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25 Questions to Ask a Pet Sitter Before You Hire (Free Checklist)

Hiring a pet sitter means handing a stranger a key to your home and a leash to your dog. The 30 minutes you spend interviewing them is the single highest-leverage step in the process. The right questions surface someone competent, insured, and right for your dog. The wrong questions leave you with vibes-based hiring. Here…

Faz
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· 8-MIN RIDE
Friendly pet sitter and a dog owner reviewing notes at a kitchen table while a calm golden retriever sits between them

Hiring a pet sitter means handing a stranger a key to your home and a leash to your dog. The 30 minutes you spend interviewing them is the single highest-leverage step in the process. The right questions surface someone competent, insured, and right for your dog. The wrong questions leave you with vibes-based hiring. Here are 25 questions organized by topic, plus the answers that should make you walk away.

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The best pet sitter interview covers five things: experience and credentials, insurance and bonding, emergency and vet protocols, your dog’s specific routine, and communication. If they cannot give clean answers on insurance and emergency steps, that is a hard no. Asking these 25 questions up front saves you from picking a stranger who is great with their own dog but wrong for yours.
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For more on hiring trusted help, see our pet sitting hub.

Before the interview: get the basics in writing

Send a short questionnaire before the meet-and-greet so you do not waste anyone’s time on a bad fit. Cover: dates of service, services needed (drop-in visits, overnight, house sitting), number and species of pets, any medications, and whether you need them to bring in mail or water plants. If you are not sure which service you need, our boarding vs pet sitting guide covers the difference, and our pet sitting cost guide covers the typical rates.

Professional pet sitter writing notes on a clipboard while petting a labrador in a home setting

Experience and credentials (5 questions)

  1. How long have you been pet sitting professionally? You want years, not months, especially for overnight or special-needs care.
  2. What kinds of pets and breeds have you cared for? A sitter whose experience is all small dogs may not be the right fit for a 90-pound shepherd, and vice versa.
  3. Are you certified in pet first aid and CPR? Not mandatory, but a strong positive signal.
  4. Are you a member of a professional association? Pet Sitters International (PSI) and the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters (NAPPS) require ethical standards from members.
  5. Do you have references I can call? Two minimum, both within the last year. Actually call them.

Insurance and bonding (3 questions, all hard required)

  1. Do you carry liability insurance? Required. Ask to see the policy or a certificate of insurance. Hesitation here is a walk-away.
  2. Are you bonded? A surety bond protects you if they steal from your home. Standard for professional sitters.
  3. Are you legally registered as a business? Sole proprietor or LLC. Lets you write off the cost as a business expense if applicable, and signals they take this seriously.

If any of these three answers is “no” or vague, you are not looking at a professional. Friends and neighbors are fine for casual help; for paid sitting, insurance and bonding are non-negotiable. The same standard applies to our guide on senior dog sitting and boarding, where the stakes are higher.

Emergencies and vet protocol (4 questions)

  1. What is your protocol if my pet becomes sick or injured? They should answer step-by-step: assess, contact you, transport to your vet or the nearest emergency hospital.
  2. Are you comfortable giving medications, including injections? Important for diabetic pets, seniors, or any pet on regular meds.
  3. What if you cannot reach me? They should ask for an emergency contact and a written authorization to seek treatment up to a stated dollar amount.
  4. What is your home emergency protocol? Burst pipe, power outage, lockout. A pro has a plan.

Daily routine and pet care (6 questions)

  1. How long are your visits? Standard drop-ins are 20 to 30 minutes. If they say 10 minutes, your dog will be under-walked.
  2. Will you follow my dog’s exact feeding and walking schedule? The answer should be yes, with no creativity, especially for senior or anxious dogs.
  3. How many other pets will you be caring for during my booking? A sitter juggling 12 clients per day cannot stay 30 minutes at each.
  4. Will you take my dog to dog parks or off-leash areas? Most owners want a yes/no policy in writing. Many decline parks for liability reasons.
  5. Do you have other dogs in your care that mine will meet? Relevant if they do home boarding rather than drop-in visits.
  6. Can you handle my pet’s specific quirks? Walk through reactivity triggers, food guarding, escape attempts, separation anxiety. A pro will not pretend a dog they cannot handle is fine.

