The lizard was owned by... get ready... the mother of the gal whose dog I watched. Regardless, I don't think there is a critter I wouldn't watch. :-)

I always insist on a meet & greet. Our 12 y/o female is our ambassador. If they can't get passed her, the meeting stops. That has only happened once. Then I judge the dogs based on how well they respond to basic commands, etc. I get to know the dogs so I can get a feel for who would like who.

Hi Amber. That is true. At Thanksgiving I had someone book for Valentine's. And someone booked 3 months ahead for NYE. Holidays are my busier times.

We moved back to the states from Hawaii 2 years ago. Hawaii does not have rabies, so our dogs were never vaccinated for it. There was a 6 month quarantine. If we didn't start the procedures 6 months ahead of time, our dogs would have to have been borded for 6 months, at our expense.

We moved back to the states from Hawaii 2 years ago. Hawaii does not have rabies, so our dogs were never vaccinated for it. There was a 6 month quarantine. If we didn't start the procedures 6 months ahead of time, our dogs would have to have been borded for 6 months, at our expense.

One of my dogs loves anything with a strong scent. She rubs on my boys' shoes, she rubs on the outlet fresheners, it doesn't matter if it's stinky or nice. If the smell is strong, she rubs, rolls, and whatever else strikes her fancy. Sometimes a dog is simply just being a dog.

We have 3 dogs of our own and a caged iguana. This labor day weekend we are going to have one family dog, 3 Rover dogs, and a Rover bearded dragon. My maximum on Rover is 3 but somehow my calendar isn't keeping up (I've already contacted Rover) and I over-booked. I am not concerned because these are all repeat dogs and they have met before. The bearded dragon is new, but I love lizards and have no concerns. She's assured me he's a lovable baby... unlike my moody iguana! And we definitely have the space... huge yard, big house, lots of toys, etc...

I'm just curious about other sitters and their limits/maximums. And, other than dogs, what critters you take in?

We have 3 shelties. A 12 year old female, an 11 year old male and a 10 year old male. Their whole lives have been just the three of them (and 2 cats). Occasionally I would watch my sister-in-law's dog and sometimes she'd stay here with ours. Her dog is male. Katie, the only female, is the alpha dog. However, she is not aggressive... unless someone doesn't get the hint. If she doesn't want to be bothered, she will give a little growl. If that doesn't work, she'll show her teeth. And her final warning is to nip at them. It rarely ever gets to that. Katie's Princess status just flows out of her and dogs seem to know she owns the place. Our youngest dog does not like confrontation. When he doesn't want to be bothered, he lays on our bed. Our middle dog has to be the center of all the attention.

Be aware of what she is doing, but don't scold her for letting other dogs know it's her house and she's the boss. The other dogs will get it, even if she has to get a bit angry with them. She's standing her ground. She's letting them know this is her house and they are a guest. And that's okay. But like I said, be aware of what she is doing. Some dogs just will not share their space or their owner for anything.

I highly recommend introductions on leashes in case you have to separate them quickly. Let them sniff, growl, do their dog thing. Don't interfere unless you absolutely have to. At first, give her all sorts of lovins. Then, with her on your lap, still getting lovins, have the other dog come over and pet it, but keep talking to her. Then give them both treats, her first. It may take time, but I think if you reassure her that you aren't trading her in for a newer model, she will do just fine.

I had an "emergency" stay with two fabulous dogs. She said she just had to trust me because they had to go out of town. We fell in love with the dogs and they weren't quite ready to go home. But I also had a dog come for a meet & greet that I had to decline. I had my dogs and one other. This dog had some issues and was afraid of absolutely everything. Only after about half an hour did he let me touch him, but only for a second. I had to decline the stay. But my sons do Rover in their apartment so they took him. It was only one night, but they couldn't get close to the dog until almost the end.

Always, ALWAYS go with your gut. In the end, you are responsible for the situation. If it doesn't feel 100% right, don't feel bad if you have to say no. I'd feel a whole lot worse if I had to say, "I'm sorry, but..."

I agree with contacting Rover. I have a 6' privacy fence with gates that lock from the inside. The dogs aren't left alone outside for longer than a few minutes (if I have to use the bathroom). The house doors are always locked. I have signs that say beware of dog, and signs that make it clear there is a handgun on the premises. (I do have a CCW.) When first meeting, all dogs are in bedrooms until I have met the owner and the dog. I meet outside before inviting them in.

Click on "view" for your profile. It will show you how many stars you have.

Click on "view" for your profile. It will show you how many stars you have.

Consider the fact that he is a rescue and you can't be sure of his history. Maybe there was some negativity with regard to going to the bathroom and he simply cannot help it. One of my dogs tinkles every time he's afraid and/or over excited. My suggestion would be that each time he goes outside, give a little love time before you bring him in. And if he doesn't go once he's in, give a little more. If he does go inside, no love time. Practically ignore him for a few minutes. He'll eventually get the connection. Make a real fuss, "good job!", etc... But not too much... too much excitement may ruin your efforts.