Dog sitting rates

[Tinydogssitter]

I'm just after some opinions if I may. What sort of prices would you expect to pay for dog sitting in your home?

What would you pay for sitting that cover 6pm - 8am, a walk and most of the time spent at your home but with periods where the sitter may leave for a period no longer than 4 hours.

Likewise what would you expect to pay for house-sitting/ dog care where the pet requires constant supervision - i.e a case where the pet has separation anxiety for example? The sitter would not leave your pet alone and would be present for the entirety of the booking. What would you consider an acceptable rate per day.

Would you expect there to be a premium price for puppies who are under 1 years old?

All opinions welcomed. Many thanks.

If my sitter was leaving my dog for periods of potentially up to four hours I’d find a different sitter…

@Killingoffmyflowersonebyone that would only be in a scenario where the dog and owner are happy. Some dogs can be left for periods of time - 4 hours would be an absolute maximum.

In your case you would want constant care - my query is how much would you expect to pay for that?

Honestly? No more than £30 a day. Mostly because one walk and then sitting at home with a dog isn’t really that hard…if the dog was going out 2-3 times I’d look at £50?

But I’d expect them to have proper ‘experience’ I.e former vet nurse whose semi-retired (like mine is) etc…

I'd not be keen on the dog being left up to four hours, either.

Possibly a maximum of an hour a day to cover popping to the shop etc. However, I recognise that means the sitter is essentially captive in your home so would expect to pay £50-75 per day (24 hours) for it.

However, for that I would also expect them to have some first aid training/qualifications along with some foundational dog behaviour training, insurance and a clean licence and car (for emergency vet trips) and DBS.

Interesting - thanks. @Killingoffmyflowersonebyone @ThePlumsOfWilfred

The reason for leaving would be to do drop ins and walks for other clients. It may not be 4 hours in one stretch - but throughout the sit. The work may not be "hard" - it's more about being compensated for time. If you cannot leave at all - it's difficult to survive on wages of £30 a day! Being able to fit in several jobs a day makes it easier to make a living.

I do have first aid training, DBS, insurance and relevant experience of working with dogs.

You’ll find a whole range of rates OP. Lots of students offer pet sitting and you can find rates as low as £25 per day. I’ve also seen as high as £150.

I offer petsitting and my rate is £54 per day (after platform fees – the pet owner pays £63). Some people may not want to pay this, and that’s fine with me – I set my rate at a point which feels worthwhile for me.

That’ll often involve several weeks away from home spent entirely by myself including weekends without days off/away.

I am self-employed and also often work fewer hours when petsitting (so I can provide dog(s) with plenty of attention and not sit staring at a screen ignoring them). Sometimes it also just works out like that as some dogs need a lot of attention and stimulation and I couldn’t devote all my time to desk work even if I tried to. My self-employment enables my availability for petsitting and my self-employed rate for my day job is £40 per hour (not high if you’re at all familiar with self-employment).

Essentials like walks, feeding and other routines usually run into at least 2-3 hours all in all (varies somewhat by dog), but obviously I usually give them much more time than this (with the exception of some very sedentary dogs who don’t want much attention). If you consider it properly, even at minimum wage (in an employed role with guaranteed hours and protections), two walks a day and feeding would in most cases tot up to £24. That’s without the remaining 22 hours taken into account!

I personally don’t charge more for puppies, but I do think it would be fair to as they’re substantially more work (if you’re doing a good job) – they need lots more attention and stimulation and often there will be toilet accidents to clear up, spills, or things chewed or broken, particularly if they’re not being watched carefully (and even if they are!)

In my case, I am also qualified to provide first aid and have a DBS. I take it seriously and make sure dogs (it’s usually dogs) I’m looking after have a fantastic time and are extremely well cared for.

I’m in demand and have lots of pets and owners who have become friends and I sit regularly for.

Also, many people specify that their dogs can be left up to 4 hours alone.

(A few I sit for say they can be left as long as 8 hours – I wouldn’t go out for this long anyway and for the most part mostly only go out to go the shops or an occasional run or drs appointment.)

I think that’s just something to check with the owner as it will vary and the main thing is that expectations are clear for everyone.

@Toothpegs thanks - for this. You sound like an excellent sitter! I actually already provide pet sitting services and am doing quite well and have fantastic feedback from clients and already have bookings 6 months ahead. It's just interesting to me that people expect quite a lot for quite little.

I have several regular clients and do long term house sits (just finished a two week sit) and am compensated well for these. They know I provide a high level of service and that I take the responsibility very seriously.

I still get the occasional request from owners who want you to stay for 24 hours without leaving at all, the pet is high needs and yet they only want to pay £30 a night which is £1.25 an hour (before fees!)

I'm just interested in the thought process behind that - I guess thinking that the work isn't "hard" is one reason. I think it's more work than you'd imagine! It isn't just sitting on the sofa!

My wonderful dog sitter charges me £40 a night for both my dogs. She used to charge me £30 a day when they were younger and were less able to be left alone - they’d stay at her house and get a walk (or two!) for that.

