Hi. I am interested in becoming a sitter. I wanted to know how the details of a day sitter vs.overnight. Example, how many hours, the pay etc. Does the overnight sitter have the dog all day and overnight, or just overnight? Thanks.
The services Rover offers are explained here:
https://support.rover.com/hc/en-us/ar...
(1) If, by day sitter, you mean daycare, then the guideline about hours is also explained at that link.
(2) Overnight sitters are expected to say at the client home overnight and take care of the pet during the day as well, the same as a sitter who boards dogs. You are not necessarily tied to the house without the ability to run errands, do things you must in your life, but the amount of time you are away needs to be discussed with the client.
(3) You determine the pay. Look at what other sitters charge in your area (both Rover and non-Rover) and set your rate a bit lower initially to attract customers. You can raise them once you are more fully established and have a number of reviews on Rover.
You do have the ability to modify your services as you wish but you will need to communicate any differences from the above guidelines to your client. If you do not want to stay overnight at a client's home, then you can offer drop-in visits, which are also explained above.
You choose your rates. Rover does take out a 20% fee if you are just signing up--that comes out of your price, it is not also. Just in case a client mentions it. Rover charges another small fee to the client (i want to say maybe 3-5%) in the booking. Some clients may think the fee is charged by the sitter.
Daycare is generally daytime work hours maybe 7/8-5/6pm. Boarding is usually 24 hours, I don't charge extra unless its within a few hours of being an extra day unless a very difficult dog or a stay lasting two days or less. Walking and drop ins are 30 mins. In the winter, I let my walking clients know that if it is too cold outside, the additional time after potty breaks, will be spent inside either playing with the dog, belly/back rubs, etc. Responsible owners will appreciate it as they don't want their dog to hurt their paws and the animal still receives the necessities and receives attention for the entire time.
Make sure you consider certain things before your first client, so you are prepared. If you board, asking pick up and drop off times is ideal. Some people may think they can stay 1 day and 22 hours and it only counts as one night stay. Most are reasonable, some even paying an entire extra day for an extra 3-4 hours past 24-hour mark (on last day) for a tip. Clearing this up, in the beginning, will save stress when comes up on the last day.
I check in about any particular quirks, something they may be more likely to get into/eat, anything they are afraid of, etc. If you are a walker, are there any homes (or even streets) you should not walk past? Sometimes it is just wise to avoid areas that would rile up the dog. If walking or house sitting, might anyone else be there? Two reasons. First, you won't be scared/surprised if you see someone. Second, you will know who is suppose to be around, if your client is out of town.