Tipping your dogwalker

bunnyface · July 2008

Hello,
I recently got a puppy and he gets one walk per day, Monday through Friday, while my boyfriend and I are at work. I am wondering if and how much other people in the neighborhood tip their walkers - weekly? monthly? only on holidays?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

jayrowdy · July 2008

I have no idea if this is considered enough, but I tip my dogwalker $5 a week, and I do the same thing as you -- one walk per day. That's only about a 7% tip, now that I think about it. But my dogwalking expenses are pushing my budget as it is.

Maybe I should do 4 walks and a bigger tip.

j.b. · July 2008

Where do you draw the line at tipping, though? You're paying this person for a service in full. It's not a situation where they're a server getting 3 bucks an hour. If you feel obliged to give bigger tips, just raise the fee you're paying them. (Or I suppose you could lower the amount you want to pay, and then give it right back in the form of a tip.)

I feel obliged to tip in situations for a bunch of possibly unworthy reasons. I don't want to appear cheap. I don't want to be 'wrong' about when to tip or not tip, and prefer to err on the side of caution. I feel no one draws clear boundaries around the role and purpose of tipping it's all one big slippery slope. It's a big running joke with my dad. He wouldn't dream of tipping in all the situations he sees me tip, and if he does it's either because they get paid a deliberately-substandard wage or for exceptional (not everyday) service.

frugalandhep · July 2008

i am a dogwalker in manhattan, and most of my clients generally give a small tip (7-8%) each month when they pay their bill.

most everyone gives a week or two's pay around the holidays.

rh · August 2008

I tip each time if it's a service and there are different people coming (I guess about 15%?). If it's the person's own business, I'll give them a bonus at the end of the year.

brooklynleather · August 2008

i was waiting to see if frugalandhep would weigh in

Tipping your dogwalker

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