Looking for Sitters Who Genuinely Want to Spend Time with the Dogs (Not Just the Location)

Owner Questions, Advice & Chat
1

Hi everyone, I’m hoping to get a bit of advice from experienced hosts.

My apartment is in a very central part of Melbourne, which I realise makes it quite appealing. The challenge I’m running into is that many applicants are people on working holiday visas or short-term stays in Melbourne. My sitters have been lovely people, but often they’re mainly looking for a convenient base while they explore (places like Bendigo, the Great Ocean Road) and it also means they’re unlikely to be available again in the future.

What I’d really love to find is someone who genuinely wants the sit for the dogs themselves — someone who plans to spend a good amount of time at home with them and who might potentially be available for future sits as well.

Has anyone found a good way to signal this in their listing or filter for sitters who are more focused on the pets rather than the location?

Any tips would be really appreciated.

2

Hi @AndieB :slightly_smiling_face:

You’re actually describing the exact kind of sit we look for as sitters, so it’s definitely possible to attract the right people — it just comes down to signalling it clearly (and a little filtering behind the scenes).

A few thoughts from the sitter side:

1. Say it plainly (the right sitters will lean in, not be put off)

It really helps when hosts explicitly say something like:

“This sit would suit someone who enjoys a home-based routine and wants to spend quality time with the dogs. It’s not ideal for people planning lots of day trips or overnight travel.”

People who are location-focused will quietly move on — and that’s exactly what you want.

2. Describe the dogs’ lifestyle, not just their needs

Instead of just listing walks/feeding, paint the picture:

  • “They’re used to someone being around most of the day”

  • “They love company and will follow you from room to room”

  • “We’re really looking for sitters who enjoy hanging out at home with them”

That naturally attracts homebodies (and gently filters out the “base camp for adventures” crowd).

3. Add a light “fit check” in your listing

A simple line like:

“When you apply, we’d love to hear how much time you typically spend at home during a sit.”

This works surprisingly well — you’ll immediately see who gets it.

4. Look for clues in applications (they’re always there)

who are pet-focused tend to say things like:

  • “We love slower-paced sits”

  • “We plan our days around the pets”

  • “We’re happy spending most of our time at home”

Whereas location-driven applicants often mention itineraries, day trips, or “using your home as a base.”

5. Don’t be afraid to gently confirm expectations in chat

Something as simple as:

“Just to check we’re aligned — our dogs are happiest with someone home most of the time. How does that fit with your plans?”

The right sitters will reassure you immediately. The wrong ones tend to hesitate or back off.

6. Repeat sit potential — mention it early

If you’d love continuity, say so:

“We travel a few times a year and would love to find someone we can invite back.”

This tends to attract sitters who are looking for exactly that kind of ongoing relationship (we always notice this!).

One small mindset shift that might help:

You’re not trying to filter out the wrong sitters — you’re trying to make the right sitters feel like, “Oh this one’s for us.”

When that clicks, your applicant pool changes quite dramatically.

From our side, a central Melbourne location wouldn’t be the main draw — but a cosy, dog-focused sit with a clear expectation of being present? That’s exactly the kind we’d apply for every time

Hope that helps a bit

:paw_prints::heart:

3

THS is primarily designed around the travel experience for sitters, so the pool of people who want to return repeatedly and treat it like a regular, local arrangement rather than a travel experience is relatively limited.

That said one good match is all you need .

This kind of sit would appeal to someone like a university student in shared accommodation who wants extra space while studying, or a sitter who has family or connections in your area and plans to visit regularly . Or a fulltime digital nomad who enjoys spending time in your area .

What would make a listing appealing to this kind of sitter is allowing guests, and including photos of a comfortable desk or workspace to attract remote workers. I suggest that you don’t mention your proximity to tourist spots in your listing if that’s not what your sit is about .

That said, if you’re mainly looking for consistency and repeat sits by the same sitter, a local paid sitter might be a better fit. If there’s a nearby Uni - you could advertise there .

4

@WeRPAWsome /
I don’t understand what you mean by overnight travel ?

To me this sounds like an AI written response - because sitters on THS would not be away from the pets overnight ??

5

We sit in Perth WA in order to visit family there. You need retired parents regularly visiting adult children or vice versa etc. Or parents visiting students at the Uni. Mostly as sitters we hang out at home as we’ve done all the tourism stuff. Maybe join some travel forums where retired parents hang out…
Actually we visit Jersey Channel Islands every 4-6 weeks BUT it won’t always match with a HO’s dates however nice the sit was and I don’t want to get into the position of always coordinating my dates with theirs.
Or you need to attract local sitters who are living at home or in shared houses and need a break.

6

Just put these in your listing and good luck

7

It’s a very AI response :roll_eyes:

8

The —. Always a giveaway.

9

Look for people who work from home, they will automatically be around the dog more.

