Hello, my name is Zeta and my husband and I live with our 2 year old Australian Shepherd Eevee. Eevee is energetic, sassy, and funny - a typical Aussie shepherd. We are new to THS and are still figuring out how it works. If someone has time, I would love a review of my profile to see if it looks attractive and helpful for potential sitters? We are hoping for a sitter to keep Eevee company this May, and I’d love to know what I can do to make my profile nicer and more welcoming. Thank you!
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Hi there,
I took a look for you. Overall, you have a friendly and inviting listing, with lovely pictures. However, you have many minute details particularly in your responsibilities section that should go in your welcome guide rather than your listing, such as food measurements, where to find things, taking shoes off, wiping paws etc. Remember that your listing is just an overview and advert, not the instruction guide for a sitter. You might benefit from this listing guide, particularly the section ‘your welcome guide Vs your listing - knowing the difference.’
https://forum.trustedhousesitters.com/uploads/short-url/pLTxH15JL8f02lWEkv8FsjpLKxD.pdf
Rather, your responsibilities section should tell sitters:
- how long the dog can be left for
- What her general routine is
- what her personality, behaviour and sociability is like
In your home and location section, you have also only spoken about driving distances but have mentioned that it is accessible via public transport. Where is the nearest public transport? Can you offer to collect sitters from the nearest airport or station?
Hope that helps! 
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Welcome to forum @znfernando !
You have a nice and informative listing and it comes across as friendly in my opinion. Many sitters come by air / without a car. So what I look for in a listing is whether I can do the sit without a car. (As I often have substantial travel costs I’m not eager to rent one, I think this is true for many sitters like me.)
Would the sit be possible to do without a car, is the neighborhood safe and walking friendly, can the dog be walked from the home (not driven places), can one walk to some stores/ cafes etc. Or of course if public transport available, something on that subject.
In the Intro I prefer to find some compelling reason to why I should want to continue reading and consider going to :Beaverton: I see you have some suggestions under Home and Location, but maybe a short mention in Intro.
Sitters often put a lot of weight on the size and quality of the bed offered. I would put in the actual size of the bed, as it varies greatly - also names like «queen» and «king» has different size measures in different parts of the world.
But overall you are doing good 
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Thank you so much, this is very helpful!
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good to know, those are really helpful points. Thank you!
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I see that you have an applicant, so I hope it works out! You’re still on the low applicants badge though, and I think your listing could really benefit from another look through the listing guide I sent. Here’s some tips to consider:
Introduction:
- Your intro should give strong reasons for a sitter to come and sit for you and stay in your home. Remember this is a mutually beneficial exchange, not a paid job, and you are competing against hundreds of other listings to attract a sitter. Tell sitters straight away in your intro what’s in it for them and why they should visit your area and stay in your home. At the moment, your listing is very Eevee focused; even in your intro you tell sitters your home is “perfect for Eevee” - how about perfect for sitters, not just Eevee? What attractive features does your home have that sitters can enjoy? Also consider telling sitters in your intro how many sitters you can host, and what you expect for a handover (when should a sitter arrive? Will you host them the evening before if you’d like them to arrive the day before?)
Home & location section:
- I would skip the part about shoes off inside, this can be for your welcome guide and makes your listing seem a little too micro managing. Remember you want to offer sitters a pleasant stay, with strong reasons for them to pick your sit, so give details about the bed, where sitters are sleeping and what most attractive features your home offers them.
Transport: - Please tell sitters where the nearest public transport is, and how accessible by foot your local amenities are, not just driving distance. Remember that a good show of hospitality can go a long way, so as already mentioned, tell sitters if you can collect them from the nearest airport or station.
Local area:
Rather than just listing nearby restaurants, actively describe your local area and why somebody should visit. People can get ethnic foods almost anywhere, so this isn’t a very strong reason. What is in your local area? Nature reserves? City life? What are some top tourist attractions?
Responsibilities section:
This section still needs some work. I see that you have condensed it, which is better, but now what sitters are left with is a list of “don’t do’s.” I counted 7 “don’t do’s/not permitted” which is not a positive way to describe responsibilities.
Instead of telling sitters what not to do, simply describe your pup and what her needs are.
Start by describing Eevee - what is her personality and sociability? Does she do well with other dogs and people?
Then tell sitters:
- When is she fed and walked? How long are walks and how does she behave on walks?
- How long can she be left for? (If you ticked a box for this, it cannot be viewed publicly). This is really important, as sitters need to gauge how much free time they will have during the day.
- Where does she sleep?
- Where in the house is she allowed?
- How much play time does she get per day?
- Does she have any health or behavioural concerns, and if so, how can they be actively managed by a sitter?
- Can she go on public transport or in car rides with sitters? This is especially important if she cannot be left alone for long.
I strongly suggest having a good read through the guide. I hope that all helps, and best of luck!
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Oh crikey, it’s good that you asked for feedback on your profile. I sense your anxiety about dirt/germs in the house, it is ok to be upfront about this and say it in the first sentence or even in the title. ‘Ultra clean home owners seek fastidious similar pet/home sitters’ might cover it. Your fear of sitters potentially messing up the place is real. A few sitters will like this sit, many would be put off, so be aware that this might reduce applications.
My advice is to be aware that sitters have a lot of choice, and that your advert competes with other less demanding pet owners. It’s a tough one but being a bit OCD/fastidious ourselves (see our profile) we get where you’re coming from but it could be communicated in a lighter manner that’s more appealing I think by being very upfront about it (put the exact details in the welcome guide). Best Wishes.
Perhaps you could consider hiring a professional cleaner to come in during or after the sit to minimise your anxiety and make it easier and more relaxing for sitters? May help with gaining applicants too, as some sitters jump to apply for sits where there’s a hired cleaner 
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Thank you kindly. I had a bit more time today so I revamped the Home & Location and Responsibilities sections thanks to your input!
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I see, ok I changed things so it doesn’t sound as uptight. I can move the more specific rules to the handbook. Thank you for your advice!
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