Safe, Clean & Happy: How to Keep Dogs Safe in Your Home and Yard

Hey there, Tanya here and today’s episode is all about safety and cleanliness — two things that don’t sound super glamorous, but honestly? They can make or break your dog sitting or daycare business.

If you want to create a thriving dog sitting biz then you need Paws to Profit Program. Find it here https://pawstoprofit.com.au/

Transcript

0:01.20
Tanya williams
Now, let's talk about cleaning and what your cleaning routine looks like because let's be real, dogs bring joy but they also bring mud and fur and slobber and poos and wheeze and all that fun stuff.

00:15.69
Tanya williams
I swear, ah I feel like I spend half my days cleaning sometimes. um The key is to create a bit of a cleaning rhythm. or a routine that's manageable and doesn't rely on harsh chemicals either. Okay, so here's my top tips and this is how I do things. So um make sure you're buying dog-friendly cleaners. So harsh chemicals like Dettol or human-grade cleaners aren't necessarily going to be great for dogs because you think about you're mopping a floor with that and then a dog's licking the floor, they're going to be getting those chemicals into their system. So you want to make sure you use dog-safe products.

00:50.43
Tanya williams
Now, I use Pet Lab products. um And I also have a vet grade detergent that smells like bubble gum actually. But I use that for mopping, um mopping all the tiles and so forth. But I know it's good for them.

01:02.41
Tanya williams
It's used in vet surgeries and big kennels and so forth like that. It's not expensive. I think it's like 50 bucks, but you get four liters and that lasts like a year. Like it lasts forever because only need the tiniest amount.

01:15.39
Tanya williams
um But think about um what products you should be using. So you can get like sprays that can spray to clean up messes and so forth. and things that you can use to actually mop and clean areas. Dog friendly cleaners. Don't use your normal household cleaners.

01:28.62
Tanya williams
um Daily cleaning is really important where there are bowls. So if you've got areas where you've got water bowls and dog bowls and so forth, you know, you want to clean those areas because they're going to be high traffic, right? There's going to be dogs walking over constantly, um dropping water, maybe dropping food if there's food out, you know, whatever it might be. So you want to give those a nice quick wipe over. It doesn't take long, um but it's really important to make sure that you're cleaning those areas.

01:53.07
Tanya williams
bowls. Oh my God. Like I literally lose track of the amount of times a day I am cleaning and refilling water bowls. so I wish I had a dollar for every bowl I've cleaned. I'd be super rich. um You know, it's just second nature to me is because, you know, you know, as soon as someone's, you know, finished eating, then, um you know, they're going to go over to the water bowl, have a drink and so forth. But, you know, so I have a bit of a routine. So when we feed the dogs, I pick their bowls up and they go in the sink for me to clean all of their dog bowls that they've just eaten from.

02:22.14
Tanya williams
and we also then clean all the water bowls. Water bowls get cleaned first thing in the morning, so they're they're um cleaned with hot water and then refilled. um They get cleaned multiple times times during the day like that as well.

02:34.81
Tanya williams
Now, and you know you've got to be mindful of, sometimes water can look clean, but then you look at it closely or look at it from the side, can see there's stuff sitting on top of it, all these bits of dirt or something in there and you know as soon as you clean a water bowl and put it down the dogs will just go straight for it so um some dogs are super fussy as well so i always want clean water so it's really important to make sure that is accessible and you are always cleaning water bowls and also make sure you're cleaning the food bowls after each of their meal as well so i clean them in hot water and rinse them off

03:05.43
Tanya williams
And they'll go back in their spots, have a spot where all their bowls go, um ready for their next meal, okay? You can't just clean water bowls once a day. That is going to lead to all sorts of issues and cross-contamination and sick dogs and, you know, all that sort of stuff. You've got to keep track of that, okay?

03:24.02
Tanya williams
I also do like to do a bit of a weekly deep clean. So, and I don't normally do it all at once. So I'm often washing bedding or toys. um You know, I'm mopping floors, but I also um use a steam mop regularly. So at least once a week, which gives the area a really good clean.

03:40.17
Tanya williams
I've got pee pads, um you know, towels, bed covers, all that sort of stuff are washed regularly. Obviously pee pads are washed every day. um ah we've We've got different types of those around the house.

