References

Each post here features one of our pet or house sits.  For a condensed list of references, go to this post:  References  (contact us for specific contact information if you would like to communicate with any of our sit hosts.)

Lola and Baby Dog

We did a TrustedHousesitters sit for Lola and Baby Dog, two large dogs, in Marana, AZ from Mar 22-24, 2024 for Theresa.

This sit was a bit of a challenge because we weren't able to get any communication from Theresa until two days prior to the sit.  We didn't even get to talk to her at the acceptance, she just accepted us without talking and we confirmed thinking we were going to do it right after but after at least seven messages on the app and her phone, we got no response.

But the sit was good as Lola and Baby Dog were just so sweet.  They loved to be near us at all times.  We took them for daily walks even though that wasn't indicated in the home guide (actually, very little was indicated in the home guide so we had to use our best judgement).  We enjoyed our time we spent with them and did our best to manage the house and leave it cleaner than we received it as we always do.

We never got to meet Theresa, she just left us a key and we arrived on our own and met the dogs.  We have found there are two types of sits.  There are the transactional ones where we don't make friends and there isn't much back and forth with the pet owner.  The other is a real win-win where we really enjoy meeting and being friends with the owner and their pet.  In this case, we really enjoyed her dogs but didn't get much out of the rest of the sitting experience.

Theresa's review: "Ed and Jeanne were very prepared and organized. They took very good care of our pups and kept them busy! The house was spotless upon our return. Would absolutely have them again!" (This was a Trustedhousesitter sit and the review can be seen there.  Reference provided on request)

Gracie and Cooper

We did a TrustedHousesitters sit for Gracie and Cooper, two little dogs, in Queen Creek, AZ from  Mar 12-19, 2024 for Julie.

Gracie and Cooper were both six years old and from the same litter so they were brother and sister.  They were a Yorkie mix.  Gracie was much smaller than Cooper but she was a very cute and active dog.

Julie's sit in Queen Creek was one of our favorite sits.  We bonded immediately and she feels like an old friend now.  We love it when we can make friends in the process too.  We were able to stay with her the day before the sit to get to know them and the routine and we also stayed an extra couple of days at Julie's invitation which fit our schedule nicely.

Julie lived in a very nice 55 plus community with a lot of ammenities available.  Cooper had an injured left back leg and so we were not able to walk him but Jeanne went for daily walks with Gracie.  They also had free reign to the back yard.  They were quite good little doggies.  We only had to monitor that they didn't start barking in the backyard and that was pretty easy to do.

Julie had a lot of house plants including some really lovely orchids.  We are not gardeners by nature but we follow instructions well.  We were able to measure the soil content of each and water accordingly and also to mist the orchids as needed.

We had a lot of fun with Gracie and Cooper.  We hope we'll get back there next winter to watch them.

Julie's review:  "Jeanne and Ed far exceeded my expectations. If I could give them more stars I would. They took care of my home and, more importantly, my 2 fur babies as if they were their own. I can't stress enough how wonderful it was to get daily pictures of the dogs interacting with Jeanne and Ed, how happy they were and loved on. I told Jeanne that I wished I could clone them and just bring them out of the closet when I needed them! I have made some wonderful friends, too. I will never use anyone else if I can help it. My dogs loved them and miss them already. So respectful of my home. Fantastic!" This was a Trustedhousesitter sit and the review is available on the App and contact on request.

Ruby

We did a Housesitters of America sit for Ruby, a 22-year old cat, in Corona Del Mar, CA from Jan 9 to Feb 29, 2024 for Ron and Jan.  This was our first sit under the Housesitters of America app.  All of our other sits had been through Trustedhousesitters, word of mouth or friends/family.

                 

We met Ron and Jan early and Ron had hand made a lasagna for lunch that he then left with us for leftovers.  They were the nicest couple.  They were friendly, easy to communicate with and very responsive when we needed them.

This was one of our longer sits (nearly two months) and they liked to receive photos on a regular basis so we were in communication often.  We try and accommodate each owner's preference on the level of communication and photos.

Ruby was a sweetheart.  She slept the majority of the time but always wanted a lap to sleep on if she could get one.  We even set up a couple of towels in the corner of the house by the windows because she enjoyed sleeping in the sun there during times when we had to be up and moving about.  Ron and Jan liked the idea so much that they kept them there.

Ruby liked to wake up at 6am and she pretty much demanded attention at that point.  This was really just food and a lap afterward.  We try and adjust our schedule to each pet's schedule as to not disrupt their normal routines if possible.  So one of us got up with her each morning.  After that, she was good to sleep.

Her eating routine was straight forward.  It was kind of fun watching because she ate on this little island in the middle of the kitchen that she could get up to via a chair.  It was her eating throne!

Corona del Mar was a very nice location for a sit.  We were less than two blocks from the beach.  Housesitters of America don't limit the number of applicants applying for a given sit and apparently we were selected from over 30 applicants!

