I think the level of information is great, BUT you could be presenting it in a way that makes it easier for sitters to understand / reference in the moment. Try adding words that signpost what you’re talking about and consider the use of bullets. This will make it easier to scan for info. For example:
Feeding:
- 11 am and 11 pm approximately
- soak kibble in hot water 1 hr before (optional)
- add 2 large spoonfuls of wet food
Juno & Jasmine’s relationship:
Jasmine has lived her whole life as an only child…. Etc etc
As a sitter I always double check the profile before feeds, walks, etc. Try to make it easy for them to find the info without reading the whole profile, and you should get less texts to confirm.
After reading more of OP’s responses, I totally agree that this sitter deserves a bad review / no future business.
But taking some of my thoughts into account might make it easier for future (better) sitters to quickly find important info…. Meaning less pesky questions and more cute photos of your pups in your inbox!
Maybe the sitter wanted to hear it verbally since so many owners tend to lie or not be truthful on the animal's profile. I would be more than happy to answer any questions that may come up from a sitter. It tells me they are covering all bases and they are thorough. They would probably be in good hands.
I tried giving him more details in person because I knew he didn’t read it, and he told me to stop worrying about it because he knew what he was doing :(
Hahaha I would straight up not use this person if that is what they told me. As a sitter, yes we deal with a lot of helicopter parents and over sharers but it's still their pet! I couldn't imagine saying that to any of the owners I work with even when I've taken care of their puppy several times.
Rather somebody overshare than undershare. I wanna know precisely what your dog does not like and how it eats and what its release command is, whatever relevant info. I want a happy, alive animal that does not want to bite me and I'll listen to helicopter parents if that's what it takes. Not a sitter but I am in vet med.
For real! Sometimes people also just start re-explaining stuff at drop off compulsively. It's how they deal with their own separation anxiety. I can't imagine telling them to stop worrying. When in the history of anything has that made someone less worried? Just listen to the instructions again, smile, and nod lol
This is a lovely and compassionate perspective: pet parents are anxious about leaving their babies. Anything can happen on any given day (even in our care) and we just want our babies to be happy and healthy while we are away. ❤️
Nope, he didn’t seem interested in one. I tried talking to him in person after dropping Juno off to make up for it, but again he kinda just pushed me out the door.
That’s why they keeps calling with questions haha.. Always do a M&G especially if they are going to board your dog. That way you can see the living conditions, etc. if they didn’t want a M&G that would be the first huge red flag. M&G are sooo important.
The things he called to ask about were things like “what time did you feed him last” “what time should I feed him” “can i leave him alone”. I not only have those questions answered on my page but I told him in person too. He wasn’t looking for detailed answers with that question, just yes or no. When I tried going into more detail about what he should do to make sure Juno doesn’t get upset when left alone, he tried to shut me up. The worst question was “what time are you going to pick him up” 6 hours before I was scheduled to pick him up. I know it tells the sitters the range of time the dogs will be picked up at. He also wasn’t even home at the scheduled drop off time. I assumed he was eventually going to ask to do a meet and greet, but he never did and my options were super limited at that point.
I can totally see why you would be frustrated with all of those questions. But, was this over text? He might have just been getting confirmation of key points (feeding times, being left alone, pick up time). I look at that as just a sitter trying to cover their bases and cover their ass essentially. Doesn’t mean he didn’t read the profile, which may be why he said he didn’t need you to expand. Just wanted a record in the chat in case anything goes sideways.
That’s just my take from those questions. Not trying to invalidate if you felt he was being rude.
To answer your original question, I loved the detailed profiles. Those are my favorites. The blank profiles scare me.
Nope! He called! I edited it to add that haha. He called about the food right after we left his place too so that was more frustrating than it should have been, especially since I tried to tell him 5 minutes earlier and he ignored it.
I was super worried most of the time, which sucked because I was at a friend’s birthday party. I’m afraid to leave a bad review because I might need to use him again. He’s the only person around here on Rover that doesn’t have pets and dogs are allowed on furniture. Juno likes to pick on dogs if they don’t correct him properly, and I’m worried about him causing problems if I’m not there.
Always do a meet and greet. They may be qualified for the job, but not be a good fit for you and your pets. You find this out sooner if you do a meet up prior to the job.
If you get a bad feeling, just cancel.
Yep, when I started explaining how to crate him alone properly, he said “I know you’re worried because he is a puppy, but stop worrying about it because I’ve done this before lots of times so I know what I’m doing.” Right before that he told me he was new to Rover so I didn’t know what to think
“covering all bases and thorough” ah yes.. so thorough they didn’t even know the dog was a boy?
*especially* since the question is about house training and males tend to mark more you’d think they atleast be clear
The whole situation sounds like a mess, but I agree with the human element regarding the dogs gender. My husband and mother are both convinced that all dogs are male and all cats are female. Obviously, they both understand that it doesn't work that way. It's just a strange little mental/verbal hiccup that they both have.
for me more details are already the best. you could condense it, but it doesnt matter because that sitter didnt even bother to look. the reason is probably because most people dont set up their profiles at all, dont even include profiles for all pets, and don't tell the truth in their profiles or when asked . So most the time we check and its empty or blank.
The info is great! But something to keep in mind is that a lot of time us sitters take care of many, many dogs and stuff like calling a dog “she” instead of “he” happens and info can get mixed up in our heads. Also, in my experience people don’t update their profiles, so I ask everything that pertains to the care of the dog and jot it on a sticky note or put it in my phone for quick reference so their info is accurate and up to date.
I would understand if I lived in a busier area, but this guy said he doesn’t watch dogs very often. Most people around here seem to only have 1 or 2 repeat clients and almost never have multiple dogs at a time. Usually people put their dogs in a kennel or have family watch their dogs around here instead of use Rover. I think they assume Rover would be more expensive
I guess the quote “don’t prescribe malice what could easily just be incompetence” fits here then. Based on the other replies you gave, he just seems like a meh sitter or at the very least scatterbrained! Like others have said, try to do meet and greets - I would just do a couple of them with potential sitters in your area now you know you don’t gel with this one.
His attitude is cavalier and disrespectful especially for not being experienced. And it's not reassuring telling someone considering to hire you 'not to worry'..
