Lashing out owner, how to deal with this situation?

You will not get anywhere being defensive, so this is my advice. I'd likely call Rover support to find out if her vet sent the notes and expense itemization if the rover guarantee may help offset anything, before I contacted her. If I had good news to share, I'd lead the communication with that. (along the lines of) We had such a good time with her at the beach and everywhere else, she didn't exhibit any signs of discomfort, and so I was surprised and disappointed that her paw was injured. I reached out to rover support and they will.. (fill in) and just need ... (from you) We wish her well and look forward to seeing her again.

By the way, did you at any time ever ask the owner if it was okay to take he dog to ...(fill in the blank: beach, park, etc.) ? Generally, I discuss that during the m&g t or at least before the stay begins to solicit owner input/approval, which gives them the opportunity to say yes or no to nearby outings and state if they prefer the dog left at home.

On a side note, my dog loves the beach too, but flushing all the sand out thoroughly with lots of water, especially in this hot weather where paw pads are sensitive and sand can be quite hot, is one reason we don't go more often.

These previous sitters may not know what it feels like to be in your situation. Unfortunately I do. It’s upsetting to have a pet go through anything medical but the blame game never makes it better. Anyways! I agree with calling Rover to find out how they can help. This is why pet care companies have insurance, plus they may be able to facilitate communication. The less you have to interact with her directly, the better. Finally, Please stop feeling guilty! This is not your fault, the dog is not in any pain and you did your job well. We can only control so much. Best of luck!

It's a very sad experience you are going through because you meant well, you cared, you even gave a discount and you did your best to make this pup's vacation an unforgettable one.

Now, the owner may mean well too, but it's easy to see she's just blindsided and only see the "negligence" you caused and in that moment she forgot all about those good days and amazing care you gave her dog.

Deb is absolutely correct. Taking dogs to the beach, or doing extra things feel like you give more love and care than you should, but it doesn't always pay. After all, your client only sees the bad stuff that happened and is angry. I am sure you only went to the beach at 5 am and after 9 PM because a little dog like that has delicate paws, but I do see the owner's point. She feels like you were in charge of her pup and you didn't care enough, not even to let her know something was wrong. You should definitely apologize to her and go overboard with your apology even if you feel you did nothing wrong. She will feel better and should forgive you. I personally would swallow all my pride and apologize to make her feel better. It's not worth fighting. Good luck.

I would never take a dog any where with out the owners permission. The beach is a fun and very dangerous place to take a pet. They don't know that they should not drink the salt water. This has cause death in some cases. If you don't keep them on a leash, they could easily become over powered by the waves and dragged out to sea. In the hot summer time the sand is not only very hot on the paws but very abrasive, acting like sand paper. I think you are very lucky that fun was had by all. I would be very apologetic about the wounded paw. And assure the owner that you will never take her beloved pet anywhere without her approval.