I don't even know where to begin with this... Are you saying you left huskies in a yard while you tried to get shut eye? No dog should be left unattended in that regard. I know it stinks being exhausted, but if you have all heads counted, you are lucky. Huskies are known escape artists and can scale 6 foot fences no problem. I am not going to pick at the rest, because we all make mistakes, but never leave a pup unattended in a yard. It's just asking for a bad experience.
The owners told me to put them in the backyard whenever I wanted, there’s a pet door to an enclosed porch and they just sit at the back door waiting to come in. As for getting out, the owners said whenever they escape, just go find them in the neighborhood next to their house. I’m guessing it’s fairly common for them to get out, I just thought they escaped out the front door.
That sounds like the owners set you up for a bit of failure. My boy has never escaped, but I tell every sitter to watch him in the yard. I don't know how long you are with them, but try hiding toys and treats with the goal of finding them. Huskies need brain stimulation and loads of exercise. High energy, very smart. You will make it through. Incontinence is tough. Had a corgi who lost mobility and went through incontinence. If they have pads, use them. Ask them about diapers. It won't prevent accidents, but might help in containment.
No. No, no, no. NO!
This is not okay. The owners are horrendous dog owners, and they are putting you in a very bad position here. You DO NOT want to be responsible if those dogs escape and something happens to them. What if they get hurt? What if someone takes them? People steal dogs every day.
My policy is to NEVER leave dogs unattended in a fenced yard. Ever. Period. I don't care what the owner says. Dogs can and will get into every sort of trouble when left alone outside. I will not be responsible if they eat something and get sick, manage to get out of the yard, or get stolen. I will not have that on my conscience.
This is a hill to die on. The owners are putting you in an unacceptable position by telling you to do this. Don't tolerate it.
By the way, nothing else is acceptable about this situation either. Particularly that Puggle. I don't have words to express the disgust I feel when a client says they hope an animal will pass on my watch. Absolutely despicable, to leave their loyal companion when they need their parents the most, and to put that weight on the shoulders of a sitter.
I'm no medical expert, but what that Puggle is going through sounds similar to what my Shih Tzu experienced at the end. He would fall over and pee himself, and cry because he couldn't get back up. Turns out he was having mini-strokes that led to the massive stroke in his sleep. He also had a seizure (which the vet brushed off as anxiety.) I just want to prepare you for what might be coming your way.
Never book these people again.
This is insane ,wow.
Your rate is way way way too low and that client lying to you about the condition of the puggle.
Bottle feeding a dog ?
And the mother dropping in on you unannounced is also not acceptable
Some of y’all are unhinged. If it’s an overnight stay at the owners’ house you would expect the amenities they have to be sufficient. Buying bones and treats makes sense, but suggesting they buy a $150 crate off-rip to bring to their house for their dog is asinine. Watching them at your place? Sure, buy the crate(s). Setting rates low to attract clientele is a common practice when starting out, and it can attract some bad actors, but outright blaming the individual for offering service is ridiculous. Just take it as a lesson OP to raise your rates a little (remember you lose 20% off the top with Rover) and ask a LOT of questions. You are saving someone with THAT many pets a LOT of money compared to traditional boarding services, and they won’t hesitate to pull one over on you.
Huskies are notorious for being escape artists so please be careful and I wouldn’t leave them outside unattended. The last thing you need on top of everything you’re going through is for one to runaway. Hang in there OP. i hope they leave you a good tip.
Oh my. How far along are you in this two week stay? It’s all a big learning experience. Super low prices will guarantee you bad clients. Do not leave any dog outside unsupervised even if it’s fenced in. You mentioned that they are familiar with their dogs escaping so you need to be extra cautious. It’s not as simple as just finding them next door like they told you.
the edit is so fucking awful i actually hope this owner is banned from using Rover and should have their dogs taken away. she would be RELIEVED if the puggle died in YOUR care??? what an awful awful thing to say to someone that you hired as a pet sitter. i’ve seen some crazyyyy situations on here but this one takes the cake. i wish you the best OP. if it gets any worse i would contact the owner to have her mom take over since she’s always stopping in anyways. you are not getting paid enough to deal with this.
Raise prices. Never leave dogs outside unattended even if the owners act like it’s ok — dogs are not predictable away from home.
