How to Become a Pet Sitter
How to become a pet sitter is not as hard as one might think. Becoming a pet sitter is also very lucrative and came be a very rewarding career. If becoming a pet sitter interests you continue reading and find out how to advertise and run a pet sitting business from your very own home.
- Basic knowledge. You must have some basic knowledge about pets of all kind in order to make pet sitting a business. The number one most common pet you will be pet sitting is dogs, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be asked to watch birds, cats, and reptiles. Potential clients will expect you to have some basic understanding on how to care for their pets. If you are only comfortable pet sitting dogs, then you must specify that is the only service you offer.
- Website. Having a website is an absolute must if you want to become a professional pet sitter. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but you should have all of your contact information, service’s you provide, and hours of operation on your pet sitting website. Come up with a catchy business and consider registering your pet sitting business name in the state that you reside. It’s very inexpensive to register your business name and will set your apart from the amateurs.
- How much do pet sitter’s make? This is the biggest, smartest question you should be asking yourself if you are wanting to become a pet sitter. You need to know if pet sitting is a lucrative business. How much money to charge your clients for watching a dog overnight for boarding will vary depending on which state you live in. It would be crazy to charge anything under $40.00 a night. This is because most pet sitting businesses will charge $40 – $60 a night which covers up to 3 dogs. Pet sitting three dogs is not easy and $40 – $60 a night is a very fair price. Don’t low ball yourself and charge pennies on the dollar just to get clients. Pet sitting is a hard business and is real work.
- Supplies. You will need to know what supplies is needed to start a pet sitting business. To become a pet sitter you don’t have to spend a lot of money. In fact, you should require your clients to supply all the food, treats, leashes, bedding, and creates. Having a phone, contact information, pet sitting contracts, and having a doggie first aid kit will be your responsibility.
These are four basic steps to becoming a pet sitter. Once you determine what services you will be providing your clients the rest will fall into place. Don’t make the mistake of offering a lot of services right away. It’s recommended to start off with pet sitting cats, and or dogs for the first six months. Once you gain more experience you can offer more services.