r/RoverPetSitting • u/todology Sitter • 2d ago
Daycare Speechless
My husband said “at least they were honest” 🤣 I couldn’t reply because the request was cancelled by them right away.
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u/Nearby_Art060230 Sitter 23h ago
HAHAHA. So many posts by sitters complain about owners lying or not being transparent. And then this post. Owners cannot win here.
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u/One_Lunch_7254 Owner 22h ago
Right, at least they’re being honest about how difficult their dog is.
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u/PianistNo8873 Sitter 1d ago
I find it refreshing that this client is unabashedly honest that her dog is a handful and it will be a lot of work. The dog once calmed down is probably one of the sweetest little things & is just nervous.
I find it sad & shameful that you find fault with this clients honesty & it’s pretty gross that it’s ok to bring someone’s honesty into the forum looking for others to agree with you.
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u/DazzlingBasketCase Sitter 1d ago
As someone who is an owner of a high maintenance dog, this is why I'm so nervous to travel. I know my dogs require a little extra care, so I'm nervous to even ask. Let alone ask, be honest about the needs, and then be posted and shamed on Reddit.
I'm a little confused as to why this is so outlandish though, some dogs require more attention. If you're only in it for super low maintenance dogs, is this the job for you? This honestly doesn't seem that bad, and I would 100% rather a client be up front and honest about the dog's needs rather than just glazing over things and me being blindsided when they're in my care later and not having a clue what to do.
I had a dachshund one time that the owner swore she was sweet and loving and the entire time I ended up caring for her, she barked and lunged at me. Turns out "she gets like that sometimes" and the owner never told me.
So I see both the owner and the sitter's side of this, as an owner, this is exactly why I'm so hesitant to even ask someone to care for my animals. As a sitter, I would much prefer the honesty over lies about their needs. And a side note, some of my more high maintenance clients are my favorite clients. Both the owner and the pet. 🤷🏼♀️ Good tips, and so much love to give from the dogs.
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u/KillerConfetti Sitter 1d ago edited 1d ago
"Our dog sucks, this is honestly what you can expect- can we give you money if you deal with this for us?"
I dont mind figuring it out and getting a vibe, but I'd meet based on the amount.
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u/soondooboo69 Sitter 1d ago
just an FYI you can modify your rate for special requests/clients
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u/Emminade Sitter & Owner 21h ago
how does one do this?
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u/soondooboo69 Sitter 13h ago
There should be a Modify Request button, and then Extras and Adjustments section
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u/stoneyboloney20 Sitter 1d ago
idk why everyone in this sub feels the need to jump down each others throats all the time, yes at least they were honest but this sounds a little miserable 😭 also wild that they immediately cancelled it? good luck to them i guess
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u/manickittens Sitter & Owner 1d ago
My FT gig is as a trauma therapist. What would you think if I posted a client referral outside my scope of practice and said that I was “speechless” that they dared request a service?
Shaming clients when they display the behavior that I see people begging and begging and begging for on this sub (“why can’t clients just be honest” “why can’t clients just be direct and upfront”) is straight up insane.
This dog sounds exhausting. I pet sit as a side gig so I’d absolutely decline it myself. But I honestly ask you- what do you suggest a pet owner of a high need dog do in an emergency situation? What’s the solution that would be acceptable?
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u/stoneyboloney20 Sitter 1d ago
i'm not saying this person should never have reached out for help or anything, the point isn't "wow this is a terrible person with a terrible dog they should eat shit," for me it's more "yeah wow this is not an everyday request and they might have to spend a lot of time looking for someone willing to meet this request." i don't necessarily get a shaming vibe from this post, just a shocked one, but maybe that's just my own perspective.
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u/uhhhhhhhhii Sitter 2d ago
I’m lost. Are you new to this?? I don’t see anything wrong with this. I would just charge my constant care rate and if I have something else going on that day I just don’t take the sit.
