![]() “If the child displays maturity and responsibility in completing chores, such as making their bed and washing dishes, without prompting, they may be ready for dog sitting,” notes Latimer, adding that they should also take care of themselves without being asked. “However, they should be able to balance their time with the extra tasks.” “Doing well in school and in extracurriculars is a sign that a child could be ready to dog sit,” Venkat says. “At the end of the day, pet parents want to ensure their pet is happy and healthy, but they also want someone to care for them as much as they do each day.” -Dr. “Someone who loves pets and enjoys their company is crucial.” “At the end of the day, pet parents want to ensure their pet is happy and healthy, but they also want someone to care for them as much as they do each day,” she says. Danielle Bernal, global veterinarian for Wellness Pet Company. Even if a kid doesn’t have a pet themselves, “a passion for pets is a great place to start,” according to Dr. Says Venkat: “If a child has pets in the home, a sign that they would be ready to dog sit is if they do a great job helping out and taking care of their own pets.” ![]() Here are a few indicators a child may be up to the task: “But I knew his mom would wind up helping him with everything, so I ran it by her first.” What are signs a kid is ready to dog sit?īefore taking on a dog sitting gig, kids should “show signs of responsibility and maturity,” according to Venkat. “We live close, so we just asked him to take him out a few times a day, feed him, make sure he had water and our house wasn’t too hot,” Cho says. After asking her 11-year-old neighbor to watch their Pomeranian for a few days, she made sure everyone in his family was OK with it. When Tiffany Cho of Aberdeen, New Jersey went away with her family last summer, she did just that. “Depending on the size and energy level of the dog, it may be best to wait until a kid is a teenager before they tackle dog sitting.” - Dr. Tomitra Latimer, medical director of Lurie Children’s Pediatrics at Deming, points out: “Young children are not able to be by themselves so it’s a good idea for the dog owner to introduce the dog to all family members of the dog sitter.” “But depending on the size and energy level of the dog, it may be best to wait until a kid is a teenager before they tackle dog sitting,” she adds.Īnd keep in mind, as Dr. Heather Venkat, a companion animal veterinarian at VIP Puppies in Phoenix, kids 12 and up are generally ready for dog sitting. Is there a general age when kids are ready for dog sitting?Īccording to Dr. Wondering how old you should be to dog sit? Here’s what the experts say. ![]() “In that case, the child needs to know where to call to arrange for the pets to see a vet.” Pet sitting, according to Ostermeyer, is lower stakes than babysitting, but even so, pet sitters need to be “ready to assume responsibility for the pet.” “The child needs to be able to direct the pet, feed them, and needs to be able to recognize when the dog is not well and needs to be taken for help,” she explains. Ostermeyer, chief of psychiatry service at OU Health, University of Oklahoma, who adds that “for bigger dogs who are harder to watch, kids should be at least 12.” However, “kids are usually ready to dog sit between the ages of 10 and 12,” according to Dr. Unlike the babysitting age in some states, there isn’t a minimum age in which kids can legally become pet sitters. But when it comes to the “right” age for dog sitting, there are a few things experts recommend. For many animal-loving kiddos, dog sitting sounds like the ultimate way to make a little money (while logging hours with their favorite four-legged friends). ![]()
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