Petsitter - Additional fee for drop-off/pick-up at Doggy Daycare?

[SuckerForHorses]

I have been dog sitting for a client for a few years now. I stay in their home and care for their dog. Their normal trips are about a week, and the dog does not go to doggy daycare during those trips while I’m there.

They normally take her to doggy daycare twice a week.

They will be away from April 15 to April 28, and have asked if I mind bringing the dog to doggy daycare on four of the days they are away.

I don’t mind bringing the dog, but its not on my way to/from work, so I will be driving out of my way 6 miles one way, so, 12 miles round trip, twice a day (drop off, pick up). So, a total of 24 miles on my vehicle for each of those days. I get 14 mpg with my truck.

Is it wrong to ask them to pay me a little more on those four days?

Normally I charge $30.00 per day. I was thinking of asking for $35.00 on those days, which really doesn’t even cover all of the gas cost, but I felt like that wasn’t an unreasonable amount.

Thoughts?

[HiddenAcres]

Absolutely

Yes, an additional charge would be in order. This is a time eater service. Leave your house, pick up pet, go to day care, take pet in, go extra miles to work… You have just added an hour at least to your morning routine.

When clients start asking for this without expecting to pay for additional service, they will soon be asking you to do housekeeping chores for free.

Many doggy daycares offer pick up services. Call the place and see what they would charge, then halve that. $5 extra is not enough for time and wear and tear on vehicle.$10 at least.

[SuckerForHorses]

[QUOTE=HiddenAcres;8070125]
Yes, an additional charge would be in order. This is a time eater service. Leave your house, pick up pet, go to day care, take pet in, go extra miles to work… You have just added an hour at least to your morning routine.

When clients start asking for this without expecting to pay for additional service, they will soon be asking you to do housekeeping chores for free.

Many doggy daycares offer pick up services. Call the place and see what they would charge, then halve that. $5 extra is not enough for time and wear and tear on vehicle.$10 at least.[/QUOTE]

For the $30 per day I already do “household” stuff :lol:

The last time I was there I had to snowblow the yard three times.

I also bring in their mail, put out the recycle & trash bin on pickup days, and usually when I get there the dish washer is full of clean dishes that I empty and put away.

Asking for more money is just awkward :lol:

[godiva13]

Wow, i wish i could find a pet sitter for $30 a day that stays at my house. i pay about $50 a day for 3 visits when i am out of town.

[SuckerForHorses]

I have another client where it’s $25 per visit, so on a regular twice/day visit I get $50. She has 4 dogs and a cat that need let out and fed, and two horses that just get hay thrown at them and water filled. No stalls, etc. And she’s on my way home anyway, so it’s quick and easy money.

[Laurierace]

Yeah your prices are crazy low to begin with, you should definitely charge for driving the dog. Just curious, do you have insurance?

[SuckerForHorses]

[QUOTE=Laurierace;8070197]
Yeah your prices are crazy low to begin with, you should definitely charge for driving the dog.[/QUOTE]

Well it’s not exactly like I’m in a high-priced area to begin with, so I don’t want to charge exorbitant prices either.

The same place the dog goes for doggy daycare is $25.00 per day for boarding, and staying at their house is actually cheaper for me than staying at home and driving to work. There I’m only 2 miles from work, versus the 20 miles from home.

[betsyk]

Does doggy daycare mean you don’t have to do something else you’d normally do with the dog? for example, if you didn’t take him to day care would you have to take him for an hour’s walk in the woods, or leash walks around the neighborhood? If it’s saving you a trip home at lunchtime to let him out (hypothetically) then maybe the time involved, and the gas, balances out. Just a thought. That may be how his owners are thinking about it, too, so that could be a way to start the conversation - “do you still want me to do his hour-long romp in the woods every evening if he goes to daycare? you do? then can we add another $X/day for the time and gas it takes to get across town to drop him off before work and pick him up?” I’d have a hard time asking for more, too, but I’d probably wish I did. Six miles doesn’t sound like much until you’re late for work.

[SuckerForHorses]

[QUOTE=betsyk;8070460]
Does doggy daycare mean you don’t have to do something else you’d normally do with the dog? for example, if you didn’t take him to day care would you have to take him for an hour’s walk in the woods, or leash walks around the neighborhood? If it’s saving you a trip home at lunchtime to let him out (hypothetically) then maybe the time involved, and the gas, balances out. Just a thought. That may be how his owners are thinking about it, too, so that could be a way to start the conversation - “do you still want me to do his hour-long romp in the woods every evening if he goes to daycare? you do? then can we add another $X/day for the time and gas it takes to get across town to drop him off before work and pick him up?” I’d have a hard time asking for more, too, but I’d probably wish I did. Six miles doesn’t sound like much until you’re late for work.[/QUOTE]

No, the dog will be at doggy day care the same hours I’d be at work. No going home to let the dog out during the day; so it’s a completely added trip out of the way from my normal routine travel.