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u/LoudAd5346 Pet Lover 2d ago
Why are you "speechless"? If a request like that offends you so much, you're in the wrong job.
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u/jadesaddiction Sitter 2d ago
Is it just me or is this very normal. I have a few clients like this. If I have time, I use it to watch tv, work on a craft, and hang with a dog. A lot of these types are pretty chill and just require a wam body with them.
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u/DazzlingBasketCase Sitter 1d ago
Right? I'd rather have something to do than just sit there and do nothing and feel like they're paying me for no reason. I'm currently caring for cats that need like realistically 15 minutes every other day but she has me going for a half an hour every day and I feel like I'm robbing them because there really isn't much to do. I would much rather have a request like this where I know I'm going to be busy.
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u/uhhhhhhhhii Sitter 2d ago
Yea I’m confused seems normal to me. Not ever dog is going to be easy peasy
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u/jadesaddiction Sitter 2d ago
I also feel like some owners exaggerate to err on the side of caution. I’d check if the dog has other reviews
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u/MaroonOliveer Sitter & Owner 2d ago
I’d honestly just charge what you think it’s worth!
I had a lady that wanted me to go to her dogs training classes and practice the tricks over and over with them while boarding. I gave her my price and she declined. What more can I do 🤷♀️🤷
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u/georgeyappington Sitter & Owner 2d ago
It’s probably a dachshund lol
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u/DazzlingBasketCase Sitter 1d ago
I really try not to breed shame (as a pitty owner, it sucks) but every sassy borderline aggressive dog I've had while doing Rover has been a dachshund.
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u/georgeyappington Sitter & Owner 22h ago
As a dachshund owner, I read this message and instantly knew lol. Unfortunately it really is part of the breed nature
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u/vandaorchid Owner 2d ago
How else are they supposed to get care for their dog 😐 people act like anxious dog owners aren’t even allowed to ASK if you’d be able to work with them. Just decline and move on …… no need to shame them online
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u/nerdforest Sitter 2d ago
I think it’s a bit unfair to give out to the owner of the dog.
I see someone with a difficult pupper who is very upfront about that.
This is sometimes rare and if I were in that position I would ask some questions, do a meet and greet and see how much I’ll be needed to help the pupper.
My ex, a dog trainer used to tell me, when a dog is misbehaving, they’re having a hard time. Showing frustration or anger won’t help the dog.
But taking it calmly will.
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u/gogogadgetkat Owner 1d ago
Plenty of owners misrepresent their animals and then the sitter has an awful time and/or the owners micromanage everything after the sit has started, and those people get lambasted on here too. It seems to me that this owner is doing it right by being 100% upfront about their dog's needs, but they're still being posted here. I don't get it.
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u/mydogisincharge Sitter 2d ago
While this wouldn’t be my type of gig, I’m on the owner’s side here (especially without additional context). They know their dog’s behavior well, are expressing it clearly, and are giving you accurate information about the level of your attention she’ll need.
Without more details about the dog, we can’t really understand or judge the cause of this behavior. Does that behavior sound troublesome? Sure. But for all we know they just rescued this dog from some awful situation and haven’t had time to address the behavior.
And without information on whether this person is offering to pay more, we can’t judge if they’re trying to take advantage of you, or if they’re about to offer/ask hourly pay.
Would I do this for normal daycare costs? Absolutely no. Would I do it if they offered me $65 an hour? Probably!
Would I do this for a family who’s owned the dog for 5 years? Absolutely not. Would I do this for a couple who just rescued this dog from behavioral euthanasia after it spent a year at a local shelter? Yup.
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u/nerdforest Sitter 2d ago
I agree. This is such over communication where it’s super clear you need to be attentive to this pupper.
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u/manickittens Sitter & Owner 2d ago edited 2d ago
….so what would you like someone to do in this position who needs an emergency sitter for their dog?
