VISITS AND THE CLIENTS HOME
Every Visit
• Read clients routine. NOTE: The client can change the routine, so read it at every visit!
• Review clients routine. Re-review the clients routine
• Make sure you’re entering the correct home. Make sure you’re entering the correct door
• CHECK IN ON PORTAL WHEN YOU ARRIVE INSIDE THE HOME. CHECK OUT WHEN YOU EXIT.
• Be prepared for pets charging at the front door who may want to run out.
• Follow the instructions, IN DETAIL, from the portal. The only exception to following the portal is if the client wrote you a note to change something for that day OR if manager has given you specific instructions for that day. As soon as you arrive to a visit, check to see if the client has left you a note.
• Please note: If there is a PERMANENT change, comment made by owner, or medical problem for the pet you’re visiting, let the client know he or she should update the portal, AND you, as the dog walker, should let manager know immediately. Communication is key! EMAIL ANY PERMANENT CHANGES TO INFO@SUBURBANPETS.COM
• Lock all appropriate doors and set any alarms if instructed.
*Take a peek in every room to which the pet has access and clean up any accidents.
• Never talk on your cell phone or text during a visit. You are there to care for the pet and give the pet your undivided attention.
• Time your visits.
Doors, Keys and Locks
There are many doors/locks that are difficult to unlock or lock. However, it is our responsibility to get in to the home or the pet will be left without care. Sometimes wiggling or jiggling a key may be necessary, but use your judgment and make sure you are not about to break a key inside the door, as that is a big problem.
As soon as you get into the home, CLOSE the door behind you. Do you know that many dogs know how to get their storm door open by pressing on the handle...? A lot! And we DON’T want that to happen while you are there, so make sure to take necessary steps to avoid any potential accidents.
Entry into the Home You can tell at a quick glance if you need to bring a key with you to a clients visit. In the portal, there will be a numeric code in front of the pets name. A “00” before the pets name indicates that the client keeps their home key in a lock box, owned by SP. A “01” before the pets name indicates that the client has their own lock box, or keyless entry. Any number besides “00” and “01” before the pets name in an indication that you must bring a key with you to the visit.
Client Home Pay attention to details on portal pertaining to the home. Turn on/off lights when instructed. Also, if you know that SP will be performing a visit that night when it will be dark, leave the outside light on so the walker/pet sitter can see while he/she comes to the home (unless otherwise instructed). Take in mail when instructed in portal and make ONE NEAT PILE of mail. Do not scatter the mail in different spots in the home. Unless otherwise instructed, you are allowed to bring in mail packages left outside the clients home with these rules:
- Package MUST say the clients name.
- If the package is perishable, you MUST put it in the fridge or freezer.
- You MUST tell the client in feedback that you took in a package.
- You can NEVER sign for a package.
Unless otherwise instructed, leave all baby gates and doors as-is, how you found them. If a bathroom door was closed upon arrival, then it should be closed upon your departure, unless otherwise instructed on the info sheet.
Make sure pets, especially cats, don’t get caught in a bedroom or other room by mistake.
Never, EVER, share with anyone outside of SP, that a client is out of the home. Seemingly friendly neighbors or mailmen may ask if the client is on vacation or at work. You should always answer “I really don’t know. I’m just here to care for the pets”.
If a dog had an accident in the home, or knocked over a garbage pail, etc, you are required to clean it as best you can keeping in mind that your visit can NOT be extended for clean-up, so please act quickly. (Some dogs will pee from being excited to see you. Excitement pee is not considered an “accident” but please clean it up) Usually, cleaning products can be found under the sink. Make sure cleaning products are pet-safe, or simply use dish soap and water. If you clean up poop or vomit, put that into a separate garbage bag and put that in the outdoor garbage pail. Notify your manager.
Sometimes, you will enter a home for a pet visit and someone will be at home. If someone is home, you should go about your business with the pet. Dog walkers/Pet sitters do not have the authority to cancel any of the pets visits. If someone in the home suggests that the visit was already canceled, STEP OUTSIDE TO CONTACT MANAGER.
Keep our clients homes clean! Do NOT track in mud. If you do, you are expected to clean it up. Clients usually leave a towel out so that, especially on muddy days, the dogs paws can be wiped.
Puppies that are normally crated or confined to a certain room in the house should NOT be allowed to roam free in the house while you are there because it takes them 5 seconds to pee or poop in the house, which you may not notice. (Keep the puppy WITH you in your sight at all times. You can keep him/her on leash in the house if necessary).
Dog walkers/ Pet sitters are NOT permitted to bring another person into the home of a client. A dog walker/ pet sitter must never allow anyone into the home unless specifically instructed.
You must NEVER, EVER allow any other person into the home. If they are supposed to be there, they will have their own key. This includes workers, electricians, family members.
Garbage Pails/ Outdoor Pails: You must dispose of poop bags into the outside garbage pail. Make sure that, if the pail is behind a fence gate, that you re-close the gate securely. Also, make sure the poop bag is CLOSED securely and that you are NOT throwing the bag into a recycle pail. You should also be putting anything smelly, such as used wee-wee pads, cat litter and poop-accidents into a garbage bag and then into the outdoor pail so the house doesn’t smell. Remember, visits do NOT become extended for this so be sure to do all of this in a time efficient manner. Anything being thrown into a garbage pail should be in a bag, NOT just thrown into the pail.
Indoor Pails: Keep the garbage pail neat. Don’t make it over flow if you can help it.
*You can NEVER just throw garbage into an outdoor pail. It must first go into a BAG, then put the BAG into the pail.
**Many homes have two pails, one for garbage and one for recyclables. If you see that there are ONLY plastics in the pail, chances are that it’s NOT the garbage pail and you should be utilizing the correct pail. NEVER PUT POOP BAGS IN AN INDOOR PAIL, UNLESS SPECIFICALLY INSTRUCTED.
- If the client recycles, then any tin cans, such as wet cat food cans should go into the recycle pail, but ONLY AFTER you have rinsed the can. You can NOT throw dirty objects/containers into the recycle pail.