[.ca] The Reality of Professional Pet Sitting: A Candid Look ... (ISBN 0738802956)

Tells it like it is:
I had big dreams of becoming a pet sitter, that is until I read this book. I thought pet sitting would be an easy job or great business to start. Well, Suzanne really lets you in on some of the horrible things that can happen, and that pet sitting is not that easy at all. I no longer desire to start a pet sitting business. It sounds kind of sad, but the book woke me up and gave me a reality check. This book is a must read to anyone planning or even thinking about pet sitting.

I am the author.:
First of all, thanks to all who have taken the time to read my book, and to those who have taken the time to write a review. When I wrote the book it was my intention to inform potential sitters of the pros and cons of pet sitting - many people think that it is, well, 'a walk in the park'. Well, many times it is - and sometimes it isn't. It was definitely not my intention to stop anyone's dream from becoming a reality...but I do believe it is better to know if something is right for you or not before your whole HEART is put into it. I am glad to read the words "humor", "wit", "laughter", "amusing" and "smile" in the reviews. I wrote the book in a candid way for SITTERS as well as ALL PET OWNERS....even though our furry & feathery friends lift our spirits each and every day, putting more LAUGHTER in our lives doesn't hurt. After reading the 'reality' of pet sitting, should you decide to continue your pursuit of pet sitting - or decide to perhaps choose working with animals in a different profession - I am glad I could help steer you in the right direction, and wish you all the best! To all pet lovers who purchase my book in the future, thank you in advance.

Doggie stories stranger than fiction!:
I read this book in 2 sittings, absolutely impressed by this woman's dedication to pets, when I would have probably given up. If you're considering pet sitting, you certainly need to read this book first. It's a hands-on manual for the job. Not only does the author give obscure tips (make sure owners didn't lock screen door and exit through the garage) that you'd never think of, she gives personality advice on who will make it and who won't. In my opinion, one would find it more lucrative to just do cats and not do dogs (which are HIGH maintenance for sure). But the author is a better person than I am in terms of doggie devotion. I'd be in the middle of the street screaming at some of the things that happened to her. The only thing I disagreed with was her estimation of the income potential, which was low. I think cats and birds would put it much higher than office work. The dogs pull it down. Read it and see for yourself.

Cute and helpful:
This book was easy to read and full of cute stories, but some of them were lacking in content or the way in which it was written. They are short one-page accounts of incidences that have happened to her, and while most are entertaining and insightful, a few are anti-climatic and I felt myself waiting for something, when it just ended and the whole point was already told. It also fell short in the editing department, with a handful of typos and unofficial technicals in writing. This is something I or anyone could've easily written. As a published book, it needed work in editing and style before publishing. But as a guide and insight to what you can expect while pet sitting, it certainly does the job. She gives you all kinds of incidences that can, and probably will, happen to any pet sitter. She also wakes you up to the hard parts of the job and, exactly as the title describes, the realities of pet sitting. It's definitely good to read if you are considering going into pet sitting, and I would agree with most of her advice. She definitely shows her degree of experience.

A Short Comment from the Author:
I must agree with Reviewer Gina Sanchez - if purchasing my book, I would purchase the PAPERBACK edition....I wouldn't pay $30 FOR ANY book! :o) Thank you!