If the owner is out of state, are sitters stuck dealing with aggressive dogs with no alternative?

I had the unfortunate chance that a similar overnight in a clients home (also an apartment) happened this past Christmas.

I had a meet and greet prior to the stay with her two dogs, they were fun, interactive, polite, listened well, etc. We made arrangements for me to arrive for the stay prior to her leaving, so that the dogs would not be surprised at someone entering the home without the owner. However, she ended up having to leave earlier than planned, and called to tell me from the airport. I was not concerned, as the dogs had met and interacted with me just the day before and there had been no complications.

Needless to say, I arrived at the apartment and the two dogs were going crazy on the other side of the door, barking, growling, snapping, and not allowing me to enter the home. I ended up sitting on their stoop for about 2 hours talking to the dogs and trying to calm them before they finally let me enter the home. Once inside they were very skittish of me still for about 45 mins to an hour before they would allow me to leash them and take them outside.

After that we were great friends and whenever I would enter the home they would be waiting to great me (very much as friends) at the door.

I definitely suggest setting up at client home stays in a way that the exchange is overlapping. I have had the most success in that way. Otherwise, you run the risk of the dog defending it's home (which I would whole heartedly expect).

I also require the Emergency Contact to be someone that is not traveling with them, so the second owner is not good enough. I require both owners numbers for the stay and another Emergency Contact, I have had a few stays where the owners were unreachable, and the second owner's number is no good if they are in the same location as the first.

Whenever I will be entering a pupster's home to walk them, I assume their behavior during the meet 'n greet will go totally out the window when I arrive to "their territory" with no other "human pack member present." Excluding one older dog, who was accustomed to sitters walking him, they always have behaved exactly as described above, even a fully socialized Labrador retriever puppy that I've raised with his mommy ( a year old at that point) wouldn't let his walker in his house, when they moved to Baltimore.

I ALWAYS require at least 2 more visits before the owners leave to ensure the pup will comfortably let me into his home. The first time I ask the owner be in the living room and leave the door unlocked to reassure their pup it is okay, while I let myself in. That rarely goes without growles unless it is a well socialized dog, fully accustomed to various walkers entering his territory, as I said, I've only met one. So, after more reassurance from the owner they generally calm down and I take them for a quick walk around the block, positive connection making. The second time I ask the owner be upstairs or further from the door (assuming I wasn't maulled the first time) to see how the pup reacts to letting me in without their "pack member" reassuring them as I enter. If a third time is necessary, I return so as to ensure everything will go smoothly when I leave.

I was bitten by Rover dog. When I did meet & greet there were 3 barking snapping Shepherds, when one puppy was only registered. They calmed with time and owner presence First of 2 drop ins was fine - 2nd drop in the youngster dog wouldn’t cage and snaked around my collar hold to bite my wrist No skin broken but bruising just starting to fade. I told owner about it and I won’t sit again. Wish I could alert other Rover sitters - is there a way?

Currently house sitting two dogs who use to be street figs in the Ukraine. The female has been growling at us none stop and barking. The owners said the dogs normally calm down once they leave. We've been hear an hour and the dogs haven't really calmed down. They won't even eat.

For this reason I only board at my home. This immediately takes away the protective behavior. However, I recently have sat 2 dogs from different families who were aggressive here and even bit my hand. I am not afraid of dogs, I try to work with their fears. However, in both of these cases the owners were NOT transparent at all about this, only after I mentioned it I found out they bit others even their owner!?? I would never leave my dog with someone without letting them know of this behavior.....I really wish I could report the current one I'm sitting to warn other sitters, he will end up hurting a person or animal very bad or worse.......the owner is completely apathetic to it which is the scary part!

I am currently doing drop ins for 2 dogs. One is skittish, the other is really aggressive...growling, charging, and snapping. (by its body language it is fear). I am actually using an umbrella as a shield. It has bitten the umbrella. I almost contacted the owner today to tell them I quit. Fortunately, I can just let them out in the backyard and I have to use the umbrella to shoo the dog outside. The dog was aggressive when I did the meet and greet but I was assured she wouldn't be that way with the family gone...that she "protects" them. I had a bad feeling and didn't want to watch these dogs but took the job because I desperately need the money. I feel if we fear our safety, it is OK to contact the owner and say you are done. There's a point where their aggressive dog is no longer a sitter's problem, but theirs. Even if they have to fly home. Getting attacked for bitten is not worth it. And I feel we should always trust our gut instinct. I wish Rover had something where sitters could review customers for other sitters to see!

Fortunately, I haven't had this stressful situation. The only solution I can offer is for providing traveling sitter services, I build a relationship with the dog by doing dog walks/visits at its home before the dates of the stay. I've successfully convinced clients of this... it is good for the dog, the sitter, and also reassures the parent of the care&communication they can expect from the sitter and frees up their schedule for however many dog walks are agreed upon.

I don't do travelling sitting - I sit in my home, however the first 24 hours are always totally stressful for any new dog, so I can relate to these dogs seeing you as "stranger danger" (I've had dogs that were extremely shut down and/or bitey the first day...thankfully they decided I wasn't the devil). And to be fair, the owner may never have saw it coming...typically people don't just walk into a home when the owner isn't there.

This may have been a one off incident, but if you're uncomfortable maybe start scheduling a walk in visit before the actual sit, when the owner is at work or something...that way you can make sure you can safely get in the home without worries. (And you can check to make sure the duplicate key works, if the lock is sticks or is hard to open, etc...always better to find out beforehand, right?)

I think these are all really good answers! Especially the overlap. The only thing I'd like to add is that on the form I made up for my meet and greet I ask for an emergency contact in case anything happens to both parents, most of the time a couple is vacationing together and I tell them I hate to bring this up, but if something happens to both of you, who do you want to come and take the pup? It's not as hard to bring up as you think, but imagine only having their contact info in this situation!