What’s a fair amount to pay a teen for this?

[GiantCheeseMonster]

I have a dog with separation anxiety who can’t be left alone (whole other thread). Normally I take him with me or put him in daycare, but the DCs want to try a sport which is one evening a week and there’s no daycare available plus I can’t take him in the venue (he can’t cope being left in the car either). We have a lovely 14 year old girl living next door and I was considering asking her Mum if she would be willing to dogsit. It would be once a week from 7pm - 9pm. I’m thinking she could do any homework, watch TV or whatever and I’d leave plenty of drinks and snacks. Dog would have been fed and walked so she’d just be keeping him company. I want to offer payment of course but what is reasonable? Is £5 too stingy?

I think £5 is too stingy, possibly you could do £5 per hour.

The other thing to keep in mind is that the girl next door is likely to less reliable, there will be weeks when she has other commitments or is simply being a teemager and you might find yourself without a dog sitter.

Minimum a tenner?

I think £5ph is a fairer wage.

If you mean £5 per hour then that’s stingy AF. If you mean £5 per hour then that is generous for a 14YO.
I’d probably go with £15 per evening.

Thanks all. For context, I pay £20 per day for dog sitting (in a home environment) so that works out at £2.50 per hour, which is where I go the figure from - plus it’s not the same level of responsibility as babysitting a child. If it’s too stingy I’ll offer more though.

£5 for three hours is very stingy. I’d offer her at least £10 to make it worth her time, but ideally £15.

It’s two hours - 7pm to 9pm.

I think it's a fair offer for such easy work with no travel time or costs. I wouldn't base on daycare rates though, as they make far more by having multiple dogs at once.

My daughter would've absolutely loved a job like that for £10.

Sorry misread your hours, £10 sounds about right, any less and it’s not really worth it.

What you pay the doggy daycare isn’t relevant because presumably they look after more than 1 dog at once, so no one is only getting paid £2.50 per hour.

£10 for the two hours is about right.
It's giving you a lot of peace of mind and the teen is in a difficult household with different wifi etc and away from her home comforts.

You're quite fortunate finding daily dog care for £20 a day, tbh!

I think £5 an hour is great for this sort of service. I would have loved a job like that at her age.

One of mine has a wee separation anxiety but it’s aimed at me.

He is very distressed and cannot even be left with my own family even my son or daughter who he has known since he was ten weeks old.

Would the 14 year old be able to cope with a severely anxious dog or is he ok with other people?

A wee means severe ^^^

£10 at least.

I would have done this for £5 as a teenager and I am pretty sure my teenager now would. I was paid £10ph for babysitting but this is much easier. She can literally stare at her phone for the two hours if she pleases. I think £5ph is too much.

I used to do this when mine was a puppy and I was working (from home) but on calls etc. I paid £5 per hour for a friend's 15 year old to sit with the dog for a couple of hours so that seems reasonable.

Think I'd offer £10. My teen would do it for less but if you go as low as £5, she won't have much incentive to keep the evening free.

My teen spends a lot of her income in cafes, and £5 doesn't go far at all these days.

As already mentioned, £5 is nothing really at the moment. She won't even be able to get bubble tea for that. £10 is a lot more reasonable.