How to Become a Successful Pet Sitter: The Complete Guide

TL;DR

Becoming a successful pet sitter requires more than loving animals. You need a safe, suitable environment, genuine experience with different pet types, a professional profile that builds trust, competitive but sustainable pricing, excellent communication with clients, and the discipline to run what is effectively a small business. Start small, build your reputation through exceptional service, and let word of mouth and reviews do the marketing for you.

Is Pet Sitting Right for You?

Before we talk about how to build a pet sitting business, let us be honest about what the work actually involves. Pet sitting is rewarding, flexible, and can be genuinely lucrative — but it is not for everyone.

Pet sitting is right for you if:

You genuinely enjoy caring for animals — not just playing with them, but the full spectrum of feeding, cleaning, medicating, and managing behaviour
You are comfortable with responsibility — these are living beings that depend entirely on you when their owner is away
You have a suitable living environment (for boarding) or reliable transport (for walking and visits)
You can handle irregular income and seasonal fluctuations
You are good at communication — with anxious pet owners, this is as important as the animal care itself
You have patience and problem-solving ability for the inevitable difficult moments

Pet sitting may not be right for you if:

You love animals but find the daily maintenance tasks tedious
You prefer predictable, structured work with set hours
You live in an environment that is not suitable for hosting animals (small apartment, no outdoor access, restrictive lease)
You struggle with the anxiety of being responsible for someone else's pet
You are looking for a quick, easy way to make money (pet sitting is neither quick nor easy to do well)

Getting Started: The Foundation

Prepare Your Environment

If you plan to offer dog boarding or doggy daycare, your home is your workplace. Inspect it critically:

Fencing: is your yard fully enclosed? Could a determined dog dig under or jump over the fence? Most regions require secure fencing for boarding services.
Indoor safety: remove or secure anything a dog could chew, swallow, or knock over. This includes electrical cords, houseplants (many are toxic to pets), cleaning products, and small objects.
Separate spaces: can you separate guest dogs from your own pets if needed? Can you keep dogs apart during feeding?
Outdoor hazards: unfenced pools, garden chemicals, compost bins with toxic contents, and unsecured gates are all risks.
Neighbours: will barking dogs cause problems? Have a plan for noise management.

For dog walking and drop-in visits, your vehicle and equipment are your workspace. Ensure you have:

Reliable transport
A secure lead and backup lead
Poo bags, water, and a portable bowl
Basic first aid supplies

Get Your Qualifications

While formal qualifications are not legally required in most regions, they significantly increase your credibility and competence:

Pet first aid certification: a one-day course that teaches you to handle choking, cuts, heatstroke, seizures, and other emergencies. This is arguably the most important qualification a pet sitter can have.
Animal behaviour understanding: even a basic online course in canine or feline body language will help you read animals more accurately and prevent incidents.
Business basics: understanding invoicing, tax obligations, and record-keeping will save you headaches as your business grows.

Insurance

Pet sitting insurance is not legally required everywhere, but it is a strong indicator of professionalism and protects you financially. Look for policies that cover:

Public liability: if a dog in your care injures someone or damages property
Care, custody, and control: if a pet in your care is injured or becomes ill
Key holding: if you lose a client's keys while providing house sitting services
Personal injury: if you are injured while providing pet care

The cost is typically modest — often a few hundred dollars per year — and the peace of mind is worth every cent.

Building Your Profile

Your profile is your storefront. It is the first thing potential clients see, and it determines whether they message you or scroll past. Invest real time in getting it right.

Photos That Build Trust

Show your space: photos of your garden, living room, sleeping area for dogs, and outdoor areas. Pet owners want to see where their animal will actually be.
Show yourself with animals: natural, unposed photos of you interacting with real pets. Not stock images.
Show your own pets (if applicable): well-cared-for personal pets are evidence of your commitment to animal welfare.
Quality matters: decent lighting, clean backgrounds, and clear images. You do not need a professional photographer, but blurry, dark photos do not build confidence.

A Bio That Connects

Your bio should answer three questions for a potential client:

Why should I trust you with my pet? (experience, qualifications, passion)
What will my pet's day look like with you? (routine, activities, environment)
What makes you different from other sitters? (specialisation, approach, personality)

Write naturally. Avoid generic phrases like "I love all animals" — everyone says that. Instead, be specific: "I have been the go-to dog sitter in my neighbourhood for three years, specialising in anxious rescue dogs who need patience and a calm environment."

Services and Availability

Be clear about what you offer and when:

List every service you provide with accurate descriptions
Set your availability honestly — do not show seven days a week if you need days off
Specify what types of pets you accept and any limitations (no cats, no dogs over 30kg, no puppies under six months)
Be upfront about your own pets and how they interact with guest animals

Setting Your Rates

Pricing is one of the hardest decisions for new sitters. Price too low and you undervalue your service, attract price-sensitive clients, and burn out. Price too high without the reviews to justify it and you get no bookings.

Research Your Local Market

Search for sitters in your area and note:

The average nightly boarding rate
The range from lowest to highest
What experienced sitters with many reviews charge versus new sitters
Whether there are any patterns (e.g., sitters in certain suburbs charge more)

Start Competitive, Not Cheap

New sitters often start at the lowest price in their market to attract initial bookings. This is a mistake for three reasons:

It attracts the wrong clients: price-sensitive clients are more likely to be demanding and less likely to leave reviews or become repeat customers
It is hard to raise prices later: a client paying $35/night will resist a jump to $55/night, even if that is the market rate
It devalues your service: potential clients may wonder why you are so cheap

Instead, start at or slightly below the market average. You may get fewer initial bookings, but the clients you attract will value the service, leave better reviews, and stay longer.

