For everything you need to go from a solo pet sitter to a team leader, Enroll in my Pawsitive Hiring Course: pawsitivehiringcourse.com 

Today we are taking a trip down memory lane with a recap of the first 20 episodes of the Pet Business Hiring Podcast! I give you my biggest hiring lessons from each episode in this recap, and talk about ideas for the future of the podcast!

Please remember to follow the podcast and give it a 5 star rating wherever you listen! Email me if you're interested in being a guest or a sponsor, and follow along on Instagram and Facebook to stay up to date!

Follow the Pawsitive Hiring Academy:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61583169482484 

https://www.instagram.com/pawsitivehiringacademy/ 

Follow me 👇

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dougthedogguyofficial/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DougtheDogGuy/

Send me an email: [email protected] 

Get 50% off your first FOUR months of Time to Pet using my referral link! https://www.timetopet.com/doug

Save $15 off of your Pet Sitters International membership, or 15% of of your PETSITPRO subscription with code DTDG15 at https://petsit.com/

Get $100 off your Branding Day with Pet Marketing Unleashed when you put DTDG in the message box when you sign up! https://www.petmarketingunleashed.com/

Download my FREE guides and templates, and schedule personalized pet business coaching at: https://dougthedogguy.co/

Want to scale your dog walking business? Learn more about DogCo and see a real a case study of a DogCo client who tripled their revenue here: dogcolaunch.com/casestudy 

Join us at our 4th annual Florida Pet Services Summit in Jacksonville, FL August 13-15th 2026:
https://flpetassociation.org/

Disclaimer: Some of the above links are affiliate links in an effort to support the channel. And obviously, nothing I say should be taken as legal or financial advice.

For everything you need to go from a solo pet sitter to a team leader, Enroll in my Pawsitive Hiring Course: pawsitivehiringcourse.com 

Jessica Abernathy has been in the pet care industry for over 20 years and is known as the "Original Chicago Cat Sitter!" She started her first pet sitting business while she still owned her beauty salon, and over the years she has started and scaled several other pet care businesses in the Chicago area!

Now, Jessica is using her experience to help other pet pros build their businesses! Jessica is the Co-Founder and one of the lead coaches at The Pet Biz People, a new agency of specialists who provide operational, marketing, admin, HR, and systems support for pet care businesses!

Learn more about Jessica and Pet Biz People:

https://petbizpeople.ca/

https://www.facebook.com/people/Pet-Biz-People/

https://www.instagram.com/pet_biz_people/

Join us at our 4th annual Florida Pet Services Summit in Jacksonville, FL August 13-15th 2026:
https://flpetassociation.org/

Follow the Pawsitive Hiring Academy:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61583169482484 

https://www.instagram.com/pawsitivehiringacademy/ 

Follow me 👇

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dougthedogguyofficial/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DougtheDogGuy/

Send me an email: [email protected] 

Get 50% off your first FOUR months of Time to Pet using my referral link! https://www.timetopet.com/doug

Save $15 off of your Pet Sitters International membership, or 15% of of your PETSITPRO subscription with code DTDG15 at https://petsit.com/

Get $100 off your Branding Day with Pet Marketing Unleashed when you put DTDG in the message box when you sign up! https://www.petmarketingunleashed.com/

Download my FREE guides and templates, and schedule personalized pet business coaching at: https://dougthedogguy.co/

Want to scale your dog walking business? Learn more about DogCo and see a real a case study of a DogCo client who tripled their revenue here: dogcolaunch.com/casestudy 

Disclaimer: Some of the above links are affiliate links in an effort to support the channel. And obviously, nothing I say should be taken as legal or financial advice.

For everything you need to go from a solo pet sitter to a team leader, Enroll in my Pawsitive Hiring Course: pawsitivehiringcourse.com 

Lauri Partanio is the owner & founder of Professional Pets Florida, a team of pet sitters and dog walkers servicing the Eastern side of Tampa, FL. In this episode, we talk about how Lauri has been able to maintain a great work-life balance through delegating tasks and creating leadership roles in her business!

Lauri talks about how the keys to building a team are hiring for integrity, and then trusting your employees to do the right thing.

