I am brand new to THS. I was introduced to this platform as someone who loves animals, works remotely, loves to travel, and meet new people and places. After decades of being a dog and cat mom to as many as six pets at once, I am finally in a position to travel; with or without my one senior pup who can stay with family when a sit is not doable by car. Until I started my independent consulting business, I had a paid pet sitter for decades. They came to my home two to three times a day for pet care depending on my work schedule, and stayed overnights for a few days or weeks at a time when I traveled. I am perplexed at the listings that state they want the solo sitter to stay in the home full-time as the pet cannot be left alone for more than one hour. While I anticipate my sits to be pet focused, unless someone is a nomad with no interest in exploring a region, or even going out for dinner, these HOs strike me as people who should hire a pet sitter to allow for continuity, especially with an anxious pet. My pets were mostly rescues over the years and many were anxious with medical issues. It is important to me that they are loved and cared for to know they are safe and will never be abandoned or abused again. Just curious what others think.
@annmarierichardson you may find this thread interesting to read
https://forum.trustedhousesitters.com/t/dog-with-separation-anxiety
Thank you.
Iāve only come across one house sit that stated the sitter must not leave the home for more than an hour at a time. For cats, no less! There were numerous red flags in the listing, and the home owner appeared to be very restrictive. It was clear the cats were the centre of her world, to an arguably unhealthy degree, and she was very specific about the type of sitter required. Needless to say, I came across this ad time and time again a couple of years ago and never once did I see any applications.
Home owners are free to list their requirements in their ad. Equally, sitters are free to use their discernment in determining whether the sit is right for them and provides them enough freedom to go out and do a bit of exploring without the animals, if they so choose. But they also need to be aware that caring for the animals takes precedence. Iāve read too many stories of animals that have been left for extended periods of time (or even overnight) while the sitter goes out partying or exploring to know that this is a legitimate concern for some home owners.
The vast majority of dog sits state that the dogs shouldnāt be left for somewhere between 4-6 hours at a time, which is very reasonable. Some will have tighter restrictions if they have a traumatic past, medical issues or separation anxiety. The key thing for home owners is to communicate upfront if they have requirements that veer from the ānormā, and for the sitter to know what is expected of them, without any surprises.
Thank you. In my two shorts weeks on THS, Iāve seen a few of those sits posted. As I wrote in my post, the reason I paid for pet sitters to visit my home up to three times daily, and for overnight stays was because I didnāt want my pets left alone for more than four hours. Hiring the same sitter provided consistency for my pets (some extremely shy and anxious) and the sitter quickly became family with her own bedroom and bath in my home. I appreciate your feedback.
I would agree that dogs with medical issues or anxiety would benefit from consistency. I was a repeat sitter for such a dog before she sadly passed last year. The home owner wanted someone who provided stability and consistency, and so we worked our dates around each other so I was the only sitter she had.
Then again, there are so many unique situations, dogs and home owners on THS that no two sits are the same. Another sit I did, the dog was so sociable that they encourage sitters with their own dogs to apply. Iām sure youāll find many such amazing sits on THS and if it goes well, the owners may invite you back for repeats. Good luck!
Just donāt apply for that kind of sits unless you are prepared to do that.
Hosts can post whatever sits they want, as long as they donāt violate THS terms. Many of us might disdain the outlier sits, but maybe somebody wants them. Like I see sits that seem unappealing to me, but notice that multiple people have applied. Shrug.
Some sitters have previously posted, for instance, that theyāre nomads and sometimes just value rest and relaxation in a comfortable home. They donāt have homes and travel a lot, so their needs differ. Plus, if there are two or more of them, they can take turns going out.
Personally, as a solo sitter who telecommutes, I donāt ever apply for sits where sitters are required to stay with dogs for all but short windows, because I want flexibility. I like to take dogs out on adventures, if their humans say itās OK. And sometimes I end up never being apart from a dog(s) at all during a sit, but thatās entirely my choice ā not a requirement.
I donāt need to ever fill my calendar and do compromise sits, since I can always stay home or pay my own way to do non-sit travel. For me, thatās ideal. I have no interest in ever sitting full time. I find even the idea of that life exhausting.
As several has said, one can have what requirements one want to, and sitters can apply for what they want to.
