Professional Pet Care Specialists and Continuing Education
Mar 7, 2019 Tracey Aston Hiring a Pet Sitter
It's always important to never stop learning but this is even truer in pet care services. A Professional Pet Care Specialist will always be educating themselves on the topics of behavior, nutrition, training and pet health and wellness needs. A Professional Pet Care Specialist will be studying veterinary medicine, nutrition, and positive, scientific based, positive reinforcement training methods. Pet care is an always evolving business and Pet Sitters International offers a certification program that will test a Professional Pet Care Specialists knowledge on all the above.
There are always amazing healthcare breakthroughs in the field of pet care. In the last 10 years alone, there has been stem cell therapy, laparoscopy, laser surgery, MRI, animal acupuncture and holistic therapies. All of these breakthroughs have been for the benefit of our pets and with more and more families treating their pets as family members, more breakthroughs are coming every day! A recent survey from the APPA, American Pet Products Association, shows that 68% of all US households now have a pet. That's a 58% increase since 1988. More Americans are willing to spend the money to keep their beloved pets happy and healthy and with that more and more is being spent on pet health care. Without a doubt this is a positive advancement for our pets, but it requires a Professional Pet Care Specialist to constantly keep their eyes open for these new breakthroughs and research. A Professional Pet Care Specialist will constantly be updating their knowledge base to share with their clients for the benefit of their pets.
Not only have there been medical breakthroughs, many pet parents are wanting information on raw diets, titer testing vs vaccines and positive reinforcement training methods that respect both the owner and the pet. A Professional Pet Care Specialist will have knowledge on all of these subjects and as new research is coming out, they will be learning all of this and more.
A Professional Pet Care Specialist will educate themselves on disease progression and how to best manage a pet's changing healthcare needs after diagnosis. They will train on communicable diseases and how to keep other pets in their care safe.
Being a Professional Pet Care Specialist spends a lot of time walking with pets, they will be trained in proper leash walking and how to deal with a reactive or fearful pet. If a pet is afraid of bicycles or cars, the Professional Pet Care Specialist will be able to address these issues with the pet parent and help the pet overcome these issues to lead a happier and more relaxed life.
As pets are benefiting from all of these breakthroughs by living longer, healthier lives, more pets than ever are making it into their senior years. A Professional Pet Care Specialist will need to remain up-to-date on all new medications, supplements, holistic alternatives and mobility aids. Wheelchairs, slings, and prosthetics can increase the quality of life for a senior pet and a Professional Pet Care Specialist will need to know how to safely use these products to keep the pet safe. In addition to be knowledgeable on their use, they will have to know how to work with a pet to get them trained to use the aids without injuring themselves.
A Professional Pet Care Specialist will always be continuing their education learning from veterinarians, nutritionists and trainers so they can provide the best quality of care for their furry clients.