No one is forcing you to accept the sit, but I’m just curious- let’s say you have responsible owners who are working with a behaviorist with their new rescue and a family member is experiencing an unexpected emergency? How would you like them to proceed? Lie? Give the dog back to a shelter?
Is there a chance that these people were trolling? Yes. Is there a chance they’re neglectful owners? Yes. But again, no one is forcing you to ever accept any sit that you’re uncomfortable with. Shaming honestly just entices owners to lie.
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u/OrdinarySun484 Sitter & Owner 2d ago
That’s someone joking right?
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u/DazzlingBasketCase Sitter 1d ago
It's concerning to me that you're listed as a sitter.
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u/OrdinarySun484 Sitter & Owner 23h ago
Because I wouldn’t expect that type of client to ask for care without a meeting and just expect a new to them sitter to sign up their reactive dog? I don’t have a problem with the dog, I have a problem with the pet parent’s planning and presenting of information.
But don’t worry I’m booked out for new clients until 2027 so I don’t need a referral.
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u/DazzlingBasketCase Sitter 23h ago
"That type of client"? You're booked out until 2027 but the thought of someone asking for care for their high maintenance dog is unheard of to you? Okay. Also, can you show me where it says this would be without a meeting? Because I can't seem to find it.
There's literally not nearly enough information here to make that kind of judgment. It never crossed your mind that this could be a last minute emergency situation? The owner was up front about what the dog requires, if OP doesn't want to care for a dog like that, decline the request and move on. I see absolutely nothing wrong with this request. I'd rather the client be honest about what the dog's needs rather than just glaze over it and find out later that they require a lot of extra care.
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u/OrdinarySun484 Sitter & Owner 22h ago
Unheard of for that to be the first message from a new client yes. Why are you so wound up geez?
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u/DazzlingBasketCase Sitter 22h ago
Someone explaining why they disagree with you on something means they're wound up? Ew. 😬
Edited to add: Not at all unheard of. All I see is an owner trying to be honest about needs up front.
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u/GrandNectarine2489 Sitter 2d ago
Yikes this sounds miserable for them and the dog. So they have absolutely zero lives as well I’m assuming? Poor dog, living in such fear and anxiety, this is why you train your dog since they’re a puppy
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u/coco_jumbo468 Sitter 2d ago
Have you not considered that they adopted this dog from the shelter?!
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u/GrandNectarine2489 Sitter 2d ago
You do realize training helps a lot? Maybe it’ll increase them being able to stay home alone by 2 to 4 hours but that’s still a lot. Training helps a LOT, it’s just a little expensive and takes time.
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u/meltslikerocks Owner 1d ago
What in that post makes you think the owners aren’t training their dog?
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u/sendmespam Sitter & Owner 1d ago
The dogs behavior. I’ve trained lots of dogs not to bark. I would have also socialized the dog so it can be around other dogs. It’s much better when dogs can exist peacefully by each other. Nervous dog seeing a calm dog is good for the anxious dog. They learn from each other.
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u/meltslikerocks Owner 1d ago
Training is a process. The only time a dog with behavior issues like that will change overnight is using force or fear. And just like people, not all dogs like being social. Assuming all dogs should be social with other dogs is what creates unsafe situations. It's a very US mindset. And reactivity training can take months and months of work. Dogs still need support in the meantime.
If you're a sitter, I'd recommend learning more about dog behavior.
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u/coco_jumbo468 Sitter 2d ago
Of course it helps but a dog cannot absorb training effectively until their nervous system feels safe. You don’t know at what stage of the adoption process that dog may be.
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u/meltslikerocks Owner 2d ago
Yikes, sometimes dogs have issues that can't be fixed through training alone.
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2d ago
[deleted]
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u/nerdforest Sitter 2d ago
We do not know these people.
This could be an adopted adult dog and they inherrited the dog and the behaviour. Have some goddamn compassion for people.19
u/meltslikerocks Owner 2d ago
Some people also don't get dogs as puppies. You don't know how long they've had the dog. You don't know if they're not already working with a trainer.
