Would you leave your dog with a random person?

[TheGreatestAtuin]

Sorry, strange thread title but I wasn't sure how to phrase it!

I am having a nightmare trying to find boarding for my dear dog, even though the dates are over 8 months away! Everywhere is booked/not accepting new clients. My usual dog-sitter is also already fully booked.

Anyway I have been asking around for recommendations and a random person has contacted me on social media to offer to help. They have the same kind of dog.

I haven't responded yet, as (as kind as the offer is), I feel funny about leaving the DD with a random person (obviously would meet them beforehand, etc, but still). But am I being precious? I just feel like it would be risky. A proper dog-sitter with an established business will have insurance, etc.

I need to respond to the message, as I don't want to seem rude, but not sure what to say!

Also, what the blimmin' hell do people do with their dogs when they go on holiday? I have only had to deal with this once since getting DD, as we have mostly gone on dog-friendly UK holidays, and only had one short break where we couldn't take DD with us. I hadn't anticipated finding it this difficult to arrange something, particularly not the best part of a year in advance.

For various reasons I am not keen to send DD to kennels as I am not sure he would cope (and the ones near us get very mixed reviews).

Are the people you've used in the past sitters who stay in your home or boarders who have the dog in their home?

If you've had a sitter charging you £25 a night for overnight care then I think your sitter needs to raise her prices

I charge double that and I'm in a cheap area - I wouldn't do it for less than £50 and I know many who charge much more than I do depending on their location.

We're in the midlands and licensed home boarders round here usually charge around £25 for 24 hours

That's about right for a boarder as they often have multiple dogs at once (and many also do daycare) so they earn more overall.

Whereas sitters are only caring for your household so the ability to earn extra money is much more restricted. Sitters are also staying away from home which is an added PITA (speaking from experience)

Are the people you've used in the past sitters who stay in your home or boarders who have the dog in their home?

It was home boarding, so my dog stayed in the other person's house. As I've already said I don't want people staying in my house. I can appreciate that it is a more expensive service. But the people on Rover are also offering home boarding (in their home note mine) for £45+ per night which seems ridiculous to me.

Pet care is so undervalued as a profession and it's such a shame.

£45 for 24 hour care in a comfortable home environment from a licensed, insured professional who is qualified in first aid etc. is, IMO, fantastic value for money.

That's less than £2 an hour.

£45 for 24 hour care in a comfortable home environment from a licensed, insured professional who is qualified in first aid etc. is, IMO, fantastic value for money.

But do you really think the random people who put themselves on Rover are any of the above?

Why wouldn't they be?

There's nothing inherently dodgy about Rover as a website. It's just a third party platform where people can advertise their businesses.

The only issue is that Rover don't check their qualifications or licenses. But that doesn't mean that nobody on there is licensed or insured - just that it's something you need to check for yourself.

In the UK, all licensed boarders should have their license on display or available on request - and they should be including their license number on their business page or any adverts they have online too.

That’s why you have to meet them and make your own assessment. Reviews and proof of insurance etc can go some way to reassuring you that someone can be trusted but that’s only part of it.

I consider myself a good judge of character, so if I meet someone and it doesn’t feel right for whatever reason, I’d keep looking.

I have friends who have offered to look after my dogs but for one reason or another, I wouldn’t trust them to do it. Not because I don’t trust them as people, they’re intentions would be completely trustworthy but some of them have never had a dog before, some of them have other dogs and young children that would naturally take up their attention. So I choose to meet people (n their home and also on a walk) and assess them individually. Only then will I make a decision.

I don’t know where your dog normally stays when you go away, but I’ve heard plenty of horror stories about kennels and home boarders so I would be no more reassured by leaving them with a ‘professional’ than an individual that I have personally met and vetted.

No way

@TheGreatestAtuin in your situation I'd do the hours drive to the known place. What's an hour, to be confident he'll be well looked after.

offering to help you out is the kind of thing I do.

I can't have a dog at my house, it's just not suitable as I don't have a garden. (I didn't intend to stay here when I bought it, but 'life happened' & I can't afford to buy a house with a garden now). I miss having a dog & so I do a lot of dog sitting in their owners homes, but at the moment just for friends. Have done for years.

im going to be made redundant in the next few months (children no longer need a nanny) & I'm considering dog sitting as part of what I do, but I won't be able to do it for free or £25 pn as I have a mortgage & bills to pay too.

it's difficult because I wouldn't have left my dog with someone I didn't know, but I look after people's children and sometimes they've never even met me (usually when the lone parent or main caregiver goes into hospital).

are you sure none of your friends would enjoy having him while you're on holiday?

but given you're asking in SM, I don't find it odd that someone has offered to help you 💁🏻‍♀️

Thank you all. Might have found somewhere local. Fingers crossed.
Proper dog-sitting business, insurance details, etc. on website, and lots of good reviews.
We will meet up in a few days to check my doggo gets along with the resident dogs.