I feel like this is a slidding scale dependent on many factors. So here are mine:

- Leaving extremely early on a Friday morning to fly to Colorado for a wedding and coming back late Saunday night. So sitter has to come early (at least by 8am) Friday morning to feed and stay until at least feeding dinner on Sunday

- Sitter gets to stay at my bad ass house (IMO at least) in downtown Charleston. Sitter already lives downtown Charleston, but lives in a condo with her younger brother. So she gets a nice spacious house with a yard and a big ass TV with satellite (doesn't have cable in condo).

- Sitter loves my dog. Comments on all of the pictures we put up on facebook and when she met him in person the other weekend...she freaked out. She's outdoorsy, and she's already been talking about taking him to the beach, the dog park, etc.

- House is stocked with food and alcohol. She has beer/wine/liquor/eggs/milk/OJ/bagels/coffee. She's obviously not going to be cooking any three course meals, but there's enough to get her through three days.

- The sitter is a 23 year old female who waits tables and is going to PA school at UF next year. So not too many obligations and she's taking it easy. So its not like she's working a 9-5 and this dog is going to occupy her weekend.

- I've known this girl, her sister, her brother, and her parents for around 5 to 6 years. I honestly think that she's not even expecting to get paid. Was an "older brother" to her sister for years (was dating a friend). So I'm slightly like extended family (her mom calls me when she comes to town).

What can I get away with paying her? I'm thinking $60...$20 a day. What say you, t-dub?

12/5/2012 7:09:57 PM

I get 10 bucks a visit when I dog sit, so of I let them out 3 times a day it is 30 bucks. At the vet I used to work at the techs that did overnight visits got around 100 a day, but those animals usually needed meds and there was more than one. I would do 30 a day if you can.

12/5/2012 7:30:13 PM

$20 a day and she has to stay at your place the entire time?? i would not accept this job offer

12/5/2012 7:41:17 PM

I gave her the offer of taking the dog to her place...but she said she'd rather stay at the house.

My house is nicer than her condo and it's minus-an annoying younger brother. She's also not staying the entire time. She's working Saturday morning and Sunday night. So it's not like she's locked in the house for three days.

[Edited on December 5, 2012 at 7:43 PM. Reason : .]

12/5/2012 7:42:32 PM

Neighbor paid me like $120 to watch his dog for a weekend, you should aim for that

12/5/2012 7:54:58 PM

give her $50 cash and a $20 gift card for something she likes

12/5/2012 8:25:49 PM

Like elise, I've been paid $10-20 dollars per visit. The higher end was for a family with 6 little yappy dogs.

For your consideration:

When you decide what to pay her consider that it would cost you somewhere in the neighborhood of $25+ a day to board your dog depending on what activities you schedule and whether or not you require an exit bath. You also wouldn't be able to drop your dog off but so early on Friday and you can't pick up late on a Sunday so that would be a potential 2 extra days. Also when your dog stays at home, they're less stressed; and if someone is staying in your home, your dog probably will get more attention and one on one time.

If I were going out of town for that length of time, this is what my bill for boarding my dog usually looks like:

$22/day for Thurs maybe, Fri, Sat, and Sun nights = $66-88 bucks
$5/Run and plays for 2 or 3= $15
$20 Exit Bath
At the bare minimum, I'd be paying the $66, but more likely would end up paying $123

[Edited on December 5, 2012 at 10:52 PM. Reason : .]

12/5/2012 10:51:39 PM

Quote :

"give her $50 cash and a $20 gift card for something she likes"

oohh...I like this idea.

^ I feel ya. Although I just gave him an "entrance bath" this morning. Wanted him to be fresh and clean for the sitter.

In the past, I've done tons of dog-sitting for free because I love dogs and my job/schedule at the time wasn't conducive to having a full time pet. It was like I was renting a dog for free! So that's how I see it to start off with and I have to remember that I am putting a burden on someone and taking up their time. At the same time, I feel like she's getting to do something that she really wants to do and gets a few extra perks at the same time. And my dog is pretty low-maintenance.

I might do the $60 cash plus a small gift certificate.

12/6/2012 6:55:00 AM

Post a pic of her. We will evaluate compensation based on her looks.

12/6/2012 7:01:47 AM

She's ridiculously cute...but no pics. Her whole family is like a bunch of barbie dolls. I just asked her sister what gift certificate I should get her and she replies, "she is so excited about doing this!"

And THAT's why I'm not paying her an arm and a leg.

Their dad is a Vet as well...if that matters. One of the reasons I picked her.

[Edited on December 6, 2012 at 7:11 AM. Reason : .]

12/6/2012 7:04:59 AM

Even though she is looking forward to it you'll want to compensate her well so you'll have a reliable sitter to look to in the future. Or until she leaves for law school or wherever you said she was going.

12/6/2012 7:14:53 AM

$20 a day is plenty. My girlfriend has had a pet-sitting visit for years, and that's more or less what she charges.

12/6/2012 7:15:18 AM

First, ask her what she would like to be paid before you settle on the fact that she'll doing it. If she can't come up with an answer, suggest $25 a day, that sounds reasonable to me.

12/6/2012 9:58:09 AM