Time To Pet Setup Guide 2026: The Complete Walkthrough for Pet Sitting Businesses

You signed up for Time To Pet. Now you’re staring at a dashboard full of options, tabs, and settings, wondering where to even begin.

Don’t worry. Every pet sitter feels this way at first.

Time To Pet is powerful software, but that power comes with complexity. Set it up wrong, and you’ll spend months fighting against a system that should be working for you. Set it up right, and you’ll wonder how you ever ran your business without it.

This guide walks you through everything. Start to finish. By the end, you’ll have a fully configured system ready to handle clients, schedule services, manage your team, send invoices, and automate the busywork that’s been eating your time.

Let’s build this thing.

Before You Start: What You’ll Need

Gather these things before diving in:

Your service menu. List every service you offer with pricing, duration, and any variations. Dog walking, drop-in visits, overnight care, whatever you do.

Your team info. Names, email addresses, phone numbers, and any relevant details for everyone who will use the system.

Your policies. Cancellation terms, holiday surcharges, payment terms, service area boundaries. You’ll be entering these into the system.

About 2-3 hours of focused time. You can do this in chunks, but setting aside dedicated time produces better results than squeezing it between client visits.

A cup of coffee. You’ll thank me later.

Phase 1: Company Settings (The Foundation)

Start here. These settings affect everything else in the system.

Basic Company Information

Go to: Settings → Company Settings

Enter your business name, address, phone number, email, and website. This information appears on invoices, client communications, and your booking page.

Upload your logo. It makes everything look more professional. Use a high-resolution image with a transparent background if possible.

Set your time zone. This seems obvious, but getting it wrong causes endless scheduling confusion. Double-check it.

Business Hours

Define when your business operates. This affects when clients can book and when automated messages go out.

Even if you’re flexible with hours, set reasonable boundaries. You can always make exceptions, but having defaults prevents clients from booking 3am visits.

Service Area

If Time To Pet offers service area settings on your plan, define your coverage zone. This helps with scheduling efficiency and prevents bookings outside your territory.

Phase 2: Services (What You Sell)

Your services are the core of your business. Get these right.

Go to: Settings → Services

Creating Service Types

For each service you offer, you’ll set:

Name: What clients see when booking. Be clear and specific. “30-Minute Dog Walk” is better than just “Walk.”

Duration: How long the service takes. Be realistic. Include travel buffer if you book back-to-back.

Price: Your standard rate. You can set different rates for different situations later.

Description: What’s included. Clients read this, so make it helpful. “Includes a 30-minute walk in your neighborhood, fresh water, potty break, and a treat (if approved).”

Category: Group similar services together. Makes booking easier for clients.

Service Variations to Consider

Different pet counts. Do you charge more for multiple pets? Set up pricing tiers.

Different durations. 30-minute vs. 60-minute walks should be separate services.

Add-ons. Things like extra playtime, medication administration, or plant watering can be separate add-on services.

Holiday rates. Many pet sitters charge premium rates for holidays. You can configure this at the service level or through surcharges.

Pro Tips for Services

Keep your service list manageable. Too many options confuse clients. If you offer 47 different service variations, consolidate where possible.

Use consistent naming conventions. “Dog Walk – 30 min” and “Cat Visit – 30 min” are easier to scan than creative names that don’t communicate what the service actually is.

Phase 3: Staff Setup (Your Team)

Even if you’re a solo operation, complete this section. You’re staff too.

Go to: Settings → Staff

Adding Team Members

For each person (including yourself), enter:

Basic info: Name, email, phone number.

Role/permissions: What can they see and do? Time To Pet offers different permission levels. Be thoughtful here. Your sitters probably don’t need access to financial reports.

Services: Which services is this person qualified to perform? You might have some staff who only do dog walks and others who handle overnights.

Availability: When are they available to work? Set recurring weekly availability, plus the ability to add specific time-off blocks.

Staff App Setup

Make sure every team member downloads the Time To Pet staff app and logs in successfully. The app is how they’ll view schedules, get directions, complete visits, and submit report cards.

Test it. Have each person log in and confirm they can see the schedule. Better to catch login issues now than when they’re standing outside a client’s house.

Staff Permissions Guide

Full Admin: You (the owner). Access to everything.

