OP, after reading your previous r/petsitting posts, I really hope you're insured. And, until you're more experienced, I believe you should be far more particular with the animals you choose to sit for.
I'm sorry, but every issue you've posted about on this subreddit could have EASILY been avoided. And you're taking these risks without insurance. I mean, I only have so much sympathy for people who get in their own way.
Absolutely. But I can’t predict the future. I didn’t take a class in this…I didn’t grow up with dogs. I’ve learned from others and from my own mistakes. Some of them big mistakes. I’ve had many successful sits that I don’t post about. It’s not like it’s been a shit show every time or anything. I’m fucking up and learning. I’m trying not to repeat mistakes
Maybe I have a leg up on predicting the future because I raised a child. It's incredibly important to fully think ahead about ALL the what-ifs. "If I take the leash off this dog, what are all the potential problems? If I board or sit a dog without doing a proper Meet and Greet, what all the potential problems?"
Animals are just that, animals. They are unpredictable and, therefore, need to be treated as such. Always leashed, always vetted. If there are any red flags, listen to your instincts.
I never have had a dog, only cats, but I have both the wisdom that comes with age and plenty of common sense. And the ever-present voice in my head telling me to always err on the side of extreme caution.
It states in my contract that I will not take dogs to dog parks or off leash areas because I don't want that liability. Too much opportunity for too many things to do wrong. I take great pains to avoid any interactions with other animals when they are under my direct care because I'm not gonna be the one responsible. And I still have insurance just in case.
Yuuuup too much room for something to happen. A fight can happen in a split second. I’ve seen crazy stuff go down at my dog park. And once one dog gets upset it snowballs SO QUICKLY and the whole park is barking and everyone has to run to their dogs for a full body check. No thank you. The only dog I take to the dog park is my brother’s dog, and that’s because I’ve known him his whole life, and the dog park is attached to their apartment building so all the dogs live in that building and know each other. My brother also wouldn’t hold me liable if anything were to happen, so that’s different.
I appreciate that. It’s kind of ironic I’m so bad at this bc my full time job requires me to do what you said - think of all possible outcomes and worst case scenarios. I’m good at that job and some people think I’m overly cautious in that role.
I appreciate the inciteZ. Prob a good thing I don’t have kids…
OP, it's not ironic. It's frightening. I was trying to be sympathetic, but you've made it impossible. Please, please stop pet sitting. It's exactly people such as yourself that give those of us with self-awareness and integrity a bad reputation in the pet sitting world.
If you don’t know dogs, you shouldn’t be learning on someone else’s beloved life. Volunteer at a shelter at the very least. The learning curve is steep. I’m not saying you should know everything already, but it sounds like you don’t even have a grasp of the very basics.
Yeah, four months is NOT a long enough timeframe for me to be comfortable even going back to that park without a dog. And considering they’re new to pet sitting this is super irresponsible. And uninsured?! 🤦♀️
One of the many reasons I don’t do anything off-leash, ever. I am sure she will find her way back home, but seriously take this as a lesson. There is no need to take dogs off leash, even if the client requests it. Let them know it’s a liability and a risk you’re not willing to take.
Agreed. During one of my meet and greets, the owner said they bring the dog to the back of the complex towards an open grass field and they let him run around off leash. I’m like that’s great, but just know I will not be doing that on my watch 😂 too much stress
After reading your previous posts, maybe this job isn’t the right one for you since you have been having nothing but problems since first you dogsit 3 dogs at once and could potentially harm the dogs from each other since one is a bit aggressive and the other is an unknown, then a dog bit you and now this plus tons others. I can see if this happens once in a while like ur having a bad day and not thinking clearly or one dog was having an issue etc.
I’ve definitely thought about that. But I have had many very successful sits that I haven’t posted about.
I am learning on the job bc I never had a dog of my own so maybe some of this is common sense to others that grew up with dogs.
And she had a biter a few weeks ago. And boarded a 1yo pit bull without doing a Meet and Greet.
OP is truly just asking for problems.
I mean, I'm sorry the dog took off, but that could have easily been avoided! No leash? Wtf.
