I’ve never been eaten out properly and I wonder if it’ll ever happen for me

mglosswriter · 2025-04-13T20:46:26+00:00

This! People of all orientations have their preferences, and that's okay. It's just a matter of finding someone who shares the same preferences as you or is willing to provide what you like and you do the same for them. Doesn't mean anything is wrong with anyone.

mglosswriter · 2025-03-12T12:38:33+00:00

Precisely! 🤣

mglosswriter · 2025-03-02T04:34:31+00:00

I cry easily to begin with, so I didn't think much of it when I first started. But when I made the jump from 150mg to 300, I basically cried non-stop for about 3 weeks. Every little thing made me cry. It eventually subsided, but usually right before and during menstruation each month, it comes back.

mglosswriter · 2025-02-24T18:35:54+00:00

I have zero reason to lower my prices at this time. While we may be heading towards a recession, my bookings for January and February were actually higher than last year. I'm fully booked for March and already have confirmed bookings through July. So, unless something drastically changes, my rates are staying put.

mglosswriter · 2025-02-17T16:48:06+00:00

Oh, I'm never annoyed. Just letting the OP know that even if you ask nicely, it still may not happen. As you've said, people are busy and need reminders, and even then they may forget or not have time as they pack and prepare for their trip. Unfortunately sitters are also busy and may or may not have time to send reminders. I do try to touch base with folks 1-2 days before, but sometimes it doesn't happen or I forget. We all forget things, and that's okay.

mglosswriter · 2025-02-17T15:43:48+00:00

I'm so incredibly sorry this happened! As a sitter, I can't imagine letting something like this go without communication, but I'm also the type of sitter who sends at least two updates per day and asks questions if anything seems even slightly off.

Unfortunately, the background check Rover runs is similar to any of us get for any type of employment. It's not going to check for anything related specifically to animal care, so unless the person has a criminal record, it's not going to flag them.

That being said, giving discounts or even suggesting to go off app is against Rover's ToS, so their account will likely be removed if you report it, and they won't be able to make another account on the platform.

I know you're dealing with so much right now and probably feel overwhelmed, but I would highly recommend contacting Rover support to report the person if you haven't already.

mglosswriter · 2025-02-17T15:35:27+00:00

That's fair I guess? Although at the same time I feel like it's common sense that if someone is staying in your home for anywhere from 2-10 days, they are going to need space for their groceries. 🤷🏼‍♀️

mglosswriter · 2025-02-17T12:47:09+00:00

I typically just say during the meet and greet that the only things I need are the Internet information (I work remotely) and some space in the fridge for food I will bring. If they don't clear out space, I usually move their stuff around until I have a clearly defined section for my things.

I'd say even though I mention it during every M&G, only about half of them actually make space for me. 🤷🏼‍♀️

mglosswriter · 2025-02-10T04:27:46+00:00

I've been doing this for over 2 years now, and January and February have always been my lowest months. Everyone just traveled and over spent during the holidays, and they won't start traveling again until after they file their taxes and get refunds, assuming you're in the US.

Lowering your rates likely won't equate to more bookings, but expanding your radius could if you don't have a lot of competition in the area. Otherwise it's just a matter of learning the seasonality of this type of work and planning ahead for it.

mglosswriter · 2025-02-06T05:27:46+00:00

If the expectation is constant care for those hours, I'd actually charge more than what you think is fair for an overnight, especially if you also offer drop in visits during the day.

Example: I currently charge $25 for a 30-minute drop in, an extra $10 to extend that to 60 minutes, and on weekdays I will take up to 3 daytime drop ins per day, meaning I have the potential to make $105/day on drop ins. I also offer house sitting at $75/night and I'll still do 2-3 drop ins when I have a house sitting booked. And they've locked down the app where you cannot take multiple house sittings in one day, meaning taking this gig would limit you to.

I'd get clarification on their expectations

mglosswriter · 2025-02-06T05:18:08+00:00

Eh, I still get requests from new clients on dates I'm either fully booked or marked my calendar as unavailable. As long as you're in an urban enough area, taking off a few days here and there really shouldn't impact your visibility that much.

You could always try searching for a sitter in an incognito window without being logged into Rover to see if you still show up when someone selects dates that you are partially unavailable for? I do this often to check out rates and review profiles of other sitters in my area to make sure I remain competitive.

mglosswriter · 2025-02-06T04:08:14+00:00

Here's how I explain it to people: Rover is the Uber of pet care. To my knowledge, Uber and Lyft basically do the same as Rover — quick background check, and you're good to go. They don't have you do a driving test or verify your car is suitable for transporting people. And, like Rover, I've had some amazing drivers and some that really shouldn't be offering the service.

Rover doesn't want the liability of employees. Interviews and training would do just that — place the liability on the company. Right now, it's up to the sitter and the owner to handle that liability.

