Aibu expecting too much dog sitter

[Dogdogdoglove]

So this is my first dog (Bella) although we have had her a few years now and have had two dog walkers/dog sitters. First one was an absolute god send and was just amazing with our dog. She unfortunately left dog walking as she had back issues.

New dog walker/sitter (I'll call him Ben) came recommended by a friend and we have had him for about 3 months. No major issues. He has Bella (bulldog cross) three times a week (two one hour walks and one full day where he does 'doggy daycare').

Anyway in the last couple of weeks a couple of things have happened where I've been a bit hmmm. Ben has had Bella two days last week and this week as I've been attending medical appointments for my husband.

First issue - Ben rang to say Bella had a fight with another dog. I was surprised as our dog is pretty timid and our dog trainer was a bit 🧐 when I told him as he said most unusual from our dog. However this isn't the end of the world, Bella and the other dog were both fine. I understand these things happen. On the phone Ben said that she had a small cut on her leg but nothing major but when we got home Bella had what I can only describe as scratches and nibble marks on her ears (nothing huge but noticeable!).

Ben also said on the phone something that made me think he often leaves the dogs on their own and pops out to do errands. Is this normal? I'm surprised as surely I am paying him to be with my dog?

Second thing is today when Ben dropped our dog home he said that she had destroyed a cushion in his conservatory. Again this made me a bit taken aback as she has never destroyed things before (well not since she was about 6 months!). I don't know if he was hinting that I should pay for the cushion?? He then mentioned he had left her while he took the other dogs on a walk (she's quite lazy so doesn't always need an afternoon walk although would happily go) and that he had gone to the vets with his own dog. So this means Bella was alone in his house for at least 2 hours I think from what was said.

Aibu to be a bit annoyed? I pay a dog walker/sitter as I do not like leaving bella on her own for more than two hours. If Ben frequently leaves her at his house (potentially with other dogs who she doesn't get on with) then drops her at mine before I'm home she would be alone a lot longer than this. Or am I being completely unrealistic and a bit precious?

I'm aware I'm a bit ott about the dog as I love her to bits and she really helped me through a couple of mcs (I have a baby now 😊).

Sorry this is so long winded!

I’ve never had to use doggy daycare but may need to for a day a week going forward, so those sharing their experiences- how many dogs do they tend to have? And also, I would be really upset if I found the person running it was leaving my dog alone - is this usua?

I wouldn’t be happy with this, your paying him so your dog isn’t left alone, and he’s not providing that service. And as said by pps, our conservatory gets up to about a million degrees when the sun shines through, I wouldn’t leave any animal in there with no way out for a couple of hours.
As for the cushion- surely that’s an occupational hazard, and you don’t leave other people’s dogs in rooms where you have furniture your really bothered about. I’d be looking for someone new tbh.

I once met a lovely dog walker whilst out walking the dog. Turns out she did home boarding so I booked BastardSpaniel in with her for a week. When I picked him up she said everywas fine but when I got home she phoned me to say there had been a few issues which she hadn't wanted to discuss face to face.

He had, apparently, scratched her glass doors, whilst locked outside. He was tapping on the window to come in. Erm. What the fuck was he doing shut outside?

Also she had left him with her boyfriend, who left him alone in the lounge whilst he answered the door, and in that time he managed to destroy a footstool. He had not destroyed anything since he was a puppy. And I'd taken his cage in case he needed to be left alone, but her boyfriend felt mean putting him in it.

Needless to say he didn't go back.