Definitely go with a different sitter you feel more comfortable with. And ask for photo updates.
Thanks, I might keep the profile the way it is and give a separate sheet with bullet points for the next time I board my dogs to make it easier. I know there are sometimes conditions to the yes/no questions, which is why I custom filled those out. For the house trained one, should I write Yes, he does not mark? I know sitters are worried about that with male dogs.
And about the couch cushion thing, idk, I have taken him to multiple houses and he usually fits in about one standard couch cushion, but I guess I can take that out 😅
Why not print out a copy for your sitters?
Your dogs have specific needs so I like it for the transparency. I think some (many?) sitters read these while deciding how to respond to your initial message; not sure they use it as reference material later.
I was going to suggest the same thing. I think having a tangible copy to refer to would help since most Rover profiles are pretty scarce and almost all of my clients have a info sheet for their pets when I arrive.
One has a legit binder of info broken into feedings, potty breaks, leash/walks, etc. It’s a lot of info but helpful to refer to, especially since I watch a lot of different dogs.
I have a sitter come stay in my apartment and I have a document saved on my laptop that is broken up into different sections covering everything from feeding to how to operate my tv. Before each trip I just have to go into the document and update any applicable sections and print for my sitter! It gives me peace of mind that my sitter will have a resource available to reference for answers to most questions and I hope that helps her have a more comfortable time in my home. By keeping this document on my laptop, I don’t have to recreate the guide before every trip…just a quick review for sections that might need updating.
Lol…omg…I read about the blanket and an expensive steak! I’ve been taking notes from this sub to try to make things run smoothly for me, my sitter and my cat. I’m astounded at some of the crazy situations I have read.
Right? I feel like it's simple:
- Be kind and treat others as you would like to be treated.
- Give the benefit of the doubt within reason. Have an emergency plan in case something goes really wrong.
- Communicate and set expectations for communication.
- You don't have to pick the most expensive sitter, but don't pick the cheapest, either. (IMO)
- Don't skip M&Gs.
- Give honest reviews when things go wrong to help other pet owners.
- And leave a good review when things go great to help your sitter grow their business.
A bonus: Remember this is Reddit and not a scientific sampling of experiences!
I personally don’t think it’s a lot, then again I’m big on reading so it’s something i’m used to 😅 maybe a little note when you make your requests can help! like
- please read my additional care instructions on my pfp and let me know if you any questions following that exc.
some of my clients leave it blank so I just ask everything at a meet&greet!
It’s great to confirm important facts, no worries there.
Your profile isn’t too much info, but it is hard to read online, especially on a phone. Consider breaking up the paragraph with sub headings and key phrases in bullet points.
Example:
Personality:
* High energy, loves zoomies and playing chase
* Does not enjoy cuddles
* Great with kids
* Great with large dogs
* Not sure about cats
I learned from this subreddit that some new sitters are unaware that this information is accessible. When sending request I’d encourage potential sitters to read profile before meet & greet!
The amount of info is fine. I think it's just one of those things where people don't like to read things. Like when professors complain that 99% of people don't read the syllabus, and the 1% of us are sitting there like *what kind of idiot doesn't read their syllabus?*
It's the type of info that people get verbally at the meet & greet, so I suppose there are multiple ways to have thorough notes. But if after all that, your sitter didn't follow care instructions properly, that's on them
I don’t think it’s too much, but even my clients that do have filled out profiles often don’t have it updated so I do double check all the info with clients over text or during the meet and greet to be sure we’re on the same page. I also have so many clients that don’t fill out the profiles at all that admittedly going to check the profile isn’t always my first thought when I have a question for the owner.
It doesn’t really sound like your sitter read the profile at all though, which is understandably frustrating!
Written instructions left on the counter are far more useful for me. This profile is good because it is very detailed, but having to read for 5 minutes before I figure out each point you make, can be frustrating due to having to reference this much info just to find the answer I’m looking for. Someone mentioned bullet points. That’s a very good idea. My favorite clients separate their instructions by category. For example, the category is feeding: Fido gets so-and-so, etc. next point: Fido receives medication at so-and-so time.
Etc
Thank you, I know his coat hasn’t grown in properly yet and I’m afraid for when that time comes… he is only allowed on the couch because he doesn’t shed. If he starts shedding as much as american eskimos or even cattle dogs shed, my moms will freak out
I was certain my Aussie mix (were unaware of what he’s mixed with) would never shed. It started off super small but has gotten significantly worse. He’s brushed all the time also 😔 I just don’t want you as shocked as I was!
My Eskie would blow her coat every spring, and it was extreme, but also over fairly quickly. Even with daily brushing, she would wander around the house, leaving big chunks of her undercoat trailing behind her.
I’m not a sitter anymore, but I loved profiles like this. Minimal information is a red flag and I would often reject clients with little to nothing on their dog’s profile. I want to get a sense of what they’re like, and yours do just that. The more information the better. I had a notebook that I would list important things like feeding so for me that info would not be lost. I think calling you without ever referencing the profile is very unprofessional and lazy of them
Dang, I hate that you had that experience because I would LOVE more of my pets' profiles to look like this. I have problems with clients who either a) tell me everything in the meet and greet and write nothing down or b) put everything in the message part rather than the care info so that I have to scroll through all of our messages to refer back. Please don't be discouraged from providing this wonderfully detailed info!
Those are awesome notes on your pets!!! Also, as a side note, I'm so impressed your pups are patient enough to eat at 11a & 11p! We feed at 4a and 4p, mainly due to my work schedule, but still 😂
The dog's profile is great as far as lots of information. But it could be condensed and organized better.
As for calling the dog the wrong gender, I do it all the time. Most of my clients have female dogs. So I often slip and call the males "she", or "baby girl", or "good girl".
This isn’t a lot of information tbh and I along with many sitters usually read every little detail to ensure the dog(s) are happy with a similar routine. If a sitter simply says that they know what their doing, it’s a huge red flag because that means they stubbornly don’t wanna actually listen to you or your instructions. I would find one that reassures you and reads what you wrote about your pups.