I personally do not take small dogs because they are mouthier and are never crate trained. I also do not take huskies because several have been territorial and aggressive towards my passive dog. Learn from this in the future.
Outline on your profile what you want in a dog. Don’t make it sound confrontational but this helps me weed out bad matches too
In my area many clients have doggie doors and fenced backyards. I've had clients book me for drop-in's only to feed them, and the dogs otherwise wander inside or outside unattended before I'm even there. It just depends on the situation.
Rovers policy specifically states sitters are to supervise outdoors. Even if there’s a dog door, it needs to be closed when she isn’t home or sleeping. Dogs die this way.
We have no control over how owners keep their pets. I’m saying a common practice in my area, which is rural, is that people will have “outside pets”, “inside pets” or both. I’ve had drop-ins where all the clients wanted me to do is make sure there’s food left outside. When the weather is nice, people let their dogs roam. They may be outside when I arrive. So no matter what Rover policy states, it won’t change owner’s practices.
I didn’t say the owner. I said the sitter is required to supervise outdoors. It’s required. Please see above we here my Husky died due to a rover sitter doing the exact same thing.
Owners can take calculated risks. Sitters are being paid to watch dogs
That’s a lot of responsibilities!! It suck’s but consider it paying tuition. Next time you meet a new client, you’ll know what questions to ask and what to look for. Taking care of one animal is a lot of work but 4 dogs with 2 being seniors- you got your hands full. Next time, you will know not to take them or have them pay a fair price.
Personally for me I don’t do overnights at client’s home at all. It’s way to exhausting.
I would ask them owner's if the huskies could take calming treats. I watched a puppy husky over the holidays and she was a ton of work. She howled all night and constantly wanted to play fight with dogs that weren't interested. The only saving grace was that she had a crate. Maybe ask the the owners of they will order a crate.
So many people lie about their pets on Rover. Just take deep breaths and look forward to the day this booking is over.
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Honestly sounds like the owner knows about everything and is fine with it. Don't stress and try not to make a mountain out of a molehill. The fact that you brought this all up to the owner is very good OP.
She knows you need to leave for hours at a time and she is aware that the dogs might destroy something. So go ahead and leave. If the dog destroys something then don't worry about it. Just clean it up when you get home. They are aware that their dogs can get into the neighbor's house and doesn't sound like they are too concerned about them escaping so if they aren't worried about it your should stop worrying about it. It seems like they know a weak spot in their yard which they failed to take care of. 3/4 acre is pretty big yard space. It would be hard for you to keep an eye on all 4 dogs outside with that much space anyways unless it had no furniture or structures. Also they are aware that their senior dog is on its last legs. Just a learning lesson for you any super senior dog is usually going to be a lot of work. Almost just as much as a puppy but with less energy.
Worst case scenario, I would suggest that you leave the dogs in the house and you going home to sleep if you aren't able to sleep at theirs. Maybe not for overnight but at least during the day. They can be left alone for some time. If you have the time to go home and get 6-8 hours in, do it. Sleep is so important and won't be able to be a good sitter if you are sleep deprived.
The only thing that I would bring attention to the owner about is the mother visiting. The fact that the mother is coming by during your booking is a big no-no. You need to tell the owner that you are there to care for the dogs and that sharing responsibility in their care is a huge risk for you. If it was a drop-in situation, it wouldn't be a big deal but again the drop-ins need to be timed so that you aren't there with them. If the mother needs to show up you need to know when so that you know when to leave the house. Imagine if the mother was her son or her husband. That's a big safety issue and just a no go.
All this to say that you got this! I really believe you can make this work and the fact that you showed some of these concerns makes you a pretty good and trusting sitter. Everyone has to start somewhere. All newbies generally have lower rates until they get the reviews to back them up, so it's completely normal.
Thank you so much for the support, you made me feel better. Yes the owner is aware of the situation, they don’t know what they are doing and there’s been zero dog training for these poor dogs. I’ve been leaving the doggie doors open all day. So far they are content to run in and out all day and that works for me! I’m becoming accustomed to the puggle screaming, I had no idea a senior dog would be like taking care of a newborn. Ugh! Never again unless they pay me a lot!