03:51.20
Tanya williams
But a couple of things that have been a really good investment, which you might consider at some point as your business grows, is bowls with the filters that keep running. So we've got one of these in our kitchen and it is fantastic because there's always filtered water running for the dogs.

04:05.79
Tanya williams
It doesn't have to be cleaned. Like every day it gets cleaned like once a week or something. We feel it we we clean it because it's – and within then then we just top it up with water. It's all filtered, so it's fantastic. So I've actually just ordered a couple more of those for other parts of the house.

04:18.72
Tanya williams
um And a steam mop. Now, steam mops, you know, can be expensive. I think we spent about $600 on the one that we've got, but it really does make a difference. um If you've had a lot of dogs and you can notice a bit of a smell or it's getting really dirty, you want to make sure that you really give it a really good sanitize. So um I'm pretty sure you can buy cheaper versions of um those sorts of steam mops as well, but could be a good investment for you.

04:43.45
Tanya williams
Um, airflow is another thing. So you want to make sure that you've got, you know windows open, you know, that helps with the odor, but keeps the air fresh as well. So try and sort of make sure there's plenty of airflow, ah vacuum, you know, regularly I've got a stick vacuum and I pull that out a couple of times a day to pick up leaves and dirt and stuff that they've bought in from outside.

05:03.40
Tanya williams
Um, mine, um, has got a special filter for fur. Um, so it's, it's good for pets, um And it's it's an absolute lifesaver when you've got multiple dogs because you can just quickly clean out that court pick pick up that cordless vat and pick up that dirt, the leaves or whatever super easily without having to pull out massive big vacuum cleaners in your vacuum your house. So a really worthwhile investment.

05:25.81
Tanya williams
um I mop pretty much every day as well. So mopping is obviously the other one. Use a steam mop if you've got it every couple of days or you know once a week. So I'm so glad that I invested in that. It wasn't something that I actually she wanted to get. My husband was like, we need to get one of these. And I'm like, fine. Okay. And I'm like, okay, you were right.

05:43.11
Tanya williams
And I'm also looking at buying a robo vac as well. That's going to vacuum and mop. So it's just going to take some of that workload off me as well. But what you don't want to do is over sanitize. So you don't want to be using harsh bleachers and any bacterial sprays that might irritate pores or cause breathing issues. So you want to stick with really gentle, pet friendly or natural cleaning products. Okay.

06:05.53
Tanya williams
Another great thing we've found for inside that makes a difference is using baby gates. Now, baby gates will block off areas for you. So we've got several through the house. So we've created like zones.

06:16.76
Tanya williams
It stops got dogs from getting to the front door to the garage door so they can't get out. I literally never answer the front door if dogs are not behind those baby gates. And if we've got someone that likes to jump them, they will go out into the back area where there's a door that they can't get through. So you always need to be thinking safety, right?

06:34.28
Tanya williams
Because you don't want that super fast dog to be getting through a gate or jumping over and getting out a front door when you go to the door. um And as I mentioned, washing, I'm constantly washing. There's always dog towels or beds or pee pads or something to clean. So Yes, cleaning comes with the territory. So if you hate cleaning, I hate to tell you, dog sitting might not be for you.

06:55.27
Tanya williams
um Now, let's talk about yard safety. um Now, you know, if you're an a apartment in an apartment, this won't be as applicable, but you'll still have like the little outdoor space that you need to make sure it's clean and safe and in your entirety for them.

07:10.31
Tanya williams
But, you know, we have, um you know, a yard outside, um which obviously the dogs can go and and play in and so forth. So the first thing you need to make sure is you've got secure fencing. Now, we have six-foot fences.

07:22.28
Tanya williams
um They cannot get access to the sides of our house at all because I don't need someone getting over the side and then digging a hole out under the side fence. um So we have secure six foot fences.

07:34.06
Tanya williams
We have no gaps. We even put things along like wooden um timber bits along the bottom of the fence so they can't like get underneath the fence. So we were like when we started dog sitting, it was like, nope, some dogs are super clever. So and you'll be surprised what they can actually get through, right? So make sure you've got super secure fences.