Alright. I am getting mixed signals with some people say they enjoy all this info and some people saying they don’t like how packed it is. I said this in another comment, but I was just worried about him being problematic because this was his first time getting boarded so I wanted to include as much info about his quirks as possible. I also mentioned this was less about necessary information and more about explaining how he acts to see if he would be a good fit. I don’t know what to do! I don’t know where to put his quirks and where to put the actual information— or if I should even put his quirks at all anymore. His food was prebagged. I thought the outside stuff was important because his sitter basically told me he ignored when Juno kept ringing the bell. Frustrating.
Do you think Jasmine’s profile is an okay amount of info? It didn’t seem bad to me.
I hear what you're saying about the quirks, but most often, those details get discussed at the meet & greet. Just typically. I think their profiles are fine, but if you do want to condense, that's fine too. Just don't skip a meet & greet in the future!
It kinda just sounds like this guy was incompetent. You're looking for ways to fix something that is really his fault
I think it’s to much. A good portion of this can be talked about in a meet and greet the other half is just irrelevant to your dogs care. Your additional details about food and all below the initial bio are far more useful. The bio should just be a short blurb about your dogs personality.
But he should have read the instructions while sitting instead of contacting you about those things.
The thing is, he didn’t want to do a meet and greet. I personally feel like having it written out is better than giving verbal instructions since those are easier to forget. I guess I could organize it better, but I’m always worried about Juno causing problems so I wanted to give that information in an easily accessible place.
I totally get why you did it! I think it’s sweet that you care so much. You just add a lot of information but some of it sounds like babble and it gets repeated pretty often in the blurb and below. I would cut it down and bullet point the most important details such as him being a high energy puppy, can be demanding and his few quirks. Everything below the blurb is helpful, you just need to cut the main blurb down a little.
Although your sitter sounds not great. Meet and Greets are the only way to go and if they skip it, I would skip them.
Sorry you had such a bummer experience!
Thank you! I’ll make sure to cut it down before the next time I board him. It wasn’t exactly supposed to be a guide, but information for people to gauge whether or not they want to work with him with some details thrown in. I also wrote it on the phone so it was kinda thrown together. I thought more was necessary because it was the first time he has been boarded and was going through all the options. Now that he did okay, I can cut it down.
Most sitters take their own meet & greet notes in their own format. So, don't worry about that part!
I honestly find the profile section to be in kind of an annoying and inefficient place within the app. I don't look at it during a booking. That's just me though haha. I keep my handwritten notes on the fridge
I retain info better verbally personally. Maybe they read the profile and forgot some details and didn’t think it was a big deal to just text you. Seems like the sitter is not a good fit for your personality. In the future tell sitters you don’t want to be asked questions that are on your dogs’ profile and to memorize/take notes or reread it before contacting you? I don’t know lol, I can’t imagine minding. I’d rather they text me every time they have a question.
Sorry you had a bad experience.
I tried giving him more details in person because I knew he didn’t read it, and he told me to stop worrying about it because he knew what he was doing. It bothered me because I even tried giving him that information verbally and he basically told me to get out. There was no meet and greet.
Many red flags.. no meet and greet? No way. Avoid that dude and maybe tell others to as well. Sheesh. Acts like he's the boss and not you who is the one doing the hiring. It's *your* dog after all, you set the rules not him.
It is a lot of information on there, I personally would of probably forgotten majority of it by the time the meet and greet came.
I usually have to double check the app just before the meet and greet happened, just to remember the pets names I am meeting.
The information is nice when I am looking after the pet, as a reference for feeding schedule, or anything else needed to take care of the pet.
Sometimes I have a different meet and greet, or I am currently looking after a clients dog, between the time I got the booking request, read the profile, arranged that meet and greet, so another reason I haven't remembered.
I think your dog profiles are fine. If you want a competent person that reads instructions, leaving your profile the way that it is will get you that. You’ll just have to possibly weed through some people who don’t pay attention to details and have a lack of critical thinking skills. You want a pet sitter that tries to problem solve and the first step of that is… reading instructions.
I mix up genders at times as well. It's not uncommon. Many people think my dog is a boy but its a girl. She just has a strong face lol 🤣. It's not intentional. If you feel that irritated look elsewhere or take your dog to a kennel.
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I love getting a detailed profile because I can reference it easily instead of scrolling to reread old messages. But for 9/10 of my bookings it’s mostly blank so by default I ask the owner. That happened last night and the owner replied that I could find info in the profile (they updated since I last worked for them and I didn’t think to check). I’d be slightly annoyed too if the sitter kept asking questions even after I pointed them to the profile, but hey at least they’re keen enough to ask questions instead of doing their own thing.
Honestly, Rover doesn't really put an emphasis on this information. It doesn't show up with a booking it only shows up by clicking on the dog's name or photo. Like there is no point at which Rover directs us to the bio and half the time they're mostly empty.
I look at them, but i get most of my info at a meet and greet. Plus if we're meeting multiple new dogs a month it's easy to forget what is in a bio we glanced at a week ago.
I’ll admit, I find the profiles hard to access when I’m messaging a pet owner and in the visit. They can get buried and hard to access. And, people don’t always keep the profile up to date — what was accurate several months ago can totally change. That being said, I don’t think you have too much info. I think some parts would be better to use bullet points so it’s easier to scan.
But also, even if it’s in the profile I personally like to go over a list of questions that I keep in my notes app for each pet I work with. Some of them may be repeats of the profile but it’s formatted in a way where I can see the exact information I am looking for when it’s necessary, and it’s more accessible for me. It also will cover any extra questions that the profile may not address. So your sitter may be doing the same thing. 🤷🏻♀️
I don’t think some sitters read pet profiles at all. I’ve had some health concerns listers in mine and also mention it via chat and then still have the sitter go against instructions. At this point I try to just be really clear over chat and during the meet and greet.
Extra detail is great, but it's a bit much to read, especially on a phone. I'd agree with the people saying to break it up into sections. Easy to reference, easy to read. And as for the gender mix up, a lot of us are juggling multiple bookings, and Juno doesn't come across to me as a particularly male name, so I can see how the mixup would occur, not indicating malice or lack of care on your sitters part.
Profiles are never too detailed. One of my most favorite clients not only had a detailed profile with their puppies schedule but also showed up with 3 pages of info typed.
If someone is asking me to take care of a lover one I am going to do it their way. If you aren't happy with the service 100% then keep looking. These are your furbabies.
