To Tip or Not to Tip. That is the Question

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

I recently hired a dog walker to come to the house and take Cubbie and Ollie on a 30 minute walk twice a week.  I was really just looking for someone to come and let them out in the middle of the day while I'm at work, but it was only a few bucks more to have them actually get a walk instead of just a quick trip to potty in the backyard. 

 

The woman I hired is the owner of a dog walking company and has a few employees but she is the one that actually walks C&O.  She is licensed with the town and is insured and knows pet CPR.  She charges me $22 per day to come and walk them.  She invoices me once every 2 weeks so that ends up being $88.  Here is my question: the invoice has a line that says "optional gratuity".  The last time I paid her, I did not include a tip.  I figure that she is the owner of the company so all money that I pay goes to her anyway, but then I started wondering if she would treat C&O any differently if I don't tip her.  I really don't think she would, but it was just a thought that crossed my mind. 

 

I sometimes feel like you now have to tip everyone that performs a service so I sometimes get frustrated but I want to do what is right.

 

I have to leave her a check tomorrow or Thursday so I am looking for advice.  Would you tip her and if so, how much?  I tried doing a search on this but only came up with tipping groomers and daycares.  Thanks for the help!

[Lonnie & Libby Lu]

I believe in tipping most everyone that is doing a service for me even though I am paying them. I am a tipper and it drives my DH crazy but that is just me!  I believe most of time you get treated better, but not always.

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

How much would you tip her?

 

I struggle with where to draw the line on tipping.  If you were to tip everyone that performs a service you would end up tipping the company that mows your lawn, the guy that changes your oil, the woman that cleans your house, the guy that comes out to tune up your AC, the mailman....the list can go on and on.  Oh and no, I don't have a guy to  mow my lawn or a woman to clean my house, those were just examples.  lol

[Lonnie & Libby Lu]

More then likely I would round it off to $100.00  I am a tipper and it is important to me to let them know I care about the job they are doing for me.  I do not do it to get better service, I do it out of my heart.  I do tip my groomer, maids in hotels, food service people, hair dresser and it goes on and on.  I know you are all probably gasping by now, it's just me.  Many times instead of money I give them a gift card or a gift.  

[Kyoko]

I would round it up to $100 as well. I also tip groomer, and my hair dresser. Just let them know that I appreciate their services.

[Adina P]

I tip my hairdresser, waitstaff, and on the cruise. That is it, I think. I think it can get a little ridiculous and don't like the expectation for everything else under the sun.

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

I totally agree with you.  I think my biggest pet peeve is feeling like I HAVE to tip someone. 

[Adina P]

Yup. Because if it is a 'have to' then they should just charge more =)

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Well, look at it this way, if you don't tip and she gets busy, and has to choose which clients to keep, would she keep you over someone else who does tip? Or if she feels slighted, will she give you over to one of her employees? And would you tip them?
I don't necessarily tip mine, but I do give her gifts now and then, but she is also a friend and owns Murphy's brother, so we see eachother socially as well. . It is her business also, but being the owner doesn't make her any less appreciative of the little recognition for giving my guys good care.
As for how much.... Even if you gave her $12.00 more, making it an even $100 a month, it would just be around 14%. I guess it's a matter of what makes you more uncomfortable? Tipping and wondering if you really need to, or not and wondering if it really will make any difference in anything.

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

I would be more inclined to tip an employee because I know that they aren't the one setting the rates.  When I worked at a coffee shop in college, we had a tip jar on the counter and people would throw in their change.  The owner of the store would occassionally come in and work a shift with us but the tips were split amoung the employees.  I'm assuming that she takes a cut of the $22 when her employees do the dog walking or there would be no point in her having employees.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Honestly tipping does get a little ridiculous.  I always tip my hair stylest and waiters very well - usually 20% unless service is BAD.  That is how they make their money!

As for this, I would probably get suckered into tipping - but I'd only do maybe 10% or something. So $98 every two weeks or thereabouts. 

I am also one that rounds up when I pay my babysitters. The girl that watches Charlotte sometimes for us is my mom's friend's daughter.  She told my mom that we pay her too much.  Heck I'll pay her too well if it means she says "yes" when I need her to babysit :)  So I agree with Sue's point on that.  Gifts would be nice also. Like I totally bring stuff to Charlotte's teachers now - Valentines they got Godiva. Their birthdays they will get Target giftcards.  I think I am into bribing when it comes to my dogs and human kid.

[Jennifer and Jack]

I totally agree .. If they have my kid, which is Jack they have my heart, wrong or right, I will bribe, pay and do whatever I have to.

Allyson, before I was a nurse, I was a Children's Director at a Day Care for 10 years. The staff were amazing to the kids. Every child was treated in a proper way, but no matter what the teachers had their favorite kids. Sometimes it had nothing to do with the connection between the mother and staff and it was just the kid, but sometimes it did.

I think any decent school would ensure every child had all of their needs met to the best of their ability but I will say it again, I have seen to many times the ones with special connections get further.

One last example... My friend who just received a lung transplant in Galveston, Texas, after being turned down everywhere else in the country, I mean everywhere. Was accepted into the transplant program, she was on something called ECMO which is the highest form of life support possible. Most health care professionals because of self preservation normally would not get attached to her or take a vested interest.

Her transplant surgeon... The one who works for the hospital is the one who said to get Kelly on the nurses side... He suggested lots of pictures to be put up of her in every day life, lots of pictures of their daughter, of Kelly's mom etc... Before you knew it, the whole ICU was pulling for Kelly to get transplanted even though the higher ups were frowning on it because she was so high risk

Kelly last week was moved out of ICU, has perfect brand new lungs and those ICU nurses were so vested in her, that brought her husband a birthday cake, they called on their day off... 

So that may be way off point, but really, a tip is a way of stepping above and beyond and getting a relationship, a head nod, or a thank you...it is getting the person vested in your thing...

So yes, it isn't always mandated or doesn't always have to be, but sometimes, it is well worth it.

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

but you should you have to bribe someone to do a good job?  isn't that why you hired them in the first place?