Learn More About Lauri Partanio and Professional Pets Florida:

https://professionalpets.net/

https://www.facebook.com/ProfessionalPetsNet/

https://www.instagram.com/ProfessionalPetsNet/

Join us at our 4th annual Florida Pet Services Summit in Jacksonville, FL August 13-15th 2026:
https://flpetassociation.org/

Follow the Pawsitive Hiring Academy:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61583169482484 

https://www.instagram.com/pawsitivehiringacademy/ 

Follow me 👇

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dougthedogguyofficial/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DougtheDogGuy/

Send me an email: [email protected] 

Get 50% off your first FOUR months of Time to Pet using my referral link! https://www.timetopet.com/doug

Save $15 off of your Pet Sitters International membership, or 15% of of your PETSITPRO subscription with code DTDG15 at https://petsit.com/

Get $100 off your Branding Day with Pet Marketing Unleashed when you put DTDG in the message box when you sign up! https://www.petmarketingunleashed.com/

Download my FREE guides and templates, and schedule personalized pet business coaching at: https://dougthedogguy.co/

Want to scale your dog walking business? Learn more about DogCo and see a real a case study of a DogCo client who tripled their revenue here: dogcolaunch.com/casestudy 

Disclaimer: Some of the above links are affiliate links in an effort to support the channel. And obviously, nothing I say should be taken as legal or financial advice.

For everything you need to go from a solo pet sitter to a team leader, Enroll in my Pawsitive Hiring Course: pawsitivehiringcourse.com 

Savanna Westwood is the owner of The Savvy Sitter, a team of pet sitters and dog walkers in the Winter Garden and Windermere areas of Orlando, FL! Savanna is also the President and Co-Founder of the Florida Pet Services Association, a non-profit on a mission to promote professionalism and education for the pet industry in Florida.

Savanna has used her degree in Communication Studies from Stetson University to effectively and efficiently communicate with her team and her clients, and in this episode she gives us tips on how we can do the same!

Learn more about Savanna Westwood and get in contact with her here:

https://thesavvysitter.org/

https://www.instagram.com/thesavvysitter/

https://www.youtube.com/@peacefulpetmusic

Join us at our 4th annual Florida Pet Services Summit in Jacksonville, FL August 13-15th 2026:
https://flpetassociation.org/

Follow the Pawsitive Hiring Academy:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61583169482484 

https://www.instagram.com/pawsitivehiringacademy/ 

Follow me 👇

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dougthedogguyofficial/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DougtheDogGuy/

Send me an email: [email protected] 

Want to scale your dog walking business? Learn more about DogCo and see a real a case study of a DogCo client who tripled their revenue here: dogcolaunch.com/casestudy 

Get 50% off your first FOUR months of Time to Pet using my referral link! https://www.timetopet.com/doug

Download my FREE guides and templates, and schedule personalized pet business coaching at: https://dougthedogguy.co/

Disclaimer: Some of the above links are affiliate links in an effort to support the channel. And obviously, nothing I say should be taken as legal or financial advice.

For everything you need to go from a solo pet sitter to a team leader, Enroll in my Pawsitive Hiring Course: pawsitivehiringcourse.com 

Caring for "challenging" dogs can be...challenging! But Susan Aceti from Challenging Dogs Pet Care in Laurel, Maryland has figured out the perfect system to meet the dogs where they're at while keeping her team safe in the process.

In this episode, Susan gives us lots of tips on how we can care for challenging dogs in a safer and happier way, and how we can find staff and build a team to do the same!

Susan recently launched a course, Building Relationships with Behaviorally Challenged Dogs 1: A Guide for Dog Sitters and Walkers, to teach us how to use her systems in our own businesses!

You can save 15% off of Susan's course with code first100 when you enroll!