I pass on any sit that I find beyond a balanced mutual exchange and sits that has the amount of work/ lack of freedom that I think should be a paid sit. If it is required to be on site 24/7, or there are a lot of animals with chores that take up several hours each day, pets that need a trained medical and such (and pets peeing all over the place). Iāve seen examples of all. Some are violation of terms, probably, when the pets are a part of the hosts business. In many countries there are a lack of workers in agriculture, so if one find joy in such one could be better off going through programmes of that kind, and get a salary and benefits instead of working for free. 
Thereās a lot in your opening post! So you really donāt have to take a sit that doesnāt suit you. Like my grandmother said, āThereās a cover for every pot.ā There are lots of sits that will allow plenty of time for sightseeing. You can use the filters and choose available listings that suit your preferences.
Regarding mutuality, it sounds like you plan to take your senior dog or leave the dog with family. Another alternative is to combine your membership and find a sitter for the dog in your home when you go off exploring. If you have a partner or a friend, you take them on your sitadventures if the host is okay with it. Taking a senior dog will lessen your opportunities, but you can find threads about people whoāve traveled with pets successfully.
As far as paid sitters for continuity and care for some anxious pets: Our last dog would not have been suitable for THS. She did better at a kennel and enjoyed staying at one, but she did want me to stay with her! Some homeowners may have trouble finding sitters up to the task for anxious dogs, but it seems to work for a lot of people even with less than perfect pets. I have cats at the moment and as they age theyāve developed issues which makes feeding and care a little harder. Iām still able to find great responsible sitters here, partly because I have a good location, but sometimes a sitter will decline my sit if an āeasierā one comes along.
I think itās great if someone has a reliable SANE paid caregiver if they can afford it. Before the pandemic we had a reliable sitter, but she was a bit eccentric, and boundary pushing. While it was great that the cats āknewā her, theyāve actually done pretty well with the revolving door of interesting travellers whoāve come through since we joined THS. As a sitter myself given my many years experience, and my knowledge of my own limitations, I think I offer the homes Iāve visited as high a level of care as theyād have with a paid service (or higher) and Iāve also managed to enjoy the locations.
Welcome @annmarierichardson
HOās can put all sorts of requests in their listing. However the more demands they make the less likely theyāll find a sitter!
One of my first applications on THS a few years ago involved a HO that revealed on our video call that she wanted a sitter to stay in her apartment for the whole 5 days without using the heating. This was a local sit in London in December when temperatures can drop to freezing overnight. I withdrew my application post chat.
Welcome to trustedhousesitters!
You will soon discover that the best thing about Trustedhousesitters is there is something for everyone.
If a listing is not what you are looking for, donāt get perplexed. Just scroll past it and keep looking until you find one that is a better fit for you .
@annmarierichardson, welcome to THS and the Forum. Thereās some great insight, and thread links, from other housesitters. From your comments then I suspect situation more common than you perceive. Max four hours, while not high, is quite common - in our experience. Indeed your pet seems accustomed to checkins 2-3 times daily. Suggest include information in listing/Welcome Guide on any actions that can be taken prior to leaving pet(s). Or other insight that can help both pet(s) and housesitter.
There are a diverse group of housesitters on THS. Situations and preferences vary. Encourage video call applicants to find a good fit for your situation & pet needs.
Also encourage reflect on time duration left alone. Ensure honesty. Weāve had multiple housesits where Pet Parent stipulated a maximum absence time period, where it became evident that Pet Parent routinely left pet(s) for considerably longer. No judgement but honesty is good.
Thank you. I have a special place in my heart for adopted pets that often come with separation anxiety, fear, and occasional medical issues. I will love those sits and go out of my way to comfort them as if they were my own.
Thank you. There is a sit for everyone! My first sit in December is caring for sheep and a sweet llama. The owners are lovely, have great reviews, and are in a beautiful setting with plenty of outdoor winter activities. Itās a win-win.
Thank you. I can relate to the sitters with boundary issues. When I moved from my home state after more than 15 years with the same pet sitter, 100% of the pet sitters I hired had a few challenges. COVID hit, which was a blessing in disguise as I started my own business, worked from home, and could care for my pets.
Iām happy to explore all types of THS opportunities and cuddling and quiet time with pets indoors and out has always been therapeutic for me. Caring for others will be a joy if it is the right fit. I appreciate your detailed response.