I agree, but he might not be sad…..even though he looks sad in this one too!
Yep. I have a golden and she does best with one long walk in the morning and really some good playtime later in the afternoon. She’s a world champion napper in between those events 
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Gorgeous dogs
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I don’t think it is your sit in particular that is having problems finding sitters. I watch all day every day for sits in the UK as I will be there from June onwards. It is astounding to me me just how many unfilled sits there are, in good areas with transport, lovely homes, nearby facilities etc but still going unfilled. I’ve said this for weeks now, as a sitter who watches listings for months. No idea why this is the case but unfortunately I find it is. I wish you well in finding someone suitable, your listing is detailed and lovely, it just needs the right people to take it up 
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@JamesBrecon I haven’t read all the responses so I’ll just stick primarily with feedback on your photos. I always suggest to owners that they search their own listing as though they were a sitter. I’m fairly sure instructions suggest landscape over portrait layout. Here’s how your first portrait photo shows on a website search (MacBook Air):
And on an iPhone:
Some of your photos of Frank are not helpful. Sitters primarily want to see size and breed of a dog. I would certainly remove the one of the child sitting on the bed, for online safety/security reasons for a minor, even though it’s not full-face view.
I would have fewer outside photos of your home.
Your Amenities shows a double bed, but your listing shows a family is welcome. You also show photos of three bedrooms. You may need to decide what you’re inviting as a family and what rooms are available for them. Note that any captions under photos don’t display on the website (only on the app) so make sure you clarify things in the written description.
I am originally from that area of South Wales and am well aware of the beauty of the Brecon Beacons. I hope you’re successful in finding sitters. 
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There is mention in the listing of the Brecon Beacons, that’s a National Park in Wales. Anyone half interested would surely either be aware of that, or research it. There’s only so much a host can provide, sitters have to do some work surely?
James also refers to Pen y Fan, in some respects this is a notorious hill as it used for special forces selection. Look up Fan dance for more information. It’s not uncommon to see tourists in regular street clothes walking up the track at the same time as soldiers in full kit.
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I know the Brecons pretty well and have guidebooks and maps of the area to explore further. I also have wet weather gear, which is essential.
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Not ‘sad’ exactly just serious faced maybe 
I love this breed of dog as I sat ‘Daphne’ a red fox lab last summer; she’s got to be the best behaved nicest dog I’ve ever experienced and also quite serious faced! That was a heavenly sit. I avidly read the sitter review that came after me and they agreed too 
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Frank loves his cage, it’s his safe space and we rarely lock the door (if we have people uncomfortable with dogs), he was wagging away the whole time I tried to take a nice pic, but have now added a few more 
Really do appreciate everyone’s feedback and have tried to take all on board/action
Very much looking forward to hang the site and getting to understand idiosyncrasies as we go along, then next steps will probably be a big summer let and we’ll try to do one in Europe as sitters ourselves!
Thanks again all
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You’ve already made some great improvements so best wishes! I’ve added you to my favourites….in case hubby fancies a trip your way (he’s a retired geologist so knows the area well).
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I have never heard of Brecon Beacon, and not being native speaker, I dont even begin to guess what it could be - a shopping mall? (I know what it is).
Now this will be worded straight forwardly, and I am addressing a general reality of THS. I want to mention to the OP host, that this message is not at all directed at them, and I think the listing is lovely and I get the feeling that the host is lovely as well. I am now available for this sit, I just chipped in to tell what attracts me to a rural dog sit in the Wales.
If a host is not getting any applicants, they have to do the work on behalf of sitters. The same is with sitters - if they are not getting any sits, they need to make it as easy as possible for the host to choose them. This includes things like not sharing your life story, and not asking plenty of questions in your application. You need to make an application that can be answered with “when do you have time for a call?” and then do the telling and asking in the call. (In my case I dont hint of a call, because for me the best hosts are those who dont ask for a call but who accept me straight away). THS is a little bit about finding a good match: if you -want- the host to read your life story and appreciate it, then keep sending it and wait until you hit a host who appreciates it. Most people want quick and easy.
