If you don’t want to fire her, just strip the bed next time and leave it with only a mattress cover. Stick the pillows/ blankets in a closet. That should be pretty clear.
Why don’t you just ask her why your clean sheets had muddy dog prints on them? I really don’t understand why you are uncomfortable asking her about what happened.
Yes, why has that not been asked?
Luckily, my pet sitter is usually my sister, so no problems. But dogs do sometimes act odd when owners are out of tow. My sis-in-law stayed once and went to go to bed (ours, only available at the time) and both German Shepherds ran ahead, jumped on the bed & got all comfy. She wondered about it, but when she told them “off” they gave her a “I don’t think so” look. So she slept with them for several nights. When we talked, she mentioned she was surprised I let them on the bed, and I of course responded “I don’t” :).
So, while the cats were away, the mice DID play.
[QUOTE=NRB;7516350]
First in the past she’s slept in the kids rooms (before kids arrived on the scene) and dogs slept on bed with her and she told me how much she liked that. And 2, When I had first asked her where she would like to sleep she told me that normally she sleeps in the homeowners bed because that was where the dogs were used to people sleeping.[/QUOTE]
Creepy! Fire her.
I think the dogs slept on the bed, because they missed you, and they could do what they want. It’s kind of like when you have them in the car, and you run inside (during cool weather not hot), and our lab would immediately jump in the driver’s seat. I think you need to look for someone else, and dump this one, because it’s not just this one incident, or find someone who will keep the dogs for you at their place.
I would fire her so fast she wouldn’t even know what hit her. I think I’d change the locks too. Advertise around for pet sitters to stay over, and I bet you’ll find someone. A friend had a lady that would stay over with her own dog (the animals all got along wonderfully) and charged nothing, but used fridge and food all she wanted, because she lived with a family member and it was an in-town vacation for her. Think outside the box, with people you know that might have a pet sitter, or an adult relative that can follow directions, is reliable, and just wants to earn some extra money. A lady I work with has several adult daughters in college locally, and they love to stay at my place and house sit, because they are actually closer to work, and like to get away from the roommates for a few days. Someone like that is nice, reliable, loves dogs, and actually follow directions.
Frankly, I think you should board the dogs and eliminate the need for a pet sitter. I’m definitely alarmed that the sitter didnt’ have the wearwithall to at least wash the sheets the morning of her departure… that’s just basic protocol along with no dishes in sink, and buzz the vacuum. But there may have been extenuating circumstances. Never know unless you talk.
But here’s the rub, what you ask of a sitter is a little flakey: Keep rats in a bathroom attached the bedroom in which she MUST sleep, with dogs who are ratters, separated only by a baby gate? Nuh ungh. Not accepting THAT responsibility, thankyouverymuch. I’d rather there’s a little dog hair on sheets instead of dead pets.
And, if this is THAT important to you, and you REALLY can’t find another pet sitter (which I find particularly odd), change the locks on the door to the bedroom. When you mentioned tape on the door frame it really put some perspective on your take on this. You obviously care more of your idiosyncrasies of house occupancy than the wellness of your animals. Tape? Really? What, you’re Sherlock Flipping Holmes now? Wouldn’t a dirty bed look – well – DIRTY? and you not need tape as ‘evidence’?
You have no idea what your dogs do while you’re not there unless you have a live feed camera in each room. These dogs could make her life a living hell without you there… and, I’m quite certain that the family member who stays on occasion is accepted into part of your pack moreso than the sitter.
Look, I sit for a living, and oftentimes owners set up particulars that make it impossible to abide by: close sunroom door, when dogs are alone… but they scratch like crazy on the french doors to get to the occasional cat or bird beyond sunroom. Or, lock dogs out of basement… which is where favorite human spends 90% of their time when they’re home, so they bark 24/7 at basement door looking for favorite human. Or, let senior dog out every.time.he.asks, and doesn’t that sucker want to be on the other side of the door every 11 minutes.
Yes, in retrospect, I really think you should board your animals. If you can’t imagine a scenario where you can outright ASK what’s going on to gain some more information, and you need to sleuth to see if things aren’t to your liking… even tho’ on first exam they may very well be… Please do your sitter a favor and just board the animals. I’m not sure you can be made 100% happy and nobody wants to work for someone who can’t be satisfied.
Dogs slept in bed, not sitter
[QUOTE=littleum;7516125]
How incredibly odd.
Are you sure she SLEPT in your bed? The way it sounds to me- the logical thing- is that the dogs got into your room and were digging around on your bed. She attempted to straighten it. [/QUOTE]
I’m thinking this, because I’ve had this happen. I was the sitter. I slept in the guest room. Dog decided to sleep in master bedroom and since the door was ajar I guessed owners expected dog to choose that room. Well, that dog dug and scratched & rolled around and had quite the party, mussing the pretty pillows and bedding.
Geez I hope the owners don’t think I slept in their bed!
I think it’s quite possible the dogs were in the bed rather than the sitter or some scenario similar to the kinds of things Sansena described. Agree with what many have pointed out – ASK her what happened. And consider your entire view of the situation in light of the fact that you’ve used her for years.
I don’t think you mentioned any other issues with her, did you? I mean, you said you wished the house were cleaner, but she didn’t leave a huge mess. I really don’t think a petsitter also has to leave a house as clean as a housekeeper would, as long as they haven’t left a huge mess – so consider that before you decide this is a reason to “fire” her.