07:51.75
Tanya williams
You want to have shade and water outside as well. um i don't tick I won't keep um water bowls outside of a night or anything like that because we get cane toads here in Queensland and cane toads like to jump in the water. Even if there's not one in the water, they could have been in there and i made the water all icky so I don't leave those out.

08:10.78
Tanya williams
But um we certainly have areas where they can get fresh water. You also want to think about toxic plants. Now, it may be something you've never thought of, right? But there are certain palms or azaleas, lilies are toxic to dogs.

08:25.96
Tanya williams
um There are certain plants, if they eat, can make them sick. If you're not sure, take a photo of it, Google it, um you know, remove it if you think it could be potentially dangerous. You don't want dogs chewing on um plants that are just going to make them sick.

08:42.19
Tanya williams
Uh, let's talk fleas and ticks as well. Now, um, you know, every year we have flea and tick season where they, um, seem to, you know, multiply and um, you know, you've got to be mindful of that. So we will not have any dogs that don't have flea and tick control, um, you know, um, already sorted out by their parents, of course, but you've got to keep your grass short, um, as well. You want, you need to make sure that it's all short. There's not big long weeds and stuff everywhere because ticks can get in there.

09:12.41
Tanya williams
and it's very easy for ah ticks to jump onto a dog while they're outside playing so you want to make sure that you've got like clean areas for them um in the in the ah in the yard now if you have a pool which we do again pool safety is so so important because dogs will fall in accidentally okay um Our guests are not allowed in the pool area unless I am out there with them.

09:40.96
Tanya williams
Okay. I wouldn't even go and to the front door, if someone rings the front doorbell and there's dogs in the, in the um yard, I will go everyone out and I close the gate because accidents happen really quickly.

09:52.16
Tanya williams
um And you don't know how long you're going to be gone for. So, They are not allowed in there. um And, you know, too many times I've seen it happen. They've been running around and playing you're like, Kai, calm down.

10:02.77
Tanya williams
And then someone misses a corner or um doesn't really realize where they were and they step backwards and splash. um And then they're quickly panicking and going, oh, my God. looks And some dogs can swim, so they'll swim to the steps. But even still,

10:17.50
Tanya williams
It's you've got to quickly grab them out, dry them down and so forth. So supervision is essential, okay? That's non-negotiable around pearls. Okay. um also be aware of dogs that can't swim with there's a couple of like things like uh pugs and frenchies and stuff typically aren't swimmers they will sink like a stone so if we have any dogs like that they aren't allowed in our pool area at all because i don't want to be diving in and having to pull them out off the bottom of a pool okay i'm just super aware of the safety around with that sort of stuff

10:50.71
Tanya williams
um Also things like standing water, having stuff, if you've got like um big plant holders or anything that's got water like ponds and stuff like that that has stagnant water in it, um that's going to often breed mosquitoes and bacteria and dogs don't know the difference and they will often have a little drink of that. So you need to make sure that there's not a lot of stagnant water and stuff lying around because that can make dogs really sick. Again, this is just being mindful of your environment, right?

11:21.05
Tanya williams
And of course, the favorite thing is picking up the dog poop. Okay. It comes with the territory. um Yes, you will need to pick up dog poop. Now, you know, there's lots of different types of pooper scoopers that you can get. I've got a little special one so I can just like scoop it onto the thing and then I emptied into a paper bag and it goes into the outdoor garbage box.

11:41.92
Tanya williams
Um, you know, and often you'll miss seeing something. So i always like to put on some, like some flip-flops and thongs because I've walked out there sometimes with my nice shoes on and inadvertently stepped into some poop.

11:53.45
Tanya williams
And yeah, not so nice when you walk in and you're smelling of dog poop. So, uh, again, that's going to be done regularly depending on how many guests you have, of course, but you don't want, uh, dog poop lying around your backyard because it smells as well.

12:09.69
Tanya williams
Um, Let's talk about wildlife. So you may be in an area where um there are wildlife, so, you know, um you know that that are in your yard. So here in Australia, we get cane toads in summer, which are hideous and they're also poisonous to dogs if they grab them in their mouth.

