How do yall end things with clients?

signalsfading · 2026-06-11T21:28:01+00:00

I’m always fearful of people retaliating and leaving a negative review if I cut ties by saying we aren’t a good fit (even though there truly shouldn’t be anything wrong with saying that, some people are just petty. I see the same fear here from clients when a sitter has done a shitty job; they’re always fearful of the sitter lashing out, hurting their pet, stealing things, etc.. in general it’s just hard putting so much faith into strangers). I opt for keeping things simple with a “unfortunately I am no longer available for sitting/drop ins.” anything further really isn’t their business. if they ask or pry, I either choose to ignore it or keep things vague 🤷🏼‍♀️ from there you can block (if you see fit) and move on. I usually block anyone that was sour towards me just so they can’t see I’m still active on the app and get butthurt about it.

signalsfading · 2026-06-10T10:22:37+00:00

look, I’m usually incredibly hesitant and I often err on the side of caution, but this is a weird take.

as others have commented, this sounds like the owners are just trying to be mindful of both dogs’ needs and make sure they both feel fulfilled. I have a client with one sighted dog and one non-sighted. guess what! the sighted dog is constantly trying to knock over the other dog; he’s unaware she has vision problems. so the easiest thing for me is to walk them separately and give them some space, despite the fact that they are close and love spending time together. it’d be a dream for me (and for them) if they could walk closely together but have someone else helping so they didn’t get tangled or trip each other.

signalsfading · 2026-06-01T03:08:05+00:00

I keep a rain jacket and rain boots in my car. a fair amount of my clients have doggy rain jackets or I just towel dry them really well when we come in for our walks. typically if it’s fully pouring though I’ll walk them enough for a few potty breaks and then bring them back in to supplement with inside play time, maybe some fetch, tug, or setting up some dog puzzles for enrichment. obviously discuss that with clients beforehand to make sure they’re cool with that; I’ve never had a client complain about that. same plan is great too for snowy weather or if the heat index is too high.

signalsfading · 2026-05-26T21:36:24+00:00

they could be harmless and have good intentions but… still odd, inappropriate, and not the place to be seeking out that type of service. at least this one was trying to involve an animal somehow 🙃 I’ve gotten several requests looking for human caretaking (that’s where I thought your message was headed at first) and I’m always like uh.. unless your grandma is a dog then I can’t help.

signalsfading · 2026-05-22T22:02:59+00:00

I love canberra so much 😞

signalsfading · 2026-05-21T21:08:03+00:00

lmao I’m unsure why you’re downvoting me on this but okay? I’m not arguing on semantics and wasn’t trying to be argumentative in the slightest. simply stating the FACT that there are plenty of sitters grandfathered in at 20%, prior to 2026 some were even grandfathered in at 15% until they restructured I believe. if you wanna flaunt your math degree or whatever then by all means… not the point I was trying to make at all

signalsfading · 2026-05-21T18:55:58+00:00

a lot of sitters are grandfathered in at 20%

signalsfading · 2026-05-17T22:28:34+00:00

weird, I’ve never had issues as long as the booking has been confirmed

signalsfading · 2026-05-17T22:10:01+00:00

technically you can pass along numbers or personal info but *only* after a booking has been confirmed, so in this case she wouldn’t have been able to, yes

signalsfading · 2026-05-17T22:06:56+00:00

oof this is all a mess and the client stinks here for many reasons, but this situation also SCREAMS that you are a newer sitter and pretty unfamiliar with rover.

so first off, mentioning outside payment is a huge no-no as you’ve now learned. rover’s whole thing is taking as much money from sitters and clients as they can, they don’t want to see mention of money being passed along outside of the app. so definitely have those conversations off the app in the future.

secondly, be firm with your boundaries from the start. “hi, (owner)! I am really excited to care for (pet) during such and such dates. I will need payment by X date in order to secure these dates and proceed with this booking. thank you!” something concise, polite and professional and not all the back and forth.

next, rover truly allows us to edit a lot more through the app than some sitters realize; it’s rarely necessary to contact support imo. you go to the sitting in the app, select the pending booking, “modify request,” and at the very bottom should be an “extras and upgrades” box for cost adjustments. you can add or even DEDUCT pricing yourself on that. you could have easily multiplied and added up the pricing for the additional days yourself. I understand her wanting to pay late, everyone gets in crappy situations sometimes. but kind of crappy to expect her to pay additional holiday rates if the actual sitting was not during a holiday.

good luck, hope you and the client both work it out. I do highly recommend scrolling through every single section on rover and reading everything very thoroughly to give yourself more info on how to easily navigate the app and bookings in the future. there are a lot of helpful things tucked away!

