When Pet Care Is Your Whole Day

Dog walks, pet visits, litter boxes and everything in between

There are days when I stop and think, ‘Do I ever actually stop looking after pets?’

Because when you’re an independent pet sitter, and you have pets of your own, pet care doesn’t neatly fit into a little box labelled ‘work hours.’

It follows you through the day.

And sometimes, it follows you right through the front door and waits for you at home.

One Appointment Leads To Another

A typical day can involve getting ready for a client appointment, heading out for a dog walk or pet visit, coming home for a little while, taking my own dog out, and then heading back out again.

Then there’s another appointment.

Then home again.

Then my own pets need attention.

And somewhere in between all of that, I’m supposed to remember the other things that make up everyday life.

Food shopping.

Household jobs.

Messages.

Paperwork.

The list goes on.

It can sometimes feel like I’m constantly checking the clock and working out where the next piece of the day fits.

And Then There’s Fluffy

One thing that always makes me smile is how often my own dog becomes part of the working day.

I’ll finish an appointment and come home, and of course, Fluffy still needs his walk.

So out we go.

Then I come back home, get myself organised and, before I know it, I’m heading back out for another pet-care appointment.

From the outside, I probably look like I spend my entire day walking dogs.

And, to be fair…

I kind of do.

But that’s only one part.

The Pet-Care-To-Do List Doesn’t End With The Walks

Dog walking is just one piece of the puzzle.

When I’m looking after pets in their homes, there are all the little jobs that come with making sure they’re comfortable and everything is in order.

Refreshing the water.

Washing bowls.

Feeding.

Scooping the litter box.

Checking that everything is clean and tidy.

Making sure the pets are happy.

Noticing anything unusual.

And then, when I get home, I have my own version of exactly the same list waiting for me.

Which is slightly amusing when you think about it.

I can spend part of my day professionally scooping someone else’s litter box…

…and then come home to discover that my own litter boxes have been patiently waiting for me.

Apparently, being a professional pet sitter does not qualify me for an exemption from my personal pet chores.

I did check.

There is no such exemption.

The Second Shift

I sometimes think there should be a little sign above my front door:

PET SITTER’S SECOND SHIFT STARTS HERE.

Because after spending the day making sure other people’s pets have everything they need, I still have my own little household to take care of.

The litter needs scooping.

The water bowls need washing and refilling.

Food needs sorting.

Things need tidying.

And, of course, there are always those little things you notice as you’re going about your evening that suddenly become another item on the list.

It’s not really a second shift in the traditional sense.

It’s just…

life with pets.

I’m Not Just The Pet Sitter

One of the realities of running an independent business is that the pet care itself is only part of the job.

There’s scheduling.

Client communication.

Planning the day.

Keeping track of appointments.

Paperwork and agreements.

Making sure everything is organised.

And then there’s the completely unrelated list of things that still need doing because, unfortunately, being self-employed doesn’t make the supermarket disappear.

Sometimes I look at everything I need to get done and wonder how it all fits into the day.

But somehow, it does.

Usually with a fair amount of juggling.

When Pet Care Really Is Your Whole Day

The funny thing is that I don’t think I ever really switch completely from ‘pet sitter mode’ to ‘not pet sitter mode.’

Even when I’m at home, I’m still thinking about the animals I’ve seen that day.

Did everyone eat?

Did everyone seem okay?

Did I remember everything?

Is there anything I need to follow up on?

And then my own pets are there, quite rightly, reminding me that they have their own needs too.

So that day becomes this constant rhythm of:

Client pets.

My pets.

Home.

Walk.

Feed.

Clean.

Refresh.

Repeat.

But Honestly, I Wouldn’t Have It Any Other Way

Yes, it can be busy.

Yes, sometimes the to-do list seems to reproduce when I’m not looking.

And yes, there are days when I realise I’ve spent hours caring for animals and then coming home to discover that I still have my own animals to care for.

But there’s something pretty lovely about that too.

My working life is surrounded by animals.

I get to spend my days caring for pets, giving them attention when their people can’t be there, taking them out for walks, keeping an eye on them and making sure they’re safe and comfortable.

Then I come home to my own pets.

So perhaps the truth is…

Pet care is really my whole day.

Dog walks, pet visits, litter boxes and everything in between.

And somewhere amongst all the juggling, errands, appointments and never-ending-to-do lists, there’s a life that revolves around the animals I love.

And honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way.