Dog Sitter Resume with Free Template, Examples & Guide

Providing daily care to other people’s pets can be exhausting. It’s understandable if you have no time to work on your Dog Sitter resume between feeding, walking, and bathing your furry charges. Our resume templates can help you advance your career- even if the dog eats your homework!

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ResumeGiants Team
Written by
ResumeGiants Team
Resume and Cover Letter Experts
Updated on September 6, 2022

Being a professional Dog Sitter is a dream job for many since you get to pursue your passion, associate with empathetic animals, and get paid with little hassle. Taking care of these beloved canines mostly included feeding, brushing, taking for walks, clearing litter boxes, giving medications, and many more.

With the numerous requirements involved in this profession, it’s vital to prepare a Dog Sitter resume, showing pet owners that you have what it takes to care for their furry companion.

Your resume must demonstrate your experience working with animals (mostly dogs), ability to be punctual, basic training knowledge, and love for animals. For this reason, this article will guide you through the process of creating a professional pet sitter resume, thereby increasing your chances of employment.

In this article, we will reveal:

  • A Dog Sitter resume example
  • The best format for a Dog Sitter resume
  • How to put your achievements and experience on Dog Sitter resume
  • How to put your skills in a Dog Sitter resume

Let’s go!

Dog Sitter Resume Example

Before proceeding with the tips and recommendations, it’s worth mentioning that creating an effective Dog Sitter resume from scratch is tricky, especially if you don’t regularly create professional documents.

This difficulty is due to the mental requirements in using the right format, tone, font size, headings, etc., which is a hassle to most people. Fortunately, you can ease the stress and save time by using a professional resume builder.

This platform comes with all the tools (examples and templates) you need to create a compelling resume for Dog Sitters, allowing you to show your qualifications and experience professionally

Using this resume builder saves you time and energy while creating a professional document that appeals to the most cautious pet owners.

Visit Resume Giants to save time on building your Dog Sitter resume today.

Resume Example
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[Isabel Miranda]

[Dog Sitter]

[62th Street, Boston, MA, 85996| 623-488-1566| isamiranda@gmail.com]

Summary

Empathetic, detail-oriented, and patient Dog Sitter with six years of experience providing care to dogs of different breeds. Possesses an outgoing personality coupled with effective time management abilities, training, and a love for animals, making me objectively qualified to care for dogs of different breeds.

Experience 

Gaston and Belle Shelter | Boston, MA

Dog Assistant

2018 – 2021 

  • Managed 60+ animals held at the shelter, ranging from six different breeds and species.
  • Monitored a dog’s daily water calories, and medicinal intake.
  • Communicated effectively with over 200 pet owners and other individuals turning over their pets to the shelter.
  • Kept a 16-page record of the animals’ experience satisfaction when coming in and out of the shelter.
  • Increased customer satisfaction by 37% via effective communication and fulfillment procedures.
  • Saved the shelter 500k+ annually by introducing new business models that reduced refund requests.

Doggy Daycare

River Styx | Boston, MA

2016 – 2018 

  • Created a seven-day daycare schedule and kept in contact with 40+ clients.
  • Took care of dogs of all breeds and ages according to the owners’ specifications.
  • Handled clients’ daily and weekly appointments, and counselor appointments, and processed payments.

Education 

Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management
Green Valley State Chicago, IL

2008 – 2012

  • Graduated Cum Laude
  • GPA: 3.8/4.0

Skills

  • Customer service
  • CPR
  • Data Entry
  • Time management
  • Enthusiastic

Certifications

  • Certified Dog Walker—IAP Career College

>> Interests <<

  • Rock climbing
  • Airsoft
  • Parkour

What’s the Best Dog Sitter Resume Format?

Although taking care of man’s best friend isn’t as prestigious as a Business Analyst or Chief Financial Officer of a Fortune 500 company, it’s still a career choice. Therefore, a Dog Sitter resume must be treated with similar importance, and one crucial aspect of an effective resume is your format.

Essentially the format is how you structure your document, thereby dictating which element the reader sees first and how they see it. Currently, the most recommended resume format is the reverse-chronological method because of how it brings attention to your most recent achievements.

