Rover Dog Walkers Barely Break Even on Last-Minute Jobs

“I want your opinion. I used to take 1 hour walks and get water with me and for the dog, but I realize that it can be too much of a liability if the dog overheats. I just refused a client and set my boundaries to only 30 min in this weather. Usually, they want to request 1 hour because it ends up being cheaper, but I also do not want a puppy golden retriever to pass out on me. submitted by /u/Sad_Push7215 [link] [comments]”

“I’m dog sitting this dog and he just rolled around in shit and the lady doesn’t have any dog shampoo for some reason. All I have is my hair shampoo. Is it alright to use if I dilute it a lot? submitted by /u/Solid_Yesterday_4409 [link] [comments]”

“I'm a pet sitter who loves animals and is slightly less enthusiastic about people. During meet and greets, I usually spend more time playing with the pet than chatting with the owner. I always ask the basic questions, of course, and afterwards I send them a form to fill out with all the details about their pet. But once that's covered, I'm back on the floor making friends with their animal. Everyone in my WhatsApp is saved under their pet's name. I'll remember your pet's”

“Hello. I went away for three weeks recently and because I wanted to be sure my dog had a good sitter (the trip was international and for an immediate family member’s wedding, so it would have been dramatic if I missed it) I started looking in December and found a petsitter who seemed great — professional, experienced, had worked across a range of different settings in the animal world (groomers, daycares, training, boarding facilities) and started dogsitting independently in response to problems”

“I’ve been sitting for this client for 4 years. she’s great, we’ve never had issues. I love her animals. She has a toddler so I understand not being able to keep your house sparkly clean, but this time has been difficult. The sink and dishwasher are completely full, I couldn’t even fit a dish under the tap to wash it. I couldn’t find a clean dish even in the cabinets. I stay overnight and hangout during the day for a while so I thought it was implied that I eat here. it just feels a little incons”

“For context, this is a newer client, and they’ve boarded their dogs with me 3 times now. The first time, I asked if they’d like some photos and updates since it was a longer stay. They said sure, but not to worry about it too much. Normally, they board their dogs at their vet. They also didn’t request a meet and greet, so they seem pretty chill about the whole thing (I know, call me crazy for not doing one lol, but luckily they’ve been great!). For their second stay (2 nights), I sent some photo”

“I feel bad that my clients have to pick up their pup early. Client found me through social media. We chat. We do a meet-and-greet. Everything seems fine. I'm aware Pup has some anxiety issues but he's got meds and I'm told he usually chills out within a couple of hours - so I'm not too worried. Client drops Pup off around 8:45 AM with all his things. They're driving several hours to visit their college freshman child for Parents' Weekend. Pup spends 20+ minutes barking, s”

“We’re housing my mother in law’s dog for the foreseeable future, and I’m looking for some real advice on how this situation can improve. There are a ton of variables and I’ll try to address them all and can add any and all information whatsoever. We’ve known this dog since she was at an adoptable age, she does not come from a good home (MIL’s) as there is neglect there. She is absolutely full of nothing but love, pure unconditional dog love, despite being in an unfavorable situation for the majo”

“I'm relatively new to pet sitting and genuinely looking for advice because I'm getting confused and a little fed up with some client interactions lol. I've had a few experiences where I feel like I've explained my rates, availability, and boundaries pretty clearly, but clients keep asking the same questions or seem to misunderstand what I've already told them. For example: I previously worked with a client who had 2 pets. I originally charged $X per hour, but they eventually”

“So I pet sit for this lady everyday from 6am to 4pm ( not the problem ), and it's only one 13week old puppy. He was kinda crazy when I started watching him when he was 10weeks old, obviously we ( me n his owner ) know n understand he's just a teething puppy but it's getting kinda bad. He'll chew a box, rocks, leaves, the TV remote, he recently started nibbling my arm and pulling my sleeves and it hurts. He sleeps In a large kennel when he waits for his momma or me ( he's got”

“This guest is not a good guest. They are costing you money and they feel entitled. Let them go. [re: Got a complaint today because my employee ‘told off’ a customer for sitting without ordering. Need advice.]”

