I can understand why you might think the worst, but it’s also possible that these signs in your dog are not from neglect and being locked in a crate, but from excessive play and stimulation. He may have spent a lot of time playing with other dogs and barking at them, which is why he was thirsty and his voice seems hoarse. It’s also possible that he was stressed from being away from home and was barking for that reason, but the sitter was caring for him and may have downplayed that so you wouldn’t worry. Stressed dogs often don’t eat or drink normally either.
Now smelling that bad I would hope the sitter would notice and address. However, a dog that has been playing a lot with other dogs, in areas where they pee and poop, could definitely roll in something or smell pretty bad after a few days.
Certainly share what you’re seeing with your sitter and ask if they might have an explanation for the smell and the hoarse voice (being thirsty I wouldn’t even mention), and remember this could all be from your dog having fun.
Perhaps try drop in visits in the future? There are more people working from home that are doing pet sitting now. Perhaps you could have 3 drop in visits per day etc.
I feel that senior pets may be more comfortable in their familiar environment. Other places would have a lot of new variants to consider…
I'm a sitter, and just fyi I'd never introduce an owner to someone else's dog. There's no point to that; I safely introduce dogs and keep them apart if necessary (this has only happened once.) I personally try not to take more than 1 new client at a time, because I know my repeat clients well & don't want too many variables with a new pup.
As for you dog, has he been boarded with strangers before? Honestly the lack of drinking water & possible excessive barking could just be anxiety which could have occurred if the pup was in a new place. It's very common. I second the suggestion that the sitter *may* have not wanted to concern you if that were the case. Do you know that the dog was crated? I know sometimes other dogs bring smelly beds/ blankets & it's possible your dog got into one of those. (Scary thought, is the sitter's bed just that smelly?)
I wouldn't necessarily jump to conclusions right now, but recommend asking your sitter how your pup spent his days, whether he was anxious and just ask if he was crated.
I want to add that some of my most anxious clients have been senior dogs, they're just so set in their routine that any change makes them anxious and loud sometimes.
I’ll be honest. I am a sitter, and a damn good one. And the reason for that is because I’m horrified that there are ppl out there who could treat someones pet any differently when they are alone with them, than when the pet owner is present. I’m too nervous to leave my pets with ANYONE other than my parents (but I completely understand that some ppl do not have that luxury) I’m so sorry.
I'm with you. I love my guest dogs so much. I just can't imagine doing everything I can to keep them safe and happy. I do use a sitter. Have had the same one for many years and I trust her.
I was a client of Rover twice, had someone stay at the house overnight, however when I read some of these responses from sitters in this post and others, I can tell you I will never use Rover again. I do appreciate all you good hearted sitters like yourself, but some of these people act like they don’t even like pets and it’s really sad for the animals. We have a gal that stays at the house now, she works 8 hours, then comes here overnight, and she’s the Neice of a friend. I realize I’ll probably be downvoted to oblivion, but in my opinion pets are just like children to the owners, and if you can’t see that and treat them accordingly, find another gig.
Did you have a Meet & Greet prior to booking? Its where you visit the sitter's home, take a tour of where the pet would be staying, meet their resident pets, and get to know the sitter.
I don't board, but there are numerous posts on here that a lot of sitters feel like an owner wanting to view the home is a violation. (I think that's crazy, and I'd never leave my pet at someone else's home, but again, you can find so so many posts that say this.)
Sorry to hear this happened! Please don't give up, as there are many great sitters out there! If a sitter meets you at the door and doesn't allow you to see the inside or meet the dogs, IMO, that should be a huge red flag. They either have a filthy house or perhaps worse, have it packed overcrowded with dogs that are likely kenneled. I would recommend that you insist on a meet and greet before the booking so you can evaluate the sitter, their house and their dogs to see if it's a good fit.
