How do you choose as a pet sitter a sit?

[EmilyDickinson]

What are your important criteria for choosing a pet sit?

This year was the year we went all in as a house and pet sitter.

We noticed that some of the famous big cities are going fast in the sense that these spots are relatively fast filled.

For some people it might be a bit disappointing, for my love partner and I, it really doesn’t matter.

Everything is ok. In general we have some criteria for choosing a house/pet sit:

1. The number and sort of animals must be in line with what we can and want to handle at that particular moment. And we love to expand.

Recently we were taking care of 4 cats. Each with their own character and challenges like being deaf and one who didn’t felt safe in general. We also succeeded to connect with all of them and making this a pleasant stay for all of us. And the main thing: everyone was happy and alive when we left

2. There is an optimum for outdoor space and indoor space. When it is warm, we appreciate outdoor space like a garden or balcony, when it is cold, we appreciate many indoor square metres. Unless we are in a big city and are only taking care of fish and are away during the day.

3. We find it interesting to explore new areas and find hiking trails & good bakeries nearby.

4. The way the people are communicating: friendly or more rigid can make a huge difference for us. What I also check is not if there never, ever were ‘things to solve’ but how people dealt with ‘things to solve’.

5. We are flexible about spotless/clean when more animals are walking in and out, but an effort in keeping up appearances (like cleaning before we come) is appreciated .

As I understand that we all have good intentions and we all are different, I was wondering how other members choose their listing…

Christine & Gerard
With Fanny & Fred on our laps.

[Enjaybee]

Sooooo what’s the question/ discussion?

[EmilyDickinson]

Oops…I thought I saved it as a draft and just now noticed that I accidentally posted it​:face_with_hand_over_mouth:Added some words now and a photo. Not all emojis doesn’t work apparently

[Itchyfeet]

I am extremely picky but maximum of 2 proper sized dogs and/or 2 cats
No pets in the bedrooms
Walking distance to cafes/bus stops/shops
Good walks
Beautiful house

[Maggie8K]

• Location
• Dates
• Type and number of pets
• Responsibilities within reason
• Travel costs
• High-speed internet
• Cleanliness

No. 1 potential dealbreaker, no matter how attractive any sit otherwise: Whether the hosts seem like good partners — welcoming, reasonable, considerate. And I withdraw within 48 hours if hosts don’t reply to schedule a video chat.

For me, sitting is icing while I telecommute. When I want a vacation, I pay my own way entirely, so I can choose exactly what I want, without any responsibilities. I sit only part time and love time at home as well.

[KC1102]

I have been sitting for a decade and over time people get a sense of what works for them and what doesn’t, what they like and don’t like, what is an absolute deal-breaker and what is something that isn’t ideal but can live with, and so on, based on the sits they do. In some cases, people are very well aware of these things right from the start.

The best sitting experiences will come when they get that clarity AND honor those preferences. And the more time someone spends sitting, the more important this becomes. However, when it comes to short-terms sits to fill gaps in my schedule, I am a bit more flexible about certain things since I will only be dealing with it for a limited amount of time.

It is all too easy to compromise on important things because the location is desirable, there is fear of not filling the dates or someone feels very reliant on sitting for financial reasons–I suspect the latter is often a factor when people find themselves in bad situations. No judgment there–I have had financial issues in the past and empathize.

But if people feel they don’t have the luxury of being more discerning with the sits they take, they have to accept the increased risk of less than enjoyable experiences. So long as they are willing to take that responsibility, the negative things won’t bother them as much .

For me personally, what my day to day comfort and experience will be like is paramount. And for this reason, I pass on applying to sits in highly coveted destinations all the time. I know from doing this long enough that if I were to take a sit that I know from the outset is not ideal for whatever reason, the location will not compensate for that.

I also know from experience that the right sits will come along so it is very easy for me to do this no matter how great the location might be-- we have sat in some amazing places over the years, and it never involved making major compromises.

For example, I like more spacious accommodations so no matter how desirable the location, I wouldn’t want to spend a month or more sharing a studio apartment or a one-room casita with my husband. Even in the most touristic spots, we spend a good deal of time at home, so having ample space is important. But another sitter might not value that as highly and they really wouldn’t care what the place was like if it gave them the opportunity to go somewhere they really wanted to go.

I rely heavily on gut instinct, and there are many times I get a sense not to apply to a sit when on the surface its seems perfectly fine. And who knows, perhaps it would have been. But operating from that space has seemed to serve me well, and I have had a very positive experience over all these years. Even if I have been ‘wrong’ in some of these cases, it really doesn’t matter since there are so many opportunities available.

[Peonie19]

I always love reading your point of view. You bring practical, tried-and-true experiences, and many examples of why it’s important to stay with what you know you are comfortable with.

[KC1102]

@Peonie19

Thank you so much…I appreciate your kind words!

[PNW]

For THS sit I only choose sits with dogs, no more than two, and prefer larger size dogs that enjoy going for walks during the day. Retrievers of any kind are my fave, with a soft spot for seniors.

Only homes that have enclosed outside access for dogs to be let out for pee breaks as I don’t want to have to put on shoes and coat and leash the dog when the dog needs potty breaks.

I won’t sit certain breeds of dogs.

I want WiFi and prefer walkable areas.

I look for sits in areas I’ve never visited before and I prefer sits under 3 weeks.

Non-THS sit (for ) my criteria is different. For instance I’m currently sitting 4 crazy big dogs that take a lot of work and cleaning. But I’m being very well compensated. So there are trade-offs depending on whether I’m being paid or not.

