Dog-sitter woes

• 11-04-2009 11:22 PM

  cakana Joined on 09-10-2007 Cathy in Northern CA Posts 9,466 Points 435

  Dog-sitter woes Reply Contact This is more of a vent than anything else, but I'm just feeling frustrated. We left the dogs in the care of someone we thought would take great care of them while we were gone for 7 days. I made a long list of things that would help with feeding, treats, habits and the like. I showed her everything I could think of and described the dog's habits and routines. My first inkling that she might not have paid attention was when we got home and I found all of the bags of frozen carrots still full in the freezer. I'd told her that we give each dog a couple halves each evening when we get home. It didn't appear that she'd given them even one. The next bad sign was when I went in our bedroom and found 3 piles of dog poop. We had never once had poop or pee accidents in the house before and had described the signs of "I need to go outside". The next morning, I realized that there was also a huge urine stain. Okay, I'd put all that behind and cleaned up the messes. Today though, DH calls me at work to say that Sassy is leakng urine and not just a small amount. She leaves a puddle when she sits down and leaves a trail of drips when she walks around. I called and got her an appt for tomorrow but I'm wondering what might've brought this on and what exactly we're dealing with. She's never had a UTI in the 8 yrs we've had her. What happened in 7 days? Is it just a coincidence? I'm just upset and wishing we'd either boarded the dogs at one of the fancy resorts around here or just stayed home. ~ Cathy ~

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• 11-04-2009 11:25 PM

  In reply to cakana

  erica1989 Joined on 02-21-2007 Clearwater, Florida Posts 4,363 Points 410

  Re: Dog-sitter woes Reply Contact well - in my dogsitting experience, that is just plain not acceptable. The treats thing, I can understand. I sometimes forget about giving treats - since I don't give many at home. But the accidents in the house? that's not ok.  Have you spoken to the sitter to see what happened? Maybe something horrific came up - and they had to bail. Either way - just not acceptable. I'd be livid.

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• 11-04-2009 11:38 PM

  In reply to erica1989

  calliecritturs Joined on 09-10-2007 Central Florida Posts 10,918 Points 3,345	Re: Dog-sitter woes Reply Contact I'd be livid too -- I would also have been MORTIFIED to have the owner come home and find such soil!!
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• 11-04-2009 11:41 PM

  In reply to calliecritturs

  erica1989 Joined on 02-21-2007 Clearwater, Florida Posts 4,363 Points 410	Re: Dog-sitter woes Reply Contact Oh yes - absolutely! I make sure to leave all houses cleaner than they were when I came in. I'll even do left over dishes.... but I'm a bit 'like that'....
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• 11-04-2009 11:45 PM

  In reply to calliecritturs

  stardog85 Joined on 09-10-2007 South Carolina, USA Posts 2,355 Points 235

  Re: Dog-sitter woes Reply Contact  I'd be more than livid - have you talked to the sitter yet?  Are they a professional or a friend of the family? If it were me I'd be asking them to pay for the carpet cleaning (and possibly the vet - having a dog hold it too long consistently can cause UTIs) and not paying them a cent. Erin, the Amazing Maggie Mae, Ziva the Wonder Dog, and Kestrel the Up and Coming "Always keep one still, secret spot where dreams may go." - Louise Priscoll

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• 11-04-2009 11:52 PM

  In reply to erica1989

  BEVOLASVEGAS Joined on 07-11-2006 Texas Posts 7,973 Points 940

  Re: Dog-sitter woes Reply Contact I would be furious.  That is, IMO, absolutely unacceptable. Our dog sitter is a slob, & she always leaves the house a mess, but I have no doubt that the dogs were taken care of.  After hearing about your experience Cathy, I won't complain about the dirty dishes, coke cans, & pizza boxes strewn throughout the house. Amanda Tact is for people who aren't witty enough to use sarcasm.

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• 11-04-2009 11:58 PM

  In reply to erica1989

  cakana Joined on 09-10-2007 Cathy in Northern CA Posts 9,466 Points 435

  Re: Dog-sitter woes Reply Contact The sitter stayed the night here the entire week we were gone and when we walked in,  house looked great. I was initially thrilled. It seems she never wandered into the master bedroom or she couldn't have missed the piles of poop. They weren't small piles. I didn't notice the urine stain until the next morning in the daylight. Still, Sassy isn't one to wander off into empty rooms and especially not with "new" people around. I'm guessing she was very ignoried for that to have happened. In hindsight, we should've closed our bedroom off when we left. We've gone away before though and never had a problem. I was trying to overlook the accidents because she's a family friend and we didn't want to cause a problem. The issue with Sassy and the possible UTI might not even be related but I can't help but feel that it is. Hopefully it's something that will be easy to treat  ~ Cathy ~

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• 11-05-2009 12:30 AM

  In reply to BEVOLASVEGAS

  erica1989 Joined on 02-21-2007 Clearwater, Florida Posts 4,363 Points 410	Re: Dog-sitter woes Reply Contact   BEVOLASVEGAS: I won't complain about the dirty dishes, coke cans, & pizza boxes strewn throughout the house
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• 11-05-2009 12:42 AM

