Hi everyone,
We’re fairly new to this platform. We had one sitter for a couple of days in October and she was a wonderful first experience with TH’s
We currently have a listing for over the holidays and we’ve only received one applicant who didn’t quite work out. I’m wondering if anyone can provide me some advice on how to make our listing more appealing to sitters.
Not even sure how to share the listing here? I guess if you search for me, you should see my listing??
Thanks in advance,
SquamishMama
Here’s how to add your listing so you can get advice from members:
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Thank you @Smiley I’ve updated my profile by including the link to my listing. I appreciate you putting in the time to help me.
Heather
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Hi @SquamishMama
I’ve had a look at your listing. The photos are great and imo don’t need changing.
You’ve provided thorough information about Enzo and Maisey which is super helpful for prospective sitters to make a decision as to whether this is the right sit for them. I would love the sit except that I think, being a single sitter, I’d likely have to take the dogs out separately given their different reactions on walks. I’ve done that a few times and it can be tiring. So this might be best suited to a couple.
The only thing I would say you need to add is how long the dogs can be left at home once they’ve had a good walk? Don’t worry, most owners leave that vital piece of information out.
I’m sure other members will offer more help.
Good luck!
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@SquamishMama I suggest you focus on your proximity to Whistler to up the appeal for out-of-town sitters. Say “Stay near world-famous Whistler Blackcomb ski resort with two fantastic dogs” or something like that in the title instead of saying Squamish, BC (which isn’t necessary as the city already shows up). Locals know where Squamish is, but sitters from out of town probably haven’t heard of it.
You mention that you like to ski at Whistler so I’m assuming that means you’re okay with the sitters also leaving the dogs alone for that long to go skiing there as well but you should make that clear in the responsibilities. And, of course, if you’re not, then none of what I’m saying is relevant!
If you’re willing to offer your car that will definitely make the sit more appealing to anyone who isn’t local (or someone from the Vancouver area without a car) as a rental at Christmas would be $$$. You could also specifically mention in the listing that there is a bus from Squamish to Whistler if you’re not able to offer a car (and also mention that there is a bus from YVR to Squamish) for any out-of-town sitters who think they can’t make it work in the area without a car.
Your dates generously overlap both Christmas and New Year’s Eve so I’m sure you’ll find someone!
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Thank you so much again. I actually do have that box “ticked”. The dogs can easily be left for up to 6 hours. 
Have an AMAZING day.
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Hi @SquamishMama, your listing does look fine and others have given you good advice. I just wanted to say that if the box you have “ticked” refers to the time your dogs can be left alone, sitters can’t actually see that anywhere on your profile! THS has not linked those vital answers to an owner’s listing! We wait in hope that this will happen!
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Good to know @temba Thank you for letting me know. I’ll make some adjustments to my listing now. 
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@SquamishMama let us know here if you get any interest. I won’t be able to see as I’m housesitting during your dates so am blocked from seeing under the new rule imposed!
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Oh my goodess, if we didn’t already have a sit during those dates, I would totally apply. Good luck
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Thank you for your input. I will make some adjustments based on your suggestions. The first and only applicant who did apply is here for the ski season and they are working on the mountain. While normally getting to Whistler from Squamish is about 45 minutes, during the holidays it can take up to 1.5 hours due to traffic from the south. That’s why they declined the application. They didn’t realize how long it would take for them to get there and back and didn’t think it was fair to my pups to leave them alone that long. They’d literally need to leave our house at 6:30 am to get to (safely) get to work for 8:30. When they are off work at 3:30, they realistically wouldn’t get back to our place until about 5-5:30 pm which is about 11 hours to leave the dogs. If it was once or twice over the two weeks, that might be ok, but they work 4 days per week.
Anyway, I’ll make some adjustments.
Thank you for your advice.
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@Smiley @meow @temba
Thank you for your advice. I updated a few things I didn’t know weren’t visible to sitters. I included hours by dogs can be left for, bas availability between Vancouver and Squamish and Squamish to Whistler. I mentioned we have a hot tub with cold dunk and also the Sea to Sky Gondola. Fingers crossed I get a bite or two (no pun intended).
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Sounds wonderful!
Welcome to the Forum!
I hope you don’t mind, but I’ve updated the title of your post to more accurately reflect the purpose of it.
I can see you’ve already had some great advice from @Smiley, @meow, @temba, and @IHeartAnimals - thanks everyone for for popping on to share your thoughts!
Jenny
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I suggest you decline that sitter then to get back down to zero. Then you can delete your dates and post them again so that your listing shows as new to hopefully attract more applicants.
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Your sit looks amazing. Most sitters will have already made plans for Xmas but if you’d posted a few weeks ago you would have been inundated with applicants (5 at a time). I think you’ll still get someone because of the location.
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Thank you Jenny. I see you changed it to “Current listing” rather than last minute. To me it is last minute though because I need to leave on the 22nd and am in need of a sitter ASAP. I’m very worried I won’t find someone and I like to firm things up so I can be stress free about my pups getting care. Am I not last minute? We leave in 18 days.
Thank you @Wildcolonialgirl I posted it a couple of weeks ago and got someone right away, but only 1. They are working in Whistler and so the commute time for them to and from Squamish to Whistler every day and being away for the dogs each day was just too long for them and for us.
Fingers crossed we get someone soon.
@meow Ok, great. Thank you for the tip. I’ll do that now.
@SquamishMama , So you know, a listing can’t appear in the Last Minute category unless it starts in seven days or less.
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