Ask for the right references, not just any references
A sitter's reference list is marketing until you shape it. Ask for two or three clients from recent months, not the devoted friend of five years, and ask specifically for owners whose dogs resemble yours — a sitter adored by the owner of a sleepy senior may be entirely untested with a strong young dog who pulls, guards toys or needs the house managed around him. If your dog has medical needs, nervousness or a bite history nibbling at the edges of his behaviour, ask whether any reference can speak to that kind of care. A confident, experienced sitter produces these names easily. Vagueness, delays or references that turn out to be relatives are information too, and worth weighing as heavily as anything said on the calls themselves.
The questions that get past politeness
Most reference calls fail because the questions invite compliments. Ask concrete things instead. Did the sitter send updates as agreed, and did the house and dog look as expected on return? Were instructions followed exactly — feeding amounts, walk routes, the dog sleeping where he was meant to? Was there any problem, however small, and how did the sitter handle and report it? That last question matters most, because a reference who describes a hiccup that was handled honestly and promptly is describing the exact quality you are buying. Finish with the only summary question that counts: have you rebooked, or would you, without a moment's thought? A pause before that answer tells you plenty.
Check the wider footprint, then meet properly
Beyond the named references, read every review the sitter has gathered across the app and any other presence, looking for patterns rather than star counts: repeated mentions of reliability and communication are gold, while even one mention of a dog being left longer than agreed deserves a direct question. Check how long they have been sitting, whether this is a livelihood or an occasional favour, and what their own home, animals and household members mean for your dog if the sit happens there. Then meet in person, on neutral ground first and at the sitting location second, with your dog present. Watch the handling, not the chat: how they take the lead, whether they watch the dog or their phone, and whether your dog chooses to approach them a second time.
Do a paid trial before the real booking
Whatever the references say, a short paid trial — a single night or a weekend while you are still reachable — is the reference you give yourself. It tests the instructions, the updates and your dog's state on return, at a price where changing your mind costs nothing but the fee. Agree cancellation and emergency arrangements in writing before the real sit, including who their backup is if they fall ill. Keep notes of what the references and trial showed, so the next booking decision starts from evidence rather than memory. KinsLe Pet Services Directory lets you line a private advert up against trusted local pet businesses and services in one place, so if the references do not convince you, your alternative is already researched rather than a last-minute scramble.