Office Manager: Can manage scheduling, clients, and some settings. Good for someone who handles admin but isn’t the owner.

Staff/Sitter: Can view their own schedule, complete visits, and submit report cards. Can’t see other staff schedules or business financials.

Limited Staff: View-only access to their schedule. Useful for very new team members.

Phase 4: Client Portal Configuration

The client portal is your 24/7 self-service hub. Clients can book services, view schedules, update information, and make payments without contacting you.

Go to: Settings → Client Portal

What to Enable

Online booking: Let clients request services through the portal. You can require approval before bookings are confirmed if you want to maintain control.

Schedule viewing: Clients can see their upcoming and past services.

Profile editing: Clients can update their contact info, pet details, and special instructions.

Invoice access: Clients can view current and past invoices.

Online payments: Clients can pay invoices directly through the portal.

Customization Options

Portal URL: Some plans let you customize your portal link. Use something memorable and on-brand.

Welcome message: Add a friendly greeting that appears when clients log in.

Booking settings: How far in advance can clients book? How much notice do you require? Set these limits to match your policies.

Promoting the Portal

The best portal in the world is useless if clients don’t use it. Plan to actively promote it:

Add the portal link to your email signature. Put a “Client Login” button on your website. Mention it during onboarding. Send reminder emails to existing clients.

Phase 5: Notifications & Automation

This is where Time To Pet starts saving you serious time.

Go to: Settings → Notifications

Email Notifications

Configure automatic emails for:

Booking confirmations: When a service is scheduled.

Reminders: Before upcoming services (set timing: 24 hours? 48 hours?).

Schedule changes: When a booking is modified or cancelled.

Invoices: When new invoices are generated.

Payment confirmations: When payments are received.

Report cards: When visit summaries are completed.

Text/SMS Notifications

Text messages have dramatically higher open rates than email. Enable SMS for time-sensitive communications:

Service reminders: The day before or morning of scheduled services.

Schedule changes: Immediate notification when something changes.

Arrival notifications: Let clients know when their sitter has arrived.

Customizing Messages

Don’t just use the defaults. Personalize your notification messages to match your brand voice. Clients can tell when they’re getting generic automated messages versus thoughtful communication.

Add your business name. Include the pet’s name where possible. Keep the tone warm and friendly.

Phase 6: Invoicing & Payments

Getting paid shouldn’t be complicated. Set this up right and money flows smoothly.

Go to: Settings → Invoicing

Invoice Settings

Invoice frequency: How often do you bill? After each service? Weekly? Monthly? Choose what works for your business model.

Due date terms: When are invoices due? Net 7? Due on receipt? Be clear.

Invoice numbering: Set a consistent format for tracking.

Invoice notes: Add default text that appears on every invoice (payment instructions, thank you message, etc.).

Payment Processing

Time To Pet integrates with payment processors like Stripe. Set this up to accept credit cards and ACH bank transfers.

Connect your processor: Follow the prompts to link your Stripe (or other) account.

Enable payment methods: Choose which payment types you’ll accept.

Configure auto-pay: Allow clients to save cards on file and enable automatic charging.

Tip option: Decide whether to enable tipping and how it appears to clients.

Late Payment Handling

Set up reminders for overdue invoices. A gentle nudge at 3 days and 7 days past due catches most late payers before it becomes a problem.

Some pet sitters also configure automatic service holds for accounts with overdue balances. Time To Pet can prevent new bookings until balances are paid.

Phase 7: Report Cards & Visit Documentation

Report cards are how you communicate with clients after each visit. Great report cards build trust and justify your rates.

Go to: Settings → Report Cards

Creating Templates

Build templates that are quick for staff to complete but informative for clients.

Essential fields:

Food consumed (dropdown: all / most / some / none)

Water refreshed (checkbox)

Potty report (dropdown: #1 only / #1 and #2 / accident / no business)

Energy level (dropdown: playful / normal / calm / sleepy / anxious)

Activity notes (text field)

Medication given (if applicable)

Photo attachment

Additional notes

Different Templates for Different Services

A 15-minute drop-in visit doesn’t need the same report card as an overnight stay. Create appropriate templates for each service type.

Keep drop-in cards simple and fast. Make overnight cards more detailed.

