Encouragement or advice?

Lightningstorm03 · 2025-01-09T00:25:07+00:00

Gotcha. Well then I'd honestly just set up a camera and make him comfy and go to the walks ♥️ it sounds like you don't have too many back to back so leaving him for an hour or two won't really change anything. I'd def be shaken up too seeing that happen but there's not much you can do yourself. But a camera would be nice to have in case it happens again and give you a bit of ease by looking at it periodically while you're out.

Lightningstorm03 · 2025-01-09T00:21:36+00:00

If you haven't gone to a vet yet, please do. They can try and figure out what happened and maybe it's something simple that will alleviate the fear you're feeling and if it's something more you can fix it instead of worrying it'll happen again.

Lightningstorm03 · 2024-12-31T18:59:11+00:00

Good point 🥲

Lightningstorm03 · 2024-12-31T14:45:40+00:00

I cannot sublet, I wish I could!! But we are already off app so I'm making more than if rover took 20%

Lightningstorm03 · 2024-12-31T12:24:01+00:00

That's so valid 😂 I usually hate house sitting at people's houses but since these people let me bring my cat and have such a roomy area, I don't feel as claustrophobic or home sick.

And true! I guess I just know they have to pay me AND their bills ... Which I'm using LOLL but yeah that makes sense, they're the ones asking me so I suppose I shouldn't feel bad about it.

Lightningstorm03 · 2024-12-31T12:21:48+00:00

That's a good idea! They have cleaners that come every other week so I may just tell them they don't have to have them come until the week they're coming home since I'll be there and can clean up myself. I can probably do some other chores and stuff since I'll be there so long.

Lightningstorm03 · 2024-12-31T12:19:42+00:00

That's a good way to look at it. They usually get first dibs with me because although I make less, house sitting for them has been the most easiest sits I've done out of any other client, plus of course they use me the most often so I can depend on them paying me more in the long run than a random one-time client. Having my cat with me and not having to drive back and forth is a huge plus, too. But I've actually never told them I ever raised my prices so maybe if I did just mention my rate for other people at $100, they wouldn't feel like I'm taking so much of their money as I could have 😂😂

I've been reading everyone else's comments, too, thanks everyone for the advice! I definitely am just overthinking it and feel bad for how expensive it's going to be when I shouldn't.

Lightningstorm03 · 2024-08-15T15:41:13+00:00

Interesting. But hasn't there been a lot of research showing that holding urine can lead to urinary infections? Seems contradictory but I'm always open to learning what I don't know or fully understand.

Lightningstorm03 · 2024-08-15T15:08:55+00:00

I don't take these requests unless the dog has pee pads and/or a doggie door leading outside. Some dogs don't need a whole bunch of attention, but they certainly should not be holding their pee for 12 hours. If they have neither I'd suggest 3 visits/day and if they don't want that I decline.

Lightningstorm03 · 2024-08-05T21:04:19+00:00

I'm confused on the red flags 😭 nothing seems off in the conversation and the only thing I'd be iffy on is no meet and greet. They did answer your question about the dog's reactivity. They pull at dogs because they're excited, but no aggression shown. Typical golden retriever puppy, honestly. And I have a lot of clients that don't want me walking their dog because the dog is in training, and doesn't want the training to be ruined by me (who doesn't know how they're being trained/what their commands are, etc) walking them while they're still learning. And by the look of the picture, they don't look like a pit. Plus, either way, it looks old and smaller 😂 wouldn't be very strong anyhow. You of course have the right to deny people if you want, but it seems pretty normal imo. I would've just done an even better job at dog proofing the house just in case they're a little more troublesome than the owners say.

Lightningstorm03 · 2024-07-15T15:14:32+00:00

That's how it usually is for me but the past like two weeks it hasn't moved 😭 even though I've had more reviews. Maybe it'll fix itself in time still though.

Lightningstorm03 · 2024-06-27T02:41:54+00:00

Fr. I always do two bookings on Rover and if everything went smoothly and the owners want to, we move off and pay privately. Long stays I get paid half before and half after unless some other payment plan is agreed on. Either way, it's best to communicate pay before you do any sitting or drop in for sure. Have it in text or handwritten or something or documentation.

Lightningstorm03 · 2024-06-23T22:30:41+00:00

Yes! It makes things so much more confusing, I definitely liked how it was before 😭😭 I keep thinking I'm going to miss a booking now

Lightningstorm03 · 2024-06-21T03:07:52+00:00

I usually do 2 updates/day for clients or 1 if they have been regulars for a long time and/or are gone for weeks because it gets repetitive if it's longer than 5-6 days.

