It is a HO’s choice solely on who they wish to have in their homes, it is not for us to question why. @JOHNUK sums it up 100% I think. Also @DianeS gives another great example. I have been declined as a solo sitter when I could do the job standing on my head simply because they definitely wanted a couple but I accept that, onwards and upwards.
If it is clearly stated in the ad they want a single/couple/family or a performing clown we just need to move on to the next one, there’s plenty to go around
I have always avoided single-only sits for a number of reasons but I never considered this could be a driving force in their decision making. However I’ve now seen it mentioned a few times. Just reinforces my belief I should avoid single-only sits if for no other reason than to avoid someone who while not only saving on a paid service now wants to save even more money. In an age of smart meters it’ll be hourly electricity consumption monitoring next.
Interesting to consider the cost of utilities perspective. I feel like heating the house costs the same, maybe less as you have someone to cuddle up to at night, thereby reducing heating needs.
If a pet prefers one gender over another, then fine. I avoid the requests for a single sitter as it feels discriminatory to me, and not the kind of people I want to help out.
I sit solo and just successfully wrapped a sit that I suggested might go to a couple in the future, even though my hosts have invited me back.
That’s because it turned out that their newish dog (now a year-old) had separation anxiety during her first extended time away from them and was intensely jealous if I gave the cats any attention or food. She’d chase and tackle them, so I had to separate them. And you couldn’t trust her to not chew up the room if you left her alone while giving the cats attention on another floor. She’d whimper and bark the whole time anyway.
All three pets were very lovable — just not together — and would be better off with two people to give them affection separately. So even though it was a terrific sit — location, home and neighborhood — and I wouldn’t mind repeating it otherwise, I told the hosts why they’d be better off with a couple.
Of course, she’s a young dog and might outgrow the separation anxiety and jealousy as she matures and grows more settled in the home (she’s been there only a few months), but no matter what I’d say, always put the pets first. No sitter is going to die if they don’t get a certain sit and no one is entitled to all the sits.
This is not discriminatory, but just very realistic.
Double costs for water, warm water, garbage, electricity for the washing machine, the dishwasher and Wi-Fi. Double use of everything, double risk that something brokens.
We request couples because this house sit is in a very remote place, five miles from the nearest village, mobile signal can be ‘hit and miss’, so have concerns that, eg. a solo person slips and injures themselves, they might be here for days before anyone found them. Also the physical work involved in doing the sit (eg. lighting fires/woodburning stoves as there is no central heating) would be a lot for one person, it’s a lot for two!
It’s because of concern for the solo sitter, not because of any doubt they would be responsible or caring.
I’m a single sitter with heaps of great reviews and I have had the same kind of experience. I have interviewed for “single women only” sits and right after the video interview, the pet owner couple changes their ad to couples only(?)
Either way, it’s hard when they decide to change strategy after you take the time to wait days for the scheduled interview and then answer lots of questions all the while feeling like the interview is going great.
It’s definitely a frustrating waste of time, maybe based on someone’s insecurities or else just a lame way to reject a competent sitter. It would be great if they were aware of what they wanted before they advertised the sit, and then actually stuck to it. Maybe you dodged someone that you shouldn’t be wasting your energy on. Just because they own a pet doesn’t mean they are considerate to a “free sitter” (as I have been called. )
Congrats on your fantastic performance as a sitter! There are other great people and pets around the corner!
I have to say we prefer a couple but only because we have a little farm with lots of nice gardens,pets and chickens. For a single person it’d be just too much. Also we live very rural and with bad weather it might be booooring to be alone. Would we live in a ‘normal’ house single sitters no matter what gender would be very welcome.
Curious thread. Make me think. We have completed ~30 sits as a couple. A significant portion of Pet Parents indicated preference for a couple. Various reasons provided. We’ve not really given topic much thought. It’s clear - in profile and application - that we apply as a couple. And we don’t apply for listings in which Pet Parent clearly states preference for either solo sitter or female only sitter. We’ve never struggled to find good sits.
My husband and I have been sitting 10 years and have a very very high acceptance rate. So in my experience, being a couple has not seemed to hinder us in the slightest.
I never respond to listings that express a preference for a single sitter–while it is possible some people may be open to changing their mind depending on their reasoning, there are lots of great sits out there and I don’t feel the need to spend time applying to ones where I am aware right out the gate I am not their ideal match.
And for hosts whose preference is non-negotiable in any respect–dog is afraid of men so you can only have female sitters, you only want a couple because of the remoteness of your property and you would worry about the safety of a solo sitter if they got injured,etc…–it would be a good idea to explain your reasoning.
Technically you don’t have to since simply stating your preference should be sufficient, but it could cut down on people who don’t fit your criteria applying and trying to convince you to pick them.
I’ve never had that experience as a solo sitter. I’ve done 19, with more planned. If we do a video chat, I get the sit. I don’t remember otherwise (though I withdraw within 48 hours if the host doesn’t reply to schedule a video chat). Likewise on Nomador, though I abandoned that account, because the site UX is lame and the hosts are flakier. I’ve also received a lot of unsolicited invites on THS and Nomador as a solo sitter.
Are you applying for sits with a lot of animals? I don’t pursue a rural sits or small holdings. I favor sits with one or two pets, three tops if at least two are cats.
I agree. I was in the running for a long-term sit against a couple. I was ultimately declined in favour of the couple, simply because there were two of them. Not entirely sure why, as there was only one dog, but I think when it comes down to the wire, many HOs would prefer a couple than a solo sitter.
As this is now quite some time later, I can attest that after several home moves, our dog is once again up to being left for around 6-ish hours. He could be left for more as he’s non-destructive and has an amazing bladder, but we just prefer that’s not the case as I know I wouldn’t want to hold it that long regularly! Regardless, it’s nice to know we can offer HS sits where they’re basically free to roam our city. We’re very central as well so it’s not tough to do a drop-in to check on our dog before heading back out again.
we just need to move on to the next one, there’s plenty to go around 
