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Pet sitter vs dog sitter

The differences between pet sitters and dog sitters can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-3 months to become both a pet sitter and a dog sitter. Additionally, a pet sitter has an average salary of $25,823, which is higher than the $25,532 average annual salary of a dog sitter.

The top three skills for a pet sitter include PET, walkers and clients homes. The most important skills for a dog sitter are PET, customer service, and dog care.

Pet sitter vs dog sitter overview

Pet SitterDog Sitter
Yearly salary$25,823$25,532
Hourly rate$12.41$12.28
Growth rate28%28%
Number of jobs21,73567,682
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 45%Bachelor's Degree, 38%
Average age3232
Years of experience33

What does a pet sitter do?

A pet sitter is responsible for taking care of household pets while their owners are away. Pet sitters perform services for pet maintenance, including taking them to the veterinarian, monitoring their food, walk them in the park, and administer medications, if any. They also reach out to the pet owners for possible updates and emergencies, taking their instructions immediately. Apart from being highly communicative and organizational, a pet sitter should have an interest and passion in taking care of pets to ensure high-quality services.

What does a dog sitter do?

A dog sitter is primarily responsible for taking care of dogs while their owners are away. Their tasks include feeding dogs, taking them to walks or daycares, bathing or cleaning their ears, and providing owners with regular updates. Most dog sitters typically meet with clients beforehand to learn about the dogs and their needs, as some of them may require medicine or particular care. Should there be any problems, a dog sitter must report to the owners right away.

Pet sitter vs dog sitter salary

Pet sitters and dog sitters have different pay scales, as shown below.

Pet SitterDog Sitter
Average salary$25,823$25,532
Salary rangeBetween $10,000 And $62,000Between $10,000 And $64,000
Highest paying CityNewport, RIWarwick, RI
Highest paying stateRhode IslandConnecticut
Best paying companyCARECARE
Best paying industryNon ProfitsProfessional

Differences between pet sitter and dog sitter education

There are a few differences between a pet sitter and a dog sitter in terms of educational background:

Pet SitterDog Sitter
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 45%Bachelor's Degree, 38%
Most common majorBusinessPsychology
Most common collegeUniversity of Massachusetts AmherstTexas A&M University - Commerce

Pet sitter vs dog sitter demographics

Here are the differences between pet sitters' and dog sitters' demographics:

Pet SitterDog Sitter
Average age3232
Gender ratioMale, 19.7% Female, 80.3%Male, 22.0% Female, 78.0%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 6.4% Hispanic or Latino, 18.1% Asian, 2.6% White, 68.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 6.4% Hispanic or Latino, 18.1% Asian, 2.6% White, 68.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage11%11%

Differences between pet sitter and dog sitter duties and responsibilities

Pet sitter example responsibilities.

  • Help managed the company and train new walkers
  • Cat and dog feeding, medicine, dog walking, cleanup; 5 animals : 3 cats , 2 dogs.
  • Provide constant supervision and companionship for elopement risk and suicide precaution patients.
  • Provide care for dogs, fish, cats, bunnies, birds, snakes, hamsters and most other household pets.
  • Execute cash register POS system.
  • Specialize in extra TLC for elderly pets.
  • Show more

Dog sitter example responsibilities.

  • Manage all breeding, whelping, raising of puppies, grooming and showing of dogs for owners in the AKC.
  • Groom, trim, and clip animals' coats.
  • Provide smaller services such as cleaning ears, clipping nails, and small scissoring around eyes and paws.
  • Bath a variety of dog breeds, and provide basic grooming sanitary needs such as clipping nails and cleaning ears.
  • Maintain professional relationship with pet owners and communicate through email and phone regarding daily pet behavior.
  • Manage all breeding, whelping, raising of puppies, grooming and showing of dogs for owners in the AKC.

Pet sitter vs dog sitter skills

Common pet sitter skills
  • PET, 90%
  • Walkers, 2%
  • Clients Homes, 2%
  • CPR, 1%
  • Topical Medications, 1%
  • Litter Boxes, 1%
Common dog sitter skills
  • PET, 66%
  • Customer Service, 20%
  • Dog Care, 10%
  • Fresh Water, 1%
  • Clients Homes, 0%
  • Child Care, 0%

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