Just one thing to say! I do not like huskies, and I will never sit a Husky for anyone anymore. The only person able to handle a Husky is the owner - honestly no one else has the patience
MY HUSKY DIED BECAUSE A ROVER SITTER LEFT HER OUTSIDE WHILE SHE SLEPT! This is SO against ToS- you must supervise dogs outside. You leave the house- you go to your house. You NEVER leave dogs unattended outside while sleeping.
You all can down vote me- but it is susupendable behavior. You must supervise dogs outside. Tika would have still been alive had a sitter not decided to leave the dog outdoors overnight. Instead, I came home to a dead husky found floating in a pool.
The fact that everyone thinks it’s ok to do this is ridiculous.
Who said I was leaving dogs out overnight? I’m not leaving dogs outside overnight. They sleep with me and go out in the morning when they wake up. I am keeping an eye on them as best I can, they have doggie doors to run in and out of the house and that is what they are accustomed to doing. They come check on me and run back out. There is no pool here so they can’t drown. It’s not possible for me to watch them in the yard, I’d be running laps around the greenhouses and plants trying to keep an eye on them and I’m not doing that. The owners are 100% okay with the way things are.
You said you slept (napped)while they were Locked outdoors. I never said you did it overnight. It’s like literally the first thing you agree to when signing up to sit.
Just a month ago, a rover sitter did the same and the dog was stolen from the backyard. I’ve seen countless stories of dogs injured. You are being negligent by locking them outdoors while you sleep.
I’m sorry you had a bad sit, but you asked if you did anything wrong.
Damn damn damn. We have all been there. Take a breath, you’re doing the best you can. As for the 11yr old pug that 100% sounds like the condition my dog was in when I finally realized we need to put him to sleep and give his little body a rest. That dog is totally suffering and I can completely relate to having to pick up the dog when it falls over 😭 It’s so much fucking work and it honestly felt like taking care of a newborn. I am thinking of you OP! The good thing about these early mistakes is you will NEVER make them again. I had some horrible early bookings and to add insult to injury made like $20 a night after fees lmfaooo. Give yourself grace.
Thank you! When I did the meet and greet the puggles condition wasn’t as apparent, I guess he was having a good day that day and the owners lied (or they are in denial) about his condition. It is heartbreaking to watch as my own dog is 8 years old now and I couldn’t imagine putting her through this kind of suffering. I cried the first day I was here bc it was so bad. Lesson(s) learned!
>I feel like I’ve done something wrong.
you are doing a lot wrong.
your pricing is to low. i just finish 2 dogs 10 days and made 1000.
You need crates.
you put dogs outside while you slept, bad idea.
call the mother she can either help or hurt you.
5 hours out of the house is too much.
5 hours out of the house is NOT too much for most dogs - also you don’t know what was discussed between owner/sitter.
Suggesting she spend 1/3rd of her money on a crate for a dog who isn’t crate trained is also wild. Crating dogs without an owners consent is wrong. Also not a fix for dogs who bark/howl, and we are talking huskies.
>5 hours out of the house is too much.
Nah man. Even for 100/day, you have to accept that the dogsitter will be out for 4-5 hours if the stay is more than 2-3 days.
Obviously there is a lot wrong here but I will say (1) expecting someone to buy crates for housesitting is ridiculous and (2) 5 hours is not too long for most dogs, though the senior can probably be left along much shorter. Should have discussed with owners the time period the dogs are okay alone.
I guess I screwed up, I didn’t know I should stay 24/7, I’m new to dog sitting and I didn’t know the protocol. I thought you could leave if the owners said it was okay. I don’t have crates, do I spend my own money to go buy crates without knowing if I’ll be reimbursed? The owners left only 6 rawhide bones so I’ve already been spending my money on bones for the dogs to keep them busy.
Definitely don't buy crates. You can't just put dogs in crates that have never been crate trained. They are huskies, they \*will\* find a way to eat themselves out of the crate and then you will have a way bigger problem on your hand.
It really sucks when this happens, and I had similar situations when I was first starting out. I think you need to just settle in and realize the next 1.5 weeks are going to suck for you, and once you're done you will get your money and be more discerning with your next clients.
Honestly, multiple dogs, and especially aging AND young dogs together are a LOT for a new sitter to handle. I would stick with 1-2 pets max at a time until you have more experience and have had some GOOD experiences, to help boost your morale, too.
