No dog is 'stubborn' - if they seem that way then its because they either don't understand what you want from them or the reward for displaying the desired behavior isn't valuable enough.

I have a border collie mix who probably appears to be very 'stubborn' but she's really just very smart and working on new tricks or behaviors just requires high value treats :) She also has a high prey drive so getting her to ignore a passing squirrel is no easy task!

I agree with with everything Laura said. You can also try to incorporate high value treats or toys into your training and work on counter-conditioning with them. Make sure when they're together or near each other they both get rewarded with treats, toys or praise so that they create positive associations with each other instead of negative(you just have to be careful with your older dog, so that she's not being rewarded for inappropriate/bully behavior.) You have to work slowly (like starting them out in their crates next to each other or behind a gate) until you're confident they can be near each other without having a scuffle. And as Laura said, this is NOT a 'fight over dominance.' Anything you've heard or read about dominance theory or dogs 'fighting for dominance' or being an 'alpha' is way off-base.

One of my rescues can be a bit of a bully herself, so I've dealt with similar issues. I know it can be tough, but I always try to remind myself to stay calm and to be patient. I've found it's also helpful for me to keep her in a routine because I noticed that she mainly lashed out if she was overly stressed. As she got used to her environment and routine, she's calmed down a ton and I no longer have any issues.

I hope this helps, Good luck!

I always feed guest dogs in a seperate room and make sure there aren't any food/treats around to be fought over- that should allow you to manage any resource guarding behavious that your dog or guest dogs are showing.

In terms of coverage, I believe the Rover dog and your dog would be covered if anything happened to them.

I live in a rural area in Missouri- getting customers took some time and I had to travel a bit to get my first few but after a few happy customers, word of mouth really helped my business grow. If you're only able to travel 15 miles max and aren't boarding in your home, you might have a tough time getting clients. Emphasizing 'dog-walking' services and setting your price low (mine is $10/visit) might help you get a regular client-base and appeal especially to dog owners who work long hours or whose dogs need a lot of exercise.

If you have a longer lead, or long retractable leash I would try taking him on that to see if he'd go. Personally I wouldn't take any Rover dogs off leash in an unfenced area- dogs can be very unpredictable in new environments or without their owners and its just not a risk I'd be willing to take. If the Great Dane is somewhat potty trained I would do my best to encourage him to go outside on the leash by rewarding him with treats and hope he was able to adjust.

Crates can be great training tools. I'm personally not a fan, but they work well for many dogs as long as they're crate trained correctly. They shouldn't be left there too long and the crate should NEVER be used as a punishment. An hour/month for a puppy sounds about right- Anything more than 4 or 5 hours (unless its at night time) is probably too long though.

In my experience, anxious dogs tend to do better in their own home, but most of my clients aren't open to travel sitting for some reason. I've found that when I have an anxious dog in my home, sometimes its best to give them some space to familiarize themselves with their new environment.

I give them 20ish minutes to roam around my home while my dogs are in another room, take them on a long walk and if they're still nervous I'll put them in a spare room (with their crate if they have one) to relax. After this I'm usually able to bring them back out with my pups without them being too anxious/nervous.

In addition to what Katie and Cari mentioned, dogs also sense the the vibration in the ground from fireworks. Because they're so sensitive fireworks, especially if they haven't been exposed to them before or often can be extremely frightening and disorienting for dogs.

Hi Kait! Like Hillary said, leaving business cards around at local pet-places can be a big help gaining clientele. It can also be a big help if your Rover profile is complete and full of pictures and great reviews/testimonials. Since you cant get good reviews until you get clients (obviously) having people you know or have worked with write testimonials is another great way to get your first customers and let them know that they can trust you with their beloved furbabies. I live in a more rural area, so I had to do a bit of traveling for my first couple clients but it was well worth it to gain some experience and get their valuable feedback.

Hi Amber! Just wanted to say that I've visited Germany as well and absolutely loved it (I spent a lot of time in Berlin and it was amazing) :) I've been putting my Rover earnings toward paying for a dog grooming program, but they've also helped fund an emergency vet visit for my new kitten. Other than that Rover has given me a chance to socialize my own dogs more- they absolutely love having playmates in the house! I'm also grateful for the experience I've gotten through Rover, being able to work with a variety of dogs in different environments.

Veterinary Formula Clinical Care Hypoallergenic Shampoo for Dogs and Cats. has been great for my dogs (one of them has allergy/skin issues. You can get it on Amazon and although there isn't an overwhelming scent, it certainly gets the job done without any ill side effects. I also used the anti-fungal shampoo from the same brand for a dog I fostered. He had flea-allergies and was recovering from mange but it seemed to work wonders for him.

Hi! I joined Rover a few months ago and among other things, what has really made my profile attractive has been my reviews and testimonials. It can be tough getting your first client (it took me a few weeks) but once you get some happy customers to write great reviews and talk to their friends about you, the requests should start coming in pretty quickly. Even if they're just friends or family members who know how much you love dogs, having them write testimonials can really be helpful- especially if they're specific about what makes you so great with animals.

Other than that, lots of great pictures of you and your pets along with some info about why you're qualified to be a sitter will make your profile stand out. Posting to craigslist is also a great way to get some of your first clients.

