So we currently have a new THS petsitter for a short stay at our home. I asked him for ONE daily update. I didn’t think this is too much to ask? He is only our 2nd experience with THS. Our first gal often sent multiple updates per day, photos of fun hikes, etc. We loved that! Now this is our 3rd day gone and Nada, Zero updates. What should I do? I texted him this morning. No answer. Has anyone else had this happen? I am very worried being this far away and NEVER expected this to happen…
How horrible, if that’s what you agreed it’s difficult to know why it’s not happening.
My only suggestion would be to try and contact him on WhatsApp or something other than a text, it’s my least favourite contact as it costs me to send.
If you think, for any reason, there might be a problem with the WiFi then call. You can always say you were worried about the WiFi or him, or something as well as the pets.
1 Like
Thanks. I have now texted him twice and nothing. We have outside security and saw our two dogs outside a little while ago so that was a relief
1 Like
That’s definitely a relief, but try an email, he might have dropped his phone?
1 Like
As a sitter, this is something I’ve often wondered about - how much do other sitters keep in touch with the homeowners during the sits. I usually let the homeowner know when they leave that I will be in touch that evening and then again the next morning to put their mind at ease that everything is going well. Then usually every couple of days I’ll be in touch and send photos. I’ve never had a homeowner complain that I didn’t keep in touch enough. I don’t like to bother the homeowners - I want them to enjoy their holiday but at the same time I want them to feel secure in that their pet(s) are being well taken care of. If I was asked to provide an update every day I wouldn’t have a problem with that but daily updates are not something I normally do on a sit.
5 Likes
I agree. And the loss of a pet is one of the most difficult things we go through. That would have been so much added stress.
I know part of this mess is the sitter did not LISTEN to me on several things. I had to repeat myself more than once. He also showed up late to the initial meeting after we postponed it the night before so they could have dinner on their way to us. I understand wanting to eat dinner LOL!! I assumed they had built in a dinner stop when we originally set up the meet and greet.
I also realize that I need to put EVERYTHING in writing. We leave a printed sheet for every pet sitter we have ever had. This time I filled in the THS sheet as well. But telling someone I don’t need multiple updates but just one daily update is different from explicitly WRITING it down.
This is only my 2nd experience with THS and I have learned valuable lessons here.
Yes, everyone is different. I get it that some folks don’t want to be bothered at all. I don’t think one daily update is not too much to ask, though.
Means the same to me.
@Annette [quote=“Annette, post:6, topic:5672”]
If I was asked to provide an update every day I wouldn’t have a problem with that but daily updates are not something I normally do on a sit.
[/quote]
Just asking because of your last sentence
We always ask before the home hosts leave. Daily updates are fine for short stays but I do find them difficult on longer sits. There is only so many ways you can say “All is fine” and there are only so many cute pet poses you can catch on camera.
Having said that, all home hosts are different so if it daily they want, it’s daily they get - 
9 Likes
Hi Annette. That’s a point I ask about and spend time explaining why. I have had everything from ‘you can’t send too much to me, I’d be worried if I didn’t hear from you daily’ to ‘I need to escape the digital world - I’ll check my phone at 4 pm each day but I trust you totally and only contact me if it’s an emergency that you can’t handle’.
When I explain these extremes, it opens up the conversation. I cover their preferences on texts/photos/videos. Once I’m at the sit, I gauge and may adjust a little, based on how much they respond back. My personal choice is to always report back on the first 24 hrs as to food intake & bathroom ‘works’, as it’s a good indicator to the family that the pet has adjusted well (and all have for me, thankfully).
I think it’s best to set your own comfort level, in conjunction with the homeowner.
7 Likes
Good point. This was a 5 day stay so daily seems fair.
But yes, for long stays I agree once or twice a week is fine. Unless pets are older &/or have medical conditions.
2 Likes
Love this.
1 Like
I like to go over communication expectations prior to the sit so I know what the HO expects. It’s also good to establish a secondary form of communication in case something is wrong with the first (one of my sits the HO was out of country and couldn’t receive pictures in messages and I didn’t know this until a few days in and we switched from text to email).
2 Likes
It appears that he does not text. That is my primary means of communication (along with email as secondary preferred). I will put it in writing next time. This was stressful but I learned valuable lessons. Thanks for your input.
1 Like
I think it is important to sort out preferred communication channels up front - texts can be expensive. A temporary ‘friend’ or ‘follow’ on Facebook or Instagram lets you stay in touch without the need for direct messages.
I ask for an update each day for the first day or two, then once a week. … and the assurance that I’d be contacted immediately if there was a problem.
1 Like
Although we are new to TH, I’ve been responsible for the care of many pets over the year, other than my own. I’m a big fan of keeping in touch, and I may be one of those folks who takes too many cute photos 
. Having been entrusted with the care of my grandchildren as well, I fully understand the concerns of keeping the lines of communication open at all times. Giving a HO peace of mind is the ultimate goal for this to be an enjoyable experience for all parties. It’s understandable that everyone has a different perspective of levels of importance, so clear instructions are paramount.
4 Likes
This is a situation I JUST experienced on my most recent sit. The owners didn’t put an expectation on updates but I did ask prior to them leaving how often they’d like them. They responded ‘not a concern’ as they’d be at an outdoor event with limited phone service.
I did, of course text 2 pics over the 3 day sit only to be informed the primary contact had lost her phone. I immediately sent a pic to the other owner & used that # to communicate.
While my review was 5 
, the mention of no pics was included:thinking:. That was a bit surprising given all of the above but lesson learned…daily pics whether requested or not:joy:. More is less when sitting for others fur babies
2 Likes