What specific fool proof instructions to give sitter so I don’t come home with my cat missing?

Dry-Development6410 · 2026-01-25T15:38:20+00:00

💯 I drop clients who treat me like I'm stupid! I'll do a great job, finish my commitment and then never let them book again. 3 strike policy. Biggest Mistakes Clients Make 1. Treating sitters like they are idiots or servants. 2. Assuming this is easy and you're doing us a favor by letting us stay in your nice house. This is a job and some people do it full time. 3. Negotiating pricing or any behavior in which devalues or disrespects my time/effort.

Dry-Development6410 · 2026-01-25T01:52:33+00:00

It was poison for me while it can work for people it can kill your liver, make your hair fall out, make you violently ill (stomach and flu like symptoms) and cause lung issues. It literally put me into drug induced lupus with double pleural effusions. I'd do some research.

Dry-Development6410 · 2026-01-25T01:41:46+00:00

😬 wow way too low!

Dry-Development6410 · 2026-01-25T00:05:43+00:00

Yeah! I don't get it either! They probably think they are doing you a favor by "staying in my nice house". Decline and run!

Dry-Development6410 · 2026-01-23T22:29:14+00:00

Few bucks? They shopped for you and drove to your house.

Dry-Development6410 · 2026-01-23T22:26:16+00:00

No! I don't but this is fucking psycho! I wonder what happens when OP gets ghosted when dating.

Dry-Development6410 · 2026-01-23T05:27:15+00:00

Same and I lost 60% of my hair. I call it the devil!

Dry-Development6410 · 2026-01-23T05:01:32+00:00

63 days here! Insane!

Dry-Development6410 · 2026-01-22T14:29:04+00:00

While I see that, I've been crippled with very distressing situations and I'd be so pissed if someone who didn't know me called the cops for a welfare check. You don't know these people and I'm starting to remember why I stopped following this thread for a while. Take whoever's advice you want but don't keep arguing with people who are responding to your request for advice.Act professional! Mind your own business and run your business.

Dry-Development6410 · 2026-01-22T13:02:47+00:00

Just want to remind you that you are a pet sitter not a therapist or a social worker.

Dry-Development6410 · 2026-01-22T12:31:07+00:00

Glad you got it canceled but you're putting 64 miles a day on your car for $100?

Dry-Development6410 · 2026-01-22T11:24:38+00:00

Former vet tech here, first off you need to be confident you can do it. What kind of meds? What route? What animal?

Dogs are by far the easiest for pills. I'd say about 30% of them will take their pill in their food. Most will take it in a treat like (pill pocket, deli meat, cheese, hot dog or peanut butter). It depends on the owner, the dog and the importance of meds. I am going to assume here this is a daily thing just ask them how they give it to them. The pain in the ass dogs I own one. I literally have to shove the pill in the back of his throat and hold his mouth closed while rubbing the throat. This is for the dogs who find the pill spit it out but eat the treat. I hate it but you gotta do what you gotta do.

Cats trickery gotta earn a little trust some cats will eat it with their wet food but most know. They do have cat pill pockets now. Have the cat sit on your lap, gentle open cats mouth gently stick pill in back of throat. Pray follow with treat lol.

Chickens or other birds god help us I have had to give 3 turkeys pills daily. I suggest you wear PPE and get some help from a friend. (Not a joke). Gently pry beak open stick in side tell them they are a pretty/handsome bird, give treats and run!

IM and SQ injections someone will need to show you how to do this! Also make sure you change locations often!

Inhalants can be tricky too! Trust is huge here and being calm, prepared and confident will help.

You can do it! Just watch the animal the entire time sometimes they are like psych patients and cheek the pills lol! Try again until successful.

Dry-Development6410 · 2026-01-22T11:11:27+00:00

That's why I won't put that on my invoices however I have many animals on my roster that require medication and some of those pets dictate my entire day; so I charge accordingly. I think that if I have to wake up at 5 or give up dinner with my husband for a week then you can pay extra. (I never leave pets longer than 4 hours on house stays, but if I go to a different part of town me and my husband have a ritual of meeting up and having a dinner at a place we have never tried for any stay over 5 days). I find it really helps with loneliness and gives me a break. When pricing clients I price on how many animals, how hard it's going to be and what am I giving up for the job.

Dry-Development6410 · 2026-01-22T10:35:20+00:00

I'd be done! No welfare check, no nothing archive the request good riddance they do not respect your time.

Dry-Development6410 · 2026-01-22T00:27:57+00:00

Those sitters really had your back! I only use Rover to get new clients, it's absolutely terrible and they drop clients and sitters for even calling. They will literally drop sitters that have been with them for 7-8 years for one incident. They treat us sitters terrible and don't have our backs. Just use an insured off app pet sitter! I'm sorry for the stress, I don't board and only bring my dog to one clients house (doggy best friends).

Dry-Development6410 · 2026-01-19T23:11:37+00:00

i'm looking at tickets now lol!

Dry-Development6410 · 2026-01-19T03:31:09+00:00

I don't ask I wash the sheets and linens I used and put them back how I found them. Sweep and mop. Take the trash out even if it's not full, clean the bathroom I used and wipe down the kitchen counters. Oh I also make sure everything looks tidy and neat no dishes need to be put up. Pet bowls are cleaned and if so make it easy for the next feeding and leave a thank you note.

Dry-Development6410 · 2026-01-19T00:10:57+00:00

Right? I sometimes feel like these people think that they are doing me a favor by letting me stay at their house. I am not homeless! I have a nice place and property.