Only for sobo peeps I’m student(male) wanna earn some money if you have no time to take your dog out I’ll do it for you(not free) I’m 18 n love dogs,ig don’t…

“I have two dogs (Chihuahua and Terrier/Poodle mix) who are 3 and 4. They are house broken and because I work from home, we go on walks every 4-5 hours for potty breaks. Well I’m starting a new in person job in two weeks with weird hours, so itll basically be about 8-9 hours before my husband gets home to walk them and still another 2-3 hours before I’m home. THEY WILL STILL GO ON MORNING AND EVENING WALKS. I bought them an indoor potty box, but they are still spending allll day holding it. I tak”

“Without getting into too many personal details I’m in a bit of a situation right now where a long term, regular client who I’ve gotten to know very well is in the middle of a possible worst case scenario family emergency and called me in a panic today asking if I can watch their pets this week so they can go where they need to be. Luckily I was available so ofc I said yes and I’m here now. They are keeping me updated on the situation because no one knows what’s gunna happen or how long they’ll n”

“I am working on trying to make the transition from side hustle to full time gig with my pet sitting. I want to make sure that I am setting things up properly and working a good workflow that’s not only easy for myself but for my clients. I’m wondering if any of you do client intake forms, what you ask for on them if you do and how you send/collect them? Do you do client agreement forms? If so do you do them for every time someone books with you? Deposits- do you just do them for first time clien”

“I've been sitting for this client for years and gotten the pleasure of watching her one pup through the tougher senior years. I'm so grateful she trusts me enough to spend this time with her pup, but I. am. so. tired. The oldest dog is nearing her time unfortunately, and it's becoming increasingly unbearable to do overnight sits with her. While she's happy to nap, play, and do all the normal dog things during the day, every night a switch flips. She cries nonstop and starts barki”

“I’ve moved in with my boyfriend months ago and he has an almost 3 year old german shepherd. This dog is completely attached to my boyfriend, I can’t even great my boyfriend when he comes home because the dog needs he at most attention and will whine, jump and nip if he’s not getting my boyfriends attention. When i’m home alone with the dog he is super chill and I actually enjoy his company but as soon as my boyfriend is around it’s like he needs his attention 24/7, we can’t even enjoy a relaxing”

“You know. I'm surprised dog/pack animal wasnt an upfront concern. Younger sibling is funny af and I see why no one's kind would go there. But dog, pony, goat etc? Maybe its just that I live near farm country but someone bringing a pack animal wouldve been one.of my first thiughts/concerns. Even if most.of the kids wouldnt have one directly almost everyone knows someone who might lend them one for a day for a joke like this [re: “Bring anything but your backpack to school” day ideas?]”

“Pet sitting for my husbands coworkers 2 pups (they’re great, but they’re totally attached to their owners & have warmed up to me for sure, but disappointed I’m not mom & dad every time I come through the door). I’m staying overnight with them and this is the 2nd day in a row I’ve noticed someone has hands down been here while I was out - today the mom mentioned that her sister “might stop by to drop off paperwork” 40 minutes before I got back to the house and it was very obvious she’d be”

“I have a professional pet sitting business and we have contracts and stuff in place. We make sure everyone updates us on everyone’s condition, etc. especially if they’re older they have ailments. This client has been chill and never have any issues with dogs etc One of my sitters arrived to her house sitting today to find that one of five dogs that is elderly, was foaming at the mouth and having wheezing when breathing. Was having trouble controlling bowels and bladder. Couldn’t even make it to”

“You're sitting from Friday at noon until Monday at noon. Do you charge for 3 or 4 days? I charge per 24 hours so that's 3 days for me. submitted by /u/suziemomma [link] [comments]”

“I'm coming to this sub as someone who does not typically pet sit. I recently got laid off and a woman I've met a couple of times needed pet care, as they lost their primary person. So basically, we're both helping one another out, it's not a long-term arrangement. I did a greet a couple days prior to starting care and was concerned about a few things: One dog is large and frequently jumps on me. The other dog was very wary of me, and only became comfortable with the owner's e”

