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What's the going rate?

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Joanne Hess		#21	[url]	[-]
Posts: 2514 07/02/08 1:31 AM Senior Member	Frankly for me the cost is well worth the thought of having ny little guy adequately exercised every day by someone who really understands dogs and frequently puts their interest ahead of his, as i do. and this is silly,but i am having such fun hearing from friends all over town, exclaiming "i saw hobo with solomon and he looked so cute/funny/well behaved." add to that solomon's telling me after only a few walks, "that hobo was about the best dog he had ever walked...doesn't stop and sniff, ignores all other dogs, trots along at my heel" maybe i should give solomon a raise! maybe the agonizing years of trying to get him to walk properly have finally paid off! there is indeed as betsey said a lot more to walking a dog than we realize! joanne
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Begaul		#22	[url]	[-]
Posts: 2297 07/02/08 8:52 AM Moderator/Pet Sitter	Good boy Hobo! Happy to hear he is enjoying his walks with his new friend Solomon. I love hearing stories like yours Joanne...makes me feel proud of my profession. Especially nice to hear when it's a common perseption that any 12 year old can do my job as well as I can. If only they knew... I have practically become "part of the family" for many of my clients. Their pets are honestly important to me...I get quite attached...and yes, looking out for their best interests is what it's all about.
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Joanne Hess		#23	[url]	[-]
Posts: 2514 07/02/08 10:34 AM Senior Member	yes, betsey, and i particularly remember some of the pictures you have posted ofsome clients...all the dogs are always gazing at you so adoringly! by the way, i am not trying to "criticize" the owners who do use some less experienced walkers. i know, as i am sure betsey does, that in many cases finances are limited and that for so many dogs, any attention and "outing" is better than a lot of poor pets receive. joanne
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HollySD		#24	[url]	[-]
Posts: 904 07/02/08 10:40 AM	Especially nice to hear when it's a common perseption that any 12 year old can do my job as well as I can. I am so sorry if you thought that's what I meant -- I was certainly not implying that a teenager would be the same as a professional petsitter. However, I just don't see anything wrong with a responsible 15 year old walking a 16 pound, very friendly dog around the safest neighborhood I've ever been in while my parents are home. My parents are fine financially, but it's asking a lot to pay $25 three times per week for 3 20 minute walks -- I don't think they'd do that. If that is their only option, either Mom would continue walking the dog until she gets seriously hurt, or Jasmine won't have walks. I am not anti-pet sitter. We regularly used a pet sitter before we moved. I hired a pet sitter for our cats just 2 weeks ago; unfortunately, she never came and then lied about it, but I am looking for a responsible pet sitter as hard as I can. But I only need a petsitter when I'm out of town, not several times a week. If something is wrong with this plan, please let me know. Holly Last Edited By: HollySD 07/02/08 10:46 AM. Edited 1 time.
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silveradomike		#25	[url]	[-]
Posts: 10 07/02/08 11:00 AM	we pay 15$ a 20 min visit when needed. my wife can normally get home for lunch but if she has a meeting the "walker" is a godsend.
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EttaMae		#26	[url]	[-]
Posts: 2591 07/02/08 1:16 PM Senior Member	Oh! I hope I didn't offend anybody with my comments about going rates in my area. It's a hard line to appreciate the value of a service, but still have to say it's financially an impossibility. I wouldn't hire a kid to be responsible with watching the house and dogs and cats while I was out of town, but I would hire one to let my dogs have a potty break mid-day when otherwise they would just have to hold it. ps- I did finally find a professional sitter who regularly charges 18, but since she is my neighborhood, will charge me 12. She offered that- I didn't ask. never forget how you felt as a kid look little you in the eye each time you encounter a child -Kimya Dawson Last Edited By: EttaMae 07/02/08 1:19 PM. Edited 1 time.
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Begaul		#27	[url]	[-]
Posts: 2297 07/02/08 4:39 PM Moderator/Pet Sitter	No Holly...I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have said that...not very well put on my part. And not directed toward you at all! I need a dope smack. Your mom's safety is absolutely foremost, of course! My apologies.
