I have sat both with and without a background check. It helped my search rankings when I paid the extra money for a background check, but I wouldn't say it was worth it until I had made enough money to cover the cost. I had previously been background checked for various other parts of my life, and was able to produce that documentation if I needed to. Essentially, you're just paying Rover to improve your search rankings.

As a sitter, I also make sure to talk with the client about how they prefer to be notified of their dog's day. Many clients I've had (especially Seniors), aren't technology saavy, and prefer a phone call, etc. I make sure to tell them that I will happily call them to let them know how the dog is doing. I learned the hard way that sitters should ALSO make sure to send updates through the http://Rover.com website, as it affects your search rankings greatly if you do not.