It's a great service but not everyone can afford to pay someone for 24 hrs of their time. If you're needing a place to stay, room and board usually becomes part of the payment, but sitters I've used that offer the service have a day job elsewhere, in addition to their petsitting. They would check the pets in the AM, lunch and then stay in the home with the pets thru the night.

I think how successful it could be would depend on the economy of the area you're considering starting the business in.

I'm having a fellow vet student live at my house for Thanksgiving. It's going to cost $75/day but that's $75/day cheaper than boarding 5 dogs, one ferret, one iguana and possibly a parrot (I don't have him yet). Some of the techs and receptionists I used to work with also did house/pet sitting on a regular basis. They take care of the pets, water the gardens if needed, and it's really nice that the house isn't empty so as to attract burglers. If you're using an unknown person, then try to get recommendations from people who have used them. Or see if anyone from your vet office does this service. If you completely strike out, you may want to check out some of the professional organizations for pet sitters. Make sure people you don't know have references that you can contact.
I had the student come over once already to meet the dogs and make sure their weren't any personality conflicts. There weren't. She'll come over again before the date to go over feeding and such. She does have to work during the time, but that's OK as I would be at work or school anyway.
I used to board all the critters and they all do great. Ana in particular loves the kennel workers, which is great because she's generally very shy. But I also worked there, so the kennel people all know my critters very well, and the dogs know them, so it really worked out for me. I just didn't call far enough ahead of time to reserve space for the dogs, so this worked out for me.

I'd use you if I could afford it. I have a fiend who comes now for me and is very reasonable.

Interesting idea. You know that you'd probably have to get "bonded," right? For insurance purposes.

Here's an additional idea: In a few months, I'm probably going to have to find someone to come in and feed my pup. But AT NIGHT! And I'll bet there are very few places that do it at night. I'm dreading starting the search. The alternative is to feed my dog earlier and hope she will do any peeing and pooping on the newspaper (she's very good about peeing there; we'll see about the other business...and hope she doesn't turn out to be one of those dogs who eat poop). I might have to do a test run to see if she can handle it, but I know it'd be awfully bad for her to be alone for so long.

So this is an alternative service you might also consider!

I use a petsitter when I'm away. She charges $45/day to come at dinner time, stay over through breakfast, then come back once during the day for a walk. She also brings in my mail, turns lights on and off and makes sure everything is clean for my return.

Like she is, you can be certified and insured through the NAPPS petsitter insurance program at petsitters.org.

I also use a petsitter who "stays" at my home.

I don't want to board my pets and I don't want a 3 times per day water and walk. With 6 pets, its the only thing that makes sense. Besides, my oldest dog is now a senior, I don't want to send her out, she has many issues, lots of meds, no hips, slips all the time and I would not be having any fun on vacation for worrying about her welfare at a boarder. My dogs are much more comfortable in their own home and yard. Also, she comes and goes as if she were in her own home. Just have to keep an eye on the clock for potty breaks during the day and dinner time. My guys are standing at attention at 4:55 p.m.

My petsitter is great. She came from a service which charged alot, but as posted above, were bonded and insured. She stayed for a month one summer for me when I had back to back trips. I would be lost without her and I treat her like family.

That said, I'll take an honest to goodness dog lover referral petsitter without insurance if I had to. Any event, my sitter left the service and kept 2 clients, me and another family (both lab families:). She was working two other jobs and couldn't keep up with the service's schedule. She then reduced what she was getting paid because the service that previously employed her no longer got a cut. No, she didn't maintain insurance but I think you would agree that after you know someone, you can tell what they are about. This woman is a teacher in a nearby township, goes to Sunday mass and is raising two teenage boys who are well-adjusted good kids. One works as an EMT in training the other is a little younger and she brings him with at times. She likes to come to my house. I have a pool and lots of room and privacy (she lives in a townhouse with no privacy). I leave her the soda she likes and usually cook a nice gourmet meal before I leave for her to reheat her first nite. Not expected by her, just something I want to do because she is so good with my pets. I leave her a note on the day I leave of what's going on, if anyone is taking any meds that she doesn't already know about, or if someone's got a diet restriction or whatever. She usually comes to the house about 3 hours after my planned departure time.

She keeps daily notes for me (I have each and every one of them for all the years she's sat for me). These are like a journal and priceless especially for times when she came for my dogs that were then puppies and for my long gone first labrador.

When my now long gone dog was in his final days I had to travel for a weekend and he was post signficant surgery. My petsitter came and did a wonderful job. She knows how to give medicine, etc. Of course I called three times a day to check on him:)

I have also used her during times when I have been raising puppies and have to be away from the house for more hours than the pup can be properly restrained in the crate. She would come and do a potty break for the pup and...

I would/do pay any amount to have someone "Expereinced with my breed" stay in my home with my dog.
What you know about certain breeds and their health, behavioral issues etc. will determine how much you can make. If this is just a passsing fancy anyone willing to pay good money isn't going to be impressed..why? people willing to pay good money are usually very serious about their dogs care. You can actually "customize your business" by becomming educated about dog behavior, health issues, etc.
Prepare yourself for this career if- you- will, so that when you go on an interview as you would any job, your worth will be determined by what you know.
I can't tell you how many dog sitters I have interveiwed that told me how so called experienced they were with my breed (German Shepherd)than when I asked what they knew about bloat they had no clue..let's just say the interview ended there.

cindyx - That's exactly what I mean. Your dog has certain things that are common to his breed which are emergencies, that's why I do the "what if this happens or that happens scenarios". Amazing the answers I have gotten:) I agree end of interview. Also, I watch how my dogs act when someone comes in to interview. Dogs have instinct. If my dogs aren't interested in someone, then neither am I. When my petsitter comes my dogs are clammering to get the first lick in to say welcome and glad to see you!

First, it's excellent that you're doing market research before starting the business.

My thoughts:

• I wouldn't be comfortable having someone to come into my house for any reason unless I was there but that's me. I find most boarding facilities are unacceptable by my standards so I guess I'm forced to take my pets with me everywhere. There is one exception and that's the pethotel by petsmart and I haven't had to use them yet.

• The cost as mentioned but...

• If coupled with other "house sitting" tasks I think people could really see the value in it. I had a client once that were housesitters in Florida and they did well with the snowbirds but you might find out what kind of stuff they did and mention that. You might offer some limited grooming too. One of my dogs is a breed that needs frequent combing of long hair. I do it daily so it's easier to manage.

• I can tell you there probably wouldn't be much of a demand for it in my area since most people here keep their dogs out in the back yard and drop some food & water back there whenever they get around to it. To them dogs are like goldfish in a bowl. But if you're not in a redneck area then I don't think you'll have this problem.

No. I just don't trust most people to care for my pets. You hear too many stories. Something comes up and the pet sitter changes her priorities and leaves your animals unattended. Or she just leaves the dog outside for a minute (while she naps) and the dog gets out and is hit by a car.

I always leave mine with the vet. They monitor food intake and keep an eye on the animals overall health. I like and trust my vet.

ABSOLUTELY! I have been searching for 2 years in the little town I've moved into for someone to do just what you're talking about. I think I've finally found someone and we're meeting this week. Our first "vacation" with be just 2 nights away, 45 miles north of here as a "test run". When we lived in Atlanta, we had a much easier time finding a house/pet sitter.

secsteve, if your really serious about this just type in "how to start a pet sitting service" in your search engine and you will get all kinds of advertisement ideas as well as any legal forms you may need.