First non-five-star sit. Demoralized

I just finished a two-week sit. I explicitly told host about my late-rising nature (but I’m up late, too, and have had success with many dogs who accommodate this) and my sensitivity to noise. He assured me his dog would be fine with the situation and the house was quiet. Well: The first four mornings i was awakened by the dog barking at random noises, outside, and i did not get much rest. I was never told about the barking. Host said he didn’t know about it. Ok.

Host then kindly offered to have pup stay at a pup ‘ranch’ nearby that he’d been to before. I offered to leave the house after taking him there, of course, but host said no, stay, enjoy the area. i understand this was an inconvenience for him and not expects. Also i thought he was so kind and generous, despite the change in plans. I did everything to help, drove pup and hour and back, cleaned house fully before he returned, did other things to help him.

And then he gives me four stars, tells other hosts to be careful with my inflexible schedule.

I’m just so sad. And worried it will affect future apps. And so disappointed that this host did not disclose the obvious chronic barking, and then takes a star off my total, not just a sub-category.

Oh well, it probably was going to happen sometime?? Ugh. Thanks for listening. I really wish I’d never taken the sit.

I feel like this is a troll, but not completely sure. If not, please do not continue to pursue petsitting if a dog barking sets you off. Seriously, it’s part of the gig.

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Oh no— why do you feel I’m a troll? Sorry to hear that.

And, I guess I respectfully disagree. This pup barked often and early, every day…. Not all dogs do! I think this is something owners can mention, especially if noise is something to consider.

I’m on the owner’s side here. They needed a sitter who could put their dog’s needs first. They thought their dog was going to be staying at home and they weren’t planning on the extra cost of boarding fees. You didn’t deliver your part of the agreement. That’s why you got docked a star.

I don’t think your sleep pattern is suitable for dog sitting. Dogs are naturally early risers in most cases and need to be let out first thing for the toilet. Many dogs also bark, in your case probably to let you know it needed to go out to the toilet or just get outside. I suggest you avoid dog sits in the future.

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You didn’t mention how late you sleep in. For me, sleeping late means the sun rose before I did, and most dogs are ok with that. But if you are sleeping until 10am, I’d have to agree with Crookie. The owner may not have known the dog barks because the owner is up to let the dog out and feed him before the dog begins to ask. If I were the owner and had to board my dog, after I specifically made plans for my dog be cared for at home, and then had to board him, which I didnt want to do, because the sitter was too sleepy to feed him or let him out for a potty break, I would deduct far more than 1 star. If your sleep schedule isn’t something you can adjust, you might want to consider sitting in areas several time zones west of your location.

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It sounds like you would be best not sitting for dogs. Personally I do not sit for dogs and that is very much due to the fact that my sleep pattern and dogs do not go well together.

It was perhaps foolish of the home owner to offer you the sit, considering that you had been open and honest about your sleep schedule. We all have different capabilities and it’s important to take those into consideration when applying for sits.

To be honest I am very surprised that you were given four stars, the sit was a huge fail. If it were me I would be very relieved that the owner hadn’t complained to THS. Hopefully you can move on, avoid dogs, and build your confidence, and reviews, again.

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If you can’t adjust your schedule for a pet, then isn’t the host being accurate that it’s inflexible?

Sounds like the host erred by offering you the sit and you erred by accepting, given that pets don’t suddenly adjust their schedules to ours. Most dogs don’t sleep in. Pets also sometimes just get up early and/or bark, maybe because their human(s) are away. And sometimes just inexplicably.

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That’s why they make cats !

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I know it must be frustrating but try to see this situation from the owners side. He needed a sitter to take care of his dog and then he had to arrange something else.

I still think he’s kind and generous. Your driving the pup to the farm was not a favour it was a need that arose because you were unable to look after it. In fact, the owner did not get any benefits from your stay. 4 stars is quite generous.

