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Has anyone had problems with pet-owners being unexpectedly home while you are providing a service?

This has actually happened to me several times, all with different clients. Say I am booked for dog-walking or drop-in visits and someone is at the home without advanced warning.

The worst example I have of this: one day I was at a regular clients apartment putting the dogs harness on in preparation for a walk, when two unknown males entered the apartment. As you can imagine, this was quite surprising and uncomfortable! They turned out to be the dog owner's brother and the brother's friend, but I had never met them--nor did the client tell me they would be coming. I mentioned this to the client and asked to be notified in advance the next time anyone would be at the apartment-- they responded, not by apologizing, but by cancelling my employment with them (they were a regular four walk a week client so this really hurt my income among other things).

It seems like common sense to alert a dog-walker if you or anyone else will be at the home during the time of service. Does Rover have some sort of policy to prevent pet owners from doing this? Have any other dog-walkers/pet-sitters also experienced this? If so, how did you deal? Thanks!

4 Answers

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Deb A.

I have found owners, family members, neighbors, service providers and even solicitors on the property at different times without advance notice.

Sitters/Walkers are in the Client's Home and fairly easily replaceable. It's really important how you react and what you say. A Client isn't going to appreciate being made to feel wrong that someone was in their home and a dog walker service provider wasn't notified. I'd suggest the best way to contact the client is that you're checking if someone is supposed to be in their home (from the standpoint of being worried about their unauthorized access to their home).

Since you recognize that you have this issue, it would be wise to discuss during future meet & greets, and ask who else may come and go, and you could share the reason why you ask.

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I agree, I've been in some uncomfortable situations before (was greeted by a client's husband in his underwear once!) but I recognize that I am the visitor unless I am house sitting. If you'd like to know ahead of time for safety reasons I'd definitely bring it up at the meet & greet.

Olivia H.

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Annette R.

I personally don't think anyone should be there when, as a sitter, is doing a drop-in. For my understanding of a drop-in is that no one is able to be at the house with their pet, to take them out, to use the bathroom, to play with them, or to feed them. Other than that, I don't see the reason why the pet owner is at the house, while your taking care of their pet.

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You’ve never heard of baby siting jobs where the mom asks you to watch the baby for a few hours while they work? It’s the same thing if someone is working from home, why can’t they have someone come to walk the dog in the middle of the day to give them a break ?

Carolynn A.

I have multiple clients, who’s dogs i walks, while they are working at home

Carolynn A.

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Monica G.

Yes. One owner wouldn't notify me when she was staying home from work which seemed often and I'd be disturbing her nap. Her nieces were in the living room in robes and shocked that I had just walked in. I think owner being there unexpectedly is uncomfortable.

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Becky S.

It has happened to me and I have no negative feeling about it. I am there to do a job and they have requested my time to help with their pets regardless of who else might be there. I run into a lot of cases where there are roommates and I am still hired to play with a cat or something because the roommate doesn't want to.

The only time it is a real problem is if people are showing up when I am house sitting. I try to always be presentable when house sitting, but you basically live there so having an unknown person, even a gardener outside, can be a bit jarring.

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Has anyone had problems with pet-owners being unexpectedly home while you are providing a service?

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