What if I have too many clients and my regulars can't get a booking?

Increase your rates for new clients, and keep the same/slight increase for repeat visitors. You can change the amount of visits you have from new people by adjusting your rates until you get the balance you desire :)

I'm kind of in the same boat you are. I have regular clients from my Craigslist days (oh, those days!), but have also acquired a good number of Rover regulars as well. A good number of the latter like to book exclusively with me because their dogs are special needs or extremely picky about people. I give these clients my personal cell phone number and ask them to text me as early as possible, but naturally this doesn't always work. I am very lucky in that they are all very understanding, but it makes me feel bad about it in the end.

I'd like to set up on repeat clients only, but... To be honest? I could really use the money, and the last minute bookings from out-of-towners bring in a very good portion of my income. Plus I know that it's really helping people and pups when they need it the most, so...!

Sorry I don't have a good answer, but you are definitely not alone in this problem! I'll be keeping an eye out on this thread for any good tips.

I take more than one dog at a time but still run into this issue (sometimes I have a dog that I've agreed to be the only one or I already have 3 or 4 booked or whatever). The suggestions Deb gave are super! I'm still taking new clients b/c there are times I'm not booked with regulars. I've found that most people don't "expect" you to be available all the time. When they contact me and I'm not available, I write them back as soon as possible and let them know I'm booked and if they have any issues finding someone else to let me know and I can help. So far I haven't had to but I should probably find other sitters in my area too. :) Good Luck!

Here are my thought regarding this: I might use the messaging system to write each of your regulars a short, nice note informing them of the recent change. Another possibility is trying to meet with nearby Rover sitters who are aligned with you both in regards to level of care given and price point, and looking into networking with them, where you can refer business to each other. If you do that, then you could let your regulars know that you recommend DogLover2 as a back up when your calendar shows unavailable.

I find getting to know other sitters that live in your area is helpful so you can refer clients to each other when you are full or unavailable.