Pet Sitters: Last-Minute Requests & Low Pay

“I’m looking for business advice. I’ve been doing this for over a decade and have learned a lot about dog body language and behavior. I’m lucky to have a rotating clientele of really great clients but they’re mostly pet sitting clients which I would like to step back from a bit. I spend way too much time away from my own place caring for other people’s dogs. I’d like to increase my dog walking services but I always get stuck on how to do it alone. I’d like to add more area coverage but again get”

“I have a client with an orange tabby cat and a golden Cocker Spaniel, and another client who has a cream Ragdoll cat and a similarly colored pit bull mix. I've never asked if it was intentional lol submitted by /u/Successful-Roof-7020 [link] [comments]”

“So I dog-sit for an acquaintance/friend of mine, and she has a friend who asked about me doing a sit for her cat. The gig was supposed to be that I pick up the cat, take it to her spay appointment, and someone else would pick her up. So here's the thing, the cat owner lives in another town, it's a 1/2 hour drive there one way. I spend time with the cat, clean litter box all that stuff, take the cat to the appointment, which adds another hour to my service. So all said and done, it's”

“greetings! i'm seriously considering pet sitting. i've read a few posts and you all seem rational, kind, and people with lots and lots of knowledge, and i really could use some help with knowing anything important, or even the basis, or things i should carry already that might not be provided by the owner.. anything i should know of really. i'm also quite younger than most petsitters i've seen (nineteen, and a girl) and the thought of getting into unpleasant situations truly make”

“Got this text from a long time customer, dog is elderly, but good. Pomeranian, lion cut, it’s also 100F/40C here. I’m self employed so I don’t have to ask permission for anything. I don’t want to offer a discount because I don’t want them to try and take advantage in the future, but it’s not like I need the money. At the same time I don’t want them to feel insulted or pitied. Edit: I’m also booked out pretty far, so it’ll take a while before I can get to her again. Edit2: maybe I could groom her”

“I figure that I am just paranoid, but I am dog-sitting a very athletic poodle who goes on multiple walks a day, hikes, etc. yet she’s been sleeping for upwards of 12+ hours with little breaks in between. She’s staying at my house, had to meet my dog, and has gone on two walks since being here. Could it just be that she is exhausted from the change in environment, having to meet a new dog, the few walks, etc. or should I be concerned by her behavior? I am just trying to gauge if this is standard”

“So I'm dealing with a situation where I have to dog sit for my roommate 2 huskies and rideshare is my main income. Today I have to deal with cleaning up dog piss and shit (not an uncommon occurrence for the boy husky) I literally let the dogs out this morning and stood outside with them and made sure one pooped and gave the boy enough time and told him to poop when we were out there, and when we came back in and I fed them, I literally wasn't gone in my room for more than 10-15 minutes a”

you have cats? I understand that anxiety..

“I look after an elderly clients dog once a week for 3 hours in their home. I am really struggling with it. The owner enjoys talking when she gets home which I don't mind its just she tells me really personal things and I think she is showing signs of dementia. She told me that she is being visited by the archangel and is a chosen one and blessed by God. She said she is psychic and has visions about things. She is also being romance scammed I think as she keeps telling me about this man who l”

“Had a customer today that was upset it took over 5 hours to groom their dog. Actually it took about 3 but they weren't my only customer. My other client was also a large, uncooperative dog. Hyper, terrible for the dryer, and the coat would not let go of the water. Took about 2 hours to process that dog from start to finish. The upset customer's dog was a standard poodle that hadn't been in for a bit. It took me about an hour to wash and dry them fully(not including kennel dryer time)”

“One of my regulars referred me to a friend who was in a bind. Their medium/large dog usually stays with family, but a couple days before their 2 week vacation that fell through. I did an in person meet and greet with the dog and family. He barked when I arrived, but not for long. During the whole time mom was showing me around he was with us and he did allow pets, but wasn’t seeking them out. Mom says it’s normal for him to take a couple days to warm up when they’re gone and may not eat for a me”

“I have a client with limited abilities and need daily dog walks. I shortened both walks today. Tomorrow is supposed to be worse? Is there anything else I can be doing besides shorter walks to pee and 💩? submitted by /u/Ok-Cycle-1379 [link] [comments]”

