PREP GUIDES

How to prepare

A short guide for every service: what to get ready, what usually goes wrong, and what to do when it does — for owners and for caregivers.

🦮 Walks

30-minute dog walk A quick neighbourhood walk — a potty break, a good sniff and a short stretch of the legs. Thirty minutes goes fast, so a smooth handoff matters most.
60-minute dog walk A longer walk for dogs that need to tire out. An hour is a lot in the heat, so pace and water matter as much as distance.
Obedience reinforcement walk A structured walk that practises commands the dog already knows. It only works when the walker uses the owner's exact cues and rewards.

🏠 Sitting & boarding

Drop-in visit A 20-minute check-in at home: food, fresh water, a potty break or litter scoop, and a photo update. Short visits only work with a clear list.
Overnight boarding Your dog stays at the caregiver's home: evening arrival, the night, and morning departure. The first evening sets the tone for the whole stay.
Doggy daycare A full day at the caregiver's home while you work. Rest matters as much as play: tired dogs get grumpy and injuries happen late in the day.
In-home overnight sitting The caregiver sleeps at your home so your pets keep their own space and routine. Agree the evenings, the days and the house rules up front.
Cat drop-in visit A daily visit so your cat stays home on their own routine. The visit is only as good as the check that every cat is eating, drinking and using the box.
Small animal care Daily care for rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils and birds. Small animals hide illness, so the small daily checks are what count.
Puppy care Frequent potty breaks, crate routine and gentle socialisation for puppies under a year. Consistency now is what makes the adult dog.
Senior dog care Slower walks, careful handling and medication reminders for older dogs. Small changes in a senior dog are worth reporting.
Exotic pet care Specialist visits for ferrets, sugar gliders, hedgehogs, chinchillas, reptiles and other exotics, where they're legal to keep. The habitat is the care — temperature, humidity and light come first.
Farm animal care On-site care for horses, goats, chickens, pigs and similar animals: feed, water, pens and a look-over, with anything unusual reported to the owner. Gates and water are where things go wrong.

✂️ Grooming

Full dog groom Bath, blow-dry, brush-out, ears and a full trim. Most disappointments come from a cut nobody described precisely.
Cat groom Sanitary trim, mat removal and de-shed for cats, at the cat's pace. A calm cat is the goal; a perfect finish is not worth a terrified one.
Nail trim & buffing A quick clip and buff for all four paws. Little and often is safer than a lot at once.
De-shedding treatment Shampoo soak, blow-out and an undercoat pass for heavy shedders. Gentle, repeated passes beat pressure.
Teeth brushing A gentle brush with pet-safe enzymatic toothpaste between vet cleanings. It only works if the pet learns to accept it.
Certified professional groom A full groom by a certified professional, with a style consultation and a walkthrough of the result.

🎓 Training

Private obedience training One-to-one training in sit, stay, recall and loose-leash walking, starting from where your dog is today.
Certified dog trainer A session with a certified trainer, with a structured lesson plan, written notes and coaching for you.
AKC CGC prep Targeted preparation for the AKC Canine Good Citizen test, all ten items in order.

💊 Health & recovery

Medication administration Vet-prescribed pills, liquids or chewables given on your written schedule, with a confirmation after every dose.
Insulin injection Insulin for diabetic dogs or cats, on your vet's exact protocol. Timing, food and the right syringe matter as much as the injection.
Subcutaneous fluid therapy Fluids under the skin for pets on regular therapy, most often cats with kidney disease. A calm, practised setup makes it quick.
Post-operative home care In-home recovery care after surgery: incision checks, cone compliance and enforced rest, with a written update each day.
Vet tech escort A licensed vet tech or vet, whose license PetHour has checked, takes your pet to the clinic, speaks with the vet team and sends you a written summary.
Canine hydrotherapy Supervised pool or underwater-treadmill sessions for recovery, arthritis or fitness, under a vet's referral.

🚗 Pet taxi

Pet taxi Door-to-door transport to the vet, the groomer or daycare. Safety in the car and a clean handover at each end are the whole job.

These are general tips to help you prepare — not rules for how a caregiver must work, and not veterinary advice. Agree the details for each booking in the booking chat, so you both have them in writing.