“Wow, I'm surprised at some of the pet sitting comments. Maybe my situation is a bit different but I'm glad to help anyone with questions. I retired, (will be 3 years this January). I had planned out for a while that I was going to offer pet sitting in my home so I did my research and started in Feb. 2024 when I was 61. I have a contract and rules and well as a Facebook page. I started off advertising on local sites but now it's mostly word of mouth and I feel badly when I have to tur”

“I’m currently a grad student taking classes most weekday nights considering joining rover to pet sit, drop in, or walk pets during the day. I’m currently employed as a clinic manager. however, we are so short staffed that I am the only employee left at the clinic. the other 3 employees left due to school and commute reasons. I alone am handling the tasks of 4 employees for both our providers along with training/onboarding/interviewing. It’s getting too stressful for me to handle and I’ve been dr”

“I’m currently a grad student taking classes most weekday nights considering joining petsitting, drop in, or walking dogs during the day. I’m currently employed as a clinic manager. however, we are so short staffed that I am the only employee left at the clinic. the other 3 employees left due to school and commute reasons. I alone am handling the tasks of 4 employees for both our providers along with training/onboarding/interviewing. It’s getting too stressful for me to handle and I’ve been dropp”

“I have a potential client looking for me to come a few hours a day to help care for some puppies. There will be a minor (16 yo) in the home that I am asked to help with the puppies. The owner is not around (assuming out of the state/country) and looking for me to meet the puppies tomorrow (will confirm with them if they will be home tomorrow). This is a first for me as I typically do in-home boarding/daycare and drop ins. I don’t offer pet sitting in the clients home but I am expected to be ther”

“For some reason they happen to be the worst "clients". They expect low/no pay. Hide medical needs or very annoying issues and happen to be the most demanding when it comes to you changing your schedule to accommodate them. submitted by /u/Lovedd1 [link] [comments]”

“I hired a couple in their mid twenties to house sit for me and I received complaints from her saying that my dog is “accident - prone”. My dog has never peed with me, she is always behaving and I never had issues with her like that with other sitters. I know she can be shy around new sitters and can take a bit to get used to a new person, but all they were required to do is to let her out in the backyard if she does not want to walk. They stayed over in our house and said they never left yet at”

“Hi!! I’m an independent pet sitter in a medium sized city, with 4 years of reputable experience behind me. I’ve always pushed all of my services on all social media and marketing platforms. Overnights, drop ins, walks… but this past year, the overnights have been killing me. I’ve had an insane uptick in overnight requests, to the point where i’m home maybe once a week out of the month. Maybe even less. The problem is, i would LOVE to stop booking them, but i cannot keep any consistent drop in/wa”

“Hii! I’ve been a dog sitter since 2018. I need some advice: I’m staying at a clients house from Sunday until Wednesday, today (Monday morning) their friend came to the house & said he lives here with them. He didn’t mention if he’s staying at the house during my duration as well & I didn’t ask because I was caught off guard. I’ve had situations where clients friends pop into the house bc they needed to retrieve an item unannounced. I’m usually okay with that as they aren’t living there.”

“We've used a particular pet sitter a few times now. We have cats, a senior dog, and chickens. I've always asked that she stay overnight but I'm not concerned with her sticking around all day long. The first time she stayed here, I monitored her comings and goings via our outdoor Blink cameras. Everything seemed fine. The other times we've hired her, the cameras weren't working and/or we forgot to set them up before leaving. I wasn't that concerned, since things seemed fin”

“I have a client who will frequently request sittings and she is very kind and tips VERY well.. but my sanity is suffering tremendously. She has 2 dogs and one of them has “separation anxiety” (i think she just babies her too much) and the other one is just next level high energy, wakes me up in the middle of the night if she doesnt poop, wakes me up at 6 am, pulls on leash. It’s just a lot. That one is away currently for training but she has requested multiple dates this month for sitting the on”

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submitted by /u/Zzz88zzZ [link] [comments]

“Hey everyone - I hope you're all doing well with your current sit, or break between sits I've just reactivated my pet sitting profile after taking a few months off. The last time I was sitting I ended up being focused on caring for a single doggo with weekly home visits and frequent sits (1 - 3 weeks long) while his mum was away for work. I loved that dog so much but the whole situation ended up getting too stressful because his mum was super chaotic (incl. constant package deliveries, p”

