What would be "good enough" contact regarding their pets with PPs during sitting as a sitter?

Sitter Questions, Advice & Chat
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Hello, I have done 2 sits so far. One was challenging with a young but big puppy. However, we made it through. I could sense that the PP was kind of anxious even before our arrival -it was their first time as well- so I tried to ensure by responding in a timely manner and even sent some pictures of their pup during sitting. I left a long handwritten note before our departure. They thought it was nice and left me 5 star review with some level of exaggeration stating I sent them ‘daily report with pictures’ which was not true but I didn’t mind seeing it. Well, the problem I didn’t realize until the end of my recent 2nd sitting, I think this PP expected me to report regarding her dog and a cat daily with some details. She was aware that I was working remotely and vice versa. One point, it was her responding to my text with one heart icon with no reply -which I don’t remember what it was about- so I assumed that she might be busy and wouldn’t bother her. During a week sitting, we texted each other almost every other days to check in and share when unpredicted things happen even it was not an emergency. Also, I informed her that I will have to leave their home very early morning (4:30am) to catch a plane even before our sitting started so she could make an arrangement with another family member who was not far from her.
Well, even early departure, I filled out pets’ bowls, made sure their automatic water tank is full, and cleaned up (started a dishwasher before leaving so only clean dishes will be there when PP came back, put all trashes into a big trash bin, wiping all watermarks, etc). However, she left me a not-so-great review stating that I left her place messy and I never reached out to her when a dog treat was all gone and stated she hopes it was just right amount -which it was-. Also, my response was very brief which was not true. I didn’t send her a picture because I didn’t sense any anxiety from this PP and she didn’t express what she wanted from me.

I got so upset after reading that review after giving her 5 star review (location won most of it) despite some challenges. I tried my best to walk the dog when PP only asked me to walk her around a block to go potty because the dog led me to a dog park and other parks, and I wanted to make sure she was happy even it was inconvenient for me to make extra time while still working remotely.
I am tormented. As I look back, I wonder she expected me to send her pictures and daily report??

Was it a mistake to exchange cell phone #? Otherwise, how do other people communicate? Sometimes my inbox messages don’t open on THS app.

What is your experience as a sitter like? Do most PP expect a sitter to share how their pets have been doing? Or they might be worried or interrupted if a sitter send a text during sitting?

Plus, a review system is all subjective and as a sitter, I can’t read it until I leave my review. Is it possible to revise it afterward especially in this case, I would like to share about unclear communication and high expectation. Well, wish it could go better.
Now I feel a bit insecure to sit for other people. With one good review and one negative review, I may have lower chance to be chosen which makes me upset and sad after all hard work.

Thank you for reading my long post, partially venting and partially seeking advice and support.

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Daily pictures and updates are not unusual. Some owners even want 2 or more updates a day. Other owners don’t want to hear anything unless it’s urgent. Everyone is different. You should always ask before you accept the sit what kind of communication the owner prefers - that way you are both clear on expectations and avoid this type of situation.

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Discuss specific expectations ahead of accepting or declining a sit, including how many updates you’ll do.

I telecommute full time from sits and do daily updates all the time, unless the host wants them less frequently. I ask.

I also let hosts know if treats or food are running low, or I might buy some. I don’t mind, because they’re usually cheap. Like I just wrapped a sit, during which I ordered a replacement bag of cat treats. The host had left other treats, but the kitties LOVED the ones that ran out and I liked to see them happy. They cost me only maybe seven bucks, and my hosts had left me a bottle of wine and I appreciated that.

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Since reading certain posts on this forum, I have added some words on to my profile about communication during the sit. I will send photos and messages if they would like me to, but otherwise ill leave them be. I try to remember to ask before they leave to what they would like me to do regarding this. Some pet want daily updates, others want to be left alone.

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Welcome to the forum @navia2 it’s a great place for advice and support. We were all newbies at one time and we are all still learning and gaining experience from each sit that we do .

“Good enough” is keeping to the frequency that the individual owner has requested and that you have agreed to before the sit starts ( preferably in your discussions before confirming the sit ) .

Every owner is different
It’s not uncommon for an owner to want a daily update with photos . The majority of the 16 THS sits that I have done wanted daily updates with photos but there are a minority that only wanted to hear if there was a problem and would have been irritated by daily updates.

A picture paints a thousand words - a photo (of a dog on their regular walk , cat curled up asleep in their favourite spot or eating their food ) “says” pets are well and being looked after . This means that you don’t need to write a lot of words . Use WhatsApp- take a photo during your normal care of the pets and it won’t take any extra time out of your work day.

Some general advice ( as you asked for it ) Don’t assume what the owner wants about anything to do with the sit - if it’s not already clearly stated in listing or welcome guide -ASK- ( preferably before accepting the sit and definitely before starting the sit ) .

The topic of Frequency of Updates has been discussed on the forum before and you will find reading the replies on this previous thread helpful for your situation.

https://forum.trustedhousesitters.com/t/frequency-of-updates-from-sitter-to-homeowner

You mention a negative review - did they deduct stars overall or just in some categories?

