Tricky

[winkywinkola]

I help a friend out very often with her dog. We agreed a price of £8 per day which includes a 50 min walk. £15 overnight.

Her dog is fine. Very needy though. Never leaves me alone.

I used to keep her overnight for the £8 when it wasn't convenient for me to take her home.

My friend now sort of expects me to keep the dog overnight if she's asked me to look after her on consecutive days in the week. She says it's better for the dog's routine and her husband doesn't get back until 7 so it would be better for the dog.

I don't want to do that anymore not least because in the school holidays, her house is completely out of my way (usually on school run) and would cost me in petrol and time plus juggling my dcs for a 30 minute round trip twice a day.

I know I set the precedent by keeping her overnight when it suited me but I am starting to resent her expecting me to keep the dog overnight for the day rate.

I've told her I can't look after the dog during school holidays because of the inconvenience but she said she would be stuck.

What should I say to manage this? She has said I was happy to keep her overnight before for the day rate so why not now? She doesn't see why she should pay the overnight rate when the dog doesn't "need" to stay as her dh would be home.

I'm starting to feel like she's taking the Michael as I take her dog on average 12 days a month, walk her with mine, keep her all day and drop her home again. She's getting a good deal already as most dog walkers I know charge £10 p.h. never mind for the rest of the day.

What do you think?

[LetThereBeCupcakes]

I think she's taking the mick! How you handle it will depend, though. Do you want to stop having the dog altogether or just overnight? Is she likely to kick off when you tell her?

I'm also wondering if you're actually straying into dog daycare territory, which I'm pretty sure you need a licence for. Could you say a neighbour has threatened to complain so you can't do it as you might get into trouble?

[winkywinkola]

I have no neighbours. It's very rural where I live.

[winkywinkola]

I don't really need the money but because it's so often, I would feel even more resentful of she didn't pay me something.

[mrslaughan]

She is taking the mick- my dog goes to a friend in a farm 1 day a week (I am out a lot on that day - and hey he loves being a farm dog), I pay )£15 and I drop off and pick up, even if I had someone come in and walk him it would be £12 - but that's pick up and drop off.
So anyway you look at it, it is really cheap. It doesn't really seem worth it........for you.
I have been in a similar situation with a friend who I started walking her dog when she was in need, and then it became expected.
I just made myself unavailable, when she asked I apologised (I wasn't actually sorry, but more to smooth the way) and then was my normal self.
My advice is be really nice, but firm, if she doesn't want to pay for overnights then she picks her dog up, and offer that if she wants to make alternative arrangements, you will completely understand.....

[winkywinkola]

She would say I set the precedent though and therefore what's the problem?

[gladisgood]

NO - your prices are your prices. Businesses change terms and prices as time goes on - you can't expect to always get the same deal. I'm pretty sure that no-one tells a supermarket that they "set a precedent" when they had a 3 for 2 offer last week, but ended it this week!

She is nuts if she thinks that because you sometimes included a night for a day rate, this means that you will do this all the time. Re-iterate your agreed rates, and charge her accordingly or tell her to find someone else for her dog. Maybe sweeten the blow with a 3 for 2 offer!

[MaynJune]

She is really cheeky. For a start I would expect the dog owner to drop the dog off and collect if it's for the whole day.

I sometimes use a dog walker who comes to my house, but just for a fifty minute walk I pay £12.50 plus £1.50 for his petrol. I know you're not doing it for the money, but she's come to expect an unrealistic amount of help from you. It would only be worth the inconvenience to you if you needed the money and then you'd have to charge a more realistic rate.

She's putting you out but it's her dog. You'll have to be firm with her.

[winkywinkola]

See I thought she was taking advantage too. She's usually very straight talking and principled.

[winkywinkola]

It seems she has decided to find someone else to look after her dog. She feels misled because I had led her to believe overnight stays at the day rate were no problem in the past and now they suddenly are.

Looks like I've probably lost a friend too.

[mrslaughan]

But was she really a true friend? If she can't accept that it's not worth your while, she was just using you under the auspices of friendship.