I have spent the last five years pet-sitting for a number of families in my neighborhood, primarily for dogs and cats. My duties have included occasional dog walking, but mostly checking on the animals two to three times a day to feed or let out to exercise or use the bathroom. There is one family that asked me to stay in their home on numerous occasions while they were out of town to take care of their dogs, water their plants, collect the mail, and perform minimal housekeeping tasks.