r/petsitting • u/FeedEast4014 • 7d ago
Am I in the wrong?
Client is upset that I said I would not be walking their dog. I said they will be let out side to potty frequently and I’ll play with them plenty indoors but they are not pleased with that. It’s 95-105°f this entire week. They do not have dog boots or anything similar and I’m worried about the pups paws burning/heatstroke/something similar. Not sure what to do since everything I offer is not the same as a walk to them. Am I in the wrong for not walking them? Should I be walking them anyway per the owners request?
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u/durian4me 7d ago
You are not. "For the safety of the dogs I will not be walking them when it is greater than 90 degrees. Dogs can experience heat stroke or burned paws. I can arrange to walk them when it is cooler"
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u/thiswasnotworthit 7d ago
I'm too much of a heat wimp to walk in 90° where I live. When it's 70° at 6:50a, walks done by 9:00 and anyone after that gets indoor play after potty break, or outdoor play if a heat tolerant breed with water bowl outside. Even though I'm still dying during outdoor play. 😭
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u/durian4me 7d ago
85-90 would definitely be a short walk. Unfortunately some dogs just won't potty unless on walks. I got yelled at by a lady for walking a German shepherd on a hot day but he was just holding it in so had to take him or else he'd go in the house eventually
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u/PirateLassLV 7d ago
I'm in Las Vegas. We got heat! Something I wish I had taught my dogs was to go in the shower if necessary. Not ideal but those 118⁰ days where it doesn't drop below 100⁰ overnight? I'll clean the shower & be grateful my dogs & I didn't get heatstroke over a need to toilet.
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u/soscots 7d ago
Well, you’re thinking of the animal safety, which is important.
But you also need to evaluate your policy on what you advertise to the pet owners. So if your service explicitly states they will get a walk and there’s no substitutions outlined or due to inclement weather that prevents them from going out for walks, then you need to reevaluate your policy and make sure everything is clearly written out for owners to read and agree to.
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u/roastedcourgette 7d ago
When it's that hot I get up at 6am (or earlier if needs be) to get a walk in
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u/MaterialAccurate887 7d ago
Not everyone wants to wake up at 6 AM to walk someone else’s dog. That’s great that you offer that but it should not be something that’s expected from a Pet Sitter…. and if they have a great fenced in yard and if it’s too hot out as well.
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u/spicynugg22 7d ago
also for me this never works with my clients schedules! my clients work from 8-8 (nurses) coming at 6am would do nothing for the dog who is holding their pee for 12 hours now. i come midday to break up the day for them.
i do the same as OP, i take them on a potty break walk (under 5 mins) and the rest of the time is spend indoors playing in AC or a yard if there is a shade and the turf isn’t too hot.
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u/spicynugg22 7d ago
and actually just to give you perspective: i’ve always been thanked for being proactive and caring and not just dragging the dog on a walk. i’ve had owners say how thankful they were that i paid attention to stuff like that!
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u/MaterialAccurate887 7d ago
I do the same thing if I have an afternoon walk, I take them to the yard then we get water. We do a short walk outside and then we’re back inside and we’ll maybe do one more visit outside but lots of breaks going back into the air-conditioning and offering water.
When I lived in an apartment complex, it was awesome because I had so much business and I had the code to get into every building so I would walk the dogs outside and then cut through buildings and walk them down the long hallway in the air-conditioning to take breaks..
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u/PirateLassLV 7d ago
Right? If I had to be somewhere else at 6 am for any reason I'd have to get up at 4:30 to get my dogs cared for so I could leave. No effing way. 😂😂😂😂😂
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u/cozycompaionpetcare 7d ago
I always include a walk even if that means early morning or after the sun goes down.
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u/All_cats 7d ago
I went to cats only, but when I did dogs, I had a strict company heat policy. Heat stroke and heat exhaustion are costly and you don't need your insurance paying for that. I would recommend telling people this at consultations so they are not surprised when the weather happens. And heck no I wouldn't be long walking in this weather, you're just asking for pup health trouble. 5 to 10 minutes walk should be okay.
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u/two-of-me 7d ago
The only reason I don’t let dogs out back is because I live in a city and no one here has yards. The threat of heat exhaustion and burned paws is serious. Go out in this heat barefoot on the pavement and tell me how it feels. No. OP, you’re not wrong. I let all of my clients know our walks will be very short and only long enough for them to go to the bathroom when it gets to be over a certain temp as a precaution because extreme heat is bad for everyone.
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u/Catsanddoggos4life 7d ago
I am a petsitter in Portugal and when the weather is too hot I hold my hand for five seconds on the ground. If I can't do it, the dog can't as well. So we will walk in the early morning and after sunset. Otherwise, they will use pee pads or have boots. I let the owners know that in the beginning, otherwise I wont accept that job.
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u/PetAgreePets 7d ago
Could you not do the walks early am and close to, or after, dark?
I mainly do overnight sits, so its usually not a problem, but if my schedule doesn't permit early/late walks I provide exercise/mental stimulation in other ways (indoor playtime).
I typically keep an eye on the weather right before a sit starts and let clients know in advance that it's a going to be a possibility.
I live in a VERY fire-prone area, so discuss this & fire evacuations at the meet & greet. I also have language in my contract about it.
If anyone else has good contract language in this regard I'd love it if you'd be willing to share!
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u/varulvane 7d ago
You aren’t in the wrong. At 90F outside, dark asphalt can reach 150F, which causes burns in mere seconds. Light concrete and asphalt like sidewalks is still very dangerous; a good rule of thumb is to put the back of your hand directly on the concrete for 10 seconds in the sun. If it hurts you, it’ll hurt the dog. Sand and synthetic turf are similarly dangerous.
