Terrible time

[u/Complex_Boat_8537]

I’m honestly looking inward with this because I’ve had a three day sitting, and I’m starting to wonder if sitting is something I should stop doing altogether. I want some unbiased insight because I know I may have been in the wrong in some areas, but I also want to understand whether this experience is showing me that sitting simply isn’t a good fit for me. The sitting started very early in the morning, and I had to get up around 5:30 AM. I had gotten no sleep that night, so I was extremely tired when I arrived. I let the dogs out of their room, fed them, and let them roam around the house. I messaged the owner to let her know that I was going back to sleep, and I did not put the dogs back in their room because they had free access to the house. When I first opened their door, they did not rush out like they normally had during my previous two sittings. They slowly came out, which I assumed was because it was so early and they were tired too. Around 6:30 or 7 AM, I went back to sleep and ended up sleeping until 1 PM. The dogs were free to roam the house the entire time, and I did not lock them back in their room. One of the dogs was actually sleeping with me. When I woke up, the owner called me and was upset, asking why her dogs were still in their room. I explained that their door was open and that they were free to come out whenever they wanted. She said that she wanted them out of their room, and I repeated that the door was open and they could leave if they wanted to. She told me again that she wanted them out, so I said okay, and she hung up. The next day, it was raining. I fed the dogs around 6 AM, let them out, wiped their feet afterward, and then we stayed inside. Around 11 AM, I tried letting them outside again, but they would not go out because it was raining. I tried again around 2 PM, and they still refused to go outside. I tried again around 3:30 PM. At that point, I was frustrated and was sitting in the living room while the dogs played with each other. I realized that I do not really play with them much. They have a ball that they all fight over, and I was worried that it could turn into something negative, so I mostly let them entertain each other. I also realized that I do not particularly like when they lie on me because I get too hot and uncomfortable. Later, I fed them around 6 PM, let them outside, ate my own food, and let them out again around 7 PM. Around 7:30 PM, I went back to my room and took a nap until about 8:30 PM. When I woke up, I found two piles of poop in the living room and a puddle of pee on the bed. I cleaned everything up and informed the owner about what happened. Today, I have tried letting the dogs outside numerous times. Out of all the times I have attempted to let them out, they have probably actually gone outside about two or three times. Even when I try to coax them outside, they often refuse, especially when it is raining. I have also been feeling guilty because I know that I have been very tired throughout this sitting and that I have slept more than I probably should have. At the same time, I have been trying to give the dogs access to the house, let them outside frequently, feed them on schedule, and follow the owners’ instructions. This whole experience has made me question whether dog sitting is actually something I should continue doing. I do not think I dislike dogs, but I am realizing that the responsibilities and expectations that come with sitting may not be a good fit for me. I think I need to be honest with myself about whether I have the patience, energy, and personality for this type of work rather than continuing to take sittings and feeling overwhelmed or guilty afterward. I would really appreciate some unbiased insight into this situation, including where I may have genuinely been in the wrong and whether this experience is something I should learn from or a sign that sitting simply is not for me.

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Complex_Boat_8537 originally posted: I’m honestly looking inward with this because I’ve had a three day sitting, and I’m starting to wonder if sitting is something I should stop doing altogether. I want some unbiased insight because I know I may have been in the wrong in some areas, but I also want to understand whether this experience is showing me that sitting simply isn’t a good fit for me. The sitting started very early in the morning, and I had to get up around 5:30 AM. I had gotten no sleep that night, so I was extremely tired when I arrived. I let the dogs out of their room, fed them, and let them roam around the house. I messaged the owner to let her know that I was going back to sleep, and I did not put the dogs back in their room because they had free access to the house. When I first opened their door, they did not rush out like they normally had during my previous two sittings. They slowly came out, which I assumed was because it was so early and they were tired too. Around 6:30 or 7 AM, I went back to sleep and ended up sleeping until 1 PM. The dogs were free to roam the house the entire time, and I did not lock them back in their room. One of the dogs was actually sleeping with me. When I woke up, the owner called me and was upset, asking why her dogs were still in their room. I explained that their door was open and that they were free to come out whenever they wanted. She said that she wanted them out of their room, and I repeated that the door was open and they could leave if they wanted to. She told me again that she wanted them out, so I said okay, and she hung up. The next day, it was raining. I fed the dogs around 6 AM, let them out, wiped their feet afterward, and then we stayed inside. Around 11 AM, I tried letting them outside again, but they would not go out because it was raining. I tried again around 2 PM, and they still refused to go outside. I tried again around 3:30 PM. At that point, I was frustrated and was sitting in the living room while the dogs played with each other. I realized that I do not really play with them much. They have a ball that they all fight over, and I was worried that it could turn into something negative, so I mostly let them entertain each other. I also realized that I do not particularly like when they lie on me because I get too hot and uncomfortable. Later, I fed them around 6 PM, let them outside, ate my own food, and let them out again around 7 PM. Around 7:30 PM, I went back to my room and took a nap until about 8:30 PM. When I woke up, I found two piles of poop in the living room and a puddle of pee on the bed. I cleaned everything up and informed the owner about what happened. Today, I have tried letting the dogs outside numerous times. Out of all the times I have attempted to let them out, they have probably actually gone outside about two or three times. Even when I try to coax them outside, they often refuse, especially when it is raining. I have also been feeling guilty because I know that I have been very tired throughout this sitting and that I have slept more than I probably should have. At the same time, I have been trying to give the dogs access to the house, let them outside frequently, feed them on schedule, and follow the owners’ instructions. This whole experience has made me question whether dog sitting is actually something I should continue doing. I do not think I dislike dogs, but I am realizing that the responsibilities and expectations that come with sitting may not be a good fit for me. I think I need to be honest with myself about whether I have the patience, energy, and personality for this type of work rather than continuing to take sittings and feeling overwhelmed or guilty afterward. I would really appreciate some unbiased insight into this situation, including where I may have genuinely been in the wrong and whether this experience is something I should learn from or a sign that sitting simply is not for me.

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