So you're all happy that a new dog walking or pet sitting client is going to use you.  You've had a great consultation with them.  They seem like super-nice people.

Then, they drop this on you...

"Well, John.  I'd like to use you but your prices are higher than your competition.  Since I'm going to be using you for dog walking 3 times per week, I think I should get some type of volume discount."

They're trying to negotiate with you.  They want you to discount your rates. 

So, you freeze.   You have no idea what to say next.  You thought they were going to be such an easy client to work with and then they throw this monkey wrench into the equation. 

How do you react?  What do you say next?

When your clients ask you for a "deal", should you discount your dog walking and pet sitting prices?  Or should you stay with your normal rates?

I say...don't do it!  Stick to your normal prices.

​To understand why I think you should not discount your rates, let's break this down and first talk about why you think you might provide some type of discount.

One day it will happen for the first time.  Then, eventually, it will happen every day.

It's the dreaded client call asking you to somehow alter their scheduled visits at the last second.  For many dog walking and pet sitting business owners, this is the bane of their existence.

Since these alterations will require extra work and time - and a hefty dose of frustration - should you charge your dog walking and pet sitting clients extra for changes, cancellations, and additions to their schedule?

With your dog walking and pet sitting clients, should you charge more for multiple pets?  If so, how much? And when?

We're going to cover that here.

Holidays are a busy time of year for pet professionals, especially pet sitters.  Demand for our services goes through the roof but our availability generally remains the same.

With demand outstripping supply at these times of the year, how do you charge for holiday dog walking and pet sitting visits in a way that's fair for your clients, yet also is financially rewarding for you as a business owner?

This is one of those classic questions in our industry:

"What's the best way to charge for my dog walking and pet sitting visits...by time or service?"

Well, the great news is that you can be very successful doing it either way.  There is no right or wrong answer.  How to charge for your services just depends on what's best for you.

In this article though, I'm going to make the case why charging by TIME is going to be better and easier for you, your staff, and your clients.

I'll also make a few points about why charging by SERVICE can be beneficial, in case you think that this may be the way you want to go.