If a customer asks that you NOT walk their dogs while with you (because of the fear of them getting away), even though you know that they really need that energy release of exercise, do you do as they ask and not walk them?

If you have agreed to the sitting job, you have agreed to the owner's terms, which were very specific about not taking their dogs out on a walk. You shouldn't even think of substituting your judgment for the owner's. You've know the dogs, what, a minute? If you want to find a way to play with them indoors or in your fenced-in yard (if the owner has approved that space), go right ahead, unless it violates another of the owner's directives.

I agree with Karen that once you agree to what the owner discussed, that's it. It would be a very different situation If the owner asked to walk the dog and you had agreed before booking and then for some reason the dog didn't want to walk.

I agree with the previous answers. You just need to give yourself a break because I know you want to walk the dog, because 99% of all dogs love to see the leash, and hear " wanna go for a walk" . As a dog sitter you like that confirmation that you are doing something the dog enjoys. Just take this as a case by case situation, if the owner told you that the dog was scared of the dark you would leave the lights on no question , cause you are a good sitter and you know that this is just one of those things that you dont have control over. You do have control over giving the owner of this dog the best stay EVER, make them feel that they are right and that its okay that they asked for this, In my exp I have seen that dog owners just LOVE being heard. So if you do follow all the little suggestions they have it will go far and you will have a pleased customer. So give yourself a pat on the back for wanting to do the right thing for the dogs health, But this is one of those things that sometimes we LEARN from. We dont know what that owner has been thru in the past and the pain maybe of losing a dog due to having someone walk it. Good luck!

I agree with Karen and Deb - if you've already accepted the stay, you have accepted the owner's terms, just as they have accepted yours. It would be very bad form to go behind their back and do something they have explicitly asked you not to do with their dogs.

Try to find ways to exercise the dogs indoors, like playing fetch down a hallway or up and down stairs, playing with tug toys, using puzzle toys, etc. You can even do pretend walks in the house by leashing them up and walking around the house a couple times a day. If the dogs become too unruly with no exercise (two weeks is a long time to go without walks), you can try proposing a plan for taking the dogs out safely, emphasizing the precautions you will take, and hope the owners change their mind, but I wouldn't hold out much hope.

Always agree to the terms of the owner