How much do you pay for dog sitting?

[DonnaL]

Our dog/house sitter charges $25 per day. She's the sister of a friend and stays at the homes of the people she pet sits for. We like the fact that someone is coming and going from our house on a daily basis. She brings a bag with her. I've told her to feel free as far as eating anything, I don't believe she has and know she brings some of her own favorite foods with her. She goes to her full time job from our house for the duration of our vacation. In our case, our dog is used to being alone during the work day, she feeds him/lets him out in the morning before work and then she's back by 4 or so for the evening. She's very good ...our dog loves her. She stays in our guest room and washes/dries/remakes any bedding/bath towels she uses. She has a very nice little business going and we need to give her several months notice to assure we can get her.

 

[pigletto]

Here's a question if I may piggyback on this thread..

For those of you that use boarding, do you tip in addition to the fee?
This is our first dog. We asked around everywhere to see where people take their dogs and if they are happy with it. The place we chose was recommended many times. So that's where we send our 18 month old chocolate lab.

As I mentioned it's $30 a day for two walks, a nightly treat and group play time. It's a beautiful new facility on private property in the country. There are indoor/outdoor runs with heated floors. I also really like that it's brick walls between the kennels to reduce anxiety and aggression if there is another dog beside you.

So for our last trip of 9 nights it was $30 a day plus taxes which came out to over $300. Should I have tipped too? I didn't even think of it to be honest, but now I am wondering if I made a faux pas.

 

[TeamSy]

Thank goodness my mother in law so graciously stays at our house while we're gone, but before she did that (or if we ALL went away, like during our destination wedding), we paid our dog sitter $50 per day, and she slept over (I'm neurotic about my dogs and don't like to leave them alone at night).

 

[DonnaL]

I should have added to my post that our pup doesn't need to be walked at all. We have a completely fenced very large backyard of which he has free run. So our sitter basically needs to feed and water him, play with him and let him out in "his yard".

 

[Iowajes]

For those of you that use boarding, do you tip in addition to the fee?

I've never tipped. They charge a lot already.

 

[MinnieForMe]

$50-60 a day here in New Hampshire for in-home boarding for two, small dogs!

 

[DCbride]

We pay our teen neighbor $5, to just let the dog out if we are running late, $15 a day for 3x-4x a day and paper for anything over 1 night, and $20 if it is overnight- meaning dinner, bed, and breakfast the next day. She is thrilled at that.

In the summer she usually comes over during the day just to play with our fog, not just let her out.

I think having a professional vs a teen is a huge difference. A teenage tutor would not get as much as a certified teacher.

 

[Brook1099]

Our dog sitter charges 25$ a day and she stays at our house.. which is a steal if you ask me.. She so nicely collects our mail too.

 

[rachael95]

We used a real pet sitter for our two cats the last time we went and we'll never ask a friend to sit again. For two cats it was $15/day. If we had a dog, that would have been $25/day. For that, we got:

• Bonded pet sitter
• Turned lights on and off in the house at different times
• Picked up our mail
• Fed/watered cats
• Cleaned litter
• Texted us pics of the cats and notes on how they were doing each day
• Asked advice on the cats' behavior (do they normally stay in this room, etc.)
• Also, they were capable (though we didn't need) to give medications, take to emergency vets, etc.

 

[Pesky]

We pay our teen $20/day plus a tip. It's not bad as there is a doggie door and fenced in yard. No walking as the yard is larger but we do ask he hang out a bit there for company with her. Fed twice a day. So about what you are asking. Local teen (and his brothers before him) has always been thrilled with it. I think they just like coming to watch the big TV with the dog on the couch.

 

[MISSYLEXI]

A friend of mind brings her dog to me to babysit when they go on vacation, she never asked me to stay at her house. She took it upon herself to pay me $25 a night. Her daughter has gotten 2 dogs and I babysit them also. I charge her $40 a night for the 2. Again it's at my house, I have a fenced in yard they don't so they love to bring there dogs here so they can just run around.

I had a dog and they got along just fine. I also have 2 cats, one is ok the other one hides during the day and comes out at night. The 1 dog even sleeps with us, the other 2 are crated at night.

I am already watching the 1 dog in Feb and April, and then all 3 the first week in August. Not a bad way to make a little money!!

But when I went on vacation I had someone stay at my house and paid them $150 for the week and also left them money to get food. But I did have 2 cats and 1 dog.

 

[danygirl]

My sitter charges $15 per visit if you have 3 or more visits today, $20 per visit if less than 3 per day. She walks the dog, gives her food and meds and visits with kitty and cleans the cat box every day.

 

[wenrob]

My sitter charges $15 per visit if you have 3 or more visits today, $20 per visit if less than 3 per day. She walks the dog, gives her food and meds and visits with kitty and cleans the cat box every day.

She charges more for less visits? Or do you mean per week?

 

[kerplop]

Our pet sitter charges $20 a visit for the first pet, but only $5 for each one in addition. If you need more than 7 days they take 10% off. We only have them come once a day because we just have a cat, but people we've referred to them pay about $50 for their two dogs a day for two walks of half an hour each.

 

[danygirl]

The visits cost more if they are fewer. Discount for more visits. So $45 per day for 3 visits per dat
No up charge for addl pets
She will walk, feed do cat box and text me a report and photos
My dog is blind and will not walk with a msn she does not know well so I had to find a woman

 

[inkedupmomma]

I guess it depends on where you live. I own my own pet sitting business and charge $17.00 per 20 minute visit, for 2 dogs. $5.00 extra per additional animal. $60 a night if in my home for one dog, $20 each additional animal..although I can really only take one more. I'm also insured and bonded, so that makes a difference. I'd say $200 if you are expecting long walks, and extra pet care. Also agree that a nice tip, and small gift from WDW would really make her day!

 

[ToddyLu]

Dh has a young single cousin who is a full time teaching assistant that stays with our Jack Russell. We have a fenced back yard that she plays in but she is an inside dog. She sleeps with us, etc. Our sitter is awesome and lets her out before and after work, stays at our house and has access to our cable, internet and food. We have a king size bed and she sleeps in there and lets the Jack sleep with her which I appreciate. We do not have children and I adore having this wonderful girl take care of our four-legged child. I pay her at least $100-150 per week, sometimes more.

This May she is keeping both my Jack and my parents Standard Poodle, who she has kept before at my house while we go to Disney together. She gets at least $100 per dog and then a little extra for house sitting....the Cousin loves having our house to herself since she is still at her Mom's.

I always leave her a piece of Vera Bradley on the kitchen table as a gift from the dogs.

 

[Lisa71]

We paid 18 per visit when a service came out and we had 3 dogs and 2 cats. We now pay a friend to house sit and care for our pets 30 a day. She takes in mail, watches the house and cares for the animals.

 

[kerplop]

We have a cat, but the same service we use (and love) also does dogs. $20 for a 30 minute visit and they also check your houseplants/water them and get your mail and check to make sure your house is secure. I'd imagine you'd need them to come a couple times a day so $40? $5 more for each pet each visit too.

 

[lakelandgal70]

We have a gal come out to mid day to take them out in yard and then later feed them. Also she spends the night with them. She charges 30 a night and 10 bucks per visit to let them out. It gets expensive when we go away but so worth knowing that they are being taken care of.