Dog Boarding Manual

HOW TO BECOME THE BEST DOG SITTER

Before accepting a booking

Be responsive
Answer all requests, even the ones you can’t accept to show you’re a professional and an active member of the platform. Sitters with good response rates are contacted twice as much.

Ask questions
Make sure you, your home and your pets are compatible with your guest dog’s age, size, personality, lifestyle and medical conditions. This will make it a pleasant stay for your guest, and for you too! Here are some ideas on what to ask the owner before accepting a booking.

Be honest
If you have pets from other bookings, make sure both owners know.  Why not see if they are open to meet beforehand? This will save you from dealing with a tricky situation the first day of the booking.

Be reliable
If you accept a booking, make sure you can commit to it. Last minute cancellations are really disruptive for owners and harm not only your reputation but also the one of the other sitters in DogBuddy.

Before the booking starts

Organise a meet and greet as soon as possible. This is your chance to get to know your future guest while the owner is still in town. You can find advice on what to do during a meet and greet here.

Write down special instructions. Ask about special feeding instructions or any medical conditions. Also get the Vet’s contact details and an alternative contact person such as friends or family.

Create an emergency plan of action. Here’s a general guide for emergencies and what to do in case of a lost dog. Print it and keep it close by.

Dog-proof your house. Nothing that can be harmful (food, toxic products) or can be broken by the dog (chargers, phones, etc) should be in their reach. Remember your property is not covered by our insurance. Fully seal your garden fence ensuring there’s no way for a dog to jump over or squeeze under. Don’t leave windows wide open, you’d be surprised how many dogs try to climb out the window!

During the booking

Help them adapt
Instruct the dog’s owner to leave quietly without being noticed while you distract the dog with food or a toy. Dogs generally keep playing and don’t realise their Owners have left - making separation almost unnoticed. Take him for a walk as soon as you can.

Don’t leave the dog alone at least on the first 24h. Being separated from their owners is a difficult situation for them at least until you gain their trust. During the rest of the stay they can be left alone a maximum of 4h with the owner’s consent.

Keep a fluid and continuous communication. This is crucial for the owner in order to know their dog is having a good time. Send daily walkies updates, videos and photos via our App. Always answer their messages promptly so they know you’re available.

Never feed more than one dog at the same time or in the same place. If there’s one thing dogs fight over is food!

Hold the dog while opening your front door. Stressed dogs in new environments are only looking for a chance to go exploring. If a dog does get out here’s what to do with a lost dog.

Keep the dog on the leash (unless you are in a fenced and secure park). Our Third Party Liability Insurance will not cover you in case of accident if the dog was off the lead somewhere they shouldn’t have been or where he was not allowed to.

In case of emergency contact the owner and our support team as soon as possible. We’ll be able to help you resolve the situation. Don’t forget to keep receipts of the bills for the reimbursement.