Finding a Dog Sitter You Trust: What Lucy Taught Me

Most days, I'm the one being handed the leash. I get the keys, the feeding notes and the "she likes her ears scratched, but only the left one." I love that part of my job so much.

But I've been on the other side too. I've been the dog mom standing at the door, trying to leave, with Lucy looking up at me. So I want to share a little of what that was like.

Lucy took her time with people

If you've read Lucy's story, you know she was a stubborn, scruffy little terrier who stopped to smell every single blade of grass. She didn't hand out her trust right away. She warmed up to people slowly, in her own time. But once she decided she liked you, oh, you knew. That's when the happy jumps started.

The people I trusted with Lucy were people who just loved dogs. Usually they had dogs of their own, and Lucy would play with them. It felt like leaving her with family. They knew her quirks, she knew their couch, and I could actually enjoy being away.

And then there was the one that wasn't right

We did have one sitter who wasn't a good fit. She was retired and pet sat for a bit of extra money. She had dogs of her own, so I thought it would be fine. But it just wasn't the same.

Lucy was kept in the house from 7 pm to 7 am, even though she was an older dog. And somewhere in there, my curious girl found a gingerbread house and helped herself. We ended up at the vet.

I'll never forget picking her up afterward. She seemed off. She didn't have her usual spark, that little bit of mischief that made her Lucy. It honestly broke my heart a little.

What it taught me

It taught me that having dogs and loving dogs aren't always the same thing. When you're looking for someone to care for yours, look for the person who gets down on the floor to say hello. The one who asks what your dog is afraid of and what treat they'd do anything for. The one who's happy to go slow if your dog needs time to warm up, the way Lucy did.

Ask how often your dog will get to go out, especially overnight and especially if they're a senior. And when you come home, pay attention to your dog. You know their spirit better than anyone.

Now I get to be that person

These days, I'm the sitter at the door. And honestly, the best part of my job is how excited my pups get to see me. Some of them get just as excited as when their own families come home. A few owners have admitted to being a little jealous!

Sometimes a dog will let me do things they won't let anyone else do. I was at one family's house when they told me their dog didn't let anyone touch his ears anymore. So I scratched his ears the way I always used to, and he just sat there, perfectly happy. That kind of trust means the world to me.

That's really why Walks for Lucy exists. I want every pet I care for to come home to you with their spark right where you left it. Happy, tired from a good sniffy walk, and loved.

Walks for Lucy offers dog walking, drop-in visits and overnight dog sitting in Reston, Herndon, Sterling, Ashburn, Great Falls, Vienna, Oakton, Fairfax, Chantilly, Centreville and McLean, with overnight pet sitting in Leesburg. See the full service area.

General pet care information, not veterinary advice. If you're worried about your pet's health, call your vet.