She does have a couple of other dog boarding with her usually though, that’s how she survives 🙂

The average for pet sitting where the dog stays in someone else’s home where I am is £30-40 a night. If you’re staying in the dogs home I’d expect to pay £60+. If the dog cannot be left at all (utterly ridiculous IMO) then they should expect to pay £100+ you’re essentially captive and cannot leave the house at all. Even to pop to the shops for food. Personally I’d want £15 an hour minimum. But I’m not a pet sitter and would never own a dog that couldn’t be left

I still get the occasional request from owners who want you to stay for 24 hours without leaving at all, the pet is high needs and yet they only want to pay £30 a night which is £1.25 an hour (before fees!)

When it comes to pets stupid people expect professionals to do it ‘for the love’ they expect the world for free. That’s why you see all the idiots complaining about vet fees. Newsflash. No one loves your untrained dog with separation anxiety

If they're leaving the dog for 4 hours a day it's not got sitting is it

I’d happily pay more than I do now. I don’t want my dog left alone when he’s in a new place so one of the couple who look after him are always home. When they walk their dog they walk them together so they aren’t left alone

This is only in a scenario where there is prior agreement from the owner. You may book a dog sitting service where the sitter is there overnight. They may leave to attend to other client's for a few hours during the day before returning to spend the rest of the time at your house, with your dog. Most well trained, well adjusted dogs can be left for a fewhours provided that have been fed, walked and been to the toilet.

You can also book dog sitting on a constant care basis where the sitter does not leave at all. This costs considerably more.

This thread is to establish what people's expectations are on both services and cost. The answer to that is that it varies widely! Some appreciate the time, experience and care. Others want it all and to not have to pay for it!

In this case the sitter stays in your home. Much better for the dog IMO - they get to be around all of their usual smells and belongings. However I would consider it a premium service that is a little 'ore expensive than boarding at a sitter's hole as the care provided is 1-1.

@Tinydogssitter our dog prefers to be with Another dog when we are away. It is only one other dog, theirs.

6pm- 8am! Is that correct? So a 14hr shift?

Do they provide a bedroom for you to sleep in, or are you expected to be sitting there, next to the dog, for 14hrs whilst you are awake at night??? £30 seems a ridiculously cheap rate for that, when you could do the same being a night carer to a human for 10x that amount. Sorry if I'm missing something there.

I'm currently looking for a sitter for a few hours in the day/evening, but never thought or an overnight one.

We pay between £40 and £50 per day/night.

It is very cheap, in my opinion, but that is the going rate.

We leave food etc for the sitter to cook, plus obviously all facilities.

I pay mine £60/day. She looks after our entire smallholding, not just the dogs. I am happy for for her to go out for a few hours.

I use my Dog walker to keep My lab when we are on holiday. He goes out with her twice a week so he knows her and her own dog well. It costs 40 pounds per night and he will go 2 walks a day with the other dogs she walks.He wouldn't be left alone other than quick trip to shops etc. This is at her home, I would expect a lot higher if paying someone to stay at mine, but i do not need this so no idea how much.

Yes, that's correct! Although actually it's more as the booking is for a 24 hour period. I don't do bookings for £30. It's interesting that many would think that is fair compensation. Those are not the client's that I book with. They are more suited to a student who perhaps does sitting on the side to make a little extra money and may not have experience, insurance or training.

I am provided with a bedroom.

Not everyone requires overnights. Some bookings are for 2 weeks, for example, when someone goes away on holiday. Others may be just a few hours in the day or evening. It does vary. For day/evening sits I would charge by the hour.

Four hours would be fine with me, DDog is happy being left for that time. I'm not sure what I would pay, more than I would kennels or home boarding for sure, maybe £40-50 a day? Perhaps a bit more. I'm paying £25 a day for DDog to go into home boarding in the October holidays for a week which seems quite cheap!

I think if you want someone to spend 24 hours solidly with your dog and not go anywhere then you would have to pay a lot more! But I also don't know many people whose dogs aren't routinely left for at least a couple of hours a day anyway so I'd think that was an unlikely request.

Thanks for explaining OP.

And for that £50 I absolutely wouldn't expect someone to be there all the time. Out no longer than four hours is fine, and there in evenings/overnight. But honestly I think it still feels a really low rate of pay for the hours you're going to be there, but I'm not sure I'd be willing to spend much more when I could board DDog in someone else's home for £25-30 as once you get into realms of £60+, that's over £400 for dog care just for a week's holiday. It's a tricky one. But for a one-off overnight or something I would happily pay that.

If you're pet sitting in the pet's usual home, you're not just pet sitting. You're also providing house sitting and acting as burglar deterrent as well. I'd expect to pay £60+ for this, as well as providing all amenities and likely a fair amount of food for you to access too. That said, if I was paying you for this service, I wouldn't expect you to be running a business that means you would be off site several hours a day either walking other people's dogs etc.

And to those clients who told you their dogs can be left for up to 8 hours a day, they're irresponsible, negligent arseholes. No dog should be left anything like this long.