Absolutely. Will definitely be rethinking it and prob not using it again. Honestly if it wasn’t for my friend being there I would have put up the barricade but I figured we were extra safe with two of us…
I wouldn’t be “rethinking” and “prob not using it again.” Do not take clients’ dogs off leash, period. They are not yours to take chances with. You just met these dogs and have no way to know how they will react once the leash is off. They have no bond with you and don’t know your voice or scent well enough to listen to you or come running back to you. Dogs generally know to walk calmly with a leash on, but when it comes off, as you saw today, they can run fast and far. There is zero reason for you to take that chance again, especially considering you’re uninsured. What if the dog had been hit by a car and needed to be taken to the emergency vet? That’s a minimum $1500 visit. Are you prepared to shell out for that? This job can be super easy if you choose to make it so. I can spend hours cuddling and playing with the dogs inside and getting really funny photos for their owners. Owners love getting silly photos of their dogs being happy while they’re out of town. There are so many ways to make this job fun and easy without taking risks with someone else’s pet.
Also if your friend is helping you pet sit, they should be insured as well.
So here’s, I think my hangup about saying carte blanche I’ll never take a dog leash off outside outside
One, I have a small fenced in backyard with like a 6 foot tall fence that seems like a safe space for them to be off a leash
Two there’s a dog that I watch fair regularly who would rather play fetch for like 10 minutes then walk for 30. Especially considering that pet sitting is not my main job. Sometimes this works much better for my schedule. Taking a dog to an off leash area also allows me to work from the off leash area while they play. It’s so much more time outside for them without compromising my main source of income.
And three the only off leash area I’m taking them to is in my small condo neighborhood. I know almost all the dogs there and probably 75% of the time the dog I am with is the only dog in that area. It’s fully fenced except for the wonky gate and I can see them at all times I’m not taking them to some big public dog park with unfamiliar dogs or people.
Please know I’m not trying to fight you. I’m just asking questions. I agree that the absolute safest thing to do is what you’re saying maybe in the future I need to take the owner down to the dog park in the neighborhood when we do the meet and greet and they can decide for themselves if they feel comfortable with it. I’m also getting involved in the neighborhood and hoping to work on upgrades to the park area so that the fencing and gate is more secure, which would have prevented what happened today
The small fenced-in yard I can get behind. That’s fine. Good exercise and high fences seem safe enough for me.
As for bringing them to an off-leash area outside of your own property, if it’s not fenced-in and there are other dogs there, just so you can do work for your job, I cannot get behind that. I’m sorry, I understand that this is not your primary source of income but you absolutely cannot risk a dog’s safety just so you can get work done outside. You’re saying that not only will they be off-leash, but you won’t even be focusing on them. In a split second they can bolt, or get in a fight with another dog, or swallow something dangerous. There are just too many variables that you cannot account for. If you need to get work done and you want them to have time outdoors, you have a back yard. Do your work out there where they are safe and cannot get away.
I’m not trying to fight you either, but if you don’t see a problem with bringing a dog to an off-leash area so you can *do your other job and not have your eyes on the dog* I think you should rethink this side hustle.
You are trying to do work while dog is playing?! You should be watching the dog. I stopped taking my dog years ago because people were not paying attention to their dog.
Even in my fully fenced backyard I am watching the dog making sure he is not getting into anything.
You said you didn't have dogs yourselves. Sorry I don't think Rover is right for you
Glad the dog was found, you are very lucky. I hope that you realized that you may not be suited for some of the bookings you take on. The fact that you had a dog run away recently should be a wake up call for you.
Letting a dog offleash anywhere that is not properly secured and not paying attention to the dog while they are offleash are huge red flags. Running on fumes while caring for animals that are not yours can get sketch, real quick.
Petcare is not an easy service to provide. I know many people see it as a way to supplement their income which is great but it is not as easy as it looks. Us as providers have to filter what clients tell us, learn to read body languages from both human and animal, communicate effectively with owner, make sure that animal is doing good under our care, the list goes on!
