My Difficult Dog Sitting Experience – Lessons Learned for Homeowners

Owner Questions, Advice & Chat
21

This is a really valuable point, and raises a question which home owners considering using THS would do well to ask themselves before signing up. ‘Does my dog/cat/horse etc. truly have the right temperament to be left in the care of a complete stranger?’

If home owners are aware of issues that may be problematic for a sitter, and still choose to use the service, then it’s only fair to set the sitter up for as successful a sit as possible, by fully disclosing issues in advance and offering advice and solutions. Don’t wait for it to become a problem.

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22

Hello,

Thank you for your thoughtful response to my post. I’d like to clarify a few things about my experience. While this wasn’t my first dog sit, it was definitely the most challenging. In the past, I’ve had wonderful experiences with other dog sitters, but this one was quite different.

When I had a Zoom meeting with the sitter, I made sure to go over the schedule and times in detail, as well as the dogs’ routines. I even shared that their sleep schedule had been disrupted previously and explained the reasons behind it. Despite the sitter living 2 ½ hours away in another city, I had other dog sitters from the same city who managed to arrive on time and leave at a decent hour without leaving my dogs unattended for extended periods.

Unfortunately, this sitter mentioned leaving the dogs alone for 4 hours, which I had explicitly told her was not acceptable. I never leave my dogs for that long, and I emphasized this point during our discussion.

To avoid similar issues in the future, I’ve spoken to my neighbor and will be talking to the one behind me as well. I’ve found two dog sitters in my city who only sit for a few days, not extended periods. I plan to coordinate with them for any long-term sits to ensure someone is available if they need to leave early or have other commitments.

I did have a ESIM but she wasn’t receiving them or she said she wasn’t. So I ended out reaching out to her on the THS messaging platform. Where she finally answered my question on how was everything going.

Thank you again for your advice and understanding. I appreciate your support as I navigate these challenges and work towards a better experience for both my dogs and the sitters.

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23

I had been SMS messaging with the dog sitter while in Canada with no issues. Once I got in the US I didn’t immediately figure out that the messaging wasn’t going through. But I did message her on the THS message platform.

In the past with other dog sitters I was able to Facebook message no matter where I was in the world with no issues.

And yes you are it was a family and couple and young daughter. I have had single dog sitters and couple dog sitters all great experiences. It is definitely a red flag for me not to except small children. My dogs have never been around or socialized to children. She actually convinced me that her daughter was excellent with animals.

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We both did our first review of each other within the 14 day period. I then responded to her review. When she responded to mine it was stating that i had been malicious and dishonest with my review plus a whole lot of other nice stuff:( And that THS had done a formal investigation of me. The day it was posted I reported it to THS. They removed it the same day. And gave her a warning. Now this allowed her to be able to write a new review which she didn’t do right away but 4 months later. Now I would have thought that with the first one taken down by THS they wouldn’t allow her to write another one. But I was wrong. This last review they edited and THS took out parts. So THS can see that she’s a liar plus with the investigation I reported on her I proved what I had stated in my review were true.

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25

Yes I have been on the platform before. Then I was more upset feeling no justice for my dogs or myself. But thought I would try to look at it as a learning experience -which I have. But to get other peoples’ advice.

No they weren’t our only applicants. I would have rather have paid for a dog sitter but didn’t have that option then. But since have found 2 great ladies that live in our city that will sit but just not for extended periods.

I did have a zoom call with her. On my post on THS it stated the days and times of our departure which we also discussed on the call. Plus she asked again in THS messaging which I let her know again. Plus I left a note on my kitchen island with the same information along with the hotel and contact info.

Yes my Welcome Guide is completed with all information that is important. I also have a booklet at home that has vet info. Emergency vet info. Dogs chip info. Emergency contacts in my area. A page on each dog and their characters - likes and dislikes. Food schedule … I asked her if she had read the Welcome Guide and she said yes. Which is documented in THS messaging.

Thank you for asking about Willow. She is better than she was the first 2 months. But is still on blood support medicine and B12 shots once a week.

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I have been extremely lucky with my other dog sits. And thought that they all would be this way. But this recent one frankly was a nightmare.

I was much too casual with it. I agree I should have listened to my gut.