But again, first just ask her. You did say you knew your kids’ beds were a mess because you left at 4 am, right? So just for context your entire house wasn’t quite apple pie order when the sitter arrived, though I am sure you are an immaculate housekeeper!, but just saying that there’s a context here. Anyways, just ask, saying you noticed there were dogprints in the bed and does she know what happened. Then either she has a reasonable explanation, or confesses to an oops moment, or you get more evidence of weirdness to guide you in deciding not to use her again.
All that said, maybe you can find a boarding situation that works for your pets and you.
I’ve talked to the sitter, I specifically said “I noticed that my bed was made up neat and tidy when I got home and then when I pulled the covers back I noticed a dog body stain and mud on the sheets under the blankets as well as on the pillows.” She said that they were napping on my bed, that’s why it was dirty. She did say that she straightened the bed up after using it. She apologized and said that if she had known that it was dirty she would have washed the linens. She said she thought that the covers were pulled up and that they were napping on the comforter and not the sheets. She said normally the dogs sleep on the purple dog throw. I didn’t press her on what normally meant. The purple throw is brand new and I have never used it on my bed before this trip. Then she volunteered that she had slept on the upstairs bed one night then on the basement sofa the other nights. (I did not ask her where she slept) Because she wanted to be near her buddies. So I infer that she really does prefer to sleep in same room as the dogs. Which means I’d need to move the rats or the cat to free up a guest bed for her to be able to sleep with the dogs… But I can’t put rats and cat in same area because the cat would kill the rats. Maybe ill board the cat…ugh. Or maybe she’ll not sleep on my bed after I’ve asked her twice? Or maybe I’ll start boarding the dogs and use her only when I leave for longer trips… or find someone else.
Erm… I then asked her agin not to nap or sleep on my bed. I pointed out it was just my own little weird thing. She said she totally understood, she didn’t want to ever make anyone feel like she was invading their privacy. It’s your home I understand… I made sure she understood how much I appreciated what she does for me, and how well she cares for my dogs.
Ok all good points but just for clarity, I have the guest room for her to sleep in NOT the dogs. So the dog are separated front the guest room by a baby gate at the bottom of the stairs (impossible for them to get over) and another baby gate at the top of the stairs. So no dogs upstairs ever. No dogs in upstairs guest room.
There are no keyed locks no the bedroom door to change. I’d need to install a new door knob with a lock or put in a new deadbolt. Which just seems weird to have to do. I’d mentioned the tape cause really thats my only security measure. lol. I could lock the door knob and then close the door… (it is easily opened by a pin) but really I shouldn’t have to lock my doors. I should be able to trust whoever I’ve hired.
And no I am not more concerned about my house than I am about my dogs. Which is kind of why I have a dog sitter in the first place. I mean her job is to care for the dogs. Feed them, potty them. She does a good job at that. I get poop reports. How awesome is that? I don’t expect her to clean up, but I admit that I am impressed at the level of dirt people live in…I couldn’t do that but I know everyone is different. If I were dog sitting at your place and there were volumes dog hair tumbleweeds blowing about I’d vacuum them up in a minute and be down with it. But that’s me… I get it.
And I am considerate about how I leave my house. I like to leave a clean house so I can come home to a clean house. I make sure that the sink is spotless and all dishes are done and up before I leave. I take the trash out. I pick up everything in the living rooms. I don’t leave a mess for her to wade through. That would be rude.
[QUOTE=NRB;7517285]
I have the guest room for her to sleep in NOT the dogs. So the dog are separated front the guest room by a baby gate at the bottom of the stairs (impossible for them to get over) and another baby gate at the top of the stairs.[/QUOTE]
Maybe the dogs whine and fuss when she goes upstairs to sleep? So she slept somewhere else so the dogs would settle?
I’m just thinking out loud. I know your convo with her is over and you’re going to call her up to ask this nitpicky question.
I always tidy up the house and take out the trash before I leave a pet sitting job - that just seems like common sense! And if the dogs are muddy or hairy I’ll vacuum/mop daily just so I don’t have to clean up a huge mess at the end.
We have one bedroom with a keyed lock, which is wonderful for when one travels. Chuck any tempting valuables into locked room, lock, and go.
And I would fire the dog sitter, because she isn’t doing what you asked her to do. I don’t use family because you can’t give them instructions and expect the instructions to be followed, really. (in my experience) My petsitter is a pro, and I pay her well, and she does what I ask, and she has saved me hundreds of dollars over the years compared to boarding. And for whoever said to board – I sure would rather not! Pets get sick at the boarders, and it’s too danged expensive.
[QUOTE=Lori B;7517761]
We have one bedroom with a keyed lock, which is wonderful for when one travels. Chuck any tempting valuables into locked room, lock, and go.[/QUOTE]
I chuck valuables and documents into a locked gun safe. But my bed doesn’t fit in there, lol. (And it isn’t valuable it’s just my personal hang up)
Where I live boarding is cheaper than a dog sitter for 2 dogs. By only a few bucks. But if I had to board dogs and cat then the Pet sitter is less. But I agree, it’s less stressful for the animals to stay at home and I think they are happier and healthier at home.
