A day in the life of a Trusted house sitter

Wondering what it’s like to be a pet sitter? For many pet lovers, the idea of travelling around the world with the company of an adorable pet companion seems like a dream come true - and if you were to ask us, we’d definitely be inclined to agree!

That said, in between kitty cuddles and walkies in the park, pet sitting is a big responsibility - and there's a lot to think about when it comes to becoming a pet sitter. Lucky for you, TrustedHousesitters member and pet sitter extraordinaire, Shira Smillie (aka @blackgirlworldtraveller) has shared a sneak peek into her life as a pet sitter - live from her house sit in Iowa City, caring for a sweet pup named Cody...

Shira: a day in the life of a Trusted house sitter

My name is Shira and I joined TrustedHousesitters in November 2021. I am a freelance travel writer for my platform, Black Girl World Traveller and create content. To fund my travels, I do part-time remote work for a non-profit organization based in D.C. 

Shira and Cody's morning routine

My day usually starts around 6:00am. Before I have a chance to brush my teeth or wash my face, Cody is already waiting for me on the steps and ready to play ball. As soon as I come downstairs Cody runs toward the back door - this is the favorite part of my early morning, as I get to see his excitement.

We head outside and I throw the ball back and forth to him for about ten minutes. Cody loves to catch the ball and rarely misses every time I throw the ball in the air. Afterwards, I head into the kitchen to refill his water bowl and give him two scoops of hard food. Cody is always eager to eat but he patiently waits until I’ve filled his bowl. 

After breakfast, I take Cody on a walk around the neighborhood. There is a small trail across the street from the house so we usually walk that every morning. Cody is such an easy dog to walk. Instead of leading and taking charge, he follows which is uncommon for dogs. We walk through the neighborhood for fifteen minutes and then head back home so I can get my work day started...

Time to work

Tuckered out after his morning walk, Cody finds a place to lay around in the living room as I set up my computer to log in to work remotely. As I start working, Cody will sneak up on my legs and give me his puppy dog eyes. I try to focus on my meetings, but he is just too cute! I can't resist bending down and giving him some belly rubs even as I try to pay attention to my screen.  

At around 11:30am, Cody will ring his bell that he has to indicate that he is ready to play ball again. As we head outside I will usually pull something out of the refrigerator or freezer to prepare after we come back inside. I make my way to the backdoor and Cody is out the door before I am, with the ball in his mouth and ready to go.

This time I try to make it more interactive and throw two balls instead of one. Cody has a basket of tennis balls that he cycles through so I will grab another and throw one ball in one direction and the other in another direction. You would think that this would tire Cody out, but it doesn’t. He loves to fetch as many times as you’ll throw the ball!

Time for walkies!

After twenty minutes of playing ball, it is time for me to eat lunch. I’ll prepare lunch, eat in the dining room and then take a nap. I love having the flexibility of working remotely as a pet sitter, because I get to recharge while working. 

After I wake up and go through a couple more hours of work, Cody is ready for another walk and I am ready to log off work for the day. Since this is right before dinner time for Cody, this will be his longest walk of the day. We will again walk through the neighborhood but this time for thirty to forty-five minutes. This is his usual routine when his pet parents are home, so it’s important as a pet sitter to keep up their routine as much as possible. We see other dogs and their owners while walking and Cody is always eager to say hello. After our long walk, Cody is ready for dinner.

Hot yoga & belly rubs

After I feed him, it’s time for me to change clothes and head to hot yoga. No matter where I travel, I always find a hot yoga studio to practice in. For my time in Iowa City, I chose Hot House Yoga to practice in. It is right on the University of Iowa’s campus and I love the variety of classes they offer. After my hour class, I am energized and tired all in one.

I drive home, shower, and then make dinner. I usually eat salmon and veggies and a glass of water. When traveling I like to keep my meals simple and clean. Cody is well trained so he will usually wait in the living room for me to finish eating. 

He is such a good boy. I've cared for some more challenging pets in the past, but Cody is a dream to sit for. After I eat it’s usually around 9pm so I am tired. Before bed, I will play with Cody by giving him belly rubs which he loves. I love to play with Cody, give him belly rubs and such so I will do that until I get tired.

Then I head upstairs for the night to shower, and sleep. The next day, I will expect to see Cody waiting on the 4th or 5th step, ready to play ball, where we'll do it all over again!

A big part of what we do as pet sitters is to keep pets like Cody happy and healthy until their pet parent's return. But for us, it's a great way to live like a local in a new location, enjoy a new routine, and spend time with adorable animals. Even if they do distract us from our laptop screens with their puppy dog eyes!

With thanks to Shira for sharing her day in the life of a Trusted house sitter! Fancy following in Shira's Cody-cuddling footstep? Find out more about how it works here or visit our friendly Community Forum.

About the author: Shira Smillie is a travel writer and digital nomad. She writes about her experiences as a solo black woman traveller who fearlessly takes on the world. If you’re interested in house sitting, check out her ebook “House-Sitting 101” here. You can check out her blog: https://blackgirlworldtraveller.com and on social media, @blackgirlworldtraveller.