Pet sitting is one of the few side businesses where you can go from zero to your first paying client in a matter of weeks, even with no formal experience — clients are hiring for trustworthiness and reliability first, and pet-handling skill second. Here's how to actually get started.

Build your profile before you worry about anything else. Apps like Rover and Wag let you create a sitter profile with your availability, services (boarding, drop-in visits, walks), and pricing. Be specific and honest about what you're comfortable with — size of dog, medications, multiple pets — rather than saying yes to everything just to book your first job.

Start with a soft launch. Offer to watch pets for friends, family, or neighbors first, even at a discount or for free, specifically to collect your first two or three reviews. A profile with zero reviews is the biggest barrier new sitters face, and a handful of genuine, detailed reviews will do more for your bookings than any amount of profile polishing.

Price slightly under market at the start, then raise your rates as your review count and repeat clients grow. Most platforms show you competitor pricing in your area — use that as your ceiling starting out, not your target.

Treat communication like part of the service. Fast responses to booking requests, photo updates during visits, and a quick check-in note after every stay are simple things that turn a one-time booking into a repeat client who books you directly instead of shopping around each time.

Know your limits and put them in writing. Decide in advance how you'll handle a pet getting sick or injured on your watch, what your cancellation policy is, and whether you're insured or bonded through the platform you're using — sorting this out before it happens protects both you and the client.

Once you have a handful of repeat clients, the business tends to grow through word of mouth and referrals more than the app itself. At that point it's worth deciding whether you want to keep scaling through the platform or start building direct relationships with local clients to avoid the service fees.

If you decide to sign up on Rover to get started, you're welcome to use our referral link — it doesn't cost you anything extra, and it helps support this blog.