We’ve all come across pets who have 5 star accommodation and food. Any housesits where the pets were the Kings and Queens of the home?
My last sit the dogs had the whole house and garden to roam in. Nowhere was off limits. The best of food, bowls of milk at the end of walks out and dental sticks daily.
They “ate out” a lot, catching wild rabbits that they snacked on too!
What a life!
A box full of toys and no kennel to go to as they had me to look after them.
The training cage had an open door and the pup only went in when I threw a ball in there! Ha ha!
To the Manor born!
The dogs piled onto my bed at bedtime. Open door policy everywhere. Dog beds just not comfy or warm enough! They shared the sofa and stretched out!
I was surprised I didn’t have to fill water bottles for them lol.
One place I housesat had first class kennels and compounds fenced in so could exercise themselves before and after our walks out!
Any others impressed with pets’ accommodation and food? Or house rules?
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As a cat-loving human, and knowing that humans exist solely for the purpose of serving cats, this seems as it should be.
I fail to understand this behavior towards dogs, however…
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The wealthy home owners had several properties, in Portugal, France and UK. They moved furniture to Portugal when they sold in France. The cottage style furniture for the living room went into the dogs’ kennel room. The dogs didn’t just sleep on the sofa and chairs.. they chewed it all up.
The Portuguese workers on the estate would have been thrilled to give it houseroom when it first arrived but were never offered it.
The dogs came first!
Animal Farm revisited!
It’s interesting how different homeowners set up their homes and routines for their pets, true. But everyone has their own way of doing things, and as sitters, we have plenty of opportunities to clarify those details beforehand. Things like sleeping arrangements, food, and house rules are usually discussed upfront, so if something doesn’t feel right, it’s easy enough to decide not to take the sit. I imagine most of what you described was agreed upon beforehand?
It was a last min cancellation and there was no Welcome Guide offered beforehand. When I arrived I became aware of the expectations.. so no it was a revelation!Fatamorgana.
The Home Owners were new to THS and had one review when they only had one dog..
That’s definitely unfortunate, but for me, that would have been a few too many red flags. No one’s forcing somebody to take the sit — if things seem off beforehand, it’s usually better to walk away. Lessons learned. 
The reason the previous sitters cancelled was they said they had delays over a visa issue. They were Argentinians who had lived for a number of years in Australia.. the Home Owners were also surprised by the excuse..
I enjoyed much of the sit but I like to have the bed to my self!
Dogs are dogs even if we give them human names and treat them like humans and I loved my own ones dearly. But I had boundaries at home.
When the owners returned they would have had three double beds’ bedding to wash! Plus covers on the sofas etc and seating cushions outside.
It’s their choice and that’s fine. Their children had grown up.
It’s an issue for me though. If I don’t sleep I don’t perform well next day. It’s a lot of housework with free range pets too!
It wasn’t drying weather and there was no tumble drier so I didn’t wash and dry the bedding in bedrooms I didn’t use. My bedding I put in the laundry basket on the morning of departure.
Yes, but all of that could have been clarified beforehand. You could have simply asked about the sleeping arrangements, laundry situation, and house rules — and if it didn’t work for you, you could have said no. That’s exactly why asking the right questions upfront is so important.
@Highfive You just said in my other thread that you send out several applications at once and go with whoever confirms you first. Is that right? Did I understand correctly that this means you don’t ask follow-up questions or arrange a video call beforehand? Because that’s exactly the problem.
I accepted and I don’t regret it. In the end it’s their home but it’s my housesit and to some extent I make decisions on how best to manage for my own valid reasons. I am happy to defend them on their return.
Last minute info means it isn’t written in stone . If it proves non negotiable then I could leave but no one really wants that at such short notice so a reasonable compromise ought to be reached.
This would surely be understood by Home owners and House Sitters reading the situation.
The best scenario is few surprises both for Sitters and Home Owners. I try not to suspect some info is deliberately withheld until Sitter’s arrival as it could be a deal breaker.
One sit the dog commuted from my bed to my wife’s bed and we had asked for two bedrooms as we both snore!
How about this: the pets get to lick off everything before it goes into the dishwasher! My mom would not approve!
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One House Sit I was told don’t finish your cereal with milk. Put the bowl on the kitchen floor for the dog to finish, getting it to sit and stay first of course because manners are manners!
I didn’t bother! No one shares my breakfast lol
I’m not keen on unnecessary rituals ! They can resume those when they are back. It was given a pig’s ear as a treat after every walk.. I played that by ear. Lol
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I wouldn’t share my breakfast milk either!
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I put in an application quickly to be in the five to be considered. Tell them to look at my profile and reviews .. if they come back to me then I arrange a video call and ask more questions. I’m experienced so I know what’s important to me to know first . Then I ask for Welcome Guide before clinching the deal. Of course if it’s a last min then things can get a bit rushed.. never had a total disaster.. perhaps I was lucky ?
Will be more cautious now though I’ve read others’ experiences. I was a bit naive before and put pets’ welfare before anything.. no need to be Superman!
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I saw a listing where sitter was supposed to eat half a yogurt at a certain time of day and share the remaining half with the dog.
I thought it was good to know beforehand that the owner thought they got to choose what and when the sitter had to eat.
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I have to say, I really like the freshness you bring to this forum. I always find myself smiling at your casual and playful way of expressing yourself, which I truly appreciate. 
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I sat a pair of cats that had run of a waterfront house, including the kitchen and a multilevel catio.
They had boxes of toys. And every day they were carried from the house into a glassed studio, from where they could watch birds and critters till the sun set. The studio had built-in planters and two stories, so they also could dig around the plants or lounge all over or climb. They had cat beds and were free fed in there, too.
The hosts had a couple of homes and a private plane, so I’m guessing that the cats sometimes went with them, too.
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Our dog is spoiled, and gets some left over yoghurt daily, good for her stomach.
But we don’t expect sitters to have a daily youghurt! Instead, we buy the dog her own, and she’ll get a spoonful of it with her dinner. And gets to have the container to lick once it’s empty.
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We spoil the heck out of our dog, who lives, eats and travels better or more than many people. He has run of the house as well, and gets better health care than many Americans.
I figure it’s perfectly fine to spoil a pet vs. spoil a kid — they’re not going to grow up and make other people’s lives miserable.
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Brilliant 