Fair price for pet care?

**bridge** · 12-04-2009, 09:48 AM

What do you think is a fair price for this service?

Over Christmas holidays (7 1/2 days), I would be going to their house (2 blocks away) twice a day, letting 3 small dogs out, making sure they have food water. Putting food out and cleaning litterbox for 1 indoor cat. Cleaning up any accidents. Putting food out for the outdoor cats, feeding the fish & turtle.

I called and checked the boarding just for the dogs would be $29-$35

As a side note I have done this almost every Christmas, the last few times I felt like I was sorta "shorted" for the effort. (We didn't really discuss the price, I just expected a fair pay.) So this time before I agree to do it I want to make sure that we have a understanding of the pay for the services.

Do you think $20 per day is too much?

**frugalwarrior2** · 12-04-2009, 10:04 AM

Service prices should be agreed upon before the job to keep everything nice. Your prob. now is that you did it for their price and now you'll want more. What did you get and how much can they afford. They prob. already budgeted for pet care at a certain amt.
I pay $30. per dog but know they are licensed,have an agreement and relationship w/ several vets. They are trained for emergencies and are insured. The place i go is also a training facility. They walk my dogs and provide food.

When you come into their home they except the liability of you being there. It sounds like about 2 hours work a day. They provide food and you are just letting them out and not walking them?? If none of the dogs require special care I would think $15 a day would be fair esp. seeing you are just walking 2 doors. Do you have any special certifications that make you unique?
I would say w/ the economy I would be very careful about any increases. A jobs a job right now. KWIM. Prob. not what you wanted to hear but it's the kind of thing I would do free for a neighbor and I wouldn't want you to get replaced by a nephew or something. They obviously trust you and you must be doing a good job.

**Neeley** · 12-04-2009, 10:12 AM

I think $20 per day is more than fair.

We are boarding our two dogs and 1 cat. We are leaving for vacation on the 18th and not returning until the 27th. The boarding fees for the three of them is going to be $630 plus the cost of a bath for each dog (an additional $50).

If I had someone I could trust, and a dog who didn't try to escape when the door opens, I would gladly pay someone up to $50 per day.

Most pet sitters here get around $10 per day per pet on average.

**madhen** · 12-04-2009, 10:29 AM

My current sitter charges $15/visit, but also has to drive out here and has a LOT more animals to contend with than you will have. She visits twice daily, so it costs me $30 when I have to use her. (Typically, I have enough people who are willing to do it for free that I don't have to worry about it.)

That said, I think $20 is more than reasonable, BUT I would give them a little something more for it. When in lived in so Cal, my sitter was bonded, licensed, and insured; had me fill out a contract at the beginning of our relationship (and she was a friend of mine); AND left a daily chart on the last day that broke down what time she showed up each day, what she did, and had some little comment about one or another of the animals (i.e, "Spent 15 minutes playing with Riley, boy, does he love his Kong!"). That way, they feel like they are spending a bit to have some social interaction with their animals, rather than you just throwing food at them and leaving. My canine sitter charged $20/dog/day with a two-dog discount. My avian pet-sitter charged only $10/day, but only came by once per day and didn't spend any out-of-cage time with the birds - just changed food and water.

**sabrelvssammy** · 12-04-2009, 11:43 AM

my son in Indpls pays his dog/cat sitter $30 for the 1st visit and $5 more for a 2nd additional visit each day... (that is HER set rate)....

for that amount she does the following:

comes 2 x's a day and lets dog out and stays and plays with him 1/2 hr each time....(this is a 100lb lab).....

fills the food/water bowls for both dog & 2 cats....

checks on cats (they don't care to be played with...they are anti-social to anyone but their 'mommy & daddy'...most times she has a hard time even finding them....)

scoops the litterbox once a day....

this is a 'professional' sitter and she will not care for the animals without a signed 'waiver' either (each time) that she will do the best to her ability to care for his animals but in the end she is not repsonsible should something go 'terribly wrong'.....

she also walks around the house and just 'checks' to see that things are not out of 'whack'....she has even brought the mail in for him.....it seems as if each time she 'sits' for him she will do more for him (smart lady-taking care of her customers)... last time she sat she took the dog to McDonalds....(not for her)....lol

i definately don't think you are asking too much....you are taking time out of your own day and your own 'chores' to help her so that she can get away....of course the ideal situation would be 'you watch mine..i'll watch yours' but that doesn't always work out that way....you are taking on a big responsibility with her 'babies' and anything can go wrong.... i once had one of the horses i was caring for die..(believe me...it was NO fault of my own)....but it doesn't make the horrible feeling any less stronger....

for our own 2 cats we are paying a young girl $10 a day to come over once a day and check on them...fill their bowls, give them can food and scoop their box....she is welcome to stay and play with them if 'they' decide...(usually they are not interested)....
around here...i am told that is excessive...however...to me it's worth every darn penny of the $10 and if she asked for $20 a day...she would more than likely get it...it's hard to put a price on 'piece of mind'.....