10

Sounds like AI that you didn’t even read back to edit. It is against policy to not sleep in the home every night. That would be abandoning the pet.

11

Most of us are here to travel. It is an exchange site. There are those that do this full time and do go back to the same homes but what I read on here it still has to do with location. An area they like to be in. You may want to say, hope to find someone who works from home to spend lots of time with Fido. Or you can say in the how long can the pet be left alone, you can state how many hours. Saying less than 4 will eliminate quite a bit.

12

Hi @AndieB, welcome to the forum.

I know you asked for hosts’ advice and so far you’ve only got sitters’ perspective. I am a sitter, too but I think sitters’ opinion is just as useful as it’s us who will decide to apply or not to your listing.

You have received lots of useful feedback and different groups of people have been suggested as possible targets. IMHO, what’s really important is to find someone who fits your criteria as much as possible, regardless of the reasons they may have to be in Melbourne. For example, people who work from home might want to spend most of the weekend exploring.

@WeRPAWsome answer is quite comprehensive and addresses most relevant points. I’d like to mention just a couple of nuances:

I think you should try to both put off the wrong applicants and appeal to the right ones. This is best achieved by making your listing as clear as possible. @WeRPAWsome gave great suggestions.

Unfortunately, this may not be as effective as intended. I would not write that in your listing but use it as a question in the video chat. That way you will be able to see people’s reaction.

If you’re able to get sitters who fulfill all your criteria and can do repeated sits, then that’s great but if you’re not, don’t disregard people who are travelling as long as they are genuinely willing to spend enough time with your dog. I did a one week sit in Melbourne as part of my trip to Australia, it was the first and probably the last time that I’ve been to the city and still, the hosts wrote in their review that I had spent an amazing amount of time with the pets. Certainly, much more than required. I do not belong to any of the groups mentioned but I am a slow traveler and being with the pets is the main reason why I am in THS, when I want to do more intensive sightseeing, (just occasionally) I just book accommodation at either end of the sit.

That said, I would not apply if the dogs can’t be left alone for at least 4 hours, even if I don’t need that on a regular basis.

13

As a host, I like engaging with different sitters, it’s part of the fun of it. But if you’re looking for an ongoing relationship - I don’t think that is THS’s sweet spot. One, there is timing - meaning both your holidays and the sitter’s would need to line up. Two, there is travel - so a sitter in Canada may not want to routinely fly all the way to Melbourne to do the same sit. And three, sitters are not always available to travel and watch your pets for free as they have livelihoods of their own. From what your describing you would best with a paid local sitter whom you can develop an ongoing relationship with.

That said, sitters most likely to fit your criteria are probably either local or close enough by that the repeat travel costs are not overly burdon-some, and / or have some ties to the area (eg family nearby) that gives them a reason to return periodically.

Also, you need to address your dog’s needs, but do you think someone would realistically want to return if they effectively couldn’t leave your apartment? For example, say a sitter has family nearby and would want to return. How are they supposed to enjoy any time with their family? Can you acclimate your dog to a doggy daycare, for example, and offer this for one or two days of the week?

With your ideal sitter(s) in mind, go ahead and state in your listing that you prioritize applicants who want an ongoing relationship. During the video chat, ask why they would want to return to Melbourne in the future.

14

We are sitters who enjoy doing repeat sits - however we do also like to explore the area we visit . When on a THS a sit we usually take the dog(s) along with us to most places hikes, cafes etc.

Would that work with your dogs ?

Whilst we enjoy repeat sits we usually would only go back to the same location once a year so if you travel more often than that you may need a pool of THS sitters . One THS sit we do every September and they have other THS sitters who cover the other dates .
For one consistent sitter only a paid local sitter is a better fit .

That said many paid house sitters also have other jobs and would not be staying at your home 24 hours a day . Most would probably stay over night , take the dogs for a morning walk , feed them and a pop in at lunchtime and then back for the evening .

15

Thank you so much for this comprehensive reply.

It’s given me lots of ideas of what to include and how to word things.

Very much appreciated.

16

Thank you, appreciate your feedback and advice.

17

Thanks for your feedback, some good ideas there!

18

Thanks for your feedback - I hadn’t thought of just putting those words :sweat_smile: . Sometimes the simplest solutions are the best!

19

Thanks for your feedback. I think, from others’ comments, it’s about being quite clear about my expectations.
It’s all still new to me, but I’m learning along the way!

20

Thanks for your response. I agree that some questions are best asked at the interview where you get a better sense and I totally understand why people are drawn to my apartment and location when travelling and I would love that too. Like I said in my response to someone else, I think I need to be clearer in my expectations. I tend to be a bit like - well, I would do this, but this doesn’t mean people will do the same and it’s perfectly fine! If I state it clearly and openly, I will hopefully get the right person/s.