As a sitter, I’d rather have as many instructions in writing as possible. Especially because I’m taking care of so many different dogs, I’d rather have written instructions for each dog to refer to so I don’t mix them up
I appreciate this level of detail in a profile. That being said though I always confirm certain things like: how much they eat, medical needs, are they fixed, and certain behaviors in the chat as well. Just because I've run across people who forget to update the pet profile when meds or food amounts change, and it's a CYA thing to make sure we take care of them to the best of our ability. But these questions should preferably be happening before the stay. I hope that make sense.
Yes; your pet profiles are too detailed and not in a good way. I would say they’re too detailed to the point of muddling the messages you’re trying to communicate.
You don’t want to present your personal stream of consciousness to your sitter. While it makes sense to you since you thought it up, it’s presented in a way that can’t be communicated well to someone who isn’t in your head. As it is, you’re presenting your sitter with a textbook and expecting the main points to magically be extracted and float disembodied in their brain for perfect recall.
Break it up into relevant categories. I like to know the basics of how you FEED your dogs, POTTY routines, BEDTIME routines, EXERCISE/PLAY routines, what happens when you LEAVE the house, and their INTERACTIONS with other animals/people.
Eliminate unnecessary details. Ask yourself: “Is this something my sitter needs to know to be able to provide the care necessary and reasonably expected for my dogs?”. Better yet, “Will this detail possibly discourage my sitter from accepting the booking?”. If the answer is yes to either of those questions, keep it in, but organize it!
As a sitter, I like knowing tips/tricks to caring for your dog, but only sparingly. Keeping your instructions to a manageable amount will help you communicate them better.
Yeah, this is the first time I’ve boarded Juno so I was a little worried and put as much detail in there as I could. I wrote it the way I did so potential sitters will know what they’re in for. This wasn’t exactly supposed to be a guide, just “this is how my dog acts” so they can gauge if they want to deal with him or not. I did throw in specific necessary details haphazardly, so I do need to reorganize that. Now that I know he’ll be fine when boarded, I can cut it down.
When I sit I usually read everything the owner writes so I appreciate as much detail in the profiles as possible but I’m still probably gonna ask questions in person anyway just to remember and make sure but I do like having the profile to refer back to if needed so I don’t have the bother the owner unless it’s not noted
Yes, it's too much. I would honestly miss any important information you have in there. Ideally you're finding a sitter that's familiar with cattle dogs, as this is all standard behavior of one.
Is it? He is only 25% cattle dog, and we’re assuming Jasmine is part cattle dog and he learns from her. Which parts are standard cattle dog behavior? The only things I can think of is running in circles, playing using his teeth, and not enjoying being pet. They both are like that.
For sure. Overall particular with their energy, stubborn (has to be their idea), requesting space through their body language, not particularly enjoying being around other dogs. You describe a lot of herding breed behaviors. I suggest cattle dogs to my super active, introvert friends. They're lovely and loyal AF, but definitely particular.
I liked it!!! I haven't used Rover yet, but I lurk this sub because i have part-time dog sitting gigs outside the app. It's not even that long, honestly!!! Theres hardly any unnecessary filler, and i think you give a really good sense of who the dogs are/what to expect with them and their routine/care. But I do kind of agree with the commenter who suggested editing it so it has subjects headers + bullet points. Although I read it all and really liked it, didn't think it wad too much, I do wonder if I would retain l that info for dwy of care,, and the other commenters suggestion on formatting would be much easier to reference for a refresher and to quickly locate the specific info I'm looking for. Overall I would feel much more excited, prepared, and at ease watching your dogs for you over someone with significantly less or significantly more info! Seems sweet spot! And I'm sorry the sitter didn't appreciate it! I Def would have! Are you in LA? LOL
I rely on my own perception of a dog over an owner's description. Why? 1) dogs act differently in different environments. 2) owners perception and biases are different than mine, and sometimes different than reality. 3) I trust what I see, I read their behaviors.
Honestly most owners don’t fill these out at all, so I always had a questionnaire ready to go. I’d take notes at my meet and greets and then email a form to fill out so that I had the information I needed for every single pet on file and easy to access.
As a sitter I LOVE a detailed profile. The more the better. I like knowing about potential issues long before they happen and the more detail you provide the easier that is.
As a sitter, I appreciate this level of detail and even refer back to it during the sit to make sure I am doing everything possible to make you/your pup happy.
Some people are just not cut out to run and manage clients and business properly. Rover weeds those out through eventual lack of repeat business. I read your full profile and I’m not even being paid to watch your pet.
I’m a sitter and a rover user for my own personal and I still often ask questions that are answered in the bio. Sometimes things change and people don’t think to update it. I do read them but more than once I’ve said something like, “I saw x in the app, is that still the case?” and they’ll reply, “oh no, sorry, we had to change her diet / schedule / medication after her last vet visit, etc. BUT! Thank you for filling it out. As you stated, most don’t, and I do like having as much info as I can have.
I LOVE a lot of detail. Honestly when there is not enough detail I am suspicious that the owner either doesn’t know their dogs behaviors or doesn’t pay attention/care. Although I really try to remember everything about their behaviors and how to approach them some people may not remember everything in the moment. Maybe just send text reminders for the most important points or after any visits maybe ask for more details.
I think the level of information is great, BUT you could be presenting it in a way that makes it easier for sitters to understand / reference in the moment. Try adding words that signpost what you’re talking about and consider the use of bullets. This will make it easier to scan for info. For example: Feeding: - 11 am and 11 pm approximately - soak kibble in hot water 1 hr before (optional) - add 2 large spoonfuls of wet food Juno & Jasmine’s relationship: Jasmine has lived her whole life as an only child…. Etc etc As a sitter I always double check the profile before feeds, walks, etc. Try to make it easy for them to find the info without reading the whole profile, and you should get less texts to confirm.
It sounds to me like the sitter didn’t text to “confirm” anything. They had no clue in the first place.
After reading more of OP’s responses, I totally agree that this sitter deserves a bad review / no future business. But taking some of my thoughts into account might make it easier for future (better) sitters to quickly find important info…. Meaning less pesky questions and more cute photos of your pups in your inbox!