“cute pup from earlier for tax :) i had an australian shepherd scheduled at 2:30pm, im scheduled to be off at 5pm. They don’t show, I called at 2:40pm and left a message explaining if they get here by 3pm i’ll take her otherwise we’ll have to reschedule to next week. this is all on our policy forms which they’ve signed multiple times over the years. he shows up at 3:40pm, i’m on the last bit of cleaning before i leave for the day. i explain that their appointment was at 2:30 and i can’t take her”

“Hi. I’ve been walking a dog for a while now. Last night, the owner messaged me asking if I could walk her this morning, and I replied "yes" just a minute later. When I arrived this morning, there was no one home, and the key wasn't under the mat like it had been on previous occasions. I waited 25 minutes, and the only message I received after 20 minutes of waiting at the door was "so sorry." I sent a message asking if they would be long, but they didn't reply, so I le”

“I don’t get it. I recently met a new family who keeps reaching out to me often about coming to their house and “babysitting“ their dog. They had a couple of emergencies recently and reached out saying that they needed someone immediately because they had to leave the house. I just wanted to say to them, “so leave the house“. I don’t get these people who revolve their whole life around someone being home with their dogs. It’s not healthy for them and it certainly isn’t healthy for the dog. And as”

“I just had a really weird interaction with my neighbor. I was walking my dog “Jack” and we ran into my neighbor “Maria” and her dog “George”. Maria said “I’m glad I ran into you, I need you to watch George tomorrow morning while I’m at my doctor appointment.” Not “can you” or “are you available” just “I need you”. I said “I actually have an appointment tomorrow.” which is true. She said “No you don’t” and insisted that I was lying. I had to pull up my calendar on my phone and show her for her to”

“I’d love to hear from people who transitioned from a full time job into their pet business becoming their full time career. My dream is to have this become a full time career that pays all my bills, where I don’t have to have another part time job. I’m just a few months in, but I have insurance (PCI), two weekly recurring clients, and several repeat clients who have used me when they go out of town. It’s tough having to turn down people during times when I am at my full time job; I feel like I w”

Ran an animal sanctuary, yes.

“My dog sitters always have a few dogs there. I usually have to travel for 4-5 days every month or so. My dog loves it and they get a couple hundo out of just me. My dog is well trained and the others always seem to be too. Seems like a good side hustle we don't use rover anymore I just text them.”

“Questions to the pet sitters, it’s my first time having a pet sitter stay at the house with my two little dogs overnight for 12 days. Should I stock up my fridge in advance, or find out what type of food this person eats so I can provide for them or do they get their own food each day ? How does this work? Ty ! submitted by /u/CiaraBennz [link] [comments]”

“My partner and I agreed to pet-sit 2 dogs in Prague 5 with a slovak owner named Veronika Polcova in exchange for accommodation for 13 days. We were already based in Prague 1 and only agreed to this petsit for experience. We walked the dogs 3×/day, fed them per her instructions, cleaned, sent daily updates, and left everything in the apt in perfect condition. The owner specifically said it was fine to leave the night before, the day she arrives, or the next day. We already arrived 2 days before s”

“I’m looking for other pet sitters’ opinions on this. A few months ago, a client booked me for an overnight stay. During the meet and greet, I fully disclosed that I work my regular Friday shift from about 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM and would be away during those hours. The client acknowledged this and said they would have someone stop by midday to let the dogs out. Now that the booking is approaching, they asked if I would discount my overnight rate since they’ll also be paying someone else to do two dr”

“I'm dog-sitting for an existing client. Their dog is incontinent and wears diapers. They've only asked me to come 3 times a day. It's not enough. The poor dog is wetting her diaper regularly and then sits in it until I get there for my next visit. I'm thinking of adding a 4th visit, so she isn't going so long between pottying. I wouldn't charge them since they didn't ask me to do it, but I feel bad for this dog, so I'm willing to do it on my dime so she's not”

“I have a request where the owner will be away for 8/9 days and is requesting two visits for the entire duration. He says he has a food and water dispenser and doesn’t need more check ins other than every 3 days. I’m quite hesitant to accept this request and am leaning towards being firm on requiring 1 visit per day. On one hand, they won’t need anything other than spot cleaning their enclosure and feels unfair to charge a full visit for 5 mins of work but on the other hand, I am responsible for”

“So we have plans to hike the PCT next year, in which we’ll be gone for 5-6 months. We have a cat, who’s FIV positive. I’m looking for advice on how to go about finding a pet sitter for this long of a period of time. He can’t go with family, because they have another cat. Any out of the box suggestions without having to spend a fortune? submitted by /u/iconuhip [link] [comments]”

