I know I'm the outlier among Ash's reviews. I read all of them before hiring her and was encouraged. I also know many people simply choose not to leave a review rather than say anything negative. Although I don't enjoy writing this, I feel it's important to share my experience honestly. On the positive side, Ash came for a walk-through that included walking my dog, left my house very clean, communicated promptly when there was a problem, and came back from work to check on my dog after he became sick. I appreciated those things very much. Unfortunately, my overall experience was not entirely satisfactory. The first morning I was gone, she allowed my dog to get into things in the yard, even though I emphasized during the walk-through and again in writing that he is a "yard hoo-ver" who will eat patio debris, cat poop, and anything else he can find unless he is watched very carefully and redirected. She told me she "couldn't stop him" and "couldn't get him back in the house." After that, I told her to take him out only on leash. After breakfast that morning he threw up. He also threw up the following morning, which is why she came back after leaving for work. I genuinely appreciated that she returned. However, preventing him from eating things outdoors was one of the primary responsibilities I discussed ahead of time. Other sitters have been able to manage this, and I spent considerable time explaining both his behavior and ways to prevent it. What concerned me most overall was a lack of attention to detail. During the walk-through, Ash spent much of the time talking about herself, her pets, work, school, her ranch, and other topics, without asking many questions about Beaux. I prefer a new sitter to be very curious about and focused on my dog's routines, habits, and needs, and I often found myself steering the conversation back to him. I let that go because her written communication seemed attentive, and her reviews were so positive. Unfortunate-ly, my instincts turned out to matter. I leave every sitter three pages of written instructions and ask them to read them carefully. One instruction was that if Beaux became nauseated, we could CONSIDER using Cerenia—but to call me first so we could decide together. I had already shown her where it was. When he became sick, she gave what she believed was Cerenia without calling me, even though the instructions specifically said to call first. Moreover, when I returned home, I discovered she had actually given him Benadryl instead. The Benadryl blister pack was sitting on the counter, and the Cerenia had not been touched. While that explained why he seemed unusually lethargic when I got home, it also left me feeling that I could not trust her attention to detail. She also told me that when she later let him outside she "made sure he didn't eat anything" and had “even picked debris off his lips.” My thought was that if there was debris on his lips, he had already been trying to eat things. Somehow he continued to get past her supervision despite this being the primary issue we had discussed. I was also surprised that after I arrived home, she never followed up to ask how he was doing. Even if his illness had been completely unrelated to her care, I would have expected a sitter to check in afterward out of concern. I also found that my front door key had been hidden under rocks on the front yard (she didn't mention this, I just happened to find it) and that the back screen door was off the track. I don't know how to reconcile my experience with Ash's many positive reviews, but this was mine. She is a kind young woman who clearly loves animals, and I totally wish her well. I simply need someone who is extremely detail-oriented and proactive, especially with my sneaky little guy, and unfortunately this was not the right fit for us.

Leaving my pup for 3 weeks is so hard but knowing that Ash is taking care of her makes it easier. She sends lots of pictures and provides updates. My pup and even my house are always in great shape when I return. Thanks again!!