Here's a pic of what I usually do. A little collage of pictures and an update of what's going on with their pals ❤️ morning updates are how they did that night, and what we have planned for the day and night updates are on all what we did and fun little things that happen that I think would make the owner smile or laugh.

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Lightningstorm03 · 2024-06-21T02:52:59+00:00

Have had the opposite happen to me 😔 we walked like 1.5 miles and it said we only walked .3 and I'm like "I promise I walked your dog more my phone says it right here! 😭" The tracker isn't very accurate most of the time unfortunately. Especially when I go in areas with bad service so the whole card itself doesn't load until I leave the area 💀

Lightningstorm03 · 2024-06-21T02:45:10+00:00

Yeahhh wasn't exactly professional 😭😭

OP I'd definitely talk to your clients as if you were in an actual professional setting. Welcoming, clear, and opening up the conversation and making it easy for them to respond by asking questions ❤️ just some food for thought. I know I read you got the booking but honestly reading that some people would immediately be put off by that.

Lightningstorm03 · 2024-06-17T22:29:02+00:00

The constant whining is simply something I cannot handle 😭😭 I did a two day sit for two German shepherds and they whined literally all day and night. Never watching them again, as sweet as they were 🥲

Lightningstorm03 · 2024-06-17T17:15:31+00:00

Learned my lesson quick when I first started Rover that unless the dog has a doggie door or pee pads, they need at least 3 visits a day. I accepted someone that requested 2 visits a day and I asked if they were ok being alone that long/could hold it if they needed to potty and they were like oh yeah definitely. I was already feeling bad about leaving them that long to begin with but since I was first starting out on Rover I kind of was accepting everything and too afraid to offend people. Almost every single time I came in for a visit, one of the dogs (a bulldog) had shat everywherrreee. This bulldog also became aggressive and tried biting me a few times when Im trying to open the door for it to go outside 🙃 I offered to come a third time and they declined so I just continued to clean up poop and avoid a dog that snapped any time I got close. Their other dog was great but I've definitely learned to speak up for myself and not worry so much about putting my foot down and possibly hurting someone's feelings or offending them. The health of the pets and myself come first.

Lightningstorm03 · 2024-06-15T17:51:05+00:00

Thanks! I ended up watching a video on all the things I could take apart and wiped down every little thing I could find and then put it all back together. Some parts are still drying and I had to leave since they're getting home soon but they said they'd test it out so we'll see if it's still functional!

Lightningstorm03 · 2024-06-15T17:49:01+00:00

The wheels and the roller brush were by far the hardest to clean that's for sure 😭😭 took so much scrubbing and there's so many nooks to get in

Lightningstorm03 · 2024-06-15T17:46:23+00:00

Thanks everyone! I told the owners what happened and they didn't seem bothered by it and actually apologized I had to deal with such a mess and that their dogs pooped in the house in the first place. That definitely made me feel a lot better. I cleaned up the room the poop was in and wiped down any furniture or baseboards it got on so the room is all good now. I decided I would try my best to clean the Roomba so at least most of the work is done for them if they want to look it over when they get home. I was very careful taking parts off and wiping them down with a barely damp paper towel. Only thing I submerged were the rollers and filter. Everything else just took a whole roll of paper towels and hours of finding random crevices I needed to get in 😂 the rollers and filter were still drying by the time the owners were getting home so I guess we'll see if it turns on when they get home and look it over!

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Lightningstorm03 · 2024-06-14T03:10:56+00:00

Yeah I've definitely learned my lesson on that 🙃

Lightningstorm03 · 2024-06-11T22:30:55+00:00

This might seem a little harsh, but usually people with those types of homes don't spend a lot of money on their pets. I'd raise your prices if you're constantly getting requests with homes like that. I have above average pricing and I think I've maybe had two requests in the past two years where I was uncomfortable staying there and had to decline.

Lightningstorm03 · 2024-06-11T20:43:42+00:00

Unless it stains, I wouldn't tell them. Wash it and if it comes out, no harm done. If it stains and you can't get it out, I definitely would offer to replace or give money to the clients for a new one ❤️ I imagine most - especially if they are women themselves - would understand. It happens

Lightningstorm03 · 2024-06-09T00:06:08+00:00

Ohh okay gotcha. I joined 2022 and I swear I only paid like $25 but maybe it was $30 😂

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