What are the benefits of remote working and pet sitting?

If you work online, there’s a high chance you’re getting bored of the same four walls of home. And it’s understandable - while you probably don’t miss the stuffy commute to and from the office, having literally no reason to brush your hair in the morning can get a little too much of the same, even for the best of us. 

So if you feel like you could do with a change of scenery and even some new company, pet sitting in dog-friendly destinations could help you change things up and reap all the benefits of remote working. It’s a sure way to get you away from home, meeting new friends and enjoying a place to stay for free in new locations. Intrigued? Thought so. Here, we’ll explore the benefits of pet sitting combined with remote working, along with our top tips on how to manage the two.

So, what are the key benefits of remote working and pet sitting?

• It saves you money AND annual leave
• Companionship of new furry friends
• Enjoy a change of scenery
• Connect with a community of pet and travel lovers
• Make life-long friendships
• Work remotely and travel

It saves you money AND annual leave

If you’re house sitting to save money, you’re in the right place. One of the biggest benefits of remote working while pet sitting is free accommodation. Gone are the days of only leaving the town you live in during annual leave days. A key benefit of pet sitting is that you can see as many places as you like while using fewer annual leave days AND not spending hundreds of wonga on a place to stay. We know it sounds too good to be true, but it really isn’t. With a TrustedHousesitters membership, nothing is exchanged between pet parents and sitters but love and care for pets, and a free place to stay for you sitters.

Companionship of new furry friends

No matter how many online meet-ups and chats you arrange, it can be lonely working from home. But one of our favourite benefits of pet sitting is that you can enjoy the company of new furry friends to make working from home fun. While they can’t hold a conversation like your two-legged friends might be able to, pets are used in therapy settings for a reason! They have a wonderful, calming effect on us sapiens that’s ideal for between meetings that leave you a little flustered, or a to-do list that seems to keep growing.

Enjoy a change of scenery

The same four walls can get a little… samey when working from home. Logging on from wherever you like is one of the benefits of remote working that means you’re in charge of your surroundings, as long as you get your work done. By pet sitting, you can stay in homes you’d never thought possible, enjoying unique interiors and maybe even gardens to relax in as well. And it’s not just the new (temporary) homestead to get excited for - what about the neighbourhood?! If you’re sitting a pooch, head to their local dog park and get chatting with the local pet parents to break up the day and even make a few new two-legged buddies of your own. You never know, your new buddy might even introduce you to her four-legged friends in her stomping ground!

Connect with a community of pet and travel lovers

It can sometimes feel lonely while working from home, but pet sitting means you’re part of something bigger. A TrustedHousesitters membership connects you to a network of like-minded others, i.e. people who love animals and travel just as much as you do. Find individuals in our pet sitting community who agree that nothing needs to be exchanged between pet parents and sitters but a love for animals and a place to stay. We can all agree that our four-legged friends deserve only the best care, and you can connect with others like you on our community forum.

Make life-long friendships

A great sitter-pet parent relationship is built on a foundation of trust and love for pets. Looking after somebody else’s furry family member isn’t a task to be taken lightly, and neither is staying in their home and keeping their plants happy, either. That’s why many of our sitters and pet parents stay in touch over the years, and often reach out to one another for future pet sitting opportunities. In fact, many of our sitters and pet parents get on so well that they have sitters come back to care for their pets and plants time and time again.

Work remotely and travel

Whether you’re looking for a change of scenery or you’ve gone full digital nomad on us with long term house sitting, kudos to you! House sitting and travel go hand in hand - if you’re a travel lover like the rest of us with a never-ending pot of wanderlust, pet sitting and working remotely could be the ticket to the nomadic freedom you’re after. If you need a bit of house sitting and travel inspo, check out Anna and Cody’s pet sitting adventures.

Remote working while pet sitting: our top tips on how to make it work

• Stay flexible
• Check that internet speed!
• Carve time to explore
• Research the breed
• Meet them first
• Ask for tips on the pet
• Stick to the pet’s routine
• Prepare for separation anxiety
• Remember what works for you

Stay flexible

Remember in your last job interview when you spoke about how flexible you can be? Well now’s the time to flex that malleable mind of yours so that you can enjoy all the benefits of pet sitting. Each pet parent, household and four-legged buddy will have a different routine, so it’s important to stay flexible so that you can fit into their schedule and ways of working.

