What is the average time frame within which owners usually look for sitters? For example, do most owners look for sitters a month ahead of time, a week or two, or rather two or three months before the required pet sit?
It’s too difficult to say @margaretrossouw - depends on the length of the sit, the location, it’s popularity and the time of year. Longer sits tend to get committed to earlier. International sitters plan further in advance because of flight prices. You’d need to specify a few more things for members to help offer guidance on yours. If you use the spyglass at the top there are a few threads on this topic that may help too 
I think it was @Silversitters did some research on this? I seem to remember two months ahead came out top, followed by a month ahead, then three months ahead.
We’re sitters. We’ve had one that needed someone the same week, but we’re also booked for most of next year up until October 2024. There’s such a large variety of HO’s on THS, some are organised way in advance, and others leave things until the last minute.
2 Likes
Thanks, @Sunshine_G!
Hi @Cuttlefish, I am a new member applying as a sitter (together with my husband). If we were looking at sits in December, for example, at what stage would the largest number of posts regarding sits in December appear? Do owners tend to advertise a few months ahead of time, or rather a week of two before the requested sit?
I believe that is in December. So it is probably better to be before that.
Search for your question as it’s been discussed several times on the forum
Get looking asap would be our advice @margaretrossouw We’ve been booked for December since March
1 Like
Thanks for the advice, #Cuttlefish.
1 Like
Thank you, @Pietkuip.
I would have thought December is a month when people have a tendency to plan in advance, so I would be looking sooner rather than later. We’ve had our two bookings for December agreed since May.
1 Like
Personally, we don’t plan too far ahead. We put our listing up when we book a holiday (maybe 2 months ahead, could be more for a longer vacation) or when we know the exact dates we plan to be away. If we go away for less than a week we usually don’t plan that more than a month before we leave.
Last month we went away for 4 days and only knew a couple of days before. We were lucky and had several people apply for a sit 2 days before it started.
I want to look for a sitter as early as possible. But I don’t usually plan vacations or short trips months in advance. That may not be the smartest move to get the most experienced and organised sitters but t’s most convenient for me and has worked out so far.
2 Likes
Not soon enough.
We are looking at next summer sits already preferably a long relaxing one near Winchester where the pet parents don’t mind my very well behaved grandchildren visiting . I have to give them updates almost every evening and they are becoming quite despondent.
Seriously, if it’s a long sit, give yourself lots of time to set up the correct sitter and get everything in place. A weekend away, it doesn’t really matter. It all depends on how desirable your location is. Good luck.
1 Like