[jen-s]

I’d absolutely ask for extra $ to cover your gas, at a minimum. And I agree, you’re rates are super low!

I start at $50/night (not insured) to stay over, friends/family get a discount. Complex care needs or lots of animals or general inconvenience makes me add to that charge.

[SuckerForHorses]

I emailed him back and told him that I would be more than willing to bring doggy to the daycare on those four days, but my rate for that day would be $40, instead of the usual $30 (so $10 more on those days). I haven’t heard back from him :lol:

Oh well, makes no difference to me whether she goes or not. If she does, great, I’ll get $40 that day. If she doesn’t because they don’t want to pay me the extra $10, well, I get to sleep later on those days before getting up to go to work :lol:

[Laurierace]

You guys that are doing this uninsured should really think about getting insurance. It isn’t that expensive and gives such peace of mind that if something happens you aren’t going to lose all the money you have made and then some. All it takes is something simple like not getting the faucet shut off all the way when you filled the water dish and it overflows and ruins the floor while you are away. Even things like dropping the key while you are out walking the dog and having to get the house rekeyed can cost way more than the policy.

[Blinky]

Honestly, if I was your client I would be irritated by the $10 per day increase for the request ($40!) for something that is going to take your probably 15 minutes. You had already said that staying at their house was a 2 mile drive to work vs. your normal 20 mile drive to work from your house.

If one is staying at a person’s house it would seem obvious to bring in the paper, mail, and take out the trash.

I guess I don’t understand this trend these days where people want to nickel and dime their good clients.

[Laurierace]

One of the biggest hurdles professional pet caretakers face is being paid as a professional. Let’s face it, a ten year old neighbor could put down some food and let the dog out. We are successful professionals because we are reliable 100%, trustworthy 100%, and knowledgeable 100% of the time. We care for your pets and your home and deserve to be paid accordingly. If you don’t want to pay for a professional and take your chances with the neighbor, be my guest.

[Blinky]

Where did you get that from-I didn’t say anything about being Professional??? Just because I think now and then you should do things for your clients…I don’t like paying $1.00 for my extra sour cream at the Mexican restaurant either.

Is the client a good client? Pays on time, dogs is good to work with, leave you food in the fridge…etc…

Some times you just DO things because its called “goodwill”.

[Laurierace]

I agree with you when it is little things during the time I am already there but time is money. Those minutes I spend taking your dog somewhere is time I could be getting paid taking care of another animal somewhere else. For the record, I include one way transportation in my daycare rates. Driving both ways is an extra charge however.

[Blinky]

Fair enough. I agree with you in that “Time is Money”. However the OP wanted opinions and that was mine.

I do have a pet walker and totally appreciate what they do. I’ve never asked if they will take our dog somewhere. If she goes to doggy day care its on my way to work. Plus I like the company in the car.

[SuckerForHorses]

Taking the dog to the doggy daycare is also NOT something originally “negotiated” in my $30 per day price a year ago when they became my client. If it was, I would’ve told them at the time, $40 per day then. But this is a new request.

Also, it is not on my way to work, it’s out of my way in the opposite direction.

[SuckerForHorses]

Honestly, if I was your client I would be irritated by the $10 per day increase for the request ($40!) for something that is going to take your probably 15 minutes.

And, it’s not 15 minutes - I live in a rural area. Taking the dog to the location is going to take 30 minutes, then 30 minutes back to my “starting point” then the 2 miles to work, because they aren’t in the same direction. If the doggy daycare were on my way, I wouldn’t think of charging extra. But this additional task is adding an hour of driving on each end of my day, not to mention wear and tear on my vehicle during mud season (daycare is on dirt road, drive to work is all asphalt).

[HiddenAcres]

Most sitters charge for overnight as well

If you are sleeping over, even though it is helpful for your situation, most sitters will charge an overnight fee. They are getting a very good deal. The daycare thing is not part of the deal.

Absolutely depends on the market and the client, but don’t set yourself up to be taken advantage of, as all your word of mouth clients will expect it.

If your google Pet Sitter Associations, you can see the groups and read about insurance. Usually the homeowner’s insurance will cover anything that happens to the house. Transporting the pets can be a little more complicated.