I definitely leave for 5-6 hours a time with some clients, but other clients just cannot handle that. I think you've seen what the dogs in your care can handle, and you have to adjust your expectations now for the rest of the stay. See if you can get grocery delivery, and try to keep the rest of your time there as mellow as possible.
If the puppies are big chewers, a super cheap thing to keep them busy is to soak some rags in chicken stock (low or no salt) and then knot up and freeze. Keeps my teething puppy busy for HOURS. Just make sure they are supervised and take away the rags if they start to try to destroy them.
These owners honestly sound like they aren't the best, and that is a consequence of having low rates. Take this as a learning experience, and just do the best you can to get through it. I've been there with old dogs keeping me up at night too, it's SO hard. Being sleep deprived and trying to make good decisions gets harder and harder as every day goes on. But just remember this is temporary, and in less than 2 weeks you can go home and get your routine back to normal. You can do this!
Don’t buy crates and don’t stay 24/7 unless you are pricing yourself per day at a full days wages.m, minimum $250/day. Even then you need to be able to leave for a few hours because a full days wages is an 8-9 hour workday, not 24 hours.
Do not buy crates for someone else’s dogs especially if you do not have their consent as you are in their home not yours. They are most likely not crate trained either and you will just witness endless screaming (and potential injury/escape) because huskies.
Sitter isn’t responsible for the damages in the owners home unless they aren’t following care instructions and it’s happening due to that.
F that. OP, do not do this. It doesn't matter how much furniture they destroy, they weren't forthcoming with you, this is not on you. You don't even know if they are crate trained. It would be tossing money out the window.
I'm all for this for a boarding gig but you really shouldn't do this for a house sitting gig. It's the owner's stuff, they know what their dog is capable of destroying. Any damages that the dog does for house sitting cost the sitter nothing. Plus sounds like you are trying to get 1 crate to shove multiple dogs in while at someone else's house. That is all bad especially if they might have a camera inside.
I don't even know where to begin with this... Are you saying you left huskies in a yard while you tried to get shut eye? No dog should be left unattended in that regard. I know it stinks being exhausted, but if you have all heads counted, you are lucky. Huskies are known escape artists and can scale 6 foot fences no problem. I am not going to pick at the rest, because we all make mistakes, but never leave a pup unattended in a yard. It's just asking for a bad experience.
The owners told me to put them in the backyard whenever I wanted, there’s a pet door to an enclosed porch and they just sit at the back door waiting to come in. As for getting out, the owners said whenever they escape, just go find them in the neighborhood next to their house. I’m guessing it’s fairly common for them to get out, I just thought they escaped out the front door.
That sounds like the owners set you up for a bit of failure. My boy has never escaped, but I tell every sitter to watch him in the yard. I don't know how long you are with them, but try hiding toys and treats with the goal of finding them. Huskies need brain stimulation and loads of exercise. High energy, very smart. You will make it through. Incontinence is tough. Had a corgi who lost mobility and went through incontinence. If they have pads, use them. Ask them about diapers. It won't prevent accidents, but might help in containment.
No. No, no, no. NO! This is not okay. The owners are horrendous dog owners, and they are putting you in a very bad position here. You DO NOT want to be responsible if those dogs escape and something happens to them. What if they get hurt? What if someone takes them? People steal dogs every day. My policy is to NEVER leave dogs unattended in a fenced yard. Ever. Period. I don't care what the owner says. Dogs can and will get into every sort of trouble when left alone outside. I will not be responsible if they eat something and get sick, manage to get out of the yard, or get stolen. I will not have that on my conscience. This is a hill to die on. The owners are putting you in an unacceptable position by telling you to do this. Don't tolerate it. By the way, nothing else is acceptable about this situation either. Particularly that Puggle. I don't have words to express the disgust I feel when a client says they hope an animal will pass on my watch. Absolutely despicable, to leave their loyal companion when they need their parents the most, and to put that weight on the shoulders of a sitter. I'm no medical expert, but what that Puggle is going through sounds similar to what my Shih Tzu experienced at the end. He would fall over and pee himself, and cry because he couldn't get back up. Turns out he was having mini-strokes that led to the massive stroke in his sleep. He also had a seizure (which the vet brushed off as anxiety.) I just want to prepare you for what might be coming your way. Never book these people again.
it wouldn't be a bad idea to reach out to support about this client and explain the situation so that they at least have details on file.
