There's a great episode of Victoria Stilwell's show ITS ME OR THE DOG where she helps a family that has five pugs that won't stop eating each other's poop. It's available to stream on Amazon prime.

But also make sure to read about the current debate/initial research regarding whether the binders being used in some of the boutique "holistic" grain free feeds, specifically the legumes, may be inhibiting taurine absorption/causing heart disease. Is very complicated.

Cindy is correct though that there is a huge, polarized debate about this in the pet world regarding whether vets are the best source of information on nutrition. It's a shit show of opinions.

Same. Meet and greets are not paid bookings, so how was it converted?

Or Venmo, or Zelle, or Chase QuickPay, the options are now endless! lol.

"Consider Uber isn’t giving away free rides just because you are not in a cab, those ride share apps are an example of how parity in rates with the other tradional business could work." Not true, Uber destabilized what used to be an industry w/ full time potential.

but also maybe your babe's evasive behavior might be easier to modify since it's still very new, and maybe hasnt fully set as a ritual

I have a frenchie I care for who tries to play a chase game w/ his harness, and I keep trying to disrupt it w/ treats plus disengagement. It's worked for getting the harness on, but not for interrupting the game. ...

w/ the caveat that all of the above is based on the assumption that this issue potentially continues, and that maybe something might've happened w/ the problematic neighbor to precipitate it. ...

How often do you see her? You could attempt positive reinforcement training w/ treats, but what I am beginning to learn is that training takes so much more time + patience + consistency than we have as temp helpers, Ive started to just (safely) go w/ dogs' flow rather than trying to modify.

"Many sitters would love to speak with you and understand your concerns before confirming the booking." THIS. When I am contacted, I always offer an immediate phone call to discuss further in addition to requesting the meet and greet.

I think the trade off would be that they would have to go to the rover app or website to see the photos — on both android and iOS, it’s not possible to have more than one photo in a single text message

I am pretty sure it appears just like it looks on your phone, i.e. each one is an individual text message to the rover phone number that then just appears as a text message on yr phone. I usually do abt three at a time and have never had any complaints, just thanks.

I just sat for a VERY mellow & easy beagle mix for six nights, although he was a senior. I think they are considered to be great family pets because they are very easy going and always want to be part of a pack w/ their fam.

I feel like everything that i have heard and read abt shiba inus would make them too high maintenance for your situation—aren't they smart but stubborn and hard to train (very self reliant and aloof?), and also very active chewers? I would set yourself up for success w/ something a lot more able to be couch potato-y.

I think Boston Terriers could actually be a really good option—short hair but minimal shedding, adaptable to small spaces, smart companionable and eager to please. The only issue is that well adjusted youngins are hard to find at rescues and would be much more than yr budget from a reputable breeder

Terrier seems breed specific—I can see maybe see adaptable companionable ones liyorkies and bostons staying in the original poster's bedroom for the majority of the day and being just fine but some of the most prey drive and exercise inclined ones like jack russells would probably become destructive

My mom says that she was told that this is called "submissive peeing," but I didn't include that in my response only because that term sounds fraught with a lot of disputed ideas about dominance and submission w/ regard to dogs and their owners.

I opened this curious to see if it was a Cocker, and INDEED it is, lol! In the case of Cockers, this is actually a breed trait. My mom's cocker is approaching old age—they have been able to train her to avoid mistakes most of the time, but even now she will sometimes do it when guests arrive, if they don't take care to remain calm and help her do the same.

The Frenchie I sit for one night started jumping around in circles and barking at me like he wanted to be chased and played with, but it was LOUD. I've made certain to make his evening walk at least 30 min ever since and it's never happened again. Thankfully it's pretty easy to tire out a frenchie.

Yeah, kinna sounds like it could be some evening zoomies that you might be able to address with exercise to make sure he's too tired for all that by the time evening rolls around. Or just immediately take him for a walk when he starts acting like that.

I might try to exercise him more heavily in the morning to see if it helps calm him, or use treats to try to distract him and pull his attention away from the freak out and entice him into some calmer and less hump-heavy games.

This doesn't really address your question, but I really wish they would set the small range at 25 pounds instead of 15. I have both small and medium offered because of this, but it's highly unlikely I'd feel comfortable boarding a dog that's larger than 30 pounds.

I'm still waiting for them to send me follow-up information about how to take the quiz. How many days was it before you got that?

Though I've been mentally prepared for it, so far none of my boarding clients have eliminated in our apartment (though the still-finishing-her-housebreaking puppy I housesit for has done so in her own home, lol), reading this, I guess I've lucked out.

A lot of the young people that I work with are using Canva (a web based platform with a lot of preexisting graphic design templates, many free) for this kind of thing lately, and the results are pretty cute, look more profesh than what most ppl can make on their own or in Word.

(Question really says it all, lol. Have noticed that so far I've only been booked for boy dogs, but it could be a coincidence).

aren't the spitz breeds also sometimes kind of self reliant (I remember reading that abt shiba inus) and less dependent on attention from ppl? I remember thinking they might be too cat like for my personal taste.

...For instance, w/ the dog I'm most intensely bonded with, I cried for 1.5 hours like a crazy person the first time, when i didnt know when/if Id see her, but now it's much less dramatic, lol.

These are great thoughts, thank you! I have noticed that a client becoming a repeat definitely normalizes the bond a little bit so that loss is less intense. ...

What strategies do y'all have if any, for managing your emotional attachments to the dogs you sit, and mitigating sadness/depression after they leave (boarding) and/or you go home (housesitting)?

You haven't lived until you've seen a perfectly placid Frenchie go completely bonkers at the sight of a ball.

What sorts of things didn't you do that she was expecting?

I'd lead with the one of you kissing the larger black dog. Logically, a walking photo makes sense given that's the actual labor you'd perform, but I have an unproven theory that when folks are scanning the available sitters, theyre drawn to love + cuteness

I have passed it many times, but never been inside. We are planning to adopt our own in the fall, so I'll be sure to check it out. I also work just a few blocks from Urban Pooch on Ravenswood Ave, and picked up some supplies there for the Boston pup I was sitting, it was very nice.

Karen, totally unrelated question, but I was just looking at your photos, and wondering how you manage to have all of the cutest dogs in the world stay with you. Is it just the pictures you curated? I'm in love with all of them!!