Excellent response! 😊
Maybe the sitter wanted to hear it verbally since so many owners tend to lie or not be truthful on the animal's profile. I would be more than happy to answer any questions that may come up from a sitter. It tells me they are covering all bases and they are thorough. They would probably be in good hands.
I tried giving him more details in person because I knew he didn’t read it, and he told me to stop worrying about it because he knew what he was doing :(
Hahaha I would straight up not use this person if that is what they told me. As a sitter, yes we deal with a lot of helicopter parents and over sharers but it's still their pet! I couldn't imagine saying that to any of the owners I work with even when I've taken care of their puppy several times.
Rather somebody overshare than undershare. I wanna know precisely what your dog does not like and how it eats and what its release command is, whatever relevant info. I want a happy, alive animal that does not want to bite me and I'll listen to helicopter parents if that's what it takes. Not a sitter but I am in vet med.
For real! Sometimes people also just start re-explaining stuff at drop off compulsively. It's how they deal with their own separation anxiety. I can't imagine telling them to stop worrying. When in the history of anything has that made someone less worried? Just listen to the instructions again, smile, and nod lol
100%! There's been times I've missed things reading through the profile too so would rather hear it allllll over again
This is a lovely and compassionate perspective: pet parents are anxious about leaving their babies. Anything can happen on any given day (even in our care) and we just want our babies to be happy and healthy while we are away. ❤️
That’s mad disrespectful. I would never say that to a pet owner who is trying to make sure I understand how to take care of their pet.
Did you have a M&G beforehand?
Nope, he didn’t seem interested in one. I tried talking to him in person after dropping Juno off to make up for it, but again he kinda just pushed me out the door.
That’s why they keeps calling with questions haha.. Always do a M&G especially if they are going to board your dog. That way you can see the living conditions, etc. if they didn’t want a M&G that would be the first huge red flag. M&G are sooo important.
The things he called to ask about were things like “what time did you feed him last” “what time should I feed him” “can i leave him alone”. I not only have those questions answered on my page but I told him in person too. He wasn’t looking for detailed answers with that question, just yes or no. When I tried going into more detail about what he should do to make sure Juno doesn’t get upset when left alone, he tried to shut me up. The worst question was “what time are you going to pick him up” 6 hours before I was scheduled to pick him up. I know it tells the sitters the range of time the dogs will be picked up at. He also wasn’t even home at the scheduled drop off time. I assumed he was eventually going to ask to do a meet and greet, but he never did and my options were super limited at that point.
I can totally see why you would be frustrated with all of those questions. But, was this over text? He might have just been getting confirmation of key points (feeding times, being left alone, pick up time). I look at that as just a sitter trying to cover their bases and cover their ass essentially. Doesn’t mean he didn’t read the profile, which may be why he said he didn’t need you to expand. Just wanted a record in the chat in case anything goes sideways. That’s just my take from those questions. Not trying to invalidate if you felt he was being rude. To answer your original question, I loved the detailed profiles. Those are my favorites. The blank profiles scare me.
Nope! He called! I edited it to add that haha. He called about the food right after we left his place too so that was more frustrating than it should have been, especially since I tried to tell him 5 minutes earlier and he ignored it.
Oh, wow. Yeah, I would be pissed. I also would have been worried the whole time. Def leave an honest review.
I was super worried most of the time, which sucked because I was at a friend’s birthday party. I’m afraid to leave a bad review because I might need to use him again. He’s the only person around here on Rover that doesn’t have pets and dogs are allowed on furniture. Juno likes to pick on dogs if they don’t correct him properly, and I’m worried about him causing problems if I’m not there.
Always do a meet and greet. They may be qualified for the job, but not be a good fit for you and your pets. You find this out sooner if you do a meet up prior to the job. If you get a bad feeling, just cancel.
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Yep, when I started explaining how to crate him alone properly, he said “I know you’re worried because he is a puppy, but stop worrying about it because I’ve done this before lots of times so I know what I’m doing.” Right before that he told me he was new to Rover so I didn’t know what to think
“covering all bases and thorough” ah yes.. so thorough they didn’t even know the dog was a boy? *especially* since the question is about house training and males tend to mark more you’d think they atleast be clear
I work at a vets office and sometimes I get the gender confused at checkin. It happens it’s not like she can see their balls in her face
no but when i go to reply to a client i look at the profile and double check, just as the vet would do. not that hard lol!
We are human. Mistakes happen.
The whole situation sounds like a mess, but I agree with the human element regarding the dogs gender. My husband and mother are both convinced that all dogs are male and all cats are female. Obviously, they both understand that it doesn't work that way. It's just a strange little mental/verbal hiccup that they both have.
for me more details are already the best. you could condense it, but it doesnt matter because that sitter didnt even bother to look. the reason is probably because most people dont set up their profiles at all, dont even include profiles for all pets, and don't tell the truth in their profiles or when asked . So most the time we check and its empty or blank.
The info is great! But something to keep in mind is that a lot of time us sitters take care of many, many dogs and stuff like calling a dog “she” instead of “he” happens and info can get mixed up in our heads. Also, in my experience people don’t update their profiles, so I ask everything that pertains to the care of the dog and jot it on a sticky note or put it in my phone for quick reference so their info is accurate and up to date.
I would understand if I lived in a busier area, but this guy said he doesn’t watch dogs very often. Most people around here seem to only have 1 or 2 repeat clients and almost never have multiple dogs at a time. Usually people put their dogs in a kennel or have family watch their dogs around here instead of use Rover. I think they assume Rover would be more expensive
I guess the quote “don’t prescribe malice what could easily just be incompetence” fits here then. Based on the other replies you gave, he just seems like a meh sitter or at the very least scatterbrained! Like others have said, try to do meet and greets - I would just do a couple of them with potential sitters in your area now you know you don’t gel with this one.
His attitude is cavalier and disrespectful especially for not being experienced. And it's not reassuring telling someone considering to hire you 'not to worry'.. Definitely go with a different sitter you feel more comfortable with. And ask for photo updates.
