In the few short months that I’ve been sitting, I have learned a lot about myself and have a great appreciation for home/pet owners who embrace the ‘partnership’ mentality. With 3 sits under my belt, I’ve experienced a few hiccups - 1 dog absolutely refused to walk, 1 dog was super reactive when I used the outdoor hose to water landscaping and locked his jaw down on the nozzle, 1 broken glass (found that way straight out of the cabinet), clogged bathroom drain, and lost 1 pair of prescription glasses 
.
I work hard to keep positive, but practical; when something unexpected happens, I meet the challenge head on and start looking for a solution. When the dog absolutely refused to walk, I re-read the listing and the sitter reviews and almost every sitter had the same problem. The dog who turned into Cujo when I pulled out the water hose, was actually the sweetest girl, well behaved and lady like; when it came time to water the landscaping, she stayed indoors. The plumbing issue was a snap to remedy; the homeowner probably wasn’t even aware of the clog because it was in the guest bath.
The pet parents that I’ve sat for have been incredible, generous and grateful. I know that might not always be the case, but I hope with video calls I can limit the number of pet parents who are less appreciative. I believe good people attract good people,
My pet sitting packing list now includes:
- personalized note card for the pet parents
- hands-free satchel that will hold my phone, keys, cash, pet treats, wipes and waste bags
- pet food puzzle for pets who suffer from anxiety or separation fears
- hair snake
- pet safe toys
- lint roller
I have so enjoyed learning to be resourceful and self-sufficient; it reminds me that I’ am capable and am an excellent caregiver. I have 3 future sits booked and am working on securing one for March of next year. As long as I’m enjoying myself, I’ll be ticking off those places I have yet to see.
Happy house/petting all!
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I can’t help but wonder if you’re the only sitter on this site who travels with a plumbing snake.
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@idocsteve i just picked it up at my last sit. It’s short enough to fit in my smallest carryon.
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I wonder if such an item would draw the attention of TSA.
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I might take her lead, as I’d say 25% of my sits have had slow drains!
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I might take her lead, as I’d say 25% of my sits have had slow drains!
(Although, realistically, I’m not going to be snaking other peoples’ drains!)
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You had me up till your uninsightful comment “ good people attract good people.” Harumph! Really, that’s pretty insulting to those of us who have tried or best yet ended up with somehow unpleasant HOs, so just back off, lady! With that said, I agree wholeheartedly with the rest of your comments and am glad you’re so resourceful and resilient. Happy trails.
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It’s similar to a henway only smaller
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@toreishi I’m glad I’m not the only one wondering! I assumed a hair snake was some grooming tool.
@idocsteve that doesn’t make it any clearer. Is a henway something to do with chickens? 
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You’re supposed to ask ‘What’s a henway” and the answer is, “oh about 5 pounds!”.
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Anyway, all joking aside, a hair snake is like a long coiled spring that you feed into a pipe while twisting it, and it grabs a hold of hair and other clogs that get caught up on the end of the spring so when you pull it out, the clog in the pipe is cleared.
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I have the same, it won’t clear a mainline but is great for sinks clogged with hair. They are inexpensive, portable, taking up little space and although limited, they are great for so many slow draining sinks and showers
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I thought it was some girly hair accessory with a poor marketing name ! (I can say, “girly” because I am a girl !)
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My husband often uses a wire clothes hanger and fashions it to unplug drains. Not his favorite task! 
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That will only work on hair that is clogging the drain within the first few inches before the trap. If it’s a sink drain, removing the strainer and cleaning it solves that particular problem most of the time. A flexible snake will pass through the trap where clogs are common.
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