Maybe it is the area. I'm in Long Beach (technically, LA too) and have been experiencing the same! I have nightmare stories for days, lol.

The owners definitely lie about their dog's behaviors (going from "he is so chill!" to "oh yeah he does that, but his bites don't really hurt"). Then lying even more by leaving me a bad review and blaming me for their dog's behavior.

I've had 3 dogs who were extremely aggressive to the point of biting. I've reported it to Rover every time and didn't really get any support, and when I couldn't continue the stay my profile got suspended. Because of this I increased my rates, became a lot more selective on who I accept, and recently posted detailed rules on my profile.

Majority of the dogs I've met on Rover have mild to moderate behavior issues (barking, marking, separation anxiety, etc.) and I've figured out little techniques to help curb these. Usually the issues don't subside until the dog has booked with you several times. I've also stopped taking large dogs in my home since I have a small Yorkie Poodle, who's becoming more traumatized the more time we spend on Rover.

As I go along, I'm learning to pay more attention to an owner's red flags during the meet-and-greet too, because in problem cases they are more stressful to me than the dog. I've read about sitters in this forum requiring forms and buying extra stuff (dog whistle, doggy diapers, etc.) so that's an option too.

Rover doesn't remove reviews even when you prove that the owners lied. You handled it perfectly but unfortunately it does affect business. You can respond to their review to explain your side. I wish Rover did more, or at least let sitters access other sitters' review of the dogs and owners.

Agreed on lack of support. I think Rover should place a hold on their card like how hotels do, since we are basically a pet hotel. Before booking there should be a page saying "I agree to pay for the entire stay and any damage" and hold isn't released until sitters confirm that pet is picked up

That is very sweet of you to take care of the dog. Unfortunately I've had interactions with some terrible owners as well and felt that Rover did not have my back. Were you paid for the additional days? And did the company provide any support?

I had this experience recently. During the meet & greet, I walked with the owner to see how she interacted with the dog. She told me that the dog doesn't like to walk or sometimes won't even leave the crate at all because he doesn't want to move. He seemed fine with her, so I asked to hold the leash as the owner walked with us. Still walked fine. Then I asked to walk around the block with him away from her to see how he would react. He seemed fine, though he did keep looking back at her. Overall the meet & greet was good.

On the day of the booking, the dog would not move at all. He was aggressive without her. He bit me when I tried to coax him out of his crate and then bit the leash and wouldn't let it go. He also bit me when I tried to pet him even with treats and toys. He is a Great Dane and I'm not sure if bigger dogs are more prone to this behavior, but I've never had a problem with smaller dogs in regards to this before. I talked to the owner who blamed me, even though she knew her dog's tendency to act like this, and left me a horrible review. If she was nice about it, I could have given him more time to get comfortable by booking more walks, but that takes a lot of patience.

So basically: (1) try holding a treat in front of them to see if they will follow it, and feed it to them once they are where you would like them to go, (2) try making a treat "trail" leading outside, (3) observe during meet & greet to see owner's strategies, (4) ask owner for strategies in getting dog to move and hope she is helpful, (5) if none of the above works, don't re-book, or at least don't do it for free.

Best of luck xx