Rover Review 2019 – Dog Walking Platform
Dog Walking – Rover Review 2019
This Rover Review 2019 is for the dog walking platform Rover. It is based on my experience using this platform to walk and sit dogs and cats. So dive on in for my Rover Review 2019 after a few years experience!
How does Rover Work? The Rundown
Signing Up
First, to start as a dog walker on the Rover platform, create a profile on Rover.com. From there you can easily download the Rover App as well.
- Fill out the basic information, such as what services you want to provide (see below) and why you would be great at them!
- Mention what is important to you to know and also relevant information to the services you provide.
- For example, if you offer boarding or daycare, then you may want to mention whether or not you have your own pets at your home. Another thing to mention would be the yard area.
- For walking and sitting, talk about some fun activities you will do!
- Include recommendations or testimonials from friends and family that have pets and know you. This can help your profile out a lot when you are starting out.
- Include pictures of you interacting with animals to give owners a sense of how you are with them.
- Rover.com’s community board has many great tips for completing a strong profile. So check it out as well.
- Remember that you want a profile that is attractive to potential pet owners, so convince them why you are a good fit to watch their pet!
- After you submit your profile and complete a safety check course, you will need to submit a small fee (around $15) for a background check.
- Then you wait to hear back that you have been accepted. From there, you are ready to go!
Services
Services Offered
You choose which services you are willing to offer as part of filling out your profile. For this part, you can choose from the following services offered on Rover:
- Walk dogs;
- Drop-in Visits for dogs (or cats, if you opt for that);
- Doggie daycare;
- Boarding;
- and House Stays (depending on location).
Again, you decide which service(s) you want to offer and how many types. Also you can choose to watch cats.
Service Preferences
In addition to deciding which services you can provide, you also set your preferences for the following:
- Dog weight sizes (small, medium, large, and extra large) that you are able to walk;
- Whether or not you take on younger dogs/puppies (under 2 years old);
- If you watch cats;
- General times of day (in slots) that you are available;
- Which days of the week you intend to provide each service or services’
- How many services you will provide each day of the week. (e.g., two walks a day and one drop in a day. Which NOTE that this can mean 3 requests that day.)
- How far you will travel to an owner from your location (in miles).
Availability
The Importance of an Accurate Calendar on Rover
To succeed and avoid requests for times when you are unavailable, it is important to maintain an accurate calendar.
- First off, your calendar will start off with what days, time slots and number of walks, drop-in visits, etc. that you can provide each day.
- Then, you can adjust it for weeks where there is a change in your schedule – either adding more days or walks you can do or taking off for when you will be unavailable on a day you usually are.
- To do this, log-in to your Rover account (I prefer doing so on a web browser but you can on the Rover app as well); go to calendar; and change any days you need to. Then, click confirm this is accurate for the next 2 weeks.
- Rover will encourage you to update your calendar frequently.
- And, your profile will note when the calendar was last confirmed as accurate. ALSO this helps you show up higher in the search results.
- So do this!
- PLUS: keep on a look out for holidays and weekends. If Rover asks whether you are available around a holiday or for an upcoming weekend, and you say yes, it will feature that on your profile, which can lead to more bookings!
Testimonials, Reviews and Getting Started
More on Testimonials – Rover Review 2019 for New Users
Once you fill out your profile, including the services you will offer and the prices (which YOU set), and Rover approves it, then it is a good idea to get some testimonials from friends or family to build up your reputation before someone books you.
It can take time to get your first request. Once you book a request, then hopefully that owner writes you a recommendation, which also shows on your profile. These can help a lot!!
Other tips to get started:
- Offer to walk friends’ dogs through the Rover app (share your refer link and if they are new, then you both benefit through less fees);
- Post on Craigslist, social media, apartment community boards, or other outlets you have available;
- Talk to dog owners you know to figure out what they look for with walkers;
- Read up on other people’s experiences with dog-walking;
- and be patient.
Pay
Rundown on Rover Pay
- Basics: With Rover, you set your rate for each service.
- Note: you want it to be competitive based off the market rates for other walkers, sitters, and boarders in your area.
- Fees: When setting your rate, not that Rover keeps 20% of it. Also, owners do have to pay a fee as well.
- Rover provides walkers and sitters with a personalized link within your walker dashboard on the Rover website, which cuts costs as it allows both parties to pay less in fees (and sometimes offers free walks while you keep the pay).
- Payment Method: Pay is sent to PayPal 2 days after a stay is completed.
- A stay is completed after the entire stay. So, if you agree to walk a dog 3 days in a week, then the stay is completed after the third walk. In this case, you get paid for all three walks two days after that last day/walk.
- Tips: Also, note that even if you do a stellar job, Rover does not include a tip option in its app.
- Owners can provide you cash tips and I have received a few. However, since most apps have this option to leave a tip within the platform itself, I think it makes it a bit harder to expect owners to even know that they should leave a tip or how they can. Especially after a stay has ended.
