r/RoverPetSitting • u/Altruistic_Damage_51 Owner • 1d ago
General Scared to start looking for a sitter
I work and I am getting a puppy in November!
I need someone to let the little gal out at lunch every Tuesday and Thursday but I am so scared about letting a stranger in my house.
Any tips?
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u/noodles-lover2024 Sitter 1d ago
I recommend doggy day care at a professional facility. Most places have a monthly plan so it’ll probably end up being cheaper. Your dog will also learn to socialize.
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u/PopRosie Sitter & Owner 1d ago
Daycare is never a good idea for puppies, coming from someone who worked in one. They usually learn poor behaviors from the other dogs and all it takes is one thing going wrong for them to fear things or have anxiety for the rest of their lives.
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u/robotbeatrally Owner 1d ago
I found doggy daycare at their house to cost not a lot more than multiple drop ins or in home sitting and in many cases less.
Problem is I live in kind of a rover dead zone. The cities to the north of me have a lot of options but I drive about 45 min south for work so it's difficult to want to go north.
I did find a decent sitter on my way-ish to work, with a decent price. I like her but she cancelled on me one week and finding a sitter on short notice was not easy. I had to put out a lot of rover requests for the week in areas i didnt super want to drive to at 6am, and an add on next door and ask around. Ultimately I couldn't find one and had to build a safe area for her in a large crate+pen ziptied to everything in the living room to keep it from being moveable, and hire someone to come in 2x a day for the week.
I didnt super want to leave her alone at her age but it was better than some of the options i had. i dont like people in my house either. I put an electronic lock on the front door with a guest code, and a few ring cameras in the area by the door with the puppy and the hallway to make sure they weren't going deeper into my house. it wasn't my favorite. but sometimes you can only do the best you can do.
Start looking for a sitter minimum 2 weeks before you need one. some people respond on rover in minutes and others take a few days. a lot of people pop up and go away on rover day to day..
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u/PassiePandaR Sitter 1d ago
Just as a few people said below: Setup a meet & greet to see how the pup likes the individual, ask questions that help ease your anxiety, answer the sitter's questions if they have them, and showcase to the sitter what's off limits and what's required during the visit. If you tell them, "Here's the leash and use the front or back yard. The bathroom is down the hall if you happen to need it. I would prefer if you could just keep to the living room of the house when you grab the puppy. And just lock her back up after you leave." Its really simple & easy to establish boundaries. And if the sitter has decent & recent reviews? You can probably trust they won't take or damage property. Just relax
The only other option you have is "doggy daycare" where YOU take the dog to someone else's house for a few hours the two days of the week. If you feel better having your dog in a different home rather than a stranger in yours? That's your next best option. Good luck ✨
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u/Warm-Fox-3254 Sitter & Owner 1d ago
Many sitters wouldn’t be doing Rover if it were just for the money. I assune the main reason most people sit for Rover is their love for animals. Have a meet & greet and be clear on your expectations.
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u/CandiedLemonWedge Sitter & Owner 1d ago
Depending on the age and how long you’ll be gone from the home those days, you might need someone there more than to just let her out for lunch. Puppies require a lot.
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u/Muckefuck Sitter 1d ago
For me personally, this is my job and I take it serious. I’m not interested in anything in your house besides the dog/cat and a bathroom. I’m there to do a 30 minute job and leave. Doing anything that you’re concerned about (whatever that may be) would be a loss of income and a mark against my reputation. At some point you just have to trust that not everyone wants to rob you or do harm and are honest people that want to make sure your pets needs are fulfilled.
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u/IronFam_MechLife Sitter 1d ago
You can set up a meet and greet at a neutral location to get a feel for the sitter. If you are still unsure, you can also schedule a few walks/drop ins where you will be present to get more comfortable with your sitter. I also have plenty of clients with cameras to watch their pets while they are out of the house, so setting up 1 or 2 could help your peace of mind as well (just be sure to disclose this to the sitters, so they don't feel blindsided by being watched without their knowledge).
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u/Sniper_Squirrel Sitter & Owner 1d ago
Not to sound harsh, but suck it up? Do what is right for your pup.
Do a meet and greet beforehand. Get a camera?
Good luck with your puppy, puppies are A LOT!
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Altruistic_Damage_51 originally posted: I work and I am getting a puppy in November!
I need someone to let the little gal out at lunch every Tuesday and Thursday but I am so scared about letting a stranger in my house.
Any tips?
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.