[Garfield]

I only sit for fun and so far has been sitting solo. I like

smaller homes to not use too much time cleaning. I look for sits with

a reasonable amount of work and that allows exploring the area. So

pets should manage to be left for 5+ hours,

no pets sleeping in bed/ bedroom,

and of course a host that sees it as a mutual agreement and would like the sitter to have a nice experience staying in their home.

I prefer walkable areas and/ or good public transportation.

[BillyBonnieBenji]

Hi Christine and Gerard,

Lovely photo! I sit on my own, and can only walk one dog at a time, and I have to ascertain early on that the dog does not pull.

A house that is accessible by public transport, as I dont have a car.

Excellent communication. If the pre-sit communication is not good, I will be concerned it will be bad on a sit.

I only look for sits with nice gardens with real grass! But I have accepted apartment sits without gardens where they have contacted me, because everything else was good.

Must have central heating and double glazed windows. I cannot be cold.

There must be photos of the kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, living room and garden.

I also prefer a bathtub, but it’s not a deal breaker.

As others have said, walking distance to shops and the local dog parks or walking trails nearby.

The house doesn’t have to be posh, or pristine, but it does have to appear clean and well looked after.

I prefer pets not to be in the bedroom too. Although I did make an exception for one dog that was very quiet, and stayed off the bed… at least til 6am!

[DianeS]

I’ve been sitting since last Christmas and realise that what I look for are:

• is it an area I want to visit, at a time when I am available
• if there are dogs, no more than 2 and no larger than a Labrador
• dogs that can be left for a minimum of 4 hours
• dogs that are happy to go in my car
• not too many animals (I’m not looking for a farming experience)
• responsibilities (and from review feedback) don’t include challenging pets (reluctant to take meds, reactive, pull on lead, etc)
• no pets in bedroom
• photos show there is a walk-in shower
• amenities listed include a microwave and central heating
• not enough information in the sit details, especially amenities
• photos show uncluttered rooms, with a well cared for bed
• photos show a lived-in looking home, where I won’t be scared to put mug down
• photos show a decent sized television
• carelessness in the sit details is a turn-off, although if the sit really looks appealing I might consider it.
• reviews, especially since the new system was introduced

I’m finding as many sits as I would like, even with being fussy. Experience has shown me what is worth holding out for.

[GotYourBack]

@EmilyDickinson, bravo on your evolving adventure. I believe that there’s a broad range of types/lifestyles of housesitters on THS. Perhaps like you, my spouse and I are full-time housesitting “in preparation for a bigger dream”. Having fun too
Curious re famous big cities. We’ve not found that. Perhaps it depends on the cities in question. For example, far fewer housesits in continental europe cities than those in UK, US, Canada. As we’ve gained in confidence with housesitting then we’ve become more adventurous to lifestyle ideas that would have seemed bonkers a while ago - for example, we spend 4.5 months housesiting/snowbirding in western US and encountering wonderful people, pets and places.
Dreaming need not just take place in the future. Suspect that plenty dreaming can occur with housesitting too. Enjoy the journey

[Colin]

For us
1- Must have 2 bedrooms
2- Must be in a location that we want to be
3- Must be for a time period we need
4- Must have Wifi
5- Not too many pets

Number 5 went out of the window on our current sit, we’re looking after 8 cats!

[Eliane]

@KC1102

Ich verlasse mich stark auf mein Bauchgefühl

Das sehe ich genauso,@KC1102. Selbst wenn alle meine Kriterien erfüllt sind, höre ich auf meine Intuition. Wenn mir mein Bauchgefühl sagt, dass irgendetwas sich komisch anfühlt, ohne es jedoch näher erfassen zu können. Damit bin ich bis jetzt immer gut gefahren. Denn das Ganze, die Auswahl ist immer mehr als die Summe seiner Teile, seiner Kriterien.

I see it the same way, @KC1102. Even if all my criteria are met, I listen to my intuition. When my gut feeling tells me that something feels strange, but I can’t put my finger on it. I’ve always done well with it so far. Because the whole, the selection, is always more than the sum of its parts, its criteria.

(translation added by Forum team )

[Silversitters]

Location /Date /Responsibilities ( from listing and also discussed in detail in video chat before confirming sit)
/Comfort (assessed by amenities, photos and previous reviews ) /Cleanliness (assessed by photos and previous reviews ) /Reasonableness of hosts ( assessed by the way the listing is written and followed up by a video call chat )

All of the above are equally important to us and need to match what we want/ need from a sit . If any of these don’t match then we don’t apply.

[CreatureCuddler]

My list:

• Must have a decent kitchen as good kitchens are a lot of why I sit.
• What pets I sit depends on the weather. I don’t sit dogs in winter (or spring/fall in the UK) as I don’t like cold and wet.
• I only sit for bigger dogs. I don’t like small dogs so I avoid them.
• If I’m sitting dogs I only do ones that have a fenced yard space for early/late pee stops.
• I look for homey/comfey places that look lived in, but no places with small kids as I find the HOs leave too much “stuff” about and I don’t like a lot of clutter.
• I want a place that is near a good supermarket but also has some cafe/restaurant options.
• I look for a walk-in shower. I don’t take baths and loathe bathtub showers.
• Nothing with too many stairs.
• Must have a good parking solution as I bring my own vehicle. On street is fine, but I’m not going to pay for parking or LEZ costs.

[EmilyDickinson]

Thank you for your friendly remark and joining the conversation!

[EmilyDickinson]

Yes, I recognize this :-). This was the first time we cared for 4 cats, and it was a joy. Expanding joy and comfort zone!

[richten1]

I’ve tightened up my criteria quite a lot since I first joined THS 30 months ago.

I now go by location
Cost to get to said location
Responsibilities
Reviews
And most importantly what’s said or not said in the pre sit video chat.