Totally get it @andrealovesanimals. I have a saved search set up for a few different dates next year. It only has 2 filters - for it to be accessible via public transport, and for it to be +2 weeks in duration. Europe wide. So it’s not like I’m asking for too much, have a million filters on & a very limited search or anything. I get alerts probably a few times a day for new sits. For the past few months now, so many listings I engage with just makes me sigh and shake my head.
They either have 1 - 2 sentences per section (which tells me absolutely nothing about the sit), have no pictures of the inside of the home, have poor reviews, sounds like a job description written by AI, or the responsibilities section is just ridiculous (e.g: don’t leave pet for more than 2 hours, walk dog x4 times a day, here is an intense cleaning checklist, please don’t do XY&Z, please tell me exactly why I should “hire” you ). We are really struggling to find decent sits for next year, and have never struggled so much… We have 2 lined up for January/February so far, and beyond this I just don’t know… I don’t know what’s going on with listings & HO expectations lately Hopefully something decent will come up for us, but at this point we might end up going home again in March and possibly making some big lifestyle changes and transitioning out of full time sitting. There also seem to be less pet sits than in previous years, and on other sites too. MindmyHouse, for example, shows me 3 results for the entirety of next year. Three.
I think especially with COVID and the switch for many people to hybrid or remote work, plus active retirements with people staying “at home” more and more people are really nested and many are avid gardeners who do most of the work themselves and would expect a sitter to take this on. In other words, it’s okay to ask for a sitter who would love a chance to garden. This is after all a matching site. On the other hand it’s also okay for a sitter to move on and not choose the sit. I think there is a certain resentment sometimes when some sitters see a sit that sounds perfect except for… and they then blame the petparents for having too many pets, or asking for too many things. To me this is like looking at Airbnb listings and seeing something I don’t like that is a dealbreaker for me. I don’t resent the owner or think they are being unfair. I move on and look for something else.
Given that this is also a “marketplace” even though money isn’t being exchanged, it would also seem to me that in some cases, it would be worth it to apply to a sit – even one that requires extensive gardening, mentioning
that you aren’t much of a gardener but an absolute expert with the specific breed of dogs or whatever the pet duties are, and asking about the possibility of the homeowner’s finding another helper for the garden during the sit (and with your being okay with this third party on the property X number of times a week.) It can’t hurt to negotiate.
Rather than blame random homeowners for their asks – and said homeowners might also be complaining they can’t find sitters – it feels like the company itself would benefit (and grow) by more attention to how members do what they do – both sitters and hosts to create some kind of uniformity of standards as other companies like Airbnb have done. I don’t see any free video workshops for instance on “being the best possible host” or “What can I offer sitters (other than cash) to increase their happiness?” I don’t see any free online courses for sitters in pet first aide or tips for quick clean up when you want to leave the house as you found it but your airport taxi is coming in 1 hour.
Absolutely! Couldn’t agree more - I’d be so happy to do something like that and put together guides or videos if THS was offering a role like that
I mean, they have blogs but many people aren’t aware of their existence, you kind of have to go hunting for them and know what you’re searching for. They should have a ‘learn’ section or similar, and for it to be made aware of with pop ups etc before HO’s & sitters post their listing/profile
I am wondering why people would choose a hobby farm for a sit, as my friend has one, and it is a lot of work. Maybe for the experience? I find that I am getting more particular, and there is always another sit, if you wait.
I completely agree! It never occurred to me that HO’s do this. I’m a HO and I would never ask this. The only request we have is walk our dog twice a day and feed twice a day. The 2nd walk if you take him to the dog park in our neighborhood, he plays with all the other dogs (he knows them all and loves them) and you don’t have to do anything but walk him there.
Not only will some ask, some are entitled and get huffy if some sitters refuse to say mow. I remember a host posting to that effect.
Fortunately, there are more reasonable hosts. Like I’ve had ones who arranged for their grown son to stop by and mow. And they did that without ever having asked me to cut their grass.
Another pair of hosts arranged for their neighbors to water their plants, presumably as an exchange when their neighbors traveled as well. Again, my hosts just told me that, without ever having asked me to water.
I’m not doing mowing or yard work on sits. At most, I’ll water a reasonable number of household plants.
I don’t even mow my own grass or do landscaping at my own home. We hire out.
I saw a listing for just one night. There were 3 dogs , a couple of cats, goats, sheep and alpacas (maybe some hens too I can’t remember). And yes just for one night. They wanted someone to arrive early/ mid morning and leave at 5 the following day .
It was a firm pass from us .
It was a last minute listing too . I must admit that I thought no one would apply.
I checked it out and a week later there was a 5 star review from a family from a city with young children who had experienced a great stay . They loved staying in the countryside and looking after the animals .
A win win a unique experience for this family and by welcoming a family the hosts were able get away and have their planned trip knowing someone was taking care of their animals…
Not every sit will suit every sitter but there is a sit / sitter for everyone.
Hey H.O & sitter here, while I agree with most of the posts saying that house sitting is not a job, however… walking a dog 3 times a day is the minimal amount of walks a dog should be walked. Please try holding your bladder for more than 8 hours and report back on the urinary tract infection, pain, and discomfort.
It’s crazy how we ask animals to do things that we ourselves can never subject ourselves to. You’d never hold your pee for 8 hours but a sitter should expect an animal to?
Any person willing to sit for any dog should be ok with walking a dog 3 times a day (added) if the dog has no access to a doggie door.
I think it all depends on the home and animal. I have a built in doggie door in my home with a large backyard. My dog can go out as often as he likes. If you’re in an apartment that’s different.
100% true pets like yours who have a very special setting that is definitely wonderful as they can go when they want not they can, but for those of us in apartments or homes without doggie doors, a walk every eight hours is the least one can ask for…
@Ckone2541 As long as a dog has access to outside (whether through a dog door or being let outside) during the day, then one to two walks a day, depending on its regular routine, is sufficient for its toileting needs. It’s amazing how dogs can sleep overnight for longer than 8 hours (and many humans) without needing to go to the toilet. Obviously, it will depend on the dog itself and perhaps its age.
The majority of dogs don’t need three walks a day. They need one decent walk or two medium ones max (unless they’re a crazy energetic breed) and a pee break. Don’t leave a dog confined for more than around 5 hours is a general vet recommendation, but some can go longer (we had one in Istanbul that wouldn’t need a pee for almost 10 hours!) We have four family working Labradors who are super fit and they require one 45 minute walk a day and some pee breaks and are super happy with that! #youcanoverwalkadog
Thank you to everyone that have responded to my “HO expectation” message. However, we are a wee bit off topic lately. I do not want to, in any way indicate that proper, healthy pet care is our priority. It’s the additional task to a sitters normal routines that are added to the sit after agreement has been made or are not fully explained until arrival at the sit. Thanks again to everyone.
). We are really struggling to find decent sits for next year, and have never struggled so much… We have 2 lined up for January/February so far, and beyond this I just don’t know… I don’t know what’s going on with listings & HO expectations lately 
Hopefully something decent will come up for us, but at this point we might end up going home again in March and possibly making some big lifestyle changes and transitioning out of full time sitting. There also seem to be less pet sits than in previous years, and on other sites too. MindmyHouse, for example, shows me 3 results for the entirety of next year. Three. 
a unique experience for this family and by welcoming a family the hosts were able get away and have their planned trip knowing someone was taking care of their animals…