How much would you pay?

[juligrl]

Alright DISsers, I need some suggestions!

I'm going on a week-long vacation this summer and am in the process of arranging pet care. I have a college student lined up to care for my fur-baby . She'll need to give my dog her pill in the morning and one at night, feed her, water her, let her out and basically just chill with her in the evening and will be spending the night at the house.

What do you think a fair price would be? If you've ever done this before what did you pay?

 

[dec5girl]

Glad you asked this question. I'm going to be doing this too.

 

[a1tinkfans]

Hmmmmmmmmmmm....

well the pet place by me charges 35 a NIGHT! and IF you have to give meds, they charge Xtra (AND give THEIR food only) or another UPcharge, what a RIP OFF, anyway I digress....
SO, what about 20-25 a night???? I'd LOVE for my dog to be the ONLY one for all that attention while I was gone!! (thats like 120 for week on low end) ???
Curious to see what others say and their area, we're NY

 

[KristaTX]

I've paid a friend $20 a day to come over once a day to feed my cats. But she didn't have to give any pills, and didn't also house-sit.

Will this be like a little mini-vacation for the girl? If it's going to be fun for her, she might not want to be paid a whole lot. If she's really going out of her way and it's somewhat of an inconvenience, I'd pay her well. Maybe find out what a kennel would charge you per day for their services, and figure out what you want to pay her based on that.

 

[jrmasm]

$100 and all the food and beverages she can consume.

 

[juligrl]

I have sent my dog to a "pet resort" - actually it is really cool with a bone shaped swimming pool and field trips and suites and all - in the past so I was kind of leaning toward what I would pay them at least.

 

[juligrl]

I've paid a friend $20 a day to come over once a day to feed my cats. But she didn't have to give any pills, and didn't also house-sit.

Will this be like a little mini-vacation for the girl? If it's going to be fun for her, she might not want to be paid a whole lot. If she's really going out of her way and it's somewhat of an inconvenience, I'd pay her well. Maybe find out what a kennel would charge you per day for their services, and figure out what you want to pay her based on that.

Kind of a mini-vacation plus all the food and beverages she would like.

 

[jewjubean]

I "housesit" for people when they leave town and I usually charge around 20-25$ a day. For me it just depends on how many dogs there are and what your expecting me to do. I usually get the mail for them and water the plants. The dogs usually ride with me when I go somewhere also.Also I take into consideration how far you live from my job, if your almost a hour away, its usually a bit more. HTH!! If you need anymore info..just PM me!

 

[KristaTX]

Is she allowed to have parties? Maybe you should charge her .

 

[Handbag Lady]

I got $300 a week caring for three cats, with two needing medication and one needing Sub-Q fluids twice a day. One of the kitties had a special way of eating and would only eat on a certain plate with certain food sometimes fed to her on a spoon. I then brushed each kitty as they loved that.

I didn't spend the night but I was less than a mile away so I was there morning and night and longer on weekends when I wasn't at my real job.

I also made sure the house alarm was on and did a perimeter check to make sure nothing was amiss.

 

[minkydog]

If she's got to give meds and stay overnight in your house, I'd suggest at least $25 a day. My DD16 often pet-sits in the neighborhood and she has never gotten less than $20 a day. And she doesn't stay overnight.

 

[mamacatnv]

my DS house sits for friends - they have several dogs that have to be fed, watered etc. No meds, but unless the dog is difficult the meds are not a big issue. Son has to heat and mix their breakfast and dinner - yes spoiled, but 2 of the dogs keep coyotes off the property an "patrol" 10 acres so their diet is designed for them. The other 2 are house babies.
They pay him a flat $50 for gas (they are 15 miles from our house in the opposite direction)
The Fridge/freezer is stocked with all his favorites and they pay him $20 per day. He does spend the night.

 

[bballmom56]

I would pay her $100 plus the food.

 

[terri01p]

$100 and all the food and beverages she can consume.

 

[johnsontrio]

I pay my next door neighbor $20 per day to take care of our 2 dogs, water the plants, check the mail and feed the fish. She doesn't work outside the home and enjoys dog sitting for us. She will even come over and watch TV while giving them some time to chill out with her since they do not have the run of the house while we are gone.

She comes many times per day, usually every 2 hours of so, if she is home. She is awesome.

Prior to her we used a professional dog sitter. She charged $17 per visit for 2 dogs and came 3 times a day. My last straw with her was when she told me she would have cleaned up a mess if she had paper towels. I had no less than 50 rolls in the basement, she didn't even look. Not to mention that I had paid her over $300 for the job and she could have bought a roll and then been paid back. She also tracked up my hardwood floors coming in the front and apologized for it, but said "you didn't put a mat down". Funny thing is she knows where an entire cabinet of old towels (at least 20) is that we use for the dogs, but I guess since they weren't mats, she couldn't put them on the floor.

I am having to get another sitter, teenaged family friend, not professional, for our next vacation because our next door neighbor is taking an unscheduled vacation. Since this sitter will have to drive over, I am probably going to offer gas money on top of the usual amount I pay. I'll probably take into consideration what gas prices are when I pay her.

We have used college aged kids before that housesit as well. It has always worked out well for us. It might be a break for them to be away from home but I would still pay them enough that they know it's a serious matter to me.

 

[juligrl]

Thank you everybody!

 

[Morganpics]

I have a horse and 2 fur babies. Our nephew (now 20) has stayed at our home for the last 2 years when we go away. We pay him $50, usually for 10 days, and provide him with $50 for food plus we fill the house with food we know he likes before we go. It's cheap peace of mind for me, a fussy horse mommy.

 

[Veronica Lodge]

If she's got to give meds and stay overnight in your house, I'd suggest at least $25 a day. My DD16 often pet-sits in the neighborhood and she has never gotten less than $20 a day. And she doesn't stay overnight.

That sounds good to me.

We paid our 17 year old neighbor $20/day to feed and walk our 3 dogs back in January when we were on vacation for 10 days. No meds, and she didn't stay overnight.