As both a sitter and a pet owner, I pride myself on being able to relate to the joy and challenge from both sides. As a sitter, I often asked the owner, how frequently you want to be updated? I believe everyone might have different comfort zones. However, if the pet(s) have health issues, I expect the communication to increase and be honored on both sides. I just have my sitter informed me that my dog threw up in the house and then I replied with how is he doing and if she is noticing anything unusual. No response. No response after 2 hours, 4 hours, 6 hours, 8,10, 12,âŚfinally at the 23rd hour, I cannot stand it anymore. In my opinion, if you informed a pet parent there is health concerns, you should respond. But I received a comment stating that my dogs are OK and she did not appreciate me micromanaging. I responded that if she cannot handle an ownerâs inquiry after informing the owner her pet is ill, this might not be a fit for her. I am happy to hear that there are guidelines for the sitter to respond within 2 hours of a communication. Anyone else experienced situation that would remove a sitter during an ongoing sit?
This is not micromanaging. The sitter should have kept you updated. Your review of the sitter should cover your concerns over communication. As to canceling the sit thatâs your choice if you feel uncomfortable.
The only regulation, I think, is that a fellow member should answer within 72 hours. As a dog owner for decades - unless there were previous health issues or something, then a dog throwing up is something to expect from time to time. I wouldnât consider it a health issue (or contact owner specifically) without additional symptoms. Unless agreed otherwise, daily updates is frequent and what my hosts have preferred (some think that is too much).
I can understand your concern when you got that text. The sitter might not be on her phone all the time spending time with your pet, and maybe more so making sure everything was fine, so that could be the other side of the coin. I donât think I would have given it much thought if it was my dog, but as you say we are different. So a learning experience to next time.
Have not experienced this in particular, but Iâd also be very concerned and would be considering making other arrangements and ending the sit.
I donât get why anyone would tell a pet parent that their dog has been sick and then leave them hanging. Either follow up or donât mention the barfing in the first place.
I did a sit when I let the humans know about their cat barfing once, but that was just to ask how they wanted the crocheted blanket to be cleaned â I didnât want to risk damaging it.
Barfing occasionally isnât unusual for dogs or cats. If they barfed once, as a sitter Iâd see whether it happened again before saying anything (unless the host has specified that their pet has a condition that needs close monitoring).
If a host messages to ask after the health of their pet after the sitter alerted them, it seems logical for the sitter to reply. Thatâs not micromanaging at all to me.
Could there be a possible time zone difference where your morning is the evening for the sitter? Perhaps there were no other symptoms and it was just throwing up from eating grass or something. That happened to me once when we were watching a dog. I updated in a message what happened and then stated that if it was a once and done throwup with nothing else to report, I would send my next update at the scheduled time. If it seemed more urgent, I would contact the host right away. It turned out to be one and done thankfully. Although had the host contacted me anyways and to check in on the dog, I would have said that he was fine and not showing any other signs of illness. I would not have mentioned the âmicro-managingâ part unless the host was micro-managing about other items.
A dog (or cat) throwing up is very normal for some, and I wouldnât class it as a health issue if it was that type of sick. Although why she would mention it and then not give you an update when requested is a little odd, unless there is a time difference.
Given she mentioned micromanaging, then perhaps she just saw it as a dog being a dog, and you took her message more seriously than she had intended.
As for removing her - Personally I would read her âsickâ message again, and see if you see it in a slightly different light now, was it written in a dog-being-a-dog sort of way, rather than a cause for concern sort of way.
But if thereâs a time difference you need to take that into account anyway.
Am interested on where there are THS guidelines you should reply to a host (or sitter) within 2 hours as have never heard that before? And itâs definitely not realistic if youâre in different time zones as @HappyDeb mentioned. #anyoneknowmore
So what did you do at the 23rd hour?
Like others, I find it a bit odd that your sitter thought to mention this event then go quiet on you. Dogs do occasionally puke, the issue surely is more about why. If it was a one-off thing, the sitter should have had more sense than to alarm you, or should have had the decency to give an update to put your mind at ease, IMHO.
