Pet sitting

[JoM]

What a fabulous job, absolutely perfect for her!

[Kaz]

Di asked how things were going, and I was going to post on here today anyway as I am a bit peeved on B's behalf

The first people, based just outside Birmingham, had her to stay for the weekend first - they have three dogs and four cats and one of the dogs is very disabled, in fact paralysed from the waist down. They wanted to be sure B could help this dog wee and poo as it needs some help to do so B said the weekend went ok but she couldn't always get the dog to wee and its bladder dribbled A bit too complicated really, the weekend was to see if B could manage for a week later in the summer, but they are hiring someone else with a bit more experience. B is a bit relieved TBH....She did of course get paid for the weekend

The second ones, well!!!!! They are a couple who live in Forces accommodation not far from Burford (Oxford way) with three dogs. Lovely dogs, B really enjoyed looking after them. She was hired to be there originally from Sunday to Sunday, but that got changed as they decided not to go away until Wednesday! So B went on Tuesday, to meet the dogs and get used to them while they were still around. That went fine, they toddled off on Wednesday morning and B really enjoyed chilling out with the dogs, walking and feeding them etc etc......Fast forward to Friday evening, B had walked the dogs and just got into her PJs to snuggle in with the dogs for the evening when she got a text. They were coming home early, hubby has been deployed unexpectedly and is leaving for *wherever* in a day or two, can Becky go home early preferably tonight as she is very upset!!????? So poor B rings me to ask if Mick can come and get her, neither Mick or I were best pleased a he'd just got in from fetching Harry but bless him he set off to fetch her! So almost 10pm and B is home......

This morning she gets a text from Madam "Marmite (one of the dogs) is a bit quiet, was she ok with you yesterday?" B replied that the dog was perfectly fine, ate her food, enjoyed her walk etc....."Ok" comes the reply, then if you can believe this "Just a couple of things Becky, the kitchen worktops were a bit sticky, and you left the lid on the loo seat up" WTF? She practically orders the girl out of the house at short notice and then has the cheek to pick on ridiculous little things Apparently she told B, when they were chatting before they went away, that she has OCD. No kidding!!

Poor B now feels that the woman is implying that something she did has caused the dog to be "off colour" and that she has made the house dirty B had a quick tidy and clean round but she only had about 40 minutes to get dressed again, feed the dogs, pack her stuff and get ready for Mick to collect her

I am trying to persuade her that working at a regular job might be less hassle

[Ally]

Well of all the friggin cheek!!!!!!!

Honest to God - I just can't believe people treat other people in this way.

Sounds like the husband being 'deployed unexpectedly' was just a ruse.

I reckon the woman wanted to just get home quickly- probably had the jitters at the realisation that someone else was left in her immaculate house to leave a sticky surface or the odd crumb lying around!

(Shame if she does have OCD - but there was no need to treat B so shoddily.)

((((((B))))) xxx

[Kaz]

You could be right Ally

Thing is, B was going to have a good clean around today - mindful of the woman's condition, she was keen not to upset or make her anxious, B is a very sensitive girl!! Bloody cheek of the woman

[Kaz]

Oh and thank you xxxxxxxx

[Diflower]

Oh poor Becky!

As I read my thought was exactly the same as Ally's, that the woman had maybe had to be persuaded to go away? And then she delayed it, and also wanted to get back early
You don't say if Becks has replied but wasn't she employed through an agency? I think I'd prefer to do any communicating through them, I'm sure they'd understand xx

[debih]

Silly woman!

I think that people who are likely to employ pet sitters and house sitters (and this is a sweeping generalisation here!!) are probably likely to be very fussy. I can just see them now - rather rich, rather bored housewives with their immaculate gleaming homes and their very pampered pooches!

I think if she wants to continue, B needs to grow a thick skin. I would guess that an experienced pet sitter (and this is in no way a criticism of B, this was her first job after all) would have told them that yes, she could start on the Wednesday but they would have to pay her from the Sunday as planned and when she got the phone call asking her to leave would have insisted on being paid until the Sunday and probably asked for the money to stay in a hotel on the Friday night!

I think a "proper" job would be more sensible and less hassle but a dog sitting one will be much more fun, if she can ignore the comments of silly women like this one!

[Kaz]

Thanks Di xx

No it was a website, not an agency, but I agree with you, the woman is a nightmare

LOL Debih That was my 'take' on it too at first but so far they have lived in a) a bog standard three bed semi and b) military housing on an estate In fact it is cheaper to use a sitter than put three or four dogs into kennels.......

B does need a thicker skin, and yes I agree about the pay etc but this is her 'thing' and I can only give so much of my two penn'orth before I am interfering

She does have another job lined up, in Cheltenham, this woman seems normal so far I will keep you posted

[debih]

She does have another job lined up, in Cheltenham, this woman seems normal so far I will keep you posted

This one will be the local nutter!

[Gal]

Aww bless her! Not the best start to her pet sitting job, baptism of fire really, but I guess you are always going to find oddballs in whatever sort of work you do, and tbh living in another person's home when they are not around, especially if the person is a bit weird as this lady is, and B was perceptive enough to notice this, is always going to bring its own problems

wasn't she employed through an agency? I think I'd prefer to do any communicating through them, I'm sure they'd understand xx

I agree Di - I do appreciate she needs B's mobile number for emergencies but really it isn't professional to continue using it when she has finished her job. B wasn't there to be a cleaner after all, she was there to look after the pets and that should be the only thing they need to be discussing.

Hope B is ok lovey xxx