“I would really love insight from the pros. Please let me know if I'm being unreasonable or if they're trying to get me to drop service. I've used a service for about 3 years now. This is their only business and they are insured, credentialed, etc. Over the last year, they have gotten extremely busy. I am so glad for them. However, they don't stick to the schedule for visits. They are doing lots of other services, so they often just bump my pets when things get very busy. I do und”

“I’ve been pet sitting for this family for awhile. I do overnights, 7pm-8am with a drop in at 12pm. This morning their dog started throwing up. It wasn’t just once. It was like 6-7 times. I called the owners and they asked me to take her to the vet which I of course thought was a good idea as well. I was supposed to work 10-3 and do my usual drop in on my lunch break. I had to call off my whole shift in order to bring the dog to the vet. My whole day was basically waiting around for the vet and t”

“I have been walking this dog, a rescue lab named Archie for a little over a year. His mom was looking on NextDoor for somebody to take him out a few times a week to go to the bathroom and get exercise when she didn't have the time. At the time I worked remotely and was looking to make some extra cash. Her house is 5 minutes away so a fifteen minute to half hour walk in the early afternoon was pretty easy to fit into my schedule. At first he pulled a lot and would attempt to eat pretty much a”

“I've lived with my roommate and their dog for about a year and a half across two homes, and I help care for the dog, including bathroom breaks when my roommate is away. Medium-sized, middle-aged mixed breed. When my roommate is home: He barks and growls at me when I come through the door. If I spend a while hanging out with my roommate, he eases up and sometimes even wants to play, but watches me constantly like he's making sure I'm not a threat. When my roommate is gone: No growling”

“Today I went to one of my regular clients houses, I have worked with their dog for approx six months since he moved to the area. While the home varies in degree of messy (single adult living alone), I usually tidy up the living room as their dog likes to get into things. I really just mean I move items he's chewed in the past out of reach, and if there's stuff like cups at his level I just move those to the kitchen/counter. I typically do not care what is in my clients home, nor do I fin”

“so i am in the middle of writing up contracts for pet sitting. i had really never considered how beneficial they could be, and it covers myself as well as the clients. funny enough, a situation arose today, and i was wondering if anyone else has a policy regarding what happened to me. i was contacted about a two week stay with one of my clients. that was supposed to start today, and would have brought me close to 1,000 dollars with my overnight rate. i also turned down another pet sitting job du”

“Please don’t come at me defensive and angry. I’m genuinely asking why a new pet sitter is asking for full payment upfront. 50% at booking makes business sense to me. I out a deposit down when I get contracted work (20-30% in my experience, depending on the business, but always some %). I did a meet & greet with someone I really liked. I’m even willing to make accommodations and allowing their pup to come hang with mine (certain parameters in place, keeping separate for feedings, etc). I have”

“I’m in the process of updating and rewriting my client contract and would love to hear from other professional pet sitters about things you’ve added that aren’t necessarily standard, but have been helpful in protecting you, your staff, and your business. For example, I’m considering adding clauses such as: • No cameras or recording devices in bedrooms or bathrooms where a sitter may be sleeping or changing. • If a home has electronic/smart locks, clients must provide a backup key or hid”

submitted by /u/ChunksOG [link] [comments]

In a few short weeks I went from never pet sitting before to now having 5 clients somehow?! This is awesome but wasn’t planned so I am trying to do absolutely everything…

“I walk a small dog 5 days a week 3 times per day (morning, noon, & night.) When I first started walking this dog, I felt very grateful. The client was grateful because they had a long and difficult time finding someone who would avail themselves on nights and weekends. I still feel grateful, but something's changed. Then, I recently had a difficult day health-wise and had to work. I was house-sitting and the dogs kept me up all night. I asked the client if someone could step in for the d”

“I am 3 weeks into being burnt out over owners who genuinely just don't care about their dogs. Some examples: Sweet happy little doodle who hasn't been groomed in 6 months so she had to be shaved down, so I did my best to make her cute. If I tell you "she's just a happy little lady that loves giving kisses" and you respond with "she's effing ugly" AND REFUSE TO TOUCH HER. Just give me your dog. You don't deserve her, we showed you how to brush and gave you”

