1. Suppose If an animal died while under your care, what would you do?
To make sure all policies are followed and no mistakes are made.
2. Tell us what pets do you have?
Emphasize your skills with animals they sell in addition to your dog or cat. I said I have a hamster and have worked with birds.
3. Explain your past experience with pets. Which animals do you know best?
I worked at 2 small pet shops previously where I cared for birds, reptiles, fish and small mammals. I know birds well. I can trim wings, nail and file beaks. I have also hand-fed parrots, and raised lovebirds and cockatrices. I also know reptiles very well and have hatched leopard gecko eggs. I can force feed reptiles and snakes if needed.
4. What is your favorite word?
My favorite word is RESPECT
5. Tell me does the pet sitter (or agency) keep regular office hours?
A Professional pet sitter should have a schedule of office hours. A larger business may have additional personnel to answer phone calls or e-mails, but many pet sitters are sole proprietors who use answering machines to field inquiries.
6. Tell me what is daily/daytime dog walking?
Daytime dog walking is pet sitting on a weekly, ongoing basis. A daytime dog walker is usually hired to walk or visit dogs that need a regular break during the busy work day.
A dog walker may be scheduled for daily visits or just a few days week, often once or twice a day depending on your work schedule and the needs of the animals.
The most common dog walking visits are scheduled for somewhere between 20 and 60 minutes.
7. Explain should our pet sitter be bonded?
Bonding is different than insurance. Bonding generally applies only if someone steals from your home, and is convicted of the crime. At that time, the bonding company will reimburse you for the loss, and the pet sitting business will reimburse the bonding company. Such a conviction can take years, and can be difficult to obtain. It is also important to know that many bonds only apply to the employees of a business, and not to the business owner. So bonding is really optional.
Some sitters have chosen to obtain actual theft insurance through a company such as PSA in order to give their clients piece of mind.
8. Tell me do pet sitters work on holidays?
Yes. However, there is an additional fee for each holiday visit.
9. What experience do you have as Dog Sitter?
Tell them anything pertaining to animals! Ever babysat someones python before? Tell them! I am a dog walker/pet-sitter/baby-sitter. My experience let them know that I was capable of dealing with stress (KIDS) and animals.
10. Explain how would you deal with a very difficult customer?
I gave the "customer is always right" line, and she followed up asking what I would do if there was still no pleasing them. I told her I didn't know (this was my first ever interview, OK?) and she told me the answer she was looking for would be requesting help from a manager.
I was specific. I told about a time from another company the an elderly man had walked into my office demanding a product that my company offered, but I did not have anything to do with. He was very angry and wanted to quit his service with us. I told him I could help him get that product and offered him a seat while I called the appropriate department. Luckily the department I needed was in the same building. One of the supervisor came down with the product he needed. He left satisfied and we retained the customer.
12. Tell me what animal do you think you are most like and why?
I think I'm the most similar to a french bulldog, because I'm extremely energetic and very playful. I also tend to think I'm a lot bigger and stronger than I actually physically am like them.
I think I am actually more like a horse. I like people, but also like to explore terrain and cover a lot of ground. I also like carrots and apples a lot.
Most pet sitters request at least two weeks notice, but may be able to accommodate an occasional short-notice assignment. Sometimes there is an additional charge for short-notice assignments.
14. Tell me what if my pet becomes ill while I'm away?
The first choice is to take your pet to your usual vet. In case of an emergency however, we might need to use an alternate vet or emergency clinic. Emergency instructions will be reviewed at the service consultation.
15. Tell me what kinds of animals do you have experience with?
Be honest. They will find out if your not when they ask you to care for an animal and you look like you have no idea what you're doing! I've cared for small rodents before but 'm kinda rusty. Told them I had no experience with birds and they said I would be trained to care for them.
16. Explain what was a time you had a difficult experience with a customer? What happened?
I told a story about a time I was working at a restaurant and a woman got mad at me for something beyond our control. I told the interviewer how I resolved the problem. It was a resolution that made the customer mad, but I emphasized that that is what the management wanted and ultimately - it's not my business, it's theirs.
