Dog Sitting Question

I would probably do $50 and ask that she at least play with him for some time, not just feed and let out. He needs playtime.

For three full days, three times a day? $30 seems paltry and cheap. I
double it at least. This isn't a favor, it's a job. She is having to schedule her life around your dog those three days.

Thirty dollars for nine visits comes out to a little over three dollars per visit. That's awfully low. Why don't you go at least for minimum wage or a little higher, ask her to walk your dog two out of the three times per day, and get a better deal for the payment? You dog may be happier, too. And not only is this girl taking care of your dog - she is automatically checking your house and making sure everything is all right.

I looked into have a dog sitter come by and it was around $20/visit. I would offer a whole lot more than $30. Three times a day means life revolves around the dog sitting schedule. Three full days, I'd offer $90, with a $10 tip if she does a great job. If you pay well, she's more likely to spend time playing with your dog when she stops by, too.

I recently had a dog walking/sitting/training business and live in northern NJ. I charged per visit not per day. The average rate around here was 15.00 - 18.00 per visit. The rate for 1 dog for a kennel around here is about 35.00 - 50.00 a day. So pet sitting is more expensive however they dog was getting a full hr of my time 3 times a day. I would walk and play with them along with feeding/meds/etc. If I had to travel outside of 5miles I charged 18.00/visit. If it was in my range it was 15.00/visit. If it was a neighbor I would charge 10.00/visit. A dog that had regular accidents was charged 18.00+ depending on how bad it was. The price increases for multiple pets if I can't get everything done in that hr,

I would call sitters in your area to see what the rate is and adjust if she does not have to drive.

Also, please make sure you leave her instructions on what to do if the pet is sick with address/phone numbers and a written/signed letter that she is able to authorize medical care if you cannot be reached. I always worded my contract to say something like this "I give ____ permission to authorize care for my pet ____ based on the vet's recommendation." Also make sure you write another letter of who is to get your dog if something happens to you while traveling. Luckily I never had to use that letter but if the worst happens she needs to know what to do.

We have a dog sitter we've worked with for 20 yrs. We have 3 dogs.

I pay her $25 PER visit which is about 45 minutes long. She usually comes to our house twice a day and then will come around 7 and stay in our home with the dogs at night. I pay about $50 for overnights, her $25 per visit and I also tip.

She also collects our mail and anything left at the door and makes sure the house looks occupied.

Ask the teen what she charges and come up with a number you both agree on. I think $30 total 9 visits is very low.

I would pay minimum wage and allow for her to be there an hour each time. So, that would be 8.25 per hour x 3 times per day x 3 days.

That would be $74.25 for the entire time you are gone.

I can tell you that a dog walkers or "professional" pet sitters charge MUCH more than that.... The place my sister uses in the city (Logan Square) charges $11 for a 15 min "potty break" for one dog, which is not even feeding. By that scale it would cost you $33 x 3 x 3 ($99) PLUS extra for feeding.

Which means that by using a teenager you're getting about a 25% discount. Which sounds like a good deal.

I think $30 is fine since she is only stopping by 3 times for 15 mins.
I'd be sure to follow up with her via phone when you're out of town asking
her how things are going.
I'd also be sure your dog has plenty of big bowls of water and food to free
feed around the house in case something happens so he stays hydrated
and fed.

I think $30 would be fine. We live in a small town and my boys would be thrilled with that kind of pay! Maybe she could pick up the mail and water some plants while she's there?

When I had the neighbor 14 year old dog sit/ walk, we paid $5 for each 30-45 min Visit. They just live next door. They had to feed walk and play with the dog at noon. They were happy to do it and the two sibling kids fought over who got to do it. When they got older, we paid $8 for 45 min.

I personally don't think 30-45 total minutes a day is enough company for a dog for more than one day. My dog wouldbe very lonely.

The teenagers around me all take turns watching our dogs when we are out of town. I pay them $10 to $12 a day. They come twice a day to feed the dogs and they do one walk each day. The professional dog sitters come twice a day and charge $25 a day...so I am paying half (or less) by hiring local teens. The kids all seem happy with the arrangement. I have a college kid who will house sit and actually live here when we are gone for a longer period of time and she charges about $150 for a whole week. Ask your friend's daughter if she would be happy with $10 a day. My neighbor hired my son last year to feed their turtle and fish and paid him $2 a day (He was 8 yrs old) and he was SUPER happy with that.

I'll do it! Ha, anyway, we are paying about twenty dollars a night at a doggie hospital so I think that's a nice amount of money for a little girl.

If their daughter is going over to let it potty & feed/water, $10/day is fine. Each visit will be around 15-20 minutes long, which comes to about $10/hr. If a walk or playtime was expected, then more would be appropriate, probably on the level of $20/day.

Do you normally feed your dog only once per day? Or is she simply adding dry kibble to a bowl for free-feeding?

The only reason I ask is one meal a day is not typical, & if you are changing the dog's meal schedule to accommodate someone else caretaking, it is better to keep on a normal 2x or 3x a day to prevent any issues. But, if 1x a day or free-feeding is normal, then that should be fine.

Have a fun trip! T.