Congrats to you all for doing it your way. I do it my way and will continue to do so. 
Here is my question, if you deviate from the schedule and if the pet makes no commotion but evacuates in the house, would you then be irritated and put out?
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I have had sits that were the opposite. I have had sits whereby the hosts stated that their dogs are lazy and do not get up until 9:00 a.m. or later. As I wake up a little early, I would then find out that the dogs appreciated morning walks at 6:30 a.m. or earlier. So in this case, the schedule may be that of HOs who like to sleep in and not necessarily a dog waking up at a certain time or a lazy dog.
If you find that HOs are strict with a dog’s wakeup time and you are not an early riser, just don’t accept those sits.
Dogs can usually adapt to what humans do, but keeping them close to their routines of walking, eating, and bedtime helps them feel comfortable in the absence of the HOs.
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Normally, as I only take on sits that last longer than 2 weeks, my approach is to stick to the schedule at first and then become a little more flexible each day and see if the dog’s behaviour changes. People here often see everything so black and white when someone posts something… We are pretty good at making close connections with our sit dogs and reading them too.
This “8-hour rule” feels completely arbitrary. Every dog is different – some drink a lot, others barely any, and naturally, their bathroom needs vary. Why is it considered perfectly fine to drag dogs out for a final potty break in the evening, even when they clearly don’t want to go, just because the owners want to sleep through the night? But when it comes to not being up and ready at exactly 7 AM, that suddenly becomes an issue.
I’m sure many others have experienced that dogs often don’t want to go out at night; it’s the owners who insist because they want an uninterrupted night’s sleep. Honestly, that feels a bit selfish on their part, if you ask me.
My POV is that I don’t need to agree with my hosts’ routine for their pet; I just need to live up to what I agreed to in good faith. And if I can’t or won’t do that, then I shouldn’t be taking a sit and changing their pet’s routine, because that would be breeching what was agreed on.
The exceptions for me would be if they indicated that there was flexibility in their pet’s routine.
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I would tend to agree with you, however, the schedule may be there for a reason. Or it’s simply “their” schedule that the HO wants to maintain for reasons beyond the sit. As an HO, I would hope our schedule would be followed in spirit, as my dog is pretty clear communicating her needs and I don’t return to work schedule. However, someone who would sleep in late is not being thoughtful to a dog who has held their urine all night.
Why an adult would resist a schedule change for a brief period of time alludes me.
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Why insulting me?
They don’t actually need a reason that’s plausible to anyone else. They could simply not feel like it. But it would be unethical to agree to X and then to not do it since the THS ethos is meant to be an exchange based on trust.
And pragmatically I’d think that sitters who change walk times would risk bad reviews, because so many hosts have outdoor cameras and neighbors who know a dog’s routines. Like I just wrapped a sit where the neighbors saw me coming and going with the dog.
Correct, their schedule, their business unless said schedule was agreed upon.
No insult, a question.
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Okayyyy… but you do have noticed that I am not speaking about neglecting a pet or not to wake up at all? We are talking about an hour. It’s getting ridiculous…
To me, your comment comes across as more than just a question. When you ask why an adult would resist a temporary schedule change, it implies a judgment – as if there’s something inherently unreasonable or immature in my choice to maintain my own routine. It’s not a straightforward question; it suggests that any deviation from the “norm” of adapting my schedule for a short period is somehow flawed or puzzling.
Everyone has their own approach and preferences, and it doesn’t mean one way is right or wrong. I’m simply sharing what works best for me and the pets I look after, which has been successful and appreciated by the pet owners I’ve worked with.
I understand your point, but phrasing it like that feels a bit judgmental, as if I’m not sticking to agreed-upon arrangements. You could have simply shared your approach without implying that I don’t honor the conditions of a sit. For me, flexibility and open communication with the pet owners have always worked well, and it’s never been an issue. Just because my approach may differ slightly doesn’t mean I’m disregarding what’s best for the pets or the arrangements we agreed on.
as if I’m not sticking to agreed-upon arrangements. … implying that I don’t honor the conditions of a sit.
