People with pets wonder: Is it customary nowadays for pets and their people to gift or tip those who work with the pets, like groomers, walkers, trainers, class instructors, daycare or boarding hosts, pet sitters, veterinarians, and vet clinic staffers?
I asked pet professionals and pet guardians several questions on tipping and gifting:
“What’s customary where you live? What do you think is expected?”
Pet professionals from around the world gladly shared their experiences and advice.
Ann Jorgensen (Alaska) I’ve worn many hats. Vet tech—back then I loved food; we rarely had time for lunch. Anything handwritten. The best was taking the time to tell the vet/clinic owner that I did a good job. Private consultant/business owner—a good review was the best, as was hearing that one of my staff did a good job. As the owner, I didn’t expect tips, but I made sure to let clients know that cash tips were always appreciated by my staff. Shelter Director/Manager/staff—we always appreciated food, gift cards, handwritten notes, a good word to our supervisor. An ultimate staff favorite is getting follow-ups on adoptions, especially for fosters and volunteers. We do remember and every adoption is special. One thing to keep in mind is most government shelters and some private shelters have a monetary limit on gifts. One of my shelters had a $50 per year limit!
Trish Ryan (South Carolina) From a trainer’s perspective, tips are always welcome. I’ve received some really cool gifts during the holidays from clients who know me well. Recently, my trainer who works with me and a few clients coordinated a donation to the shelter where I volunteer in honor of my dog who had just passed. I was so touched, I cried for days. For me, I drop off goodies to vet offices throughout the year and make holiday goodies for the staff.
Stacy Braslau-Schneck (California) I usually get one gift per year, from a random client—it might be cash, it might be homemade fudge, maybe a Starbucks card. I think that since a dog trainer is not an ongoing relationship, there’s no expectation that they’d give me a gift, tip, or bonus for the holiday; it would be like getting a gift for a plumber you happened to have to call in December. Ongoing relationships like dog walkers, groomers, daycare folks, etc.—I would think that pet owners would give them a little something.
Photo by Val Hughes
Amy Suggars (Ohio) As a professional pet sitter, I have found that tipping mirrors the economy. When clients are feeling good about their financial situations, they are very generous with their tips.
Ali Blakney (Washington) As a consumer, I’ve always tipped our groomers when we needed them. They’re doing a job I have no patience or skills for and I appreciate the care all our groomers had for our pets, so I want to show that appreciation. For our vets and vet team, I like to show appreciation with food gifts. We’ve always had amazing vet staff, in Arizona and here, and I want them to know how much I appreciate their hard work and long hours caring for my pets. Especially since I’ve always had “medically difficult” dogs, so I see my vet staff frequently.
Missy Masterson (Arkansas) In my area, only groomers might occasionally see a tip.
Kim Campbell (British Columbia) Groomers, dog walkers? For those types of services, tipping would be normal. Vets and clinic staff? Well, back in the day we got booze; now it is usually chocolates or cookies or things like that.
Julie Ellingson (California) I’m grateful for whatever people would like to give. I think the only bust was a million years ago when a nice customer gave me a bottle of wine when I was 16. (I don’t think they knew I was that young.) I’m surprised my coworkers just didn’t trade me a little cash, come to think of it. They knew I wasn’t a drinking kind of kid.
Kellie Sisson Snider (Pennsylvania) I love the idea of hand lotions, but I used to enjoy Starbucks cards, too. Handwritten notes are good. As an artist, I often draw on a card and send a note inside. One year when I got mani-pedis every month, the shop owner gave me a large bottle of the hand lotion they used in the shop. That was a really nice gift.
Sandee Strobel Szabo (Virginia) As a dog walker/pet sitter, I gave holiday gifts—usually snowmen/women as they are non-religious. My clients would typically give me gift cards to Dunkins or Cold Stone Creamery, or tip via their invoice.
Lauren Fetterman (California) Always cash tips.
Christine Hale Vertucci (Illinois) I always add a tip to the invoice for our dog walker, and give a larger, separate cash gift for the holidays. As a trainer, I’ve received an occasional gift card, plant, or bottle of wine.
Telani Lasoleille (Tennessee) I much prefer tips. Baked goods or candies aren’t so great for me, because I’m diabetic. I also don’t like “stuff.”
Misty Mills (Texas) I am a trainer and I love anything self-care related or a thoughtful note about how I have helped them. I don’t drink, so wine is wasted on me. I don’t eat animal products, so most goodies unless specifically labeled vegan or plant-based I choose not to eat.
Adrienne Critchlow (England) Any bit of clothing that is truly waterproof!
Mollie Dalpae (Washington) Case of lint brushes.
Colette Kase (Mexico) I used to be tipped by clients 20 years ago, so I assume it’s still a thing. My favorite Christmas bonus was a lovely Harrods food hamper full of goodies. Over 20 years later, I still have and use the basket.
Don Hanson (Maine) As pet-care providers, we have many clients who bring in baked goods and other goodies during the holidays and some year-round. As a business that works closely with area vets, we give them baked goods or some other goodies, as well as a book I select that is pet-related. Each member of my team is also given a copy of this book.
Jim Mihalek (Minnesota) I am a canine massage therapist. I get tips about half the time from the full massage clients; less than that when I do massage at agility trials. I don’t expect it, but appreciate those who do. I use the Square to accept credit cards, and those clients tend to bring in tips, as it gives the option to do that when they sign. (BTW, I do not charge an extra fee for those who use cards). I like to say that whether they do or do not does not influence how I treat them or their dog. I hope that I actually do that. I don’t recall getting anything during the holidays, and that is okay. Massage is a luxury thing that many cannot fit into their budget. I am grateful for those who can. As far as giving, we do drop off treats for our vets, but not during the holidays, as they have said they end up with more than they can eat. We will usually do something a few months after. For our rehab vet, we take a package of Oreos each time we visit as one of the CVTs has a thing for them. (She does share them with her co-workers.)
Summer Storm Kingery DVM (North Carolina) In my experience as a veterinarian, it’s not at all customary to tip; however, it is not uncommon for clients to give gifts. Most are food-related, but staff favorites tend to be body-care products—lotions, pumpable soaps, moisturizing hand and face wipes (anal glands sometimes go astray). Occasionally we receive a plant or flowers, and thank-you notes or cards about pets are favorites—and are often kept forever. Every once in a while we will receive art—a handmade wall quilt, an original painting, etc. Those are so special to us because we know they take so much work. Also, we have had a few folks gift the team homemade rice hot pads, knitted fingerless gloves for typing, and even little pouches made for treats in scrub pockets. The notes are probably the most important in the long term.
Kristy Gibson (Australia) If you’re giving a gift or thank-you to your vet, please include support staff like techs, assistants, and client care representatives. We work so hard—processing payments, sorting out insurance, comforting clients, cleaning up your pet’s profuse bloody diarrhoea, getting bitten giving treatments and taking vitals, doing the laundry, running bloods, monitoring anaesthetics, giving life-saving blood transfusions. Your vet is one person in an amazing team of skilled professionals working to save your pet.
Isabel Alvarez Arata (Texas) As a former professional pet sitter, I enjoyed receiving cash tips, gift cards, and self-care gifts. Most importantly, it was the message in the card that stuck with me. My clients expressing gratitude over the level of service I provided and the care I gave their beloved pet was the true gift.
Will you tip or gift those professionals who are so important to your pets? I hope you’ll consider some of the suggestions and advice that our friends from around the world have offered in their answers. As Isabel in Texas says, the true gift is expressing your gratitude for the services that support your pets so well!
