So we just got two new puppies (YAY!) but now my family that told me they would help out with our pre-planned vacations are of course backing out. I'm annoyed to say the least. We already have a hotel booked for our one night trip to the beach next weekend. The puppies will only be 10 weeks old, so I dont think they are big enough just yet to go to my parents house (they have 4 other dogs that live there) and they need to go out about every 4 hours, plus get water and fed twice a day. So my sister said she was going to do it and I called to double check before I had my hubby book the hotel room, and then of course two hours after the room is booked she backs out on me. UGH. Anyway, my neighbor and I were emailing and my daughter watered their grass last week and she offered to come and help with the dogs and make it her 7 year old son's job - of course she would do a lot of it....and so I told her if they wanted to that would be great and I'ld pay him to do it. Since it's only 2 days and 2 feedings, is $10 enough? Should I give $20? My daughter got $20 for watering their grass for a week...so just wondering what you all think is fair. This is my first time with pups and I have no idea what is good to pay for them.
EDIT - she said they would be willing to do the morning and night feeding if my brother can do the afternoon trips out. So basically they go out 4 times a day. But it's for a 7 year old to do it...and only 2 times.
I think given the fact that these are puppies and not kittens and require some more attention, $20 is fair. $10 is not enough IMO.
Have fun on vacation!
We paid our neighbor's son (10) $5 per day to feed our cats. She didn't want us to pay him at all b/c she's trying to teach him about "giving" and "helping", but he did a great job and made a little chart marking when he went, how much they ate and "how much" they played.
We were gone for 4 days, so we gave him a $20 gift certificate to Toys R Us and you would have thought it was a $100 bill he was so excited!
I think that is reasonable. My kids only walk the neighbor's pups every day and get $5 a day.
$20 is good and if you want to be nice a $10 gift certificat to the local ice cream shop.
If he is going to have to come over a minimum of 4 times each day, I think that $30 is more reasonable. More because it isn't just him that has to come over, it's your neighbor as well. Puppies are a lot of work, and it is going to be an inconvenience for them for the those 2 days. If you had to kennel them, you would easily pay $30 per day (probably more depending on where you left them), so you are still paying less than a kennel.
EDIT: After reading your edit, I still think $20 is fair. Guaranteed he will play with them and hang out with them some.
I'd give $20. Ten bucks per day. Yes her 7 yr old is doing it, but she is taking him (he'll need a key, right?) and making sure it is done properly and supervising that nothing goes wrong (one gets out/away?) and if one gets sick or something, she will be responsible to call you, etc.
It is a big responsibility because they are LIVE ANIMALS. Not grass. :)
To board our dog always cost me $20 per day. To have the neighbor teen come over and let her out a couple times a day and feed/water... I pay her $10/day. It isn't a lot of work...but it is the level of responsibility is much bigger than the actual task--- multiple trips at specific time intervals, etc. Plus... if something goes awry.
If you were to kennel them, it would cost you over $40 for sure. I'd say give him $20. And as your pups grow, you might have the added benefit down the road of a stand in for future overnight trips. I know it is a LOT easier to have someone stay here than to have to take the dog somewhere else when we travel.
I would pay no less than $20.
I get paid $20 a day to take care of a dog for a friend of mine. I only go once a day, give the dog a pill, make sure there is food and water, and spend some time playing. There is a dog door, so I don't have to worry about the dog being let out.
And I suggest a little thank you for the mom since she will be helping, if only to supervise. Something like a $5 gift card for Starbucks coffee. It's nothing big, just a token of appreciation.
I don't think that's enough. I pay $50 a day for dog care when we travel, and that's for 1 dog.
i replied to your other post that this just happened to me. i think $10 is enough. thats what i paid our neighbor kid for feeding our dog for the same time period. good luck and have a fun trip!
In the past I have paid a company to come and they charge about $20+ per visit. With my animals that's 3 times a day - $60+!!! I pay a neighborhood child $20 per day now, and we are all happy.
