“"Rover is perfect for finding dog sitters near me. I've tried other platforms like Pawkee, Pawshake, and GoFetch, and although they all offer a smiliar experience, my dog always seemed happiest after Rover. I wanted to test out the different platforms to see if Rover is the best platform for dog boarding and here's why I think Rover is the best.
There's a lot of different pet sitters available at all times and Rover does a great job at engaging these dog lovers with my requests. It usually takes just a couple days for someone to commit to taking care of my boy, and every single sitter I've dealt with has been super professional. The app is super easy to use and it lets me review past visits easily. They offer premium insurance in case anything goes wrong (nothing ever has), and the 24/7 service is friendly and responsive.
My favorite part of the application is it seems dog sitters on Rover like to engage with the owners! When I'm out on a trip, I'll get cute pictures of my dog having fun at the park or playing in the backyard through the app. There's always a lot of stress leaving your baby behind when you have to leave for a couple days, Rover makes me feel much more comfortable that my boy is in good hands."
"I love being around dogs.. I've had pets my entire life: dogs, cats, bunnies, rats, snakes, birds... I've had them all. Rover let's me do what I love to do (hang out with animals) and get paid for it.
The service fee is pretty signifcant (I pay the 25% premium because I'm a full time sitter), but I prefer using the platform because I can guarantee payment and they keep me going with a steady stream of jobs. "”
“Rover is specifically designed to find the perfect match for your unique dog. You can find a sitter who has specific experience being with puppies or older dogs, dogs with seperation anxiety or dogs that require medication, disabled dogs and all in between! Best of all is you can be confident any sitter you hire will treat your dog as family, with 95% of all visits on the platform rated as 5 stars.”
“Rover connects pet parents with the best neighborhood pet car, offering dog boarding, house sitting (for just your house, your dog, or any other pet), dog walking, doggy day care, and drop-in visits (for potty breaks and quick play dates). Every service offered through the Rover platform holds the rover guarantee, guaranteeing highly rated dog sitters, giving 24/7 support, vet consultation, and insurance.”
“When you build your dogs profile, you can add all information that might be needed by the dog sitter. This can include any unique behaviors your dog has, his/her vet contact information, day-to-day instructions and anything else you see fit. Rover also has your back with 24/7 support, verified reviews from other pet parents on the sitter, reservation protection (if a dog sitter cancels last minute, support will get in touch ASAP and help you find a great replacement at a reduced cost), and the guarantee that all Rover pet sitters are the best in the business.”
“Rover offers complete profiles on every sitter, with reviews from their past jobs, so you can be confident you'll be getting a quality sitter. Profiles can have details about past pet care experience, photos of past play dates, and testimonials from past clients. All this information is reviewed internally by the Rover Sitter Success Team so you can guarantee that all information is accurate.
To choose the best sitter for your dog, look over the sitter profile and see if they've disclosed the type of dog they work with best. Are they a small or big dog person? Do they have lots of dogs themselves and does your dog play well with others? We know each dog is unique so compare your requirements with the profile to find the best possible sitter.
Before you complete the booking, we highly recommend you bring in the sitter for a meet and greet with your dog. This makes sure all the special details are known, and give your dog a chance to see if they like the sitter! ”
To succeed working at Rover internally you have to be able to adapt quickly to change. The company is changing quickly and constantly, and communication is still stabilizing, so take ownership of the product and be ready to try new things!
All the basic benefits (Medical, Dental, etc.) are there and good, you start with 4 weeks PTO, and they even offer pet specific benefits. Combine the robust list of benefits with the perks of being around dogs all day, and having office snacks and drinks available at all times, Rover really treats their employees well.
The service fees of using the Rover platform are between 20-25% which is pretty high for pet sitting platforms. As pet owners find pet sitters they love, they start to bypass the platform to find mutually better pricing.
“"Working at Rover is the best! It's a super positive atmosphere. You're surrounded by dogs (how can your day be bad), your co-workers are all smart and nice, and the product we get to work on is dedicated to our passion. Management really cares about employee happiness, making sure we have a good work-life balance, and the benefit package is definitely above standard."
"My experience working at Rover isn't as positive as many of the other reviews. There are two reasons for my negative perspective of the Rover office environment: poor communication and lack of sensitivity.
