Hi everyone, I just received my first negative review and would really appreciate some perspective.
I completed a sit where the homeowners later said one dog had an eye infection and the other had a rash, and that a small liquid spill was left on the floor. During the sit, I sent close-up photos and regular updates, and nothing was mentioned at any point about eye discharge, a rash, or any concerns. I also don’t see signs of these issues in the photos I took. I still have them on my phone.
I did a deep clean before leaving, as I always do, and the spill (if there was a spill) was an honest oversight. The medical concerns caught me off guard because I wasn’t made aware of anything during the sit, and I’m not a vet and I would have absolutely addressed it had it been mentioned.
I responded to the review professionally, with facts, but I’m feeling discouraged because I take my sits seriously and have always had great experiences until now.
I send the frequent close up photos for this reason.
Has anyone else dealt with a situation like this? I feel completely blindsided. I’m currently on a sit but am considering deleting my profile after this. I feel like I have no way to counter in this situation and it will be reflected on my profile indefinitely.
If you’ve already responded to the review, you’ve done all you can. The hope & expectation is that future hosts will read the reviews, responses and decide the HO’s complaints were not warranted.
First, breathe…..Though it may seem so, one negative review is not the end of your opportunities on THS.
Yes, it will remain on your profile but the more sits you do, the farther this one will be “buried” and outnumbered by the great reviews you get. Plus, all of your previous reviews look fabulous and future ho’s will see the most recent review in context of a great set of other reviews.
I’ve read your review, the ho’s review and your response to the latter. And your response was fair and objective and you took responsibility which are very, very admirable in a world where too many deflect and deny.
A few q’s : 1) There is nothing in the ho’s original post about eye concerns, rashes, etc. Did they say anything to you during the “interview” about the possibility of these ? I see in their review that they mentioned the potential . Do you recall this ?
I see nothing in these pics (a very subjective point). Did you also send them pics during the sit ?
Please don’t let this deter you or let it be the cause of deleting your account.
The initial shock of a negative review will diminish and the bigger picture will return.
I have just read your response. Your tone comes across to me as authentic, reasonable and measured. I think you are right to raise these serious accusations with THS. . . . As for the side matter of the small spill that may have been left on the floor by you. The apparent oversight does not appear to have caused any damage. And so, for a HO to have mentioned it in a review - and apparently deducted you a star for this alone - comes across as extremely pernickety to me. I personally would avoid this relatively new HO.
Don’t let one bad review put you off. It will rankle for awhile for sure but there is always going to be someone out there you can’t please. Take that breath and move on.
I’m really sorry this happened — it’s an awful feeling when a review doesn’t seem to line up with what you actually experienced.
From what you’ve described, you did everything a responsible sitter should do: regular close-up photos, clear communication, and a deep clean before leaving. If nothing looked off in the photos at the time, then there genuinely wasn’t anything for you to report.
Sometimes owners notice something after they return home, and it’s easy for them to assume it must have been obvious earlier — even when it genuinely wasn’t. That mismatch can lead to reviews like this, and it doesn’t necessarily mean you did anything wrong.
A few practical steps that might help:
• Hold onto your photos. They’re evidence of what the dogs looked like throughout the sit, and they’re perfectly reasonable to share with Support if needed.
• Don’t delete your profile. One review — especially one that doesn’t match your documentation — won’t undo your entire track record.
• Let time balance it out. Future sits and future reviews will push this one down the page. Most owners read patterns, not single comments.
• You’ve already responded calmly and professionally, which is the best thing you can do. Anyone reading both sides will see that your update trail and close-up photos tell a clear story.
I know it feels discouraging, but please don’t make big decisions while you’re still stung by it. One mismatched review doesn’t define you or your care standards.
You are a very caring sitter @Karlealynne. Don’t let this one review stop you from enjoying the many at your feet. Your response to the review was honest and, as an owner, I would not be deterred from accepting you as a sitter.
Keep the photos as evidence plus screenshot the listing, in particular the Responsibilities section as it makes no mention of the possibility of eye infections and rashes which should be disclosed. Was this possibility raised at the interview or only on your arrival? It sounds like you also can’t recall it being mentioned in the WG.
Chin up and move forward as you have much to give to future homeowners and pets.
I’ve read all your reviews and the one negative one is definitely an outlier. I hope you can shrug it off and carry on getting the positive reviews you so clearly deserve.
As others have said you’re clearly a responsible sitter and your response comes across as such. I too would be wary of a sit where a HO had behaved like this and always read both sides reviews when assessing whether I want to apply for a sit so their review of you would be a red flag for me, especially in light of your other reviews.
