Personal Residence - Dog Daycare and Boarding?

I've been offering boarding in my home through Rover for about a year, and I"d say I've had very positive experiences for the most part. I've been fortunate in that I haven't had anything damaged, and I do have carpet throughout.

I'm doing this part time by choice and I like to have only about 2 weeks out of the month scheduled. I only take one dog, or one dog family, at a time to avoid conflicts with multiple dogs not getting along. I have just started offering doggie daycare in my home, but again, I would only have one dog, or dog family, at a time.

To get more clients, make sure your profile is complete, accurate and describes your home, yard and neighborhood. Include pictures of you, any dogs you may have, any family members, and areas of the house where the dog(s) will be allowed. I also included pictures of the nearby greenbelt and park where I would be taking my boarding dogs for walks and playtime.

Good advice from Deb on how to set your rates. Start out lower than the average, then gradually raise your rates as you get more clients and reviews.

Welcome! I've been boarding out of our home as a hobby for the past 10 years, but I decided to try and turn it into a business last year.

I've been blessed to have a very positive experience...both with the dogs and their humans. ;) Damages have been incredibly minimal. There have been some housetraining accidents (everything single one of which has contributed to my anti-carpet stance), a few scratches on our kitchen table from a counter surfing dog, a few teeth marks in a measuring cup, and one chewed through leash. The biggest damage happened 7ish years ago and was, unfortunately, recently repeated: a set of faux wood blinds.
Outside of Rover, I foster trained a dog for three months and he chewed through a seatbelt, pulled off a tiny piece of car upholstery, and ripped a hole in my bed skirt. I really don't consider him a regular boarder though.

When I did this as a hobby, I sat maybe once a month, or once every other month. In the year since I started advertising more, I've been incredibly busy---272 booked days from September 2014 to September 2015. My average stay is about five nights, and weekends/holidays fill fast. I do have some regulars, but I always love getting new clients.

As a hobbiest, my prices were laughably low. I've raised them considerably in the last year, and plan to continue. It's not just the fact that I want to earn more money, it's that the busier I get, the more work it becomes. Running it like a business takes time, and I can't afford not to be compensated for it.

I do not currently offer a doggy day care. I'm not confident mixing unfamiliar dogs with each other, plus I work an 11 hour shift two days a week, so it just doesn't work for me. I think you really have to have the right set-up for it. Even if I had more knowledge and didn't work the hours I do, I'm not sure our house would be good for it. It's tough to live in the same place dogs are rough housing in.

I wrote up an article as kind of a "Things I've Learned and Advice I'd Give..." piece. If I can figure out how to get it to you, you're than welcome to read it if you'd like.

I've been boarding and providing occasional daycare for about a year and a half. During some months (like this entire Feb-May) I was getting about the max number of booked stays that I wanted. This fall has been crazy slow. But I'm definitely a part timer, and I don't do much of any outside advertising. One or two stays per month is fine with me, though this spring I was getting many more.

I've had hardly any issues with damage. I've had a few potty accidents (I'd estimate about half the dogs have at least one, usually right after drop off), but I have wood floors and a lot of enzymatic cleaner handy. One dog figured out how to open the treat cupboard and the dogs had a blast with the dental bones. One dog ate a book (ironically, it was titled I Could Chew On This, And Other Poems for Dogs). Damage is definitely something to consider, but good supervision can prevent a lot of potential problems.

Overall, I really enjoy dog sitting. It's hard work, but I've met some great dogs and their people and I've really developed my skills with animals. I was already pretty savvy, but I now feel much more confident in reading body language and creating a good environment.

If you use the search sitters and type in Graham, Washington, you'll see Rover sitters in the area already providing this service. At a quick glance, I saw rates as low as $15/night (which is usually a 24 hour period) up to $55. Generally, when sitters start they often have to offer a lower than competitor market rate in order to get Rover verified reviews from stays booked on Rover. In your profile, you'd definitely want to mention any other reasons why pet parents should choose you, including that their animals would never be alone because you'd stay home with them and the huge fenced in yard, and of course photos of the home, you, other pets of your own or that you've cared for elsewhere, etc.

As for how often you'll be booked, that depends on many factors,: demand in your area, need for your services, rates, competition, reviews, etc. If you start in November, you could gain new customers from the holiday season, but it may not remain that steady throughout the year.

As for damages, you need to be prepared in advance. Even after a meet&greet goes well and you've decided to host a dog in your home, you need to be very cautious. For example, all dogs (even if house trained) usually need to go for a walk asap upon arrival due to nerves. If you don't give them that, be prepared to clean up the floors. Also, for some dogs that bundle of nerves continues on and requires frequent outings. Lots of sitters have belly bands, gates, fences, and crates (for crate trained dogs) at the ready, especially if you host from multiple families at the same time. Also, if you're concerned about damage and do want to become a sitter, you may want to look into getting additional insurance coverage. Here's a thread you may want to read: https://www.rover.com/community/quest...