Photo by Joanne Beck
As she was approaching high school graduation, Reagan Heubusch wanted to at least supplement her part-time job with something else to make a little more money, and a family friend suggested that she try a pet-sitting service.
Almost immediately, her own social media, plus word-of-mouth, earned her three or four clients, and the business grew to the point where the 18-year-old dropped the other job altogether.
“It started out as a very small idea, and my initial goal was for it to keep me afloat while I found another job,” she said during an interview with The Batavian. “What actually ended up happening was it replaced a job entirely for me; I was able to do it full time, not just not on the side. I offer four services currently, but am hoping to be able to expand in the future as I take some courses to help educate me more.”
It was her boyfriend’s step-mother who can claim credit for the idea, and her own mother, Danielle, who gave the push to “go for it” in pursuing her own business, Reagan said. She’s always had a love for dogs, having grown up with four up to now, so the idea especially appealed to her.
Still in its early stage, the owner and namesake of the Reagan Elizabeth Pet Sitting Services is in progress with obtaining her LLC, and she offers dog walking and drop-in visits of 30 to 60 minutes to provide some companionship, exercise, a feeding, or outdoor break; and then more extensive day and night stays at the client’s home.
A 2023 graduate of Pavilion Junior Senior High School, Reagan has also taken some online courses to learn more about handling dogs, grooming and trimming their nails, she said, with plans to take more in-depth lessons, such as certified dog CPR, certified grooming and administering medical injections.
She already has experience with giving oral treatments, has booked repeat clients for all of her services, and gained some experience working at Rover.com, she said.
Reagan has a repeat overnight client booked for a 12-night package in November, and that includes caring for the dog and watering the client’s plants. She will do other tasks around the house as needed, she said.
While most of her clients so far have known her, why might strangers trust her services?
“I got booked with a complete stranger, and I think what sold them was that I was newer, my prices were affordable, and I had personal experience with dogs,” she said. “And when I met them, they felt safe that I was going to be in their home and with their pets, and nothing was going to go wrong. So it's just making yourself seem credible.”
There is always a pre-meeting for everyone to get a sense if the arrangement will work out — both with Reagan and the dog — and to ensure “it’s a good fit,” she said. She wants to make sure that she’s comfortable with the pooch and that there’s no apparent aggression there.
That meeting is a great time for both sides to size each other up, she said
“I think dogs are a really good judge of character. I think it’s up to them to trust you, I don’t think you can make a dog trust you,” she said. “I’ve always loved dogs, and I’ve always loved caring for them. It’s nice having an animal that loves you unconditionally and that you can unconditionally love back.
“I’m very good with animals. So far, there hasn't been a single dog I've turned away. I've worked with a Chihuahua, a pit bull, and even a few Great Pyrenees,” she said. “I love all dogs and would only turn one away if I felt as though I could not handle it or it showed signs of being overly aggressive. Thankfully, though, I have not had that issue yet.”
She has learned to begin with affordable pricing, establish herself and then go from there with her fees. She charges per service and serves Genesee and Wyoming counties.
Future goals are to provide a doggy day care or boarding service, plus offer nail trimmings, baths and other potential services as she becomes more established, she said. At that point, Reagan hopes to also employ others to help with the business.
For more information or to contact Reagan, email reaganelizabethht@gmail.com or go to her business site.