Are you aware of the sitter cleaning checklist ? This is what is expected of sitters Sitter Cleanliness Checklist | TrustedHousesitters.com

When looking at a listing you can look at the reviews that the owners left for previous sitters then you can see if they are especially critical about cleaning ( and avoid those sits )

If this was in other areas of the sit ( not just about updates ) like how often dog should be walked and for how long and where - these are questions to be asked and discussed before agreeing to the sit . If you realise at this stage that it’s not going to be a good match you can withdraw your application .

As sitters we can do much to ensure good communication from the outset before confirming the sit If the owner doesn’t answer questions about how often their pet needs walking / for how long ? or how long they can be left alone for - that is a red flag :triangular_flag_on_post: an indication that they know that they have unreasonable expectations and want to wait until you get to the sit to reveal these responsibilities.

You can’t change the review that the owner has left but you can reply to it .

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Pick yourself up and dust yourself down, and flood the one negative review with a few great ones. Because the fact is, YOU CARE, because you posted, so you are probably a very nice person.

For the future, chat to the individual HO about how often they would like photo’s… don’t use the word ‘update’, so you know what their expectations are. Everyone is different, some it’s daily, others it’s weekly, etc. Having the conversation also helps to build rapport with the HO too, as they will get excited about the thought of receiving photos.

The way to stop an HO wanting more ‘details’ is to give them photo’s that reflect their pets state of mind… ie only send happy looking pet photo’s, or really cute pics, or ones where you are snuggled up cosy together, not random boring ones. Then words aren’t required so much. But every so often pop in a note about how they are still being lovely and adorable, or whatever words come naturally to you personally.

Personally I wouldn’t have used all the dog treats, it’s an indication that you may have fed the dog too many, or if you are pretty sure they didn’t leave enough then personally I would have bought some extra so that there was some for their return, they’re only a tiny amount of money.

You should have put the dishwasher on the day before and emptied it, if you knew you were leaving early. You can always clean the odd plate you use by hand. You mention emptying the bin etc, but what about all of the other aspects of cleaning, you were there a week? You don’t mention vacuuming, mopping floors, dusting, cleaning the bathroom, stripping the bed etc, but washing the sheets wouldn’t have been necessary in your case with leaving so early, but their needs to be a conversation with the HO so they are aware the sheets won’t be cleaned. You need to clean it so that it looks like you were never there in the first place.

But don’t get disheartened, just make it right the next time. You care enough to ask for help, and caring and giving a damn is what matters when it comes to pet sitting.

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I’m sorry you’ve had this experience in your second sitting and hope you will soon get great sittings with fair reviews.
Regarding this review, I think you should reply to it, clarifying the real facts that may have triggered the owner’s negative comments or even state there is no ground at all to complain if that is the case, as it seems to be in the case of cleaning.
Regarding the heading of your post, I don’t think we can assume that the negative review is because of communication unless all stars were taken from that section. In my experience the only way to get it right is to ask beforehand what level of updates they expect and respond promptly to their texts if possible.
Good luck with future sittings.

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Recently I have had the same experience. Now I ask how they want contacted, when and what frequency. It’s a learning process even for an old timer.

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Sending hugs. TBH, looking back on my early sits, for the first 3 or 4 I felt I was finding my feet and learnt a lot about what to ask and provide for future sits. It’s upsetting of course to get a poor review but I’d chalk it up to a learning experience and move on.

  • I always tell owners that I’ll send daily updates unless they’d rather I didn’t. Many say ‘oh you don’t have to’ but I’ve found they are always appreciated, even if they are rather repetitive. I just get into the habit of taking photos of the pets during our day and add brief captions like ‘afternoon relaxation’, ‘fun at the park’. I know I’d feel reassured if I saw how my pets were behaving on a sit. If in doubt I’d say over communication regarding is better than under.

  • The most common form of communication is WhatsApp, that way there’s no cost incurred for either party.

  • Others may disagree with this but I always leave the rooms I’ve used immaculate, even if they weren’t left for me in that state. TBH I’m a very clean and tidy person and often do a minor clear up and clean if a house is less than I’m happy to live with. Personally I’d have emptied the clean dishwasher before leaving - but no biggie, great you put it on. You could maybe ask for clarity on what the HO felt was ‘messy’ if you felt you left it as you found.

  • Also I don’t expect HO to make allowances for me home working. I’m there to care for the pets and home in a way that has been agreed, even if that does turn out to be more work than I anticipated (unless HO has grossly mislead me on requirements).

  • No you can’t alter your review but you can leave a reply to the ‘bad’ one. I’d keep it factual and maybe acknowledge that you’ve learnt from some of the comments. Remember future HOs will read this and it’s a good opportunity to show you’re responsible about criticism etc. I think most people understand that issues are often 50/50 and not all the fault of the person on the receiving end.

Good luck in your future sits.

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@ElsieDownie
Exactly, simply ask at the onset and there will be no issues

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Obviously it depends totally on what they actually said about you in their review, but just to add to what @Newpetlover 's says above. From your post it doesn’t sound like you’ve vacuumed, mopped, cleaning the bathroom, stripped the bed, or anything like that.