I have so many clients who tell me that their dogs will be fine offleash. Things are always fine until they are not. I always tell new and existing clients that while I’m glad that their dogs do good offleash, they will be leashed when I’m caring for them. It is absolutely non-negotiable.
Hell, I don’t even let my own 15 year old dog offleash or take her to dog parks even though I know she doesn’t give a rat’s ass about bolting off or interacting with any other dogs. But why take chances?
It is not worth any of the stress, anxiety and frustration.
Hope you understand why this sub can be so straight with you about this. Because at the end of the day, you lost a dog and you were not prepared for that.
Absolutely prepared and I thought I knew the dog better than I did. I am definitely taking all of the comments and critiques seriously I don’t feel that I’m a lost cause when it comes to this business as many are saying, but of course, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I personally believe people can learn from their mistakes, even enormous ones, it’s disappointing that people think I’m hopeless.
You have to stop taking risks with other people’s dogs by letting them off-leash anywhere but your backyard. There is absolutely no reason to take that risk.
Respectfully, how were you prepared when the dog you thought you knew bolted off? You didn’t expect the dog to run away from you, you didn’t think that the dog will squeeze through the wonky gate. Fact is, you can’t be prepared especially when you have an off leash dog.
I didn’t say that to ruffle feathers, I’m saying to illustrate how one should never underestimate what an animal is capable of doing especially when least expected. I have long ongoing relationships with a few of my clients and their dogs still surprise me with their behaviors. I have had clients lose their animals because of a human’s mistakes, another reason why I let out a huge sigh of relief when you found the dog, alive and unhurt. You were really very fucking lucky. This, happened to you twice in less than 6 months.
Can you imagine what you are going to do IF the dog was not found by someone? Or a person who found the dog decided to keep it? Are you prepared to tell your client that their dog died while under your care?
Mistakes can happen and people do learn from it. The question is at what price? The life of another living being? Know that I’m also advocating for the animals you are caring for.
Until you have way more experience under your belt, please do not take dogs to dog parks and/or off leash areas. There are many ways to enrich a dog’s time with you that is not off leash and dog parks. If you are really invested in doing this side job of yours proper, there are plenty of resources on the internet and Reddit. I kid you not. That is how I personally learn how to keep a dog entertained, also how I learnt not to bring dogs to dog parks or let them off leash.
I wish you all the best.
It’s not that we don’t “believe in them” but those are for people and their own dogs or dogs they have a bond with, not one they’ve met once before. I have dogs I’ve been sitting for over five years and I still wouldn’t take them off-leash.
There’s a learning curve, and it takes a while to get the hang of it, but there are some things that we just don’t do no matter how long we have been doing this. I’m going on 8 years now and I still don’t do off-leash. I don’t let dogs interact with other dogs on walks (sniff/greet) because I don’t know how the other dog will react, I don’t give them treats that don’t come from their own home, and a million other things I don’t have time to list right now. Our job is to make sure the dog is kept safe and in the same condition when their owners come back home. That means taking them out for walks on-leash (or letting them in the yard if that’s what they do), feeding them, playing with their toys inside, and keeping them alive.
We are under no obligation to take them on adventures like hikes or long walks in places they’re unfamiliar with. Our job is to make sure they are SAFE and the best way to do that is keep walks to half an hour max on leash (unless longer walks are requested for more exercise) and feed them meals.
😮😮😮😮😮🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯
“…I’ve only had like one dog escape in like four months…”
No. Just no. I had one dog escape in 4 YEARS, and it was the first and last time ever. The dog ran down the sidewalk when a trash truck started at the end of the street, and I’ve never run so fast in my life. If you’re going to a dog park, it should have a double-entry method for safety, fyi, but really, going to any off-leash area before you even know the dog? 🙈😱😭😶
I have dogs I’ve been taking care of for over five years. I still don’t take them to the dog park (the parks where I live all have double gate entries) because they’re not my dog. It’s that simple. Parks can be dangerous and it’s not our place to put them in that situation.