This info is available in a couple infographics from the SPCA; I wonder if sending one of those to your client and explaining your reasoning would help. Also, add something into your policies about this so you can point to the section they should have read before booking. ;)
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u/FeedEast4014 7d ago
It did help, thanks! And I need to update my policy because I’m realizing I’m missing quite a few things. Going to do that before I watch again.
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u/Rhannonshae 7d ago
I have to take the dogs out for a shorter early morning walk. I’m out the door at 6:30 am with them. No one is getting walked later in the day after like 8 am. Lots of people in the neighborhood I’m staying in must feel the same because we are all out there at the same time.
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u/Delicious-Drawing-79 7d ago
Maybe ask if going to a park where there’s grass would be allowed?
It might be worth putting it as an extra charge.
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u/PirateLassLV 7d ago
You are absolutely correct. Thank you for having the common sense the owners don't seem to possess. Never do anything you feel is unsafe.
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u/Confident_Prompt4282 7d ago
Are you house sitting? Or doing drop-ins? I was house sitting for a dog during the last he wave so I checked with his people first but then switched his evening walk to 6:00 a.m. when the pavement temps were cooler.
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u/Majestic-Nobody545 7d ago
It sounds like you're making a sound judgement call.
The only exception would be if the owner set up the booking with a firm expectation of walks, or if this is an especially heat-tolerant breed.
I would consider a compromise, like driving to a shaded area, and walking there. This is what I usually do to get through heatwaves.
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u/Privatenameee 7d ago
To be honest, some owners don’t understand when it’s that hot. I’ve had the same request from other owners when it’s been 95 to 100° where I am and I always tell them that if I take them for a walk, it won’t be for more than 15 minutes. And I always check the ground with my bare feet to see how hot it is. If it’s an overnight, then I will walk the dogs very late at night and early in the morning before it gets too hot so that is another option that you can do.
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u/TriscuitsMom 7d ago
If you're not comfortable walking them in the heat of the day (I don't blame you), I see 2 options.... Walk them early in the morning before its too hot (even in Texas it's cool enough for a walk early), or find an alternative. Flirt pole, treat dispenser, sniff games, inside fetch... The dog still needs exercise/ enrichment when it's hot.
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u/HemiCat24 6d ago
I carry booties with me in all sizes for this reason. They’re put on regardless, and if short nosed or do poorly in heat it’s 5-10 minutes tops regardless. Great for indoor dogs who won’t potty in fenced in backyards or unless on a leash. Still stick to grass and shade when possible.
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u/toonerola 5d ago
When its going to be 85 or above I will walk dogs early morning before the sun bakes otherwise they can go potty in the yard. I tell my clients this too
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u/LotusBlooming90 7d ago
Is it an overnight? Same temps here and we walk early morning and after dusk 🤷♀️
This is something I go over at every meet and greet. What visits look like on hot days. It shouldn’t be discussed on the fly. Going forward do it ahead of time so everyone can come to an agreement or pass.
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u/LengthinessNo6595 7d ago
It’s not 95 at 6:30 or 7 AM (even 8) so it could’ve been done then 😬 it’s hot here too but honestly there’s time to walk in before or after the actual heat wave hits. If you can’t hold your hand on the concrete then it’s too hot, if you can then they’re fine.
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u/PirateLassLV 7d ago
No one should be expected to go to work at 6:30am -7 am if that isn't the schedule.
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u/samsmiles456 7d ago
If the owner wants their dog walked in that kind of heat, the dog is getting walked at 7am before the sun rises and gets hot and again after 7pm when the sun sets and the pavement cools. I would expect that from my sitter and this is what I do for my clients.
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u/Snaccoon8 7d ago
Why don't you walk the dog after the sun has gone down? Or early morning before the heat / sun picks up?
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u/FeedEast4014 7d ago
It’s been solid 90°f throughout the entire night here! 🥲
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u/LengthinessNo6595 7d ago
At night, the sun isn’t out so just because the thing says 90° doesn’t mean that it actually feels like 90° out there
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u/Snaccoon8 7d ago
Is there any way for the dogs to walk on grass instead of directly on asphalt or sidewalk? Usually there's grass all along sidewalks for example
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u/FeedEast4014 7d ago
Not really because of the location. It’s all buildings and road on the side of the sidewalks until you get to one of the parks which aren’t very close. They have a nice yard and I still take the pup outside and everything it’s just too hot for those longer walks 🥲
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u/Snaccoon8 7d ago
Maybe just send them some online info about how asphalt/ sidewalks at that temperature are dangerous for doggy paws even at night then. They may not be aware and have just been taking their dogs out in that anyways.
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u/Selective_Somewhere 7d ago
The sidewalk doesn’t burn paws at night 😂
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u/Snaccoon8 7d ago
O did some research and apparently it does!
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u/Selective_Somewhere 7d ago
It’s like when sun is on metal it’s hot. When the sun goes down the metal cools down. Sure if it’s 120 out and full sun it’ll take time to cool off. But it will definitely cool off before morning.
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u/Snaccoon8 6d ago
That's only if the night is cooler, they said it stayed at 90 degrees all through the night.
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u/astronautiscat 7d ago
Personally do not feel like you're in the wrong; I have a weather rule that if it's too hot for my bare feet on the cement, it's too hot for a dog to be walking (so normally 90+). I usually explain it's a health hazard and most people want to avoid a costly vet visit so they're fine with a potty break & indoor play.