Like @Cuttlefish , Iâd be interested to know why you think thereâs a commitment to respond to messages within 2 hours. Thatâs not something weâve encountered and I should think itâs not a feasible expectation.
Thank you for your feedback. I learned through chatting with the support staff that a sit can only be cancelled if mutually agreed otherwise one of us would be subject to âdisciplinary actionsâ? I have not had to deal with this thought at all. Learned something new every day.
Thank you Garfield for your feedback.
It is very concerning when your kid is not well and the care taker is not responding after 23 hours. I have always believed we as pet parents have to trust the sitter we interviewed and invited. I just wish the trust was not taken lightly or reciprocated with consideration and empathy.
I agree, that is where I feel like a follow up text or at least replying would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your feedback.
There are three hours time zone differences and I waited for 23 hours and when I did not hear about what is happening to my dog I had to call her out on the text and asking her to respond. 
As a sitter myself I wonder if she was not feeling well so she rushed the walk hence the dogs were not able to throw up outside, so I offered support and was sadden to receive such negative comment about me micromanaging. 
I hope your dog is well now.
Prior to the message about your dog being sick how often were you communicating with the sitter ?
Itâs not clear only hearing one side of the story why a sitter wouldnât respond to your message or state that you were micromanaging.
Some possibilities are :
she didnât see your message immediately ( different time zone perhaps ) and then awoke to 6 messages from you , which felt like micromanaging ?
If you are using the THS inbox to communicate, there can be delays getting the messages.( I didnât know there was an invitation to sit in my inbox for four days ..)and the sitter may only log in once a day to check for messages. If thatâs the case, most members switch to WhatsApp to exchange messages .
It would be difficult for you to cancel and find a replacement sitter at short notice, so hopefully if your dog is well , you can put this behind you and repair the relationship with your sitter going forward.
If there are very serious issues or concerns either party can of course end a sit - but you can expect THS to investigate if either member raises a dispute about the cancellation . So keep screenshots of messages that highlight any serious issues as âevidenceâ of why you needed to cancel the sit .
As others have said the THS T&Cs say
5.1.13. respond to communications from other Members in a timely manner, but in any event, within 72 hours
I think there must be more to this than meets the eye. Yes, sitter should have responded with an update. But I am sure they would not use the term Micro Managing over just this one thing, and itâs definitely not a reason to cancel the sit.
"I had to call her out on the text and asking her to respond. "
a little bit passive aggressive there
As a dog mom, I understand dogs could barf or puke at times, her text was âmy dog three up ALL OVER the placeâ yes all caps on all over. Then when I saw the text after 45 min after she sent, I asked how is he doing now? And if he needs to be seen, that is when the 23 hours patience wears off. And to have her telling me as if my concerns are micromanaging and she told me that needs to stop..I was like what? I told her if she informed a dog parent of illness and not responding I certainly do not appreciate that either. She is a very experienced dog sitter, I was appalled at her micromanaging comments. 
My thought exactly. I wonder why would any sitter informed the parent the dog is puking ALL OVER the place. Her word exactly then not letting the parent know when she inquired how the dog is now, if she thinks the dog needs to be seen. I believe dog can puke but all capped text of ALL OVER sounds alarming without knowing more. Then waiting for 23 hours was unacceptable when there is only 3 hours time differnce. I want to assume the best in people. It was her comment that I am micromanaging and I need to stop now as she does not appreciate it makes me wonder in what way a pet parentâs inquiry is micromanaging?
Quite apart from the illogicality of raising an issue and then not reacting to your âHow is he doing now?â - which is a very rational reaction⌠The behaviour is rude. If someone asks you a question, you chuffinâ well answer it! - asap.
But then, Iâm old-fashioned.
Iâm really not sure about this one as I left a sit on day 2 of 11 days booked because of an allergic reaction to cigarette smoke. I checked it out with THS and was asked to make sure the HO had cat care in place before I left. Cat care was left with the mother who lives two doors down. I certainly wasnât subject to disciplinary action. In fact, I was told that the HO would be monitored.