Learn more about Susan and and contact her course, Building Relationships with Behaviorally Challenged Dogs 1: A Guide for Dog Sitters and Walkers, here:
https://www.challengingdogs.com/

facebook.com/challengingdogspetcare

instagram.com/challengingdogspetcare

Follow the Pawsitive Hiring Academy:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61583169482484 

https://www.instagram.com/pawsitivehiringacademy/ 

Follow me 👇

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dougthedogguyofficial/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DougtheDogGuy/

Send me an email: [email protected] 

Want to scale your dog walking business? Learn more about DogCo and see a real a case study of a DogCo client who tripled their revenue here: dogcolaunch.com/casestudy 

Get 50% off your first FOUR months of Time to Pet using my referral link! https://www.timetopet.com/doug

Download my FREE guides and templates, and schedule personalized pet business coaching at: https://dougthedogguy.co/

Disclaimer: Some of the above links are affiliate links in an effort to support the channel. And obviously, nothing I say should be taken as legal or financial advice.

For everything you need to go from a solo pet sitter to a team leader, Enroll in my Pawsitive Hiring Course: pawsitivehiringcourse.com 

Hiring your first team members can be very daunting, and it's natural to have a lot of questions! In this episode, Rebecca Ann Paulsel from the Golden Leash Dog Walking & Pet Sitting in Houston, TX asked me her top questions as she prepares to hire for the first time!

In this episode, Rebecca asks me:
1. In your years of experience being a business owner & employer, when does hiring actually increase profitability instead of just reducing burnout?

2. What are the biggest mistakes you see pet business owners make with their first hire, and what are some tactical ways to help reduce them?

3. At what point should owners start thinking about lead roles or tiered positions, to move employees up to maintain retention?

4. How much training is ‘enough’ before letting someone work independently?

5. For those who overthink creating their SOP’s and training documents, where would you start and what system/software would you use to get started?

6. What was the biggest mindset shift that helped you personally become a better employer & leader?

Learn more about Rebecca and contact her here:
https://thegoldenleashdogwalkingandpetsitting.com/

https://www.instagram.com/the_golden_leash__dogwalkingtx/

Follow the Pawsitive Hiring Academy:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61583169482484 

https://www.instagram.com/pawsitivehiringacademy/ 

Follow me 👇

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dougthedogguyofficial/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DougtheDogGuy/

Send me an email: [email protected] 

Want to scale your dog walking business? Learn more about DogCo and see a real a case study of a DogCo client who tripled their revenue here: dogcolaunch.com/casestudy 

Get 50% off your first FOUR months of Time to Pet using my referral link! https://www.timetopet.com/doug

Download my FREE guides and templates, and schedule personalized pet business coaching at: https://dougthedogguy.co/

Disclaimer: Some of the above links are affiliate links in an effort to support the channel. And obviously, nothing I say should be taken as legal or financial advice.

For everything you need to go from a solo pet sitter to a team leader, Enroll in my Pawsitive Hiring Course: pawsitivehiringcourse.com 

Growth just for the sake of growth will lead to a business without purpose. Before you hire and start growing a team, ask yourself two questions:
1. "What purpose does growing a team truly serve other than just having a larger business?"

2. "Am I ready to show up as the leader my team needs and deserves every day?"

In this episode, I take a deep dive on how to determine if you should hire or not, and then we talk about when to hire your first employees, and when to continue hiring.

Follow the Pawsitive Hiring Academy:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61583169482484 

https://www.instagram.com/pawsitivehiringacademy/ 

Follow me 👇

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dougthedogguyofficial/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DougtheDogGuy/

Send me an email: [email protected] 

Want to scale your dog walking business? Learn more about DogCo and see a real a case study of a DogCo client who tripled their revenue here: dogcolaunch.com/casestudy 

Get 50% off your first FOUR months of Time to Pet using my referral link! https://www.timetopet.com/doug

Download my FREE guides and templates, and schedule personalized pet business coaching at: https://dougthedogguy.co/

Disclaimer: Some of the above links are affiliate links in an effort to support the channel. And obviously, nothing I say should be taken as legal or financial advice.

For everything you need to go from a solo pet sitter to a team leader, Enroll in my Pawsitive Hiring Course: pawsitivehiringcourse.com 

In this inspiring interview, we talk about exactly what it takes to build a LARGE pet care business from scratch. Daniel Reitman, owner & founder of Dans Pet Care in Long Island, NY, started with one pet sitting client when he was a part-time veterinary assistant 16 years ago, and now he leads a multi-million dollar pet care business with over 90 employees!

