We are both now Certified Professional Pet Sitters!

The coursework for this certification included care of all kinds of pets: barnyard pets, birds, caged pets, cats, dogs, ferrets, horses, livestock, rabbits, reptiles & amphibians.  The health and nutrition part included diseases, first aid and CPR, behavior, medical terminology, parasites, puppy care, sanitation and senior care.  The curriculum included a section on different pet sitting services including pet loss and grief counseling.

The final aspect of the coursework covered the business aspects of pet sitting.  This included client interviews, customer service/relations, disaster planning, hiring employees, ethical and legal issues, insurance and bonding, marketing, media relations, networking, office procedures, and pet sitter safety.

We are certified for three years, but during that time we will continue our education by earning points towards the re-certification.  We can earn these by volunteering at a shelter, taking courses, attending conferences (which we are doing in September), upgrading or creating a new website, or by attending online/tele-conferences.