But despite the fact that you get to play with friendly little animals as part of your job, being a pet sitter or walker isn’t just a stroll in the park. Experienced sitters/walkers will tell you that the pace can be frenetic, and a lot of stamina is necessary to keep up with the requirements of the job. Depending on the number of regular clients you have, you could find yourself working a shift that far exceeds eight hours, which is why some pet sitters find themselves hiring part-time help relatively soon after establishing the business. But of course, the more work you have, the more successful your business will be. Earnings Potential So how much can you earn? Pet sitter Jerry Wentz of Raleigh, North Carolina, says it really depends on where you’re doing business and how many visits you physically can make in a day. “You can make this business whatever you want it to be and earn as much as you want,” says Wentz, who in addition to running his pet-sitting company serves as president of the board of directors of the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters (NAPPS). “I know many people who have no other means of support for their family other than a pet-sitting business, but you have to make sure you start your business in a place where there’s a good demand for the business. If you do that, it’s possible to make a good living.” Someone who provides day dog-walking services in New York City, for example, can easily charge $25 a walk, while in a small town, you may only be able to charge $10 per visit—and some clients may balk at that. Add on some part-time staffers, and your earning potential rises quickly. Incidentally, it’s customary to charge an additional $1 to $3 for each extra animal in the same household, which of course would improve your bottom line. For instance, a sitter who charges $18 a visit for one pet would charge $19 to $21 for a two-pet household, $20 to $24 for a three-pet household, and so on. And we’re also talking cross-species pet sitting here—one dog and two cats, for instance, would be a three-pet-household visit. Complete article can be found at: Entrepreneur.com