Photo Requirements

Require photos with every visit. This is non-negotiable for most successful pet sitting businesses. Photos provide proof of service, delight clients, and differentiate you from competitors who don’t bother.

Phase 8: Client Flags & Organization

Client flags are color-coded tags that help your team instantly identify important information.

Go to: Settings → Client Settings → Client Flags

Recommended Flags to Create

Green flags (positive): VIP Client, Referral Source, Long-time Client, Easy Access

Yellow flags (informational): New Client, Extra Photos Requested, Prefers Text Communication

Orange flags (attention needed): Difficult Access, Tricky Alarm, Special Instructions, Multiple Pets

Red flags (caution): Reactive Pet, Past Issues, Flight Risk, Medical Needs

Blue/Purple flags (other): Cash Tip Expected, Key Needed, Medications Required

Training Staff on Flags

Flags only work if your team checks them. Train staff to review client flags before every visit. Make it part of your standard operating procedure.

Phase 9: Advanced Features

Once your basics are solid, explore these power features:

Recurring Services

For regular clients with standing appointments, set up recurring services. Book once, and the system generates future appointments automatically.

Go to: The client’s profile → Services → Add Recurring Service

Service Packages

If you sell packages (like “10 walks for $X”), configure these as package services. Time To Pet tracks remaining visits and alerts you when packages are running low.

Scheduling Blocks

Block off time when you or your staff can’t take appointments: personal time, other commitments, buffer between service areas.

GPS & Check-In Tracking

Enable location features so you can see when staff arrive at and depart from visits. Useful for quality assurance and handling client questions about visit times.

QuickBooks Integration

If you use QuickBooks for accounting, connect it to Time To Pet. Invoices and payments sync automatically, saving you double-entry.

Phase 10: Testing Before Launch

Don’t skip this. Test your entire system before real clients use it.

Create a Test Client

Add yourself (or a friend) as a fake client. Use a personal email so you receive the client communications.

Run Through the Full Workflow

1. Book a service through the client portal
2. Confirm you receive the booking notification
3. Check that the service appears on the schedule
4. Assign a staff member (yourself)
5. Complete the visit and submit a report card
6. Verify the report card sends to the client
7. Generate an invoice
8. Make a test payment
9. Confirm payment confirmation sends

Check Mobile Experience

View the client portal on a phone. Complete a visit using the staff app. Most of your clients and staff will use mobile, so it needs to work well.

Fix What’s Broken

Note anything confusing, missing, or broken. Fix it now. It’s much easier to adjust settings before you have real data in the system.

Your Setup Checklist

Use this to track your progress:

Phase 1: Company Settings

☐ Business info entered

☐ Logo uploaded

☐ Time zone confirmed

☐ Business hours set

Phase 2: Services

☐ All services created with pricing

☐ Descriptions written

☐ Add-ons configured

Phase 3: Staff

☐ All team members added

☐ Permissions set appropriately

☐ Staff app installed and tested

Phase 4: Client Portal

☐ Booking settings configured

☐ Client permissions enabled

☐ Portal URL saved/customized

Phase 5: Notifications

☐ Email notifications configured

☐ Text notifications enabled

☐ Message content customized

Phase 6: Invoicing

☐ Invoice settings configured

☐ Payment processor connected

☐ Auto-pay enabled

Phase 7: Report Cards

☐ Templates created

☐ Photo requirements set

Phase 8: Client Flags

☐ Flags created with colors

☐ Team trained on flag meanings

Phase 9: Advanced Features

☐ Relevant features explored

☐ Integrations connected

Phase 10: Testing

☐ Full workflow tested

☐ Mobile experience verified

☐ Issues resolved

What’s Next?

Your Time To Pet system is configured. Now it’s time to:

Import your existing clients (if migrating from another system). [See our migration guide →]

Communicate with clients about the new booking system.

Train your team on daily workflows.

Monitor and optimize as you use the system and discover what needs adjustment.

Want Help Setting Up Time To Pet?

Setup takes time. And if you’re not technical, it can feel overwhelming.

Our agency configures Time To Pet systems for pet sitting businesses. We handle all the setup, import your client data, create your templates, and train your team. You get a fully optimized system without the headache of figuring it out yourself.

Book a Discovery Call and let’s talk about getting your Time To Pet running perfectly.