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I’m the opposite, I’m an early riser and struggle with loo breaks for dogs after 10pm, but we’re always amazed by how many dogs on THS like to lay-in, but we’ve found that most dogs just adapt straight away to our early rising on day 2, which could be what you have found up until now but in reverse, but when they don’t adapt on day 2, it’s up to us as sitters to adapt.

You wouldn’t be told about the barking, because the owner doesn’t stay in bed, he gets up to walk his dog and start his day. So he probably doesn’t experience the ‘chronic’ barking, plus, dogs bark by nature.

When you respond to his review, please don’t mention you did him a favour by driving the pup an hour and back and how you did everything to help, because it’s you yourself that created the whole situation, it’s not the owners fault at all, so you may look bad to those future owners who read your response, so really think about how you word it.

It could have been so so so much worse than 4 stars, so dust yourself down, it was bound to happen at some point, what’s done is done. We’ve got a clean record, but we know at some point that is bound to change by this forum.

With you having a sensitivity to noise, and by your name @Jcat33 , I presume you prefer cats anyway.

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I’m interested in the review you gave the owner @Jcat33 which you haven’t mentioned. Did you comment on the dog’s barking disturbing your sleep routine? I have to agree with other members what where dogs are concerned, your lifestyle doesn’t suit the needs of a dog so cats are probably your best option.

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Personally I think the owner was generous to give you 4 stars. I agree with what others have responded here

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I gave him a great review, because it was a great host, pup and home, but took one star off for pet behavior because the barking was never mentioned, and I wanted future sitters to be aware, if it were something that bothered them.

Everyone, thanks for your responses. I wrote the posting hastily and there are nuances I’ve left out. Host and I had discussed, in depth before we confirmed the sit, my need for quiet until late morning. Obviously he didn’t realize the disruption his pup could cause a late-riser. And I won’t rely on hosts’ claims in future, though I’ve sat many, quiet, late/rising pups, and it’s been great for us both! But animals are unpredictable, obviously. And hosts keep different hours and so have different experiences with their pets.

I would never abandon a host/animal, but I also appreciated a solution in this sit as the sit was long and I would have had a very sleep-deprived time! It’s unfortunate he had to pay to board the pup…he did mention that he, too, has learned more about his pup’s behavior from my experience with pup. So…:woman_shrugging:

So, we both learned some things. I want to be a reliable sitter and I’ll make sure the sit is appropriate for me. And to those of you who suggest cats are easier, I can’t tell you how many sits I’ve turned down because said cat likes to wake its humans for breakfast at 5am. lol.

Maybe lizards are my jam?

In any case, I hope to be more informed, deliberate and always reliable in future sits/sit choices, and I do love this site. Take care. Leaving discussion now!

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Lots of dogs are late risers too. I have met plenty.
The judgemental comments here are so not helpful

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I’ve sat some cats who are early risers and demand breakfast and/or to be let out even before dawn. So maybe sitters who aren’t early risers want to match with only certain cats, maybe ones with automatic feeders and time programmed cat flaps, if they go outdoors or eat early.

I sleep for only about five hours a night and can easily fall back asleep, but when I encounter a sit pet with unusual hours, I note that in reviews, in case other sitters might find their sleep disturbed.

I go with the pets’ routines or I avoid the sits. I also sleep with pets and don’t close bedroom doors, so they can come and go like normal, if that’s what their humans usually do. I figure the less disrupted the pets’ routines, the more likely they are to be content, generally.

My own dog is a late riser and lazy walker, but he barks seemingly randomly, though of course he might hear things we don’t. Like sometimes wildlife wander by. I joke that sometimes he hears or sees dead people.

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@Jcat33
I think four stars for a sit you did not complete is more than fair.
Would you have preferred five stars and no sleep for days?

Hello everyone,

OP has confirmed that they’ve taken on board the feedback that’s been given here, so I’m going to close this discussion to new replies.

Thanks to everyone who popped on to share their perspective :slight_smile:

Jenny