I was having some struggles with overly demanding HOs in Europe. I’m now in the Southwest Asia part of my travels, particularly UAE and around, and I have to say the last few HOs have been really great! I don’t know if it’s because of the cultural climate? Where many people here are also extreme travelers and semi-nomadic? But everyone has been so welcoming, respectful, flexible and understanding. And crucially—very laid back about cleaning, chores and schedules! 
These are the kind of sits I’m used to, where it really feels like a mutual exchange of favors based on the luck of availability between travel lovers. It’s restored my vigor in the platform. Anyone else sitting in the UAE and nearby places and found this to be true?
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We’ve completed 30+ sits all within Europe, and we haven’t had any “demanding” owners at all. We’ve just had normal tasks linked to caring for their pets and their home.
I read horror stories sometimes on here, but that hasn’t been our experience at all.
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I lived in the UAE for six years teaching and many homes had servants so the cleaning issue wasn’t a thing. Pet care and home security were more to the point. I know I’m generalizing but many were wealthy and wouldn’t be doing the clean up if it was necessary after one’s duty of care was over. If they had pets and their own home they could afford to leave to travel places then they had money. Some of course would be renting but salaries are tax free there.
I drove a dusty Jeep everywhere and it looked appropriate whereas many spent a fortune on keeping their popular while saloon cars pristine!
Sand gets everywhere as we found when leaving a window open for ventilation in the bedroom the next morning!
It so seldom rained to clean things up too! Ha ha!
I got stopped by the police once for walking in the rain… “ Are you alright , sir? “
“ Yes thank you, I’m British, I actually enjoy this experience!”
I think they thought I had dementia.
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Like @HappyDeb we’ve done over 70 sits in Europe and never had any issues with demanding owners.
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Wonderful that the UAE (Middle East rather than Asia) is being kind to you @hiya. Hosts tend to be expats there and have cleaners & drivers (we used to live & work in that region) so are not worried about extra chores or cleaning on the whole. They can see sitters as “staff” sometimes though which isn’t fun, so sounds like you’re choosing well. Haven’t found hosts in Europe anymore or less demanding than SE and West Asia or North Africa like the other replies. 50+ sits and 22 countries as our mini poll. #takesallsorts
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I’m really happy to read this! We have been put off from applying for European sits because of all the bad comments. Lovely to read something positive!
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It’s the horror stories from the US that have put me off from ever sitting there again, along with the extremely high prices and ridiculously out of control tipping culture. I’ve never had a problem sitting in any European countries, including the UK.
There’s also the current case of Rebecca Burke, who was in the US on a Workaway assignment. She tried to cross into Canada, but was refused entry and had to return to the US, where she was arrested and has been held in an ICE facility for 2 weeks. Her crime was working while only having a tourist visa, just as anyone travelling for a sit to the US would be. Most countries would deport someone who broke their visa conditions, clearly not the US. Make of that what you will.
Just a small note that UAE is in Asia 
The term Middle East is falling out of fashion as things get decolonized, it’s actually just Southwest Asia.
To be honest of the places I’ve sat in UAE, none had excessive cleaning staff, maybe someone who came once a week. It’s more that they just seemed more laid back and understanding about travel and being a traveler, and a bit more empathetic about considering the sitter’s time and enjoyment, rather than pumping them for expectations. I think it’s due to the type of expats in UAE and the overall attitude. It also could be because life is a bit easier in UAE, design wise. Apartments are new, things are easy to use and state of the art? Cleaning is easier in a way, and life is made more convenient?
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Totally stand corrected, apologies! I must be old school 
Apparently there are more expats in Dubai than the whole of Oxfordshire now - mostly moving for a better quality of family life. Glad it’s a good sitting hot spot. Haven’t tried it in this life yet. #nicespot
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Honestly, the odd bad comment on the forum have been nothing at all like our experience. We have ONLY sat in Europe but we’ve had brilliant hosts, with very normal tasks, who were NOT demanding in the slightest, and NOT expectant at all, other than very normal things. Everyone has been very excepting and open armed with us, very grateful and appreciative of us, and incredibly respectful.
@Hiya I know you’ve been knocked off stars for cleaning in the past for multiple sits, but I think you’ve perhaps let that taint your impression of a whole continent and all of the countries and all of the people within it by making a comparison between the UEA to Europe. To blanket the whole of the continent of Europe and compare it to the UAE which has a tiny population of people in comparison is a little strange.