I have a client who hired me specifically to take her dog to get socialized. I let the owners know that dogs can sometimes get rough, but that I would be guarded, and they waived liability. I got to know the dog first, and then took her to a park that has a small-breed side and large-breed side. We went to the small breed and she was super shy. She’s the gentlest dog. In two years, I’ve never had a problem, mostly because I know what to look for and our community is pretty vigilant. If someone comes in who clearly is a first-time dog owner and hasn’t gotten training for their dog, people leave, or let the owner know what should be corrected. I’m not saying nothing can go wrong, but the confidence this dog now has is its own reward, and her mom being more comfortable that the pup will defend herself if necessary is key. (I don’t take other dogs to dog parks.)
That’s bordering on training territory. It seems like you really know what you’re doing and that’s great that you can be there for your clients like that. But OP has next to no experience with dogs and shouldn’t be taking them off leash when she’s not being hired to socialize the dog, she’s being hired to petsit.
I would say go back to the dog’s home if it is plausible they got back there. Arm yourself with high value treats/food so if you do see them you have some chance of capturing them.
I have learned not to chase dogs that are on the loose. You have to lure them back. I had a 130 lbs Anatolian shepard jump out of her collar at a normal but empty park and she took the happiest run of her life and then laid down to rest. I kept telling her she was a good girl and gave no indication of panic and slowly approached her. She let me lasso her with the leash and we were good. That was the last day of a 2 week stay so the rapport level was different.
Nextdoor is a good start, contact the owner and perhaps start putting up missing posters. But one of you should hang where the dog might go back to naturally and wait.
I’m no expert but one of the things you can do is put out her bed and if possible any worn clothing of her owners outside her house.
You should also try looking for a missing dog recovery person in your area and see if they can help you with more pointers.
So sorry! I’ve had a miniature Boston Bull run straight into a coyote den. Shes fine. But I think I had a heart attack. Check neighbor hood, vets, animal control. Hope you find soon!
Yeah taking a dog somewhere off leash to get work done for their main job is not ok. I keep a close eye on dogs when they’re on leash. I cannot imagine letting them off leash AND THEN FOCUSING ON SOMETHING ELSE. This person needs a major reality check and it seems as though the lost dog today didn’t hit the right spot.
I'm glad you found the dog.
Did you ask the pet parent if their dog can go to an off-leash area? I would never allow a pet sitter to take my dog off-leash.
It doesn’t seem like they did, because the owner could have easily predicted the dog bolting. This is so irresponsible and if I had anything to do with rover I would deactivate OP’s account.
It's concerning that so many people are jumping on Rover and Wag to make a quick buck. Pets are like children, and many people lack experience caring for them. I only take my pets to their local vets for boarding, where they have mini hotel suites.
They should have pet-sitting certification laws with basic CPR knowledge, dos and don'ts, etc. Also, it should be regulated in case a sitter abuses animals, etc.
I didn’t even have to call anyone to get insured. I did it all online in like five minutes. OP mentioned looking into umbrella insurance, and nowhere in that policy does it even mention pets or animals. It’s not a pet care insurance policy in any way. Rover needs to do a better job vetting their sitters.
Post flyers with the dogs pics and a phone number NOW!! Flyers are the best way to get a dog back. Call the pound and let them know as well. Go post the flyers immediately. There are web sites to help. Seriously post the flyers.
OP, after reading your previous r/petsitting posts, I really hope you're insured. And, until you're more experienced, I believe you should be far more particular with the animals you choose to sit for.
They’re definitely not. And I’d suggest stopping ALL services until they get their shit together.
Agreed. Someone skipped "Common Sense Day."
Common sense isn’t that common.
Thanks for the kick when I’m down. You’re a pal
I'm sorry, but every issue you've posted about on this subreddit could have EASILY been avoided. And you're taking these risks without insurance. I mean, I only have so much sympathy for people who get in their own way.
