Dog sitting jobs are simply the best jobs! What’s better than getting paid to hang out with other people’s dogs?
If you’re a dog person, you can absolutely get to work as a pet sitter! Being a pet sitter is my favorite job I’ve ever had! You get to spend time with pets, set your own schedule, create and maintain a work/life balance, and stay active.
When I left my job at the veterinary clinic due to a move, and I just offered my services on pet sitting sites in hopes that it would supplement some income while I searched for a real job. However, it was only a a few weeks before I had not only matched my vet tech income, but also reduced the total hours I was working!
People will always be in need of a reliable pet sitter, whether they are taking a vacation for a week, or just at work during the day. In this post I will show you the exact steps I took to create a full time income in less than two months by caring for other people’s pets!
Dog sitting jobs
Disclaimer:
I am not guaranteeing any kind of income, as you’re responsible for putting in the work to create your own results. Pet sitting rates will vary depending on location and experience. However, I will share with you exactly what I did to create a full time income from dog walking and pet sitting.
Related Post: Veterinary Assistant Requirements | What You Need to be Know Before Working at a Vet Clinic
How to Become a Pet Sitter
In order to become a pet sitter you will need a few things:
- A love for animals
- Reliable transportation to and from clients homes and in an emergency
- A phone or way to update owners
- Basic knowledge of animal care and behavior
Once you have those things, all you’ll have to do is decide you’re ready to take on the challenge!
Essentials for Dog Sitting Jobs
You definitely don’t need these things, but once you start going from house to house, these things help you provide excellent service (which is how you charge higher rates!!) I’ll talk about this later in the post!
A treat pouch is great tool to store treats, poop bags and a squeaker on walks for easy access.
Treats are great for increasing a dog’s motivation to check in with you and not pull! Be sure to ask the dog’s owner what treats you can give though.
A planner helps you stay professional so you don’t overbook yourslef. Bonus points for vertical layout.
I keep a long line for high energy dogs. I never take a dog off leash outside of the owner’s property. Most owners don’t have a long line so this allows me to play more with the dog, and owner’s appreciate it to since utilizing the long line is something special!
Okay hear me out on this one: a lot of owners don’t want to walk their dog when it’s cold out. So that’s where you come in! I have several of these hats but make sure you get the fleece lined! Otherwise they just aren’t that warm.
You can always be a better dog walker! Education plays a huge role in the type of dogs you can take on.
How Much Do Dog Walkers Get Paid
Related Post: Veterinary Price List | How to Save Money at the Vet
I don’t have a set a formula for my rates since no two dogs are the same and each house has a different set of requirements. When someone wants to book a service with me I do a meet and greet at no charge before accepting a job, that way I can judge how much the job is worth. Before the meet and greet I will give them a quote if they ask for one.
Quoting high prevents me from feeling like I’m not getting paid enough if the owner request a lot of extras. After the meet and greet I can always adjust the price. Clients always appreciate hearing a low number at the meet and greet, rather than me saying, “seems like you need me to do a lot of things, so that will cost extra”
These are the rates I usually quote. If there are cats I usually add in $5 per cat.
I also let any of my new client’s know that while I am with your pet I may have an overnight, dog walk or drop in with another client scheduled. This transparency is essential for trust and most owner’s are totally cool with it! I am also sure to check with overnight clients how long I am able to leave their pet unattended. Some owners will say 12 hours, others will say 2 hours. My overnights take priority and determine how I schedule the rest of the day. I’ve only met one owner who requested I be in the house full time, and she was willing to pay accordingly. So it really works out in the end!
How to Make Money Dog Sitting
The first time I charged $30 for a 1/2 hour walk for two dogs I felt so guilty. I thought about offering a punch card or something else to deflate the cost of dog walking. But then I thought, why not just give a $30 service? Instead of feeling guilty about your rates, provide a premium service!
Dog sitting can be a really easy job, so there’s a temptation to treat it like it’s no big deal. In order to charge higher rates you’ll have to be someone that the client can trust AND someone who can provide an awesome service. Creating trust can be accomplished a few ways:
- Experience
- Owners are willing to pay more if you have professional animal experience. This can be done by volunteering or working at a vet clinic or animal shelter. You can also work with your own pets or family members pets if you are just starting out. Provide references to new clients. As you gain more clients that will also add to your experience too!
- Reviews, repeat clients and word of mouth
- When you provide an excellent service, you’re more likely to get repeat clients and recommended through word of mouth. If you have an account on a pet sitting app, encourage your customers to leave you reviews too! People buy from people they trust. If they don’t know you, but someone they trust trusts you, you’ll be more likely to book the service!
How to Find Dog Walking and Pet Sitting Jobs
There are tons of great apps out there! Most of your clients will come from Rover.com, repeat clients and through referrals, but in order to create a full time income you’ll want to make yourself available everywhere! Post your profile and services on Wag.com, Facebook, Craigslist, Nextdoor and Instagram. It’s also a good idea to drop a card and flyer off at the local pet store and vet clinics.
Offering a referral service is a great way to get the word out about your dog sitting business. I usually offer clients $10 off their next booking if they refer someone to me for pet sitting.
Dog Sitting Jobs Near Me
I usually set my radius to seven miles for clients that will be needing services weekly. For overnights I have been able to manage a 15 mile radius. You can set preferences however you’d like though! I will take clients over a 15 mile radius, I just add a fee to cover gas and mileage.
Pet sitting jobs for teens
Pet sitting is an awesome job for teens! However, most booking sites require that you be at least 18 years of age to create a profile. Still, teens can post their services on social media, create flyers and utilize a referral service to create a client base.
How to Provide a Premium Service
Throughout this post I’ve talked about providing a premium service so that you can increase your rates (like the rates I show in my highest earning week below!). This means treating your dog sitting business like a business.
I put together a list of the 10 things I never miss in a step-by-step process from initial booking to the last day of each client’s visit. Plus, I included four ways you could be missing out on money (I was doing these things until I learned through a few mistakes!).
That’s it! Now you should know exactly what it takes to find dog sitting jobs and how to provide excellent service so that you can make money by caring for other people’s pets!
Other posts you might like:
Should I Be A Vet? 5 Questions You Must Answer Before Picking a Major
Veterinary Assistant Requirements | What You Need to be Know Before Working at a Vet Clinic
Puppy Sitting | 5 Things to Consider When Hiring a Pet Sitter