I have now 2 neighbours to keep an eye on things. One I am giving a spare key to. And contact info so if they see any red flags or whatever can contact me. We have found 2 dog sitters for backup - just in case. We installed a doorbell camera and will be putting surveillance cameras in the backyard.

I now have a list of questions to ask and expect. It all has been a learning curb.

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Wow! That must have been a hard decision but totally understandable.

Just from this experience and from reading others I’ve learned so much more. I didn’t realize how lucky I had been up to this dog sit.

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28

I agree. Why be on THS if you aren’t an animal lover and have a commitment to care properly for them.

I actually think that her motivation was to take advantage of the biking the trails in our area (which we are famous for). And having a place to stay for free.

Lesson learned. I know external cameras - yuck. But if I had them I would have seen my dogs left outside. Then THS could have used that as evidence.

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29

I agree 100%. My husband and I said the same. I would have knocked on the door to see what was happening. If nobody was home. I’d taken that dog(s) home until the neighbour arrived back home.

I do not know exactly why they didn’t step up.

I hate to think about it. It makes me upset to think about it.

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I’m so pleased Willow is improving @shelleybean. Seems like you were quite well organised for your sitters but it really wasn’t a good match.
One thing to consider is using WhatsApp instead of Zoom for your video chat. That way you both have each other’s number and it’s easier to communicate this way once the sit is happening.

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31

I agree but I actually did wait a few days. Then 2 days after that is when our neighbour gave me the information on our dogs. Then the day after that another neighbour came forward and shared the same information.

Just a bad situation all around. Not sure if all the zoom calls and looking into her profile and communicating on THS would have helped.

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I am so sorry this happened to you. We had kind of a similar experience that still haunts me a year later. We were going away for 2 months - our longest time away by far. We booked a sitter who had family in the area thinking that it would be nice for her to have some support relatively near by. She also was late arriving the day of the sit, and I attempted to contact her while I waited for our flight at the airport and at every opportunity I had. no response. I had so much anxiety that she hadn’t actually arrived. FINALLY, she texted apologetically that she’d been busy and hadn’t seen my multiple texts, but that everything was fine. Despite having established that we like updates every couple days, her communication was horrible. I ALWAYS had to initiate, then it would take at least a day for her to get back to me. We had arranged for her to stay until we arrived home since we were on an international flight and wanted to have that safety net in case we were delayed. She had agreed to this, but at the last minute “remembered” that she had a family wedding to attend and had to leave a little early. The real problem, however, was once we got home. My 1 plant, that we’d asked her to water once a week, was virtually dead, and the worst thing was that our dog was completely different. I actually posted about this at the time and was told that often dogs become attached to the sitter and may act aloof. Our dog stayed away from us, didn’t ask for treats, didn’t want to be pet. She’d come down for meals, but otherwise kept to herself. This was TOTALLY different than her normal behavior. Then we started getting reports from our neighbors that they rarely saw the sitter. Her car was never in the driveway, they didn’t see her out and about with our dog, nothing. I tried calling and texting her to ask if our dog had been behaving strangely, but she never answered and did not respond. It took about 2 weeks of just loving her up for our dog to"come back to us".
This year, we had another long trip (about a month). The sitter was outstanding. When we got back, our dog was happy to see us, and her usual self. I am absolutely gutted at the thought that she was neglected last year. Of course, I can’t prove anything (we don’t have any kind of surveillance around our house), but I can’t help but feel that she wasn’t taken care of. It shakes you to the core. The “Trusted” in Trusted Housesitters is the most important piece.
Sorry this is so long, but it only takes one really bad experience to destro that trust.

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33

We always let our neighbors know when we are going to be gone, so they have a better sense of the atmosphere. We don’t ask anything specifically of them, but it is always nice to know. Our neighbors do the same. It is nice to know that your neighbors are looking after you.

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I truly hope the sitter will include my dogs in their explorations around the area, as we have always taken them hiking and kayaking. I don’t want them left alone for extended periods—it’s about finding the right balance so that both the sitter and the dogs have the best experience.