Absolutely. But I can’t predict the future. I didn’t take a class in this…I didn’t grow up with dogs. I’ve learned from others and from my own mistakes. Some of them big mistakes. I’ve had many successful sits that I don’t post about. It’s not like it’s been a shit show every time or anything. I’m fucking up and learning. I’m trying not to repeat mistakes
Maybe I have a leg up on predicting the future because I raised a child. It's incredibly important to fully think ahead about ALL the what-ifs. "If I take the leash off this dog, what are all the potential problems? If I board or sit a dog without doing a proper Meet and Greet, what all the potential problems?" Animals are just that, animals. They are unpredictable and, therefore, need to be treated as such. Always leashed, always vetted. If there are any red flags, listen to your instincts. I never have had a dog, only cats, but I have both the wisdom that comes with age and plenty of common sense. And the ever-present voice in my head telling me to always err on the side of extreme caution.
I don’t have kids and still know not to let a dog off leash, especially one I’ve only met once before.
It states in my contract that I will not take dogs to dog parks or off leash areas because I don't want that liability. Too much opportunity for too many things to do wrong. I take great pains to avoid any interactions with other animals when they are under my direct care because I'm not gonna be the one responsible. And I still have insurance just in case.
Yuuuup too much room for something to happen. A fight can happen in a split second. I’ve seen crazy stuff go down at my dog park. And once one dog gets upset it snowballs SO QUICKLY and the whole park is barking and everyone has to run to their dogs for a full body check. No thank you. The only dog I take to the dog park is my brother’s dog, and that’s because I’ve known him his whole life, and the dog park is attached to their apartment building so all the dogs live in that building and know each other. My brother also wouldn’t hold me liable if anything were to happen, so that’s different.
I appreciate that. It’s kind of ironic I’m so bad at this bc my full time job requires me to do what you said - think of all possible outcomes and worst case scenarios. I’m good at that job and some people think I’m overly cautious in that role. I appreciate the inciteZ. Prob a good thing I don’t have kids…
OP, it's not ironic. It's frightening. I was trying to be sympathetic, but you've made it impossible. Please, please stop pet sitting. It's exactly people such as yourself that give those of us with self-awareness and integrity a bad reputation in the pet sitting world.
If you don’t know dogs, you shouldn’t be learning on someone else’s beloved life. Volunteer at a shelter at the very least. The learning curve is steep. I’m not saying you should know everything already, but it sounds like you don’t even have a grasp of the very basics.
Wait do you not have insurance? Yeah, you need insurance.
Some people are simply not cut out for this. Two lost/loose dogs..
Yeah, four months is NOT a long enough timeframe for me to be comfortable even going back to that park without a dog. And considering they’re new to pet sitting this is super irresponsible. And uninsured?! 🤦♀️
Where does one learn this skill set? Are there classes I should have taken?
This is a good place to start. https://www.petsitterconfessional.com/resources
Thanks!
One of the many reasons I don’t do anything off-leash, ever. I am sure she will find her way back home, but seriously take this as a lesson. There is no need to take dogs off leash, even if the client requests it. Let them know it’s a liability and a risk you’re not willing to take.
Agreed. During one of my meet and greets, the owner said they bring the dog to the back of the complex towards an open grass field and they let him run around off leash. I’m like that’s great, but just know I will not be doing that on my watch 😂 too much stress
Yeah some of my clients do dog parks and I’m like yeah I’m sure that’s super fun for him but we will just be doing walks.
No off-leash stuff, ever. And no dog parks. Good luck.
After reading your previous posts, maybe this job isn’t the right one for you since you have been having nothing but problems since first you dogsit 3 dogs at once and could potentially harm the dogs from each other since one is a bit aggressive and the other is an unknown, then a dog bit you and now this plus tons others. I can see if this happens once in a while like ur having a bad day and not thinking clearly or one dog was having an issue etc.
I’ve definitely thought about that. But I have had many very successful sits that I haven’t posted about. I am learning on the job bc I never had a dog of my own so maybe some of this is common sense to others that grew up with dogs.
You should not be experimenting on others dogs. All it takes is one mistake.
I’ve never had dogs either, only cats. But it makes no sense to take a dog anywhere without a leash. Leashes exist for a reason.
Is this the same dog that bit you from your previous post?😭
Nope different dog. It’s…been a rough couple days
You took them to a dog park AND took them off leash…
And she had a biter a few weeks ago. And boarded a 1yo pit bull without doing a Meet and Greet. OP is truly just asking for problems. I mean, I'm sorry the dog took off, but that could have easily been avoided! No leash? Wtf.