Check that internet speed!

The last thing you want when turning up to a sit is to find out that the pet parents either don’t have internet, or that their speed simply isn’t up to scratch for video calls, presenting your screen, and those countless tabs you still need to close. So, while it’s likely that the home you’re staying in will have internet access, just confirm before you agree to look after their pets.

Carve time to explore

While remote working in a new house with a new buddy is one of the best things about working digitally, it’s worth carving out time to explore the place you’re staying in. Whether that means talking to your boss about flexible working hours (or maybe you have these agreed already?), or even booking an afternoon off here and there, make sure you’ve got time to truly enjoy your new spot and peruse the local hangouts with your pet pal.

Research the breed

Whether you’re dog sitting, cat sitting, or you’re thinking about making a new tank-side slippery sidekick, do your research on the breed you’ll be taking care of. Some of our non-sapien friends need very little care. Take a goldfish, for example. They need feeding and maybe a tank clean, if that’s agreed with the pet parents. Whereas you might be looking after a sprightly Springer - an adorable pooch who leaps and bounds almost everywhere in an attempt to burn off that never-ending energy supply. So, just make sure you’re confident in spending time with the pet, as they’ll need to feel well-looked-after, and the pet parents will understandably want to feel safe about leaving their precious buddy in your care. If you’re new to pet sitting, it could be worth starting off with a low-maintenance pet and working your way up as you gain confidence. And if you’re new to pet sitting, check out these tips for first time house sitters.

Meet them first

If you can, it really helps to meet the prospective pet parents and your new furry friends first. Get acquainted, have a cuppa, go for walkies (if that suits the species…), and understand one another’s expectations and needs before the sit. That way, your new fluffy buddy can get to know you in the comforts of their own home with their pet parents around to bridge the gap. It’s a great way to reduce dog anxiety and means you’ll be able to enjoy all the benefits of remote working during your sit.

Ask for tips on the pet

If you’ve spent much time around friends of the furry persuasion, you’ll know that each has their own quirks that make them unique. And while experience with the breed you’ll be sitting for is ideal, the animal you’re caring for will be different. From various life experiences, levels of care and personal preferences, there’s a lot of variety when it comes to the animal kingdom. So, ask for any tips and tricks from the pet parents before they go away so that you can relax and enjoy all the benefits of remote working.

Stick to the pet’s routine

While adjusting to your new fluffy buddy’s ways of living will mean you have to change yours, it will make your life so much easier during your sit. Learn about when they’re used to being fed, walked, put to bed, and if they enjoy a fuss in the morning or prefer to rise slowly in solitude. Remember, being flexible about your routine and sticking to your new pal’s means they’re less likely to act up, and you’ll be able to reap all the benefits of pet sitting. If you’re new to pet sitting, check out these tips on dog and cat sitting.

Prepare for separation anxiety

You can stick to routines and ease the transition for care as much as you like, but at the end of the day, dogs are pack animals. That means they’re prone to separation anxiety as it can be confusing and worrying when member(s) of their pack unexpectedly leave for long periods of time. And while vets agree that pets are happier in the comforts of home rather than being placed in boarding or kennels, the unavoidable distance from their pet parents can cause feelings of unease, and it’s something you’ll need to be prepared for as a sitter. So, learn about the signs of separation anxiety and how to manage it, and make sure you keep the pet parents in the loop about their precious pooch.

Remember what works for you

Getting into a new routine for your furry buddy is super important, and can be heaps of fun. Between adjusting to your new way of working around your new fluffy buddy, make sure you remember what works for you while remote working. To truly enjoy all the benefits of pet sitting, you’ll need to avoid feelings of stress (easier said than done, we know). One way you can do that though is by listing the pillars, if you like, that keep you feeling calm and happy while working from home. Then, simply make sure you keep these pillars standing, wherever you’re working and whoever you’re sitting for. These might be things like your morning coffee, fresh air at lunch time, or an online catch up with your remote office best bud every so often. Whatever helps you get through the day, keep those actions up where you can to make sure your wellbeing is in check. If you’d like to dive into the topic of remote working a bit further, here’s how to stay focussed while working remotely.

Fancy a change of scenery?

Pack up your laptop and find house sitting jobs in your dream location to make new fluffy friends and enjoy a place to stay for free.