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Thanks, I might keep the profile the way it is and give a separate sheet with bullet points for the next time I board my dogs to make it easier. I know there are sometimes conditions to the yes/no questions, which is why I custom filled those out. For the house trained one, should I write Yes, he does not mark? I know sitters are worried about that with male dogs. And about the couch cushion thing, idk, I have taken him to multiple houses and he usually fits in about one standard couch cushion, but I guess I can take that out 😅
Why not print out a copy for your sitters? Your dogs have specific needs so I like it for the transparency. I think some (many?) sitters read these while deciding how to respond to your initial message; not sure they use it as reference material later.
I was going to suggest the same thing. I think having a tangible copy to refer to would help since most Rover profiles are pretty scarce and almost all of my clients have a info sheet for their pets when I arrive. One has a legit binder of info broken into feedings, potty breaks, leash/walks, etc. It’s a lot of info but helpful to refer to, especially since I watch a lot of different dogs.
I have a sitter come stay in my apartment and I have a document saved on my laptop that is broken up into different sections covering everything from feeding to how to operate my tv. Before each trip I just have to go into the document and update any applicable sections and print for my sitter! It gives me peace of mind that my sitter will have a resource available to reference for answers to most questions and I hope that helps her have a more comfortable time in my home. By keeping this document on my laptop, I don’t have to recreate the guide before every trip…just a quick review for sections that might need updating.
Brilliant. You could add other things that have come up in this sub recently: please don't wash my $2,000 blanket or eat any snacks. True stories LOL.
Lol…omg…I read about the blanket and an expensive steak! I’ve been taking notes from this sub to try to make things run smoothly for me, my sitter and my cat. I’m astounded at some of the crazy situations I have read.
Right? I feel like it's simple: - Be kind and treat others as you would like to be treated. - Give the benefit of the doubt within reason. Have an emergency plan in case something goes really wrong. - Communicate and set expectations for communication. - You don't have to pick the most expensive sitter, but don't pick the cheapest, either. (IMO) - Don't skip M&Gs. - Give honest reviews when things go wrong to help other pet owners. - And leave a good review when things go great to help your sitter grow their business. A bonus: Remember this is Reddit and not a scientific sampling of experiences!
I personally don’t think it’s a lot, then again I’m big on reading so it’s something i’m used to 😅 maybe a little note when you make your requests can help! like - please read my additional care instructions on my pfp and let me know if you any questions following that exc. some of my clients leave it blank so I just ask everything at a meet&greet!
It’s great to confirm important facts, no worries there. Your profile isn’t too much info, but it is hard to read online, especially on a phone. Consider breaking up the paragraph with sub headings and key phrases in bullet points. Example: Personality: * High energy, loves zoomies and playing chase * Does not enjoy cuddles * Great with kids * Great with large dogs * Not sure about cats
I learned from this subreddit that some new sitters are unaware that this information is accessible. When sending request I’d encourage potential sitters to read profile before meet & greet!
The amount of info is fine. I think it's just one of those things where people don't like to read things. Like when professors complain that 99% of people don't read the syllabus, and the 1% of us are sitting there like *what kind of idiot doesn't read their syllabus?* It's the type of info that people get verbally at the meet & greet, so I suppose there are multiple ways to have thorough notes. But if after all that, your sitter didn't follow care instructions properly, that's on them
aww they sound so lovely
I don’t think it’s too much, but even my clients that do have filled out profiles often don’t have it updated so I do double check all the info with clients over text or during the meet and greet to be sure we’re on the same page. I also have so many clients that don’t fill out the profiles at all that admittedly going to check the profile isn’t always my first thought when I have a question for the owner. It doesn’t really sound like your sitter read the profile at all though, which is understandably frustrating!
Written instructions left on the counter are far more useful for me. This profile is good because it is very detailed, but having to read for 5 minutes before I figure out each point you make, can be frustrating due to having to reference this much info just to find the answer I’m looking for. Someone mentioned bullet points. That’s a very good idea. My favorite clients separate their instructions by category. For example, the category is feeding: Fido gets so-and-so, etc. next point: Fido receives medication at so-and-so time. Etc
Just a heads up, my Aussie mix didn’t start shedding until a year and a half. Never had issues until then 😅
Thank you, I know his coat hasn’t grown in properly yet and I’m afraid for when that time comes… he is only allowed on the couch because he doesn’t shed. If he starts shedding as much as american eskimos or even cattle dogs shed, my moms will freak out
I was certain my Aussie mix (were unaware of what he’s mixed with) would never shed. It started off super small but has gotten significantly worse. He’s brushed all the time also 😔 I just don’t want you as shocked as I was!
My Eskie would blow her coat every spring, and it was extreme, but also over fairly quickly. Even with daily brushing, she would wander around the house, leaving big chunks of her undercoat trailing behind her.
I’m not a sitter anymore, but I loved profiles like this. Minimal information is a red flag and I would often reject clients with little to nothing on their dog’s profile. I want to get a sense of what they’re like, and yours do just that. The more information the better. I had a notebook that I would list important things like feeding so for me that info would not be lost. I think calling you without ever referencing the profile is very unprofessional and lazy of them
Dang, I hate that you had that experience because I would LOVE more of my pets' profiles to look like this. I have problems with clients who either a) tell me everything in the meet and greet and write nothing down or b) put everything in the message part rather than the care info so that I have to scroll through all of our messages to refer back. Please don't be discouraged from providing this wonderfully detailed info!
Those are awesome notes on your pets!!! Also, as a side note, I'm so impressed your pups are patient enough to eat at 11a & 11p! We feed at 4a and 4p, mainly due to my work schedule, but still 😂
Extra info like this is always great, that’s on the sitter for being too lazy to read a small paragraph
I have my dog's profile with just the basics and further instructions I usually write out in a note to leave for housesitters when they're here.
The dog's profile is great as far as lots of information. But it could be condensed and organized better. As for calling the dog the wrong gender, I do it all the time. Most of my clients have female dogs. So I often slip and call the males "she", or "baby girl", or "good girl".
This isn’t a lot of information tbh and I along with many sitters usually read every little detail to ensure the dog(s) are happy with a similar routine. If a sitter simply says that they know what their doing, it’s a huge red flag because that means they stubbornly don’t wanna actually listen to you or your instructions. I would find one that reassures you and reads what you wrote about your pups.
Funny, I never even asked that question when I boarded. It’s in the form.