We’ve never had any stars knocked off so far for cleaning (nor anything else for that matter) and we’ve done 30+ sits in Europe (38 to be precise with THS), I know we’ll be knocked off stars eventually, because it’s bound to happen with the number of sits we’ve done, but we got one bit of fantastic advice when we first started sitting, which was to leave a place as though you were never there in the first place, and that’s what we’ve done each time.
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Only sat in Europe with tasks that would plenty allow enjoying myself and explore - which I did.
I think it is mostly picking the right host more than region. The region mentioned in OP is very much connected with bad treatment of staff, human traficking, taking peoples passports so that they can’t go home etc., and law that does not protect women if something happens (numerous incidents of women contacting their embassy when they have been victim of crimes and are adviced to flee the country because if they go to police they will themselves be put in jail for breaking the law). So yeah. Not a region high on my list. Maybe a sitter will be treated better, but then probably because the host is more friendly.
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Locals in Dubai typically employ excessive staff. However, I doubt they would seek regular pet sitters on THS, as their staff can readily handle pet feeding and walking, which they already do anyhow.
Expatriate families typically employ live-in domestic staff and would seldom need a pet sitter
Expatriate singles and couples are most likely to seek pet sitters but even they generally have cleaning assistance once or twice a week.
In my eight years residing in Dubai, I did not encounter a single expatriate household without domestic help.
That applies to expats all over the world. This is why I exclusively sit for expats 
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55 sits completed, of which 52 in Europe. Demanding owners = zero. Some sits are better than others, but no horror stories to mention
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I’ve done only five U.K. sits as an American, including a repeat sit. All of those hosts were wonderful and reasonable. I mention that, because even as a relatively new sitter, I was able to find terrific matches without much effort. I’m sure there are some terrible hosts in Europe or any other continent or region. You just have to choose hosts and sits carefully.
If you’ve been dinged for cleaning, that might be an issue for various folks, no matter the continent or region. To me, a good sitter returns the home as they received it. With that approach, that’s resulted in strong reviews across the board — in the U.K. and U.S. If I end up getting an unreasonable one at some point, I figure rational hosts will take that in context.
I’ve stayed in homes with cleaners, but I still clean after myself, because I don’t want to live messy or create work out of the usual for the cleaner.
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I’ve just finished cleaning after a sit where the electrics aren’t all functioning and the rechargeable Hoover is in a spot that hasn’t electric power currently. So lucky it’s mainly tiled floors in bedrooms bathroom kitchen and sitting room with only a couple of large rugs so I’ve managed to do what I consider a reasonable job… hope the home owner will agree with me! Hot climates tend to have homes and work places with marble and tiled floors. It’s practical until there is water through rainfall or cleaning. A friend of mine slipped as the Air conditioning machine was dripping water and she didn’t notice and broke her arm.
The weather has been grim so the dogs have been in a lot and when out have got quite dirty so it’s a challenge to keep on top of things at the best of times. I do think tidying up well is a great way of showing your appreciation for what you’ve received in exchange.
I normally just clean the rooms I’ve used but the dogs are free range! And sleep on all the beds and sofas, going from room to room so I’ve had to do a pretty comprehensive clean up! As I couldn’t Hoover much I swept the garden of leaves.
I usually bring a small gift but this time I have been housebound and haven’t managed to get one.
Lots of lovely photos daily have certainly reassured the owners who are abroad for the first time and leaving a new pup.
They were very welcoming when I arrived especially as I was a late appointment, having been let down last minute.
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Wowser. I’m blown away (and not in a good way) by the stereotypes being outlined here. UAE is actually properly described as SW Asia these days rather than the colonial ‘Middle East’ and the idea that people living there are awash with cleaners and drivers doing ‘chores’ for expats is v diminishing in the way you’re describing it. I hope others will experience the region in a different way,
Yes, experienced it firsthand whilst living and working there for three years for an exceptionally wealthy sheikh. We had a maid and driver along with all our expat friends as other members have clarified is the norm. Having travelled all over the region & speaking a little Arabic (which helps), I have a real soft spot for nearly all the Middle Eastern countries whether they’re referred to as Asia or ME. Note that none of my Saudi, Jordanian, Emirati or Syrian friends view themselves as living in “Asia”. #insiderstake
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