Successful sits: Ben's story & top tips for sitters

Say hello to Ben, TrustedHousesitters' Product Manager. Already a seasoned pet parent member, Ben recently headed stateside for his first-ever international house sit - in none other than New York, New York.

Ever eager to find out more, we sat down for a catch up with Ben, who was kind enough to share his experiences with us, plus a few tips for sitters that he learned along the way. 

So, what did he learn from his pet sitting travels across the pond? Let’s find out… 

“As a Product Manager, I believe it's really important to understand the experience and responsibility our members take on as a sitter. Getting a hands-on experience of the product means that we can make improvements to the platform.

And so, having used TrustedHousesitters as a pet parent member a few times now, I was always keen to try our product from the other side of the network.”

Suffice to say, Ben was keen to get his paws into his first-ever international house sit. And where else, but in the Big Apple? 

“I started to look for a New York sit at the end of September for a sit at some point in November/December - I hoped to coincide my trip with seeing some old university friends, some sightseeing - and a bit of Christmas shopping! 

I found a sit over Thanksgiving week in the Brooklyn Heights area, looking after an 11-year-old cat named Ira. He was so friendly, and spent many hours playing with his beloved toy, Mr. Bee…” 

When he wasn’t seeing the sights of NYC, cuddling up with Ira (or playing an intense game of Mr. Bee...), Ben - with his ever-present Product Manager hat on - was keen to pick up some learnings from his international house sitting experience - and that he did. 

“One of the biggest things I learnt from my sit, was just how much responsibility is involved - not just of the pet, but of the home. The pet parent’s trip is essentially resting on you, the sitter. 

There’s also a lot to take in and a lot to learn, and while the majority of it will be in the Welcome Guide, I soon discovered you will learn even more while on the sit itself.” 

Having recently shared his tips for pet parents, we were keen to know whether Ben had any hot takes to share for first-time (or even seasoned) pet sitters. And of course, Ben was more than happy to share his thoughts…   

“Firstly, a few things when applying for a sit and in particular advice for first-time sitters: 

1. Be open-minded about the location and place. You need to be flexible to gain experience (e.g. try local sits first, or look further out from your initial desired location)
2. If you’re a new sitter, make sure you have references before you apply. Pet parents want to read reviews, and an external reference can really help make your profile stand out - especially if it is pet sitting or pet care related. 
3. Apply to multiple sits. You can have a number of open applications at one time - just remember to stay in communication with pet parents, to make the application process as smooth as possible for all involved."

Got all that? Good. Keep those notepads and pens at the ready - Ben’s got plenty more tips where those came from. From what to do before and during a sit, to how to secure that all-important five-star review… 

Ben’s top tips for sitters 

1. Before the sit

Meet the pets beforehand

“I would suggest meeting the pet parent in person, either the night before or to overlap for an hour. The main reason is to fully understand how to interact with the pet - I think it also helps the pet know you are ‘welcome’ in the house. 

Being a pet parent myself, I also find that pets do try and pull the wool over your eyes… for example, when it comes to how much to feed them! Dogs in particular like to pull the ‘I don’t usually walk this far!’ trick and put the breaks on mid-walkies - when I know that yesterday, when I walked them with the pet parent, they trotted along perfectly fine!”

Get a tour of the house - and ask about any ‘quirks’  

“I had a moment (and a bit of a panic) where I couldn’t get in the front door, and I was worried about breaking the key in the lock. It was just that the door needed lifting up before turning the key. 

This made me realise that all locks and doors are different, and to avoid this unnecessary panic, you should try it first with the pet parent a few times before they leave. This is something that I will now always do, both as a sitter and as a pet parent.”

Don’t forget to ask about the Wifi 

“I suggest joining the WiFi network while the pet parent is there. This is so important (especially if you are working while you travel) as encountering a problem and having to reset their WiFi isn’t an ideal situation for when the pet parent returns.” 

On the sit 

Send regular pet updates 

“Sending a photo a day will keep the pet parent(s) mind at ease. Do ask if they have a preference (for example, some may prefer a weekly update instead), but in general, most pet parents would like for you to regularly stay in touch with them.” 

Use the Welcome Guide - especially the 'Neighbourhood' section! 

“Some of the best things I did on my trip were recommended to me by the pet parents. It really gives you the opportunity to live like a local, from favourite cafes, shopping tips, local attractions to nice walks. I was recommended a great cafe to work from, where to go grocery shopping, and a great bar hidden away in what I thought was very much a residential area.  

Pet parents will always have some local advice and knowledge and in my experience, they are often happy to provide a couple of suggestions.”

Leaving the sit 

Leave it as you found it

“As a pet parent myself, I know what a nice feeling it is to come home to familiarity and your house/apartment as you expected it. So, I always leave the sit as I found it and make sure to do the washing up, give the place a vacuum, and wipe down desk space, etc.” 

Let the pet parent know your departure details 

“Communication is key throughout. Discuss with the pet parent when you plan to leave, and let them know the last time their pet was walked/fed so that they can pick this up on their return.” 

Ask for a review

“Reviews are so important as a sitter, especially when it comes to securing future sits. We (TrustedHousesitters) do send out email and product prompts, but it never hurts to give the pet parent a gentle reminder and to ask them to leave you a five-star review - I suggest a day or two after you leave, once they’ve had a chance to unpack.”

If you’re a new pet sitter starting out on your own TrustedHousesitters adventure, check out our helpful article on how to create the perfect sitter profile here. Read Ben & Mariano's Story to hear about more successful sits in New York.