r/RoverPetSitting

TWICE this week, I have encountered two sitters who, after confirming availability, told me I can't visit their homes - where my dog would be staying for 2 weeks. What the heck is going on?! They are total strangers who could have a meth lab, or 15 dogs, or live in filth with rat traps. Especially with ai being so prevalent in real estate photos, I'm baffled at how confident they were to oppose me viewing their homes. "We don't allow people to see our house" - "I don't do home tours" what the helly?

Maybe Rover needs to do something about this bc who in their right minds leaves their dogs or kids overnight in a place they haven't seen with total strangers they know nothing about? Am I being unreasonable?

Had someone message me and we had a meet and greet set up for next week.

She then said she wasn't sure if she could afford it and didn't understand the extra cost because it's just a cat and 2 dogs , plus not like the dogs need to be walked separately .

I didn't really say much because realistically, I'm the cheapest female sitter in the area. ( only reason I say that is because most dogs I watch don't like men lol). So unless she finds someone to watch them for free, idk who else she can find cheaper than me. I'm the cheapest purely bc I'm still new to rover🤷‍♀️

I was going to give her a small discount because she's close to my job but I'm honestly not sure because both her dogs are high energy so idk if it's worth my time to give her a discount.

I'm so annoyed now because this happens a lot and my acceptance rate is at 50% now. People either say stuff like this or stop responding all together ( I respond straight away , my response time is less than 10 mins)

Hi! How do other pet sitters fell about dog parks with dogs you are looking after?

In my personal life I hate them. I’ve never gone to one with my own dogs. I’ve always had up to 6 dogs at a time and aggressive dogs so dog parks were never really an option. Plus I’ve seen how quickly a play fight can devolve into a real fight. I also thing it makes me nervous to let my dogs be around dogs that I didn’t raise and so didn’t train. Plus they are so many diseases at dogs parks.

As a pet sitter I never brought dogs to them. They are not my dogs but they are my responsibility and I’ve want anything to happen to them.

However two owners lately have asked to bring their dogs to a dog park. One was a puppy who I’ve been petsitting for a while so I decided to do it. It’s what the owner wanted and I have a good recall in the puppy.

I was so nervous the entire time. The puppy was great, she stayed really close and only really played with one dog. But two fight broke out while we were there and some dogs were pretty aggressive.

After the second fight I decided it was enough. I left and walked back home.

The second dog I haven’t taken to do the dog park yet because I am unsure. The owner told me he is fine with most dogs but there are some he hates and I need to leave as soon as they arrive. He is also really strong and his breed has a strong jaw. I just haven’t wanted to risk it yet.

It feels like a risk to take any dog to a dog park but especially a dog that is not mine who I am responsible for is even more a risk.

Anyway, any pet sitter have experience with dog parks? Do you do them? Do you refuse?

Thank you!

As we all know, we leave our clients homes the same, if not better, than when we arrived. What do you do on the last day so that your client can come home to a clean space? Is there anything special you do that your clients always appreciate?

Years ago, when I had just started on Rover, a dog in my care suffered severe heat stroke. Rover was made aware of it in graphic detail, and so was the owner. The dog survived, but for reasons unknown to me, the owner refused veterinary care afterward.

And that, apparently, was the correct administrative procedure. Rover never investigated. Never followed up with me or the owner. A dog had just suffered heat stroke to the point of nearly dying, but without a cancellation and a veterinary invoice, we were in the clear 👍

Fast forward to another dog I was sitting who started showing symptoms of a UTI within hours of arriving. The owner scooped up their dog, took them to the vet, was very chill about it, just requested to cancel the remainder of the stay. And suddenly, that was the incident worth investigating.

It’s so backwards it still bugs me. What exactly are they encouraging here? Not taking a dog to the vet?

You know how there’s a way to see a log of all the “cases” Rover has ever opened against you? Well, I checked mine. It’s full of petty things, like cancellations, and not a mention of the heat stroke.

I’ve been sitting for a long time but I’ve never made a formalized kit that just stays in my car, ready for my next booking. After being in a let’s just say under-resourced house, I’m making one now. I’m getting a plastic storage bin and filling it with paper towels, trash bags, poop bags, an extra leash and the bissell little green mini portable carpet cleaner.

What are your absolute must-haves or are in your “emergency” kits for overnight stays?

I have begun sitting for a client who has an I disclosed TERRIBLE German roach infestation. I did not notice at the meet and greet but after spending some time there I have seen them crawling on every surface of the apartment by now.

I don’t want to leave the cats in the lurch but I am of course disgusted and extremely concerned about bringing them home with me.

Contacting rover support currently. Anyone have experience with this situation?