Hi everyone! I’m new to the forum but have been a THS member for several years. I just found the forum and have found all kinds of interesting and helpful info on here so I wanted to join here as well.
My question is about my current listing. I posted a listing for a sit just shy of a month out from our trip. We are in Dallas, TX and are traveling just before Thanksgiving. I’m wondering if I posted it too close in for holiday travel as I’m struggling with getting many applicants. We’ve had two so far but it looks like neither will work given their travel schedules after discussing further with them. We’ve had several people save our listing but after reading on the forum, that usually indicates they’re not available for these dates but would be interested in the future.
Is anyone able to look at our listing and give us advice on how to improve it? We have a large mutt and a pug and I’m wondering if sitters are less interested in sits with larger dogs? Do I need to post further out for trips that are close to holidays?
I don’t think I’m allowed to post the link to my listing if I’m reading the rules correctly but I’m happy to DM anyone who is willing to check it out!
Thanks in advance!
(post moderated)
Hi @MrsRose168 Your listing is embedded in your forum username. If you didn’t do that, it’s likely a moderator did it for you. They can make magic happen at times. 
Two things that may be a deterrent for some sitters:
- Need of a vehicle, which is cost-prohibitive for most sitters who don’t have their own vehicle.
- Free time for sitters restricted to two hours at a time, given Poppy’s needs.
That can restrict your sitter pool. If providing a vehicle is not an option, perhaps consider offering to pick up and return a person to the transit location. As the sit is less than a week, perhaps a sitter would be happy to stay home, or use grocery/restaurant delivery or Uber. Perhaps you could take them to a grocery store when you pick them up.
Does Poppy travel well, and enjoy outings? If so, mention that so that sitters could take her with them and be out longer than the two hours.
Can you make your listing ‘family friendly’? Again, it may then appeal to more sitters.
Your listing title could be more effective. Most of what you have in it can be seen when searching. This is your first marketing tool, so choose your words wisely.
You are still showing two applicants. If they will not be a fit, then decline them so that they can move on. It will also then show as less competition for someone who is considering your sit.
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Hi. I just peeked at your listing and it is definitely one I would consider, if I were in the area. I think some of us love big dogs, so Beau wouldn’t be a detriment. In fact, I’d put that pic of him smiling as the first photo. He’s adorable!
I see that your pug isn’t completely potty trained yet. It might keep someone from applying for the sit if she has to go outside every 2 hours and doesn’t have a doggie door? That’s just a guess on my part though.
If the bedroom pic you posted is of the one your sitter will use, I would suggest mentioning the bed size. It’s difficult to tell from a photo if it’s a queen or a full. If you have a couple that is petsitting, that might make a difference.
How long ago did your listing get ‘liked’? There’s always the chance that someone is finalizing their travel plans to the area and doesn’t want to apply until they have flights or vacation dates approved? I wouldn’t be too worried yet.
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Have you reached out to any of your previous sitters to see if they or someone in their network may be available? Can you list how long your pug can be crated to allow for more flexibility? Being tied to the house , except for 2 hours is going to be an issue for many sitters. Unfortunately also, many sitters are already booked for the Thanksgiving holidays or have decided to stay home and celebrate with family or friends, so the timing is not great. That said, your home and pets seem lovely and feedback from previous sitters has been good, so these are pluses. Good luck!
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Thanks so much for your feedback! I noted that unless crated she needs to be let out every 2-3 hours. Otherwise she has accidents.
I’ve been hesitant to list our home as family friendly because we have a pool and a big dog who jumps on people when they first come over. He loves people a little too much and despite training, the excited jumping is still a problem. That’s one thing I was planning to look into on the forum—how others handle these things. I’m always scared someone’s child could fall into the pool or accidentally get knocked over by our one big dog. We have a 5-year old so the house overall is very family friendly but those two things make me nervous.
We’ve also never had anyone sit without a car before so I’m not sure if that’s a big deterrent here in Texas.
I’ve made some changes based on your recommendations so thank you again for your help and quick response!
Kristina
1 Like
Thank you for the feedback! In the photo description of the bed I noted it is a queen bed. I updated the info about Poppy to note that she can hold it overnight and for longer periods of time in her crate. I just wanted to note that she needs to be let out every few hours if the sitter is home.