17. Explain do you believe the cat has a right to chase the mouse?
Yes! It's a natural instinct. I always try to help the mouse out and distract them with a toy but they still have the right.
Sure why not, isnt that what cats do?
18. Do you know what is a pet sitter?
A Pet Sitter is a contracted service provider who takes care of a pet in its own home.
19. Tell me do we meet the sitter before service?
Yes, for most sitters an initial consultation is required before your first service can be provided. This consultation will give the sitter time to learn about your pets, fill out paperwork, take notes about your home and required tasks, and collect keys from you.
Many sitters offer the first consultation for free, or will credit any consultation fee to your first visit.
If you would like a follow-up consultation at a later date, be aware that there might be an addition fee for this.
20. Tell me how long does each visit last?
Our mid-day weekday walks start at 20 minutes, but can be scheduled for 30, 45, or 60 minutes. All other visits start at 30 minutes. Need a multi-hour extended visit or overnight stay? We do those, too!
21. Tell me how would you deal with pet parent with aggressive dog?
Please share your experience.
22. Why do you want to work as Dog Sitter?
I love working with animals, and am planning on having a career with them
23. Tell me what's the funniest or most embarrassing thing you've experienced with an animal?
When I had my wonderful, gentle Doberman so many years ago and walked into a 711 (remember those) and people literally ran either out of the store or cowered in the back until we left.
My dog would love to go by himself and grab a bone and pretend that he never had anything.
when I was trying to break a horse at the rescue and I was using an old saddle so the second I got on, it broke, smacked the horse, he bucked and took off and i went flying with the saddle still attached.
My cat is a little boy, and while he is fixed, he still "finds the urge." He has a special friend, which is a big black stuffed dog, he is a little grey and white cat, and the site of him humping this dog is pretty funny. My husband and I always thought it was a funny little habit, but it didn't really bother us until my husband's boss and his wife came over for dinner. I had thought nothing of it, but we sat down on the couch for a drink and "Hanz" the kitty dragged out his black dog and began humping it in the middle of the floor! Best yet he was humping it backwards and had it's tail in his mouth, while he purred loudly, my husband's boos and wife just cracked up!
My cat likes to give me little kisses on my nose, however, one day he gave my nose one too many licks and I found myself looking like Rudolf with a big red nose for the next 3 days. It was a great conversation starter!
My family and I fostered a Parson's Russell Terrier named Terry who had been cooped up in a shelter for a long time. After picking him up at the shelter we took him to the pet store to pick out some toys and he went to the bins and picked them all out himself-and a few treats, which were promptly paid for.
When I was younger, my family got a puppy, we named him Freddie. Everytime a guest would come over, Freddie would pee on them in excitement.
when my cat Cinnamon escaped our apartment, made his way to the roof of the building, jumped into an open window onto the chest of an old woman napping, and proceeded to knead her neck and lick her earlobe.
The funniest moment I experienced with an animal was when my first cat, Bootsy, caught a mouse, carried it in her mouth to the toilet, dropped in and flushed it.
24. Basic Dog Sitter Job Interview Questions:
☛ What is your hiring and training process and do you do background checks for criminal history?
☛ What happens if my sitter becomes ill? Is there a backup plan?
☛ Will you provide a written service contract spelling out services and fees?
☛ Can you provide me with phone numbers of other clients who have agreed to serve as references?
☛ Do you provide regular office hours? How quickly do you return emails and phone calls?
☛ Can you provide written proof of commercial liability insurance (to cover accidents and negligence) and bonding (to protect against theft by a pet sitter or her employees)?
☛ How much notice do you need to schedule a service?
☛ How long are the visits or walks?
☛ What occurs during a dog walk / pet visit / overnight stay?
☛ What are terms of payment and do you accept credit cards?
25. Do you know how much does pet sitting cost?
Each pet sitting business sets its own rate structure, which can vary greatly from other businesses.
Many pet sitters charge a base rate per visit. According to U.S. nationwide polls conducted since 20010, the average per visit base rate for a 30 minute is $18 per visit.
Some sitters may have additional charges based on number of pets, mileage to your home, holidays, or tasks needed.