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vegarose		#28	[url]	[-]
Posts: 1329 07/02/08 5:38 PM	Holly, that's terrible what happened with the no-show sitter. That happened to me once where I had a weekend scheduled for a client...a dog. A couple days prior to what I thought was my start date, the owner calls me to say I had forgotten to take my check this past weekend and they wanted to mail it to me... I was flabbergasted, gave her my address, hung up and immediately went to my schedule book. I had them down for the weekend coming up! I felt sick, but I regained my composure and called her back and told her the truth about what happened and that she caught me off guard with the phone call. She said the dog was fine! She did have an accident in the house but that was about it. I felt terrible, but they are still my clients.. I always feel honesty is the best way to go. Begaul, everything you said in your post I agree with. I hear it all the time from pet owners that teenagers can do this job. Well how come then I get hired to pet sit when the kids stay home while the parents vacation. And I am talking about teens to mid twenties. Parents don't trust the kids to take care of the animals. I always tell people that if they could get a neighbor or a kid around town to do it...that's great. I think people don't realize that we do have business expenses we have to cover such as insurance, bonding, business cards, contracts, car expenses etc. Roe
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EttaMae		#29	[url]	[-]
Posts: 2591 07/02/08 5:56 PM Senior Member	I still have dreams where I forgot about someone's dogs for weeks and weeks and then I can't find their house and when I do, it's wall to wall poop but I can't find the dogs anywhere in the house. I really do have respect for professional pet sitters. I worked for a company one Thanksgiving weekend and it was so exhausting and overwhelming that I actually cried a few times. 6 am to 10 pm, all around town with some dogs that were so awful and I dreaded visiting them all day. One home would be bordering on neglectful, like only a sips of water for a Lab each visit "because he would pee too much otherwise" and the next home would be all Nanny cammed out and you had to make toast with butter and tear it up into 1/4 inch squars and heat up the dog food and sing a special song for the dog. Kidding about the song. never forget how you felt as a kid look little you in the eye each time you encounter a child -Kimya Dawson
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H2Odogs		#30	[url]	[-]
Posts: 925 07/02/08 6:06 PM	I just think the rate$ quoted here are crazy for what most everyone agree$ is a 20 minute walk. I think the rate i$ fairly high around here, but I know for a fact that their walk$ are priced by the 1/2 hr., 45 min. and 1 hour walk. I have never even heard of a 20 min. walk. Having $porting dog$ go for a 20 min walk is a drop in the bucket. I can't imagine a 2 year old Lab getting any ya-yas out in 20 min. If you're talking about potty break$ that'$ one thing, but I thought thi$ wa$ about rate$ to actually give the dog a chance to stretch their legs and get some fre$h air and exerci$e, not just out to pee. I would get a pet door before I would pay someone $15-18 to carefully watch my dog pee. Sorry, I don't mean to offend anyone here, but if you follow this thread objectively, that's what it sounds like in some cases.
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Schiptosign		#31	[url]	[-]
Posts: 5231 07/02/08 7:48 PM Professional Trainer/Moderator	Well, a LOT depends on location, location, location. If I judge myself and what I can make per lesson by what someone in NYC or other eastern places can get per lesson, then I'm really "small time" (and maybe I am!). And with the cost of fuel these days, prices are likely to increase on many things. Depends, also, on what the person wants for their dog. Personally, I take the care of my precious darlings very seriously and the safety of my darlings and my home very seriously. If I were paying someone to come in while I'm not there, I'd pay more for a realiable person I can trust. Of course if there is a teenager who lives close by I could trust, then I probably wouldn't have to pay as much. I'm lucky in that my parents are close so we can trade animal care. One of my first jobs was to go care for my 4H leader's dogs when she was out of town. I'm sure she got a bargain. Susan/Schiptosign Last Edited By: Schiptosign 07/02/08 7:52 PM. Edited 1 time.
