# Puppy Sitting.. Price to pay?



## Ohana (Sep 24, 2013)

Hey everyone! 
We just got our first GSD puppy 2 months ago and have been having a fun time with her  Luckily, our schedules work out that she is only alone for 2-4 hour overlaps a couple times a week when we both work. However, a couple times a month it is 6-7 hours. For these times we decided to get a puppy sitter. 
She is a collage student and is a sister of a friend of mine who put a local ad up do to dog walking and watching. She did great with Piper, took her for a good walk, and hung out with her for a couple hours. When I contacted her the next day for her price she said 'Whatever you feel'... 
Im stuck. I have found everything from $5-$25/hour. I dont know what to pay her. I kind of feel that, in North Dakota, $25/hour for a dog sitter is crazy, but I also don't want to insult her. The going babysitter rate is only like $8... 
Do any of you guys use a puppy sitter? What to you pay?


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## igottabecrazy (May 24, 2013)

With 2 dogs and 3 cats, I use a professional pet-sitting service when we travel. Normally the animals are home for 7 hours a day from the time I leave for work until my kids come home from school. One dog is 12 and sleeps on the couch all day. The 8-month-old GSD has "graduated" to a 5 foot by 5 foot by 6 foot tall kennel in the basement, complete with a tv to keep her company.

Anyway.... my pet sitter charges $19 per visit. Probably a little high to pay for someone that isn't bonded/insured, etc. If she has to drive any distance, you may want to figure in the cost of gas. It's not cheap and will never be again


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

since it's only a couple times a month and the girl hangs out with the puppy a couple of hours, I'd give her 20$ a visit.


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## brembo (Jun 30, 2009)

Pay her well, that way in the future if you have an emergency and need a sitter ASAP, she'll be that much more inclined to be available.

I dog sit a good bit. By that I mean, someone brings their dog over and I room and board the critter(my dogs are bomb-proof with other dogs). My fee is a bag of kibble (15 pounds of TOTW). When I go out of town I have a friend that lives ~3 miles away drop in and play and feed. His fee is ammo, I have many sources for his wonky caliber rifle. Life in the sticks is surreal sometimes.


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## Ohana (Sep 24, 2013)

Thanks everyone. She does have to drive maybe about 8 miles (15 minutes or so). I think Ill give her $30. 
That equals out to $10/hour (or $8/hour+$6 for gas). I dont know. Feel free to keep the feedback coming... I really have no idea where to start with all of this. Piper is my first dog and keeping me on my toes!


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## brembo (Jun 30, 2009)

Also, buy food for the sitter. Ask her what she likes and stock up on it. When I was in H.S. a dog sat for some friends parents and it got to the point I refused payment as long as the fridge was packed with tasty food. The Gray's were(are) wealthy and as such tended towards the upper end of food. I would normally crack open the fridge to find NY Strips, shrimp and foie-gras type things. Turning a teen/college student loose with that kind grub is better than payment. Oh, they also left me my favorite beer. Nothing like chilling with my dogs, their dogs and some good food with a 12 pack of Guinness to wash it down.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

Ohana, that's a good amount, it shows her you appreciate her and her time, and like brembo said pay her well and she will do well


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## e.rigby (May 28, 2011)

$20 - 25 a visit sounds reasonable. You really have to figure in time/distance of travel, gas costs in your area, as well as time spent with the pets.


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## DTS (Oct 19, 2010)

My sitter charges $18 for a half hour visit. If I use her 4 days a week it's $17 a visit and if I use her 5 days or more a week it's $16 a visit.
They are lisenced, bonded, and insured. Plus she only lives about a mile or so away so that helps.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

are there any dog sitting/walker business in your area? call
a few of them and see what they charge.


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## volcano (Jan 14, 2013)

the asking for a donation or whatever you like... is a workaround for taxes, liscenses etc. Just be straightforward and start pulling out dollars and ask for a nod when shes happy. If it goes high then start pulling back dollars till she speaks up/
In my opinion that service would be worth 8 - 12 bucks, but im in a city with tons of unemployed people offering dogsitting . If shes driving out in the country to you alone maybe its worth more.


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