Unsure about the duration of your visits or how often your sitter should check on your beloved pet? Our appointments are customized to suit your household's requirements. While this approach benefits your pets, it might be overwhelming to select the right appointment type. We offer helpful tips to assist you in determining the most suitable schedule for your needs and ensuring you receive the ideal pet sitting service. When deciding on the duration of your pet sitting visits and how frequently your sitter should come by, it's important to consider your pet's specific needs and routine. Whether you have a playful puppy who craves attention or a senior cat who prefers peace and quiet, tailoring the appointments to fit their lifestyle is key. To make the process easier for you, our team is here to guide you through choosing the perfect appointment type. We understand that every pet is unique, and we want to ensure they receive the care and attention they deserve while you're away.

The Best Way To Schedule Pet Sitting Visits

Think in 15-minute time blocks to choose a visit length. A meal takes about 15 minutes. A short walk takes about 15-minutes. A long walk takes about 30 minutes. Playtime takes about 15-30 minutes. Oh and taking care of the cats, that takes about 15-minutes. It’s like a magic number!

For Example:

If you want lots of indoor playtime and a meal, you should book a 45-minute visit. The meal will take about 15-minutes, and the playtime will be about 30-minutes.

Another example could be indulging in a satisfying meal followed by a leisurely 30-minute walk. Given that the meal takes 15 minutes and the walk takes 30 minutes, the combined duration would be 45 minutes. In the scenario where indoor playtime is also desired, an additional 15 minutes should be allotted, thus requiring a 60-minute reservation.

To ensure that your sitter is able to competently fulfill their responsibilities while keeping your pets content, it’s recommended to allocate 15-minute intervals for each major task. By customizing your visits, you may request that your sitter divides activities such as playtime and walks into smaller portions, such as one-third or one-quarter of the total visit duration. This allows for ample time to complete each task to a satisfactory level.

Dog Sitting Visit Lengths

Let’s compare the most common visit lengths:

30-Minute Visits

This is the minimum amount of time for a dog-pet sitting visit to ensure your pet-sitter can properly care for your dog. This duration will provide enough time for the sitter to prepare a meal and take your dog for a brief potty break. 30-minute visits are better suited for morning appointments. Our sitters strongly advise scheduling at least one or two longer visits, ranging from 45 to 60 minutes, in conjunction with the 30-minute visit later in the day.

45-Minute Visits

Our 45-minute visit (the ‘St. Bernard’) is suitable for dogs seeking an extended walk or indoor playtime. However, please note that a 45-minute visit might not provide sufficient time for both activities. Choosing between a long walk or indoor playtime would be ideal, or alternatively, opting for a shorter walk and a brief indoor play session could be an alternative.

60-Minute Visits

Our canine friends deserve the best care, and our 60-minute visit (the ‘Great Dane’) is ideal for ensuring their complete relaxation. This service includes an extended walk, ample playtime, and a meal, providing the necessary physical and mental stimulation to de-stress your pet. Even if your dog is less active, the 60-minute visits are highly recommended as our sitters are trained to help them relax while you are away.

Adjusting Visit Lengths For Your Dog’s Needs

Keep in mind to schedule the perfect amount of time for your pets. You may need to further consider the number of pets that you have, other house sitting duties your sitter will be in charge of, the number of medications administered, and any special needs your pets may have.

Households With Multiple Pets

If you own multiple pets of varying species, it’s crucial to consider their unique needs when scheduling a pet sitter. Depending on the number of pets and tasks that the sitter will need to perform, it may be necessary to allocate an additional 15-30 minutes. As the owner, you are in the best position to determine the appropriate time needed for you know your pet the best and we are here to get to hopefully know them just as well too!

Mix and Match Visit Lengths

Many clients like to mix and match visit lengths. For example, something like this works well for many dogs:

● A 30-minute morning visit.

● A nice long 45 or 60-minute early afternoon visit.

● A 30 or 45-minute bedtime visit.

How Many Dog Sitting Visits To Book Per Days ?

Two visits per day is the minimum for most dogs. Three visits is recommended. If your budget allows, four visits per day is a great way to go.

We’ve have had a couple clients that have a doggy door and their dogs could go in and out whenever they wanted. Their dogs usually ate just one time per day. A single 45-minute or 60-minute visit in the evening worked for them, but that is rare.

Two Visits Per Day

For clients seeking twice-daily visits, we recommend scheduling a morning and bedtime visit for their dogs. This option is particularly suitable for smaller dogs or those with lower energy levels. We recommend a minimum duration of 30 minutes for the morning visit and 45 minutes for the bedtime visit; however, more extended visits are beneficial since time passes quickly. The longer our sitters can spend with your dogs, the more comfortable and secure they will feel. If your budget permits, we suggest booking an additional 15-minute early afternoon visit to provide a mid-day break for your dogs.

Three Visits Per Day

Our sitters have seen a huge improvement in the mood of dogs that get three visits per day. A mid-day walk elevates your dog’s mood, keeps them happy until their bedtime visit, and helps them fall asleep.

Time Slots For Three Visits Per Day

Three Visits Per Day – Option #1

● Morning: 7:00am – 9:30am

● Early Afternoon: 1:00 – 3:00 pm

● Bedtime: 6:30pm – 9:00pm

This visit schedule breaks the day up evenly. Rather than setting up an evening visit, which is intuitive because it lines up with a dog’s regular mealtime, we like to set up an early afternoon visit and split the evening meal between the early afternoon visit and the bedtime visit. We have found this schedule works very well for dogs that are OK with having otheir evening meal split into lunch and a late dinner.

 

Three Visits Per Day – Option #2

 

● Morning: 7:00am – 9:30am

● Late Afternoon 3:00pm – 5:00pm

● Bedtime: 6:30pm – 9:00pm

 

This visit schedule is great too. You can keep your dog’s meal closer to their normal time and feed them at the late afternoon visit.

 

Four Visits Per Day

Clients love setting up four visits per day. You can mix and match visit lengths and time blocks to customize the day for your dog with nice, long walks. There is lots of time to play in the backyard and plenty of time for companionship, snuggles and love. This is the perfect option for dogs that are usually with people all the time.

Good Time Slots For Four Visits Per Day

● Morning: 7:00am – 9:30am

● Mid-Day: 11:00am – 2:00pm

● Late Afternoon: 3:00pm – 5:00pm

● Bedtime: 6:30pm – 9:00pm

Summary

When booking visits for your pets, it’s essential to consider several factors carefully. One common misstep is booking an insufficient number of visits, which can result in inadequate care for your pets. To avoid this, ensure that you book enough visits to meet your pets’ needs while you’re away. Additionally, it’s crucial to communicate any specific needs or preferences your pet may have, such as medication or feeding schedules, to your pet sitter. Providing clear instructions and necessary supplies will help ensure that your pet receives the appropriate care. Ultimately, your pet’s care is of utmost importance, and it’s critical to ensure that only the best care is provided in your absence.

Maintaining open communication with your pet sitter throughout the booking process and during your absence is crucial. This approach will ensure smooth operations and promote prompt resolution of any issues that may arise. Rest assured that with this approach, your pet will receive the highest level of care while you’re away.