This is insane ,wow. Your rate is way way way too low and that client lying to you about the condition of the puggle. Bottle feeding a dog ? And the mother dropping in on you unannounced is also not acceptable
Raise. Your. Prices. You’ll keep getting these kinds of clients.
Some of y’all are unhinged. If it’s an overnight stay at the owners’ house you would expect the amenities they have to be sufficient. Buying bones and treats makes sense, but suggesting they buy a $150 crate off-rip to bring to their house for their dog is asinine. Watching them at your place? Sure, buy the crate(s). Setting rates low to attract clientele is a common practice when starting out, and it can attract some bad actors, but outright blaming the individual for offering service is ridiculous. Just take it as a lesson OP to raise your rates a little (remember you lose 20% off the top with Rover) and ask a LOT of questions. You are saving someone with THAT many pets a LOT of money compared to traditional boarding services, and they won’t hesitate to pull one over on you.
Huskies are notorious for being escape artists so please be careful and I wouldn’t leave them outside unattended. The last thing you need on top of everything you’re going through is for one to runaway. Hang in there OP. i hope they leave you a good tip.
Thank you!
Oh my. How far along are you in this two week stay? It’s all a big learning experience. Super low prices will guarantee you bad clients. Do not leave any dog outside unsupervised even if it’s fenced in. You mentioned that they are familiar with their dogs escaping so you need to be extra cautious. It’s not as simple as just finding them next door like they told you.
3 days. When I first arrived a lady from the neighborhood next to them was bringing the dogs back to them, they had escaped.
That’s 🚩 so that means you have to watch them even if the yard is fenced.
the edit is so fucking awful i actually hope this owner is banned from using Rover and should have their dogs taken away. she would be RELIEVED if the puggle died in YOUR care??? what an awful awful thing to say to someone that you hired as a pet sitter. i’ve seen some crazyyyy situations on here but this one takes the cake. i wish you the best OP. if it gets any worse i would contact the owner to have her mom take over since she’s always stopping in anyways. you are not getting paid enough to deal with this.
I took it as the owner's mother who drops in randomlysaid this. Not the owner who booked.
Raise prices. Never leave dogs outside unattended even if the owners act like it’s ok — dogs are not predictable away from home. I personally do not take small dogs because they are mouthier and are never crate trained. I also do not take huskies because several have been territorial and aggressive towards my passive dog. Learn from this in the future. Outline on your profile what you want in a dog. Don’t make it sound confrontational but this helps me weed out bad matches too
You don’t leave dogs outside unattended. Period.
In my area many clients have doggie doors and fenced backyards. I've had clients book me for drop-in's only to feed them, and the dogs otherwise wander inside or outside unattended before I'm even there. It just depends on the situation.
Rovers policy specifically states sitters are to supervise outdoors. Even if there’s a dog door, it needs to be closed when she isn’t home or sleeping. Dogs die this way.
We have no control over how owners keep their pets. I’m saying a common practice in my area, which is rural, is that people will have “outside pets”, “inside pets” or both. I’ve had drop-ins where all the clients wanted me to do is make sure there’s food left outside. When the weather is nice, people let their dogs roam. They may be outside when I arrive. So no matter what Rover policy states, it won’t change owner’s practices.
I didn’t say the owner. I said the sitter is required to supervise outdoors. It’s required. Please see above we here my Husky died due to a rover sitter doing the exact same thing. Owners can take calculated risks. Sitters are being paid to watch dogs
That’s a lot of responsibilities!! It suck’s but consider it paying tuition. Next time you meet a new client, you’ll know what questions to ask and what to look for. Taking care of one animal is a lot of work but 4 dogs with 2 being seniors- you got your hands full. Next time, you will know not to take them or have them pay a fair price. Personally for me I don’t do overnights at client’s home at all. It’s way to exhausting.
is that $12.50 per dog per day? or am I doing the math wrong?
I would ask them owner's if the huskies could take calming treats. I watched a puppy husky over the holidays and she was a ton of work. She howled all night and constantly wanted to play fight with dogs that weren't interested. The only saving grace was that she had a crate. Maybe ask the the owners of they will order a crate. So many people lie about their pets on Rover. Just take deep breaths and look forward to the day this booking is over.