So to talk about hosts, if they want sitters, they need to put in the effort. If there are two listings, similar in content, and one says: “we are near the Hibiscus Fountains” and the other says “we are near the Alloment Springs national park” (both fictive national parks) I will not research the Hibiscus Fountains, I will apply for the one that tells me there is a national park. (And to be correct, it will not be two equal sits, but 40). Especially in international setting, plenty of people will not know even famous things in your area. I dont need to “do some work” to choose a sit. I can take the easiest, straight forwardest sit.
In the end: why would I not? Why would I put effort into compensating for someone else’s “shortcomings” (every coin has two sides, sitter having to do some work is always to compensate for host not doing the work, but also of course vice versa)? Why would I choose a host who does not understand the needs of international travelers - at the same time a host can and should think “why would I choose a sitter who can not do basic search about my area, surely that sitter will be much trouble”. Both fair assessments. But hosts want sitters. And they have to provide enough to attract sitters. There is no outside “fairness measure” that it can be compared to.
As a sitter I consider it incumbent on me to check out the location of a sit I’m considering applying for. I don’t rely on what a host may have included, or indeed omitted. I don’t see this as “compensation for shortcomings”, which is a very judgemental phrase. I always suggest a video call on WhatsApp and in every case the host has agreed, it’s never been the case that either party has declined after a call. I consider it informal due diligence, both parties need to feel comfortable before proceeding. If a host wanted to proceed without a call that would be a concern for me and I’d withdraw my application. Choosing the easiest and most straightforward sit is probably going to preclude some excellent sits, a little bit of work and research can be very rewarding.
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I research and look up EVERY single sit that I’m interested in applying for, it’s just due diligence on my part. I mean EVERY listing. I will Google the area then look at it on Google maps then tie it in with the listing location. I read reviews on the location and most importantly the proximity to public transport. The homeowners can’t write a novel on where they live and all the associated information, it’s up to the sitters to do their part as well. Research, research, research is the name of the game.
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Yup, exactly this and why wouldn’t you research? Can’t be bothered, or host needs to provide everyhing?
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I am getting what I like when doing it my way. Sure I can always think “the grass might be greener”, but that will lower my satisfaction in life, not raise it.
That Welsh sit I did with the great walks nearby: I learned that I had been in Wales only afterwar the sit had ended. I saw a dot on the map for fitting dates, texted the host “what is the nearest train station and can you pick me up” (it was not reachable by public transport), they accepted me on the spot, and I had wonderful weekend. You can drop me on any place on earth and I´ll be fine and enjoy something - this is why I do THS, for the random.
I do understand most people like to research more, but to paint it as mandatory or only way to success annoys me, as I do exist the way I do. I dont complain that the host is not providing enough, or that I end up in bad sits (I have however ended up in a sit where I saw the Eiffel Tower from my bedroom window: and you would not have gotten that, as the host does not do video interviews - each to their own). My system works for me. I dont forbid doing research, either, I just hint that it is nor mandatory for success.
When I have a time gab, I dont care -where- I end up being, just about some key infos on the hosts listing, like dishwasher and types of animals and a bike is nice (I pay flat rate for travel costs so I dont need to inform myself about tickets either). The other end of this is when I first choose where I want to go, and then just apply to every listing on that place, as long as the listing has my key infos in there.
However, in the end I was simply saying that any host who struggles to get sitters can not afford too much of the “let the sitters do the work”-attitude. Sitters can of course afford that if they like.
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An old military saying, time spent on reconnaissance is never wasted.
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That is your idea. I find dogs prefer not to poop where they play. Once I get them on schedule they poop on the walks. Even my last sit, they said one rarely pooped on walks. After our 4 walk schedule, she always pooped on walks.
We have four working labradors. Even they don’t need four walks a day and they are fighting fit! @Smiley’s advice for a lab of one long and one short is spot on. Poops depend on diet as much as movement. #lablover
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I said they don’t like to poop where they play. I have found that on a number of sits, that they prefer to poop away from the home. I was in southern CA for the last sit and small back space and it was full of poop when I got there. They stopped pooping in the backyard after I got them on a 4 walk schedule. Because who wants to lay where you pooped. Not even dogs.