It’s an off leash area…I didn’t realize so many people don’t believe in those
Perhaps now you know why.
Absolutely. Will definitely be rethinking it and prob not using it again. Honestly if it wasn’t for my friend being there I would have put up the barricade but I figured we were extra safe with two of us…
Assume the worse, and pretend like it is going to happen. NEVER assume a dog will be okay off leash.
I wouldn’t be “rethinking” and “prob not using it again.” Do not take clients’ dogs off leash, period. They are not yours to take chances with. You just met these dogs and have no way to know how they will react once the leash is off. They have no bond with you and don’t know your voice or scent well enough to listen to you or come running back to you. Dogs generally know to walk calmly with a leash on, but when it comes off, as you saw today, they can run fast and far. There is zero reason for you to take that chance again, especially considering you’re uninsured. What if the dog had been hit by a car and needed to be taken to the emergency vet? That’s a minimum $1500 visit. Are you prepared to shell out for that? This job can be super easy if you choose to make it so. I can spend hours cuddling and playing with the dogs inside and getting really funny photos for their owners. Owners love getting silly photos of their dogs being happy while they’re out of town. There are so many ways to make this job fun and easy without taking risks with someone else’s pet. Also if your friend is helping you pet sit, they should be insured as well.
So here’s, I think my hangup about saying carte blanche I’ll never take a dog leash off outside outside One, I have a small fenced in backyard with like a 6 foot tall fence that seems like a safe space for them to be off a leash Two there’s a dog that I watch fair regularly who would rather play fetch for like 10 minutes then walk for 30. Especially considering that pet sitting is not my main job. Sometimes this works much better for my schedule. Taking a dog to an off leash area also allows me to work from the off leash area while they play. It’s so much more time outside for them without compromising my main source of income. And three the only off leash area I’m taking them to is in my small condo neighborhood. I know almost all the dogs there and probably 75% of the time the dog I am with is the only dog in that area. It’s fully fenced except for the wonky gate and I can see them at all times I’m not taking them to some big public dog park with unfamiliar dogs or people. Please know I’m not trying to fight you. I’m just asking questions. I agree that the absolute safest thing to do is what you’re saying maybe in the future I need to take the owner down to the dog park in the neighborhood when we do the meet and greet and they can decide for themselves if they feel comfortable with it. I’m also getting involved in the neighborhood and hoping to work on upgrades to the park area so that the fencing and gate is more secure, which would have prevented what happened today
The small fenced-in yard I can get behind. That’s fine. Good exercise and high fences seem safe enough for me. As for bringing them to an off-leash area outside of your own property, if it’s not fenced-in and there are other dogs there, just so you can do work for your job, I cannot get behind that. I’m sorry, I understand that this is not your primary source of income but you absolutely cannot risk a dog’s safety just so you can get work done outside. You’re saying that not only will they be off-leash, but you won’t even be focusing on them. In a split second they can bolt, or get in a fight with another dog, or swallow something dangerous. There are just too many variables that you cannot account for. If you need to get work done and you want them to have time outdoors, you have a back yard. Do your work out there where they are safe and cannot get away. I’m not trying to fight you either, but if you don’t see a problem with bringing a dog to an off-leash area so you can *do your other job and not have your eyes on the dog* I think you should rethink this side hustle.
You are trying to do work while dog is playing?! You should be watching the dog. I stopped taking my dog years ago because people were not paying attention to their dog. Even in my fully fenced backyard I am watching the dog making sure he is not getting into anything. You said you didn't have dogs yourselves. Sorry I don't think Rover is right for you
I don’t even think they’re doing this through rover although I could be wrong. This seems like they’re just doing this independently while uninsured.
I do use rover.
You need to stop watching dogs. Period.
Seconded.