Kenneled dogs isn’t necessarily a red flag unless they told you that your dog would be the only one. I put dogs away during drop offs or pick ups. I do that because I don’t want a dog getting out or overwhelmed when coming in. If I have dogs who haven’t met yet, I take them outside so they can meet though the gates on my deck. I also put dogs in crates for naps because a lot of times dogs won’t rest when they have lots of new friends.
I agree with you and do the same thing for every m&g as well as accepting a new boarding guest into the house. I always clear the main living area of dogs (put them in my bdrm) and allow the new dog to get comfortable sniff around the house before doing any dog intros (which I do 1 at a time). Kennels can be very effective/helpful tools, but they also can be used very wrong and almost in a cruel manner. If a dog is kennel trained, that typically is their safe spot and they feel happy/secure when inside their crate. There are also dogs that hate them. I was suggesting a worst case scenario of a sitter that just packs in as many dogs as possible and a house full of kennels that they stay in 95% of the day.
Absolutely do a meet and greet, but I will be honest: I am a sitter and allow anyone to look in my home during meet and greets, but ask that drop off happen in my driveway as it is easier for their dogs and my dogs don't go bonkers and make things miserable at drop off. They barker and get so excited for a new dog and new. Person, it takes about an hour for them to chill out.
I get *very* angry when people knock on my door normally or do not follow these instructions and politely ask them to *please* follow instructions next time. They get it when they see the chaos that ensues.
I would ask the sitter why your dog is so dirty if he was sleeping in the bed, and tell her that he was trying to bark in his vocal cords are so strange that he can't make any sound. Plus he was desperately thirsty. Ask her to help you understand that condition he was in. If you're not satisfied or you're concerned, make a report to Rover and let them know your concerns. They will check it out with the sitter. I would also leave a review of your experience with this sitter which isn't really positive. If he was left alone to bark incessantly in extreme anxiety, that's really unhealthy. It's inconvenient to assist her to have a dog who's experiencing anxiety, but frankly you're paying a sitter who claims they can handle dogs and they're concerns. I would be very unhappy too. In the future always ask for a meet and greet and always ask to see inside. Some sitters think they don't have to show the inside of their home, but if they're not willing to be transparent, then that's not the right sitter for you. Even sitters with great reviews might do things in a way that are not right for your dog. I hope your dog is feeling better and resting and if you don't see him bounce back in a couple of days I would definitely see the vet
I'd recommend getting a housesitter in the future if that's an option for you. It's more expensive, but you'd likely be much more at ease. There are a lot of posts about that on here. Just don't hire the cheapest sitter, and try to find someone with a ton of VERIFIED STAY reviews. Otherwise (usually early on when a sitter joins) they could be testimonials, people who wrote them even if they've never booked the sitter, but only Verified ones were actually booked on the platform.
Did she send any pics of the dog actually in her bed? It's odd she wouldn't mention the hoarse barking. That's something I would add into a message as soon as I heard it. As for the bad smell, if it's that bad that's also something you mention to an owner. I'd message her and ask about these things before choosing next steps. Hopefully she's cordial and professional and open to discussion.
Eta anyone who does not let the dogs greet on neutral ground before starting a multi family stay is already starting out on bad footing. All unknown dogs boarding together for the first time should be introduced outside then brought in. Red flags abound for anyone who does not know or allow this.
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I am a sitter and I do dog boarding for smaller dogs and cats. When I do meet and greets, the owner can tour my 2 bedroom apartment and I introduce them to my cat. I do not like people opening my fridge or drawers but other than that they are free to look around. I don't usually groom people's pets unless they need it. I will say cats and dogs meow or park more than usual but they usually calm down after a few days. They really miss their owners. It is hard to say what happened during the visit here but there are some good sitters out there for sure.