But you’re not and you don’t. You’re specifically saying that you’re not and you don’t intend to. You intend to change the schedule to fit your needs vs following the one the HO provided and that you agreed to. You’ve said this multiple times which is why multiple people are commenting on it.
As long as you’re telling the HO when accepting the sit “I don’t intend to follow your schedule and will establish my own” and they’re fine with that, then it’s all good. But that’s not what it sounds like and I think that I and others feel that you’re doing a bait and switch with the HOs by agreeing to their conditions and then changing them later without informing them in advance so they can decide if that’s ok or not. Just as if the HOs told you that the pets have a super flexible schedule and you can do whatever works for you but in actuality the dogs would be barking down the house at 6 am if you don’t feed them and take them for a walk.
The fact that multiple people are independently saying essentially the same thing should be giving you pause, not making you defensive.
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OMG, I’m certainly not about to become a prisoner of a “Pet Parent,” with set “release times” like some kind of prison schedule. Honestly, I have a life too, and I also need to work and earn money. So, if a walk happens half an hour later because of other obligations, so be it. I’d love to see a pet owner who’s setting an alarm and putting all their own needs aside to make sure their dog is completely satisfied every second.
I couldn’t care less if neighbors see me or if there are cameras around. I’ve done over 20 dog-sitting jobs, all with 5-star ratings and warm, glowing reviews. I’m regularly invited back, with or without any commitment to pet-sit, and – surprise, surprise – that’s despite not sticking to some rigid, minute-by-minute schedule. I think that speaks for itself in terms of doing things right.
The real issue here is that many people have high moral standards but low self-discipline and love to judge others, even though they themselves may be doing more questionable things, which we see often enough in this forum. So no, folks, let’s close this thread. It’s becoming more absurd by the minute, and I don’t have time to keep reading this nonsense.
I’m sorry. Communication is 70% nonverbal so my verbiage failed. But why would you agree to a schedule than appear to complain about it after the fact?
@CreatureCuddler I think you’re misunderstanding my original question and jumping to conclusions about my intentions. My initial post was simply a question about how others handle routine flexibility, not a declaration that I do “whatever I want” or ignore the owner’s instructions. Please go back to my initial starting post und read carefully.
At no point did I say I disregard the owner’s instructions or set my own schedule without any regard for the pet’s needs. I simply believe that a small amount of flexibility – an hour here or there – doesn’t usually bother most dogs, as long as their needs are met and they’re comfortable. And yes, I do ensure I’m aligned with the owner’s expectations before accepting a sit.
So please, let’s avoid making assumptions. I genuinely wanted to hear how others approach routine flexibility, not be lectured on ethics or accused of a “bait and switch.” I think it’s important to respect each other’s approaches without assuming the worst.
It seems we’re going around in circles here, and I’m sorry if my question wasn’t clear. I wasn’t complaining about an agreed-upon schedule or suggesting I disregard the owner’s instructions. My post was simply asking how other sitters handle small shifts in timing – not complete changes to the agreed routine. I was curious about how others balance sticking to a schedule with the fact that most pets are pretty adaptable.
And just to be clear, if an owner specifies specific times that are non-negotiable, I either adjust or don’t take the sit. My experience, however, has shown me that minor flexibility (like an hour difference) has never been a problem, and I’ve always received positive feedback from owners.
So, there’s no “complaining” about an agreed schedule here – just a conversation about what flexibility means for different sitters. I hope that clears things up!
Can anyone point out where I supposedly said I would “ignore” the agreed schedule? Nowhere did I say that. My question was simply about how other sitters handle minor flexibility in timing, not about disregarding the owner’s instructions. I always follow the instructions provided, but in my experience, most pets are perfectly comfortable with small shifts, like an hour difference here or there.
This wasn’t about changing things without respect for the pet’s routine; it was just a conversation about a bit of flexibility. Let’s not read things into my words that I didn’t say.