So if that’s the case, then when you reply to their review, just say how 'It was only my second sit and I thank you for helping me to understand the expectations of pet owners on THS, as I was unaware, and I will change things for future sits. And then continue to say how you had a fantastic time with their pets (if you did), and apologise. But only if you didn’t actually properly clean the place.

How you respond is HUGELY important, HO’s don’t mind the odd bad review, what is more important is how the sitter responds to it, ie do they get defensive for no reason, and bring up bad points of the pet owners, or do they accept responsibility (like you should if you didn’t clean properly) so it shows you are grown up and mature (which is what pet owners would like to see).

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Yes, and then they were complaining that you had not taken out the trash and that the dishes were not in the cupboards?

That is the demanding type of THS HO for you. They want perfect service for free. I think this is totally unreasonable.

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I completely agree, @HappyDeb. In fact, my comment about cleaning was based on what was mentioned, not what oi wasn’t. It sounds thoughtful and caring for the early hours it was done but I was assuming the rest of the cleaning was done the day before leaving, that’s what I usually do if I have to leave early. You should follow @HappyDeb advice. Your reaction to the review and the tone of your answer is very important. There are people on this forum who can help you with that.
@Navia2, in my first post I didn’t mention your wording “I informed her” of your very early departure. It sounds as if you’re going the extra mile but everything has to be agreed, we don’t “inform” owners, we discuss the options and agree on the best possible arrangements for both parties. I just think it is your lack of experience because you sound caring and thoughtful and I am sure you will get over this soon.
Have many happy sittings.

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Being a pet sitter is not always hard, but it’s usually not always easy. The owners, the pets, the home, are always different.

I always ask hosts what type of communication they want and when. Usually, it’s once a day. I am very diligent sticking to this. Every day, at the same time or close to it, I send them what they have asked me to. I don’t always get a reply back. If I do, oftentimes it’s not right away. I don’t worry if they don’t reply. I make no assumptions and stick with what we agreed to at the start unless they request a change.

If anything arises I think they should be aware of - a problem with their pets, their home, pets food is running low, snacks are low, etc., then I notify them promptly. If pets food or snacks are running low, I ask them to order or if I should pick up and where.

I always exchange phone numbers. Sometimes email. If I’m driving their car, which isn’t often, I will provide my license so I can be added to their policy.

I don’t usually have much cleaning to do before I leave because I keep it clean while I’m there, and return it the same or better than I found it. I take pictures when I arrive and pictures before I depart just in case there’s anything that comes up after the sit, or if I’ve moved anything and need a reminder. I almost always wash the bedding and remake the bed unless the owner would prefer otherwise. I always take garbage out, put new bin bags in, make sure all dishes are done and put away.

I’ve had some early morning flights and they are a killer because there are always things to do, especially for the pets before you depart. You don’t want a poor review because of something you couldn’t do the very last day when you’ve done it well all along. After my last early morning flight, I decided to change. If there’s only early morning transport on my last day, then I will just stay overnight at a hotel or airbnb and travel the next day. A bit more cost for me, but it has removed the stress, and that has been worth it to me.

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There is no need for a retaliatory honest review. Please leave an honest review in the first place:-). Also, I send a Google photos link to the PP and add photos throughout the sit. I do take lots of pictures…as signs of life and contentment:-D This is just my thing now…with the link, the PP does not get a text everytime I add a photo, so it does not interrupt their holiday. If they desire, they can click the link at anytime to see pet updates.

Hope you get many more sits…you seem very conscientious and a good pet sitter!

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I agree with @HappyDeb The way you respond to the HO’s review of you is crucial. One of my favorite tv judges, Judge Marilyn Milian has a saying, “Say it Forget It, Write it Regret it”.

If you lash out or point blame at the HO, it won’t be a good look for you to other HOs that consider you for future sits. Respond to the HO’s review when you are calm so that you don’t write something that you will later regret.

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Ooof, I would not like that one bit, but I can see how some would prefer it. This is why setting expectations beforehand about communication between host and sitter is so important.

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As a HO I would love that. When a sitter asks how often I’d like updates I say oh, every few days is fine (because I don’t want to sound pathetic) but then I every day I wonder how they’re doing back there and will there be an update today. :laughing:

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LOL! It is definitely a me thing. Maybe it sounds like a chore but it’s not at all. It literally takes seconds to snap pictures of their dog(s) walking, eating, or even just sleeping/relaxing. Their pets are doing those things and preferably, I am facilitating them. And again, over a day, it takes less than five minutes to click pictures I’ve taken anyway. I may add them all at once or throughout the day, whatever is convenient for me. It doesn’t require any special skills and it allows the HO to feel secure that their pet is ok and not need to respond to a text. I send the link after the sit starts and it has been appreciated so far. HOs are grateful and I don’t have to wonder if something is wrong if they don’t text back or respond in a certain amount of time. It is just informtion in the ether for them to consume as they see fit. I have yet to have a HO demand I add pictures.

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That is a good idea. Especially when the roaming data would be limited or expensive for them on their trip.

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