In simpler terms, the reverse-chronological method puts your lost recent experience, achievement, qualification, etc., first, and the earliest ones last. This structure allows the employer to understand your worth as a Dog Sitter and accept you based on your current capacity.

It’s worth mentioning that the reverse-chronological format is best if your recent activities are rich with valuable details; else, opt for the combination format. The combination pays more attention to your skills, thereby emphasizing your abilities and bringing little attention to your experience.

In addition to the reverse-chronological format, ensure to include the following:

  • Words in bold, Italics, or capital letters since they compel the reader to pay more attention to the sentence.
  • Use a professional font and avoid looking fancy (Recommended: Arial (11))
  • Include sufficient white spaces on your resume to make it less intimidating to read.
  • Ensure your section titles are simple and reader-friendly.

💡 top tip

Do not use custom doggy fonts to appear more friendly because it may lead to the text getting scrambled on some word processors.

How to Write a Dog Sitter Resume Summary and Objective

A recommended way to start your resume is to write a summary or objective of the document. Essentially, both options are short paragraphs that introduce you to the recruiter and compel them to find out more about your offering.

Naturally, both concepts are different, so here are more details about a resume summary and objective:

Resume Summary:

A resume summary is a short paragraph that paraphrases your professional abilities and past experiences. This brief section acts as an elevator pitch, telling the employer whether you’re a good fit for their dog

Because a resume summary relies heavily on your past and skills, it’s only effective if you have more than 2 years of relevant experience.

Right ✅

Empathetic, detail-oriented, and patient Dog Sitter with six years of experience providing care to dogs of different breeds. Possesses an outgoing personality coupled with effective time management abilities, training, and a love for animals, making me objectively qualified to care for dogs of different breeds.

Wrong ❌

I love dogs, and I have been taking care of them for more than 3 years. I am trained, I have worked as a vet, and will treat your dog with absolute care.

Resume Objective:

On the other hand, a resume objective is a short paragraph that paraphrases what you wish to achieve upon employment. This gives the employer a brief synopsis of the value they will receive.

This option is excellent for a Dog Sitter with little to no experience as it highlights your skills and qualifications, proving to the hirer that you are a great asset.
Example:

Right ✅

Goal-oriented Dog Sitter with a passion for dogs of all breeds and sizes, seeking an opportunity to care for your pet with my veterinary training, hospitality, and punctuality.

Wrong ❌

I am a good girl that understands how dogs of all breeds work and I will take care of your dogs for a small fee. I am smart, young, jovial, and can show your dog a good time.

💡top tip

If possible, consider using a resume summary since it better compels employers to read more than an objective summary.

How to Describe Your Dog Sitter Experience

When creating a Dog Sitter resume, it helps to include an experience section in the document as it shows you’ve applied your skills and enthusiasm and been successful. It also assures the pet parent that you’re competent and understands the variable involved in caring for such an important animal.

Here are our recommendations for including an experience section in your resume:

Use the Reverse-chronological Format

As previously mentioned, the reverse-chronological format is the most common option in the professional world when writing a resume. Therefore, ensure to begin this section with your most recent experience, allowing the employer to understand your current capacity.

Only Include relevant information

Being a Dog Sitter allows you to have multiple experiences with dogs, cats, and other animals. However, for the sake of easy comprehension and time management, only include the necessary details.

One option would be to only use experience that’s less than 10 years old since they don’t reflect your current ability with pets.

Structure Correctly

Each detail in your experience section must appear uniformly, making it easier to read and understand. Start by stating the company of your previous employment; provide the establishment’s full name. Afterward, include the position you occupied, the location, and the date of employment.

Right ✅

Gaston and Belle Shelter

Assistant | Boston, MA

2018-2021

  • Managed 60+ animals held at the shelter, ranging from six different breeds and species.
  • Monitored a dog’s daily water calories, and medicinal intake.
  • Communicated effectively with over 200 pet owners and other individuals turning over their pets to the shelter.
  • Kept a 16-page record of the animals’ experience satisfaction when coming in and out of the shelter.
  • Increased customer satisfaction by 37% via effective communication and fulfillment procedures.
  • Saved the shelter 500k+ annually by introducing new business models that reduced refund requests.