  In reply to cakana

  miranadobe Joined on 04-06-2006 Purgatory Posts 5,447 Points 315

  Re: Dog-sitter woes Reply Contact cakana: I was trying to overlook the accidents because she's a family friend and we didn't want to cause a problem. The issue with Sassy and the possible UTI might not even be related but I can't help but feel that it is. Hopefully it's something that will be easy to treat  I'm going to tell you she either ignored the dog when she was there, or got to your home much later in the evening than the dogs are used to, so they soiled in your room, she never went in there, and thus never saw the issue. The possible UTI may or may not be related to suddenly having to hold it much longer than normal.  Could be eating something she shouldn't have, too.  Did you already pay the sitter?  If not, I'd take the time to say "Hey, did Sassy eat people food, or something other than the carrots in the freezer?"  (because that makes it known that you noticed she didn't give them the carrots, and perhaps was mistaken and gave them something else instead??)  Then I'd go on to say that you're taking her to the vet because of a serious and mysterious leaking that's never happened before, so you're trying to figure out the triggers (like waiting beyond x-hour to go out? eating something abnormal? did she eat something in the yard unsupervised?)  Because it's a family friend, I can understand the need to preserve the relationship and not be as confrontational as you'd normally be with someone in charge of watching over your pets.  Clearly, this person would never be a resource again, which makes travel such a hassle and worry.  :(  I'm the one others call to watch their dogs, so I find it hard to turn my own over to someone else.  I'm so sorry your trip is colored by this bad experience, and worse that Sassy is suffering an unknown malady... sucks.  Hope she feels better, and gets back to normal, quickly. Paige - dog.community moderator & Gracie - 6yr old Doberman www.fortunatek9.com Fight for your opinions, but do not believe that they contain the whole truth, or the only truth. ~W. Hamilton "So you've 'had dogs all your life'? I've had teeth all my life. Doesn't make me a dentist." - JV McDonough, Certified Dog Trainer

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• 11-05-2009 6:21 AM

  In reply to cakana

  JackieG Joined on 04-15-2008 Central Texas Posts 5,953 Points 710	Re: Dog-sitter woes Reply Contact Cathy, I'd be pretty upset too.  You should have a talk with her and let her know how serious it can be in terms of health issues not to mention the soiling indoors. Family friend or not she had a responsibility and she was paid to care for your dogs and she let you down.  I hope it's nothing serious for Sassy.
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• 11-05-2009 8:34 AM

  In reply to JackieG

  Liesje Joined on 03-02-2007 Posts 9,917 Points 655

  Re: Dog-sitter woes Reply Contact If I'd written a check I'd call my bank and cancel it!  I'm sorry but when you are dog sitting you just don't "not notice" things.  I know that when the owners leave, the dogs will be stressed and nervous, more reason to be MORE careful about checking the house to see if they've soiled anything or chewed anything. IMO this is why I take my dogs to a friend's farm for boarding.  I do not agree that having a stranger in the home is less stressful.  Case in point, often the stranger has a very different, or inadequate way of doing things which ends up being more stressful for the dogs.  When they go to Beacon Bay, they know the Beacon Bay routine. http://vankelderdogs.dutchbingo.net http://www.schhmi.com

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• 11-05-2009 9:51 AM

  In reply to erica1989

  BlackLabbie Joined on 01-28-2008 South of Boston Posts 3,052 Points 250	Re: Dog-sitter woes Reply Contact erica1989: well - in my dogsitting experience, that is just plain not acceptable. Exactly. Did you call her to see what went on? Definitely get to the bottom of it. And I wouldn't use her again. -Stephanie blacklabbie.weebly.com Apollo- black Labrador Retriever Molson- buff American Cocker Spaniel Patty- black American Cocker Spaniel
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• 11-05-2009 10:28 AM

  In reply to BlackLabbie

  sharismom Joined on 09-10-2007 mid-Michigan Posts 3,214 Points 30

  Re: Dog-sitter woes Reply Contact Cathy, next time you want to go to Maui or anywhere else, I'll come dog sit for you! Honestly, unless your house is the size of Elvis's mansion, how could she not smell 3 huge piles of poop when it was reasonably fresh?  I mean, I can come in the door and immediately smell anything out of the norm, even if it is not right in plain sight. I'm sorry this happened. Tina

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• 11-05-2009 11:13 AM

  In reply to sharismom

  cakana Joined on 09-10-2007 Cathy in Northern CA Posts 9,466 Points 435

  Re: Dog-sitter woes Reply Contact sharismom: Cathy, next time you want to go to Maui or anywhere else, I'll come dog sit for you! Thank you . I thought the same thing about the smell of the poop and no, our house isn't that large. Seemed strange to me too. I just mailed her a thank you card with a check in it yesterday but the suggestion about asking her if she fed Sassy anything unusual is a great idea and a way of tactfully telling her there's a problem. I made it extremely clear that because of Sassy's allergies, the only treats she was allowed were carrots, ice cubes and the treats I left in a baggie with Sassy's name on it. I also left that information on the sheet of instructions. I don't know what might've happened but I hope that the vet visit will give us some answers and whatever it is can be easily treated. ~ Cathy ~

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