What Pet Sitting Has Taught Me So Far: Trust, Routine & Quiet Care 🐾

Shannon Kira Mcmillan
Dec 17, 2025
3 min read

Over the past few months, pet sitting has become a grounding and genuinely lovely part of my routine — a small but meaningful extension of the care-based work I already do in museums and heritage. With two lovely sets of clients so far, and more sessions ahead, I’ve realised how naturally my lifelong experience with animals has shaped the way I approach trust, routine, and attentive care.

This post reflects on what I’ve learned from my first bookings — and how these quiet interactions have already begun to influence my work in collections, community engagement, and daily life.

🐶 Anya, Kiki & Patrick — My First Sitting Clients

My first official booking through Rover was with three sweet siblings: Anya, Kiki, and Patrick.

Despite the stormy weather and a very cosy weekend indoors, they each found their own way to connect:

Anya wanted constant affection and brought me her dinosaur toy for tug and fetch.
Kiki, usually shy, surprised everyone by settling on my lap and showering me with kisses.
Patrick, anxious after fireworks, stayed close by and relaxed once he realised I was calm, predictable, and keeping him safe.

My second session with these three was yesterday evening: 16/12/2025

They reminded me how much my early experiences — caring for small animals growing up, looking after family pets, and building trust with my own reactive French Bulldog, Lilo — continue to guide my instincts today. Every animal communicates differently, and if you offer time, softness, and choice, they meet you in their own way.

Anya - Kiki - Patrick

🐾 Meeting Poppy — Building Trust Slowly

More recently, I met Poppy, a newly rescued German Shepherd who is reactive to dogs and cats, nervous with unpredictable environments, and still learning to feel secure around new people.

Our meet-and-greet was full of learning: her feeding routine, toilet patterns, walking tips, safe routes, bedtime habits, and her developing confidence at home. We discussed her anxiety around dogs, her temporary three-meals-a-day setup, and how consistency helps keep her grounded.

I visited Poppy again for a social drop-in on 7th December, reinforcing familiarity in her own space. She was warm, curious, and noticeably more comfortable — a promising sign before the longer visits ahead.

My next sessions will be:

15 January 2026 — Afternoon feed and walk
16 January 2026 — Evening feeding & social session
24 Feb–4 Mar 2026 — Eight-night, nine-day stay supporting her through walks, meals, over night care, and keeping to her routines.

I’m already looking forward to seeing how she grows with each visit.

Poppy

🌿 What These Experiences Have Taught Me

These lovely dogs — each in their own way — have shown me what careful, attentive support looks like outside the museum environment.

Trust isn’t rushed; it’s offered.

Whether it’s a nervous dog or a fragile object, you learn by observing quietly, moving calmly, and listening to every cue.

Routine builds security.

Animals thrive on predictable rhythms, just as collections do in handling, storage, and conservation environments.

Observation is a form of care.

Spotting signs of anxiety, comfort, stress, or curiosity mirrors the same instincts I use when condition-checking objects.

Softness is strength.

Whether it’s supporting an anxious German Shepherd or stabilising a delicate taxidermy mount, the approach is the same — gentle, patient, and respectful.

🐾 Looking Ahead

I’m excited to continue working with Poppy in the new year, deepening the trust we’ve begun to build and supporting her through the February–March overnight stay.

Pet sitting has become a surprisingly meaningful part of my personal and professional world — a quiet reminder that care, in all its forms, is built through patience, understanding, and presence. These moments of routine, reassurance, and calm attention echo the same principles that guide my wider work in museums and heritage.

I’m grateful for every paw, claw, fin, scale, and little webbed foot that has shaped this journey so far. 💛

If you’d like to explore this connection further, my post How Animal Care Informs My Approach to Specimen Care 💌 - In this post, I reflect on my lifelong relationship with animals — from early mornings at the stables and unforgettable days feeding sharks, to caring for a wide range of species, and now the quieter, trust-based work of pet sitting through Rover and Cat in a Flat.