12:26.85
Tanya williams
um So we always ask owners as part of our meet and greet process Do they, are they aware of cane toes? Do they like to chase them? Because we've had some dogs that do. So what we do then is we take them outside before bed on a lead so they can't go off and chase the cane toes. So it's little things like that you need to be mindful of.

12:45.44
Tanya williams
Um, you know, we have little lizards that hang out in the garden and some dogs like to chase them. So it's just good to know um what's going to be around. We get bush, the occasional bush turkey um that will fly into the yard. And I can tell you, they don't move any faster than when a bunch of oodles start barking and chasing them. They he move pretty damn fast.

13:05.61
Tanya williams
But you you know might get possums or you might get other types of wildlife um where you are. One, we want to keep wildlife safe, okay? We don't want dogs attacking them. And, um you know, you also want to be mindful if they're leaving possum poop or droppings that dogs can eat as well. So um just be checking that sort of stuff out. If they if there is kangaroo poo or possum poo or something, um clean that up quickly because don't you don't want your dogs um eating that.

13:31.94
Tanya williams
And, um you know, even things like... you know snakes and other creepy crawlies obviously we need to be super mindful of that um and having areas that they can't hide in so having lots of wood lying around or areas that aren't like mowed properly and stuff like that you've got to be super vigilant about this stuff guys safety is so so so important I like to do a quick yard sweep before dogs arrive, make sure everything's clean, there's nothing lying around um that they can get and it's all it's all ready for them. um

14:04.32
Tanya williams
We've just set up on a little designated play zone as well. where We've got artificial dog turf. um So we've got special stuff that we can wash that with as well. So um we know that that's going to be easy to clean and hose off and and so forth. So again, just be mindful of your setup and what's around.

14:21.82
Tanya williams
Now, let's touch a little bit around safety, right, and and safety protocols. So, you know, you can have the cleanest house. You think you've got everything set up perfectly and stuff, but accidents still happen, okay?

14:34.76
Tanya williams
Now, I have um certain things in place. So I have a first a first aid kit. Now, it's got things like bandages and saline and antiseptic wipes and stuff like that, but I've also put together some other things in there. So I have a product that's called Wound Guard.

14:50.94
Tanya williams
which um I use on my dogs when one of the other dogs is like licking at saws and stuff like that. It stinks and it stops dogs licking it. um So ifve I've got a dog that's licking ah particular area, I can just spray a little bit of that on there. It's not toxic to dogs, obviously, um and it stops them licking.

15:07.95
Tanya williams
um We have like a cough syrup thing here. So if they've got a bit of a cough and not all coughs, a kennel coughs, okay, dogs can get like, um you know, little infections or or coughs in their throat as well. So I've got some of that here. I've got special paste and stuff that I can give them if they get sort of diarrhea and syringes and things like betadine and stuff that's like an antiseptic. So I have a few things that I know um over the years talking to my vet and so forth that we've you know accumulated in our first aid kit. And I know when I can can and can't give those to dogs as well. So don't just go off and give dogs anything and don't just think you can give them human medication because a lot of the time you don't.

15:46.15
Tanya williams
Always, always, always check with a vet. But I have a first aid kit here. in case okay um also give dogs um anxious dogs time to acclimatize so if we've got a dog that's super anxious or not used to being around other dogs I will just slowly introduce them so I'll just bring them in with my my two dogs to start with because they're older and calmer and then I might let you know another like calmer dog in with them for a little while as well so they can sniff and do all the you know stuff that they need to do I don't want them to be overwhelmed. I don't want to, you know, put them in with a bunch of dogs that are high energy and all that sort of stuff all at once. It's going to scare them, okay?

16:21.06
Tanya williams
So give them time to acclimatize and introduce them one by one. um Make sure you have emergency contact details as well. So emergency contacts for your pet owners if they're overseas There can be big time zones difference and you can't get hold of them. So you want a local contact.

16:36.94
Tanya williams
um You want obviously your local vets contact, emergency vet contacts. I have those on the side of the fridge. um But, you know, and sometimes if a guest is coming to us from ah a fair distance away, I'll take them to my local vet.

16:50.78
Tanya williams
um They can always contact their normal vet for um details about, around, you know, the dog's history and so forth as well. You also want to create what I call safe zones. So you're going get dogs that are quieter and more timid or older and they just want to like chill and sleep and so forth. And you're going to get dogs that are high energy that want to play and jump on other dogs and so forth.

