Uncategorized

I’d Rather Live With A So-Called ‘Vicious’ Pit Bull Than With Most Of The People I Know

racial-profilingOctober 24 was National Pit Bull Awareness Day, which is a nationwide event to bring positive awareness to the heavily misunderstood breed.

Why do I feel so strongly about speaking up for the Pit?

Maybe it’s because I often feel misunderstood myself.  Or that I love all animals equally.  Or that I’d rather spend time with a furry creature than with most of the people in my life.

Don’t get me wrong: I’m a Leo, as social as they come, and label myself a ‘people person.’  But if our focus remains on proposed legislative bills to specifically ban dogs based exclusively on its breed, I’d like to turn the tables for a minute and shine the light on the human.

Read more

Can You Really Make Money As A Pet Sitter?

cash-pileThis was the question I posed to the PetSittingOlogy community after reading plenty of articles online that included pet sitting as a way for kids, teens or adults looking to make money fast.

A sampling of articles claimed that anyone can turn to pet sitting for a quick buck.

Having spent plenty of time running my own pet sitting business, I wasn’t quite sure that pet sitting should be on the list of ways to make fast money.

Read more

Google Voice Invites Available Now

google-logoI love all things technology. Rarely, though, does something as cool as Google Voice come along.

I’ve been using Google Voice (GV) for several months now and I am in awe of the service and capability.

In a nut shell, GV provides you with one phone number that you can tie to all your phones. It’s not a phone service, but rather a way to manage your phones.

Initially, the service was in beta and accounts were given out by Google by invite only. They have now begun to change all that.

Read more

Getting Listed in The Major Local Search Directories

local-mapHow often do you hear the advice to list your pet sitting business in Google Maps?

Well, I recently discovered a cool new website that helps automate the process by keeping tabs on your current exposure while presenting you with a list of the next steps to take.

The site is aptly named GetListed.org and a quick search retrieves any and all current listings you may have on the top four local search engines:

Read more

The 8 Components Of A Perfectly Run Pet Sitting Business

well-oiled-machineWe recently updated our “What Is PetSittingOlogy (About Us)” page (check it out, you can listen to an interview and learn more about my background).

The following list of 8 components was originally featured on that ‘About’ page but didn’t fit the bill during our page revamp.

So, it’s now restructured into a full-featured blog post here. Please make it feel welcome.

And, here we go…

Read more

Your Pet Sitting Phone Pitch is Killing Your Business

pet-sitter-phoneHow often do you get the chance to chat with a potential client on the phone?

And how often do those conversations directly lead to gaining a new client?

Imagine spending 10-15 minutes on the phone with a pet owner and have a play date set before hanging up each and every time.

Are you keeping track of, or aware of, the biggest objections you continually hear?

You know the ones I’m talking about:

Read more

Have You Hugged Your Pet Sitting Clients Today?

hug-clientsHow often does a potential new pet sitting client tell you that she’s read great things about you online?

It’s one thing to boast on your website that you’ve grown up around animals you’re entire life and that you are the most caring, loving and professional pet sitter this side of the Mississippi.

And it’s an entirely different thing for someone else to say it.

The truth of the matter is that when someone else toots your horn for you, the impact is tremendously greater than saying it yourself.

Read more

2 Movies About Dogs That Had Me Sobbing Like A Baby

cute-pupMy wife Alitia absolutely loves our Tivo. She’s also the one in charge of the remote control, for the record.

One of the brilliant ways Alitia saves us money each month is on movie rentals.

Instead of shelling out $5 per rental (or more on a Netflix service fee), she’ll go through the Tivo guide and search our channels for upcoming movies to record.

We then build up a library of movies to watch at our leisure (with no late fees, of course). A common enough practice.

Apparently, we’ve been catching a string of movies about dogs and honestly I don’t know how many more I can take.

Read more

PSI and NAPPS Members Are Now Eligible For Health Care

thumbs-upWho can use a healthy dose of good news right about now?

Well, if you’re a member of PSI (Pet Sitters International) or NAPPS (National Association of Professional Pet Sitters) you are now eligible to receive quality and affordable health care.

If your pet sitting business is your main source of income, you may have found health care to be a near impossibility to afford or obtain.

Read more

The Easiest Way To Gain Many More Pet Sitting Clients

get more pet sitting clientsAre you looking for more pet sitting clients than you can possibly handle?

Of course you are, it’s a trick question!

We can all use a spike in our bank accounts right about now and one way to increase our available balance is to increase our client base.

The holiday season is no longer just around the corner; it is squarely upon us. And it’s no secret that the last few months of the year are the most profitable for working pet sitters.

Read more