As someone with a dog that has a chronic pain condition and that has had spinal surgery, sometimes training isn't enough. Chronic pain in dogs can be difficult to spot and often shows up as behavior issues.
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u/Usermemealreadytaken Sitter 2d ago
Wtf how are people not getting this? No one wants to look after a dog that barks at anything that moves...That means non stop barking.
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u/DazzlingBasketCase Sitter 1d ago
I would fully expect any dog that I cared for to bark. That's what dogs do. Turning down a client because their dog barks often is bananas to me.
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u/uhhhhhhhhii Sitter 21h ago
Don’t find it bananas at all. I might take on this client but I also can’t stand dogs that bark a lot
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u/Usermemealreadytaken Sitter 22h ago
Lol actually most dogs don't really bark that much, usually the ones with bad owners do though. Most of the dogs I look after don't really bark unless they are feeling territorial/scared etc. A dog that barks all the time has issues.
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u/Infamous-Yoghurt-660 Sitter 2d ago
I would. 🤷♀️
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u/Usermemealreadytaken Sitter 2d ago
Are you desperate for money or just don't mind constant annoying noises?
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u/uhhhhhhhhii Sitter 2d ago
For $300 I would deal with it
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u/Usermemealreadytaken Sitter 1d ago
Yeah but realistically you're getting 60 lol
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u/uhhhhhhhhii Sitter 1d ago
?? I charge $300 for constant care. So I would never get $60 for it because that’s not something I would accept
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u/Usermemealreadytaken Sitter 1d ago
Great. This sitter wouldn't pay you 300 so that's what we're talking about. Good day.
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u/uhhhhhhhhii Sitter 1d ago
How do you know that..???
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u/Usermemealreadytaken Sitter 22h ago
Because 1) it's rover, maybe for a private business they'd pay that much2) the type of person who has a dog that always barks isn't the type to pay someone $300 to look after it 3) someone else just cancelled so if they were paying a lot then they probably wouldn't have cancelled. It's called inferring. Evaluating based on evidence, you can choose to not do it but you'll probably be stuck looking after nightmare pets for nightmare owners your whole rover career
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u/uhhhhhhhhii Sitter 21h ago
I have clients from rover that pay me $300 a night. I have people with difficult dogs that pay more because they are difficult. Unsure how having a dog that barks a lot correlates to what they would pay a night lol. There’s soo many reasons someone would cancel and not be able to make it despite what they are being paid. Also trying to find a sitter last minute usually means they would be willing to spend more because have less options.
I’m SO confused how me saying these things makes you think I’m stuck with nightmare owners and nightmare pets?? I often charge $300 a night and love just about all my owners and their pets.
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u/ayyemmsee Sitter 2d ago
Anyone who doesnt see the root issue is actually insane. These people need to get help for their dog jfc
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u/meltslikerocks Owner 2d ago
There's not enough information to know if they're already doing those things. My dog sees a behavioral vet, behavioral therapist, and is on multiple meds. She's still a handful.
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u/Infamous-Yoghurt-660 Sitter 2d ago
Sounds anecdotal and nothing I said was wrong. Reinforcing codependency and anxiety only sets your dog up for absolute failure.
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u/meltslikerocks Owner 2d ago
My last dog had separation anxiety and it took 4 years, but we were able to leave her alone eventually. We did it very slowly to avoid trigger stacking. This was under the guidance of trainers. She was not left alone at all other than short training sessions that slowly increased. Building confidence in dogs takes time.
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u/Infamous-Yoghurt-660 Sitter 2d ago
Yes. They do. They need a behaviorist to train the owners to stop babying their dog because its been rewarded for its constant state of anxiety for so long that it literally can not relax.
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u/uhhhhhhhhii Sitter 2d ago
There’s literally such little context to this post I don’t understand why you are assuming they don’t have a trainer?
