Dog I watched once got sick and I gave the dog pumpkin and rice- Didn't work for a couple days. What do you do?
I expect a little bit of soft stool with a new client (or sometimes repeat clients), since the stress of being in a new environment is enough to cause a little GI upset in many dogs. If it's just soft, I'll continue with their normal diet and monitor to make sure it begins firming up. If the dog is having loose/liquid stool I'll contact the owners and start by withholding the next meal or two; this is generally the first line of defense as it gives their GI system a break. For most dogs this is the safest course of action. For bland diets, there are a lot of options out there. Like Deb, I like boiled chicken with rice, and I usually add a little canned pumpkin. I also have dietary clay on hand. There are a lot of bland diet options out there, and the owners can help you pick something that will be best for their dog.
Here are some bland diet recipes and tips:
https://www.vetinfo.com/bland-dog-foo...
https://www.care.com/a/bland-diet-for...
http://www.gahpets.com/handouts/bland...
If you know the cause of the diarrhea (like they ate something weird, but not dangerous) you can use Immodium with the approval of the owners/a vet. I keep Immodium on hand for my older dog, who has a lot of dietary indiscretions and keeps figuring out how to get herself into new kinds of trouble. If you don't know the cause of the diarrhea, it's not advisable to mask the symptoms. Just keep the owners appraised of the situation and contact a vet if you notice any other symptoms or odd behavior, such as weakness, lethargy, pain/tenderness, swelling, etc. These may be indicative of dehydration or a larger problem.
For diarrhea, I usually make plain chicken breast & rice for my dog (and during M&G find out what any parents do for their dog). Sometimes, it's recommended no food/just water for 12-24 hours. Regardless after a couple days, dog may be getting dehydrated. I's suggest at this time it's best to let parents know and also inform Rover support in case vet visit needed. More info, can be read @ http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disord...