River Styx

Doggy Daycare | Boston, MA

2016-2018

  • Created a seven-day daycare schedule and kept in contact with 40+ clients.
  • Took care of dogs of all breeds and ages according to the owners’ specifications.
  • Handled clients’ daily and weekly appointments, counselor appointments, and processed payments.

Wrong ❌

River Styx veterinary

2016 – 2018

  • I took care of 10 dogs and made sure their owners were happy
  • Spent all day giving belly rubs and waiting for new customers
  • Fetched coffee during the break

*Note: Ensure to read the Dog Sitter job description properly as it often contains information to craft your experience section.

Entry-level Dog Sitter Resume: Experience Section

On the other hand, suppose you don’t have sufficient experience to fill your resume or are fresh on the career path, there’s still hope.

In this case, the best option is to remember some career-related work that you’ve done in the past and include it in your resume. These activities can include volunteer work, extracurricular activities, internships, and personal projects.

Remember, it’s better to show the employer your experience in handling dogs of different breeds, giving them food, managing their medication, and other factors, than nothing at all.

💡top tip

If you have no career-related activities to include in your resume, consider getting some under your belt and building your portfolio.

Right ✅

Topeka Pet Center

Volunteer | 2016-2017

  • Provided different clients with in-home pet care services
  • Performed pet taxi, leashed walked, cat care, and off-leash socials
  • Ensured pets received adequate exercise and playtime
  • cleaned and bathed different dogs, cats, and rabbits.
  • Provided first aid to animals when needed.

Wrong ❌

Dog Sitter Experience

No experience yet. I hope to learn more by working with you.

Highlighting your Education in a Dog Sitter Resume

A Dog Sitter needs to be empathetic towards animals and also have sufficient knowledge of how different breeds function to better handle their physical and emotional needs. While you don’t need to visit a fancy university to get hired, you still need to show you’re trained and ready to handle pets.

We recommend showcasing your education in the following order:

  • The degree type received.
  • Your major/minor.
  • School Name
  • School location.
  • Year of graduation

You can also make your education section more engaging by including extra details like extracurricular activities or a description of your coursework.

Right ✅

Hospitality and Tourism Management | Communication

Green Valley State Chicago, IL

2008 – 20012

  • Graduated Cum Laude
  • GPA: 3.8/4.0

Wrong ❌

Kendall College

2011

  • Graduated with a 2.0 GPA

The Best Dog Sitter Skills for a Resume

Besides showing your experience and education, it’s worthwhile to present the skills you possess to the employer, allowing them to decide whether you’re capable of handling their precious canine.

These skills are split into two different categories; hard and soft skills. Below is more information on both concepts:

Hard skills are vital for undertaking the technical aspects of being a professional Dog Sitter. These skills are acquired via training and coaching cannot be developed instinctively or over time.

On the other hand, soft skills are mostly acquired from experience as they aid in your ability to solve problems, communicate with the dog and owner, and handle other factors as well.

Soft Skills

Time management
Flexible schedule
Teamwork
Enthusiastic
Detail-oriented
Physical fitness
Comfortable with all dog breeds and sizes
Interpersonal skills
Communication skills

Hard Skills

Data Entry
Bookkeeping
Customer service
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
Topical Medication
Managing litter boxes
Insulin injections

Knowledge of animal behavior

Animal First Aid

💡top tip

Consider reading the job description for specific keywords to add to your Dog Sitter resume since some employers use Applicant Tracking Systems to San your resume.

Key Takeaway

Composing an effective Dog Sitter resume is a crucial step in succeeding in your dream career since it maximizes your chances of employment. Throughout this guide, we emphasized that an effective resume contains the following points:

  • The reverse-chronological format
  • A resume summary or objective to quickly convey your value
  • Resume details consistent with the job description
  • Well-written skills and experience
  • Error-free text

Remember, creating a Dog Sitter resume is a tedious task, especially if you’re not used to making documents from scratch. Fortunately, you can save yourself time and energy with our free resume builder. It provides you with enough templates to customize and produce proud results.

Free Resume Templates

Using resume templates that are proven to work will help you to move your career search forward. Start and customize as many resumes as you need with our free resume builder .