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

colinlyne · 3 July 2019 at 7:46AM

If they are your friends, why should you charge them for a pleasurable act? Looking after a dog should be good for your soul. They obviously recognise your good deed, why speak money?

Markie76 · 3 July 2019 at 8:01AM

canadabob wrote: »

.....she probably costs us around £3 a day, about the same price as a pint,....

I can't remember when you could buy a pint (not water) for £3 in London...!!! :beer:

As for looking after the dog it's simple and I don't see where 'morals' come into it;

1. If you enjoy doing it then enjoy the dog's company and your 'occasional gift'
2. If you no longer enjoy doing it then tell your friends! - text/message them if you're one of those people permanently glued to your device.
3. If the dog has started tearing up the sofa and messing up the place then just refuse.

Being 'friends' with someone requires trust and honesty and it is a two way deal.
You be honest with them and they should be honest with you.

1. If you no longer want to look after the dog - tell them.
2. If you want to make money looking after the dog - tell them.
3. If you think they are using you - tell them.

The worse thing you can do is make something up like others have suggested and then get found out.
Your trust & honesty has been destroyed and your friends probably won't want you to look after their dog anymore.
If your friends take issue you no longer want to look after their dog then you have to question if they were your friends in the first place.

If you just want to make money looking after anybodies dog then open a kennels.

Simples.

kazwookie · 3 July 2019 at 8:04AM

Talk to your friends

And learn to say NO if you dont want to do it

suki1964 · 3 July 2019 at 8:08AM

Why charge a friend????? And what are you charging for?

If they are supplying the food, paying vet bills etc etc and giving you thank you gifts, how are you out of pocket?

How much looking after does the dog require during working hours?
A walk mid day and company.

Id say you were getting the better end of the deal tbh, a bit of company, an excuse to get out of the house and exercise

But hey, go register as professional dog sitters, register as self employed, charge the going rate and lose a friendship

Bellisima · 3 July 2019 at 8:22AM

It’s lovely that you look after your friend’s dog sometimes. Yes dog sitters do charge, but that is because they are running a business. Putting the dog in kennels is cheaper, but horrible. Any dog would be happier at home than stuck in a prison. I worked at a Shelter for many years and saw how depressed dogs can get in kennels. As so many have suggested, if you no longer wish to have the dog a couple of days a week, then speak to your friends and tell them you are too busy, but to expect them to pay you seems rather harsh.

Newly_retired · 3 July 2019 at 8:40AM

If you are providing the food and are struggling financially, then that is a different matter. Either tell them frankly that you can no longer afford to do so, and ask if they could provide dog food.
If money is not the real issue but you just feel put upon and resent the tie, it is time to tell them you don’t want to do it anymore.

On the other hand, if you still enjoy having the dog, just think of the positives. I would not want to own a dog but I often wish I had one to go for wAlks with, and no vets bills. You have all the pleasures and none of the drawbacks.

newpuppy · 3 July 2019 at 8:43AM

Professionals do charge for dog care, but you're not a professional, you're a friend. Look again at how this commitment evolved and do your friends actually need you to care for the dog twice a week? Perhaps they feel they are doing you a favour, enriching your life, filling your time or whatever, and would prefer to employ a professional, but don't like to tell you. Just saying ... If you can't face raising the issue with them, try crying off once in a while and see what happens. Perhaps you just need to reset the balance.

Candyflossnan · 3 July 2019 at 8:56AM

I think asking for money would be the end of your friendship but at the same time its very unfair that an occasional favour has grown into a responsibility or even a chore.

Maybe if you can have a word with your friends along the lines of

"Whilst we enjoy looking after "our furry friends" we're finding it harder nowadays and would like to go back to occasionally helping out as before.

pixiebel81 · 3 July 2019 at 9:13AM

canadabob wrote: »

I guess it cuts both ways, we are a retired couple and we look after next doors dog most days for most of the day for the last 6 years. If we didn't look after the dog we would miss our little buddie, and she would miss us.

We are both in our 70's too old to get a dog of our own, chances are a dog would outlive us and who knows what happens to a dog then, they miss us when we die and much as we miss them when they die.

As for the cost of feeding our little buddy she probably costs us around £3 a day, about the same price as a pint, but I'd much sooner have the dog than the pint, luckily I can afford both.

I appreciate and respect what the OP says, to each his own, but our little buddie is worth every penny we spend on her. I guess the neighbours could well afford to pay us for looking after their dog but we wouldn't feel comfortable being paid to look after her, in fact if money was offered we'd turn it down, the dog brings more into our lives than she takes out.

Bob.

You might not feel comfortable taking money from them but they really should be providing food for the dog, expecting you to pay to feed it is a bit cheeky

wishus · 3 July 2019 at 9:22AM

Hello there - I dog-sit sometimes for a friend, who also engages professionals to house-sit with the dogs too. I'm very nearby, so I'm probably the first person he calls for a favour, but if I am already engaged there are other friends he can ask, or he can ask the sitter, or change plans. It's all part and parcel of the responsibility of having pets for him, and being a good friend for me. He has been there for me when I've needed someone to talk to, or a lift somewhere when I'd broken my ankle. Good isn't it?

I look on the time with the doggies as a bit of a chance to have a break - maybe get on with a book, or a bit of work on the laptop, and they wuffle at me very occasionally for biscuits and cuddles and it's all jolly lovely.

I babysit for my brother's kids too, and that's also brilliant, but not in any way as restful as looking after dogs!

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

Comments

Categories

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free