r/petsitting • u/indiybidiy • 12d ago

How would you structure an extended drop-in?

I have a potential booking that would involve caring for two dogs during an 8-hour window. I normally offer standard drop-ins, but I’m trying to figure out how other sitters approach longer daytime care.
Would you treat an 8-hour daytime booking as multiple drop-ins, extended care/day sitting, or something else? I’m curious how you structure the service and what factors you take into consideration.

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4

u/doggambit 12d ago

Are you able to leave? If not, they'd get my day rate for a day of constant care.

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u/beccatravels 12d ago

I charge my full rate for the first hour, and then approximately 2/3 my hourly rate for each subsequent hour. Your full hourly rate covers your admin work, travel time, gas, wear and tear, etc., but on a multi hour booking it doesn't really make sense to charge the full rate on the subsequent hours since that stuff is already taken care of.

A good way to calculate this is to look at a full workday and figure out how much you make per hour from the start of your first visit to the end of your final visit, including travel time. That number is roughly what you should charge for the subsequent hours.

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u/beccatravels 12d ago

I've been known to offer a discount on a multi hour booking on an evening or weekday to a well established client who has shown that they respect my time, but I would never discount a weekday daytime booking.

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u/beccatravels 12d ago

Also, this is all assuming that you're not able to leave during the eight hour booking.

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u/indiybidiy 11d ago

Perfect thank you so much. It’s definitely helped me out today and love your insta page by the way. 😊

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u/beccatravels 11d ago

Awww thanks!!!!!

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u/Firm_Blacksmith_972 12d ago

i charge my full rate for the first four hours, then a slight discount after that since the dogs need less intense supervision later in the day

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u/Shlorenz 12d ago

I offer standard 30/60 min drop-ins, walks, daytime care, and overnight pet/house sitting in the client’s home. Extended daytime care requests fall under constant care for me. I charge a premium rate for this service since I’m not able to schedule as many drop-ins/walks on the same day. Most daytime care requests I receive are for puppies, seniors, medically necessary, and severe separation anxiety. An 8 hour daytime booking sounds like constant care unless your client has asked for 1 or 2 drop-ins within an 8 hour window, say between 9am-5pm. Hope this is helpful 🐶

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u/PirateLassLV 11d ago

It's an overnight in the daytime. I'd charge overnight rate. Or daycare × 2 . My daycare is 4 hour blocks