One thing that tends to work for me, but not always, is to sort of relax in the yard or on the porch with both dogs until the more active one calms down about the prospect of the walk a little bit before starting out. Usually, once the initial excitement of going outside is over they walk better together. Sometimes you'll get a dog that just doesn't settle out and then I walk them separately.

Hello,

Too my knowledge there is no way to filter a sitter by small dogs only, but you might find that searching sitters that accept only one client at a time and do not have their own dogs would be the way to go. That way you know that your dog would be the only one there at the time.

Best!

Hi there,

I'm new to the sitter pack as well, but from what I've been reading on other discussions from sitters over the last few days it that above all it is important for you to trust your instincts.

You may be able to find a middle ground. What I would likely do on your situation is meet your client at the front desk and have a mini-meet there. Spend some time with the client and their pets and get to know each other. Get a feel for the personalities and general schedule of the babies you'll be watching and see if you feel more comfortable with the owner there. If everything feels safe you could both walk to your apartment together so that they can see the conditions that you'd be in.

If your complex owners are as great as my former ones were you could even arrange ahead of time that you call them once your client has left that way everyone knows you are safe. A friend or parent could do the same thing. Meeting new people, especially in such an intimate setting, can be stressful. I think that as long as you make a plan you can get a feeling of whether or not you are safe without leaving the owner unsure of what conditions their babies will be in.

Trust your gut, and think about your options to be safe while putting your best foot forward!

Bailey