Do you get owners who ask you to remove the dogs collar when they are in the house?

As an owner, I like to take my dog's collar off only because frankly, it's annoying to hear the metal clink together. But I wouldn't ask a sitter to do the same, unless they chose to for the same reason. My dog is microchipped and I could never forsee her running away, but that's an individual case.

I agree with Karen that you should express to the owner about the safety of keeping identification on at all times. Definitely will help to alleviate any frustrations of a lost dog.

I've never had an owner insist on removing their dog's collar, but I would tell the owner that those are your rules and emphasize the safety aspect. All pets in your care must wear identification at all times. Period. No exceptions. I have told my clients a horror story I heard from a neighbor about when his dog got loose. Even though the dog was microchipped, it eventually was given over to Animal Care & Control which never bothered to check for the chip. He had put up notices all over the neighborhood and the person who had found the dog told him where it had gone, but if the dog had been wearing some form of ID, he could have been contacted sooner, instead of days later.

Tell the owner it is for their dog's safety and say those are your rules. I.D.s at all times. No exception.

Many owners take their pup's collars off inside, especially when crated. There is some general concern that a collar can get tangled, caught on a crate, etc. and choke the pet. I approach it this way:

1. I let the owners know at the meet and greet that I require all pets to be leashed outside of my yard and that all pets are required to wear their IDs outside of their crates/kennels. For dogs that sleep in crates or stay in there when I'm not home, I take the collar off once inside the crate and put it on immediately once they exit.

2. If the owner is concerned about wearing the collar inside, i let them know that in boarding situations, it is important that dogs are always identifiable, especially if they are in an unfamiliar setting. Microchips are great, but only helpful if someone has the foresight to scan for it.