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Honestly sounds like the owner knows about everything and is fine with it. Don't stress and try not to make a mountain out of a molehill. The fact that you brought this all up to the owner is very good OP. She knows you need to leave for hours at a time and she is aware that the dogs might destroy something. So go ahead and leave. If the dog destroys something then don't worry about it. Just clean it up when you get home. They are aware that their dogs can get into the neighbor's house and doesn't sound like they are too concerned about them escaping so if they aren't worried about it your should stop worrying about it. It seems like they know a weak spot in their yard which they failed to take care of. 3/4 acre is pretty big yard space. It would be hard for you to keep an eye on all 4 dogs outside with that much space anyways unless it had no furniture or structures. Also they are aware that their senior dog is on its last legs. Just a learning lesson for you any super senior dog is usually going to be a lot of work. Almost just as much as a puppy but with less energy. Worst case scenario, I would suggest that you leave the dogs in the house and you going home to sleep if you aren't able to sleep at theirs. Maybe not for overnight but at least during the day. They can be left alone for some time. If you have the time to go home and get 6-8 hours in, do it. Sleep is so important and won't be able to be a good sitter if you are sleep deprived. The only thing that I would bring attention to the owner about is the mother visiting. The fact that the mother is coming by during your booking is a big no-no. You need to tell the owner that you are there to care for the dogs and that sharing responsibility in their care is a huge risk for you. If it was a drop-in situation, it wouldn't be a big deal but again the drop-ins need to be timed so that you aren't there with them. If the mother needs to show up you need to know when so that you know when to leave the house. Imagine if the mother was her son or her husband. That's a big safety issue and just a no go. All this to say that you got this! I really believe you can make this work and the fact that you showed some of these concerns makes you a pretty good and trusting sitter. Everyone has to start somewhere. All newbies generally have lower rates until they get the reviews to back them up, so it's completely normal.
Thank you so much for the support, you made me feel better. Yes the owner is aware of the situation, they don’t know what they are doing and there’s been zero dog training for these poor dogs. I’ve been leaving the doggie doors open all day. So far they are content to run in and out all day and that works for me! I’m becoming accustomed to the puggle screaming, I had no idea a senior dog would be like taking care of a newborn. Ugh! Never again unless they pay me a lot!
Just one thing to say! I do not like huskies, and I will never sit a Husky for anyone anymore. The only person able to handle a Husky is the owner - honestly no one else has the patience
Yeah they are nuts, I’ve never watched a husky before. Sweet dogs but omg.
MY HUSKY DIED BECAUSE A ROVER SITTER LEFT HER OUTSIDE WHILE SHE SLEPT! This is SO against ToS- you must supervise dogs outside. You leave the house- you go to your house. You NEVER leave dogs unattended outside while sleeping.
You all can down vote me- but it is susupendable behavior. You must supervise dogs outside. Tika would have still been alive had a sitter not decided to leave the dog outdoors overnight. Instead, I came home to a dead husky found floating in a pool. The fact that everyone thinks it’s ok to do this is ridiculous.
Who said I was leaving dogs out overnight? I’m not leaving dogs outside overnight. They sleep with me and go out in the morning when they wake up. I am keeping an eye on them as best I can, they have doggie doors to run in and out of the house and that is what they are accustomed to doing. They come check on me and run back out. There is no pool here so they can’t drown. It’s not possible for me to watch them in the yard, I’d be running laps around the greenhouses and plants trying to keep an eye on them and I’m not doing that. The owners are 100% okay with the way things are.
You said you slept (napped)while they were Locked outdoors. I never said you did it overnight. It’s like literally the first thing you agree to when signing up to sit. Just a month ago, a rover sitter did the same and the dog was stolen from the backyard. I’ve seen countless stories of dogs injured. You are being negligent by locking them outdoors while you sleep. I’m sorry you had a bad sit, but you asked if you did anything wrong.
Damn damn damn. We have all been there. Take a breath, you’re doing the best you can. As for the 11yr old pug that 100% sounds like the condition my dog was in when I finally realized we need to put him to sleep and give his little body a rest. That dog is totally suffering and I can completely relate to having to pick up the dog when it falls over 😭 It’s so much fucking work and it honestly felt like taking care of a newborn. I am thinking of you OP! The good thing about these early mistakes is you will NEVER make them again. I had some horrible early bookings and to add insult to injury made like $20 a night after fees lmfaooo. Give yourself grace.
