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Part 1 of 2

While I’m away

…who’s going to be my pet sitter?
…who’s going to walk my dog?

The six, most used, options!
     Let’s face it. When you decide to own a pet, you can’t be around your dog, cat, or any other animal all of the time. Work, jobs, vacations, and many other things can lead you to separating from your pets for a short or long period of time. So, how can you make sure your dog, cat, or other pets will get by until you can return in Peoria, AZ (Arizona)?
  1. Have a friend or family member be your pet sitter or dog walker, while you’re gone.

     This is option is usually the first one that people reach for and understandably so. The reason for this is, simply, trust. You trust that your friends and family members will be reliable and they will take the best care of your pets and home, while you’re gone. Unfortunately, using friends or a family member for pet sitting or dog walking doesn’t always work out for the best. Don’t get me wrong. Sometimes this option works out great. However, I have seen and heard of many cases where this may have been the worst option. Given the location in Peoria, AZ ( Arizona ), several factors need to be considered when choosing someone for pet sitting and dog walking.
In contrast to the trust some may have in their friends and family members, the friends and family members feel a sense of security knowing that they can get away with not following through completely. They believe that their friend or family member will not hold them accountable for their actions and they will be able to take advantage of this luxury. Not showing up on time (or at all), not spending enough time with your pets, not having their primary focus on your pets can be costly. Also, there is a possibility of unwanted guests brought into your home and parties. Imagine if there was a party going on. Maybe someone steals something from your home? What if someone leaves a door open and your cat or dog runs out? Especially in Peoria, Arizona (AZ), this is a big deal. The traffic, heat, and coyotes present real, life-threatening dangers for your pet.
Focusing on dog walking, there are times when you may ask a family member or friend to take your dog on walks because you may no longer be able to, you are at work, on vacation, or various other reasons. But how experienced is your family member with walking dogs? Does your family member or friend know how to read your dog’s signals? Can your family member or friend read other dog’s signals? What if he/she encounters stray dogs on the dog walk? Can your family member handle a dog or human aggressive dog? Does your friend or family member know how to handle an encounter with wild animals, such as coyotes (which is a real threat in Peoria, AZ ( Arizona ))? If so, then you have a great and unusual situation. However, for the vast majority, this is not the case.
All these present and real dangers do manifest, can break bonds, and ruin relationships between them and their family member or friend. To add on to this, if something happens to your pet or home, is your friend or family member going to pay for it? As I said before, this isn’t always the case. However, it is something that all pet parents need to consider when deciding to leave their dog, cat, or other animal, under the care of a friend or family member.


2. Have a neighborhood kid be your pet sitter or dog walker.

 

This option has many of the same benefits and drawbacks as using a friend or family member for your pet sitting and dog walking needs. The benefit is that you know this person and you have a sense of trust in them. However, the level of trust people have in the neighborhood kid, is usually slightly less than that of a family member or friend. If you choose this option for pet sitting and dog walking in Peoria, AZ ( Arizona ), you need to ask yourself the same questions and consider the same factors as you would when you ask a family member to pet sit or walk your dog. Is the neighborhood kid insured? Can the neighborhood capable of handling your dog on a leash, when a stray dog is charging at them? See the paragraphs above (under “1.”) for more details, questions, and concerns so that you can raise your awareness and increase your chances for a positive outcome when you give your trust to a pet sitter or dog walker.

PART 2
 Boarding your pets

3.  Boarding your pets.


Boarding you pet while you are away in Peoria, AZ ( Arizona ) is one of the most popular options for pet owners while they are away, on vacation, or just need someone to watch their pets. Before we go into the positives and negatives, I want to mention that there are two ways you can board your pets. The first way is, taking your pets to a boarding facility. The second is boarding your pets with someone who provides “in-home” boarding. Regardless of if you choose either boarding option, I stress that it is imperative that you do your research on the business, the place of business, and the living environment your pets will be in, even if it is at a veterinary office!
Taking your pets to a boarding facility can be a great option in some cases and a mistake in others. The price for boarding your pet in Peoria, AZ ( Arizona ), can vary greatly, and between facilities. However, you need to consider that this may be a case of you get what you pay for. In my experience, having worked in a boarding facility and using others, is that this phrase holds true. Some pets do great in certain boarding situations at certain facilities and some pets don’t do well at all. Some places will kennel your pet, full-time, and they won’t receive proper, or any, exercise. Some boarding facilities will have your dog only living and sleeping on concrete floors. In many of these situations, kennels can be a very noisy place. If there are dogs constantly barking in the kennel sections, it can traumatize certain animals and causing long-term psychological damage. When these pets are away from their owners and the ones who make them feel secure and safe, it can cause various psychological issues that may take a long time to heal from. Given these possible issues, it is also important to note that not every boarding facility is like this. Some offer environments where your dog won’t be kenneled or create a room that may help them feel as though they are at home. Again, it is important that you research and investigate the facility, who works there, and who will be around your pets.The other option is to take someone who will board their pets in their home in Peoria, AZ ( Arizona ). Again, this could or could not be a good idea. Some people are great with animals and have a clean living environment where you pet can roam as if it was their own home. If you use the same person often, this could help your pet feel safer and more comfortable while you are gone. What you should consider is the living environment and the person in-charge. Will your pet be the only one being boarded at a time? If not, how many pets does the business owner agree to take at a time? Do you feel it is too much for them to handle? Is their environment secure? Will they walk or exercise your dog? Does the business owner genuinely care? Are they bonded and insured? There may be a lot of questions to ask, but no research is too much when considering the safety of your pet!