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finnsmydog		#32	[url]	[-]
Posts: 7271 07/02/08 7:49 PM Senior Member	Well, I think we all probably took the thread, started joking with it and ran away with it. I definitely pay premium NYC rates for my dogs to get walked. It is far more expensive than putting them in doggie day care. It is far more expensive than having someone latch my dogs onto a carabiner on a harness with 3 other dogs to give them a pee break. However, I strongly feel that it is part of my responsibility to pay someone who is very familiar with dogs that are as high drive as my dogs, and give them the consistency and the care that they need. Otherwise, I have no business having border collies in NYC to begin with. I think we all do what we can for our dogs, and the choices we have made with them. I have chosen what I have -- maybe I hide my own laziness behind my choices; can my dogs do without getting walked by someone really good 2x a day? Probably. But I don't really want to think about what I would come home to after spending 12+ hours a day at work basically duking it out with the uber-cranky people in the world right now. I am personally sorry if I offended anyone, I believe the person who cares for my dogs is worth every penny that I pay. Kei, Finnfinn and Big Girl Lucille
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vegarose		#33	[url]	[-]
Posts: 1329 07/02/08 7:50 PM	H2O...absolutely no offense taken here. I like the difference of opinion. And yes, I do carefully watch the dogs pee and poop....I'm actually obsessed with it! Roe
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vegarose		#34	[url]	[-]
Posts: 1329 07/02/08 8:03 PM	I just wanted to add that I went back and read the whole thread again to see where the offenses were because I see everybody is apologizing. I don't see it and I hope I didn't come off like I was offended, because I'm not. Roe
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TKW		#35	[url]	[-]
Posts: 3711 07/02/08 10:41 PM Professional Trainer/Moderator	Uh, love means never having to say you're sorry Nothing her looks or sounds offensive to me, just gabbing about pricing and pottying and walking dogs! Relax everyone, all is well. As always, informative group of gabbers, aren't we! Toni www.wellmannereddog.com
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Salty Dogs		#36	[url]	[-]
Posts: 4838 07/02/08 10:53 PM Dog Sports Trainer/Moderator	Just a reminder that there are people who do dog walking for a living reading and writing - flippant remarks will have an impact on them whether they were intended to or not. This started out as fact finding - got a little flippant here or there. Holly - I don't get the sense anyone is saying a responsible teen isn't OK for the job. And while you did NOT suggest this - no one who does petsitting (or anything else for that matter) for a living wants to hear from people who don't do the job that it's so easy anyone can do it. And now for the board's hallmark phrase: onward. P
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divinek9		#37	[url]	[-]
Posts: 432 07/02/08 10:56 PM Administrator	Susan was totally right. Like everything else in the marketplace, pricing is all about location. The price of gas varies. The price of housing varies. The price of everything varies...including dog walkers and pet sitters. As DH and I travel around the country, we see the fluctuations and know that we have to adjust to what is the going rate for that location. I think the original question was a thoughtful and fair one. I also think it was generous and fair for our professional walkers and sitters to state their going rates on the board. Is it shocking for some to see what others have to pay in other areas? Sure, but that does not make one price right and the other wrong. As always, I think this community totally rocks when it comes to helping one another!
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Isis2x		#38	[url]	[-]
Posts: 2277 07/02/08 10:56 PM	Honestly? 15-18 for a twenty minute "let out for a pee"? Or did I miss something? Guess our cost of living is just way different here... Info from a website of local petsitters/dog groomers. Good people, from what I hear, though I've never had to use them myself: Dog-Walking: 12$/dog, 20$/2 dogs walks are approx 1hr long for more than 2 dogs, please contact for rates Our journey will begin with us coming to pick your dog up from your home, and we will set off on our adventure. Walks are usually 1hr long, but will also depend on physical ability, age, and size of dog. If your pooch cannot go for 1hr, remaining time will be spent playing dog's favorite game/s. We like to bring the dogs to Westwood Lake to the off leash area. However, only dogs who have a good recall will be let off leash to run around. Please let us know if your dog gets agressive toward other dogs as sometimes we might bring single dogs along with other clients for socialization, exercise, and nothing beats playing with other members of your own species! If your dog loves to swim, please let us know as we will bring towels to dry him/her off before getting back in the car. We also supply bottled water, poop bags, treats (if OK with owners), and doggie car seatbelts. Owners must provide safe leash and collar with proper identification tags. ~Thia Tai, Russ, Dezi, & the Kitties
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H2Odogs		#39	[url]	[-]
Posts: 925 07/02/08 11:08 PM	Isis2x: Perfect! You got my point exactly - it was the "20 min" issue I was having a hard time with, not so much relating to the cost. If I were to pay fees for that service, I would expect to get everything you said in your disclaimer. You hit it straight on, thanks
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divinek9		#40	[url]	[-]
Posts: 432 07/02/08 11:22 PM Administrator	Ah...but what I see in that ad is someone who will pick up your dog, along with other client dogs, and take them to an off leash dog park for exercise. Hardly the same type of service. That is not what I'd want from a dog walker or dog sitter, and I'd be more than willing to pay for a private, one-on-one walker who is there for the safety and protection of my dog. So back to Holly's question...IMHO, a professional pet walker, a professional pet sitter or a loving and responsible teenager would be my pick over the pack walker and the dog park. Most of all, I know you'll decide on what's best for your mom and her dog
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