How should I respond to a client who, when asked if her dog gets along with others, says "If they leave her alone"?

Sometimes owners can't accurately predict how their dog will get along with all other dogs. Some dogs gravitate more towards humans and are less interested in dogs, and some dogs are closer to dogs that share similar demeanor/temperament than others who do not, which it sounds like she is intimating (i.e. her dog may not want to play with toys, chase, wrestle, hump, etc., but may do fine being in the company of other dogs that respect her personal space.)

You could respond with some more direct questions (such as what experiences has her dog had with other dogs, what are her dog's preferences, what type&amount of activity does her dog enjoy) letting her know of your desire to help ensure it may be a match for all dogs (hers&yours) and let her know a little more about your dogs routine and preferences. If it sounds like they might get along, usually a meet&greet would be next and in most cases, that's when you'd find out if it may be a match or not.

The owner probably means that their dog does not automatically attack other dogs whenever they see one, which is only one form of aggression. On the flip side, they're not saying "no, my dog is not aggressive at all." They're clearly laying out the circumstances under which their dog IS aggressive, so I am interpreting them as saying "As long as you are careful with my dog around other dogs, you will not have to break up a dog fight." I commend them for being honest, actually. Most owners just say "My sweetie pie? Aggressive? Never!" when actually their dog is quite aggressive, even if it's just out of anxiety or protectiveness.

Researching dog behavior, aggression, and BODY LANGUAGE was the best thing I ever did as a dog boarder. My policy is to assume the dogs will NOT get along, which is a much safer perspective to start with, imho. Do your best to set up a good environment for the dogs to meet (outside, neutral ground, on leash, no food or toys present, approaching the rear instead of the face, etc) and go from there. Post again if you need more help after the meet and greet. And unless you intend to take a dog even if they're super aggressive or full of other issues, always do a meet and greet BEFORE you book. Good luck!

In addition to the great advice given by Deb and Jean, think about how your dogs generally interact with other boarders. My own dog couldn't care less; he tolerates and keeps his distance. I can only recall one dog that he wanted to play with.

There's only one way to find out and that is the M&G. However, if her dog can have problems with other dogs, she really should be looking for a sitter that only takes one dog at a time and doesn't have pets of his/her own.

10 days is a long time.

One more thing. Ask the owner what her dog does when it's not "left alone"? Does her dog growl as a warning or does her dog go right on attack? That's an important distinction. My dog will growl in warning but it rarely goes any further. My guess is her dog goes right into attack mode, otherwise, she wouldn't be mentioning it to you.