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Dog destroyed bedspread--how to handle ??

I'm doing a sleep over pet sit in the client's home for 2 dogs. They slept in the bed with me the first night just fine.

The second night, last night while I was sleeping one of the dogs chewed a giant hole in the client's beautiful bedspread.

How would you handle this situation?

The instructions were to crate the dog when I left the house. There were no instructions about bedtime other than "whatever you're comfortable with in letting the dogs sleep with you on the bed".

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A dog should have their own bed or a crate. They should never be allowed on furniture. No matter if you are sitting at the owner's house or the owner's dog is in the sitter's home. You want to keep the house as it is as you had gotten there. Or when the dog comes to your home,

Linda - allowing pets on the furniture is a personal preference for owners, and as a sitter, it's not in the dog's best interest to come in as a near-stranger and change a dog's rules because of our own preferences. It will only create a more stressful stay for the dog, who is already coping with the absence of their family and the presence of a new care provider.

2 Answers

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Notify the pet parents right away. Tell them about the damage and that, much as you hate to do so, you will now have to crate the dogs at night. You have followed their instructions, so I wouldn't worry that much. Also, don't automatically assume that a customer is going to blame you or demand payment. Many can be very understanding. Rover's insurance covers damage at a client's home but there is a deductible and it is a secondary form of insurance, meaning that their own insurance company would be contacted first. However, no homeowners insurance policy would deal with anything as trivial a a bedspread. So it will likely be completely out of pocket for the customer.

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Hi Karen, Thanks for your response. You are right: I need to tell them before they get home. I was worried that if I told them now it would ruin their vacation, but there's nothing I can do about that, unfortunately. You give good advice! Thanks.

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I had a very similar thing happen to me, except this dog threw up all over the bed! I immediately texted her owner and let her know what had happened. She actually apologized to me for her pup's mess, and I asked her about washing it, etc. As long as you're up front about any issues, I've found that most pet parents are actually thrilled you take responsibility and keep them up to date on everything that's going on. It helps them to build trust in you and know that you're willing to handle whatever happens while they're away.