Dan has been one of my inspirations and role models for 10+ years, so getting to interview him about his journey was a true honor. Thank you to Dan for sharing your experience and wisdom with all of us on the Pet Business Hiring Podcast!

Get in touch with Daniel Reitman:
https://danspetcare.com/

https://www.danielreitman.com/

https://www.instagram.com/danspetcare/
https://www.facebook.com/dcreitman

Follow the Pawsitive Hiring Academy:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61583169482484 

https://www.instagram.com/pawsitivehiringacademy/ 

Follow me 👇

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dougthedogguyofficial/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DougtheDogGuy/

Send me an email: [email protected] 

Want to scale your dog walking business? Learn more about DogCo and see a real a case study of a DogCo client who tripled their revenue here: dogcolaunch.com/casestudy 

Get 50% off your first FOUR months of Time to Pet using my referral link! https://www.timetopet.com/doug

Download my FREE guides and templates, and schedule personalized pet business coaching at: https://dougthedogguy.co/

Disclaimer: Some of the above links are affiliate links in an effort to support the channel. And obviously, nothing I say should be taken as legal or financial advice.

For everything you need to go from a solo pet sitter to a team leader, Enroll in my Pawsitive Hiring Course: pawsitivehiringcourse.com 

Jess Mather, owner & founder of Pet Pals Dog Walking & Pet Sitting in Roanoke, VA, came on the Pet Business Hiring Podcast to talk about how she utilizes her personal network to find good team members, and the things she does to show them they are valued, which leads to strong employee retention! Thank you to Jess for sharing your knowledge with all of us!

Get in touch with Jess Mather:

https://www.roanokepetsitter.com/

https://www.facebook.com/petpalsroanoke

https://www.instagram.com/petpalsroanoke

Join us at the 2026 Florida Pet Services Summit in Jacksonville, FL - August 13th-15th! https://flpetassociation.org/

Follow the Pawsitive Hiring Academy:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61583169482484 

https://www.instagram.com/pawsitivehiringacademy/ 

Follow me 👇

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dougthedogguyofficial/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DougtheDogGuy/

Send me an email: [email protected] 

Want to scale your dog walking business? Learn more about DogCo and see a real a case study of a DogCo client who tripled their revenue here: dogcolaunch.com/casestudy 

Get 50% off your first FOUR months of Time to Pet using my referral link! https://www.timetopet.com/doug

Download my FREE guides and templates, and schedule personalized pet business coaching at: https://dougthedogguy.co/

Disclaimer: Some of the above links are affiliate links in an effort to support the channel. And obviously, nothing I say should be taken as legal or financial advice.

For everything you need to go from a solo pet sitter to a team leader, Enroll in my Pawsitive Hiring Course: pawsitivehiringcourse.com 

Have you wondered how meet & greets and new pet introductions work when you have a team? Amber Van Denzen, owner of Atta Boy! Animal Care in Lakeland, FL, changed her "Meet & Greets" to "New Client Consultations," and she explains exactly what these consultations entail and how they protect her team in this episode of the Pet Business Hiring Podcast! Thank you to Amber for sharing her wisdom with us!

Get in touch with Amber Van Denzen:

https://attaboyanimalcare.com/

https://www.facebook.com/amber.van.denzen.2025

Join us at the 2026 Florida Pet Services Summit in Jacksonville, FL - August 13th-15th! https://flpetassociation.org/

Follow the Pawsitive Hiring Academy:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61583169482484 

https://www.instagram.com/pawsitivehiringacademy/ 

Follow me 👇

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dougthedogguyofficial/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DougtheDogGuy/

Send me an email: [email protected] 

Want to scale your dog walking business? Learn more about DogCo and see a real a case study of a DogCo client who tripled their revenue here: dogcolaunch.com/casestudy 

Get 50% off your first FOUR months of Time to Pet using my referral link! https://www.timetopet.com/doug

Download my FREE guides and templates, and schedule personalized pet business coaching at: https://dougthedogguy.co/

Disclaimer: Some of the above links are affiliate links in an effort to support the channel. And obviously, nothing I say should be taken as legal or financial advice.