Hello community, I’m here because I don’t know what to do. I had a problem with a bad review because a dog barked one night when I went out for 4 hours, even though I walked it and fed it like the owner says before going out and now she tells me that she’s not used to being alone after 10 at night, but she never told me. It was the only thing I did, then I was always with her and I have many videos that I didn’t send enough because I wasn’t annoying maybe.
The other time I left her alone was 30 minutes between my friend picking me up and saying “I’m outside” and her calling me saying that the dog was very sick and a neighbor went to get her. I have the photos and screenshots that support my claim.
She now adds other things like that I dyed my hair and left it stained but I never dyed it and I cleaned like crazy all morning. I’m new here in Sydney and I don’t think I understand people’s expectations. Also, my English isn’t good, and I might have asked more questions.
The thing is, I left her a lovely review, and now she’s responding like this because she’s mad. What can I do? Should I defend myself through the website or WhatsApp?
@magui
You can reply to the review that she has left you on THS. A short factual and unemotional review is best.
No need to engage with host outside of this -you can block her number on WhatsApp etc if you feel harassed .
Has this host had sitters before, how did they review the host and how did the host review them ? Always read both sets of reviews before applying for a sit.
Did the reviews or listing mention an anxious pet or one that could not be left ? Did the host give previous sitters good reviews for clean and tidy ? This can give an insight into their expectations.
The onus is also on the owner to let you know that the dog would bark / whine if you went out in the evening- or that you could not go out in the evening after a certain time - that behaviour should be in the listing and discussed before a sit is confirmed .
Whilst we would spend most evenings at home with the pets , and we wouldn’t leave dogs alone for longer than the time agreed with the host - However , we do expect to be able to go out for a meal or a show in the evening occasionally , without a curfew !
Most hosts see this a reasonable ( after all it’s something that they would do ) and if they didn’t, we wouldn’t accept the sit .
With regards to the neighbours being aware that the dog was alone - was this sit in an apartment, where pets barking or whining can cause a disturbance to the neighbours ?
Do you already have other sits confirmed?
If not , apply for a few one night or last minute sits . Check the reviews that these hosts gave previous sitters to see if they seem like reasonable hosts . Do a great job and you will get some great reviews.
Then future hosts who look at your profile will see that this was a one off negative review.
You could prepare a list beforehand of all the questions that you want to ask - then when you have a video call you have the list as a crib sheet. We always do this and English is our first language.
Okay, take a deep breath, we need a little more info first, but most importantly leave her alone on whatsapp unless you’re apologising, but by the way you say “should I defend myself” then I don’t think you want to apologise. So leave whatsapp alone, or you’ll just get more frustrated and low, and she may feel harassed when her emotions are obviously heightened at the moment.
Could any of whatever she said be actually true? If not, it could be the neighbour that has lead her to her thoughts, because she will trust the opinion of her neighbour.
You need to respond to her THS review, but don’t respond in a “defensive” way because future pet owners who read your review will not like it if you are defensive, they’ll view you as making excuses for yourself. Instead, you stick to the clear facts, and address every point she makes, facts, facts, facts!
But also you have to accept that it’s her view of things, it may or may not be right, but in her eyes she’s been let down, so you could always say something like “I am really sorry I didn’t meet your expectations and then continue into the facts of the situation”. Write it with future owners in mind, not her, you need to be factual, but also you need to look nice at the same time, if you say you left her a lovely review then you could say that you stand by your lovely review, you had a great time with her pet.
If you don’t use hair dye, then state that as a fact. But with the hair dye, you don’t mention whether you have dyed hair, because semi permanent dye comes out over many weeks. So is it possible that dye could have come out of your hair? If so, take responsibility in your reply of her review, and say sorry, and don’t use semi permanent dyes before a sit because what you do in other peoples’ homes isn’t the same as what you do in your own home, just swap to a permanent dye instead.
I was given one bit of fantastic advice when we started sitting. Leave a place as though you were never there, as though the owners had just left.
So ask yourself, did you leave it in the same condition as when you first arrived? If not, you know what you need to do different next time.
How many sits have you completed before this one, or is this your first one? I notice you’re new to the forum.
Leave the place as though you were never there is the philosophy I have on every sit. That is why I don’t like sleeping in the master bedroom. Some PP can’t believe I am turning down their great room and bed for the guest room. I am not picky when it comes to beds and tiered enough can sleep anywhere. The master bedroom can be like their sanctuary so I want the sometimes 20 decorative pillows left exactly how it was before I arrived.
Yes, why do some people have a million pillows on the bed? I just need two as all the others will go on the floor until I leave.
Sorry to read about your bad experience.
Yes, respond with the facts. I would respond only to the review on the website, and would not communicate on WhatsApp.