“I’m trying to keep a more organized schedule. But usually I get up 8-10am, feed the dogs, check any medications, then tend to my drop ins/walks if I have any. I like to take the dogs on walks or let them out in the back to play if they have a fenced in yard. I wind down by reading, feed them again and give them medication, then wind down for bed. If for whatever reason I can’t walk them or let them out I like to throw toys down the stairs (it tires them out faster). Occasionally I’ll have issues”

“I have had a regular walk client for about a year and she works from home, so we interact frequently since I walk her poodle mix Ben 2-3x a week. We have a great rapport and I really like her as a person. Her dog is young, completely adorable full of energy! He loves everyone, humans and other pets. I think he’d make friends with a squirrel given the chance! Anyway, we regularly play fetch alone at a dog park near her home. Occasionally another dog joins in and snags the toy, but Ben always take”

“I’m pet sitting for extended family. I already wasn’t getting paid well for the 4 days I’d be here. One dog is older, sick, takes medication twice a day and has to be carried around. I thought I would just be watching two dogs… come to find out when I arrived the first day of booking, there was a third dog that I wasn’t told about. Okay, whatever, I’m not getting paid enough for three dogs on top of medication administration, carrying one dog in and out to go potty and eat and all the messes the”

“Last night I did the first drop in for a big, chaotic family that has a lot of cats, dogs, & farm animals. They vacation every July, & this is the second year they’ve booked me. They pay well, but JFC. Last year, the house was messy with an odd, stripped down esthetic. I attributed it to a busy lifestyle with 4 teens, 2 of whom are autistic. The livestock’s conditions weren’t great - messy & disorganized but they had the essentials. Well, the 2 kids on the spectrum have moved out but”

“The number of people who think going away for ten days and having you drop in on their dog twice a day during that whole time is acceptable is just mind boggling to me! Ten days with just drop ins is not great anyway- but depending on the dog and the situation, I will sometimes agree to it. But minimum of three visits a day, and four is preferable. Why they think it is ok to expect their dog to hold it for 12 hours is beyond me! Not only is that cruel, but they usually can’t- and I would be stuc”

“I do primarily drop ins and dog walks nowadays. Up until last year I did quite a few house/overnight sits, and I just find i feel super burnt out, so I am very limited on what overnight sits I accept. I had a potential client reach out for a 3 week sit in Sept. I did a meet and greet and it went well, they have 3 lovely goldens, a lovely home in a nice area, and they seem like great people. I gave them a quote and they were fine with it. Now my only dilemma, is since it is a long sit, I’d like t”

“For context, I have worked with these clients before and they are WONDERFUL. They are the sweetest people and their dogs are great (3 various lab mixes). Recently, they adopted a fourth dog. He is an 8 y/o catahoula and was recently neutered. I have met him twice while the clients were home and he is very friendly and sociable. Trouble is, the last time I tried to come in for a sit, he was very aggressive and would not let me in the door. Luckily the clients were able to come home early so it wa”

“I'm doing three week long sits this month and my mental health is in the garbage. When I can just do walks, I'm fine. Sometimes tired and sweaty and forget to eat but fine. But when I'm not in my own house for extended periods of time, I'm miserable. Have you dropped a service before? Am I shooting myself in the foot with this? I don't think the money is worth it. I priced myself high and I'm still over booked T_T submitted by /u/Itsyademonboi [link] [co”

“I have a lady trying to hire me for some cat caretaking/catio clean-up work and she asked me what I would charge. I have no idea how to respond since I've never really been paid for something like this before. But also, should I like, charge by the hour or by enclosure/area or? There's a garage area and then two different outdoor catios. It sounds like she mostly just needs help with the feeding and watering and then the litter boxes and floor clean-up if they puke or do other business w”

“To pet sitters and people using pet sitters. Are we tipping? As a pet sitter I never expect tips I make my prices so I don’t even expect them. Most of my clients don’t tip but I do have a few mostly ones that don’t use me on a day to day basis are the ones who tip. Again I’m not expecting them. I’m using a pet sitter this weekend and when I sent payment I didn’t send a tip and I kind of felt bad. Even if you do tip do you guys do it after or before and are you just giving a few extra dollars or”

