Looking for advice & tips please…
I have a sit in 10 days and I am starting to panic now.
I had one application immediately, who then declined, now nothing.
I have reached out to potential sitters and more declines.
I recently renewed but only took the basic parent this time. Does this affect your application rate? I got so many applications last year on the premium membership.
Any help or advice would be gratefully received. (I followed advice about adding it to the community profile).
Thanks
I don’t think the type of membership affects how many sitters you receive or not. A few things to consider: May is the month of very high demand in which a lot of people start travelling or preparing for milestone events :Prom, Graduation, and the start of Summer Wedding season, just to name a few. Its not uncommon for things to come up as well. As an avid sitter, I always try to give an immediate response once I receive news that I may not be able to sit. Also, in the search bar, you should be able to search for sitters in your area (check reviews is a plus).
I hope this helps and you find a sitter very soon!
Hi @MichaellaR - Yours looks like quite a nice sit. A few things I would suggest …
Give @Angela_L permission to promote your listing on other THS social groups and ask if it is possible to boost your listing
Add a picture of the bathroom, it is an important room of the home and most sitters will want to see it.
You say your home has 3 bedrooms and have 2 in your photos - does this mean that you are happy to have a family sit for you? If so, mention this in your listing and be sure to add the ‘family friendly’ tag to your amenities.
Did you get reviews from previous sitters? If your membership was last active less than two years ago then any previous reviews should be showing.
It is a bit time-consuming but there are 400 sitters registered in Leeds. Pay no attention to their availability calendars as they are often not updated and start to send out private invites to local sitters explaining the urgency - hopefully, someone will step up to help you out. New sitters with no or only a few reviews may be particularly keen to help you as they will also benefit from the review you give at the end of the sit.
This is great advice @Colin, thank you so much for taking the time.
I had a previous sitter I will reach out and ask if they will leave a review.
Never thought of adding a bathroom pictures, I will do that.
The basic membership does not give you the option to see which sitters have favoured your listing . With the premium you would get this option and be able to get in contact with these sitters directly.
However a sitter may you because they like your listing but are not available for the dates you need this time , so it won’t necessarily solve the problem, but might be worth a try .
If you can get those reviews, that would be helpful. Two previous setters and no reviews is a bit of a red flag as most people won’t leave a bad review, the worst they’ll do is not review at all.
For me, two hours of walking a day (every day?) And only being able to leave the pup for max three hours is a lot to take on for a sit more than a couple of days. So that could be why it’ll take longer to find the right person. Is she good in the car/on the bus? Thats something i look for if the dog can’t be left for long as then I can take them to town or a cafe if I want to get out of the house
Hi @Junipers, thank you for your feedback. I have already reached out to my sitters for FB. I was not actually planning on remaining a member so dropped the ball a little, so good catch.
With regards to length of time, Roxy is never left for longer than 4 hours max on exception and she is a WCS, so needs exercise. I understand this will not suit as many but I would not want to just leave her with anyone that is not the right fit. She would be stressed and so would I . Do other people leave their dogs generally longer than 4 hours?
Thanks for the tips on add in’s re car, Unfortunately no idea about buses.
I’ve generally found most sits say they dogs can be left for 5 or 6 hours. I’d not go over the owner’s recommendation. We did one lovely sit where the owner didnt want the dog left for more than quick shopping trips which suited us for that trip.
Hope you find someone! If it gets close to the wire you could maybe look at getting a dog walker in for a few days as well as the sitter? Cheaper than boarding or paying for a sitter probably!
@MichaellaR 4 hours is generally the norm to leave a dog. But 2 hours walking a day is quite a chunk for most of us with full-time nomadic jobs. But be honest - is it really 2 hours of walking, or is that your wish I’m asking because it’s not uncommon for owners to ask sitters for extra long walks, and then when we do so, it quickly becomes clear that the dog is not used to that much exercise!
Could one walk and some playtime in the yard suffice?
Your home and dog looks lovely, I do hope you find someone soon.
@botvot I am getting the feeling I have quite high expectations . I would hope there are not many PO that misrepresent on this front. For me at least Roxy is walked twice daily 45-60 mins each walk (scouts honour). Honestly if you spent all day running round the field with her she would follow. You could double that without problem, breed dependant I guess.
I have a dog walker once a week, I could add this and ask for an extra day if that would attract sitters.
Honestly I had so many sitters apply previously with all the same expectations so a little perplexed. Maybe its the time of year.
Appreciate your feedback.
I don’t pay attention to membership status so I don’t think that’s it. My guess is the responsibilities for the dog. I don’t watch dogs anymore but from reading the forums I’ve read a lot of sitters complain about ones that can’t be left for more than four hours since most people are trying to check out the city. But some people like me like to sit for alone time and a new furry friend so that’s not always the case (plus I’d feel bad making anyone hold their potty for too long). Also the two hours of walks a day I could see being off putting to some. I’ve always been asked for 20-30 minute walks (when I used to walk dogs) but I’d try doing 40-60 minutes cuz I like to spoil them. I’ve never heard of a two hour request but it’s sweet of you to give your baby that so often!
Also, the sit is Memorial Day weekend right? Are most sits in Leeds done by American tourists or locals? Because I feel like most Americans go camping and stuff that weekend so it might just be the dates that are the hold up.
Ah Michaella, I don’t think your expectations are particularly high! Your dog breed is notoriously high energy but many sitters love those, I think I even saw a thread about them at one point. I always think there is a good match for every sit, it just seems your match haven’t found you yet. It must be this time of year, as Jasmine said, May seems to be very busy. There is nothing wrong with your sit, it’s just timing, I guess.
you have lovely reviews and Roxy looks like a sweet doggie, so I’m sure you’ll find the perfect person!
I remember seeing your listing yesterday, as I will be available around your dates (but not on May 27th and not after May 31st) and thought the pictures were clear, but could be perhaps a bit brighter (maybe taken during the day?): flipping your phone horizontally might help get better, wider angles as well.
It might not be crucial to another sitter, but I know clear pictures might sometimes help attract more people! Also, I believe it’s a Bank holiday weekend in the UK - Ireland, so it might be more difficult to get a sitter as more people are perhaps looking at going away? I
Good luck in finding the perfect sitter for Roxy!
Nooo you don’t have high expectations. But it is true that sometimes, dogs get a little…tired when we follow the walk schedule agreed upon. They get in shape with their sitters . Sometimes, HO come back from their holidays and say how their dog was bouncing off the walls with energy and they…couldn’t keep up with their pups after we sat for them! But spaniels usually need a LOT of walking and they are full of energy, so definitely a good match with hikers!
@Nadia111 I certainly do not need to come back to a Roxy with more energy .
Sorry you can not make it this time. I have taken your FB points onboard. It is indeed a bank holiday weekend.
I am a homeowner, and I can never have a sitter that plans on leaving my dogs for more than three hours tops! There are plenty of sitters I think they just wanna hang out. I am not looking for people who want to come and tour the region and leave my dogs at home all day by themselves. They have severe separation anxiety and that’s the whole reason I want someone to come and stay with them they need companionship, so I totally get it.
you because they like your listing but are not available for the dates you need this time , so it won’t necessarily solve the problem, but might be worth a try .
I’m asking because it’s not uncommon for owners to ask sitters for extra long walks, and then when we do so, it quickly becomes clear that the dog is not used to that much exercise!
. I would hope there are not many PO that misrepresent on this front. For me at least Roxy is walked twice daily 45-60 mins each walk (scouts honour). Honestly if you spent all day running round the field with her she would follow. You could double that without problem, breed dependant I guess.