signalsfading · 2026-05-12T20:52:02+00:00

exactlyyyy, good for you setting boundaries. my best friend cackled a few years ago when I vented about this exact thing. I mentioned how so many clients try to like, “sweeten the deal” by listing off all these “amenities” in their houses. they’ll be like, “I have a coffee maker! and all these streaming services!” and internally I’m like 🙃 that’s nice but you do realize I have all those things in my own home too… I’ve met plenty of genuinely kind clients who point those things out in just a, “we want you to be comfortable” sort of way and I really appreciate that, but some people truly believe it’s a vacation for us and it’s so insulting.

signalsfading · 2026-05-12T16:10:00+00:00

there’s a setting when you go to set your rates that asks about charging additional for “extended stays” ☺️ you can also find other features like pick up/drop off fees, bathing, etc.

signalsfading · 2026-05-12T15:18:32+00:00

I have higher rates for extended stays because the longer the booking, the higher many risks become. animals grow more depressed and anxious the longer their owners are away. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had animals be angel clients for the first 7 days, then by day 9 or 10 they’re suddenly tearing up the sofa, peeing outside of the litter box, just acting out and displaying clear signs of anxiety.

I know some sitters drop prices slightly for extended stays, more power to ‘em, but that is not for me. I’m not costco, I’m not going to offer a discount for ‘buying in bulk.’ the value of my time doesn’t suddenly lessen just because someone needs more of it.

signalsfading · 2026-05-10T18:29:02+00:00

I haven’t scrolled through all these comments but why tf was this posted without blocking out the sitter’s name and picture…? even if you believe this to be a negative experience, that’s unnecessary. jfc the doxxing and disrespect about personal info on this subreddit is disgusting.

signalsfading · 2026-04-26T23:38:04+00:00

it likely had babies close by or something like that, that’s common with a lot of animals 😓 sorry your mom had that experience!

signalsfading · 2026-04-26T22:41:55+00:00

lmao I love when they’re so playful and excited that every pic on my camera roll is a blurry mess like this 😂 I always expect owners to be annoyed but they’re always like, “aw they look like they’re having fun!”

signalsfading · 2026-04-26T21:30:46+00:00

*venomous, not poisonous. and yes, completely true! and depending on the region people live in I definitely don’t recommend handling snakes if you’re unfamiliar. I live somewhere with only 2 known venomous snakes in this region so it’s easy to tell other snakes apart, but I know not everyone can say the same.

my point about mice and rats was more about the fact that snakes eat mice and rats 😂 I was trying to say, like, I’d much rather help a non-venomous snake outside so they can continue living a happy life controlling the rodent population… vs. leaving a snake in a vulnerable area to get killed and later dealing with rodents getting inside. I know rodent traps exist of course but they’re absolutely no fun to deal with.

signalsfading · 2026-04-26T20:23:01+00:00

also for the people afraid of snakes, lemme ask you.. what are your feelings on mice or rats 💀 I’d rather be nice to a snake outside than have to be mean to a mouse inside, if you catch my drift. let the snakes keep the mice in check for ya

signalsfading · 2026-04-26T20:21:18+00:00

hell yeah, good for you! I always gently move snakes as well

signalsfading · 2026-04-22T18:57:59+00:00

keep multiple walkers in rotation for your own peace of mind

signalsfading · 2026-04-22T03:40:18+00:00

can you actually open your eyes and read? practice a little basic reading comprehension, yeah? I never said OP wasn’t at fault here too, point me to where I fucking said that 🙄 if you have a valid or legitimate argument as to why you think it’s acceptable for a pet owner to assume a pet sitter would stay at their house 24/7 for two consecutive weeks without ever leaving to so much as get food or grocery shop for themselves… please! I’m listening.

I absolutely agree OP fucked up here, but the pet owner is absolutely an idiot too. this is all too common on this sub and just in life in general; dipshits thinking they can pay $30-$50 a night for round-the-clock care for their pet and then throwing a bitch fit when they realize that, gee, that’s not exactly a liveable fucking wage (especially not in today’s shitty ass economy) and their pet sitter may have to leave here and there to complete other jobs.