Other Pay Considerations
- Outside payments:
- Tips are okay to accept outside the platform.
- However, if you attempt to accept payment outside of Rover to avoid the fees involved (there is also a fee for the owner added to your rate), then you run the risk of having your account banned as it violates their terms of service.
- Set Rates Appropriately to One that Works for You
- Since a method to provide walkers and sitters with tips is not a built in feature of this platform, set your rate accordingly.
- Best to assume you may not get one. So if you have expectations set up for that appropriately going into it, then it may help your general outlook and planning method for determining the rate.
- This may be a preference based off the time you have and the amount of time you want to invest in this platform as a dog walker.
- Without an option for pet owners to add a tip afterwards, I have heard it is much less common that owners do tip compared to Wag!, which does include that option.
- And do not forget the 20% that Rover keeps or the rates that other walkers or sitters are offering in your area.
Pay Adjustments and Variations
Within the platform, you have the option to modify your standard rate for factors, such as the following:
- Holiday rate
- Puppy rate
- Extra dogs
- Bathing/Grooming
- Cat rate
You or the pet owner can also make an adjustment to the rate during or after booking.
- For after, to protect yourself, make sure you and the owner are both in agreement.
- I have never done this personally. But the pet owners pay when a booking is accepted and confirmed. So if a walker or sitter adjusts the rate afterwards, then they should have a reason.
- Set an appropriate cancellation policy.
- If a stay is cut short without much notice, then some cancellation policies (they range from flexible, moderate to strict), may require the owner to still pay part of the original stay amount.
- Tip: I would communicate this in my profile so the owner can tell clearly what to expect if this is something important to you.
- Also, working with owners when something comes up can help your business long term so keep that in mind.
Average Pay
- About $15-20 per 30 minute walk or drop in visit. Note that this is the time spent with the dog. So you need to account for time getting to the owner’s house, putting on the leash, and filling out a Rover Card.
- Dog daycare, boarding and house sitting all typically run at higher rates typically, as it has you bringing in a pet to your home or staying at the owner’s home. Both of which can lead to unwanted expenses.
- But look at what others are charging in your area for an idea on rates. Because it will vary based on location.
- While I am talking average pay per drop-in or walk as those are the services I provide, those that invest a lot of time into this service can make a nice amount over time, especially if they build a strong client base.
What to Expect Using this Platform
Meet & Greets
Rover encourages these since it is a way to meet the owner and ask all relevant questions. However, if time does not permit for the two of you to meet, then you may want to consider a call instead through the Rover App so that you obtain key information such as key, dog behavior, leash location, etc.
Rover Card
This is done through the app. It tracks the time, location (via GPS) for walks more-so, the times the dog either poops or pees, whether water or food was provided, a picture of the dog, and then any care information to provide the owner.
Rover Review 2019 – My thoughts
- Do this because you like dogs (or cats). This is the best part of using this platform in my opinion.
- Also, they can be great exercise. And, a great way to meet people.
- Prepare yourself for anything. It can be stressful. Especially for untrained pets. That can be a bit exhausting, but Rover does have an emergency line if something happens.
- If you find steady clients, then it can be great especially great as a side job, full time job, or temporary job, since you know the habits of the pet and get to know the owner.
- There is good money to be made!
My take from my own experience?
- Ultimately my take with this Rover Review 2019 – after first signing up in late 2017, is it’s very much a side job, part time job or temporary job if you are slow at work or have some down time. This is only my experience, however.
- Obtaining your first booking can be hard. Business picks up a bit after the first one.
- Schedules can be unpredictable and the amount you make probably will not be enough to live on. I cannot see how that would be possible in my area.
- Also, realize that you could be competing with many people that have much lower rates.
- There are costs involved: it is a good idea to have some extra poo bags, a good pair of shoes (that may get damaged), extra leash, and some first aide, among other things.
- Also, some dogs or cats can damage your clothes or belongings. This is not covered, and so consider potential costs here.
Need Supplies?
For some easy ways to carry all the things you need, check out some of my picks from Amazon for dog walking essentials.
- General Bags that Help you Stay Organized so You are Not Scrambling While Walking
2. Take care of the dog’s needs! For water and food on the go…check these products out:
3. Dog Walking Gets Messy – Be Ready
Now for the messy part of it (that you will want), trust me… Nothing gets more awkward than carrying this around searching for a trashcan!
4. More General Items to Consider
Also generally for dog walking fun, here are some more…
Final Thoughts – Rover Review 2019 and More
Dog walking with Rover can be a great way to earn some extra money that may lead to full time money if you establish yourself and a good client base. It is also a nice option for a side job or temporary job. Hopefully my Rover Review 2019 provides a bit more insight. But I say try it out for yourself!
AND, for other part-time job or temporary job ideas see my post on 5 part time job ideas to earn extra income. and 8 ideas for temporary jobs to earn more pay post.
Also see my master list of ways to make money and my master post list on how to save money and time. Plus, check out my referral code master list for welcome bonuses and referral codes for various apps and websites.