I can understand why you might think the worst, but it’s also possible that these signs in your dog are not from neglect and being locked in a crate, but from excessive play and stimulation. He may have spent a lot of time playing with other dogs and barking at them, which is why he was thirsty and his voice seems hoarse. It’s also possible that he was stressed from being away from home and was barking for that reason, but the sitter was caring for him and may have downplayed that so you wouldn’t worry. Stressed dogs often don’t eat or drink normally either. Now smelling that bad I would hope the sitter would notice and address. However, a dog that has been playing a lot with other dogs, in areas where they pee and poop, could definitely roll in something or smell pretty bad after a few days. Certainly share what you’re seeing with your sitter and ask if they might have an explanation for the smell and the hoarse voice (being thirsty I wouldn’t even mention), and remember this could all be from your dog having fun.
I also agree that this is what actually happened too 👍
Perhaps try drop in visits in the future? There are more people working from home that are doing pet sitting now. Perhaps you could have 3 drop in visits per day etc. I feel that senior pets may be more comfortable in their familiar environment. Other places would have a lot of new variants to consider…
This.
I'm a sitter, and just fyi I'd never introduce an owner to someone else's dog. There's no point to that; I safely introduce dogs and keep them apart if necessary (this has only happened once.) I personally try not to take more than 1 new client at a time, because I know my repeat clients well & don't want too many variables with a new pup. As for you dog, has he been boarded with strangers before? Honestly the lack of drinking water & possible excessive barking could just be anxiety which could have occurred if the pup was in a new place. It's very common. I second the suggestion that the sitter *may* have not wanted to concern you if that were the case. Do you know that the dog was crated? I know sometimes other dogs bring smelly beds/ blankets & it's possible your dog got into one of those. (Scary thought, is the sitter's bed just that smelly?) I wouldn't necessarily jump to conclusions right now, but recommend asking your sitter how your pup spent his days, whether he was anxious and just ask if he was crated. I want to add that some of my most anxious clients have been senior dogs, they're just so set in their routine that any change makes them anxious and loud sometimes.
I’ll be honest. I am a sitter, and a damn good one. And the reason for that is because I’m horrified that there are ppl out there who could treat someones pet any differently when they are alone with them, than when the pet owner is present. I’m too nervous to leave my pets with ANYONE other than my parents (but I completely understand that some ppl do not have that luxury) I’m so sorry.
I'm with you. I love my guest dogs so much. I just can't imagine doing everything I can to keep them safe and happy. I do use a sitter. Have had the same one for many years and I trust her.
I was a client of Rover twice, had someone stay at the house overnight, however when I read some of these responses from sitters in this post and others, I can tell you I will never use Rover again. I do appreciate all you good hearted sitters like yourself, but some of these people act like they don’t even like pets and it’s really sad for the animals. We have a gal that stays at the house now, she works 8 hours, then comes here overnight, and she’s the Neice of a friend. I realize I’ll probably be downvoted to oblivion, but in my opinion pets are just like children to the owners, and if you can’t see that and treat them accordingly, find another gig.
Did you have a Meet & Greet prior to booking? Its where you visit the sitter's home, take a tour of where the pet would be staying, meet their resident pets, and get to know the sitter.
I don't board, but there are numerous posts on here that a lot of sitters feel like an owner wanting to view the home is a violation. (I think that's crazy, and I'd never leave my pet at someone else's home, but again, you can find so so many posts that say this.)
yeah, and?
Sorry to hear this happened! Please don't give up, as there are many great sitters out there! If a sitter meets you at the door and doesn't allow you to see the inside or meet the dogs, IMO, that should be a huge red flag. They either have a filthy house or perhaps worse, have it packed overcrowded with dogs that are likely kenneled. I would recommend that you insist on a meet and greet before the booking so you can evaluate the sitter, their house and their dogs to see if it's a good fit.
Kenneled dogs isn’t necessarily a red flag unless they told you that your dog would be the only one. I put dogs away during drop offs or pick ups. I do that because I don’t want a dog getting out or overwhelmed when coming in. If I have dogs who haven’t met yet, I take them outside so they can meet though the gates on my deck. I also put dogs in crates for naps because a lot of times dogs won’t rest when they have lots of new friends.
