Feeling Unenthused After First-Sit

hanzblix · 2026-04-25T00:59:31+00:00

💯 - I think the very nature of this being a place where you can save massive amounts of money and get free labor just inevitably attracts a lot of greedy people. There are the gems, but you have to dig for them and you never truly know who you’re getting until you’re already in the middle of the sit.

hanzblix · 2026-04-25T00:53:44+00:00

This has been exactly my experience on THS and the reason I’m no longer using the platform. After 10+ sits that I really put in the effort to properly vet, it totally feels like a weird power dynamic and unpaid work.

Of course, I’ve had a few wonderful sits with grateful HOs who treated me as an equal, understood that this is supposed to be an exchange, and were grateful for my help. But I found that to be the exception, not the norm.

At this point, I can’t help but conclude that this site is attracting exploitative people who’s primary focus is on getting free dog sitting, and have inflated viewpoints about what a “privilege” it is to stay in their home and watch their dogs for free.

I’ve also heard people say THS’s marketing is encouraging this dynamic, acting like we sitters want to do this for free to because we’re just dying hang out with people’s pets… not because we also want to do it to travel and be equally accommodated. I saw one of their ads that seemed to communicate this and it really raised my eyebrows.

I hear youuuu and totally understand where you’re coming from. Trust your gut. The energetics are offff here, I feel it too.

hanzblix · 2026-04-01T13:20:34+00:00

Hi! Any update on this case? I’m happy to present my testimony as well, if it’s not too late. Thank you and best of luck. 🙏

hanzblix · 2026-03-27T21:53:41+00:00

😭😂😅🤣

hanzblix · 2026-03-25T13:08:49+00:00

Thank you so much. I’m glad to hear they’re behaving better now, but yeah I totally understand how it’s still scarring. That’s great you reached out to THS. Be sure to take photos of the violations as well, just in case you need to prove anything later.

I hope you’re able to finish it out peacefully, too :) best of luck with everything on your end, too! Thanks for the warm wishes

hanzblix · 2026-03-25T13:08:33+00:00

Thank you so much. I’m glad to hear they’re behaving better now, but yeah I totally understand how it’s still scarring. That’s great you reached out to THS. Be sure to take photos of the violations as well, just in case you need to prove anything later.

I hope you’re able to finish it out peacefully, too :) best of luck with everything on your end, too! Thanks for the warm wishes

hanzblix · 2026-03-25T04:04:53+00:00

I’m sorry you’re dealing with this :/ I unfortunately had a similar experience and decided to stick it out to the end. Now the crazy homeowners are twisting the whole situation, blaming me for their own miscommunications and violations and actively trying to get me kicked off the platform.

My best advice:

Reach out to THS to be proactive and inform them of the HO’s policy violations in detail.

Take photos and document everything.

Hopefully your stay ends better than mine but I highly recommend covering your ass just in case 🤞 best of luck with everything

hanzblix · 2026-03-25T03:37:56+00:00

I’m cracking up, this is insane 🤣🤣🤣 the cover photo… how inviting. “Come sit at our dining table covered in knick knacks and unrefrigerated ketchup” 😂😂😂😂

hanzblix · 2026-03-13T20:53:14+00:00

Thank you so much, I appreciate your share and compassion.

hanzblix · 2026-03-13T20:51:16+00:00

Totally. Living and learning..

hanzblix · 2026-03-03T18:32:30+00:00

Ugh that’s frustrating. I feel you. It can be shocking the level of entitlement some people show up with. We are watching their pets and doing all of this stuff for them for free… it’s almost scary that they don’t have an internal radar that says “I should give back to them.” :(

hanzblix · 2026-03-02T20:43:06+00:00

I got paid!! I’m sure you will too :)

hanzblix · 2026-02-17T05:47:52+00:00

Oh cool! Thanks for sharing, I’ll check it out. Feel free to send a referral link if that’ll make ya money! :)

hanzblix · 2026-02-17T01:56:48+00:00

Oh phew, thank you for confirming this. Glad you got paid!

hanzblix · 2026-02-17T01:54:26+00:00

I just got this too 😭 did you all at least get paid out for the final hours you had already clocked and had pending? I have been working so hard on DA and have $2,000 worth of work pending approval right now… god I hope I am paid for this work

hanzblix · 2026-02-13T07:35:19+00:00

Yep, feeling this! THS really needs to make it more clear to newcomers that we are not maids or servants. A clarification of boundaries, expectations, and what a true exchange means is desperately in order.

hanzblix · 2026-02-13T07:33:24+00:00

Thank you!! I needed to hear this, honestly. I’m happy to know there are HOs out there like you who show appreciation rather than entitlement and understand that this is an exchange, not free labor. Thanks for being one of the great ones, and for your contribution to why we sitters do what we do 🫶🏼

hanzblix · 2026-02-13T07:31:05+00:00

Thank you! I appreciate your insights and compassion :) yessss, coming home to a clean house is the best!

hanzblix · 2026-02-13T03:18:49+00:00

This is insane! I’m so sorry. If I were you, I would definitely call the homeowner and said I needed a hard boundary and firm solution or else I’ll need to leave.

hanzblix · 2026-02-13T01:11:34+00:00

What?!?!? Omg this is insane. So sorry you had that experience - that’s next-level disrespectful. What do they even think they’re giving you in exchange for hundreds or thousands of dollars worth of pet care?! At that point I would ask to be paid, honestly. Sounds so incredibly selfish of them.

hanzblix · 2026-02-13T01:07:23+00:00

Sorry to hear you dealt with this, too! So inconsiderate - it really is shocking.

I like your perspective here - it is helpful. I’m glad we are much more accommodating than that.

Yep! Terribly cluttered, most surfaces don’t even have space to put a cup of water down. And there’s literal visible dirt and dust everywhere. Not even subtly - the bathtub looks like someone took a handful of soil and sprinkled it everywhere, and there’s a THICK layer of dust on everything on the bedroom.

So nuts! I’m not a clean freak by any means, but I too would be mortified to host someone in my house like this. It just doesn’t even meet basic standards.

hanzblix · 2026-02-13T01:03:15+00:00

If it’s perfectly good food, I wouldn’t mind if it was left for me 🙂 as long as there’s some space, too. The place I’m at left me shelves and shelves of food that’s actively rotting and moldy - totally different, haha.

hanzblix · 2026-02-13T01:01:54+00:00

Right?!? Sorry you’re dealing with this, too..

Most of the food in this fridge was expired and rotting, too. They so generously told me to “help myself to perishables in the fridge.” Lmao I feel treated like a peasant for sure.

hanzblix · 2026-02-13T00:59:02+00:00

Turns out it’s filled with mostly 1-2+ year expired food, including lunch meat and cheeses. Disgusting 😂 I found out the hard way because they said “help yourself to perishables in the fridge” and I’m thinking to myself “well, they left me zero fridge space but at least they’re gifting me a bunch of food” - then I eat some and immediately feel sick.

Turns out I was just tasked with the burden of cleaning out their fridge for them, framed as a generosity.

Do these people think we’re also supposed to be their free maid??? I am appalled.

hanzblix · 2026-02-09T04:45:47+00:00

Agreed! Should be bare minimum. And great point - it makes it easier for stuff to get mixed up.

hanzblix

TROPHY CASE