Price for Sustainability

Calculate your costs:

Pet food and supplies you provide (treats, cleaning products, waste bags)
Utilities (increased water, heating, and electricity for guest pets)
Insurance
Platform fees (if applicable — on The Pet Sitter, you pay a flat subscription rather than per-booking commission, so this cost is fixed and predictable)
Wear and tear on your home
Your time: the most important factor. What is an hour of your attention and care actually worth?

A sitter who charges $50/night and keeps $50 on a zero-commission platform is in a fundamentally different financial position than a sitter who charges $50/night and keeps $40 after a 20% commission. The platform you choose directly impacts your income.

Managing Clients and Communication

The First Message

When a potential client messages you, respond within a few hours. Your first message sets the tone for the entire relationship. Include:

A greeting and thanks for their interest
Questions about their pet (name, breed, age, temperament, any medical or behavioural needs)
Confirmation of the dates and service they need
An invitation to arrange a meet-and-greet

Do not lead with pricing. Lead with genuine interest in their pet.

The Meet-and-Greet

Always offer a meet-and-greet for first-time clients. Use this time to:

Let the pet explore your space at their own pace
Learn about the pet's routine, quirks, and needs in detail
Discuss expectations for communication during the booking
Show the client where their pet will sleep, eat, and play
Be honest about any concerns (e.g., "Your dog seems a bit nervous around my cat — I want to monitor that closely or we could consider a trial first")

During the Booking

Communication during the booking is what separates good sitters from great sitters:

Send unprompted updates: photos and a brief message at least once or twice a day
Be honest: if the pet is struggling to settle, tell the owner rather than pretending everything is fine
Document medication administration: a quick message confirming "Medication given at 8am as scheduled" provides enormous peace of mind
Respond to owner messages promptly: even if it is just "All good here, will send photos after the walk"

After the Booking

Return the pet in the condition you received them (or better)
Provide a brief verbal or written summary of how the stay went
Mention anything the owner should know (change in appetite, a new behaviour, a recommendation)
Thank the owner and ask them to leave a review if they were happy

Growing Your Business

Let Reviews Build Your Reputation

In the early months, every review matters enormously. A sitter with 5 reviews at 5.0 stars is in a different world than a sitter with 0 reviews. Focus on providing exceptional service to every client, and politely ask satisfied clients to leave a review.

Encourage Repeat Bookings

Repeat clients are the foundation of a sustainable pet sitting business. They require no acquisition effort, they trust you already, and they are more likely to refer friends. Build repeat bookings by:

Remembering their pet's preferences and quirks
Being flexible with dates when possible
Maintaining consistent quality regardless of how many times they book
Sending a friendly message a few weeks before holiday periods: "Hi! Just checking if you will need [pet name] looked after over the school holidays — dates are filling up"

Expand Your Services

Once you have established yourself in one service type, consider adding others:

A boarding sitter can add dog walking to fill weekday gaps
A dog walker can add drop-in visits for cat owners in their area
An experienced sitter can add house sitting for clients who prefer their pets to stay home

Each additional service type expands your potential client base without requiring additional marketing.

Choose the Right Platform

The platform you list on directly affects your income, your visibility, and your independence. Commission-based platforms take 15-20% of every booking — which adds up to thousands of dollars per year for active sitters.

On The Pet Sitter, sitters pay a flat subscription fee and keep 100% of their booking income. There is no per-booking commission, no hidden fees, and no penalty for success. The more you earn, the more you keep. Visit our become a sitter page to learn more and sign up.

FAQ

How much can I earn as a pet sitter?

Earnings vary significantly based on location, services offered, and how much you work. A part-time sitter offering boarding on weekends and holidays might earn $500-1,500 per month. A full-time sitter offering daily boarding, walking, and daycare in a high-demand area can earn $3,000-5,000+ per month. The key factor is your capacity — how many pets you can safely and comfortably care for at once — and your occupancy rate.

Do I need a business licence to be a pet sitter?

Requirements vary by location. In Australia, you generally do not need a specific pet sitting licence, but you may need to register as a sole trader and comply with local council regulations (particularly around the number of dogs on your property). In some European countries, specific animal care permits may be required. Check with your local council or municipality before starting.

How do I handle difficult pets?

Every sitter will encounter pets with challenging behaviours — reactivity, fear, resource guarding, escape artistry, or refusal to eat. The key is preparation: ask detailed questions during the booking process, do a thorough meet-and-greet, and be honest about your limitations. It is far better to decline a booking you are not equipped for than to accept it and have a problem. As you gain experience, your ability to manage difficult pets will improve naturally.

What if a pet gets sick or injured in my care?

This is every sitter's worst fear, and preparation is the antidote. Before every booking: know where the nearest vet is, have the owner's emergency contact, have written authorisation to seek veterinary treatment, and have transport available. If something happens, act immediately — get the pet to a vet, contact the owner, and document everything. This is where insurance becomes critical, protecting you financially in the event of a significant veterinary bill.

Should I specialise or be a generalist?

Starting as a generalist helps you discover what you enjoy and what you are good at. Over time, most successful sitters develop a specialisation — either by service type (boarding specialist, walking specialist) or by pet type (small dogs, cats only, senior pets, anxious dogs). Specialisation allows you to command higher rates, attract more aligned clients, and provide genuinely expert care. The market rewards specialists who do one thing exceptionally well over generalists who do many things adequately.