Once again, research everyone and everything about the business. Your pet’s safety and well-being is important!


4. Hire a pet sitter from a website or APP that acts as a 3rd “party middleman”.

     Hiring a pet sitter from a third party who acts like a “middle-man” is becoming a more popular choice for people to find a pet care professional. Some of these middlemen even require that pet care professionals to go through background checks before they can offer their services to potential clients. In my experience, having used some of these various third-party sites, is that people are seeking out help from pet care professionals who will give their services at cheap price. This could be a great option. However, there are drawbacks. Ask yourself, would you like your pet to have the same pet sitter or dog walker, consistently? This way, your pet could form a bond and trust that will make them feel safe and secure, every time you leave or need help. If you answered yes, then this may not be the best option for you. The prices that pet sitters and dog walkers offer on these third-party sites are low for a reason. The pet sitters and dog walkers are doing these services as a side-job. They aren’t planning on doing this in the long-run. Therefore, you won’t be able to count on them to always be there for you and your pets. You may have to find a different person, every time you need someone for pet sitting and dog walking. This, of course, is no different from any other option. You should always do your own research on the person and conduct your own, in-person, interview before hiring anyone to be your pet care professional.


5.  Hire a professional pet sitter.

     Hiring a professional for your pet sitting and dog walking needs in Peoria, AZ ( Arizona ) is quickly becoming the best way to keep your pets happy and healthy during the time you need them. Professionals, who are bonded and insured, generally have a genuine care for you and your pets. What you should be looking for, when seeking out a professional for pet sitting and dog walking, is if they are bonded and insured. Next, you must check on reviews and possibly ask for references. If this checks out, you should next do a meet-and-greet with them (Most pet sitting and dog walking professionals will ask for this automatically.). If everything checks out and your pet seems to like them, this may be your best option. After all, keeping your pet in their usual environment provides them with an immediate sense of security, making your time away from them much easier on their mind and body.

 


6.  Hire Fur Heart Pet Sitting & Dog Walking, LLC

 

Above all, when you hire Fur Heart Pet Sitting and Dog Walking, LLC for your pet sitting and dog walking needs, you are getting an individual who genially cares about you and your pet. This is so important because anything that can and should be done to make pet owners and their pets feel safe and secure WILL be done. Whether it is giving your pet’s medications on time, walking your dog a certain way, stepping between your pet and a stray dog, etc…, it will be done.

Fur Heart Pet Sitting and Dog Walking, LLC is a member of the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and we have a great track record with them as well as our clients. Click here, for our listing and reviews on the BBB website.

Our listing on Yelp! Also shows our great track record with our clients. Click here, for reviews from our clients.

Living around Peoria, Arizona ( AZ ), it is clear that the local wildlife is often present among even well populated areas. Our professional dog walkers have thousands of hours of experience walking dogs and many of them have come in situations such as these. We know how to ward off any threat, should they present themselves to make sure your dog remains safe. Our pet sitters and dog walkers double-check the locks on your doors before we leave to make sure your pets will remain in your home, between our visits. Our pet sitting and dog walking services are all offered at very competitive prices. We are, of course, bonded and insured through Pet Sitters Associates. The safety, security, health, and well-being of your pet could not be in better hands than in Fur Heart Pet Sitting and Dog Walking, LLCPet sitting and dog walking is our life and our future is dependent on making our clients and their pets understand that. We ensure our follow-through and want to prove it to everyone!

If you choose Fur Heart Pet Sitting and Dog Walking, LLC for your pet sitting and dog walking needs in Peoria, AZ ( Arizona ), then your pet can remain in their normal environment, keeping them feeling safe and secure. Your pet will have a consistent friend who comes to see them from time-to-time. Your dog can have an experienced friend who comes and walks with him or her. This person will be someone who has their best interests in mind and can adjust their abilities to suit the needs of the dog, on the fly. Your pet will receive the exercise he or she needs. When you come home, your pet will be happy and healthy!