By Jill McDonough
One of the lovely benefits of homeschooling is that we can take care of our pets during the day.
My children love to read to our dog.
They are also given the opportunity to practice and eventually own the responsibility of caring for something other than themselves.
Dog boarding is a great side hustle for homeschooling moms because:
- You are literally making money while homeschooling
- You don’t have to leave your home, but you’re not tied to it all day
- Best of all, your children can help with a lot of the work
We asked Frances about this side hustle and how it works with her homeschool.
How did you get into this particular side hustle?
We were looking for something to help cover some of the money we lost when my husband got hours cut at work.
We also all love dogs so we thought this would be a fun thing!
How long have you been doing this side hustle?
A year and six months.
Talk about startup costs, payment, time commitment, etc.
The nice thing about dog boarding is that it didn’t cost money to start.
How much you’ll make is dependent on what days/hours you’re available as well as what services you’re willing to do. Payment comes two days after a booking is completed.
Time commitment is also dependent on whatever you’re willing to do. Different seasons/holidays can affect how much you make also.
Do your kids help you with this side hustle?
Yes!
What are the pros of this side hustle?
- Set your own dates and services.
- You get to spend time with a variety of dogs and even cats!
- Pay isn’t bad (you can set your own, but there is a recommended rate Rover gives).
- Kids get to learn responsibility by helping.
- Helps us be more active.
What are the cons of this side hustle?
- You can get dogs who might bark a lot, make messes in the house, steal your food if you’re not careful, not sleep through the night, etc. Even after doing meet and greets, you can end up with a situation that isn’t the best.
- If you’re not available, you don’t get paid in any way. Some seasons are not busy at all so then you get nothing. It’s not a steady stream of income.
How do you juggle homeschooling and this side hustle?
Taking care of dogs doesn’t get in the way of homeschooling at all because dogs can play with toys or nap.
How long have you been homeschooling? What homeschool curriculum do you use? Kids’ ages/grades?
This year is my seventh year homeschooling. We use Heart of Dakota. My oldest son is 10. My youngest is 7.
Would you recommend this particular side hustle?
I would, especially if you don’t live far out. I live in Holland, MI so there’s a lot of people and close by!
Also, if you have a love for dogs and a great yard for them, it’s fun and rewarding.
If anyone needs dog boarding, they can reach me on Rover through this link: https://www.rover.com/sit/franch84569
Thank you Frances for sharing this great side hustle for homeschool families. Let’s support this business by using her services.
Even if you don’t live in Holland, MI, it is ranked as one of America’s most quaint towns. Visit with Fido and let Frances watch your dog!
Here is a list of even more side hustles with pets.