You don’t have to be “nice” if it means saying sorry for something you didn’t do.
Their interior decorators suggests at least 10 decorative pillows on top of the made bed for ambience. The decorator gets a commission per pillow bought for them. I worked with one on my 2nd home and realized quickly her designs were beautiful but all the extra fluff wasn’t me. If bought they would just wind up permanently on the floor and quickly tun into a cat’s bed, ha.
I agree. Taking the high road is definitely not apologizing for something you didn’t do.
We take a photo of the bed & sofa when we arrive, simply so we can put the pillows & cushions back the same way after we do our final clean 
First thing I do before unpacking is to take a picture of the bed. That way I can make it exactly the way it was. I sometimes take a pic of the vanity also if there are lots of decorative things on it that I may need to move. We try to leave everything exactly as we found it.
Thank you so much, that’s what I was thinking of doing, answering step by step. Being able to defend myself means clarifying, since, for example, I’ve never dyed my hair. A bottle of bath salt broke while I was cleaning and I told her about it. I apologized and offered to buy her one, but I was already angry about the neighbor.
The truth is, I only left her alone for 30 minutes on Sunday. I have the call logs that support this, from the time I left the house until she called me saying the dog was screaming and crying so much that she sent her neighbor to rescue her.
And on Friday, I went out for 4 hours, and now I understand that it was terrible. But she never told me I couldn’t go out. In fact, the guide says what to do before leaving. But now she told me she’s not used to being alone after 10 pm. She seems like an anxiously attached dog. Is a cavodle.
I’m very new to the app. I’ve taken care of many in Argentina. I love animals. This frustrates me. I want to send her the screenshots so she can see that it’s true that I was only gone for 4 hours and 30 minutes and that she’s overreacting .
Is a because I didn’t even go to the beach because I couldn’t take her.
The reality is that we were together all the time, we walked for an hour and a half and I only left her alone for those 2 moments and I don’t know if it’s like that here or if I had a few minor accidents and everything became enormous.
I already have two sittings confirmed, so I’ll follow her advice.
Suggestion for a response from ChatGTP:
Thank you for your feedback. I’d like to clarify a few points: I never dyed my hair, and I informed you right away about the broken bath salt bottle while cleaning and offered to replace it. I was only away from the dog for 30 minutes on Sunday and 4 hours on Friday, which I now understand may have been difficult for her. I followed the house guide and was not aware she wasn’t used to being alone after 10 pm. I’m new to this platform, have experience caring for pets in Argentina, and will take your comments into account moving forward.
How did the owner know that the dog was “screaming “ does the home have cameras ? Were these disclosed ? Did the listing say that the pet could not be left alone ( it doesn’t sounds as if it did )
Hopefully you have included the information about not being able to leave the dog or take her to the beach in your review to warn future sitters
These are essential questions to ask in your future applications-
how long can the dog be left alone for ?
Can the dog come with me to xx? .
Ridiculous. If that is a requirement for being a good house sitter, I can live with being a bad one.
Taking a picture of the vanity is really a good idea. Something I haven’t done yet but I think I will now start doing that. Sometimes things do have to be moved over for your stuff.
At current sit I forgot to take photos, as I had a long handover with host. So suddenly realised I could take a look at the photos of the listing as a plan B. If complaints one can say that the pillows were put as in listing. 
@Smiley ugh those decorative pillows! We do have to find somewhere to place them. That’s why I like being Asian. One pillow for my head and a calendar on the wall for decoration and letting me know what day it is.
@smiley I too have never understood this fashion for tons of decorative pillows! 
The first thing I do is get all the extra pillows and cushions off and pack them in a wardrobe, or on the floor if no room. We always travel with our own IKEA feather pillows- even when flying!- and I usually use one of the HO pillows as extra when reading. So only one HO pillow between us gets used (Out of the usual 2x2 + cushions!) I always tell the host what has not been used so they don’t wash anything unnecessarily.
At a recent sit I forgot to put the extra pillows & cushions back on the bed after stripping the bed. The first message from the HO after arriving home was asking where the pillows were and that also some expensive cushions were missing.. I immediately replied they were all still in the wardrobe.. She was very relieved- the one place she hadn’t looked- and said she had not thought we were the types to steal pillows! (as some previous paying guests had!!
)
When I see a bunch of unnecessary cushions on a bed, I always wish I had a catapult.
It was that neighbor who “rescued her on Sunday.” They share the yard and are friends with the owner. The ad doesn’t say so. In fact, the guide has explanations of what to do before leaving. However, it seems that my mistake was leaving after 10 pm, and the dog isn’t used to being alone after 10 pm, even if you walk her and are with her all day. But it doesn’t say that anywhere.