How to land your dream sit with a pet-centered profile

If securing your dream sit is still a thing of the future (or you’d just like more of them), stay right where you are! Today, we’re discussing why putting pets at the front, center, left and right of your profile will help you land the sits you long for. And naturally, we’re sharing a selection of actionable tips (that you can do right now!) to help make your profile all about the pets. But before we get into it, let’s talk a bit about why pet parents are more attracted to pet-centered sitter profiles, and what we mean by just that. 

So, what is a pet-centered sitter profile? Well it’s a profile that clearly communicates your infatuation with pets, putting animals at the heart of it all - shown by the photos you choose and what you write about yourself. It’s also a profile that isn’t afraid to showcase your experience with animals - whether it’s in a professional or personal sense.

And why do pet parents prefer a profile that’s all about the pets? Well that’s easy - pet parents want to know they’re welcoming a true animal lover to give their fur baby the top-notch TLC they need. Plus, knowing you’ve got relevant experience will help pet parents build trust and know their precious pet family will be in capable hands.  

Now without any further ado, let’s find out how you can put pets at the heart of your profile - just where they belong…

Talk about your experience with specific breeds

As a fellow animal lover, you’ll know that no two pets are the same, and nobody would agree with that more than the pet parents in our community! Dogs especially are seriously varied - found in all sorts of shapes and sizes with a whole host of hairstyles and energy levels, it’s invaluable for pet parents to know about your experience with different breeds. If you’ve only got experience with small dogs or a handful of similar breeds, don’t sweat it! Knowledge is power, so the more pet parents can find out about your pet experience, the better.

Have you groomed before?

If you’ve ever spent time with a long-haired pooch, you’ll know just how important it is to keep up with their sometimes regimented grooming routine. Pet parents on our platform will need to be reassured that the sitter they welcome will make sure they return to a clean, tidy, and maybe even trimmed pooch who’s mottle and tangle-free! So, if you’ve ever had to groom a dog in any capacity - from brushing and washing to trimming and styling - include it in your profile! And if you haven’t had experience with grooming but you’re willing to give it a go, explain that you’re keen to spend time with a long-locked pooch with high grooming needs.

Do you know how to administer pet medications?

Pet parents with a pooch, kitty (or another equally adorable pet species) on regular medication will need to be reassured that their precious pet is in safe hands while they’re away. The best way to do this is to talk about your experience with administering pet medications, or your confidence in doing so.

Include pictures with pets

We can’t stress this one enough! Pictures with pets should be plastered all over your sitter profile - they help to bring your experience with and love for pets to life, allowing pet parents to get a glimpse into your pet sitting past. Feature as many as you can and remember to keep your camera at the ready on your next sit, ready for upload to your profile! And while we’re on the topic of selfies, check out our tips on social media etiquette for house sitters if you plan to upload your photos further than your profile with us.

Are you experienced with puppies, older dogs or rescue animals?

Just like us humans, the age and background of the pets on our platform makes the care they need pretty varied, to say the least. While puppies are sprightly, full of energy and still in training, senior pups might need a hand getting on and off the sofa! And when it comes to rescue dogs - well their backgrounds come in all the colors of the rainbow - from a life on the streets to a once loving home that simply no longer had the room, we’ve seen it all. So, think about the backgrounds and ages of the pets you’ve cared for in the past and be sure to talk about it on your profile - it helps to show pet parents that you’re up for the challenge of giving their fur baby the special care they need.

Ever looked after less mainstream pets?

While dogs and cats make up the majority of our platform, we’ve seen a whole host of other animals including horses, fish, birds, tortoises and even armadillos! While the pet parents may simply have a feline friend or canine companion at home, finding out about the range of animals you’ve looked after really helps to showcase your passion for all members of the animal kingdom.

Is your work experience relevant?

While you don’t need to have any previous pet sitting experience or time working with animals to become the best pet companion with us, it’s certainly worth talking about if you do. Whether you’ve worked with animals in the past, had an office dog or taken care of your feline friend next door before, it’s a great talking point for your sitter profile.

Have you ever had pets of your own?

Naturally, if you’ve pet parented before or you grew up with animals of any kind, you should talk about this on your profile. Discuss your favorite childhood memories with your beloved furry companion and share any anecdotes that you think will help pet parents know you’re a true animal lover like them.

Have you attended puppy training classes before?

Maybe you’ve accompanied a friend at puppy training before or you’ve taken a pooch of your own in the past. Either way, any knowledge you can share on your puppy training past will be invaluable to pet parents. Keen to know their sitters will keep their pooch in line with the training they’ve had so far, be sure to share any experience you have with crate, toilet, leash or command training (or any other styles, for that matter).

Have you completed any relevant training or courses?

While it’s not something you have to do, completing any training related to animals, pet nutrition or training will look great on your profile, especially if you haven’t been on many pet sits so far. For any relevant training you’ve been on, briefly explain the contents of the course and any qualifications you gained from it.

Experience with certain traits

While lots of the pets being left with a sitter might be a little nervous at first, some suffer more than others with behavior, whether they’re with pet parents or not. So, if you’ve got experience with pets suffering from any kind of behavioral issues or quirks, talk about it on your profile. Think nervousness, separation anxiety, toileting issues and hyperactivity - just to name a few. Any experience with these will help reassure pet parents that you’re aware that taking care of their pet family isn’t always a walk in the park!

After each sit, update your profile with any new experiences

It’s important to see your sitter profile as something that’s constantly changing - not only being updated by reviews from your new sits, but also with details on any new experiences that those sits gave you. Did you look after a new breed, administer medication, deal with any behavioral issues or look after a less mainstream pet? Discuss it in your profile to make sure you’re showcasing the breadth of your experience.

Increase your chances of securing a sit by 20%

We’ve crunched the numbers, and it turns out that sitters with at least three references increase their chances of finding a sit by 20%! Explore our references guide for more information.