Like any company that experiences rapid growth, some problems will start to come up. Unfortuantely, a major problem has started at Rover where communication between departments is very minimal. This has created an office dynamic where there is social distance between departments, and the only thing keeping us together is the dogs. Between departments we practically work at separate companies, and as employees feel the difficulty. Information on product or marketing changes always seems to come later than it should, and our departent always seems behind where the company is going.
I've also felt some slight discomfort from how some of the minority employees have been treated. It isn't outright racism, but there seems to be an undercurrent of negative energy against these minorities. I've seen over 4 employees leave or get fired in the last 2 months and all of them seemed uncomfortable about the office environment. Overall, the company is doing well and it seems management is trying, but I'm slightly worried about where the culture seems to be going.""”
Rover is an online platform that connects dog owners with a large network of highly rated dog lovers for hire. With a 95% five star rating of sitters, dog owners can reliably hire sitters for in-home dog boarding, dog or house sitting, doggy day care, drop-in visits, and dog walking. Rover's mission is to make it possible for everyone to experience the unconditional love of dogs.
Founded in 2011 by founders Greg Gottesman, Aaron Easterly, and Phillip Kimmey, Rover is based in the United States with headquarters in Seattle, Washington. Rover is a private company that has received $155.9M in funding since its Series A in 2012. Rover quickly expanded from its base in Seattle towards Portland, Oregon, and is now present in all 50 states. With approximately 200 employees, Rover has seen almost double revenue growth year over year for the last 5 years.
Rover is a two sided market-place for dog owners and dog sitters, and the reviews of their experience using Rover's services are overwhelmingly positive. These reviews mostly express the ease of using the application and the ability to meet new dogs. This article will preface reviews and frequently asked questions from the dog owner and sitter perspective with "Clients".
With over 200 employees and strong year over year growth, Rover is a fast growing startup looking towards a future IPO. Reviews from past and present employees express the overall love for dogs from everyone in the office, creating a strong positive office environment. Employees also review having hard working, intelligent, co-workers, and great work-life balance. Most dissenting former employees review Rover as having a chaotic communication structure that hasn't been able to stabilize through its rapid growth.
Rover is constantly looking for new dog sitters (although they only accept 20% of those who apply). Internal job opportunities at Rover are far reaching, focussed around Business Analytics, Business Development, Customer Experience, Software Engineering, Product Management, Marketing, and Trust & Safety.
Rover believes in the unconditional love of dogs. With a mission that strives to give everyone the possibility to experience the love of dogs, Rover's values are dedicated towards dogs. There are twelve pillars to Rovers values. Relentlessly focussing on dog safety and sitter equality. Obsession with the needs of sitters and owners. Prioritizing business goals over short-term personal interests. A commitment to operational excellence. A focus on impact, action, and results. Discipline in debate to make sure answers are provided with identified problems. Respect for transparency, a resolve to be efective over being comfortable. A devotion to each other and a celebration of humor.
Why Rover?
What is a situation where you went out on a limb for the customer?
Was there a question that you wish we had asked you, that we haven't yet asked you?
How would you measure the success of XX initiative at Rover?
Engineering - At home project that was to use your current knowledge to create a replacement site with few requirements.
The original idea of Rover was presented at Startup Weekend in Seattle in June of 2011. The idea won the contest's first place spot and set itself towards success. One of the initial team members, Greg Gottesman, was a managing director at Madrona Ventur Group, and so after the competition, Rover approached Madrona Venture Group for series investment. In April of 2012, Rover secured its first round of funding led by the Madrona Venture group, and Gottesman became a board member. The company started from its current headquarters in Seattle, Washington, and grew exponentially to include all 50 states by 2012. By 2013, Rover had secured a second round o financing, and had built a partnership with Petco for cross-promotion with each-others products. The company started with services for dog sitting and boarding services, and continuously expanded over the next four years to include services such as dog walking, doggy daycare, and drop-in visits, and also expanded out of just dogs and into other pets like cats, horses, and lizards. In 2017 Rover acquired DogVacay in an all-stock deal, and released the Quick Match dog walking service for owners to instantly find dog walkers for walking their dog.