Also, I'm unsure about if the pet owner is gonna provide the dog food, the kennel, the dog's bed, toys, etc., or if I'm supposed to do that myself.
Welcome to Rover!
As the other sitters have stated, there are a few things you can do to make a long stay seamless!
Do a trial run. Watch the dog for a weekend or short stay so that you can get a feel for the dog and how it fits into your home. You could offer to discount this since it's very much for your benefit!
Have the owner provide food, bedding, etc. Ask for them to arrange for delivery of additional food, treats or medications if needed.
Ask for a few local contacts in case you're unable to reach the owner, especially assuming they're traveling.
Ask the owner to leave a credit card on file with their vet and let the vet know that you will be an interim caregiver in case you need to bring the dog in at any time.
Consider booking it in a few chunks, otherwise the owner will be charged for the full 2 months up front, and you won't get paid a penny until after the stay is completed.
Book everything through Rover. Not to say this is a scam (I've received legit requests for long stays too) but if anything feels off to you (the owner wants to book it outside of Rover, or can't meet you because they're already out of the country, etc.) go with your gut!
Hi Kristen,
Welcome to Rover. One thing that I do when I have long stays is prior to committing I will have the client drop their dog off prior to the stay for an overnight boarding. I word it to the client all the positives it will bring to their pet to have them stay one night so it is easier for them when they have to stay 2 months. This honestly does help the pet but it also gives you a chance to see how the pet does away from mom and dad. It is a win, win for everyone just be honest with the owners at pick up if everything went well or not. Best of Luck!
Like the previous response, I would also schedule an overnight boarding prior to a longer stay. To address your other questions, sitters & owners can agree to different arrangements, but generally the owner needs to bring the food and any approved treats (so the dog doesn't have GI upset, and resulting diarrhea). Often, it's ideal to ask for their crate (if dog is crate trained, in case needed), bedding and comfort items (toys, clothes if pup tends to get cold, item that smells like home) and any grooming items needed (i.e. brush for their coat, etc. due to this being a 2 month long stay)
I agree with both these answers but I would also recommend that you contact other sitters from Rover who could step in and help you out if things got a little out of hand or if after a while, it becomes obvious that you and the dog are not a good match, especially if the owner is away for that long. Let the owner know which Rover sitters have agree to be your back up in case you need. It will only make you look more prepared, more professional and make the pet owner feel more secure.
The first dog we sat for was with us for over a month too! We did a one-night trail run at no charge to make sure that everybody was comfortable, that our dogs would get along and that the pup would be happy with us. In the end everything ended up working great and we ended up watching that dog again for a month and a half a year later. The hardest part was saying goodbye to him after he'd spent so much time with us! He had become a part of the family.
Also - the owner should definitely provide food at the very least.
I would not ever do that long a stay for my first stay with a dog... I have a few dogs staying for 3 weeks coming up, but only after they stayed with us for a week first... It is just too risky