FAQs
- What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
I'm a long time pet sitter and dog walker with many clients, who have been with me for years. My job is to keep the dog or cat's routine the same, so there is no stress for either the pet or the client and everyone is happy. I always give my clients more than the clients expect because their pets are worth it. I get so much joy, laughter, and relaxation from dogs and cats. Dogs and cats make me happy, so this is how I want to spend my life. 30 min. visit...............$25.00 45 min. visit...............$30.00 60 min. visit...............$35.00 *Each additional pet is $5. *Difficult pets or medicine is an extra $5. *Dogwalks after 8pm are an extra $5. *Dogwalks in the rain are an extra $5. *Payment is expected at time of service. WEEKLY CLIENT DISCOUNTS 5% OFF on (5 or more) visits of 60 min. 5% OFF on (5 or more) TWICE A DAY 30 or 60 min visits. Weekly clients pay at the end of the week. Late payment will likely cost the client an extra $5. A SINGLE OVERNIGHT $80 is 12 hours overnight and 3 walks. VACATION OVERNIGHT PETSITTING $80 + $35. Your home becomes my home base. This means I spend more hours looking after your pet than you could afford to pay. Includes a 12 hr Overnight (3 walks) rate....$80! The rest of the day is just $35 because I may have other dogs to walk. *Vacations that are 2 weeks or longer get a 5% discount. Your place is looked after, your pets get the best personal care and playtime, and you get frequent updates of photos, videos of your pet(s). For clients, who need extended, overnight, vacation petsitting, I sleepover at the client’s house or apartment and it becomes my home base, meaning that I go to other clients and return directly to the overnight client's home. I bring my own food and I look after their pets. The pets get a lot of attention because I sit where they sit and I pet them for hours, while I watch TV. I play with them. I walk them. I brush them. I give them treats. They sleep in the bed with me if they're used to sleeping in the bed with my client. MAJOR HOLIDAYS are $10/day. Only CHRISTMAS WEEK, THANKSGIVING WEEK and NEW YEAR'S WEEK are an extra $10/day. MY CLIENT GETS A LOT MORE PETCARE than from other petsitting services.
- What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
Potential clients get a FREE ONE HOUR CONSULTATION with a free dog walk with client. I have to meet the dog or cat and the pet owner to learn the pet's routine and habits. I have to see it in person, so I can ask a thorough list of questions. It also gives me an opportunity to see the dog on a walk and to learn if he has any triggers and how the owner corrects or plays with the dog. It also gives me some very valuable time with the dog or cat and that allows the pet to trust me and relax in my presence. Back in June 2019, I had a client, who said his cat was very shy and was only friendly with him out of his whole family. Well, in the consult, I asked him to just keep chatting with me after I got through all my questions. In a few minutes, his cat came out and rubbed against him and then came to sniff me and eventually rub against me too! Let me tell you HOW SHOCKED he was! Getting to know the clients and their pets in the free consult is actually THE most important aspect of my job. Sometimes the free consult also reveals we're just not a good fit. Not often, but it does happen. And honestly, that's really for everyone's benefit. Rarely, I have had to turn down the client's work. In all cases, the family dog was too aggressive. I went back to one client three times, for 3 free consultations because he assured me that his dog was trained and just needed to get to know me. Three visits later and the dog was the same--he barked at me from the moment I entered. I told them I was very sorry, but I couldn't take the job. They were nice people, but I did not want to be alone with their dog. Another client, another time, more recently: we played with his German Shepherd outside and the dog clamped onto my upper arm. He didn't bite, but it was enough to leave a bruise and it was also enough for me to say we were not a good fit. Another client had an unfriendly German Shepherd, who was extremely standoffish and would become aggressive if you looked at him in the eyes, even for a little bit. They told me the dog did not play and only watched the family from a distance. Uh, huh, okay. Strange. After the client and I took the dog for a walk, I did a short solo walk with the dog in the apartment building. It was a very uncomfortable walk and later told the client that we were not a good fit. So it does happen. Infrequently, yes, but these are the reasons I do not take on last minute sight-unseen jobs with new clients and why I insist on a full one hour consultation. It's very important to me that the pet, the client and myself all be completely content and comfortable with all upcoming arrangements.
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I've been petsitting and dog walking since I was in high school. I've been certified for pet first aid, but luckily I've never had to use it. Thousands of dog walks and petsit have been my training. There have been only one emergency: a bee sting that meant I had to take the pit bull to the vet and that went well without any problems. Two other doctor visits were planned: one for acupuncture; another, skin rash.