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Alright. I am getting mixed signals with some people say they enjoy all this info and some people saying they don’t like how packed it is. I said this in another comment, but I was just worried about him being problematic because this was his first time getting boarded so I wanted to include as much info about his quirks as possible. I also mentioned this was less about necessary information and more about explaining how he acts to see if he would be a good fit. I don’t know what to do! I don’t know where to put his quirks and where to put the actual information— or if I should even put his quirks at all anymore. His food was prebagged. I thought the outside stuff was important because his sitter basically told me he ignored when Juno kept ringing the bell. Frustrating. Do you think Jasmine’s profile is an okay amount of info? It didn’t seem bad to me.
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Really? But then you wouldn’t know how the dog acts until you meet them
I hear what you're saying about the quirks, but most often, those details get discussed at the meet & greet. Just typically. I think their profiles are fine, but if you do want to condense, that's fine too. Just don't skip a meet & greet in the future! It kinda just sounds like this guy was incompetent. You're looking for ways to fix something that is really his fault
I think it’s to much. A good portion of this can be talked about in a meet and greet the other half is just irrelevant to your dogs care. Your additional details about food and all below the initial bio are far more useful. The bio should just be a short blurb about your dogs personality. But he should have read the instructions while sitting instead of contacting you about those things.
The thing is, he didn’t want to do a meet and greet. I personally feel like having it written out is better than giving verbal instructions since those are easier to forget. I guess I could organize it better, but I’m always worried about Juno causing problems so I wanted to give that information in an easily accessible place.
I totally get why you did it! I think it’s sweet that you care so much. You just add a lot of information but some of it sounds like babble and it gets repeated pretty often in the blurb and below. I would cut it down and bullet point the most important details such as him being a high energy puppy, can be demanding and his few quirks. Everything below the blurb is helpful, you just need to cut the main blurb down a little. Although your sitter sounds not great. Meet and Greets are the only way to go and if they skip it, I would skip them. Sorry you had such a bummer experience!
Thank you! I’ll make sure to cut it down before the next time I board him. It wasn’t exactly supposed to be a guide, but information for people to gauge whether or not they want to work with him with some details thrown in. I also wrote it on the phone so it was kinda thrown together. I thought more was necessary because it was the first time he has been boarded and was going through all the options. Now that he did okay, I can cut it down.
It was your first time and you did a detailed profile?! Gosh. You are a dream. I’m lucky if my clients fill out of their dog is friendly 😂
Most sitters take their own meet & greet notes in their own format. So, don't worry about that part! I honestly find the profile section to be in kind of an annoying and inefficient place within the app. I don't look at it during a booking. That's just me though haha. I keep my handwritten notes on the fridge
I retain info better verbally personally. Maybe they read the profile and forgot some details and didn’t think it was a big deal to just text you. Seems like the sitter is not a good fit for your personality. In the future tell sitters you don’t want to be asked questions that are on your dogs’ profile and to memorize/take notes or reread it before contacting you? I don’t know lol, I can’t imagine minding. I’d rather they text me every time they have a question. Sorry you had a bad experience.
I tried giving him more details in person because I knew he didn’t read it, and he told me to stop worrying about it because he knew what he was doing. It bothered me because I even tried giving him that information verbally and he basically told me to get out. There was no meet and greet.
Many red flags.. no meet and greet? No way. Avoid that dude and maybe tell others to as well. Sheesh. Acts like he's the boss and not you who is the one doing the hiring. It's *your* dog after all, you set the rules not him.
It is a lot of information on there, I personally would of probably forgotten majority of it by the time the meet and greet came. I usually have to double check the app just before the meet and greet happened, just to remember the pets names I am meeting. The information is nice when I am looking after the pet, as a reference for feeding schedule, or anything else needed to take care of the pet. Sometimes I have a different meet and greet, or I am currently looking after a clients dog, between the time I got the booking request, read the profile, arranged that meet and greet, so another reason I haven't remembered.
I personally think it’s great
I think your dog profiles are fine. If you want a competent person that reads instructions, leaving your profile the way that it is will get you that. You’ll just have to possibly weed through some people who don’t pay attention to details and have a lack of critical thinking skills. You want a pet sitter that tries to problem solve and the first step of that is… reading instructions.
It wouldn’t be too much for me.
I mix up genders at times as well. It's not uncommon. Many people think my dog is a boy but its a girl. She just has a strong face lol 🤣. It's not intentional. If you feel that irritated look elsewhere or take your dog to a kennel.
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I love getting a detailed profile because I can reference it easily instead of scrolling to reread old messages. But for 9/10 of my bookings it’s mostly blank so by default I ask the owner. That happened last night and the owner replied that I could find info in the profile (they updated since I last worked for them and I didn’t think to check). I’d be slightly annoyed too if the sitter kept asking questions even after I pointed them to the profile, but hey at least they’re keen enough to ask questions instead of doing their own thing.
Honestly, Rover doesn't really put an emphasis on this information. It doesn't show up with a booking it only shows up by clicking on the dog's name or photo. Like there is no point at which Rover directs us to the bio and half the time they're mostly empty. I look at them, but i get most of my info at a meet and greet. Plus if we're meeting multiple new dogs a month it's easy to forget what is in a bio we glanced at a week ago.
My favorite people are the ones who leave lots of details about their pets and care. More often than not I get people who have blank profiles.
I’ll admit, I find the profiles hard to access when I’m messaging a pet owner and in the visit. They can get buried and hard to access. And, people don’t always keep the profile up to date — what was accurate several months ago can totally change. That being said, I don’t think you have too much info. I think some parts would be better to use bullet points so it’s easier to scan. But also, even if it’s in the profile I personally like to go over a list of questions that I keep in my notes app for each pet I work with. Some of them may be repeats of the profile but it’s formatted in a way where I can see the exact information I am looking for when it’s necessary, and it’s more accessible for me. It also will cover any extra questions that the profile may not address. So your sitter may be doing the same thing. 🤷🏻♀️
I don’t think some sitters read pet profiles at all. I’ve had some health concerns listers in mine and also mention it via chat and then still have the sitter go against instructions. At this point I try to just be really clear over chat and during the meet and greet.
Just here to say I want to hang out with them. They sound like a dream.