“Hello everyone, I run a small business doing pet sitting. I’m currently on a three week pet sit with an older doggy who’s a really lovely boy and his owners are also really lovely and polite. I have never been in this situation before. I was sat watching tv and having a cuddle with that dog when I noticed a flea jump on his head. I quickly killed it and looked over him to check I couldn’t see anymore. I have made attempts to contact the owners who are out of the country and had no reply. Should”

Lmk down bel submitted by /u/emo_redditor999 [link] [comments]

“Context: - Fully stayed at their house for 7 days - 3 cats one dog - one cat on meds so had to pill every day - House duties as well like water plants/mail/etc - Pets are relatively easy to deal with - She charged a past pet sitter 60/day but that seems low to me Not that it matters, but they have $$$ Is $80 per day unreasonable? For reference our clinic charges 60/night for boarding. submitted by /u/CucumberUnfair2755 [link] [comments]”

“I feel like my pet sitter is trying to price me out instead of just quitting. Looking for thoughts. I was one of her first clients a year ago and have used her many many times over the past year. My pet sitter lives in my town, less than 10 mins down the road. When we met last year she provided her pricing and I said it's not enough and that l'd pay extra per visit- double her quoted rate. I usually give gift cards, tips, etc for each visit too. She was amazing, I loved her work and she”

“I'd love to start travel pet sitting by the coast and in the mountains. Any full time pet sitters who have pulled this off? Even 1 or 2 clients in a desired location? How did you do it ? and how do you factor in travel to the pay? Dogs, Cats & Chickens Pet Sitting i'M Trained and experienced to care for Mega-Esophagus Dogs. submitted by /u/No-Alternative-9443 [link] [comments]”

“Only if it's frequent. We have a weekend babysitter 2-3 times a month and she still cries.”

“I've been dogsitting for the past two years. Yesterday I was out walking my dog and I ran into a neighbor, Nancy, who I have dogsit for before. She said "So I guess you've just given up on getting a real job, huh? Just spending your day hanging out with dogs." I said it is a real job because I make real money doing it. I just couldn't believe she said that. It was so rude. Has anything like that happened to any of you and if so, how did you handle it? It's definitely ma”

“I’m looking after this Golden Retriever for a week at the owner’s house. Lovely dog, very affectionate owner, and a regular client (sometimes the dog stays at my place, sometimes at hers). It should be a relationship based on trust, or at least that’s what I thought. She had to leave unexpectedly for a week because of a funeral (she only told me on the day), and I agreed to look after the dog. She has always been happy to receive photos and updates, but she’s never been demanding about them. I a”

“I have a client that I met at a previous job working at an indoor dog park/day care facility. I walked her dogs on occasion but now the park closed so now i often walk her two little dogs 1-2 times a week. (Shes older, heavier, can't walk them long and no fence yard allowed where she lives) Because she's not as well off i gave her a discounted rate cause she lives near by so less driving needed. However, she doesn't schedule out her walks she just texts randomly and sees if im availa”

“i have had amazing pet sitting opportunities where the dog is exactly as their owner discussed, but my last two experiences have been HELL on earth. the last dog I was given I was told is a sweetheart and trained well ( 2 year old). When the dog decided to defecate in the bed and then on the couch right before I went to sleep after taking him on an hour walk around every single spot I could think of in my city to motivate him to go outside, the owner let me know this was a habit of his and was “”

“I really need advice because I’ve never been in this situation before. This booking was presented as caring for 3 dogs. At the meet and greet, I found out there were actually 2 cats and a snake that were never mentioned beforehand. One of the dogs also wasn’t present, so I never got to meet all of the dogs before accepting the booking. Today was my first drop-in visit, and honestly, it was a mess from the start. As soon as I entered the home, one of the dogs bit me. It didn’t break skin, but it”

“I really need advice on how and if I should cancel this booking now that it’s already started. Today was just one drop in and all this happened. I’m a pet sitter and I’m currently dealing with one of the most difficult bookings I’ve had so far, and I need some advice. The booking was originally presented as caring for 3 dogs. At the meet and greet, the client arrived about 10 minutes late because her son was in urgent care, which I completely understood. However, when I got there, I found out sh”