How Much to Pay Dog Sitter??

[momadis66]

We are going to Disney and I am having a college girl stay at the house to watch our dog. I don't have the heart to leave him in a kennel..he is only 5 months old Anyway, I told her she can have a friend or two over. I know her from school...I am a teacher and she is the daughter of someone so I know I can trust her and she is responsible. She has full range of my house and pool and food...I am also going to leave some frozen homemade meals for her when I leave. My question is..what should I pay her..anyone ever do this or have any opinions? Thanks! I should mention that that is all she is doing..just the dog...no mail..no watering plants or anything like that..I just want my pupppy taken care of and not lonely

 

[Todd&Copper]

I have no idea what you should pay her. When DH & I do day-trips we pay the teens next door $5 per dog to take them on a walk mid-day. I told them to just walk the dogs for about 20 mins or so, but their mom told me they sometimes walk them for almost an hour (which I bet Kae loves and the new Dev will love as well).

 

[Sandi]

You should talk to her and arrive at a value. I'm paying the gal who cleans for us every other week $30 per day to come in and care for our cats for 4 days while we're traveling. The cats love her and I know she'll play with them, etc. My DH will probably think that's excessive, but she will have to make a trip to our home and she'll stay an hour or so and her time has value. Your situation is different, so I would talk it through with your dog sitter.

 

[mamalle]

we are paying one of the neighborhood girl $10 per day to take our dogs out and feed them every am.

 

[Panna]

If she's staying at your house and possible having some friends over, then eating as well, perhaps $10.00 a day?

A Kennel where I am at is $20.00 a day and they supply the food for the dogs as well as supervised play time/walks.

 

[marcyinPA]

We pay our neighbors $10 a day, but they take our dog to their house and keep him. I pay their daughter, who is 17, but it's really a group effort by their whole family. Of course, my dog is like one of their family anyways...they love him and vice versa!

 

[lisaross]

when i have my neighbor "walk" our dog - i pay him 5.00 per walk - about 15 a day! At the kennel they charge about 25.00 per day - i just had my dog go stay at someone's house and they charge 20.00 per day! i'd say maybe 15 per day!

lisa

 

[TifffanyD]

I would say...

3-4 nights: $50 + souvenir
5+ nights: $100 + souvenir

 

[TPCShauna]

We paid our kitty pet sitter $150 for 2 weeks. She basically slept at our house every night (except for a Christmas Eve) and fed the cats. She had run of the cable, cable modem, game systems, could have 2 friends over at one time and we left her food.

The cats don't like strangers so didn't come out much but I felt it was important for her time. She was 18 at the time so she was totally happy with the $150.

 

[Momma2dakidz]

wow,
we paid my nephew $200 for a crappy job done for 9 days. Half of that time he "forgot" to feed my "kids". he had access to everything fun, and could have his gf over. I felt he should not have been paid being that he didnt do his job but teh hubby still paid him, just less...in the end he got $200 for 9 days.

 

[horseshowmom]

I would say...

3-4 nights: $50 + souvenir
5+ nights: $100 + souvenir

That's what I thought too. I'm assuming you'll be gone a week. If that's the case, I'd pay her $100 plus a nice t-shirt or something. If it's longer than that, I'd increase it some.

 

[mdhkitten]

I'm speaking from experience as a pet sitter (I used to have a pet sitting business pre-child) and I worked for vets for 12 years. I would also "live" at people's houses and they left food. I got paid at least $20 per night, and I think that is a reasonable amount if she is responsible and staying at your house. If you want to get a good idea, look at what your area boarding kennels charge and it really should be more than that because this person is living with your dog and treating them as their own (hopefully). In most kennel situations, pets are left at least 12 hours overnight and are walked at most 3-4 times a day unless you are paying extra for playtime.

 

[Crisgw]

We pay our sitter (for our wirefox and cat) $25/day and they sleep at our home. I think it's MUCH better than sending them to a kennel. NO anxiety for anyone!

 

[zurgswife]

I have 2 beagles and I pay $40-$50 per day to house sit and watch my dogs. It would cost me close to $75 per day for a local kennel....It is usually a college age person

 

[dancingdisneygirl]

I've done pet sitting and I usually charged $20 each night I slept over someones house (for dogs). I also watered plants, took in the mail that kind of stuff too.

 

[vsimeone]

We just got home Sunday from an 8 night trip. We had a college girl stay at the house (we know her very well and she has done this for us several times) to take care of the dog, 2 cats, water plants and bring in mail. We paid her $200.00. Hopefully, she'll stay again for our 12 night WDW trip at Christmas. For that one, I will probably pay her $300.00.

It's so worth the piece of mind and my dog LOVES her as opposed to going to the kennel where he usually makes himself sick

 

[Mickeyorbust]

I would say...

3-4 nights: $50 + souvenir
5+ nights: $100 + souvenir

That's what we did last trip...$100 and she stayed at our house. I stocked up on plenty of food for the dogsitter but she bought her own anyway. She said she felt like it was imposing eating our food too.

 

[treeface]

I usually pay $10/day to my nephews when they come just to feed/water/walk/play with our 4 dogs (They are 11 and 13 so that is fine with them). We do that when we are gone only 1 or 2 nights. When I have someone stay at the house, I usually pay about $200 for taking care of the dogs and cats, plus bringing in the paper. They have run of the house (no guests unless prearranged, neighbors keep watch over this and it's not been a problem), plus I always ask them what kind of food they would like and make sure to have those items on hand. If I kennel my dogs, it runs about $55-$60/day for all of them and then I still need someone to care for the cats every other day. I just feel safer with a trusted friend or family member taking care of them and then the house doesn't look deserted.

 

[Jenna45]

My pet sitter is bonded and charges me 24.00 a visit which is the going rate around here, it is cheaper to have her sleep here at 55.00 but I am not comfortable with that...

We are going to Disney and I am having a college girl stay at the house to watch our dog. I don't have the heart to leave him in a kennel..he is only 5 months old Anyway, I told her she can have a friend or two over. I know her from school...I am a teacher and she is the daughter of someone so I know I can trust her and she is responsible. She has full range of my house and pool and food...I am also going to leave some frozen homemade meals for her when I leave. My question is..what should I pay her..anyone ever do this or have any opinions? Thanks! I should mention that that is all she is doing..just the dog...no mail..no watering plants or anything like that..I just want my pupppy taken care of and not lonely

 

[TifffanyD]

Whatever amount you decide, just be sure to discuss it beforehand. I would do that and then add a little something extra... like a watch or a shirt.