Finding reliable references for dog sitting

All dog sitters need reliable references. When it comes to references, dog sitting hopefuls should aim for clear, to-the-point references that offer a complete and honest overview of your dog sitting history.. This helps pet parents realize how paw-fect you are to care for their bark baby, and helps give you, the pooch-loving sitter, a chance to stand out from other sitters.

If you’re curious to learn more about what we mean by references, our referencing guide outlines why references are so important. Similarly, our profile tips from pet parents are also a great guide for sitters looking to make their profile pop!

Let’s start with helping you paw through your dog sitting reference portfolio to find which are top dogs for your next sit.

How to tell if a dog sitting reference is reliable

When pet parents seek out a dog sitting reference or references, one of their key questions will be, ‘Does this sitter know how to care for dogs?’ Like a character reference, a reliable dog sitting reference needs to point out your ability to care for pups over an extended period. Likewise, they also want to know you’re capable of caring for their homes as well as protecting their pup. 

Our community is built on trust, so references are a great way to reassure pet parents before a sit. References are mandatory, even before members apply for a sit, so all our trusted sitters have them.

If you’re an experienced pal of pooches, you may have experience caring for dogs with illnesses like diabetes or epilepsy. Similarly, you might know how to handle slightly dogs with behavioriable issues. All of these can be part of your references! Dog sitting is about more than just feeding them and walking them - pet parents want you to be able to connect and understand their fur baby. 

For those first-time dog sitters, your dog sitting reference can come from any experience you’ve had with dogs. This could be sitting for a family member’s pooch or watching a friend’s fur baby. If you have experience with dog walking, be sure to ask your referee to include that too! Just make sure to be completely transparent with pet parents about your experience from the beginning.

TrustedHousesitters references

These are character references specifically for your TrustedHousesitters profile as a pet sitter. This helps pet parents to decide if you’re the right person for their fur family and sit, whilst also offering reassurance that you are a trustworthy pet lover.

Having at least three references on your profile increases your chances of landing a sit by 20%! They offer a well-rounded view of the sort of person you are, and whether they’re happy to welcome you into their home to care for their precious pet family. Along with a couple of paragraphs on you, your reference will also give you a star rating (out of five) for each of the following characteristics: organised, reliable, self-sufficient, tidy, and pet care.

Make sure your references come from people you have known for a while. If you’ve done dog sitting for a particular family several times, they’d be a perfect candidate! 

Pet sitting reference letter: how to ask for relevant, reliable feedback

Requesting a reference or asking a client for a pet sitting reference can be daunting, but it’s so important to have them for future pet parents. A referencing request should always be sent directly to the pet parents, along with their consent to publish the review on your page. Here are some tips for writing an email or message if you’re unsure where to start:

• Be polite - make sure you ask how they’re doing, and how their fur family are, and reiterate what you enjoyed most about the house sit.
  
• Don’t tell, always ask - it’s always best to ask if they would be able to provide a dog sitting reference for you, rather than demand one. Explain why you’d be grateful to receive one from them in particular and why it’s important to your profile.

To ask for a reference on your TrustedHousesitters profile, just follow the steps below:

1. Log into your TrustedHousesitters account and select ‘My Profile’ from the menu that appears when you either click your name or the three lines on the top-right-hand corner of the page (it varies depending on what device you’re using).
   
2. Scroll down to the ‘Your references' section, and you’ll find a button that says ‘Add’ - click on it, then type in the first name of the referee and click ‘Continue’.
   
3. Now choose how you want to send the all-important reference link to your referee - this is the link they’ll use to complete your reference. Either copy the link into a message to your referee or click ‘Email’, which will open a new email with the link inside it. This can then be forwarded to your referee to complete.
   
4. Once your referee has written a (glowing) character reference, it’ll automatically appear on your profile for new pet parents to read.

If you’re ever in doubt about what’s expected of a TrustedHousesitters pet sitter, have a look through our sitter guidelines. In the meantime, keep an eye out for our new reviewing system which we will be introducing soon.