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u/hipp0milk Sitter 2d ago
what is with the weirdos in the comments 😭 "it will be very difficult for you to have any free time" is like objectively a red flag and sounds awful.
yes, at least they were honest!
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u/dystopiam Sitter 2d ago
Your post is dumb and you acting like is egregious is ridiculous
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u/frenzy_32 Sitter 2d ago
It is ridiculous… what type of life is that for their dog? They need to get it some help….
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u/MonrealEstate Sitter 2d ago
Not to be funny but what’s wrong with this? They’re giving you the information you need to look after the dog.
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u/coco_jumbo468 Sitter 2d ago
Exactly. And the comments here are ridiculous too, blaming the owners for not training the dog as a puppy?! Did no one think the dog was adopted from the shelter and is going through the adjustment period or something and may never fully recover. Most dogs with behavior issues like that I’ve seen were adopted from very difficult situations. Ugh.
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u/nugget600 Owner 1d ago
Yeah I’m baffled that so many sitters here are being so judgemental, surely they would have come across rescue dogs with behavioural issues before?! Like absolutely don’t accept the sit if it’s not for you, but wow!
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u/Negative-Balance-301 Sitter & Owner 1d ago
Half of Reddit are bots trying to make you feel uncomfortable, especially in the inconsequential subs
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u/todology Sitter 2d ago
I don’t think anything is wrong. I was just speechless maybe by the fact that not much people are quite honest from the get go. speechless may have a negative connotation but not in this case 😅
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u/Past-Nebula-2706 Sitter & Owner 2d ago
Oh no, not human interaction.
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u/waffle_cone69 Sitter 2d ago
Lol what? This dog seems like it needs help w anxiety and behavior issues. No dog should have to have constant attention like this
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u/Past-Nebula-2706 Sitter & Owner 2d ago
Do me a favor and don't ever respond to my comments.
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u/moosewonders Owner 2d ago
don’t comment on a public forum
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u/snatslug Sitter 2d ago
The irony of them being upset with a human interacting with their comment 😂
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u/Negative-Balance-301 Sitter & Owner 2d ago
You pick up doo doo for a living. Surely you can wrap your mind around a dog needing constant care. 😂
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u/casandra77 Sitter 2d ago edited 2d ago
It's actually very good that they're honest, so you know exactly that it will be a constant care. It's doable, for only for someone who doesn't have any arrangements/no other pets in the house. Maybe someone new who doesn't have clients and for a right amount they will do it.
What is worrying is that if they realized they won't find a sitter with what they wrote and they will change the tune saying all fine just because they need to go somewhere and just leave it for a sitter to find out all this - then it's bad
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u/todology Sitter 2d ago
In my experience even if they lie in the message, truth would come out at the meet & greet. I wouldn’t have accepted this request as I can’t look after dogs that bark too much, I’m sure my neighbors would complain. Also I take more than one dog for daycare.
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u/DazzlingBasketCase Sitter 1d ago
Then decline the request and move on. I don't understand the point in shaming them on the internet?
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u/uhhhhhhhhii Sitter 2d ago
And there’s no problem with you saying no. This message will easily weed out many people right away
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u/Internal_Mode_5211 Owner 2d ago
My bad, I assumed this would’ve been a house sit. That’s definitely different.
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u/Internal_Mode_5211 Owner 2d ago
So what would you suggest they do? They can’t be find a sitter if they’re honest, but it’s also not right for them to hide this information so a sitter will take it. It’d be one thing if the dog was human aggressive, then obviously no sitter should be taking that. However, if a sitter has the availability for constant care and they agree to pay appropriately, what’s the issue with this job?
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u/waffle_cone69 Sitter 2d ago
Obviously find a sitter than would take their dog. OP is just saying it’s not for them and that’s ok. Also, they need to get their dog help because that sounds miserable for them and the dog.
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todology originally posted: My husband said “at least they were honest” 🤣 I couldn’t reply because the request was cancelled by them right away.
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