We enjoyed our time with Ruby.  After the sit, we even met up for coffee with Ron and Jan once they were home and settled in.  We were still relatively close to the area and so we met halfway.  We will miss sweet Ruby.

Their review:  "We'd like to publicly thank and recommend Jeanne and Ed as pet/house-sitters. This was our first experience with this type of arrangement and I was a bit anxious, but they are veteran sitters and quickly won our (and cat, Ruby's) confidence. We appreciated receiving their regular updates and photos. They were quick to report and manage all home related issues. In short, Ruby was well cared for, as was our home. We (and especially Ruby) would gladly welcome them back for future sits and whenever they're in Southern California."

This was a Housesitters of America sit and the review can be found there as well.  Contact info is available on request.

 

Davina, Santana & Stella

We did a Trustedhousesitter sit for Davina, Santana and Stella, three kitties, in the Cow Hollow neighborhood of San Francisco, CA from Dec 27, 2023 to Jan 6, 2024 for Raquel.

This was our first sit outside the Portland metro area on our 3.5 month visit further south for the winter.

All three of Raquel's cats were unique and we got to learn and enjoy each of their personalities during our stay.

Raquel is a seasoned veteran of house sits and she made it very easy for us to get down from Portland and do a quick walkthrough with her before she left on her trip.

She lives in a classic Queen Ann style home and the cats were allowed outside through a cat door that was kept open from around 6am to 5pm.  She had negotiated with the neighbor so that each of their cats were out at separate times and not fighting.  All we had to do was send a text to the neighbor when all of her cats were in for the day, and vice-versa.

Stella had some Bengal mix to her as you could see with her spotted coat.  Naturally, she was the most vocal.  Of all the cats we have sat for, she was certainly on the dog spectrum the most.  She would beg for human food just like most dogs and wanted lots of attention even though she wasn't really a lap cat at all.  It was fun having these meowing conversations with her during mealtimes.

Santana was the only male cat.  He was the more cautious of the three but eventually came around and got some affection.  He liked to be outside more than Stella but he also liked napping in our bedroom away from all the daytime activity in the living room.

Davina was the lap cat.  She went outside for the longest times compared to the other two but when she was inside, she loved to lay on one of us or near us for pets.

Our care was very straightforward for the three of them.  They had the same dry food given twice a day and we had two cat boxes to maintain, which wouldn't be used much because they went outside but it did rain a few days we were there and so during those times they needed more frequent attention.

We had a fun time watching all of them, and Raquel was a joy to sit for.  As always, we left her place better than when we got there.  We will miss them.

Raquel's sit was through Trustedhousesitters, and her review can be seen there, but here is the review she gave us:

"Jeanne and Ed were impeccable sitters!! They stayed with my pets for 9 days over the holiday. They sent pics of my kitties everyday and kept me informed. I came home to a flat that has never looked so good!! They were tidy and gracious and the pets never knew I was gone! I would happily have them sit for me again! Thank you Jeanne and Ed!!!" As with all of our sits, reference contact info is available on request.

Henry and Clara

We did a Trustedhousesitter sit for Henry and Clara, two bengal kitties, in the upper Southwest of Portland, OR near council crest from Dec 14-26, 2023 for Kim and Marion while they enjoyed some sunshine in Phoenix.

They had a beautiful ranch home that had recently been completely updated.  We were excited to be able to watch some bengals.  They were loud as they tend to be but not obnoxiously so.  Clara, the smaller female, is completely blind.  We really didn't notice it because she was so good at navigating around.

Henry and Clara got along for the most part.  Occasionally she would hiss and bat at him but never at us.  They were sweet to us but not lap cats.  They liked to be close and so if we were by the gas fireplace watching TV or something, they were right there.

Both of them had unique and interesting personalities.  Henry liked to perch at the top of the catscraper in the basement a lot.  Clara liked to use her exercise wheel down there too.  She enjoyed encouragement on it.  We could rub our fingers together in front of her so she knew we were there and she would walk.  Henry also liked to drink from the bathroom sink.

Each pet sit has a level of complexity involved with feeding.  Some are very straight forward and others are fairly complex.  Henry and Clara had more of a complex schedule and we followed their handy printed instructions for each of their specific feeding requirements.  They did okay eating and we didn't have any issues.

They also liked to play.  They enjoyed the boxes we got during Christmas as well as their play tunnels and various toys.  

We enjoyed our time with Henry and Clara and would definitely sit for them again if the opportunity presented itself.

Review:  "Ed and Jeanne were fabulous pet sitters! They took amazing care of our home - and even more importantly, amazing care of our kitties! Usually, when we return from a trip, our cats scold us for hours. But this time, it was as if we’d never left. The kitties were calm and serene. Ed and Jeanne left our house spotless. The dishwasher was emptied, the linens washed and the bed remade. They kept good communication and sent us lots of photos. It was a real pleasure having them at our house and we would love to host them again!" This was a Trustedhousesitter sit and the review can be found there as well.  Contact info is available on request.