I think I’ve found 2 nice people to look after my dogs. Apart from a list of what to do etc do I provide them with food as well. Any advice appreciated. As I’ve not had sitters before
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Hi @Steve3 and welcome! You do not have to provide food, but it’s great if you can allow sitters to use cooking oil, spices etc.
Here’s a link to an article, that will provide you with some useful information:
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As a pet sitter I really appreciate a clean, tidy and uncluttered home.
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Welcome @Steve3
One thing to think about is if there was an emergency and the dogs needed medical treatment during the sit how would you pay the vet bill?
Some homeowners set up an account with their pets registered vet , some have a local emergency contact who will pay the bill , others will be easily contactable at all times and can pay the vet from their holiday destination.
It’s wise to let your sitters know what the vet arrangements are in advance of the sit .
Seems an odd request, but if you could empty the vacuum cleaner that’s always a bonus! So many times I have had to Google to work out how to empty one before I could use it 
A detailed welcome guide shared in advance is always a good thing. Our last owners sent a video of how to put the dogs harness on as it was a bit complicated. They also videoed how to set the house alarm (very handy)
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All we expect is some space in the food cupboards and fridge/freezer to store our purchased food, we always buy our own food while sitting and never use the HO food unless perishable or permission given.
Some wardrobe space is required also.
We have fallen foul of the above needs on a couple of sits previously.
Thats all we hope for.
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Getting food for them is extremely nice, not super common and not mandatory at all. If you do, I’d ask them what they want. You never know about dietary needs and for me, I get all my food on the way so if I show up and find out I didn’t need to / there’s no room then I’ll be bummed I spent my money.
I like a clean home, room in fridge and freezer and plenty of pet supplies / cleaning for the pet. I almost always have to buy my own disposable gloves for potty clean ups, once had to buy my own pee pads and another time ran out of litter but the HO had it sent to the house for me. So just making sure ALL animal things are stocked to make things easier.
edited by mistake. oh well.
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I just joined too and am currently doing my second sit. Both HO left zero room in the fridge, freezer, cupboards or closets for any of my personal supplies. My current job is for 3 weeks and I basically have to buy my groceries daily. Is there a nice way to ask HO in advance about this?
Basically, we have just discussed this after your reply.
If we ever do a sit again, we will raise this question before agreeing to sit.
At the minute though, we feel there seem to be more negatives than positives about house sitting.
You’ll want to fill out the welcome guide and share it with the sitter after you confirm them.
That is annoying! I believe that HOs get an email from THS to make space for the sitter’s stuff.
Use or throw out from the fridge the stuff that will expire within those three weeks.
Typically, in a freezer there is some nearly empty packaging of ice cream etc. And expired supplies. Eat it or throw it out to make some space.
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I give the HOs plenty of notice and just simply ask via the messaging system on the site:
“We are looking forward to our sitting with you.
We should be grateful if you would provide fridge and freezer space and hanging/drawer space.”
Thank you very much
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We send a similar message to @Itchyfeet .
We also ask for a clear shelf to keep our groceries. I think it’s often something that host’s don’t think about unless you bring it to their attention .
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It’s especially nice when owners clear a shelf in their cupboard or pantry too. I often have all my non-perishable groceries piled on the kitchen counter.
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Hi @Steve3 lovely question.
- What kind of host do you want to be?
- What kind of homestay experience do you want to create?
- What kind of review do you want them to leave about you as a host?
I’ve had hosts do the following:
- Tell me to help myself to everything
- Buy my first grocery shop
- Fill the fridge with my favourite foods before I arrive
I replace items I finish (especially pricey things like cashews), and make sure to ask if they want me to get anything for them for their return. I often leave fresh brownies or dinner in the oven. It’s a two-way street.
At the minimum, spices, herbs, oils, condiments etc are available to use ideally.
Provide whatever reflects you as a host.
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Yes! You absolutely can bring this up on a video chat! Let homeowners know that you are a homebody (They’ll love that!) and usually buy your own groceries and cook for yourself, so you’ll need room in the fridge and freezer. Most experienced homeowners will also leave you some drawer and/or closet space even if you are sleeping in their room. You might see this checked off under amneties in the listing, but if you don’t – bring it up and ask! Don’t phrase it as a demand. Phrase everything as a question. Example: “I noticed you didn’t check off closet or drawer space in your amenities. Where would I place my personal items and clothes while I’m staying in your home?”
If they seem put off by these questions or have no way of answering that would be a red flag for me as a sitter. Usually if nothing else, there is a the top of a chest of drawers for the suitcase, and a few extra hangers in the hall coat closet.
Homeowners aren’t trying to be inconsiderate. These are things that just haven’t occurred to them. They also do get an email reminder that includes a checklist to make sure there is room in the fridge, etc. but they might not read it!
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As a sitter, I always ask if they have made arrangements with their Vet in case of an emergency. As a homeowner, I always put my credit card on file with my Vet. And let them know that a petsitter will be with my dog for a specific number of days.
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Regarding no room in drawers and cupboards, for a short sit we can live out of boxes and suitcase. For a sit over a week, if one is left with no room an option is to take photos then gently move some of the host’s belongings to make some room and replace them at the end as per the photos. Photos are all deleted after the sit.
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Clean tidy home, empty space in refrigerator and freezer so I can buy groceries, account set up with vet in case of emergencies. Although not required, I’ve had many pet parents say “help yourself to anything you want to eat”
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