Originally published in PET CENTER NEWS, May, 2013
(no longer active)
So you want to be a pet sitter/dog walker
I started a pet sitting business in 1994, after being ādownsizedā (a nicer way of saying āfiredā) from my corporate job and not finding a suitable replacement.
We were apartment dwellers at the time, so it was mostly house calls for cats, plants, birds, fish etc., plus dog walking all over town.
After about 10 years or so, the running around 7 days a week with no time to myself was wearing on me, so I switched to offering home boarding for dogs only. (We had become home owners in the meantime and have a large backyard.)
This has worked out well and my house is like a little ādoggie communeā.
With so many years’ experience behind me, I can offer multiple insights.
First, ask yourself these questions:
Do I love animals?
Do I have extensive experience with taking care of animals,
including administering medication?
Am I willing to make this my main focus in life?
Can I get by without earning a lot of money? (At least, initially)
Can I do without benefits, paid vacations, paid sick leave or regular days off?
If you answered āNOā to any of them, please, find yourself another line of work!
To be a good pet sitter takes a lot of love and dedication and you have to be prepared for fluctuations in income. Also, think about what services you wish to offer.
1. Dog Walking: In my opinion, dog walkers have the biggest earning potential. If you can get several weekday regulars and consolidate some of them together, then thatās a fairly steady paycheque and usually all in the space of 4-5 hours per day. It also gives you weekends off, which other types of pet sitting do not.
The downsides? You will have to deal with all types of personalities, (every dog is different, just like humans), possible injuries, (just like with kids), mud and depending where you live, bouts of extreme weather. Keep several towels in your vehicle, along with a good brush and a fully-equipped first aid kit, including hydrogen peroxide.
2. House Calls for cats and other small animals, plants, etc.: This is slightly easier than dog walking in one respect. You donāt need to be outside in bad weather. The downsides? Usually, weekend visits are required, plus you will have to deal with any emergencies that come up with both the pets and within the home.
3. Live-in pet/house sitting: This has good earning potential too, if you can get many steady clients. Of course the responsibilities are greater as you will have to take care of the entire home as well as the pets, plants, etc. The downsides? Those mentioned in #2, living apart from your own home/family and more unstable income.
4. Home boarding: Again, a good income depends on having many steady clients. While I have chosen to offer overnight boarding only, doggie daycare would bring more financial stability and you get weekends off.
This can be a fun job, but it also has a few downsides. Be prepared for much wear and tear to your home and yard, not to mention extra chores! Stock up on dog towels, Windex and stain/odor remover. Get a steam cleaner. I am constantly reseeding the backyard and have burned out a few vacuums.
You need to ādog proofā your house. Remove all breakables from harmās way and donāt keep poisonous plants, (such as Poinsettas) around. Vacations should be planned well in advance and the clients notified, because they rely on you. (This would apply to any form of self-employment.) I always inform my regulars and also leave this info on my outgoing voicemail message.
Once you have decided on your scope of services, tell everyone you know and ask them to pass the word along. Enlist a friend or two with pets to serve as references. Buy an ad in the local paper. Get business cards and flyers.
Visit pet shops, vet clinics, dog groomers, and sell yourself to them, leaving cards and/or flyers for their clients. Of course, this is the computer age, so you could also start your own web site.
How big or small of a business you want to make it is up to you. For me, this is āself-employmentā and fairly simple. For others, it could be a large-scale operation with many employees, in which case, thereās a lot more to it and youāll need business advisers.
This touches on a few basics.
Please feel free to ask questions or offer comments.
SEE ALSO:
THE SCOOP ABOUT PET SITTING PART I:
How to Choose a Good Pet Sitter/Dog Walker
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Dog Mom and (retired) Canine Innkeeper in suburban Toronto, Canada, known as The Doglady. Former corporate workaholic. Writer, photographer, digital creator. Animal lover, music fanatic, inveterate traveller. Eternal hippie/rockchick. History, literature and cinema buff.Ā Hockey and soccer fan. Dedicated night owl. German/Canadian binational, multilingual. Let me entertain you!
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6 thoughts on “THE SCOOP ABOUT PET SITTING PART II”
I agree unless you do not enjoy being in the animal’s company. you must not apply for the pet care jobs. Because some pet care takers are very callous and at times cruel towards pets, whome they are paid to take care of.
Animal health technologists or veterinary technicians have a college diploma allowing them to work under the supervision of a veterinarian and to carry out almost all types of animal care except diagnosing, prescribing drugs or performing surgery.