Is is right to ask that I be allowed to bring my dog along when I house-sit?

My friend is a travel sitter and she takes her dog with her. She advertises with her dog so everyone that tries to book her knows she comes with a dog. They are a team and if they don't take her dog, she doesn't take the job. You might not get every customer you meet but some people will book you provided your dog is well behaved and potty trained. Give it a try. Write in your profile about your dog and how he loves meeting new dogs. When someone books you make sure you take lots of photos with your dog and the dog you are caring for. Post it on your profile so people can see the interaction. Owners will start leaving reviews and mention how good your dog is so other owner won't hesitate to book you.

HI there! I have a similar situation. I had two different clients this weekend, 1 booked on Rover, 1 a new referred pet sitting client. I have two sweet dogs who get along with dogs only their size. I asked my sister who lives less than ten minutes from me to let them out so I wouldn't have to make a 45 min drive to and from the client's house to my apartment.I agree with Deb A. have a family/friend/ or even roommate take care of them for the time being while you are getting situated in the pet sitting community. I stayed at a wonderful home in a well-to-do neighborhood and I would of felt very uncomfortable bringing my dogs along because of the property (that isn't always a factor) and because I didn't think it would be appropriate with the client's dogs (it would of caused stress on my dogs as well as the client's dogs).

I did have a situation when I was meeting a prospective client and had my dogs with me after getting off from work. The client said my dogs were well behaved and could stay over night with her dog if they wanted. Even though I knew they would be fine, the client's dog was not happy and had been recently rescued and was just getting used to having a home. Because I thought my dogs' presence would add stress to her environment and to her first experience of her owner being away I decided to not bring my dogs . It is important as a pet sitter to make sure the client (the animal) and the owner are happy and if your dog's presence might affect the client's happiness then you may need to reconsider bringing him along.

All in all I believe it is a judgement call. As you build a relationship with clients I believe there will come a time where you can propose your idea to the client about your dog staying over ( if it's an extended stay and a meet and greet in a neutral environment is performed first) but for now getting someone you know and trust to let your dog out is probably the best! Hope this helps!

It will likely be easier to build your house sitting business without the inclusion of your dog. I've found there are two predominant reasons clients book house sitting: it pertains to dogs or homes. The dogs may not be very socialized or have medical conditions. In my area, clients who book house sitting also tend to live in extremely high $$$$$$$$ valued properties and are quite particular about their homes. From some of my contacts with professional, licensed, bonded, insured dog sitting companies with their own web sites, phone systems, branded vehicles, advertising, etc. and many sitters, I know that even with many years of experience, those sitters who are dog owners leave their dogs with family/friends.

If you wanted to address the possibility of including your dog, I'd suggest putting a good amount of information about your availability (as it may relate to the time needed to also care for your dog) and your dog in the profile, and also discuss through the messages prior to a meet & greet. If approved to proceed, all dogs should be introduced before booking the stay to ensure it's the right match. *That's not to say it can't be done. It just means you may have less potential house sitting jobs than someone who doesn't bring a dog because additional factors need to be considered, in order to ensure the best match. *

For new clients I would definitely not bring this up. Their home may not be set up for additional dogs, their dog may not get along with other dogs, and the fact that he sheds would lead to maintenance and cleanup issues. As a customer, I would not want my house sitter to bring any personal pets with them. I understand you want what's best for your dog as well as your client's dog(s), but maybe house sitting is not the best option for you at this point.