Hi, I just started being a dog sitter/ walker this year and learning more about the business and the hustle. I’m learning now about additional fees and how important it is that owners acknowledge it. I have been booked for watching dogs but end up taking care of additional animals at times, not being paid for it. I was wondering, since this upcoming booking is different, if I can get some answers. A woman booked me 5 days to pet sit. One of her instructions to do is cleaning her dogs butt after her poops. Do I charge her for the task or is this something that is common to do while pet sitting?
Hello @Sapio Welcome to the forum.
As members of Trusted House Sitters we do not charge for pet care, its against the conditions we sign up for.
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No, you don’t charge for anything, if you are a member of THS @sapio.
BUT you should read the listing carefully (as well as their reviews), have a video chat with the owner before accepting a sit and be actively asking questions, if something seems off. And make sure you have the Welcome Guide preferably soon after confirming the sit.
Don’t take a sit that seems shady/has bad reviews/has duties or pets you are not comfortable with. There are better sits for you out there.
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Welcome @Sapio Is this a THS sit ( which is unpaid ) or a private arrangement?
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THS is an unpaid exchange. It’s never okay for a HO on THS to require care of pets that weren’t mentioned in the listing; this is against THS policy. If this happens, you can cancel the sit & speak to THS support 
If you have been given responsibilities in a THS sit that weren’t mentioned in the listing or before you accepted the sit that you’re not comfortable with or willing to do, communication is key. Speak to your HO, set your boundaries & explain that as it wasn’t mentioned before you accepted the sit, then you won’t be taking on extra responsibilities. If the HO can’t be flexible & understanding, and wants to cancel, let them 
I have never done it.
If it was mentioned in a listing, I would not apply.
If it is added on later, I think that is very sneaky, and for that reason alone I would most probably cancel the sit.
From time to time we get a request like this, and it’s fine. That’s what that particular pet needs. It’s not a big issue, just quickly wipe the bum and wash your hands.
Most dogs don’t need it. But I have read about another sitter on here, where the dogs had long, thick hairy tails that got pooped on frequently, that she had to wash. That sounds like a lot of work. But again, it’s part of that housesit arrangement. Better to know this before you confirm, though, to decide if you can deal with it or not.
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Welcome! THS has Terms of Service that we all agreed to when we signed up so if you are referring to a sit you found on the platform I suggest you read through the Terms of Service one more time.
5.2.5. notify a Sitter of any special requirements or behaviours relating to your pet(s) in your Home Listing (I consider butt cleaning “special”)
5.2.12. not have any pets which aren’t explicitly listed in the details of the Home Listing;
Section 5.3.1. not require or demand any form of payment for carrying out a Sit;
If it’s not a sit through THS then it’s up to you… establish your policy and stick with it.
My policy is that only the animals mentioned during our initial conversation are cared for by me.
I do not clean butts, or deal with incontinent animals.
If I arrive at the sit and the deal has changed it’s up to me to decide whether or not to cancel.
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NO you accept the terms of the sit or you don’t accept the sit and leave it for someone who will.
I don’t apply for sits with long lists of chores. If it is not enjoyable I’m not interested in spending money to go there. Others might find it enjoyable, so I’ll leave it to them.
If chores are presented after the sit is confirmed that wasn’t disclosed one can say no.
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I truly wish there was a consequence for lying to a sitter about expectations and adding unannounced responsibilities or expectations after a sit is confirmed or at the sit itself when money has already been spent to travel to a sit. I believe that if a homeowner can lose a sitter (sitter has power to cancel if asked to do more than what was advertised) by demanding services outside of their listing after the fact, this would save so much of these conflicts that happen once on-site. By all means you can ask but do it upfront.
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@Lovepets a sitter does not have to do a sit where are extra responsibilities are added after a sit is confirmed.
They simply let the host know that they will not be doing the sit because they wouldn’t have accepted if they had know about xyz (previously undisclosed medical condition/ responsibilities / third parties etc )
It’s up to sitters to set and respect their own boundaries.
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Yes, true! However, I had an experience where I was in Hawai’i and it was way too late to leave as the owner already left for overseas and I invested in international travel with no alternative accommodation available. I wish there was a consequence to the owner for not being transparent. The added work was necessary to the running of the property. Sadly, they just didn’t disclose how labour intensive it was until we found out by being there.
In this situation an honest review of the sit will put off any future sitters or at least make them aware of the extra responsibilities involved so that they can make an informed decision.
There is also the member dispute process when there are serious issues .
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