Money Moral Dilemma: Should we start charging our friends for looking after their dog?

craobhan

Depends on what you think the charge should be for.
If you are providing all the food then yes, I would be looking for them to refund that cost or supply you with the actual food. But if you are looking to charge for the act of simply providing a roof over the dog’s head and giving it a walk, then definitely no.
If it’s the case that you’d rather not have the dog then you will have to talk to them about it.

Ellijay

Surely you’d have to declare the income if you started charging? I occasionally look after friends dogs in their own house and I do it because as a non dog owner I can get my my doggie fix with actually owning one.

susie2815

I pay £5 a day for doggy day care and £10 for overnight stay. What you want to charge is exorbitant - especially as they are friends!

vicandnorm44

Do you think you are offering your friends the professional service a dog sitting service would offer?
Do you have the liability insurance in case anything goes wrong that a professional dog carer would need?
I'd only start charging a professional rate, or any amount really, if you are prepared to go pro and make the necessary arrangements, like telling your mortgage company/landlord and home insurers that you're running a business.
If you no longer want to help your mates out, tell them.

Shirleykate

She's a lucky dog to have such nice friends and carers as you two. But surely the neighbour should at least pay for the food?

jakiB

susie2815 wrote: »

I pay £5 a day for doggy day care and £10 for overnight stay. What you want to charge is exorbitant - especially as they are friends!

Where does it say what anyone wants to charge? You are very lucky indeed to only pay £5 a day for doggy day care and £10 overnight - that is really cheap! :j

happyinflorida

Why are you asking this?


Do you not enjoy having the dog?

Is it becoming a nuisance?

Do you feel the small gifts they give you as a thank you are not good enough for what you're doing?

How long have you been doing this?

If you're getting fed up of doing it, then when they next come over to collect the dog, as long as they've got the time, ask to have a chat and tell them how you're feeling - gently so you don't lose the friendship!

If you're happy to carry on and you feel they can afford it, bring that up too - say I'd like to be paid for this as it's becoming permanent when originally I offered just to help out.

Make sure you ring around first to get proper prices for the places or people who do this locally as you don't want to end up ripping your friend off because if they find out, they might get very annoyed.

Do you need the money too? If not, why are you wanting to be paid? As this is your friends, you might need their help one day - how would you feel if they charged you because you've set a precedent?

If you enjoy having the dog, don't need the money - leave things as they are because your friends may stop leaving their dog with you and the poor dog may end up being locked in their home instead, alone and very unhappy after being with you - so think of the poor dog as well. That's the most important bit to me, the dog comes first IMO.

Julie57

The real concern here shouldn't be you or your friends, but the dog. If your friends aren't able to properly care for their dog themselves and you're not happy to do so twice a week, then it begs the question what other arrangements can be made to ensure the dog is not left at home alone all day?
If there is no alternative, they shouldn't have a dog and the poor thing should be rehomed to a situation where he won't be seen as a "problem" to be passed around. Clearly you are not happy to care for him & you see it as a chore that you should be paid for (not the sort of "friend" I would want to be, but each to their own). Under these circumstances you need to be honest with your friends, but I think you also then have a responsibility to see that they make appropriate alternative arrangements. It's the dogs best interest that matters here. My friend sees to his neighbour's dog 5 days a week & he wouldn't dream of asking for money because he cares that without him the poor thing would be alone all day, and that's no way for a dog to live. I think you have to ask yourself how much you really care about the dog's welfare, not how much money you can make. If the answer is that you don't really care about the dog, then tell your friends you don't want to look after him any more. If you do really care for the dog, swallow the feelings of imposition and revel in the fact that you're doing it for him, not for your friends.

Fluffy_Friend

Hi, our neighbour charges us £10 a day, gives her a little money and I dont feel bad asking, the kennel he goes to is only £12 per day but he is in a cage and would I imagne rather be on her rug!

Fluffy_Friend

Sorry Ive just read one of the replies, the bottom line is its not his dog! its up to the owners to make sure the dog is well cared for, whoever it may be with (and they are!) if they cannot care for it properly then they should pass it on to someone who can. I might add our neighbour only has our dog for holidays which is only a week and the odd weekend. If it takes up two days a week, it is a job really, it needs walking and feeding and playing with, and really he cant go out for any length of time because he now has a dog to take care of. which actually isnt his! £10 a day bargain. I mean you cannot take care of all dogs that are left at home because the owners do not want to pay for a dog walker to come in and let the poor thing out for a wee! to be honest give me your address you sound lovely, my dog is only for holidays, I could save a bit and just buy you a box of chocolates, Im soooooo laughing.