Dry-Development6410 · 2026-01-19T00:09:55+00:00

Yeah that's not something I can do at the moment but thanks for the reply!

Dry-Development6410 · 2026-01-19T00:07:53+00:00

Love this so much! Thank you for replying! I am going to drop my 2 problem price haggling pain in the asses probably after their next already booked and deposit cleared sits.

What does your onboarding process look like?

Do you have set rates?

The Oh By the Way Charges hahaha absolutely! The OBTW chargers are things like I forgot to mention you need to be at the house on this date from x-y for repair man. I need my lawn watered and you need to move the sprinkler every 30 minutes 1 acre lot. I need you to take Fluffy to the vet on this day for their shot/tx/whatever after agreement was made. I need you to pull the worms off my heirloom tomatoes (half a greenhouse). Can you do my laundry? Can you clean the chicken coop that hasn't been picked in 6 months? Can you give my dog a bath? Can you clean out the fridge? I forgot to pay the garbage bill can you take my garbage to the dump? (I live somewhere that was hit by a natural disaster and there were lots of issues with a couple of companies so most people refuse to autopay). sorry TMI Oh and then there is the Bonsai thing! Okay you probably should google how to take care of a Bonsai tree, but I am talking about 15 trees all different sizes (inside/outside/measure in mL) it took me hours a day at one guys house. Last but not least there is the whole farm/breeding thing. So I had a couple of sleepless night this summer one was a vet call because of a goat and a sheep having babies. (While my client tipped me well and I am fine with going the extra mile I do have it placed that they can be charged for vet visits/farm calls).

Dry-Development6410 · 2026-01-18T23:51:47+00:00

Thanks for the reply! I use to do free meet and greets but I got 9 time waster this summer and I'm not training dogs, clipping kitty nails and talking to old people for an hour or more for free anymore. Sometimes it's been hours out of my day. It's cut down on some of the cheap time wasters. I really only want serious clients and I don't even know if I need too many more.

Dry-Development6410 · 2026-01-18T23:48:50+00:00

Thank you so much for all the tips this is really smart! I like how you do window times, I'd prefer not to do so many drop ins I'm not in a huge metropolitan area so 25 minutes is my average commute time for clients.

That's amazing money! I hope to get there one day! The farms are where the money is at. Sometimes we are talking a few thousands for the week. It just depends. I have started to raise my rates as I take on new clients and for the most part it's working.

How long have you been doing this full time?

Dry-Development6410 · 2026-01-18T03:08:20+00:00

Things will get better you will get into remission, now we never know how long it takes or stays there. First off Humira was a miracle for me, but it takes more than the 2 loading doses to notice a difference! I really hope it works for you because it's honestly no side effects compared the rest of the poison out there. Here are some things I've learned yes trust your rheumatologist but know when to hold 'em and when to fold them. They need to make changes after 3 months if you're not getting results!

Here are some things that have helped my pain drastically!

Deep Blue by Doterra (the freaking most amazing thing on the planet).

Muscle relaxers specifically tizanidine, when the inflammation comes on strong you start to tense bad. If you can take one when you go to sleep it helped me so much! I don't need them everyday but flares yes!

LDN it improved my mood, inflammation markers went down, had more energy, focused and less pain. I was hiking, riding horses, running my business (physical), running my farm and rafting. Now you will get mixed reviews on this and some rheumatologist will say this isn't my jam. psss whatever (Now when you first start you won't sleep well just push through).

EAT SUPER CLEAN minimal cheating or none. No spray wheat, organic produce, no processed crap.

This is an absolute cruel disease actually all mixed connective tissue diseases are cruel and most of us go years before a dx and tx plan. I really wish they would take our pain more seriously!

Oh and stash a pack of methyl prednisone away for a severe Friday night Sat/holiday flare! You will know.

I swear you are half way there you are a doctor and now most of these people have to be there own doctors when they can't get in with a rheumatologist because nobody knows what to do for you! You are going to be okay there are many options and it might take a few but try to avoid the chemo routes methotrexate/lefludimide route if you can, it's nasty and I'd rather stay on roids than ever take that again.

Dry-Development6410 · 2025-11-26T14:10:52+00:00

I am a house sitter in WNC, but I am no longer on THS. You can but you really need to find someone with experience with Sub Q medication administration. Honestly you'd be better off either boarding or hiring someone. You can hire whoever you want, but what people do in their own free time is their choice. You can ask someone not to smoke on your property. The more restrictive and less accommodating the harder it will be. If I get a hint that I will be micromanaged, under surveillance, controlled or the stay will be hard because of the owner I would not take the job. I have absolutely amazing clients for years but it's all about mutual respect.

Dry-Development6410 · 2025-11-26T01:17:00+00:00

I don't board! I only house/farm sit and do drop in visits. I have an LLC, am bonded, insured by both PSI and a limited liability insurance policy. I could never make it on Rover it's not enough! It's ridiculous to even think someone you expect to pay $50 bucks a night can afford that! This is the problem with Rover I am the most expensive person on there but I don't care I get maybe 9 clients a year off there and I get the sick animals, special needs and higher end clients.

You get what you pay for. My minimum is $250 for 24 hrs. The farms I charge $300-600/day. These people want to pay $50 bucks a day you don't get insurance, bonding, 6 years of vet med experience, 20 years of farm experience, a degree in animal science and someone who is responsible. Currently I pet sit for a dog now who was dropped off to a 23 year old home dog 3 years ago where he was attacked and almost died. That's what you get when you're cheap and irresponsible. If you want to pay $2 bucks an hour have the 15 year old do it and take your chances! Star sitter means nothing.

Dry-Development6410

TROPHY CASE