FEATURE REQUEST: I would love to be able to post information specific to a sit/dates we are requesting, both in addition to our normal listing as well as in the Welcome Guide. For example, our dates may be flexible because we are still trying to confirm arrangements for our trip, so I’d like to be able to explain that up front when requesting sitters. Or, in the Welcome Guide, we may have seasonal information to include (such as watering outside plants), or information about our dog needing to go to the groomer while we are gone on a longer trip. Currently I have to message with the sitters when they apply regarding the first scenario. Then, I create an additional “While We’re Away” document that includes our itinerary and any information specific to the sit. I have to remember to print this out and leave it for them. It would be really helpful to be able to put our itinerary and date-specific information in a section called “Information for This Sit” or something in the app. That way, it would be easier for me to log in and fill it out, and it would be easier for the sitters to reference in the app without having to remember where the piece of paper is.
Thank you for your consideration.
Welcome Sharon!
Sitters like to understand owner’s itineraries, so this information would be appreciated in your listing! You can put it in the introduction, right at the top!
If your dates are flexible, it would be good to put this in the TITLE of your listing, i.e. “Flexible dates in popular, scenic area” or whatever, and explain flexible dates in the first paragraph of your listing.
You can include seasonal information in your Welcome Guide, like watering potted flowers on the patio, and then talk about it with the sitter. Does it need to be done during this sit or not? If the dog has a grooming appointment, I would expect the owner to coordinate the day/time with me, and I would put this in my calendar.
While I like having a paper/hard copy of the Welcome Guide during a sit, many people prefer everything digital anyway. When I learn about an owner’s exact dates and times (usually via email or text), I enter these into MY calendar. If there is any question, I refer back to the email or text. You don’t have to print out any paper for the sitter with your travel arrangements, as long as you have communicated them clearly via text or email.
Taking it a little farther, being able to officially flag dates as being flexible would allow more sitters to apply to those sits. We’ve all seen posts from sitters about not being able to contact HOs about flexible dates because the listed dates overlap by a day or two with the sitter’s previously confirmed sit, and this is to the detriment of both parties. If HOs could tick a box indicating these dates are flexible, it could also unlock those dates to anyone with overlapping sits. Officially indicating flexible dates could also impact a sitter’s search results if they are filtering by dates. It’s a win for everyone.
I myself have had a sit filled by someone who initially wasn’t going to reach out because the start date wasn’t quite right. This was before THS locked down overlapping sits, so when they saw I had no other applicants and the dates were quickly approaching, they decided they might as well ask. There was wiggle room in my dates so we were able to coordinate something that worked for both of us. They saved my trip, and were wonderful sitters! This would not be possible now under the current system.
That is a good idea! It would seem easy enough to have a tick box for “flexible dates.” Owners with flexible dates could constrict their dates and then work with applicants as you describe, to find dates that work for everyone.
For example, if you want to go away for 2 weeks approximately between August 1-24, you could put your dates as August 10-17 (something like that) and then explain your needs within your listing.
By the way, I favorited your listing a long time ago and love the photos of Tuna! So funny…
It is possible to put a paragraph in the WG on seasonal tasks. However, it would be better to have an active approach to the listing and make sure tasks are disclosed there. This is because the sit could otherwise be regarded as misrepresented and the sitter will have the right to cancel because of that (I’m ofc talking about more than minor things. Like having to water a garden for hours that was not mentioned etc.).
It seems many hosts regard the listing as a one time job, and you can see headlines about Christmas for a summer sit.
When it comes to flexible dates, I believe it was altered to the current system because pets were abandoned by sitters heading to (or preferring) other sits. So one solution can lead to another problem.
@PVGemini Haha thank you! Isn’t she a little modeling superstar?? Such a natural in front of the camera 
@Garfield I remember abandoned pets being the cited concern when they originally blocked overlapping applications. While I do agree that they should certainly still block the confirming of overlapping sit dates (aside from the new co-sitter feature), I don’t think there is anything inherently disingenuous about being able to contact owners about flexible dates. It is a good idea to call it out though, so perhaps when a sitter applies (or confirms another sit mid-conversation), the messaging system should automatically notify the HO that this sitter has X overlapping dates booked.