Researching- dog sitting in clients home

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Researching- dog sitting in clients home
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Pel

Joined: 29 Mar 2008
Posts: 2366
Location: Sennybridge

Posted: Tue May 08, 12 8:33 am Post subject: Researching- dog sitting in clients home

Think here might be better than small business chat:

I was just looking around at different town areas and what they offer in terms of sitting (dogs in particular).
Something I have notice is that it doesnt seem to be the norm that the sitter goes round and stays 24/7 in the clients house (this is something that i provide, but didnt know it was that uncommon).
Does this mean that there would be a gap in the market?
I'm trying to think of ideas so that when Cae goes to nursery i can still do sittings. I know this mean my radius would probably have to be within 15miles of his nurssery, and so this would limit me in quantity of clients available.

Areas I'm thinking of at the moment are St andrew's, Exeter, Bristol and Bath. So I was hoping if people from near these parts could answer the gap in market question and how many they know of that do dog sitting where they stay over (or even smallholding sitting, since that is my prefered line of work)

Whilst writing this i also see that I couldnt do dog walking with dog sitting, as walking would be where i fit 6 client into a day, where sitting i'd have a client a week.. so the two can't be compatible.. maybe i've answered my own question.

Pilsbury

Joined: 13 Dec 2004
Posts: 5645
Location: East london/Essex

Posted: Tue May 08, 12 2:05 pm Post subject:
I think the cost of having someone come to my house for a week to look after my dog would be so much higher than the cost of a kennel that my dog would have to be spoilt rotten for me to use it. It would only really work if I was a mad dog person with 10 dogs. As far as I can see.

Katieowl

Joined: 01 Jun 2006
Posts: 4317
Location: West Wales

Posted: Tue May 08, 12 2:27 pm Post subject:

FWiW...I'm a dog owner who would NEVER use a kennel...mine are rescues and got passed about a bit before I got them, and as far as I'm concerned a forever home for them means that, I know they would freak out and think they'd been given away again, so I may fall into Pilsburys spoiled rotten category

It's not a problem for me as they either come with me, or I choose not to go without them. Not sure if that's any help, but I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks like that.

Kate

Pilsbury

Joined: 13 Dec 2004
Posts: 5645
Location: East london/Essex

Posted: Tue May 08, 12 2:35 pm Post subject:
I know a lot of people who either take their dogs or don't go, what I ment by spoilt rotten (i know you had a wink so didnt take it personally) is that to pay someone a full weeks living wage to look after one dog is going to be prohibitive, a full blown small holding or 10 dogs is a different matter though.

Katieowl

Joined: 01 Jun 2006
Posts: 4317
Location: West Wales

Posted: Tue May 08, 12 3:36 pm Post subject:
I'm not sure...someone who was earning a lot more than a dog sitter might not baulk at the price? What represents a weeks wages for a lot of us, is what others might spend on a night out. I would have thought a smallholding, on the whole, would have less disposable income than a fully employed city dweller/office worker? Kate

Katieowl

Joined: 01 Jun 2006
Posts: 4317
Location: West Wales

Posted: Tue May 08, 12 3:39 pm Post subject:
@ Pilsbury...spoilt rotten IMHO is my friends dog...he eats chicken breast while she gnaws on the wings. He won't eat dog food according to her, but when my kids dog-sat him and she'd given them a cooked chicken for him to eat, it had been a long time since they'd afforded chicken - they ate the chicken and he happily tucked into a tin of pedigree chum Kate

Pel

Joined: 29 Mar 2008
Posts: 2366
Location: Sennybridge

Posted: Tue May 08, 12 5:39 pm Post subject:

I havent ever looked after one dog only at a place, though have had one come to my house (£20 per 24hours.. its a rescue and doesnt want her in kennels).
Though I can see that if you have less than say 3-4 dogs it probably would be cheaper to kennel them/take with, going off what i've seen elsewhere..

Yeah smallholding/dog breeding kennels are a bit harder to put into boarding

..imagine all the bits of paperwork , isolation pens etc

Katieowl

Joined: 01 Jun 2006
Posts: 4317
Location: West Wales

Posted: Tue May 08, 12 6:19 pm Post subject:

Pel have you considered actually childminding? IIRC you found it was quite hard to find a CM for Cai. It might be worth looking into what's required these days if you think you could hack it, as it's IMHO one of the best kinds of employment if you have a kid of your own. Years ago you used to be allowed three kids, only one could be under 1 (?) and in the summer hols/after school you were allowed so many more (3?) over 5's if you have a couple of littlies at home all day, doing a school run too is a worth while enterprise (although you'd need car seats etc round here) I used to walk in London, as it breaks the day up a bit too.

Kate

Pel

Joined: 29 Mar 2008
Posts: 2366
Location: Sennybridge

Posted: Tue May 08, 12 6:46 pm Post subject:
Hmm i dont think i could cut it being a childminder. Mine is fine (just), but others i have a lot less patience for. Plus I'd hope in a larger place/town/city there'd be more choice of nurseries... though i know this doesnt nessceraly mean there will be a good one. Older kids like 5+ i wouldnt mind sitting, I remember enjoying my nephews and nieces a lot more once there were 5/6 or older.

sueshells

Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 690
Location: North Bucks

Posted: Tue May 08, 12 10:33 pm Post subject:

Pel I think that people who pay to have you dogsit in their home are also paying for the home to be looked after as well. I have done this for a wealthy couple and it was as much about having someone in the house overnight as it was not putting the dogs (two small terriers) into kennels. I also visit a cat twice a day when his owners are away and water their garden and allotment too. So it often isn't just dogsitting. Also I think the owners of some properties with valuable contents have problems with insurance if the place is left unattended. There should be plenty of scope for work, even in these difficult financial times. References or a current CRB check will probably help too.

Pel

Joined: 29 Mar 2008
Posts: 2366
Location: Sennybridge

Posted: Wed May 09, 12 6:57 am Post subject:

sueshells wrote:

References or a current CRB check will probably help too.

I'm guessing i'd be able to use my smallholding/farm/dog breeder sittings as references (the ones that have dogs on), or would people want specfic dog only sitting references?
I don't have a CRB check, though I'm guessing one was probably done on me when i helped in a primary school for a few days. Where do i get one from? Is it go to a police station or is there an online way too?

Yes I did think it would be more of looking after the house as well as dog (and i'd look after whatever else, garden etc). Though reassuring to hear you do it too for a couple of people

alison
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 12918
Location: North Devon

Posted: Wed May 09, 12 7:08 am Post subject:
https://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/agencies-public-bodies/crb/

Pel

Joined: 29 Mar 2008
Posts: 2366
Location: Sennybridge

Posted: Wed May 09, 12 7:14 am Post subject:

alison wrote:

https://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/agencies-public-bodies/crb/

Thank you

alison
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 12918
Location: North Devon

Posted: Wed May 09, 12 7:15 am Post subject:

Pel wrote:

alison wrote:

https://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/agencies-public-bodies/crb/

Thank you

No probs!

yummersetter

Joined: 26 Jan 2008
Posts: 3241
Location: Somerset

Posted: Wed May 09, 12 8:40 am Post subject:
There's chicken-caring stuff to consider too - that tilted the choice for us between kennels and house-sitter, though we have willing relatives who enjoy a break in the country looking after our 4 setters and eating new-laid eggs for breakfast.

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