Just one things to add - with breeds like pugs who are well known for health issues (I know this because I regularly sit for one who is prone to ear, eye and skin issues) I now always check out possible health matters for the breed online ahead of the sit and make a point of asking owners about them. This is because I find owners are frequently so used to them that they often don’t fully outline measures that need to be taken and at what stage (ie with the pug I sit for I start by wiping his eye with sterile water to see if the infection clears up before moving on to ointment if necessary because that’s more invasive for him).
You did nothing intentionally wrong, I’d just look on it as a learning experience and try to put it behind you.
I agree with the great advice you have already received.
I just would like to add that the HO’s review is probably more harmful for them than you. I don’t like their tone and the star unbalance. 3 stars overall? The vague time reference that the infection must have been building up for “one day or two” suggests that it might also have been unnoticeable at the time of your departure.
Presumably you didn’t do a return handover? Your feedback for the HO states that she left ‘extremely thorough instructions’ and her review of you claims - twice - that she went over specific concerns, yet you say here that nothing was mentioned at any point about potential eye discharge or rashes and your response to her review states you have no recollection of these health issues being included in the WG and that the HO had never mentioned them (and they’re certainly not stated in the listing). Bizarrely, it’s as if the two of you are talking about totally different scenarios, or one party is totally mistaken, so there’s clearly been a huge lack of communication somewhere along the line. What were the ‘extremely thorough instructions’ about (sounds like they were a bit over and above the usual?), if not related to the pets?
One can only wonder why the HO chose to allege the dogs had health problems upon her return, when there were no visible symptoms during the sit (you don’t have to be a vet to notice an eye infection or a rash - especially in short-coated, big-eyed breeds like pugs!) and the pics taken on her day of return don’t illustrate any such issues. So, it’s just an odd situation, which is clearly upsetting and unsettling for you. If I was considering applying for this sit, her review of you - and your response - would certainly make me suspect something didn’t add up, and I’d give it a wide berth.
As others have said, try not to let this get you down. This is just a blip, in the midst of otherwise great reviews. You clearly enjoy sitting and are good at it, so own that and try to let this odd situation go.
Hi @Karlealynne
Sorry you’ve got a less than desirable review. I think many of us have been there when we feel the HO has been over critical in their review. I had 24 perfect 5 reviews with great feedback but then got a 4* review with some scathing feedback about being a unclean person. I left a response stating that the undeclared incontinent cat had been cared for and I had spent hours cleaning up after the elderly cat but I didn’t move an expensive side board as they requested me not to.
Next sit was a regular one that left feedback that their place was cleaner than they left it! I got offered great sits since and I sure you will. I think most sensible HO’s can overlook a less than sterling review if most are great.
Onwards and upwards.
I agree with what most of the posters have said here. You left an excellent response to the review - factual and sincere. Do a few more sits (do you have any lined up for the near future?) and new good reviews will quickly obscure this one bad one.
It does happen, and I agree with everyone else that you have hand it well. Sorry this happened to you though.
I’m currently on a sit that might result in a bad review. Communication with the owners has been difficult and they left the house pretty unclean. Now that they are gone, things are going well, the dogs are sweethearts and not at all demanding. Anyway, I’m already mentally preparing for a response to a potential bad review… if I write one for them, it definitely won’t be 5 stars.
As someone who has dealt with one or two negative TH situations before, I can join in that one negative review is not going to kill you on TH. It may boggle your mind a bit and upset your sense of justice, but don’t worry too much. Some people are just crazy (or stressed, or going through crazy life things).
Report it to TH, leave a factual and measured response, and move on to the next sit. Honestly, none of my sits afterward have ever even asked about one negative review. I never responded to the one I received, either. I think it’s just par for the course that once you start doing more sits, get more experienced, you will have a wider range of situations.
If you find that it’s causing a dent in your sit acceptance, try doing shorter sits for a minute or focusing on a different location where there’s more demand. By the time it’s 2 or 3 reviews back, honestly no one will check it. They’ll just see your overall star rating.
@Karlealynne, really sorry for seemingly unfair comments in review. Fabulous advice from THS Forum members.
There have been several THS Threads on similar topics. Common advice is to first psychologically let it go - breathe deeply; recognize that aside from reply-to-review (already done) then there is nothing that you can do; breathe again. A forum member said something like ‘smother negative reviews in positive reviews’. We applaud this proactive, positive mindset.
We believe that vast majority of THS members are good people. But there exceptions, probably on both sides. If there’s a material breach of terms (not case here) then there’s Member Dispute protocol. But sometimes all anyone can do is pick themselves up, and move forward positively to future adventure.
