Hello,
We are very last minute with our listing, and there seems to be more people leaving during the December holiday then there are sitters.
I’ve changed the title to make it stand out, and reached out to 2 people who have saved our listing, but they are already booked during those dates. I fear that we will not fulfill this sit.
I’m probably worrying a bit too much, as the sit only starts in a month, on December 26. Still, I’m a bit stressed so any tips would be most useful.
“He’s reactive and can sometimes be aggressive with male dogs,
so we’re looking for someone who will not be afraid of possible fights between dogs”
TrustedHouseSitters is not suitable platform for finding a sitter for a dog who has a history of being aggressive with other dogs,
5.2.4. ensure that no pets to be left under the care of a Sitter have ever caused a person or animal any physical harm (no matter how minor the injury);
5.2.11. not have ………any animal with a history of attacks on pets or people;
Bruce Lee has never ever caused any harm to another dog, or pet. It’s just that he can be reactive with other male dogs. I just wanted to make sure that people are mindful of that. I’ve tweaked my profile to explain this better. Now that he’s 7 years old, he much chiller with male dogs.
Hi there
It is very good that you noted his behavioral issues so sitters can be aware of this upfront and they can decide whether they want to handle a dog that may be more challenging and accept the risk experiencing situations that may arise from those issues.
I’ve experienced dog fights on two sits so far and they were extremely upsetting experiences. So I wouldn’t apply to any listing where that is mentioned as a possibility upfront, no matter how small. A lot of sitters may feel similar to me. But you may have some who are not bothered by his issues and aren’t overly concerned that the worst case scenarios–like a bad dog fight–would come to pass.
You will get some helpful feedback here for sure, but ultimately, you are just getting a bunch of opinions so don’t be discouraged by anything ‘negative.’ In most cases, people don’t find sitters for the sheer reason there are far more listings that sitters actively seeking sits at a given moment.
Hi @Katu
Welcome to THS and I hope that a sitter is found for Bruce Lee.
Apart from what others have said one thing that strikes me is the day the sit starts…Boxing Day is not ideal as most sitters will likely be sitting before Christmas Day and after Boxing Day so that will limit applicants.
I understand that you look after Bruce Lee for the owner but wonder why the owner isn’t posting the listing…
Also, there are no pics of the bedroom the sitter would use, bathroom and kitchen - minimum required photos. Can you post those pics? The pics of Bruce Lee are very good however.
I’m sure there will be lots of other advice for you and, as you say, there’s a month to go before the sit.
All the best!
It seems strange that this is not your dog and it is not your property either. There are no photos of the property where the sitter would be staying. A very strange ad. How would the sitter communicate with the actual owner? Who does the Welcome Guide?
@Katu Location seems great, as does Bruce Lee! But to be able to attract sitters and compete against all the other sits at that time of the year, you’ll need to add:
Very good pictures of kitchen, bedroom, bathroom and preferably the house itself.
Give more information about Bruce Lee. How long is a long walk? Are there good routes nearby? Where does he sleep?
More information about this specific situation. Is the owner not going to choose a sitter that will stay intheir home? Why? Who’ll do a videocall with the potential sitter, or will there be any? What if something happens diring the sit?
I understand that Bruce’s owner is delegating to you to find a sitter but I do agree with others concerns that as you are not the owner of the pet or the home where the sitter will stay it could cause some issues .
Particularly around the THS insurance which covers you as a member and your home . It wouldn’t cover Bruce’s owner and the home where the sitter would be staying . This seems problematic for both sitter and owner.
How will the sitter communicate with Bruce’s owner if emergency vet treatment is required during the stay?
What happens if the owner of the property decides to come home early during the sit they are not actually the THS member the sitter won’t be cover by insurance as the THS member is you and not the owner .
It would be best if the owner is the member then the sitter knows that the owner has signed up to the code of conduct and the T&Cs -then you can still do the discussions with potential sitters - just put in the listing that is how it is going to work so potential sitters know that is the arrangement.
I can only agree with what other members have written, pictures of the property are essential, without them, I doubt you will get much interest, also starting on Boxing Day is not ideal, could you not make it a Christmas Eve start?
Ghassan is a dear friend and we paid for this subscription together. I’m coparenting Bruce Lee and this website was my idea. Also, since I’m the one in town when he’s away, and when the sitters are here, I’m the one they will be speaking with. I’m dogsitting Bruce from the 2nd to the 5th. I can’t look after him so long anymore as I have a very senior cat I can’t leave alone, just with someone to feed her day and night. She gets very distressed. I hope I answered your interrogations. Also, I’ve added that the dates are flexible. Personally, I would be happy to come in on the 26th, as it would mean I was able to celebrate réveillon and Christmas with my family. The 26th is a bland normal day…
The photos are coming. The owner and I did the welcome guide together, but I did most of it. Please see my answer to Smiley that might explain why I took the lead on this website.
We’ll both do the zoom call with the potential sitter. I will be in Montreal to help or answer queries with anything. I’m coparenting Bruce Lee since he’s a puppy. Taking a subscription here was my idea in 2018 and that’s how we function.
@Katu
I see you have now added the listing to your profile here. Please do not share personal details on the thread, if you want to do this, please rather dm members.
We always advise that if you are needing extra attention in promoting your listing, that you contact membership services to assist you further.
Thank you to all the members who have given you great advice in the meantime, and we really hope you find the right solution.