Friday, February 15, 2013

When Seeking Pet Sitters Houston Residents Seek Comprehensive Support

By Paula Barron


The last thing a family wants is to spend their holiday worrying about their animals. When looking for pet sitters Houston families need to find a service that takes care of more than the basic needs of food and exercise. The level of support needed depends on the kind of pets one owns. Many cats are fiercely independent, whereas some dog and bird breeds demand a significant amount of interaction every day.

When families go away, they need to keep the animal's lifestyle calm and free of stress. This can be done best by retaining the animal's routine as strictly as possible, which is what makes a sitter such a valuable asset. Animals become used to the level of interaction they have daily, and a sitter should thus be encouraged to spend the same amount of interaction time with the animals. Disturbed routines can cause anxiety for animals.

Generally, cats should not be left without company for longer than half a day. Some cats require medications and regular feeding, which would require more frequent visits. A reputable service will visit pets at least once daily, whilst poor services may only stop in every second day. This is insufficient for all pets.

The basic needs of changing sandboxes, offering water and feeding animals is seldom enough. A sitter should also spend some time interacting and playing with animals during their visit. Most animals need to have their toys changed twice a week to avoid boredom. A good sitter will ensure that this is done and the animal is kept entertained and stimulated.

A professional who owns a pet is more likely to understand the needs of others' animals. It can be hard for people without animals to focus on the needs of pets. Families should look into references and seek out reviews online. Some websites also offer background checks, which are useful for establishing how reliable the sitter is likely to be.

Loneliness is the biggest problem animals are confronted with when their families go away. It can be comforting to set a television or radio timer to play during the times the family interacts with their animals. Most owners going on holiday use a kennel to board their animals, but this takes the pet out of the environment it's used to, which can be anxiety producing.

When animals are allowed to keep their usual routine in the environment they are used to, their stress is minimized. A sitter is likely to be less costly than a kennel, but more comprehensive service will cost more. Services can be found through word of mouth by asking friends and family about professionals they have hired in the past.

Intelligent pets such as parrots and border collies require stimulating schedules that entail training and interesting play times. It's best for such breeds to continue with their training and exercise routines with the sitter. Families should make themselves available for phone calls if the sitter has concerns or there is an emergency.

Families can help the professionals they hire to do a better job by telling them about the routines and activities the animal enjoys. Safety information specific to the home should be pointed out. When hiring pet sitters Houston residents should ask neighbors to check in regularly to ensure the task is being fulfilled adequately.




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