How to Make Money Playing With Dogs.

Written by Nat Smith, Rover.com community member. Rover is the nation’s largest network of 5-star pet sitters and dog walkers.

Can you really get paid to play with dogs? Sounds crazy–you’d do that for free! But owners who love their pets want the best possible care, and that means playtime has real cash value. As a pet-sitter, you get the best of both worlds: Supplementing your income while doing what you love

Rover.com does all the work for you: Once you sign up, you’ll be taken through each step of launching your services. You’ll create a profile, choose which services to offer, set competitive rates, and wait for clients to get in touch.

Benefits of Pet-Sitting

Spending time with dogs boosts your health and happiness; earning money on your own terms increases both security and freedom. As you gain experience and increase your income, you’ll also be meeting all kinds of people and pets, gaining valuable caregiving skills, and getting lots of fresh air and exercise. What’s more, Rover offers a variety of care options to fit your schedule and preferences, from offering doggy daycare in your home to short drop-in visits and daily walks.

The flexibility of being your own boss and the joy of spending time with pups will combine to make pet-sitting your favorite job of all time!

Getting Started

Sign up now to get started with Rover and become a trusted sitter. Once you create your profile, you can ask friends whose pets you’ve looked after to write reviews for your page. You can also refer owners so that they get a discount on your services. Rover offers insurance, protection, and 24/7 support.

As a Rover sitter, you call the shots: You can schedule multiple short visits throughout the day in addition to offering overnight care, if you want to boost your income. Or you can simply fit in pet-sitting around all your other tasks and obligations. Either way, you’ll enjoy the perks of being your own boss–and working with the best creatures in the world.

Growing Your Business

Consider doubling services, if you’d like: Dogs who get along can play together while boarding or in daycare, and you can schedule drop-ins or walks during your free time. You can also refer friends, neighbors, and members of your extended family so that they get discounts through Rover, you receive a bonus, and everyone gets the site’s protection and support for each stay.

Improve your retention rate and get five-star reviews by maintaining excellent communication, using Rover’s handy app for regular updates. Be sure to follow through on owners’ expectations, and keep in touch after the stay to get more gigs. Follow through on each and every commitment that you make, and don’t overload yourself by taking on gigs you won’t be able to complete wholeheartedly. As you gain experience and clientele, you’ll be able to increase your rates over time.

Sound too good to be true? Believe me, it isn’t–and the experiences you gain through running your own business and playing with pets will take you far!