Asking about supplementary coverage/Day trips for longer sits?

That was exactly the question I asked! Can the dog go on an adventure, and if not (or to a place where he can’t go), is alternative coverage possible for a day trip. Some people fully expect the sitter to take the dog out and about with them (also our preference), but some people are the total reverse!

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Just saw a listing for a very nice spot, with what appears to be a very nice dog. He then goes on in to say how much awesome sightseeing there is to do nearby, and great restaurants, and museums, etc.

The only catch is that the owner has included an extremely rigorous schedule of feeding, playing or walking where there is some obligation to the pet every 2 hours, (and promised to give more details later!) BTW: It’s not an old dog, and there are no time-critical medications indicated.

With the dog’s schedule that stringently planned out, it seems like you couldn’t plan on doing anything for more than an hour at a time because you’d have to turn around and go straight back.

Of course the owner can request whatever he wants, and I don’t have to apply, but I wonder if they see this from the sitter’s perspective at all?

At some point, it stops feeling like a fair exchange… FOR ME. But maybe for someone, it’s acceptable.

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Hi :wave: HO here. I think it’s a reasonable question to ask, particularly for sits longer than say 10-14 days. This is definitely a topic that both the sitter and HO need to be on the same page as each other, and best discussed up front. It’s also very different depending on the type of animal - for example cats vs dogs. I just advertised for a 3 week sit for my dog, and I often receive a lot of applications as I live in a well located apartment in London.

However I received an application recently from someone who had a lot of 5* reviews (great!), regularly works from home (no problem!) and said they would need to be in the office once a week (ok so needs a cover which can be sorted). The requirement to work away is not an issue in itself, and I definitely don’t expect sitters to be at home all the time. I state on my profile that my dog is fine on his own for up to 4 hours, which is enough time for me to regularly go to the theatre, cinema, dinner out etc. I also always offer sitters a day cover here and there by a family member if they need to be away for longer than this. But the major red flag in this case was that the applicant asked if my dog would be ok on his own for an entire day, or if not, that they could ”try to arrange a half day”. Neither option would be ok since it would be longer than the 4 hours that I state on my profile. I was rather shocked by this as I feel that they should know, as a supposedly experienced pet sitter, that dogs cannot be left on their own for that long. I was quite alarmed that they consider this to be ok, and I don’t think these people should look after dogs at all. Am I unreasonable in feeling rather shocked by this? Does THS offer guidance on this topic?

@mits, this is an interesting topic and I agree with you that if in your post you stated your pet should not be left alone more than 4 hours, then the sitter was truly wrong in asking if it was okay to be gone one day per week (a full day). I believe the last few years has made it easier/harder (depending on how you look at it) for pets to be left alone as most of us have been home for the duration and both our pets and us, as humans, have become accustomed to our pets not being alone for long periods of time. However, in the past, when most of us were working full time jobs in an office, we found we DID leave our pets alone during that time. I always hated being away from mine that long but it was just the nature of the beast (getting a paycheck).

You have every right, though, to expect a sitter to abide by your wishes and I am sure you will be able to find the perfect sitter who understands your needs.

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Mits, I think it all depends on the dog. I always drove home on my lunch hour to let my dog out and have a short walk. As they got older they were always sleeping and didn’t want to go out especially if it was cold or hot. At that point it was more my need to see them than their needs and even after 8 hours they weren’t in a rush to go outside when I arrived home, just happy to see me.

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Just this week I’ve seen pet guardian listings that said their dogs can be alone at home 6 or 8 hours.
It totally depends on the dogs and their humans, of course.

What the pet guardian says their dog needs is the most important thing, but it’s not unusual for people to be away from their dogs for more than 4 hours, around the world.

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I would never expect to leave a dog all day. The RSPCA and Blue Cross recommend no more than 4 hours, however I’ve noticed that a lot of NZ owners leave their dogs all day. That doesn’t sit well with me at all and I prefer to take my canine charges exploring with me as much as possible. As you say, 4 hours is plenty of time to go to the theatre, out for dinner etc.

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Hi pitcherplant, although we’ve not had anyone sit for us yet and we have cats, i think it’s perfectly reasonable for you to take day trips. In fact, you’re saving the homeowner a fortune by house/pet sitting so quite why you’d be rebuked for taking a trip. I get it if it’s a dog; they’re more needy, but I’m sure being left ‘home alone’ for half a day or even a day would be ok. People leave their pets to go to work don’t they? Don’t take offence; they’re lucky you asked.

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I definitely had to restrain myself from saying something along the lines of, “No, clearly I do care…because I bothered to ask.” Not to put too fine a point on it, but there are definitely people who would simply do what they wanted without considering the pet’s needs at all.

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Thanks @Kootenaigirl for another perspective on this. Totally agree that it is dependent on the individual dog and specific circumstances. Glad to hear that your dog was ok on their own for a longer period of time.

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