Hi Jessica! I'm fairly new to Rover (joined a few months ago) but have learned A LOT in just a short amount of time. One of the most valuable lesson I've learned is to be prepared and always get(and write down) as much information as you can from the pup parent before a visit. I now have a check list I go through with every pup parent upon drop off (even if I've gotten info at the meet and greet.) It includes feeding amounts/times, allergy/diet restrictions, behavioral issues or concerns and any other information about the pup's routine that the owner can think of. Not only does this come in handy during the stay, but it also assures owners that you care about following their instructions and making their pup's stay comfortable.

Additionally, I've learned to always specify pick-up and drop-off times... or have the client text you on their way over. This just makes things a lot easier for you and your dogs if you have any. I've also found myself waiting until 1am for a client who didn't specify a drop-off time and in the end didn't show up.

Being professional and firm with clients on your rates is also important. I've had clients who tried to negotiate lower (like way lower) rates for their pup's stay. After I finally refused to watch their dog (basically) for free, they turned me down and had a family member watch their pet instead. I realized that as much as I loved dogs, I would never make a reasonable amount of money if I didn't present myself as a professional.

The problem with invisible fences is that they can have unwanted side effects for your dog. I do think invisible fences can be great tools, depending on the individual but from what I've seen this is a pretty divisive issue in the dog training community.

The most common complaints/warnings I've seen about invisible fences are that they can:

1. Cause aggression issues: your dog by feel the "vibration" (basically a shock) at the boundary of the fence and associate it with something/someone nearby like a cat, another dog, child, etc...

2. Be ineffective or counterproductive: Your dog may cross the boundary, feel the shock then be too afraid to come back home.

3. Allow Other Creatures Into Your Yard: Stray dogs, cats or other wildlife can still enter your yard, putting your dog in jeopardy if they're in the yard unintended

For some people invisible fences seem to work great, but I'd be particularly worried about it causing issues with a beagle. I boundary trained my beagle mix to stay in our unfenced yard (sort of) but when she sees a squirrel, cat, etc, there's no stopping her from taking off and chasing it. With an electronic fence I'm almost certain she would end up getting out at some point and I'd worry about the psychological or physical damage it may cause her. If you do decide to try an invisible fence for your beagle, I would make sure you put the time into boundary training him(which can be very time-consuming.) Considering he's already prone to escape and has hunting instincts, an invisible fence may not be your best option.

Hi Trisha! I'm sorry that you're in such a tough situation. I'm not in your area, but there should be some sitters near you who offer an extended stay rate. This may vary, depending on the sitter, but I give my clients a $5/day discount if their pup/pups are staying with me for more than 14 days. Some sitters also offer a discount for multiple dogs (for example, I only charge $6 for any additional pup after my regular fee.) Rover does charge based on a daily rate, but if you message sitters in your area individually you could ask about their extended stay rates or if they would be willing to work with you on price.

You should be able to search for sitters in your area by entering your zip code on the Rover's home page. From there, you can narrow the search results based on their nightly rates to hopefully find an awesome and affordable Rover sitter that can help you. If you're new to Rover, you can also use my coupon code PUPLV20 to get $20 off of your stay. I hope you're able to find a Rover sitter and that this helps!

Unfortunately, dog abandonment seems to be a pretty bad problem in my area- dogs are dropped off near my house all the time (I live just outside city limits.) That being said, I've never had a Rover client abandon their dog with me. I'd say that most people who abandon their dogs wouldn't want to pay the fee for a sitter. I did have one pretty flaky client when I first started who didn't want to pay full price and then kept moving back their pick-up time, but they at least cared enough to hire a sitter, so I doubt they would have abandoned their dog.

Since I updated the Rover app I noticed that I can now show availability for only travel or only in home sitting. For some reason all my dates are showing that I'm unavailable for in-home sitting but available for travel sitting and I'm not sure why. Is there any way I can update it other than manually changing every date?

I have 3 dogs and (of course) I absolutely love them all. That being said, when we adopted our 3rd dog (a beagle/border collie mix who's quite the handful) we didn't realize how much more work it would be.

Since I'm only working from home/sitting for Rover right now I'm basically always home when my wife's at work- so that means I have the time for them. But when it comes to making travel plans, or finding a rental when my wife relocates, our lives our a lot more difficult because of having 3 dogs.

Obviously only you know you and if you are ready for the time/money comittment but I'd keep in my mind that 3 dogs could easily take over your life. I love that my life is taken over by my pups but it would be a bit 'too much' for a lot of people.

Most of my regular travelsitting clients have told me I'm welcome to any food/beverages they have. Although it was very thoughtful of them, I would feel unprofessional raiding their cupboards/fridge... It probably just depends on the sitter/client relationship but its definitely a good idea to discuss it before hand so there's no confusion.

When I travel sit, I usually make sure its okay for me to leave for short (30mim-hr) periods incase I need to run home to grab food or something. Most clients don't expect me to stay overnight, but If they request it then I do. Some just want me to do 2-3 visits/day but I still charge my nightly rate because its cheeper for them that way.

Basically it changes depending on the client, but I try to stay consistent with my rates so I don't charge extra for an overnight stay.

Yes, like Michael said Mustard on a regular basis could cause your dog health problems. You could also try coating her dry food in plain, non-fat/low fat yogurt. When I adopted my first dog he refused to eat but adding some yogurt on top helped. You could also add some low-fat cottage cheese or canned pumpkin (it has to be 100% pure pumpkin) to her food. Both are fine in moderation and canned pumpkin can actually help if she has an upset tummy. Hope this helps, and your new pup starts eating more soon!