17:14.39
Tanya williams
So I've, and this is where baby gates come in handy again, I've sort of created these zones. So when, um because one of, you know, two of my dogs are older, one sixteen one's 16, one's 14. You know, we've got a couple of older guests that come for daycare.

17:28.16
Tanya williams
And they like to just sleep and chill. So I'll put them out in our front room. I'll pull the blinds down. you know, I'll make a nice sort of quiet space for them so they haven't got dogs jumping on them. They can just curl up on the recliner or on their bed and and they're happy.

17:41.73
Tanya williams
And the ones that are more high energy, I can put in a different area, okay? But, you know, and often we'll we'll do nap time, okay? Just like kids do at preschool. It's like, okay, it's nap time. Everyone's gone crazy. It's time for everyone to have a nap.

17:53.36
Tanya williams
I'll put calming dog music on for them. I might lower the lights a little bit or close a couple of blinds. um And then one by one, you see them drift off to sleep because it's super important that dogs get rest time. They can't be playing all day. Even puppies need to breathe and reboot and have a bit of downtime. They can't be playing constantly as much as they probably want to. Okay.

18:16.34
Tanya williams
It's important to, you know, create those times where they can get that rest. Supervision, okay? You'd never want to leave um dogs alone together if you're not 100% sure they're going to get along. And we've had times like that where we go, oh look, Billy and Neo don't like each other, so let's make sure that they're separated when we go out, you know, and we want to be going out for half an hour, but let's just keep them...

18:38.97
Tanya williams
you know, not in different areas. So they can't get in each other's faces. um Common sense prevails with this stuff, guys. um You know, you will get guests sometimes that don't like each other and they want to get in each other's faces and, you know, cause issues. So make sure you keep them separate. And if there are, you know, obviously you want to try and make sure that you're supervising that as much as possible as well.

19:00.95
Tanya williams
Don't go out for hours at a time. When you're looking after a bunch of dogs and think that's okay either, if I've got to duck out, I'm ducking out super quickly and I manage my day accordingly.

19:11.64
Tanya williams
um So if I've got appointments and stuff that are going to take longer, I book them around when my husband gets home. So he's a tradie, so he finishes work early so I can go, great, you're you're on duty now and I'm going to go off and get my stuff done that I need to do. So your day should be managed accordingly. Okay.

19:27.48
Tanya williams
And of course, do your reach-in check-ins. Maybe check their paws, have a bit of a look for grass seeds or ticks or any of that sort of just rob but rub your hands over them while you're cuddling them. And often you'll find little things that could be an issue. Like I've discovered little bumps and stuff that are on dogs and I've gone, do you know that they've got this little lump here or this and stuff? And sometimes they will know about it, sometimes they won't, but they always appreciate you taking that little bit of extra care and noticing some of these things. Yeah.

19:55.26
Tanya williams
So we've covered a lot, okay, um but, you know, keeping your home and yard safe and clean doesn't have to be complicated, okay. It's just all about consistency and awareness and, of course, prevention, okay.

20:08.72
Tanya williams
um Creating a safe environment is not just about protecting dogs. You're protecting your business reputation because clients notice the details from the smell of your space and how spotless it it is to where the dog's bedding all that sort of stuff. They notice it, okay. Okay.

20:24.37
Tanya williams
So this is part of your brand. It's part of the wow experience. So it starts the moment they walk through that door to do a meet and greet. um So, you know, they're going to see that you genuinely care about dog safety.

20:37.07
Tanya williams
So if you want a full safety checklist, ah I'm going to put one of those up on the Paws to Profit website. So it'll be under our resources section. And that's something you'll be able to download and customize later.

20:48.63
Tanya williams
um That's it. That's another episode done and dusted. So if you've been listening and you love today's episode, then please follow, share and leave a review because it helps more dog lovers like you build thriving pet sitting businesses.

21:03.26
Tanya williams
um And if you want more resources, of course, you know where to go. Pawstoprofit.com.au or follow us on Instagram. That's me over and out. Have a pawesome week and I will see you next week.