Communication and updates (4 questions)

  1. How often will I get photos and updates? At least one update per visit. Photos build trust.
  2. What is the best way to reach you during my trip? Phone, text, app? Confirm response time expectations.
  3. Do you use a scheduling or GPS-tracking app? Apps like Time to Pet, Pet Sitter Plus, or Scout for The Doorman are common professional tools. GPS-tracked walks are now standard.
  4. Will you confirm bookings in writing? A signed agreement listing dates, services, fees, and emergency authorization is professional baseline.

Logistics and backup (3 questions)

  1. How do you handle keys? They should explain key storage, return process, and what happens if a key is lost (locksmith reimbursement is standard).
  2. What is your backup plan if you get sick during my trip? A pro has a named backup sitter and will introduce you in advance.
  3. What is your cancellation and refund policy? Get it in writing, both directions, since trips and sitters both occasionally fall through.

Red flags: when to walk away

  • No insurance, no bonding, no business registration. Hard no for paid sitting, no exceptions.
  • Vague or fast answers on emergency protocol. Means they have not actually thought about it.
  • Refuses a meet-and-greet or rushes through it. The meeting is for both of you and your dog.
  • No references they will let you contact or only “friends” as references.
  • Pushes you toward a long-term contract before a single trial visit.
  • Bad vibes between them and your dog. Trust this. Your dog is reading them faster than you are.

If you are vetting an online platform sitter (Rover, TrustedHousesitters, Care.com) rather than an independent, see our reviews of Rover, TrustedHousesitters, and Care.com for the platform-specific protections (or lack of them) you should know about.

What is the most important question to ask a pet sitter?
“Do you carry liability insurance and are you bonded?” If either answer is no or vague, walk away. Everything else is preference, but insurance and bonding are the floor for a professional sitter.
How many references should a pet sitter have?
At least two recent references (within the last year) that you can actually call, not just emails or LinkedIn. A pro will offer them unprompted. Avoid sitters whose only references are friends or family.
Should I require a meet-and-greet before booking?
Yes, always. The meet-and-greet lets you watch how the sitter interacts with your dog, confirm they can handle quirks, hand over keys safely, and walk through your home and routine. Any sitter who refuses one is not the right hire.
How long should a pet sitting visit be?
Standard drop-in visits run 20 to 30 minutes. Shorter than that and your dog is under-walked and under-stimulated. Overnight sitters should be at your home for the full overnight plus normal mornings and evenings.
What should be in a pet sitter agreement?
Dates of service, exact services and visit lengths, fees and payment terms, emergency contact info, written authorization to seek vet care up to a dollar amount, cancellation policy, and key handling. Both sides sign.
How do I check if a pet sitter is actually insured?
Ask for a certificate of insurance, which their insurer will issue on request. A real pro can produce it within a day. If they cannot, they are not insured. Bonding works the same way; ask for the surety bond documentation.

The bottom line

You are not just hiring help, you are picking who handles a small emergency at 2 AM if one happens. The 25 questions above let you screen for competence, coverage, and fit in one conversation. Set the floor at insured, bonded, and willing to do a meet-and-greet with written references, then judge fit by how they interact with your dog. Skip anyone who is vague on insurance or emergencies, and you will end up with a sitter who is genuinely worth what you are paying.

Faz

Faz is the editor of Canine Cab Company. The Canine Cab brand traces back to the mid-2000s as a Colorado-based pet taxi and dog walking service. Faz took over the business in 2026 and refocused it as an independent national editorial property covering pet transport, dog boarding, doggy daycare, pet sitting, and dog walking. He has spent the past two years researching pet transport regulations, dog boarding standards, and the veterinary literature on canine stress, socialization, and behavior. USDA APHIS rulings, IATA Live Animals Regulations, EU 576/2013, and AVSAB position papers are part of regular editorial work. Every guide on the site translates those primary sources into language built for pet owners, not industry insiders. Before refocusing Canine Cab, Faz spent years navigating pet care logistics as a multi-dog owner, including a cross-country relocation and international pet moves. He refocused the business on editorial coverage because the existing pet-transport and pet-care SERPs were dominated by operator marketing and aggregator content that did not answer the questions real pet owners were asking. Editorial principles: cite primary sources, never aggregator chains. Publish real cost ranges from real quotes. Disclose affiliate relationships inline. Refresh time-sensitive content quarterly. Reach him at hello@caninecabcompany.com.