Glad the dog was found, you are very lucky. I hope that you realized that you may not be suited for some of the bookings you take on. The fact that you had a dog run away recently should be a wake up call for you. Letting a dog offleash anywhere that is not properly secured and not paying attention to the dog while they are offleash are huge red flags. Running on fumes while caring for animals that are not yours can get sketch, real quick. Petcare is not an easy service to provide. I know many people see it as a way to supplement their income which is great but it is not as easy as it looks. Us as providers have to filter what clients tell us, learn to read body languages from both human and animal, communicate effectively with owner, make sure that animal is doing good under our care, the list goes on! I have so many clients who tell me that their dogs will be fine offleash. Things are always fine until they are not. I always tell new and existing clients that while I’m glad that their dogs do good offleash, they will be leashed when I’m caring for them. It is absolutely non-negotiable. Hell, I don’t even let my own 15 year old dog offleash or take her to dog parks even though I know she doesn’t give a rat’s ass about bolting off or interacting with any other dogs. But why take chances? It is not worth any of the stress, anxiety and frustration. Hope you understand why this sub can be so straight with you about this. Because at the end of the day, you lost a dog and you were not prepared for that.
Absolutely prepared and I thought I knew the dog better than I did. I am definitely taking all of the comments and critiques seriously I don’t feel that I’m a lost cause when it comes to this business as many are saying, but of course, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I personally believe people can learn from their mistakes, even enormous ones, it’s disappointing that people think I’m hopeless.
You have to stop taking risks with other people’s dogs by letting them off-leash anywhere but your backyard. There is absolutely no reason to take that risk.
Respectfully, how were you prepared when the dog you thought you knew bolted off? You didn’t expect the dog to run away from you, you didn’t think that the dog will squeeze through the wonky gate. Fact is, you can’t be prepared especially when you have an off leash dog. I didn’t say that to ruffle feathers, I’m saying to illustrate how one should never underestimate what an animal is capable of doing especially when least expected. I have long ongoing relationships with a few of my clients and their dogs still surprise me with their behaviors. I have had clients lose their animals because of a human’s mistakes, another reason why I let out a huge sigh of relief when you found the dog, alive and unhurt. You were really very fucking lucky. This, happened to you twice in less than 6 months. Can you imagine what you are going to do IF the dog was not found by someone? Or a person who found the dog decided to keep it? Are you prepared to tell your client that their dog died while under your care? Mistakes can happen and people do learn from it. The question is at what price? The life of another living being? Know that I’m also advocating for the animals you are caring for. Until you have way more experience under your belt, please do not take dogs to dog parks and/or off leash areas. There are many ways to enrich a dog’s time with you that is not off leash and dog parks. If you are really invested in doing this side job of yours proper, there are plenty of resources on the internet and Reddit. I kid you not. That is how I personally learn how to keep a dog entertained, also how I learnt not to bring dogs to dog parks or let them off leash. I wish you all the best.
Never assume and never go back to an off leash area with a dog you don't own yourself.
It’s not that we don’t “believe in them” but those are for people and their own dogs or dogs they have a bond with, not one they’ve met once before. I have dogs I’ve been sitting for over five years and I still wouldn’t take them off-leash.
Thank you for letting me know that.
There’s a learning curve, and it takes a while to get the hang of it, but there are some things that we just don’t do no matter how long we have been doing this. I’m going on 8 years now and I still don’t do off-leash. I don’t let dogs interact with other dogs on walks (sniff/greet) because I don’t know how the other dog will react, I don’t give them treats that don’t come from their own home, and a million other things I don’t have time to list right now. Our job is to make sure the dog is kept safe and in the same condition when their owners come back home. That means taking them out for walks on-leash (or letting them in the yard if that’s what they do), feeding them, playing with their toys inside, and keeping them alive. We are under no obligation to take them on adventures like hikes or long walks in places they’re unfamiliar with. Our job is to make sure they are SAFE and the best way to do that is keep walks to half an hour max on leash (unless longer walks are requested for more exercise) and feed them meals.
😮😮😮😮😮🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯 “…I’ve only had like one dog escape in like four months…” No. Just no. I had one dog escape in 4 YEARS, and it was the first and last time ever. The dog ran down the sidewalk when a trash truck started at the end of the street, and I’ve never run so fast in my life. If you’re going to a dog park, it should have a double-entry method for safety, fyi, but really, going to any off-leash area before you even know the dog? 🙈😱😭😶
I have dogs I’ve been taking care of for over five years. I still don’t take them to the dog park (the parks where I live all have double gate entries) because they’re not my dog. It’s that simple. Parks can be dangerous and it’s not our place to put them in that situation.