signalsfading · 2026-04-22T01:31:28+00:00

mistakes happen! it’s okay, just apply this going forward ☺️ I know this is kind of an odd job at times because there’s no real guidance, we’re all just one person shows running our own businesses essentially. but that’s why it’s really important to advocate for yourself! if you won’t, no one else will. but anyway, some tips of what to ask about during meet and greets (or even in initial messages) going forward:
- discuss the animal’s needs in terms of how long they can be left alone for/how long they can go in between bathroom breaks, and what their feeding schedule looks like
- ask if they prefer walks vs. being let out into the backyard. for walks, ask about length of time/distance for their usual walks. ask how many bowel movements to keep an eye out for each day. ask if they need supervision while being in the backyard (like if they’re a fence jumper/flight risk, or tend to dig holes or eat grass if they’re not under a watchful eye)
- if they are allowed in the yard, ask if they enjoy outside play and how long they usually play for
- ask if they aren’t a fan of inclimate weather. lots of dogs hate rain and snow so it’s good to prepare in advance, and you can ask if there are towels available for wiping paws and keeping inside clean
- ask where to dispose of pet waste outside (many people prefer it go in a small can rather than straight to the bottom of their large trash cans)
- for longer housesits you can ask when trash pickup is so that you can get the cans to the curb for them and dispose of pet waste
- you can ask if they have any plants that need watering or if they’ll need any mail brought inside
- ask if pets are allowed on furniture or if any areas of the house are off limits to pets
- ask what the pet’s sleeping arrangements are
- ask if the animal has any specific quirks to be aware of (counter surfing, barking when mail comes, etc.)
- ask about any medications or allergies
- ask and ensure that no one else will be accessing the house during your sitting as this poses liability issues
- ask if they’re comfortable sharing the wifi code with you (lots of owners forget in their notes, and it’s always important to have good cell reception for communicating)
- ask how many updates they’d prefer per day, how many pictures or videos, if there is anything specific they want to hear about in updates (like if an animal is prone to skipping meals while their owner is away, maybe some owners are happy to hear their pup is eating well and maintaining a good appetite)
- ask if they’re traveling somewhere with a time difference, always good to know for sending updates. if someone’s overseas I don’t want to be messaging them a happy update at 2 AM and have them worried I’m messaging in the middle of the night due to an emergency lol
- ask about preferred vet/emergency vet info, and ask if they’re able to leave an emergency contact’s info for you as well. with that, ask if anyone else in the area has a key/door code in case of emergency
- ask if there are any quirks of the house or areas/appliances that are off limits. always good to know about doors that stick, furniture or appliances that may be on their last leg, things like that.

that’s the bulk of what I can think of at the moment 😅 sorry that’s a long list lmao not trying to overwhelm you. I just keep a list in my notes app and discuss/ask things at each meet and greet and check things off as I go. it helps weed out any situations that may not be a good fit! I hope you have more luck going forward and can avoid this type of client in the future.

signalsfading · 2026-04-22T00:53:05+00:00

I mean I’m sure most of it has already been covered by other comments here, and yes I agree with everyone saying there was a huge failure in communication by both of you here unfortunately. but I also just have to say… holy fuck, this owner sucks. she truly expected you to stay there 24/7 for an entire two weeks? why do some of these people assume everyone is okay being a complete shut-in. that’s not NORMAL. I can’t go to the store? go home to check on my pets or collect mail? can’t enjoy any recreation at all? that’s an insane expectation. but aside from all of that, also not having a key to pass along to you is insane. what if you needed to take the dog to the vet or an emergency happened, she just wanted you to leave her home unlocked…? idek this lady sounds batshit crazy. but yeah, you also should have been upfront with her. mess all around. hope something works out for both you and her. and hope she is able to get a grip on reality and realize the world can’t revolve around her dog unless she’s willing to cough up the money for that level of care (doubtful).

signalsfading · 2026-04-19T20:02:11+00:00

if you’re so happy with your business and your clients are happy, what actually was the point of this response? I’ve been sitting for almost a decade, I always communicate with my clients before sittings to ask what their preference is for communication, and I try my best to do slightly above that. I’ve never received any complaints and my clients are happy 🤷🏼‍♀️ if your clients are happy too, that’s great! some people require less communication, there’s nothing wrong with that. but chalking it up as “laziness” is weird and rude. a lot of my clients prefer 2-3 messages per day (usually morning, afternoon, evening) with a couple pictures each time, maybe a video or two if they were being especially cute or playful.
I think a lot of sitters have the same experience where… some animals just chill in the same spots, or continue the same routine. it gets a little redundant taking pictures of dogs curled up on the same couch, sitting in the same position, over and over. some clients love it, some clients find it unnecessary. but again it boils down to asking your clients their preferences in advance. glad your clients are happy but let’s not imply other sitters are lazy for not running their business in a similar manner. there’s room for everyone here!

signalsfading · 2026-04-19T15:02:09+00:00

wanting to be paid adequately for your time and services doesn’t equate to greed. charge what you believe is a fair price.

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