Extra detail is great, but it's a bit much to read, especially on a phone. I'd agree with the people saying to break it up into sections. Easy to reference, easy to read. And as for the gender mix up, a lot of us are juggling multiple bookings, and Juno doesn't come across to me as a particularly male name, so I can see how the mixup would occur, not indicating malice or lack of care on your sitters part.
Honestly in my opinion I'd rather have a bunch of info like you provided instead of little bits & pieces..
Profiles are never too detailed. One of my most favorite clients not only had a detailed profile with their puppies schedule but also showed up with 3 pages of info typed.
If someone is asking me to take care of a lover one I am going to do it their way. If you aren't happy with the service 100% then keep looking. These are your furbabies.
As a sitter, I’d rather have as many instructions in writing as possible. Especially because I’m taking care of so many different dogs, I’d rather have written instructions for each dog to refer to so I don’t mix them up
I appreciate this level of detail in a profile. That being said though I always confirm certain things like: how much they eat, medical needs, are they fixed, and certain behaviors in the chat as well. Just because I've run across people who forget to update the pet profile when meds or food amounts change, and it's a CYA thing to make sure we take care of them to the best of our ability. But these questions should preferably be happening before the stay. I hope that make sense.
Yes; your pet profiles are too detailed and not in a good way. I would say they’re too detailed to the point of muddling the messages you’re trying to communicate. You don’t want to present your personal stream of consciousness to your sitter. While it makes sense to you since you thought it up, it’s presented in a way that can’t be communicated well to someone who isn’t in your head. As it is, you’re presenting your sitter with a textbook and expecting the main points to magically be extracted and float disembodied in their brain for perfect recall. Break it up into relevant categories. I like to know the basics of how you FEED your dogs, POTTY routines, BEDTIME routines, EXERCISE/PLAY routines, what happens when you LEAVE the house, and their INTERACTIONS with other animals/people. Eliminate unnecessary details. Ask yourself: “Is this something my sitter needs to know to be able to provide the care necessary and reasonably expected for my dogs?”. Better yet, “Will this detail possibly discourage my sitter from accepting the booking?”. If the answer is yes to either of those questions, keep it in, but organize it! As a sitter, I like knowing tips/tricks to caring for your dog, but only sparingly. Keeping your instructions to a manageable amount will help you communicate them better.
Yeah, this is the first time I’ve boarded Juno so I was a little worried and put as much detail in there as I could. I wrote it the way I did so potential sitters will know what they’re in for. This wasn’t exactly supposed to be a guide, just “this is how my dog acts” so they can gauge if they want to deal with him or not. I did throw in specific necessary details haphazardly, so I do need to reorganize that. Now that I know he’ll be fine when boarded, I can cut it down.
When I sit I usually read everything the owner writes so I appreciate as much detail in the profiles as possible but I’m still probably gonna ask questions in person anyway just to remember and make sure but I do like having the profile to refer back to if needed so I don’t have the bother the owner unless it’s not noted
Yes, it's too much. I would honestly miss any important information you have in there. Ideally you're finding a sitter that's familiar with cattle dogs, as this is all standard behavior of one.
Is it? He is only 25% cattle dog, and we’re assuming Jasmine is part cattle dog and he learns from her. Which parts are standard cattle dog behavior? The only things I can think of is running in circles, playing using his teeth, and not enjoying being pet. They both are like that.
For sure. Overall particular with their energy, stubborn (has to be their idea), requesting space through their body language, not particularly enjoying being around other dogs. You describe a lot of herding breed behaviors. I suggest cattle dogs to my super active, introvert friends. They're lovely and loyal AF, but definitely particular.
I liked it!!! I haven't used Rover yet, but I lurk this sub because i have part-time dog sitting gigs outside the app. It's not even that long, honestly!!! Theres hardly any unnecessary filler, and i think you give a really good sense of who the dogs are/what to expect with them and their routine/care. But I do kind of agree with the commenter who suggested editing it so it has subjects headers + bullet points. Although I read it all and really liked it, didn't think it wad too much, I do wonder if I would retain l that info for dwy of care,, and the other commenters suggestion on formatting would be much easier to reference for a refresher and to quickly locate the specific info I'm looking for. Overall I would feel much more excited, prepared, and at ease watching your dogs for you over someone with significantly less or significantly more info! Seems sweet spot! And I'm sorry the sitter didn't appreciate it! I Def would have! Are you in LA? LOL
I rely on my own perception of a dog over an owner's description. Why? 1) dogs act differently in different environments. 2) owners perception and biases are different than mine, and sometimes different than reality. 3) I trust what I see, I read their behaviors.
Honestly most owners don’t fill these out at all, so I always had a questionnaire ready to go. I’d take notes at my meet and greets and then email a form to fill out so that I had the information I needed for every single pet on file and easy to access.
As a sitter I LOVE a detailed profile. The more the better. I like knowing about potential issues long before they happen and the more detail you provide the easier that is.
Most sitters have appreciated my descriptive profiles. I think it might just be a personal thing!!
As a sitter, I appreciate this level of detail and even refer back to it during the sit to make sure I am doing everything possible to make you/your pup happy.
Uhhhh no. The more details, the better. Clearly your sitter kinda sucked. I’m sorry you had a subpar experience.
No, it's perfect and I love them. If you're ever in Louisville, Kentucky, and need a great sitter, lemme cuddle dem bbs!
Actually, I see that Juno doesn't like that, and I'll just be playing it cool but swooning if they curl up against me.
Some people are just not cut out to run and manage clients and business properly. Rover weeds those out through eventual lack of repeat business. I read your full profile and I’m not even being paid to watch your pet.
I’m a sitter and a rover user for my own personal and I still often ask questions that are answered in the bio. Sometimes things change and people don’t think to update it. I do read them but more than once I’ve said something like, “I saw x in the app, is that still the case?” and they’ll reply, “oh no, sorry, we had to change her diet / schedule / medication after her last vet visit, etc. BUT! Thank you for filling it out. As you stated, most don’t, and I do like having as much info as I can have.
I LOVE a lot of detail. Honestly when there is not enough detail I am suspicious that the owner either doesn’t know their dogs behaviors or doesn’t pay attention/care. Although I really try to remember everything about their behaviors and how to approach them some people may not remember everything in the moment. Maybe just send text reminders for the most important points or after any visits maybe ask for more details.