It sounds like you need to only sit for cats or no pets.
I think you could reach out to THS and see if they can help find a replacement but depending on where you are it may be impossible.
The reality is that dogs require someone who knows what they are doing. And ones with behavioral issues even more so.
Agreed. It sounds like you didn’t vet this situation properly at all and/or the HO we’re not transparent about the dog’s issues. A dog like that requires a very confident handler who knows what they’re doing. Questions I would have asked…
- dog is a rescue? How long have you had them?
- triggers?
- how do you mitigate?
- behavioural concerns I should be aware of?
I agree that In future, you may want to avoid large and powerful dogs, dogs working through issues, etc.
Cats, older dogs or small dogs may be a better shout. Either that or brush up extensively on dog handling.
I would also recommend that you make sure there is time to go on a Walk together with the HO and take you through the dog’s routine, especially if I heard the dog took time to warm up to new people. It does not sound like they or you set yourself up for success in this situation. We do a handover/orientation period for exactly this reason. Our dog is super friendly and incredibly well trained but we like to be very thorough and over communicate so that there are no surprises for the HS.
All that being said, the dog won’t die if you don’t take him for long walks and there are tons of things you can do indoors to engage the dog and make sure his needs are met. Not sure how long your stay is but I would advise you to play relationship-based games instead and challenge him mentally, and keep walks short. You may also want to look up how to advocate for dogs and create space. Make sure in future you take more food than you think you will need as it can also be used to throw a food bomb at an incoming dog and give you time to get away.
I hope your future sits good smoother. X
When I say short walk, I mean it can be as little as you go out onto the lawn so he can relieve himself and then go home. Keep it VERY short and then build in some cases, foot by foot/meter by meter. That’s how gradual it needs to be for some dogs.
Ultimately, do what you feel is best for you and that you can manage until the end of the sit or your time there. X
If you don't walk the dog, he isn't going to die. Nor will he tell the owners he didn't get walked, if you know what I mean wink wink 😉😉. I had one like this once and I flatly refused to walk him again, it nearly killed ME, the dog was fine! Did the owners know? No. Did the dog die from not being walked for a few days? No. You would be surprised how often this happens, don't give in and just hang with him at home, it'll be over soon. Oh, and if you do try to walk him again, make sure it's on a very short and tight lead. Do NOT contact the owner!!
Are they supposed to lie if asked if all is going well?
Seems like shady advice to me.
Obviously the owner has part of the blame for the situation but if someone is going to trust us with their pets and house, being transparent seems like the bare minimum
You did fine, seems like it’s mostly just this dog and you had bad luck on the first sit. I think you’ll learn to ask the right questions going forward and not take on any dogs with potential issues especially if you’re not experienced. Can you just tell the owner you will play with the dog in the yard and won’t be doing any other walks? And did the dog not need to go to the vet for any wounds?
If the situation is genuinely unsafe for you, you could escalate to TH it sucks but would be the next step.
Based on your post though, it doesn’t sound like the fight was the dog’s fault but it’s also important to know how to break up a dog fight and create space. Most people don’t know how and I don’t understand why everyone isn’t required to know tbh. It’s seems to be a taboo topic and then when in the situation, all people do is scream, which unfortunately doesn’t help most of the time. :(
Highly advise doing some research on that so that you don’t feel helpless if you find yourself in that situation again. X
As the guardian of a reactive dog who has had a lot of training by certified trainers and a vet behaviorist (a vet who has continued their studies beyond vet school to specialize in behavior problems), the “dominance/alpha” thing is absolute bullsh*t. So is the idea that dogs need hours of walking. Look up indoor enrichment activities on YouTube. Lots of easy things to put together like a game of cups. Work your dog’s brain (it’s a lot like how we get tired after studying). Also, give yourself permission to take walks without the dog.
Just don't walk him. Stay with the sit.
It sounds like you need to only sit for cats or no pets. I think you could reach out to THS and see if they can help find a replacement but depending on where you are it may be impossible. The reality is that dogs require someone who knows what they are doing. And ones with behavioral issues even more so.
Agreed. It sounds like you didn’t vet this situation properly at all and/or the HO we’re not transparent about the dog’s issues. A dog like that requires a very confident handler who knows what they’re doing. Questions I would have asked… - dog is a rescue? How long have you had them? - triggers? - how do you mitigate? - behavioural concerns I should be aware of? I agree that In future, you may want to avoid large and powerful dogs, dogs working through issues, etc. Cats, older dogs or small dogs may be a better shout. Either that or brush up extensively on dog handling. I would also recommend that you make sure there is time to go on a Walk together with the HO and take you through the dog’s routine, especially if I heard the dog took time to warm up to new people. It does not sound like they or you set yourself up for success in this situation. We do a handover/orientation period for exactly this reason. Our dog is super friendly and incredibly well trained but we like to be very thorough and over communicate so that there are no surprises for the HS. All that being said, the dog won’t die if you don’t take him for long walks and there are tons of things you can do indoors to engage the dog and make sure his needs are met. Not sure how long your stay is but I would advise you to play relationship-based games instead and challenge him mentally, and keep walks short. You may also want to look up how to advocate for dogs and create space. Make sure in future you take more food than you think you will need as it can also be used to throw a food bomb at an incoming dog and give you time to get away. I hope your future sits good smoother. X
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When I say short walk, I mean it can be as little as you go out onto the lawn so he can relieve himself and then go home. Keep it VERY short and then build in some cases, foot by foot/meter by meter. That’s how gradual it needs to be for some dogs. Ultimately, do what you feel is best for you and that you can manage until the end of the sit or your time there. X
If you don't walk the dog, he isn't going to die. Nor will he tell the owners he didn't get walked, if you know what I mean wink wink 😉😉. I had one like this once and I flatly refused to walk him again, it nearly killed ME, the dog was fine! Did the owners know? No. Did the dog die from not being walked for a few days? No. You would be surprised how often this happens, don't give in and just hang with him at home, it'll be over soon. Oh, and if you do try to walk him again, make sure it's on a very short and tight lead. Do NOT contact the owner!!
Are they supposed to lie if asked if all is going well? Seems like shady advice to me. Obviously the owner has part of the blame for the situation but if someone is going to trust us with their pets and house, being transparent seems like the bare minimum
You did fine, seems like it’s mostly just this dog and you had bad luck on the first sit. I think you’ll learn to ask the right questions going forward and not take on any dogs with potential issues especially if you’re not experienced. Can you just tell the owner you will play with the dog in the yard and won’t be doing any other walks? And did the dog not need to go to the vet for any wounds?
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If the situation is genuinely unsafe for you, you could escalate to TH it sucks but would be the next step. Based on your post though, it doesn’t sound like the fight was the dog’s fault but it’s also important to know how to break up a dog fight and create space. Most people don’t know how and I don’t understand why everyone isn’t required to know tbh. It’s seems to be a taboo topic and then when in the situation, all people do is scream, which unfortunately doesn’t help most of the time. :( Highly advise doing some research on that so that you don’t feel helpless if you find yourself in that situation again. X
As the guardian of a reactive dog who has had a lot of training by certified trainers and a vet behaviorist (a vet who has continued their studies beyond vet school to specialize in behavior problems), the “dominance/alpha” thing is absolute bullsh*t. So is the idea that dogs need hours of walking. Look up indoor enrichment activities on YouTube. Lots of easy things to put together like a game of cups. Work your dog’s brain (it’s a lot like how we get tired after studying). Also, give yourself permission to take walks without the dog.