Hosting a dog for a long weekend? Dog sitting with Tadam
Dog sitting jobs over a long weekend go best when the owner's routine leads. Meet the dog first, then agree on food, walks, emergency contacts, where the dog sleeps and the handover.
They fly out Thursday morning and won't be back until late Sunday. The dog isn't going with them. For four days someone has to feed and walk the dog, sleep within earshot and notice when something's off. If you've lived with dogs and you'd happily have one stay over, this is help you could offer the people around you. A half-hour walk or a quick feeding stop is a different arrangement. Here you're with the dog, at your place or theirs, for the whole stretch.
Dog sitting jobs: your place or theirs?
Settle this first. Some owners want their dog to stay somewhere familiar and would rather you move in for a few nights. Others prefer to drop the dog at your home. Either can work. They just raise different questions: keys and house rules on one side, whether your apartment suits a visiting dog on the other.
What should a dog sitter ask the owner?
Let the person who knows the dog best walk you through an ordinary day. When is breakfast, and how much goes in the bowl? Which food, and is anything off limits? How many walks, how long, and which routes does the dog expect? Ask how they react to other dogs on the sidewalk, to kids, to a delivery at the door. Find out where they sleep and whether the sofa is allowed. Write it all down in one place, because on the second night that note is what you'll reach for. If you already walk dogs, the guide to beginning dog walking in Tel Aviv covers the street side of things.
Is your home ready for a guest dog?
Look around your apartment the way you would before a toddler visits. An open balcony, cables on the floor, food on a low table, a front door that opens straight onto the stairwell. If you have a cat or a dog of your own, think about how they'll meet, and ask the owner how their dog usually gets on with other animals.
Check your building's rules too, and your lease if you rent. A quick message to your landlord beats an awkward conversation halfway through the weekend. Then tell the owner honestly what your home is like so they can decide whether it fits.
Why meet the dog before the trip?
A few days before the flight, arrange a meet-and-greet. A short walk together tells you a lot, like how hard the dog pulls and what makes them nervous. If the dog will stay with you, hold the first visit at your place while the owner is still there. And if you realize this particular dog is more than you can manage, say so now. It's better to say no on Monday than to find out on Friday morning.
Who do you call if something's wrong?
Before the owners leave for the airport, get their vet's details and an emergency contact who's staying in the country, ideally someone who knows the dog. Agree how to reach the owners themselves while they're away, and what they'd like you to do if the dog stops eating or seems unwell.
This is also where your role ends. Dog sitting doesn't include medical care, medicines that weren't explained in advance, or guessing at a diagnosis. It isn't training either. If something worries you, call the contacts you agreed on and follow the owner's instructions, even if you'd handle your own dog differently.
What do updates and the handover look like?
Ask what the owners want to hear. Some love a photo after every walk; others would rather get one message in the evening and enjoy their trip. Stick to what happened: when you went out, whether the dog ate, how the night went. If something broke the routine, mention that too.
Agree on the return before they fly: who goes where, and roughly when. Hand back leftover food, the leash and any keys, and give a short account of the days. If the flight is delayed, decide together what happens with the extra night.
Tadam starts from people nearby who are good at everyday things, and looking after a neighbor's dog for a weekend is a good example. If being someone's Tadam dog sitter sounds like you, becoming a Tadamer explains the idea. When you describe what you offer, mention the dogs you've looked after and what your home is like.
Questions & answers
Do I need experience to take on dog sitter jobs?
You should have real time with dogs behind you, such as a dog of your own, regular walks with other people's dogs or pet sitting jobs you've done before. Describe that experience as it is, and don't claim training or veterinary knowledge you don't have.
Should the dog stay at my place, or should I stay at theirs?
Decide that with the owner, based on what suits the dog and your home. If the dog comes to you, check your building rules, your lease and how any pets you already have will cope.
What if the dog seems unwell while the owners are away?
Call the vet and the emergency contact the owners left with you, and follow the plan you agreed. A dog sitter doesn't diagnose or give medical treatment on their own judgment.
When should the dog sitter meet and greet happen?
A few days before the trip, while there's still time to ask questions or step back if the match doesn't feel right. A short walk with the dog and the owner shows you more than any list of instructions.