Regarding surveillance, I understand that no sitter wants to feel monitored. However, our intention is not solely for that purpose. We have wild animals in the area, including bears, raccoons, and a cougar recently spotted nearby. Additionally, security is a general concern. In my post, I was unable to provide details about my dogs being left outside in freezing temperatures. If I had been able to include that, I most certainly would have. In this particular situation, video evidence would have been crucial in ensuring appropriate action was taken. Records matter.

I’ve been fortunate to have had excellent sitters in the past. Unfortunately, this experience was different due to a lack of common sense. My Welcome Guide contains all the necessary information about my dogs’ care—their eating, walking, and sleeping schedules, their likes and dislikes—continuously refined over seven years with THS. The sitter claimed to have read it, but her actions made me question that. I even addressed my dogs’ disrupted sleep schedule in our Zoom call and followed up in writing, yet it seemed to have been ignored.

Communication was key, and we had two channels: SMS messaging and the THS platform. While SMS worked fine while I was in Canada, I discovered it didn’t function properly in the US. THS messaging, however, worked, and we discussed that as well. Why she didn’t use it, I don’t know. I am now using WhatsApp, an app I had on my phone but hadn’t utilized before. Just yesterday, I did a FaceTime video. With family and friends, I’ve always relied on Facebook messaging, which works internationally. The sitter had expressed interest in using that method, too.

My Welcome Guide also includes emergency contact information for unforeseen events, and I now have three neighbors set up for additional support.

Nobody wants a formal investigation—it’s stressful. My goal is to ensure a seamless sitting experience where everyone is happy. I am welcoming someone into my home and entrusting them with my dogs, and trust is essential.

The sitter complained that my dogs barked constantly. That was puzzling because they never bark during the day. Eventually, I realized why: she had locked them outside in the backyard, despite my guide stating that the back door should be left open so they can come and go freely. They barked because they were trapped outside in -7°C weather. Worse, she even left the house in her car with them still outside.

I’m unsure what is meant by “setting up all these criteria.” I have successfully found wonderful sitters over the last seven years without issues. As a homeowner, I don’t see how one can plan for situations like this.

My dogs love interacting with different people, though that may change as they get older.

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It sounds very similar to my situation. It’s completely understandable that it’s still bothering you after a year. She basically got away with mistreating and neglecting your dog, and getting no updates I know is incredibly frustrating.

I have felt guilty about choosing this dog sitter. 4 months later she is still my nightmare. All my previous experiences were great, and I certainly didn’t expect this outcome with the last one. Did you have any gut feelings or notice any red flags with your sitter before this happened?

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We’ve always let our neighbours know when we’re away, and we’ll keep doing that. I’m also setting things up with one of them to leave a spare key and share my contact info in case they need to reach me. It’s a great idea.

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I think this is very telling and possibly why you’re feeling so guilty maybe. You’ve worked hard to optimise things for your dogs and despite applying as much diligence care and attention to providing the dogs with a suitable sitter, it’s gone wrong. Yes it’s worth looking for what could be done to avoid any future occurrence however it’s entirely possible that you were in this case ‘played’ by an unscrupulous sitter who determined they’d do what they liked anyway. This made you completely powerless and that’s the galling part for somebody who has used their power/choices to design a perfect life for their dogs. The juxtaposition of your enjoyment of your holiday compared to your sense of your dogs suffering adds fuel to the guilty feelings. So your holiday memories are spoilt adding to the anger. Best wishes for your future plans.

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I really appreciate you saying all of this. You’re absolutely right – the feeling of being powerless is the hardest part, especially when I thought I’d done everything to set up the sit for success. The guilt about enjoying my holiday never entering my mind that I was being ‘played’. I of course was looking for the most positive outcome. I’m determined to make sure something like this never happens again.

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I am so glad your little dog is safe. As a sitter I get so upset when I hear about other sitters who do not put the care of the animals first. While I would never sit for someone who is surveilling me, or where I can’t leave for 4 hours at least a couple of times a week, I do hope all your future sitters will be honest, responsible and caring.

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No red flags at all. That’s one of the things that’s shaken me so much. She came and met us in advance, seemed attentive to our dog, very pleasant. I don’t know what could have tipped us off. Any explanation I can come up with is pure conjecture. It’s just one of those things we have to live with.

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