Homeowner’s, we know what is expected of a sitter. I’d like to know what would make you love a sitter. What is your wish list? Have you had a sitter that did something that put you over the moon? If so, what was it? Even if it’s not expected of a sitter, what “something extra” would or did make you very happy with the experience.? This can include gifts, services, anything. Thanks.
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I would love a sitter if:
- our animals had not just been cared for but they had been loved & made a true connection with the Sitter. We came home once to find our dog (who can be wary of strangers) was hanging on to every word our Sitter said & enjoying many belly rubs, our sheep were eating out the hand of the Sitter and enjoying back rubs, our pigs were in seventh heaven with wallows and their “toys” (old tyres, balls etc) well played with.
- as we grow a lot of fruit & veg I had invited the Sitter to help himself. Not only had he enjoyed the fresh produce but bagged & frozen the surplus Broad beans, raspberries & blackcurrants.
- one of our Sitters said, on our return, that he liked to be busy so he had swept the concrete, mown all the grass & trimmed some of the bushes/hedges (we certainly didn’t expect this).
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Hi @mars What makes sitters extra special for us is when we see that our dogs loved them…… if we see photos and videos of our dogs happy and settled with the sitters then we are happy. Extras like finding a meal when we get home are great, we do not expect gifts so they are a bonus, but our dogs happiness is our overriding consideration…… anyone who dwells on leaving our house spotless etc but barely mention the dogs are not likely to be as popular with us…
Likewise, we do everything in our power to make sitters stays at our home as comfortable and enjoyable as possible, we always consider that it is a sitters holiday as well, even if they do it permanently.
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What an excellent post @mars thank you, it will be really interesting to get owner’s feedback.
When I had sitters for my home (there was no pet care required I was off pet sitting to get my pet joy) the most important thing for me was to make a connection.
I didn’t expect to become best friends with each one, although that did happen on two occasions, but knowing we were like minded and understood one another’s needs and expectations, which of course comes through communication was important to me. Consequently having a sitter … who was a good communicator was essential for me.
The one thing that has never ceased to surprise was discovering how much we had in common, the same thing applies to most of the sits we’ve done.
For me it’s about being the right fit for the right sit.
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As a HO you always feel guilty when you go on holiday and leave your pets “alone”. That’s a fact a sitter needs to understand and if he/she does, then it’s the right person to step in while you’re away. Anything else like cleaning the house and washing the sheets is secondary to this…even though it’s highly appreciated.
Of course it’s nice to make a connection. Who wants someone you don’t like to sleep in your bed?
That’s why a video call is very important to me, because by writing only I couldn’t find out if it fits.
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Although I’ve not been a member here as a HO, I know that as someone who always wants to please others, I recognize that most sitters are also people pleasers. We generally want to do whatever makes the HO happy, and ultimately to set their minds at ease when they are away from their beloved pets. I’ve always been pleased when friends have stepped in to take care of my pets, when we traveled in the past. Anyone who loves animals, with enough care and dedication as to allow strangers into their homes, are the type of people I want to meet and associate myself with-it’s a win-win situation. In the past, I cared for many animals, and made it my business to go the extra mile without any request from the owners. I love grooming pets, and once helped the owners to remove an infestation of fleas from their home, without the use of chemicals. We do what we do, because of our love of animals.
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