**frugalwarrior2** · 12-04-2009, 12:03 PM

O.K. I just reread what I wrote. It was supposed to say I pay $60. a day for 3 dogs less a % off for the third dog. This includes Arthritis meds 2x daily for my old dog. As they get older the price also goes up and mine are large. They charge less for little dogs. (less food/less pull??) The first time was discounted too. Sorry. Going to blame it on the pinesol fumes. I just mopped a huge room to deodorize before we get our tree tomorrow. WEEEEEEE.

**stinkbug** · 12-04-2009, 12:49 PM

My Vet tech feeds my cat on occasions if we are gone for more than a day or two. She charges 15.00. One cat, one box, feed once a day. And throw some corn out for the ducks and feed the pond fish in the summer. She charges 15.00 a day. I think 20.00 (for you) a day is way too little...at least 25.00. I'm willing to pay for good care for my pets! We usually take the dog with us, so if she was here...I'd pay way more for a full time house sitter.

**nancycg56** · 12-04-2009, 01:33 PM

I don't think $20 is too much at all! You are doing alot and I personally don't mind paying for peace of mind when it comes to my dogs

**frugalfranny** · 12-04-2009, 02:13 PM

Originally Posted by bridge

What do you think is a fair price for this service?

Over Christmas holidays (7 1/2 days), I would be going to their house (2 blocks away) twice a day, letting 3 small dogs out, making sure they have food water. Putting food out and cleaning litterbox for 1 indoor cat. Cleaning up any accidents. Putting food out for the outdoor cats, feeding the fish & turtle.

I called and checked the boarding just for the dogs would be $29-$35

Do you think $20 per day is too much?

NO! In fact, I think it is too LITTLE. Look at all you will be doing. Since you have already called about the boarding fees, and that is just for the dogs - I would certainly make it higher. EVERY ANIMAL ADDS MORE MONEY!!!

They KNOW they are getting a good deal - and until you set the fee you will probably get less money than you think it is worth?

I would even mention when talking with them that it would cost them X amt. to JUST board their dogs.....so "what do they think someone taking care of ALL THEIR ANIMALS is worth?"

**shoiji** · 12-04-2009, 02:25 PM

I think the amount is fine considering all the animals you are taking care of. Also the fact that they trust you to do this for them thru the years I would think an added bonus. Don't forget in a way you are also looking after their house for them since you are going there twice a day.

**Lora88** · 12-04-2009, 03:06 PM

I think 20.00 a day is a gift. I pay 30.00 a day each when I board my dogs and im sure they would be much happier in their own home Seems to be more than fair go for it

**bumplett** · 12-04-2009, 05:10 PM

this is just my opinion, but I think $20/day is too high for a 'neighbor' or 'friend'. IF you are bonded, insured, and do this for a living, it would be great - but if that's not the case, I would think $5 - $10 per day, otherwise, you're easily replaceable.

I think I'd be happy to get whatever they offered, and be grateful for the extra.

on a side note: I puppy sat in MY home for my sis-in-law for a week, and I got a really cool book of Sting's lyrics as my payment

- coolest book ever!! (I'm a Sting fan though)

**wanderinggrandma** · 12-05-2009, 01:15 AM

I have a small size dog that is too tall to ride in the plane cabin any more. Wookie goes to our "dog sitter" when we are out of town. He LOVES to go there. Not only is there our 10 year old dog sitter-but there is also a 13 year old boy and 2 other dogs to play with. And he has a bath and is all nice and clean when I pick him up.

Cost for this is $12 a day.

(I would pay more but the parents say no, so I bring back a gift for him/family if we are gone more than a week.)

Prior dog (GSD) needed to be watched in our home-her sight was going and she would get confused away from home environment. We paid $30 a day, provided food, for family friend (college student) to stay at our house and watch dog. That is what the going rate in our area is to kennel large dogs.