Book review: ‘From Dog Lover to Paid Dog Sitter’
From Dog Lover to Paid Dog Sitter: What I Learned After Fostering for 9 Years and Sitting Dozens of Dogs by Daniela Kunie. Independently published, 2026. Softcover, 60 pages.
Several years ago, a friend of mine had a dog-sitting business in her suburban home. Her canine guests, drawn from a small circle of friends, were happy to arrive for an overnight stay or a week or two while their families went on vacation. Both the dogs and their humans knew that time spent in my friend’s home was enjoyable and safe. I thought of those happy dogs and humans when I recently came across From Dog Lover to Paid Dog Sitter by Daniela Kunie.
In this practical, user-friendly guide to starting a dog-sitting enterprise, Daniela draws on personal experience and offers sage advice. Divided into comprehensive chapters leading interested readers on the way from turning an idea into an actual well-run business, From Dog Lover to Paid Dog Sitter breaks down the ins and outs into achievable goals.
She covers all the basics, such as establishing a business plan and keeping things running smoothly even while being on the lookout for potential problems. Always at the center of her business model, however, is the well-being and safety of her clientele. To that end, she discusses how to set limits with oneself and clients, how to act quickly and efficiently when things don’t go as planned, and how to avoid burnout.
Although Daniela’s book is slim, it is exhaustive without being overwhelming. If having a dog-sitting business is one of your dreams, picking up From Dog Lover to Paid Dog Sitter could help make that dream a reality.
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