Pet-Sitting: Booming Business

It's a common dilemma for many dog owners: You work all day while your pooch is cooped up inside and, when you get home, the dog is absolutely stir crazy!

The solution, says The Early Show resident veterinarian Dr. Debbye Turner, may be to hire a pet-sitter.

Turner says the number of people using them is growing by leaps and bounds. Just a few years ago, there were only 300 licensed pet-sitting organizations in the United States. There are over 7,000 today.

Many people also use pet-sitters instead of putting Fido in a kennel when they go on vacation.

In Hermosa Beach, Calif., Greg and Kim Smith and their daughter Ashley benefit from the services of professional pet-sitter Jennie Wong.

"It's sad that they have to stay home by themselves during the day," Kim says.

Before Wong, when the Smiths would get home, their two terriers would "just go nuts," Greg says.

But now, there's "a lot less angst," he says, adding, "They settle down and actually sit, as opposed to just jumping up three feet up in the air," hoping to be taken out.

Every weekday, Wong gives the dogs a workout at the local dog park.

"It's a big responsibility to take care of an animal," Wong points out. " … And it's not really different than being a nanny. That's what I've learned."

That, says Turner, is precisely why experts say you should choose a dog walker with the same care as you would a babysitter.

John Long, of Pet Sitters International observes, "It's important to check the background of the pet-sitter, because essentially what you're doing is entrusting the key to your home and the well being of your pet to a stranger!"

Wong and her boyfriend started a "Fetch!" franchise. It's one of the companies that have sprung up offering personalized pet care.

Another Wong client is Tracy Bermudez, who says her pooch, Bernie, is "a little bit more than a dog. He's like our little son."

She says the difference Wong and her boyfriend make is obvious: "They use up all his energy, so when we come home, he's ready to relax so we can all relax. We don't have to worry about a crazy dog running through the home."

Turner offers tips for choosing a good pet-sitter: