How Much To Pay A Teenage Dog Sitter? (Overnight 2024)

Imagine you’ve planned your next vacation, and you booked your flight and hotel. However, you aren’t sure what to do about your Poodle or other pets.

It would help to consider how much to pay a teenage dog sitter. Standard overnight stays start at around $65 per day, give or take the responsibilities.

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Read on to learn what else to consider when setting or negotiating the pay.

Decide If They’ll Stay Overnight

One factor that goes into deciding how much to pay a teenage dog sitter is if you want the teenager to stay at your residence. Unfortunately, overnight stays usually cost more than daytime visits for teenagers or professional sitters.

The teen will have to pack some of their clothes and spend more time at your home. While that can be nice for your dogs, you do need to compensate the teen for that.

Teenagers don’t usually have bills. However, it’s still good practice to pay more. One example we found suggests paying $65 per day for overnight stays.

You can pay $20 to $40 daily for one to two visits.

toy poodle in the park — Taking a Toy Poodle for a walk/carry in the park

Choose Daily or Hourly Pay

For most overnight stays, you’ll pay a day rate. However, you might want to offer hourly pay if you need one or two daily visits.

This can be an excellent option if you’re hiring a couple of teens to share the work. For example, you might hire one person to stay overnight.

If they have a job, you can pay a second person an hourly rate to stop by during the day.

woman holds a French Bulldog — French Bulldog yawning.

Consider Their Experience

Another thing to consider is the teenager’s experience with dog sitting. If you’re hiring someone in college, they may have done some dog-sitting gigs in the past.

On the other hand, you might be able to pay a first-time sitter a bit less. But, as with any job, it’s nice to pay more to someone with some experience.

A young woman taking care of dogs in an animal shelter.

Think About the Number of Dogs

You should also consider how many dogs you need the teenager to care for. If you only have one dog, you might be able to pay $50 per day. However, you should offer at least $60 to $70 per day if you have two dogs.

The rate doesn’t have to double for double the number of dogs. But the pay should reflect the extra work required for multiple dogs.

If you have a few dogs, you might want to hire a sibling duo to dog sit. Then, the two teenagers can share the work, and you can still pay less than a professional would charge.

two Vizsla with owner — Two Vizsla dogs with their owner.

Keep the Dogs’ Ages in Mind

Next, consider if any of your dogs is a puppy or a senior dog. If so, prepare to pay a bit extra since young and old dogs usually require more care.

Of course, puppies need to go out more frequently, and the teen may need to assist with potty training. Senior dogs might also need to go out often if they can’t hold their business for long.

Adult dogs take a bit less work, and they’re easier to leave home alone if necessary. Prepare to pay extra if you need the dog sitter to stay home more.

The Golden Retriever puppy smiles while sitting on a blanket.

Don’t Forget Other Pets

You might look for a teenage dog sitter, but you should consider other pets. If you have a cat and are going on a short trip, the cat might not matter. You can leave your cat a bowl of food and some water.

However, for longer trips, you should consider the cat when setting a pay rate. You should also think about other pets you have, especially if they’re exotic animals, such as reptiles.

Not all teens will want to care for those animals or know what to do. It can also take more work and time to properly pet sit. Even when you hire a teen, the amount you pay should reflect the work you need them to do.

cat and German Shepherda — The German Shepherd eats near the cat.

Note If Your Dog Needs Medication

Many dogs will eventually need to take medication. Maybe your dog takes a sedative when there’s a severe storm. Or perhaps you have an older dog who needs pain medicine for their arthritis.

Whatever the situation, you should prepare to pay more than normal. Dispensing medication takes time, and your dog sitter will need to come over before your trip to learn the ropes.

If you’re running low on medication, get a refill before you leave. Otherwise, you might need to leave some extra cash to cover a refill so that your dog gets the treatment they need.

Consider If You Want Dog Walks

When deciding how much to pay a teenage dog sitter, consider dog walks. Having the sitter take your dog on a walk can offer many benefits.

Of course, it does take more time for the teenager. They’ll have to get your dog ready and put their leash on and perhaps pick up dog poop.

You don’t have to pay a ton extra for daily walks. Depending on the length of your trip, $5 to $10 per day should suffice.

Golden Retriever walks with owner — A Golden Retriever walks with its owner.

List Other Responsibilities

Many dog sitters can also handle other tasks around your home. If you need the teen to water your plants or collect the mail, let them know that.

You can also pay them a bit extra for their time. As with daily walks, you don’t have to pay a ridiculous amount more than the going dog sitting rate.

For trips less than a week, an extra $10 or $20 total is usually enough for mail and plant care. If you’ll be gone longer, multiply that amount by the number of weeks.

The dog owner cleans up the messy floor.

Determine If It’s a Holiday

You should also pay a bit extra if your trip falls on or over a major holiday. Teens might want to spend the holiday with their friends or family. If you need them to stay at your place a lot, you should compensate them for that.

The extra pay doesn’t have to be significant. However, be willing to negotiate with the teenager who you want to dog sit. You should also prepare for them to reject the offer if they don’t want to stay over at your home.

Paying extra is nice over holidays such as Christmas, New Year’s, and Thanksgiving. It can also be nice to pay extra over spring break since a lot of teenagers want to travel then as well.

christmas cavapoo puppy — Cavapoo dog with Christmas clothes

Think About the Travel Distance

Whether the teen will stay overnight or not, consider how far they live from you. If they live in your neighborhood, you probably don’t need to pay extra for gas.

However, if you’re hiring a niece or nephew who lives across town, offer a bit of cash. You can base the rate on the IRS standard mileage rate for tax deductions.

Another option is to consider the teenager’s vehicle and how much gas would cost them. If you don’t want to estimate, you can also offer to reimburse them when you get back. Have them track the mileage as they go between your home and theirs, and you can pay accordingly.

woman holding Dachshund — Dachshund looks up with a woman holding him.

Ask About a Family Discount

When you’re negotiating pay, consider if you’re hiring someone you know well. You might be able to pay a relative or family friend a bit less than a stranger.

Of course, you should still pay them a fair rate. However, a teen may be more willing to work for less money if they know you and your dogs.

woman kissing dog — A woman kissing a black dog.

Pay More for Last-Minute Trips

As much as you may want to plan your trip far out, things happen. You might need to travel at the last minute for a work event, for example.

If this happens, offer a higher rate, even an extra $5 per day. Some teenagers may want to know well ahead of time when they have a dog sitting gig so that they don’t make other plans.

Other businesses often charge rush fees, so it makes sense to treat your dog sitter the same way. A dog sitter might not charge more for a last-minute gig, but prepare to pay more if they ask for it.

girls with a dog — Two girls talk about the dog.

Reviewing How Much to Pay a Teenage Dog Sitter

Determining how much to pay a teenage dog sitter can be difficult. You don’t have to pay as much as you would for a professional.

However, you should still compensate the teen well for their time. For overnight stays, $65 is a respectable starting daily rate. Add a bit extra to that if you have multiple dogs or if your dog needs medication or extra attention.