Thank you! When I did the meet and greet the puggles condition wasn’t as apparent, I guess he was having a good day that day and the owners lied (or they are in denial) about his condition. It is heartbreaking to watch as my own dog is 8 years old now and I couldn’t imagine putting her through this kind of suffering. I cried the first day I was here bc it was so bad. Lesson(s) learned!
>I feel like I’ve done something wrong. you are doing a lot wrong. your pricing is to low. i just finish 2 dogs 10 days and made 1000. You need crates. you put dogs outside while you slept, bad idea. call the mother she can either help or hurt you. 5 hours out of the house is too much.
5 hours out of the house is NOT too much for most dogs - also you don’t know what was discussed between owner/sitter. Suggesting she spend 1/3rd of her money on a crate for a dog who isn’t crate trained is also wild. Crating dogs without an owners consent is wrong. Also not a fix for dogs who bark/howl, and we are talking huskies.
>5 hours out of the house is too much. Nah man. Even for 100/day, you have to accept that the dogsitter will be out for 4-5 hours if the stay is more than 2-3 days.
Obviously there is a lot wrong here but I will say (1) expecting someone to buy crates for housesitting is ridiculous and (2) 5 hours is not too long for most dogs, though the senior can probably be left along much shorter. Should have discussed with owners the time period the dogs are okay alone.
I guess I screwed up, I didn’t know I should stay 24/7, I’m new to dog sitting and I didn’t know the protocol. I thought you could leave if the owners said it was okay. I don’t have crates, do I spend my own money to go buy crates without knowing if I’ll be reimbursed? The owners left only 6 rawhide bones so I’ve already been spending my money on bones for the dogs to keep them busy.
Definitely don't buy crates. You can't just put dogs in crates that have never been crate trained. They are huskies, they \*will\* find a way to eat themselves out of the crate and then you will have a way bigger problem on your hand. It really sucks when this happens, and I had similar situations when I was first starting out. I think you need to just settle in and realize the next 1.5 weeks are going to suck for you, and once you're done you will get your money and be more discerning with your next clients. Honestly, multiple dogs, and especially aging AND young dogs together are a LOT for a new sitter to handle. I would stick with 1-2 pets max at a time until you have more experience and have had some GOOD experiences, to help boost your morale, too. I definitely leave for 5-6 hours a time with some clients, but other clients just cannot handle that. I think you've seen what the dogs in your care can handle, and you have to adjust your expectations now for the rest of the stay. See if you can get grocery delivery, and try to keep the rest of your time there as mellow as possible. If the puppies are big chewers, a super cheap thing to keep them busy is to soak some rags in chicken stock (low or no salt) and then knot up and freeze. Keeps my teething puppy busy for HOURS. Just make sure they are supervised and take away the rags if they start to try to destroy them. These owners honestly sound like they aren't the best, and that is a consequence of having low rates. Take this as a learning experience, and just do the best you can to get through it. I've been there with old dogs keeping me up at night too, it's SO hard. Being sleep deprived and trying to make good decisions gets harder and harder as every day goes on. But just remember this is temporary, and in less than 2 weeks you can go home and get your routine back to normal. You can do this!
I like this pep talk!
Thank you!
Don’t buy crates and don’t stay 24/7 unless you are pricing yourself per day at a full days wages.m, minimum $250/day. Even then you need to be able to leave for a few hours because a full days wages is an 8-9 hour workday, not 24 hours.
buy them and write them off on your taxes. what's more expensive $150 XL crate or all the damages dog can do?
Do not buy crates for someone else’s dogs especially if you do not have their consent as you are in their home not yours. They are most likely not crate trained either and you will just witness endless screaming (and potential injury/escape) because huskies. Sitter isn’t responsible for the damages in the owners home unless they aren’t following care instructions and it’s happening due to that.
F that. OP, do not do this. It doesn't matter how much furniture they destroy, they weren't forthcoming with you, this is not on you. You don't even know if they are crate trained. It would be tossing money out the window.
I'm all for this for a boarding gig but you really shouldn't do this for a house sitting gig. It's the owner's stuff, they know what their dog is capable of destroying. Any damages that the dog does for house sitting cost the sitter nothing. Plus sounds like you are trying to get 1 crate to shove multiple dogs in while at someone else's house. That is all bad especially if they might have a camera inside.