Some questions that I may fire away at you upon first communicating, or during a meet-and-greet — but PLEASE do not feel pressured to answer these for me! They just serve as a good backdrop for things to consider when planning a booking with a sitter. We love to know as much as we can about your pets so that we can care for them (and spoil them!) the best way that works individually for your little one. Here ya go! — ♡ What’s your preferred method of communication while away? Would you like regular updates while your pet is in my care? Generally I tend to send the bulk of my communication, updates, and photos directly through the Rover app/website, but if you'd prefer a different way, let's please chat about it. ♡ Does your pet have any health or behavioral issues that require some background knowledge and experience in managing? For instance, these may include dietary restrictions, medical needs and/or associated medical conditions, or behavioral triggers. ♡ Do you have a vet nearby that you trust? Will I have the consent necessary to seek veterinary care in an emergency? ♡ Is your dog spayed/neutered? ♡ Does your pet (especially the kitties!) stick to a given schedule, like feedings or regular walks in the morning, points during the day, and evening at specific times? ♡ Do you have a yard? Are there any “danger” spots (broken fencing, your pet being an “escape artist” in general, areas with toxic plants or mushrooms, etc) that should be strictly avoided, if I am outdoors and closely monitoring your pet in your own yard? As mentioned above, just knowing your typical routine of letting your pet(s) in and out throughout the day would be ideal! ♡ What kinds of people and animals would be best for your pet to be around, or to definitely ?NOT? be around? If any, what types of people or environments does your pet tend to avoid or show any reactivity to (some common examples: people in hats, children who may not have learned how to give proper space to animals, certain city sounds such as construction, etc), and what kinds of actions should I take differently, should your dog be reactive to other dogs or people while on-leash, etc? Should I make a specific sound, redirect your pup's attention by physically moving away from the stimulus with gentle but firm & effective momentum, distract your pet with treats, etc? ♡ What’s the best way to spoil your pet? ♡ If I am asked to house-sit or perform drop-in visits for you, what is the parking situation like in your area? ♡ Should I know anything particular about walking your dog? Are there certain routes that I should take, or that I should avoid? Is your dog reactive on-leash towards anything like other people, other dogs, squirrels, people on bikes, etc.? What type of collar/leash/harness set-up do you recommend be used with your pup? Is it safe and okay for me to bring along a treat pouch while walking your dog? ♡ Are there specific items that I should definitely keep out of your pet's reach, particularly when unsupervised? (Think about plants, linear/string-like objects, anything not "pet-friendly" — sometimes when their owner goes away, both dogs and cats externalize their stress by adopting behaviors that they'd otherwise never have any interest in — I've seen cats become suddenly obsessed with houseplants, cords for manipulating window shades, etc., so this is something that I try to be extremely cautious about!) ♡ For the safety of your cat, I cannot allow them to go outside while you're away. What kind of activities, including stationary objects like feeding puzzles and other types of enrichment, may keep your cat relatively well-occupied and comfortable if confined indoors when they normally have access to the outdoors? ♡ For any treatments — including oral medication administration, injections such as insulin, & even more extensive regular therapeutics such as subcutaneous fluid delivery — is your dog or cat generally well-behaved, or do you have to perform some gymnastics and feats of strength (or have a helper!) in order to perform the tasks needed? ♡ Is your dog muzzle-trained, if ever needed in an emergency situation? Do you have a muzzle at home? ♡ Do you have a "go bag" ready and prepared in the case of necessary evacuation? (Read up on disaster preparedness for pets; there are a ton of great resources out there. If you need some guidance, I'm happy to point you in the right direction!) ♡ What veterinary conditions does your pet have, and do they have any particular behaviors, inclinations, areas on their body, etc. that may seem abnormal or clinically significant to an outsider, but are actually "normal" for your pet? (eg. some lumps or bumps that have already been examined by a vet, or an older dog who might exhibit some leg lameness or stiffness after a walk — sometimes this can be significant & completely new, or more likely, it is a chronic issue already known to you. I want to know any sort of medical quirk like that! (And of course, there are examples that may occur in multiple species under wildly variable conditions, so please don't feel like the two that I just provided are the only ones on the board.) Like I said, please do not feel intimidated by that list of questions. It is not meant to scare you! It is mostly designed to help me feel secure in that I have covered all my bases in things to know about your pup (or cat, or what-have-you). Hopefully this goes without saying, but I of course always want for pet owners to feel comfortable volunteering whatever information they feel may be pertinent about the best way to care for their pet — you know your pet the best, not me, so if you think that it is important that I know something about your pet that I haven't specifically asked about, please feel free to inform me. I love to know as much as possible so that I can provide the highest-quality care in your stead!

For fun activities with your pup, there's an endless list of possibilities to occupy our time and energy! Some things that I like to do with my canine pals include exploring new neighborhoods, hiking on some of the local walking paths and parks (as well as those more “regional” and perhaps more appropriate for those high-energy pups who would be thrilled by the opportunity for a day-trip out to, say, a state park), splashing around (while on-leash) in some clean water for those more amphibious dogs (provided that some basic veterinary care and your consent have been verified before embarking on such an activity), and even getting some fun off-leash time if there are any fenced-in areas nearby! Although I’m not a fan of dog parks due to the risks they pose, I am always happy to find tons of fun things to do around town. No matter what, I’m happy to meet your pup at their level and make sure that they’re taken care of. Whether that be tons of fun outdoors or just snuggling up together on the couch, they’ll be in good hands. You're always free to give me some suggestions that are special to your pet! For our feline friends and other pets, I’m happy to follow your suggestions on activities and enrichment best enjoyed by your individual pal — they all have different personalities, down to the smallest little rodent, and I’m eager to comply with what you think is best for your critter while in my care.