How to Care For Your Pets While at Work

Caring for your companion, whether it’s a dog, cat, hamster, lizard, or whatever creature you decided to bring home, can be difficult if not impossible for full-time professionals. Having to juggle the newfound responsibilities of pet ownership with your current work commitment will take time to get used to. But since there’s an animal’s life involved, one should find the right routine or balance as quickly as possible. Here’s a few tips that can help you care for your pets without falling behind at work.

Prepare Food in Advance

Working a nine to five gig can leave little time for you to prepare food for your pet. Even if you’re giving him/her primarily kibble diet, some full-time employees don’t take the time to actually portion out the food they give to their pets. As a result, they become either underweight or overweight. Prepare your pet’s food at least a week in advance. Separate each meal in a bag or a sealed container that you can easily reach and pour into your pet’s bowl in the morning. For those who are giving their pets home-cooked meals, cook in bulk and refrigerate to avoid spoilage, especially if the meal is heavy with meats and vegetables.

Ask Family/Friends For Some Help

Your family, friends, and neighbors will play a pivotal role during work emergencies or for when you’re training a puppy or kitten and need someone to check up on them during lunchtime. Ask someone to drop by and walk your pup around the block for a pee break or refill the water bowl, especially when it’s hot. If someone does it for you on a regular basis, make sure to express your gratitude by taking them out to dinner or treating them to a fun activity outdoors. Regardless, don’t take their help for granted. It’s difficult to find trustworthy people to do these regular checkups on your little critter.

Hire a Walker/Sitter

If your family or friends are also busy with their work or personal life, you can hire a walker or sitter to check up on your pet at least once a day. Nowadays, it’s easier to find a professional walker or petsitter. Websites, like Craigslist and Rover, can connect you with dozens of qualified professionals within your neighborhood. Different walkers and pet-sitting services charge different rates, ranging from $15 to $40 per hour for walkers and up to $50 per day for sitters. Make sure to vet your prospective walker/sitter even if he/she already has basic information on a website. You’ll want to make sure your pet is in responsible and competent hands.

Install a Pet Camera

Pet cameras are nifty for checking on your pets while you’re far away from them, whether you’re on a business trip or a vacation out of town. Get a pet camera that can rotate in a 360 degree angle or at least something that can rotate from one side of the room to the other. It’s important to get a good visual of your home and what your pet/s are doing while you’re not with them. Sure, you can’t really stop them from chewing the sofa pillows or your shoes, but it’s a good way to make sure they’re safe. You can rush home or call authorities if there’s smoke or a fire inside the house or if your pet is acting unusual. Some really good pet cameras also have a two-way communication system wherein you can hear them and they can hear you with the press of a button. This way, you can tell your pet to stop if they do something that they aren’t supposed to do.

Final Thoughts

Other things to consider when taking care of a pet as a busy professional include daycare and fostering a controlled space for your pet to live in. Make sure to remove any potentially dangerous items from sight, such as scissors, knives, cleaning products, etc. Caring for pets is a full-time gig. Make sure to consider the responsibilities of pet ownership beforehand.