I try to be as honest as possible. But I choose wording that comes from a place of best interest for the dog, not an attack against the owner. Most often the dog owners take it well.

If the pet parent doesn't want to accept the truth of your experience, then that's not an ideal client. Still remain polite and let them know that it's in their, and the dog's best interest, to go with another sitter that can best accommodate their needs.

You are doing the right things. The key is not to push or force it to happen. Sometimes it helps if there's another dog around. It may bring out the wary dog by making him/her feel more comfortable. I sat with a dog that was very nervous because she wasn't used to being around anyone but her owner. I did not reach my hand out to pet her because that made her nervous. What I did is talk calmly throughout the day so she could hear my voice. When I put her food down, I made sure to step away to another room where we could still see each other, but she felt free to eat without me hovering. I also let her have her space. Another thing I did was sit on the floor a lot. That can sometimes be less intimidating when a dog sees you more on their level. After the first day or so, she started to sit next to me on the ground and let me know when she was ready to be pet. I didn't go crazy with the affection either until she was more comfortable. Also, some shy dogs take more to either the male or the female in the household. Observe, and they'll let you know.

A few dogs I sit with tend to be diggers, and they become obsessive over these spots, digging deeper and deeper. Sometimes they are digging because they smelled something. Other times they just dig from playing, but they get obsessed with that spot and dig deeper. I've heard of using natural deterrents sprayed onto those areas, such as cayenne powder and coffee grounds. But this hasn't helped. Any ideas?

I would take a cotton rag and soak up as much of the urine as possible by stepping on the rag, or pressing down with body weight. (This is helpful if it's on a rug or carpet.) Then I would use a homemade cleaning solution of baking soda, vinegar, water and orange essential oil. The orange essential oil I heard is supposed to help cover the smell of the urine. I also bought a black light to make sure I've picked up and cleaned ALL of the urine. It has to be used in darkness to reveal any leftover urine. So far this has helped limit the recurrence of urination in that spot.