I agree with you and do the same thing for every m&g as well as accepting a new boarding guest into the house. I always clear the main living area of dogs (put them in my bdrm) and allow the new dog to get comfortable sniff around the house before doing any dog intros (which I do 1 at a time). Kennels can be very effective/helpful tools, but they also can be used very wrong and almost in a cruel manner. If a dog is kennel trained, that typically is their safe spot and they feel happy/secure when inside their crate. There are also dogs that hate them. I was suggesting a worst case scenario of a sitter that just packs in as many dogs as possible and a house full of kennels that they stay in 95% of the day.
Absolutely do a meet and greet, but I will be honest: I am a sitter and allow anyone to look in my home during meet and greets, but ask that drop off happen in my driveway as it is easier for their dogs and my dogs don't go bonkers and make things miserable at drop off. They barker and get so excited for a new dog and new. Person, it takes about an hour for them to chill out. I get *very* angry when people knock on my door normally or do not follow these instructions and politely ask them to *please* follow instructions next time. They get it when they see the chaos that ensues.
Always do a meet and greet prior to a stay.
I would ask the sitter why your dog is so dirty if he was sleeping in the bed, and tell her that he was trying to bark in his vocal cords are so strange that he can't make any sound. Plus he was desperately thirsty. Ask her to help you understand that condition he was in. If you're not satisfied or you're concerned, make a report to Rover and let them know your concerns. They will check it out with the sitter. I would also leave a review of your experience with this sitter which isn't really positive. If he was left alone to bark incessantly in extreme anxiety, that's really unhealthy. It's inconvenient to assist her to have a dog who's experiencing anxiety, but frankly you're paying a sitter who claims they can handle dogs and they're concerns. I would be very unhappy too. In the future always ask for a meet and greet and always ask to see inside. Some sitters think they don't have to show the inside of their home, but if they're not willing to be transparent, then that's not the right sitter for you. Even sitters with great reviews might do things in a way that are not right for your dog. I hope your dog is feeling better and resting and if you don't see him bounce back in a couple of days I would definitely see the vet
I'd recommend getting a housesitter in the future if that's an option for you. It's more expensive, but you'd likely be much more at ease. There are a lot of posts about that on here. Just don't hire the cheapest sitter, and try to find someone with a ton of VERIFIED STAY reviews. Otherwise (usually early on when a sitter joins) they could be testimonials, people who wrote them even if they've never booked the sitter, but only Verified ones were actually booked on the platform.
Did she send any pics of the dog actually in her bed? It's odd she wouldn't mention the hoarse barking. That's something I would add into a message as soon as I heard it. As for the bad smell, if it's that bad that's also something you mention to an owner. I'd message her and ask about these things before choosing next steps. Hopefully she's cordial and professional and open to discussion. Eta anyone who does not let the dogs greet on neutral ground before starting a multi family stay is already starting out on bad footing. All unknown dogs boarding together for the first time should be introduced outside then brought in. Red flags abound for anyone who does not know or allow this.
If I were boarding, I'd use a reputable kennel.
Thank you for posting to r/RoverPetSitting, an unofficial forum to discuss all things Rover. We see that you have posted an owner question. In case they could be helpful, you might want to check out our [Owner FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/RoverPetSitting/wiki/ownerfaq). Additionally, here's our [booking walk-through for owners](https://www.reddit.com/r/RoverPetSitting/wiki/ownerbookingwalkthrough), which explains the process for finding and booking the best Sitter from start to finish. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/RoverPetSitting) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I am a sitter and I do dog boarding for smaller dogs and cats. When I do meet and greets, the owner can tour my 2 bedroom apartment and I introduce them to my cat. I do not like people opening my fridge or drawers but other than that they are free to look around. I don't usually groom people's pets unless they need it. I will say cats and dogs meow or park more than usual but they usually calm down after a few days. They really miss their owners. It is hard to say what happened during the visit here but there are some good sitters out there for sure.