If the owner is out of state, are sitters stuck dealing with aggressive dogs with no alternative?
I was watching a dog doing overnight visits for 5 days in an apartment complex.
My husband and I both went over for a Meet & Greet, and the dog was fine, playful, happy to get attention, etc. We got all the information for the stay and left. Three days later we showed up for the first night, and the owners had left and were out of the state on vacation (had flown out that morning). The dog was aggressive, growled at us from the moment we came inside, barked and growled when we went anywhere near her, wouldn't be calmed down with treats, or with us ignoring her, or talking to her, or leaving the room, nothing.
We were in an apartment complex, so it was further complicated because for her to go out and do her business, we had to get a leash on her and walk her downstairs, but she was very aggressive and growling, snapping at us if we came close.
We ended up feeling totally blindsided by the owners for giving us no warning at all. We were also not feeling like we got a lot of help from Rover because when I called customer support they suggested things I'd already tried and then were basically like "try the emergency contact" (except that was just the couple's second phone number). Eventually (and I mean after 2 full days) the dog relaxed.
But does anyone have suggestions for when you are in a situation like this? It makes me nervous now because I didn't feel very safe, but Rover didn't offer any real suggestions about what to do if we didn't want to continue to watch this dog.
Hi. Professional dog trainer here. Been working with dogs like this for 12 years. The owners may not have known the dog would act that way when they weren't around. Many owners would be shocked to hear their dog behaved that way. I recommend when entering into a home that the dog is crated.