i need help… no applicants yet and the date is nearing. can any one find and look at my post and let me know if there is anything that is unclear, misleading, overwhelming and confusing, or just plain bad. thanks
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@suelson Hi Sue I’ve just taken a look at your listing and I can suggest a few things…
With the pictures- I would take some better ones that flatter your home more. I would show the outside of the house, the bathroom and a pic of the sitters bedroom without the dog on the bed, and with the bed nicely made up. A dog on a bed is a turn off for me personally. Does he sleep on the bed at night? Or does he have his own bed somewhere. That’s a question we always ask.
Your written description is good and makes your location sound appealing.
How long can the dog be left alone? Most sitters would like to know that - usually 4-5 hours would be expected.
Your last sitter has given a wonderfully descriptive review which is also great.
Took a look on your listing. I would mention in the introduction why a sitter should come to your home/ location. You have some of that in your home/ location-description, but move it up so a sitter would want to read more already from the intro.
If car based (it seems so now). Can a sitter borrow your car, if not - can you pick up at station/airport? Is it possible to do the sit without a car, is something walkable? Could you possibly organize a drive to grocery-shopping before you leave? Many sitters don’t come by car and isn’t very willing to add a rental to their travel expenses, but could be happy to take a sit if the practical issues are doable walking, for instance.
Where is the nearest airport/ trainstation or similar?
What is the exact tasks of the sit, walks when and for how long, feeding times, how long can the dog be left alone?
But something went wrong, I think.
Hello @pietkuip
Thank you. I have just fixed this so it should be okay now.
@suelson there are several photos showing two dogs yet you only mention one Emmie . This is a bit confusing . Will there be one or two dogs ? If only one will be there, I suggest that you remove all the photos showing two dogs .
I’d just add that for someone who is not in the US I have no idea where you are or which towns are nearby. Your reviewer fills in some info but most sitters do not want to have to become detectives.
I think it would also help to show more attractive pics of the living accommodation e.g. bathroom and bedroom and fewer of the dog/dogs.
Hi @suelson
I agree with the comments that have been made so far.
In addition, in your first photo, I initially thought that was the back of a cat’s head. You know what it is. But for potential sitters viewing your listing for the first time, they may not. To alleviate any ambiguity, I suggest your photo be a clear photo of the front of your home or a frontal photo of Emmie.
Your area sounds attractive in the activities that are offered. It sounds like there is a little something for everyone to do as not to get bored. My eyes really lit up when I read horse-back riding. I recall I went on a trip to Jamaica and a group of us went on a horse-back riding tour. Since I was a novice rider, I had to have one of the guides with me the whole time—even when we took the horses out into the ocean. Horse-back riding is something I have always wanted to learn. Are lessons offered there for horse-back riding?
You mention town a couple of times. What is the name of the town?
I did not see a picture of the type of shower you have.
I would also want to know if Emmie is required to sleep with the sitter.
You mentioned, “Emmie would love to go for a walk”. The way this is worded seems like it is optional for the sitter(s) of taking Emmie on one walk per day. For a 4-year old German Shepherd, she may require more daily walks or would like more? How long of a walk can she tolerate per walk?
How many meals does Emmie have per day? Is she on any medication(s)?
There are photos of two dogs in your listing. If the sitter is only responsible for caring for Emmie, I suggest having photos of Emmie only. Some sitters will not want to sit multiple dogs.
The more information you give, the less a sitter has to wonder about because as sitters we cannot ask the homeowners questions without initially applying to their sits.
Good luck!
@suelson In addition to all of the above comments and suggestions, I’d recommend including whether your garden is securely fenced. You say that Emmie must be ‘ALWAYS ON A LEASH’ during walks. Does the have no recall? Mention whether she walks well on the lead or if she pulls (this is especially important to know about a dog who cannot be exercised off lead). How many walks a day and for how long? Does she have any behavioural issues (for example, is she lead-reactive)? If so, please mention in the listing.
The pics in your listing clearly show Emmie off-lead on trails and by the lake, so presumably it’s just that you don’t want to risk that with sitters? Walking any large dog - and particularly a young GSD - on the lead isn’t the nicest way to hike, especially through woods (which you say she enjoys). It’s something which would put us off applying.
Same here, but if it’s expected during the sit then probably best to leave it in (and specify in the listing).
@suelson are you reading any of our helpful comments?
i am replying to Happypets, but this is a heads up for all those who take dogs out in rural situations, or any public use area. many people come to the countryside and think they can just let their dogs run wild. it doesnt work that way. there are ranchers who will attest to that. my neighbor just witnessed a dog killing her chicken. we have a diminishing wildlife population and keeping a dog onlead prevents distressing or even injuring them. there are other trail users, some may have a fear of dogs, some may be unstable children on bikes. a dog running up to a horse and rider can cause a catastrophe. attention to all dog walkers. control your dog!
hi sharondc. i have put much of the part about feeding and caring for the dog in the welcome guide. and i have added a disclaimer about other dogs in the photos. she has her own beds, so i will change the picture of the bedroom to avoid confusion. her vocabulary includes “down” as well as “up”!
People don’t read the welcome guide until after they accept the sit, so putting information there isn’t going to help prospective sitters. Everything should be in your listing and you can duplicate it in the welcome guide as well.
Edit: removed something I mis-read.
@suelson We have had - and trained - dogs all our lives and we never let any sit dog off-lead who is not reliably trained to recall. Whilst the countryside in the UK might differ to that in the US, dog control is the same. I suspect you’re preaching to the converted - and the experienced - on this forum.
i will reply directly to the car issue. rural western US usually does not offer much in the way of public transportation. for ex, to get here from the nearest airport in wenatchee (90 mi away)would involve a number of local bus systems, an uber or taxi, and multi state bus line. i dont think any of these are coordinating schedules, so it could take days. that being said, just getting here requires your own car. and doing anything here does as well. its rural.
so there are lots of things i put into the listing, but until i found my own , i wasnt aware of where these things show up. that makes some items more important. no one wants to read through the entire listing to find out some of these things. thanks for everyone’s comments on what those items are
it took me a long time to actually see what my listing would look like to a random housesitter looking for a sit. i will work on some of these things to try to make things clearer.
yes. thanks to all. i will go back and rework some of the issues.
thanks for that. i thought about that. there are actually 3 different german shepherds friends in the photos! i will clarify that.