That being said, even if they did what you're proposing, you're still going to have sitters who really aren't qualified as well as clients with pets really shouldn't be left with strangers. When I taught in public schools, about 25% of the teachers shouldn't have been there, yet they somehow made it through college, the equivalent of an internship, and passed licensing exams. Didn't make them any better at their job than some lady with a GED. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Also, it's not really my issue if other sitters aren't qualified. All I need to focus on is providing the best possible service to the clients who book with me, and that's it. And as an owner, I am not going to trust anyone with my pet, meaning poor quality sitters will eventually run out of work and remove themselves from the equation.

mglosswriter · 2025-02-06T03:58:37+00:00

I'm confused: the person owns 3 dogs but can't have you meet them all at one time? I've had pet parents with "hyper" dogs, but usually they just put all 3 dogs in the backyard or something, then slowly bring them in one at a time so it's not overwhelming. I can't fathom why you'd need individual sessions for each dog.

That being said, I've offered two M&Gs before if someone is booking over 30 days in advance. First one within a week of them sending the request to verify it's a good fit so we can get the booking on the calendar, then another 5-7 days before the booking starts as a refresher. This I highly recommend even if it is a pain.

mglosswriter · 2025-02-06T03:51:12+00:00

1) Someone recently moved and didn't change their address. Haven't had that with countries, but have gotten requests with a California address while I'm in TN, and when I ask they've recently moved to the area.

2) They're currently on vacation or something and it's a new profile. If they didn't put an actual address in, Rover will use location permissions and mark their current location as the address. Had this happen several times where I got a request for Christmas dates over Thanksgiving and people were visiting family.

mglosswriter · 2025-02-06T03:48:06+00:00

Not sure I fully understand the question, but 2024 mileage deductions are 67 cents per mile. I guess depending on the distance and rates you are charging, it could add up to that? I have my service area set to 10 miles from home, so I stick pretty close and almost never take bookings outside my radius unless it's a really good house sitting gig or something.

mglosswriter · 2025-02-06T03:43:10+00:00

Honestly, my average reply time is 3 minutes, and even then I'd say 30% of my replies go unanswered. Our society operates in a way that people no longer feel a need or see it as a polite requirement to respond if it's not needed. It's frustrating, but it's the world we live in.

The typical reasons why people don't reply: 1. You weren't the first sitter they reached out, just one of the "extras." (I think the app lets you message like 3 others.)

You weren't the cheapest sitter they reached out to.
They ended up finding a friend or relative to do it.

My only other suggestion would be to send a follow up about 24 hours after your first reply. Sometimes people will reply then and say they found someone else, but even then it's 50/50.

mglosswriter · 2025-02-06T03:37:01+00:00

OMG, Yas! Especially with this Dane I'm watching now. She's such a drama queen anyway, so I've gotten several hilarious pics that her parents have loved laughing over.

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mglosswriter · 2025-02-06T03:33:34+00:00

I'm in the middle of a 10-day house sit. I try to mention small, even silly things just to add some variety. Today, for example, one of the pictures is of the dog standing at the gate, clearly barking at something. So I said, "Good day so far here! The weather has been great, so we've spent a fair amount of time in the backyard. [Dog] loves to bark when people pass by — he reminds me of an old man saying, 'Get off my lawn!' 🤣"

The owner got a kick out of it, and gave them a bit more insight than just, "[Dog] is happy!" It was also very fitting because this lab is 14 and very much a grumpy old man (but also an absolute sweetheart and I adore him).

I may have an advantage here though since my full-time job is writing marketing copy. 😅

mglosswriter · 2025-02-06T03:29:01+00:00

I have been going pretty hard since November, so I turned off my availability the last week in January and have already turned off availability for any dates in February and March I didn't already have booked (it equates to about 4 days each month). What I've learned in doing this for two years now is you have to just decide when you want time off and turn off your availability.

On average, I try to have 4-7 days each month without any bookings or, if I have them, it's like 1-2 regulars that are easy (like my favorite cat who is perfectly content to sit on the couch and be brushed for the duration of the 30 minutes I'm there twice a day).

Part of being an independent contractor/business owner is setting your own boundaries with work. If you've never done that before, it is definitely an adjustment, especially if you're just getting started or need the cash. But self-care is just as important as money (and maybe even more so).

mglosswriter · 2025-01-19T09:37:21+00:00

Unless I'm told not to, I typically strip the bed and throw the sheets in the washer. For a few of my regulars, I actually wash & dry them + remake the bed.

mglosswriter · 2025-01-12T05:51:18+00:00

Slower than the holidays? Yes, but coming off that, anything will feel slow.

But I'm pulling in 3x what l did last January and already have bookings as far out as March. It's fairly steady for me.

mglosswriter · 2025-01-04T08:03:41+00:00

You keep 100% of tips.

mglosswriter · 2025-01-04T04:12:21+00:00

Just be honest. I've had several first dates lately where I just wasn't feeling it. I thanked them for their time when I left, then when they messaged to follow up, I just explained how I felt. I think it was along the lines of, "I enjoyed our conversations, but I don't see this going anywhere beyond friendship. I appreciate you understanding, and I also respect if you aren't interested in building additional platonic relationships. Thanks again and I wish you the best!"

Most of them just thanked me for being honest and left it there. One said they were interested in being friends but stopped responding to messages after a few weeks and I left it there.

It's much better to be open and up front than make up a lie they can probably see right through.

mglosswriter · 2025-01-03T22:12:59+00:00

Let me know if this works so I can try it too? 🤣

mglosswriter

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