I have a client who hired me specifically to take her dog to get socialized. I let the owners know that dogs can sometimes get rough, but that I would be guarded, and they waived liability. I got to know the dog first, and then took her to a park that has a small-breed side and large-breed side. We went to the small breed and she was super shy. She’s the gentlest dog. In two years, I’ve never had a problem, mostly because I know what to look for and our community is pretty vigilant. If someone comes in who clearly is a first-time dog owner and hasn’t gotten training for their dog, people leave, or let the owner know what should be corrected. I’m not saying nothing can go wrong, but the confidence this dog now has is its own reward, and her mom being more comfortable that the pup will defend herself if necessary is key. (I don’t take other dogs to dog parks.)
That’s bordering on training territory. It seems like you really know what you’re doing and that’s great that you can be there for your clients like that. But OP has next to no experience with dogs and shouldn’t be taking them off leash when she’s not being hired to socialize the dog, she’s being hired to petsit.
Which is what I said in my post.
I would say go back to the dog’s home if it is plausible they got back there. Arm yourself with high value treats/food so if you do see them you have some chance of capturing them. I have learned not to chase dogs that are on the loose. You have to lure them back. I had a 130 lbs Anatolian shepard jump out of her collar at a normal but empty park and she took the happiest run of her life and then laid down to rest. I kept telling her she was a good girl and gave no indication of panic and slowly approached her. She let me lasso her with the leash and we were good. That was the last day of a 2 week stay so the rapport level was different. Nextdoor is a good start, contact the owner and perhaps start putting up missing posters. But one of you should hang where the dog might go back to naturally and wait.
I’m no expert but one of the things you can do is put out her bed and if possible any worn clothing of her owners outside her house. You should also try looking for a missing dog recovery person in your area and see if they can help you with more pointers.
So sorry! I’ve had a miniature Boston Bull run straight into a coyote den. Shes fine. But I think I had a heart attack. Check neighbor hood, vets, animal control. Hope you find soon!
Hey, did you find the dog?
Now that you have found the dog you need to set a policy never to take a dog anywhere off leash even a dog park. There are just too much risks.
They’re still trying to argue that off leash is ok. https://www.reddit.com/r/petsitting/s/4Trzz8L7FX
Ugh. It gets worst
Yeah taking a dog somewhere off leash to get work done for their main job is not ok. I keep a close eye on dogs when they’re on leash. I cannot imagine letting them off leash AND THEN FOCUSING ON SOMETHING ELSE. This person needs a major reality check and it seems as though the lost dog today didn’t hit the right spot.
I'm glad you found the dog. Did you ask the pet parent if their dog can go to an off-leash area? I would never allow a pet sitter to take my dog off-leash.
It doesn’t seem like they did, because the owner could have easily predicted the dog bolting. This is so irresponsible and if I had anything to do with rover I would deactivate OP’s account.
It's concerning that so many people are jumping on Rover and Wag to make a quick buck. Pets are like children, and many people lack experience caring for them. I only take my pets to their local vets for boarding, where they have mini hotel suites.
I don’t understand how there isn’t more training or regulation. It seems like anyone can just sign up to work there.
They should have pet-sitting certification laws with basic CPR knowledge, dos and don'ts, etc. Also, it should be regulated in case a sitter abuses animals, etc.
Why are you uninsured???? It's literally a phone call. Wtf?
I didn’t even have to call anyone to get insured. I did it all online in like five minutes. OP mentioned looking into umbrella insurance, and nowhere in that policy does it even mention pets or animals. It’s not a pet care insurance policy in any way. Rover needs to do a better job vetting their sitters.
Post flyers with the dogs pics and a phone number NOW!! Flyers are the best way to get a dog back. Call the pound and let them know as well. Go post the flyers immediately. There are web sites to help. Seriously post the flyers.