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Dog Walking Client, damages carpet?

I have been walking this particular dog for about 2 months now and he's been absolutely perfect. He's not crated in his home and he is always just lounging around when I get there. However, today when I entered the home I saw that he basically ate a hole through their carpet near the kitchen. I notified the owner and asked if I should crate him (crating with this dog has never been discussed). She did not respond in a timely manner, so I left him out thinking if he was anxious in his crate, the lesser of the two evils would be damaged carpet instead of a damaged dog. When owner got back to me she was in disbelief that he did this damage.

No further conversation has occurred, and I'm doubting she is upset at me. However, I'd like to know how other sitters would handle this situation. Thanks!

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Hey, Ashley! I think you definitely did the right thing. I have a regular walking client that LOVES to chew up his owner's belongings when he gets bored. As soon as I realize that he has chewed something up (or knocked something over), I always let the owner know. Usually, if it's something more substantial than a piece of paper, I'll try to take a picture of whatever was victim to the dog's destruction before cleaning it up. It sounds like this is a new behavior for your client's dog. I would maybe have a talk with her before future walks to discuss if she has any inkling on what could have caused this behavior. Was it boredom? Maybe she can leave a Kong or other challenging toy. Did he need to go really badly? Perhaps you can discuss changing the time you visit to accommodate that. In any case, try to see what she would want you to do in case of future carpet chewing/destructive episodes. Does she want you to crate him or leave him to roam?

Good luck!

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Yikes! Sorry that happened. But agreed - you did the right thing by notifying the owner. Sometimes a photo can also help in the communication. For example, a pug I regularly sit had a bloody toenail during our walk. As soon as I discovered it, I snapped a photo, alerted the owners and asked for permission to address the wound (former Vet Assistant). The more proactive and thorough you are, the better. Hope it worked out!