I belong to a group called International Living. If you’re planning on living abroad, it’s a great way to begin learning the ins and outs before the time comes. They have blogs from various expats who share their experiences. One such blog was on house/pet sitting abroad as a way to live rent free while seeing a region and immersing yourself in the culture. The author suggested using the website Trusted House Sitters. It’s similar to the format of Airbnb where there are profiles of the owners and sitters, where there are reviews for both sides and filters to narrow down searches depending on preferences.
I thought this might be a great way to travel in some of the more expensive places in the world and signed up. You must pay for a subscription to join. It includes a background check, insurance, access to a veterinarian, liability insurance and other perks.
Before utilizing this service abroad, we tried it close to our current home to see if it’s something viable for us. After nine sits over an eight-month period, here’s what we’ve learned:
Apply for sits that don’t have many applicants. Getting the first person to accept you is the hardest. We had personal references but not any from the Trusted House Sitters community. Our first sit had only two applicants, greatly improving our chances of being chosen. Once you have sits under your belt, you will begin to be invited to other sits. You’ll find that the most desirable ones will be very competitive and that the more positive reviews you have, the better your chances at being selected.
Before applying for a sit, read all the reviews for the owners and their pets. The last thing you want is to be stuck with a sit where the expectations are unrealistic, or the pet is super high maintenance. There was one sit for our favorite breed, a pug, but the owners wanted the dog fed at exact times each day, precise, homemade food each time, precise walks, plus you were never allowed to leave him alone. In addition, they wanted multiple photos sent throughout each day. Needless to say, we didn’t apply as much as we wanted to sit for a pug.
Match your expectations with that of the owner’s. If you want to be in an area for sightseeing, make sure that the owners are ok with you leaving the pet, or bringing the pet with you, during your excursions.
Once you’ve found a sit that appeals to you, apply for the sit. The owner will look at your profile and decide if they want to deny you, or, interview you. An interview can be in person if you live close by, or, over the phone or facetime. During the interview process, keep in mind that they are looking for a path to trusting you with two of their most prized possessions; their pet(s) and their home. Answers from you should consider what they’re most interested in knowing about you as it pertains to the sit.
Consider bringing your own sheets, pillows and towels. We find it easier to use our own linens rather than use the owner’s. It streamlines the exit process and the owners seem to like the gesture. Of course, if you’re flying in, this may be problematic, unless you purchase them once you’ve arrived.
Leave the home as you found it. Put yourself in the owner’s shoes; if you’ve been away, once you come home you want to relax and settle in. The less work they have to do to mitigate your sit, the easier for them, hence a better review for you.
Be sure to provide a good review of the pet and owners. Much hinges on the reviews for both the owners and the sitters. Be kind when rating your sit.
The beauty of pet sitting is not only the flexibility to travel on a budget, but also the opportunity to meet wonderful people and their pets. I am thankful that we tried this near our home before venturing further out. There is a bit of a learning curve, but we’ve determined that it is totally worth it as one avenue to meeting our goals.
I thought this might be a great way to travel in some of the more expensive places in the world and signed up. You must pay for a subscription to join. It includes a background check, insurance, access to a veterinarian, liability insurance and other perks.
Before utilizing this service abroad, we tried it close to our current home to see if it’s something viable for us. After nine sits over an eight-month period, here’s what we’ve learned:
Apply for sits that don’t have many applicants. Getting the first person to accept you is the hardest. We had personal references but not any from the Trusted House Sitters community. Our first sit had only two applicants, greatly improving our chances of being chosen. Once you have sits under your belt, you will begin to be invited to other sits. You’ll find that the most desirable ones will be very competitive and that the more positive reviews you have, the better your chances at being selected.
Before applying for a sit, read all the reviews for the owners and their pets. The last thing you want is to be stuck with a sit where the expectations are unrealistic, or the pet is super high maintenance. There was one sit for our favorite breed, a pug, but the owners wanted the dog fed at exact times each day, precise, homemade food each time, precise walks, plus you were never allowed to leave him alone. In addition, they wanted multiple photos sent throughout each day. Needless to say, we didn’t apply as much as we wanted to sit for a pug.
Match your expectations with that of the owner’s. If you want to be in an area for sightseeing, make sure that the owners are ok with you leaving the pet, or bringing the pet with you, during your excursions.
Once you’ve found a sit that appeals to you, apply for the sit. The owner will look at your profile and decide if they want to deny you, or, interview you. An interview can be in person if you live close by, or, over the phone or facetime. During the interview process, keep in mind that they are looking for a path to trusting you with two of their most prized possessions; their pet(s) and their home. Answers from you should consider what they’re most interested in knowing about you as it pertains to the sit.
Consider bringing your own sheets, pillows and towels. We find it easier to use our own linens rather than use the owner’s. It streamlines the exit process and the owners seem to like the gesture. Of course, if you’re flying in, this may be problematic, unless you purchase them once you’ve arrived.
Leave the home as you found it. Put yourself in the owner’s shoes; if you’ve been away, once you come home you want to relax and settle in. The less work they have to do to mitigate your sit, the easier for them, hence a better review for you.
Be sure to provide a good review of the pet and owners. Much hinges on the reviews for both the owners and the sitters. Be kind when rating your sit.
The beauty of pet sitting is not only the flexibility to travel on a budget, but also the opportunity to meet wonderful people and their pets. I am thankful that we tried this near our home before venturing further out. There is a bit of a learning curve, but we’ve determined that it is totally worth it as one avenue to meeting our goals.
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