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Owner thinks her dog was hurt during stay, how do I address this?

Hi,

I just had a small dog here for daycare. I have 2 large dogs and was watching another 2 large dogs as well. When the small dog first got there, the large dogs chased him through the backyard so I separated the small dog into the office with me as I worked (I work from home) and kept the larger dogs out in the rest of the house. I only allowed 1 large dog to interact with the small dog because he's very gentle and they ended up just laying down next to each other. The couple picked up their small dog and then called about 20 minutes later asking if he had been hurt or bit during his stay. I said no, he was separated from the other dogs and the only thing I could think of was when he first arrived and the large dogs chased him but I never saw him get bit and he wasn't acting injured. I was carrying him around the house afterwards when I took him to the office or let him go outside and he never whimpered or barked about anything so I had no idea he was hurt or had "sore spots" as the owner said. I feel sick and have no idea what to do as no dog has ever been injured on my watch. I already apologized and told the owner this but I literally feel so sick to my stomach. Any suggestions on what I should do?

Thanks!

2 Answers

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Shane W.

In the business of pet sitting, it's going to happen from time to time that a pet will get injured during a stay. The best we can do as sitters is minimize the risk and handle the situation when it does occur. It sounds like you did the right thing by separating the dog from the larger ones. Ask if the owner can describe what type of pain or injury the dog seems to be experiencing. If it's just "soreness", it could be that the dog was stressed or more active than usual during its stay, causing muscle fatigue. If there are irritated patches of skin, or worst case, puncture marks, ask if the pet owner can document the injuries via the app. It's important that you don't make the owners feel defensive. Something along the lines of, "I'm very sorry to hear that (dog) isn't feeling well. I didn't notice any interactions with the other dogs that could have led to this. What type of pain/injury does (dog) seem to have?" Ask more questions, and as the other answer suggested, call Rover support. Letting Rover know of any potential problems with clients or their dogs is crucial to getting the best support from them.

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Also asking for pictures is good way to tell if new injury or old

Serina R.

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Daniela L.

It's probably best to contact Rover support just so that they're aware. They can assist you with how to respond should the owner ask for additional details or confront you. Contact them at support@rover.com or [Edit: Rover’s contact options have changed. Visit the Rover Help Center at https://support.rover.com/ to find the phone number, help articles, or chat with the team].

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From my research as a new sitter here, Daniela is correct. I saw a similar situation happen to someone who contacted support. They told her to respond to the customer in a professional manner & stay on contact with them. Good luck!

Taryn H.

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Owner thinks her dog was hurt during stay, how do I address this?

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