Setting Your Overnight Dog Sitting Fees: How Much to Charge Per Night

Alright, so I had to figure out this whole overnight dog sitting pricing thing. It's kinda tricky, you know? You don't want to undersell yourself, but you also don't want to scare people away with crazy high prices.

My Pricing Journey

First, I did some digging around. I saw somewhere, this place called Pet Sitters International, they said the average is like, $96.66 for an overnight. That seemed... high, at least for where I live. So that was my starting point, a number to keep in mind, but not necessarily the number.

Then I thought about what I actually do. It's not just popping in to feed the dog and take them for a quick walk. I'm there all night. That means:

• Making sure they're fed, watered, and have had their potty breaks.
• Giving them some playtime and cuddles – gotta keep 'em happy!
• Keeping an eye on them overnight, making sure they're safe and comfy.
• Dealing with any, uh, "accidents" that might happen.

I asked the dog owner if I have to arrive early to do a bedtime walk, and then leave after the morning walk.

Then I factored in the "hassle factor." Am I staying at their place, or are they bringing the dog to me? If it's at their place, I gotta pack a bag, drive over there, and basically be away from my own home. That's worth something, right?

Finally, I checked out what other people in my area were charging. I didn't want to be way out of line, either high or low. Found a few local Facebook groups for pet sitters, and just kinda lurked to see what prices people were throwing around.

So, after all that, I landed on a range. My pricing totally depended on the dog, the location, and what the owner needed. And don't forget how many times I've worked with that dog, if it's more, I feel okay to charge higher.