“I've been dog walking for a while, but I recently decided to take it more seriously as my own business. So far I've: Created a Nextdoor business page targeting a neighborhood with higher disposable income. Had 2 people favorite my page, but neither has reached out. Had someone I know leave a recommendation on my page. Started building a simple website with an About Me section, photos of me with dogs, my services, and two pricing packages. Planned to contact local veterinary offices to se”

“I'm meeting up with the owners tomorrow and i'm nervous. My best friend who usually pet sits for them can't tend to their dog next month and asked me to pet sit in her place. I'm very socially anxious but I thought this was a good opportunity to get out of my comfort zone.. can't help but start to regret taking it.. but hey, i get paid 🥲 submitted by /u/Objective-Bit-685 [link] [comments]”

“Just out of curiosity… How old are my oldest pet sitters/dog walkers in here? I’m 63. Are you still going full-time or are you on SS and supplementing your income with pet sitting/dog walking? What are new challenges you are facing? I go to the gym to keep my strength up so I can still handle most big dogs, but I am just tired. Lol so tired. 🤪 I feel like I’m going to be doing this for the rest of my life because SS won't be enough and that makes me even more tired. 🤣 But honestly, I can’t”

“My dog has unfortunately taken a turn for the worse much quicker than we expected. She can't really walk well and we can't take her places like the park anymore. What are some of the best foods I can buy and feed her before she goes? How do I give her the best few days when she can't leave the house? Any advice is appreciated. Please no negative comments, I'm hurting enough as it is. Sorry for late replies, working all day to afford the at home visit. submitted by /u/”

“Please help me out here. I have a former neighbor /friendly acquaintance who begged me to petsit her dog over the holidays. I haven't ever been to her home, or stepped inside it, as it's a large community, and I usually see her out and about. She set up a meet and greet for her large breed dog last week and when I walked in the home I was floored. Every surface, and I mean every surface of this home was covered in stuff. Dishes all on the counter and in the sink, trash overflowing, party”

“So I have had a client for whom I have been doing 'trial visits' for the past month or so with dates set to look after her dog for five days. This dog can't be left alone and was way outside my service area meaning I was going to charge more then my usual rate and hadn't booked anything else (walks and visits). She cancelled today, six days before those dates I was not paid yet and all I had from her was money for a visit I didn't go to due to a change in HER schedule (£50 i”

“And how differently are you charging for it ? What does your warm up / cool down look like with them ? How often are you doing it ? Are you taking more than 1 dog per day ? submitted by /u/No-View6101 [link] [comments]”

“Hi this feels like a dumb question, but I thought some of you more experienced sitters may have some tips for me... I started pet-sitting for a couple family and friends last year, and this year I found myself with 5 regulars who go away fairly often, so I am now more or less booked up til next Feb already. Great! I think I have been super lucky with the dates they picked as there was no overlap in when they wanted to go away, so I am more or less back to back in my calendar. But I think I can&#”

“I want to start walking dog and staying overnight over the clients' home. My problem: I have a dog of my own and it will be difficult to leave her along all nights when I am over clients. she is very well behaved and easy going. Is it possible to get into the business and specifically mention that I will bring my dog over with me, or is it out of the question? submitted by /u/Liliput2026 [link] [comments]”

“so, i am a cat-only sitter, and i just received this request. i’ve cared for kittens of my own before, but never alone, and never a full litter plus mom. i’ll be charging accordingly, but im unsure if this is wise to accept…? like is there some kind of risk/liability i’m not thinking of?? kittens can get in a ton of trouble VERY quickly… would you take this on?? i’d very much appreciate any perspectives, thank you 😭🙃 submitted by /u/hushbug [link] [comments]”

“I have 2 dogs, one has horrible anxiety, especially during storms, but he has the same behavior when I’m not home without storms as he does when there are storms, it’s just worse. It won’t let me attach pictures of his handiwork from the last 2 nights when we’ve had storms, (I want to cry, there are 4 more door frame trims that look the same), and not only does he go in destructive mode, but he’ll also pee in about 5 different spots. I want this behavior to stop obviously, here is what I’ve alre”

“I hate getting messages from clients along the lines of "We may need a sitter for these dates; will you be available?" I understand that maybe their plans aren't finalized, but.... neither are mine. I can't plan my life around hypothetical bookings, especially when they are months in advance. submitted by /u/SpicyMandrake [link] [comments]”

