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Original poster

Dog sitting/walking

26 replies

Lilly0909 · 07/07/2023 14:53

Hi all,

I have been booked for 3 nights over a weekend to look after two dogs that I walk regularly.
I have found the going rate for overnight dog sitting where I live is £30 per night.
I also charge £20 for 2 dogs for an hour walk.

The lady who has booked me wants me to walk the dogs every day when I am dog sitting. Am I right to assume that this would be £30 for the overnight plus £20 for the walk or should the walk be included in the dog sitting price?

It seems like £30 for overnight including a walk is far too cheap, considering a walk itself is £20.
Has anybody had a dog sitter before and knows?

OP posts:
TheHairyHazelnut · 07/07/2023 15:03

I would be shocked if a dog sitter charged me extra for the walking.

I would expect the daily charge to include ALL care required during a 24 hour period - which includes adequate exercise and entertainment. i.e. walks for those dogs that walk.

BiteyShark · 08/07/2023 18:56

As PP I expect the boarding cost to include everything to look after the dog.

Radiodread · 08/07/2023 18:58

Yea, boarding cost should include everything but £30 is selling yourself short unless you’re in a very deprived area. It’s £50 here.

BiteyShark · 08/07/2023 18:58

It seems like £30 for overnight including a walk is far too cheap, considering a walk itself is £20.

Obviously you can charge what you want but £30 is on the higher end for 24hr home boarding in my area.

BiteyShark · 08/07/2023 19:00

Radiodread · 08/07/2023 18:58

Yea, boarding cost should include everything but £30 is selling yourself short unless you’re in a very deprived area. It’s £50 here.

Actually just noticed that the OP is looking after two dogs whereas I am going on one dog.

But for one dog £50 would be more likely if the OP was looking after them in the owners home rather than her own.

VWT5 · 08/07/2023 19:02

Are you sleeping at your house?
If you sleep at the owners house you would need to charge more.
Because of client issues like this, and to make it clearer for the owners, I had to start using a rate per 24 hour period, with pro rata charges for extra hours on top because people push the boundaries.

Floribundaflummery · 08/07/2023 19:05

I pay £25 for 24 hours including two walks. It’s £10 for just a walk. The dog boarding rate should include the whole 24 hour care to be clear.

Original poster
Lilly0909 · 10/07/2023 01:12

Hi all,
I'm staying at her house. There is also care for 3 cats involved.
Is £150 reasonable for 3 nights round the clock pet care and house sitting including walks?

OP posts:
Original poster
Lilly0909 · 10/07/2023 01:39

Floribundaflummery · 08/07/2023 19:05

I pay £25 for 24 hours including two walks. It’s £10 for just a walk. The dog boarding rate should include the whole 24 hour care to be clear.

If that's for one dog then I'd say £50 for two and 3 cats might be reasonable? X

OP posts:
SoSadForCav · 10/07/2023 02:03

I only sit for one family at the moment (friend of friend) I charge £50 for a overnight at their house. (Can be from Sat morning to Sunday night though & they pay £20 for a date night😂 (dinner until about 10pm) One young chocolate lab, 2 cats. The cats are elderly & no bother. The lab is a monster 👿 he doesn't get walked on lead, so pulls like a freight train & his recall isn't good so I won't let him off kead. So he gets a short walk and lots of playing in the garden.

This all just grew from sitting with him for a couple of hours when he was very young & they both had out of the house meetings.

I'd do things differently if I actually set out to do it. It's something I'm considering.

Divebar2021 · 12/07/2023 08:16

Im in the SE and I pay £15 / £18 per day for a cat sitter to come in twice a day to feed our cat while we’re away. I would not expect a person to sleep at my house and only charge £30 to take care of multiple animals ( including walking). I would think £50 was cheap for this service. You need to work out a cost per animal which makes it worth your while.

Divebar2021 · 12/07/2023 08:22

I think you could charge more in London…especially if you’re expected to be there 24 hours.

Dog sitting/walking
primoseyellow · 12/07/2023 08:24

@Floribundaflummery that is so cheap!! Does that include the person literally staying at your house 24hrs?

primoseyellow · 12/07/2023 08:28

@Lilly0909 150.00 for 3 days work is nothing, and when you add in nights it seems too little? Even if the owners say the animals can be left on their own for upto 3 hours for example it still ties you to them and means you can't really do anything else to earn money in that time period.

primoseyellow · 12/07/2023 08:30

@BiteyShark so the person staying at the house for 24hrs is only earning £30.00? 1.25 per hour.

