Distinguishing Pet Sitting, House Sitting, Boarding, and Dog Walking
What is the difference between pet sitting, house sitting, boarding, and dog walking? Pet sitting can mean many things, but usually, when people say pet sitting, it means you live in the person's house. Pet sitting is similar to house sitting, but pet sitting means there are pets in the house, whereas house sitting means there are no pets, and you are just taking care of the house.
However, house sitting can also include pet sitting. I do not know if that is confusing. Boarding, on the other hand, is when somebody else's pets come to your house to live. Dog walking is straightforward; it is when you visit somebody's house and take their dogs for a walk. Then, there are also check-ins. If they have cats, you can visit, play with the cat, and feed it.
Dog Sitting Versus Cat Sitting
If you are pet sitting for a dog, it is usually a lot more work than cat sitting because dogs typically require walks. Luckily, with this pet sit, which includes two adorable dogs and one cat, the dogs do not need walks. They simply go out into the backyard, which is spacious, and they take care of their needs there. I then clean up after them.
Can Anyone Start a Pet Sitting Business?
I would say yes, but there are a few things to keep in mind. Obviously, you cannot be allergic to pets. It is beneficial to have experience with pets, but if you do not, that is okay too. I have significantly more experience with cats, so for dogs, I spent time playing with my friend's dogs to familiarize myself with them. I would say dogs are a bit easier to understand than cats, but both are manageable once you get used to their behaviors.
The best way to gain experience is by spending time with your friends' pets. Visit their homes, interact with their pets, and learn about their feeding and walking schedules. You can practice scooping litter, which is a basic but important task. The fundamental responsibilities, such as feeding, cleaning litter, and walking dogs, are not very difficult.
One thing I am cautious about is handling very large dogs. If a request involves a big dog that requires walks, I always ask whether the dog tends to chase squirrels or if it is difficult to control. I do not want to be pulled too hard, which is why I prefer small to medium-sized dogs.
How the Shift to Remote Work Fuels the Pet Sitting Industry
For me, pet sitting works out perfectly because I work from home. I run my own business, which includes content creation and blogging, so I do not need to report to an office. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, more people have been working remotely, which makes pet sitting a viable option for them. If you do not need to go into an office, you have the flexibility to live anywhere as long as you have a reliable internet connection.
One of the key things I check before accepting a pet sit is the quality of the internet at the location. If you have your own pets, children, or other significant responsibilities at home, it becomes much more challenging to take on pet sitting. This is why most pet sitters are either single with fewer responsibilities or retired individuals with more flexibility.
How to Get Started with Pet Sitting
The most effective way to get pet sitting jobs is by informing your friends and personal network. If someone is going to let another person live in their house, they would likely prefer someone they know and trust rather than a stranger. This is why it has been relatively easy for me to get pet sitting opportunities—many of my friends own pets, and they also have friends with pets. Since they trust me, they are more comfortable inviting me into their homes.
Another advantage of using your network is that pet sit bookings are less likely to be canceled. When I have booked pet sits through websites, I have experienced frequent cancellations, often because the pet owner finds a friend who can do it instead. In contrast, using my personal network has been more reliable. I also post about my pet sitting experiences on social media, such as Instagram and Facebook, which helps generate more inquiries.
Online Platforms for Pet Sitting Opportunities
The second way to find pet sitting jobs is through websites like Rover. I personally use Rover, which has a twenty-five dollar fee, and I receive requests regularly. The website is functional for its purpose—you set up a profile, include your rates, update your availability, and people contact you, even if you do not have any reviews yet.
Limitations of Pet Sitting Platforms
One limitation I discovered is that Rover only allows you to accept pet sits within one hundred kilometers of your location. For example, if I wanted to travel to Toronto for a pet sit, I could not because I live in Vancouver. I would need to set a Toronto address, but that carries the risk of cancellations. For travel-related pet sitting, I rely on my personal network.
Other sites include TrustedHousesitters.com, which has a higher annual fee—more than one hundred dollars—and does not offer payment for pet sits. This platform is more of a travel exchange, where you receive free accommodation in exchange for caring for pets. This site is popular in North America and Europe.
HouseSittersCanada is another option, with an annual fee of around fifty dollars. I used this platform for my first pet sit, which was unpaid, but I wanted to visit that location. It was an excellent opportunity to travel without paying for accommodations. There are many similar websites, and a quick online search will help you find the best ones for your area.
Using Social Media Groups and Neighborhood Connections
Another strategy is joining pet sitting Facebook groups in the areas where you want to work. I joined a few groups in British Columbia and Canada, but I noticed that most people are looking for opportunities to pet sit rather than posting available pet sitting jobs. However, depending on your location, you might have better luck.
One unexpected way to get pet sitting jobs is through neighborhood connections. When I was on a pet sit, a neighbor approached me and asked if I was a professional pet sitter because they were traveling to Europe and needed someone. I had never referred to myself as a pet sitting service, but I told them yes. Unfortunately, I could not accept the job due to prior commitments, but I referred them to a friend.
What Should You Charge for Pet Sitting?
There is a wide range of rates on Rover.com. I initially started at forty dollars per night, which is the suggested rate for overnight pet sitting for one dog. However, since I started receiving many requests, I increased my rate to fifty dollars per night. After researching local pet sitters, I noticed many charged more than forty dollars, so I adjusted my rate accordingly. Even after the increase, I continued receiving bookings despite not having any reviews.
If a household has more than one pet, such as two dogs or a dog and a cat, you can charge more for additional pets. Pet sitting platforms like Rover take a service fee—Rover deducts twenty percent, which is significant, and another reason I raised my rates.
What Happens After Someone Shows Interest in Your Pet Sitting Service?
When someone expresses interest, I typically schedule a virtual meet-and-greet via Zoom. Since I will be living in their house, I want to meet them first. I ask them to show me around their home and introduce their pets. This call usually lasts around thirty minutes.
If they decide to proceed, I collect a refundable deposit, which they can get back up to seven days before the pet sit. This ensures that my time is not wasted if they cancel.
I have many more tips about pet sitting, such as what to pack, how to create a daily schedule, and other logistics. If you are interested, I can create another article covering these details. Thank you for reading.
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