“Hi, I am planning to do side hustle of pet sitting. I already have an 8 year old cavapoochon. Can someone guide me to become more trusted sitter? What sort of qualifications or courses can I obtain? What license I need? I am only going to accommodate one dog per sit and hopefully just low shedding dogs because we kind be allergic sometimes (temperemental) submitted by /u/Few-Word6150 [link] [comments]”

“My partner and I have been pet sitting for some extra money here and there because we love animals. We've hosted at our house and pet sat at the owners houses several times. Two weeks ago, a beautiful golden retriever named Cookie was booked in for one week's stay. On the same day the booking was supposed to end, an informal request was made to look after him for three more days. After we said yes, but to make an official booking through the app (Mad Paws), there was no response. Several”

“UPDATE: thanks to all of you I was able to compose a text to my client explaining my unavailability to watch her daughter during the pet sit. She was very understanding and it went better than I could've expected. Thank you so much everybody. You guys are the best. 🐾🐾🐾 I’m a professional in-home pet sitter, and I’m in a bit of an awkward situation. I have a repeat client that I genuinely enjoy working with. Their dogs are wonderful, and I’d love to continue pet sitting for them. They rece”

“So I sat for these people for the first time a little bit ago. I’m not sure I wanna sit for them again. They have 3 dogs plus a cat. I’m allergic to cats but that’s a whatever I love cats and take allergy medicine. What I’m worried about is the animals. The dogs I sat well I was staying there the dogs + the cat figured out how to open the door and the door wasn’t locking properly for the first couple of nights and I woke up twice to the door OPEN because the owner told me not to kennel the dogs”

“Hi!! I just wanted to get some input from other pet sitters on how you would interpret this situation. I worked for a pet sitting company for a while but recently left. I got initial information before signing my IC agreement but at the time wasn’t fully aware of how many pet sitting companies toe the line for employee misclassification. There is a management structure of manager/owner, assistant manager, and team lead. Lots of control over schedules, availability, trying to limit time off for c”

“I used to work as a professional pet sitter for a pet sitting company, but recently I started taking clients on my own again. I just finished a multi-day booking with several visits each day, and now it’s time to send the invoice. Even though I know I earned it, I can’t help but feel a little guilty. Part of me wonders if the client is going to think it’s expensive, even though they agreed to my rates beforehand. At the same time, I know I was getting up early, going back out late at night, driv”

“Sort of a rant but also open for advice. I quit my stressful job and have been doing side gigs for a few months. My family friend asked if I could housesit/dogsit for almost 2 weeks. I said yes eagerly and too quickly. I won't say the price but lets just says they offered half of what the normal rate is for my area. They said they would have food but upon arrival it was maybe 3 things/basics and it looks like the rest was cleared out before their trip. So I have already spent my rate on groc”

“How come dog groomers never get raises or benefits or job security not even a 401(k) most of the time. How come as time goes forward we have to fight for that 50% commission that used to come standard? If you’re out here accepting a commission rate that is less than 50%, you are fucking it up for the rest of us. I don’t care if you’re a shitty groomer or amazing at what you do that 50% comes standard and no one should be accepting any less. I didn’t spend 15 years pouring my life into this busin”

“Vet that approved pet meds present?ya know that understands a black lab and those pesky ear infections over a holiday weekend ? submitted by /u/KangarooOk6647 [link] [comments]”

“ETA: my dog has had 2 seizures in the past 2.5 years, triggered by anxiety, so this is not new. Both seizures actually occurred at the vet’s office, as she gets very stressed out there. The person I have hired does have experience and her mom is actually the vet tech at our vet’s office, so she has access to our dog’s medical records and vets, if necessary. She will be able to spend the majority of the day/night at home with our dog, so that was an important factor for me and I am comfortable wi”

“Hello all, Basically I have been a long term off and on pet sitter for a young woman and her lovely pup. I am moving across the country next week. I have been trying to get in contact with her to return her keys and she isn't responding. We are going on multiple contacts over a couple weeks. I have her keys because she would often travel for jobs and not find out until the night before. My last sit ended on good terms with her offering recommendations to me. Is mailing keys an option? I'”

“if you viewed the media, i'm sorry but you were warned. i'm so done with kitten season y'all. i work at an animal shelter. today these people called saying they found this one-day-old kitten abandoned outside but they can't afford to take it to a vet. the bluish fluid around the maggots is the euthasol leaking out of the hole in its abdomen. i'm so damn tired. i wasn't sure which flair to use - "gore warning," "burn out warning," or "gross" b”