dog sitter and stay for free at the pet owner's house, you can apply at dog pet sitting form.