I have heard that house sitting means the sittter stays at your house at the night. Another friend said that it means that the sitter is there a few hours each day, a couple of times a day, but still goes to their house at night. I have been told a house-sitting is more TLC than dog drop in.
We are new to all of this, so have no idea what service we even want
Yes the sitter stays at your house at night for house sitting. Depending on their commitments, they may also be there for most of the day. Personally, when I offered sitting, that was my "job" so I was there pretty much 24/7 unless I had prior commitments and we worked something else out. I also took the dogs for rides in the car (if agreed upon) and/or out and about to other places (again if agreed upon). Generally house sitters that spend more hours with your dog than not charges more than one who is there from evening through morning.
Drop ins are as Walt described.
Good luck!
Even though Rover's Help section states that each "night" of house sitting is good for up to 24 hours of care, sitters are independent and can interpret that however they like. There is unfortunately no standardization or requirement for adhering to that definition on Rover. That is probably why you've heard all those different scenarios.
With house sitting, you should have expectation that the sitter will not only stay the night but spend a majority of his/her time in your home. This is a premium-type service and should command higher rates.
However, there is a wide range of interpretation among Rover sitters. Some will move in, like Lisa described., but also do drop-ins and walks for other dogs using your home as a base of operation. Others may only be there from 7 pm to 7 am and have regular full-time jobs or be college students with flexible schedules. Some will check in on the dog in the middle of the day; some may charge you extra for a drop-in visit or walk. So it is always good to go over your expectations with the potential sitter.
I am looking for a sitter for one small dog and a cat but would require the sitter to actually be at my home 24/7 in looking at rates it seems $35 is low for this service. I want to be fair. How much should I be paying?
Tammy, rates vary by location. I have no idea where you live. If $35 seems low, then your gut feeling could be correct, i.e., that you are not getting the exact service you want. Contact several sitters and ask specifically what's included, especially the amount of time spent in your home.
Rover sitters are all independent contractors and set their own policies for the services they offer. However, most sitters who offer house sitting will stay in your home overnight, most will arrive in the evening and leave again in the morning hours, many also will stop by during the day to give your pups a potty break and possibly a short walk. The level of care provided and the hours staying in your home should be discussed at length with your potential sitter.
Drop-in services provide 30 minute visits during the day/evening where the sitter will give your dog a potty break, maybe a short walk and provide food and water. If you are away from your home most sitters will require 3 drop-in visits per day, so you may find this option more expensive than a house sit booking. Hope this helps
I am new to Rover and was confused too! I wasn't sure if house sitting was just overnight and all day, or dropping in multiple times? What also confused me was that when someone schedules house sitting it will say for example from the 4th to the 9th, 5 days right? But the pay is only for "4 night"?