DogInATent · 12/07/2023 08:32

Am I right to assume
YABU to assume anything.

How have you ended up in the position where you've been booked to provide a service and haven't agreed the price? Never mind what the "going rate" is, what are your rates and how do you communicate them to your clients?

What are your costs? - including your professional and public liability insurance.

commonground · 12/07/2023 08:39

If you were staying in my house, I would pay you £150 for the weekend - I think that is a fair charge for the inconvenience of you not being in your own home.

My dog boarder/walker charges £30 per 24 hours in her home, to include walks (she does not add her walk rate on top of the board).

But she is licensed for up to 4 dogs so she might be making £30 x 4 a night.

commonground · 12/07/2023 08:42

^^^ oh, 2 dogs! I'd pay £150 for one. Make it £200 - discount for the second.

DogInATent · 12/07/2023 08:59

Locally (to me), 2 dogs and 3 cats would be at least 2x £20 + 3x £10 per day/night for kennels/cattery. So the alternative to your sitting service for three nights would be £210. And your service provides for much higher level of companionship and care to the animals, as well as the security aspect for the property.

If you were not doing this you could spend those three days earning £10/hour for 8 hours - £240. You're not saving anything by staying in their house, you're still having to pay for your own bed at home even if you're not sleeping in it.

If you're doing this professionally, you're selling yourself short doing this for less than £300. And if you're expected to spend all or almost all of the day on the premises or in the company of the animals then even that is cheap.

Alternatively, if this is a cash-in-hand side hustle then it's incredibly cheap if you don't have professional insurances to fall back on in the event something might happen - remember, you're responsible for third party liability when the dogs are in your care (particularly when walking them).

BiteyShark · 12/07/2023 12:58

primoseyellow · 12/07/2023 08:30

@BiteyShark so the person staying at the house for 24hrs is only earning £30.00? 1.25 per hour.

That was for boarding dog in sitters home. Hadn't realised OP was looking for cost for them in owners home which is usually a lot more.

primoseyellow · 12/07/2023 18:02

@BiteyShark ah ok, yes if you are in your own home then its different as you can be doing other stuff and looking after your own pets too if needed.

Original poster
Lilly0909 · 12/07/2023 21:12

Hi all thanks for your comments! I am a dog Walker and don't actually offer dog sitting so I was just wondering on other people's experiences price-wise. The owner has asked me to dog sit for her because I know the dogs and we have a good relationship, she is my neighbour. I am also a cleaner and have PLI that covers dog walking, cleaning and pets in clients' homes.
Local prices are £30 for an overnight stay in the owner's home from 6pm-9am. I've spoken to the owner and agreed that the £50 is good including the walk. The dogs can be left for up to 5 hours as there is a dog flap for them so I can leave in the morning, do whatever I need to do, come to walk them during the day then come back in the evening for the night. I won't be doing this though as it's a weekend and I would only have been at home doing nothing anyway so it is lovely to have the dogs to be with. She has said she will stock the fridge with food for the weekend and says my boyfriend can come over too which is lovely of her so I don't feel I'll be missing out.
This is only a one off for me, thank you all!

OP posts:
lastminutewednesday · 12/07/2023 21:36

I am a dog boarder and charge £30 per night for one dog. Includes walk.
I do charge an extra £12.50 for an after 2pm pick up on the last day however. It's an extra day I can't go out of the house for long which essentially I wouldn't be paid for effectively otherwise.

I charge £12 for a walk for one dog for reference.

cinnamonfrenchtoast · 14/07/2023 07:17

I'm a dog sitter and charge £50 per night for up to two dogs - that includes an hour of exercise. I don't charge extra for cats as I'm there anyway and they're not exactly high-maintenance.

However I only dog sit if the dogs can be left for 2 x 4 hour periods during the day so I can get on with my usual walks.

HappyHounds · 03/12/2023 08:00

Are you a licensed homeboarder ? If not then you cannot homeboard as won’t be insured . If you are licensed then home boarding includes at least 2 walks per day plus enrichment time - each dog has a personalised plan . Each council is different but all licenses would include walks . My fees and others I know are charged per day .