You will be responsible for caring for the pets daily needs and act as a companion while the owner is away, whether its for a few days or a longer period of time. Care.com is a great resource to research rates and fees associated with pet sitting in your area. I have been an in-home pet/house sitter for several years. Are there any other duties you are expected to fulfill, like taking care of plants or collecting mail? I make around $2600 per month since I am doing it full-time (9 hours). While we provide information resourced and canine education, the content here is not a substitute for veterinary guidance. All information in member profiles, job posts, applications, and messages is created by users of our site and not generated or verified by Care.com. Buffalo may not have been our first choice on our "where to live next" road trip, but seeing as we didn't have any reviews yet, we were grateful to be given a blind opportunity. It seemed like a zoo to care for at first, but once we got into the swing of things, it was the dogs we spent the most time with and happily so. The owner might want to negotiate fees. Professional pet sitters charge an average of $25 per 30-minute visit, or $20 to $30 per day depending on your location, the number of pets, the length of stay, and any special pet services needed. A variety of organizations provide training programs for pet sitters. I have a pug of my own that gets along with ALL dogs. This is your chance to live like a local and immerse yourself in the local culture. Here are some advertising techniques for sprouting sitters that wont break the bank: Using a services marketplace website like Rover has pros and cons. So if they liked you there is a good chance that they might ask you to come back again. Make sure your dog has plenty of food, and label food containers, especially if you have multiple pets on different diets. The experience offered what we were seeking from Airbnb the opportunity to "live like a local" in a place, minus the outrageous taxes and fees that seemed to increase exponentially during the pandemic. House sitting assignments can vary in time periods from a weekend to several weeks and even a year or more. Collect the mail. As much as this can feel like a vacation, you are still here, mostly, for the pets: massive poops, slimy drool, runaway hamsters, and all. If the homeowner is travelling a long distance you might like to pick up a few grocery essentials for them like bread and milk and possibly even prepare them a meal. Rover also is handy to have as a middleman they can help handle customer service complaints and lend a hand if things go awry. Leave your veterinarians name, phone number, and location, and contact your veterinarians office to let them know you have a pet sitter authorized to care for your pet. Each Owner, Pet, and their booking is unique. They should always do this in advance so you can always choose not to apply for that particular house sit. Also are there any products that you might would recommend ? These expenses can include dog collars and other pooch-related accessories, travel costs (depending on how far youre traveling, gas can be a big one), advertising costs, pet sitting insurance, etc. Dont forget youll be dealing with all kinds of different dogs and theirindividual dog quirks, so be ready to adapt to the dogs demeanor. But well provide you with the basics here as well. But as we dug more into it, it didn't seem like there was any fine print other than the overt principle: You apply for house-sits and if you get accepted, you're invited to stay for free in someone's home. Enjoy! Get tons of great dog training tutorials, canine gear guides, and the latest doggy discounts. Sometimes keypad batteries die, and theres no way to open the outside door without a key. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 177,477 times. We always request to stay the night before the family leave to go on holiday, for several reasons; When looking after someones house you should expect to pay for all your food costs. Meagan Drillinger Meagan Drillinger is a freelance travel writer who gave up her apartment in NYC to search for the next place she wanted to live. You might like to just confirm some of the following: It is only once you have been approved for your house-sitting assignments that you should start to plan your travel arrangements. Peg. House sitters are also open to watching pets for about $12 per hour if the owners are away. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. A love of animals is perhaps the most important qualification a pet sitter can have. 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\n<\/p><\/div>"}. Make sure you know where this information is written down. Again, usually owners will provide you with the dogs main harness or favorite toys, but its good to have a few backups just in case. Also make sure the fur parent provides proof of vaccinations, names and phone numbers of their vets and phone numbers to call in the event of an emergency. All rights reserved. Our pet sitter didnt stay over, but she did come by more than once a day to feed and walk the dog, as well as take care of packages, plants, our garbage and recycling, as well as our pool, she says. K9ofMine.com does not intend to provide veterinary advice. Pet sitters typically charge a higher rate for dogs than cats because dogs are usually provided walks and playtime like fetch, which cats dont necessarily need, explains Dr. Heather Venkat, a companion animal veterinarian at VIP Puppies in Phoenix. To recap, follow these 13 easy steps to get you started on your house and pet sitting journey: Decide if house and pet sitting is right for you. Hey Lesia! A bad review on your pet sitting profile will result in you having trouble getting pet sitting opportunities in the future. Mention that you have provided local pet sitting for friends and family. Laurens research explores the intersection between training practices and animal welfare. Take photos of you with your designated pooch and share them with the owner. Here are some of the most common factors that can affect pet sitting rates: In general, if you live in an area with a higher cost of living, expect to pay more for your dog walker or pet sitter than in an area with a lower cost of living, Funkhouser explains. I am from Costa Rica and I came to the States at the age of 15. We took a look at some of the ins and outs of the pet-sitting business. You should ask both work colleagues and friends if possible, and aim to get as many references as you can. By clicking Join now, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. I love animals, especially dogs and cats, and I'd really like having my own pet! Your information is EXTREMELY helpful for my 21 year old who joined the pet industry 2.5 yrs.ago! Knowing the basics is important. Pet sitting can be a rewarding and fun way to make money while spending time with furry friends! Make sure you are courteous during this process. Pet sitting sounds wonderful. As a backup, leave a key with a neighbor. Just how much should you be charging? Im watching a a little yorkie at my house and bringing him to doggie day care while im at work during the day and picking him up after work for a week while mom and dad are in Australia how much should I charge? Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Care.com is a registered service mark of Care.com, Inc. 2007-2023 Care.com, Inc. All rights reserved. If you have no intention of returning to this location, then you could stop the communication there. Stay up to date with what you want to know. It's an online database of homeowners who are going on vacation and need trusted people to come stay at their homes and take care of their pets. Approved. This article was very useful to me! To be a good pet sitter, talk to the pet owner before they leave and ask questions about everything you'll need to know, like how much their pet should get fed, what you should do if it's misbehaving, and who to call in case of an emergency. For instance, short-term fish sitting gigs may require less care and thus a lower rate. Care.com HomePay is a service provided by Breedlove and Associates, LLC, a Care.com company. If you're working through a pet sitting company, it's doubtful you'll need to take out insurance on your own. Sign up for notifications from Insider! People have to know about you before they can hire you, after all. In addition to the above I have found it an added feature if you become Pet Tech Certfied for CPR and first aid for animals. The owner might have the pet on a specific diet and you don't want to disrupt that while away. Its worth noting that the average of an overnight pet sitting gig can vary considerably depending on where you live. Websites like petsitters.org and petsittersinsurance.com will help you compare rates and find the coverage that's right for you. Were sorry, your request could not be processed at this time. At this point you will be super excited and desperate to apply for your first house sitting assignment. Pet sitting cost: How much should I pay a pet sitter? Pets, cats and dogs especially, are very social and crave human interaction when their owners are missing. Would you like to log in? Grab a pen and piece of paper, then make a list of everything that will be costing you money to make the business a reality think of starting costs (things you will likely only pay for once or twice during the start-up phase) and running costs (what it will consistently cost you to keep things going.). Depending on the house-sitting site, you can also write reviews of the owners as well. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. There has to be a catch, we kept repeating to each other. I made a mixture of lemon scented Lysol and vinegar to put in a spray bottle for cleaning up. To get you started, we have put together theultimate list of books to read while pet sitting. Occasionally the family you are house sitting for may offer you the use of their car but generally you would either have to use your own or hire one. As a freelance writer and an Army veteran, it was appealing to hosts that we had plenty of time to spend with their pets. While I don't love picking up poop or sleeping in someone else's master bedroom, it helps that the savings are kind of unbelievable. That said, everyone we've met through Trusted Housesitters has been exactly "our kind" of people: world travelers themselves, with great stories to tell. When the pet sitter arrived on the designated day, the garage door wouldnt open. Process of dealing with good and bad behaviour, How long the animal can be left on its own. Click 'Next' to start an account and get tips, tricks and trending stories. Athens traffic news for today - real-time road traffic - ViaMichelin We have a full guide on how to become a dog sitter that you should be sure to check out! I am off work (at a school) most holidays and summer when people are traveling. Check craigslist, Rover, or call up competitors and ask about their prices as if you are a customer. You need to do your own diligence to ensure the job or caregiver you choose is appropriate for your needs and complies with applicable laws. Take the easy Should I do house or pet sitting? quiz! By the way, I think wikiHow is fantastic! Copyright 2023 by K9 Of Mine / Marrsipan Media LLC |, 220+ Dog Names Meaning Gentle: Perfect Names For Your Peaceful Pooch. According to Dr. Stacy Choczynski Johnson, veterinarian and expert for Pumpkin Pet Insurance, pet sitting cost should also correlate to the care required, which generally is directly linked to the amount of time a sitter will spend with your pet. Some house and pet sitters like to find families looking for local pet sitters within a short drive of their own residence and turn it into a long weekend away. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. I say generally because nothing is ever 100% certain in life. Home House & Pet Sitting Assignments Explore thousands of house sits and find your next pet sitting adventure Looking for pet sitters? Services Required. You wont always get accepted for your first preference. In this case, 88% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. You get more housesits if you upload your official documents and become verified. In fact, while we've been on the road I've picked up thousands of dollars in new travel assignments from publications focusing on US travel. Share the location of your first sitting experience by leaving a comment below. The more services you provide, the more you deserve to charge. The dog was howling, and there was no way to get inside. Leave your dogs leash, poop bags, food, bowls, and, Let your sitter know where your dogs carrier or. But her size was the only thing daunting about her. Traffic news - Traffic information for Athna. Meagan Drillinger is a freelance travel writer who gave up her apartment in NYC to search for the next place she wanted to live. Stay in wonderful places by house sitting and caring for cute pets. % of people told us that this article helped them. You might come across the occasional house sit job where they request some sort of payment. Pet sitting vs pet boarding- which suits your dog and cat better? Leave a dog first aid kit for your pet sitter. In addition to keeping an eye on Fido, will you be expected to walk the dog too? By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. How Much Should I Charge For Overnight Dog Sitting? - K9 of Mine Current pet sitting rates for top cities* * Rate information as of 3/2023 Should pet sitters be paid hourly or a flat rate?