# Pet sitters for reactive dogs...?



## Gracie1 (Mar 17, 2010)

I'm not sure how to go about looking for a dog sitter for my lovely but very challenging rescue dog. I work from home most of the time and live within walking distance of my work, so this isn't usually an issue. I do need to go to the odd conference in other cities though and need to find a sitter I can trust - and someone who would be prepared to look after a dog like Gracie! 

Gracie is lovely at home, but a real handful on walks. She barked and lunged at strangers when I first got her, but now does this very rarely - we have to be constantly aware of people though, making sure that she stays under threshold and that we distract her if she starts fixating on anyone. She also goes crazy when she sees another dog - barking, screaming, and lunging terribly - it's completely mortifying. I'm working with a behaviourist to tackle this, but at the moment I avoid head on meetings with other dogs completely. Thankfully, there are two big fields right next to my house, and they are usually empty, so it would be possible for someone to exercise Gracie with little chance of coming into contact with other people and dogs. The other problem is that Gracie gets very over-anxious when visitors come to the door. We deal with this by introducing her to visitors on the road outside the house - she barks and lunges explosively at first, but as soon as they throw her a couple of treats she becomes friendly and it's fine for them to come into the house. 

I'd be really interested to know what other people with reactive dogs do when they need to be away from home overnight. My family and friends won't always be able to look after Gracie when I'm away so I could really do with someone I could call on - but I have no idea if pet sitters would be willing to take on a dog with these kinds of issues.... 

Sorry for the very long post!


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## Chocmonster (Feb 23, 2010)

Can't help with the sitter but just wanted you to know that you're not alone in having a "problem" dog - good on you for sticking with her when a lot of others would give up!


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## dodigna (Feb 19, 2009)

The only advice I would give is to make your search really through, ideally some one recommended and vouched for; can be the nicest person on earth and adore your dog, but if she/he hasn't got good calm reliable ways in case your dog was to react then they are not the right person, possible let who ever you choose come on walks with you first and let them walk her first by themselves, come to training with you, etc. Make sure their training method is something you are comfortable with and they don't risk setting Gracie back in her b-mod and jeopardize all the work you have done so far. It is all very easy for some one to say I can handle aggressive dogs and then you find out the way they do it is something you would not agree Gracie gets subjected to.

I see dog walkers out there that are appalling  They walk 3 4 dogs each, yank them, speed and give hard breaks in cars to get them to be quiet. Jerks them really hard on the leash, I saw one that tided up a dog to a tree and proceeded to do some exercises on the outdoor gim equipment :frown:


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## Bearpaw (Dec 10, 2009)

Sorry,im another that cant really offer much help,but the above post has some great ideas.I would just add ,that your dog may react differently with another handler.The idea of meeting the sitter several times,doing walks and training etc is brilliant,that way you can show them what you do but also observe how the sitter is.
Good luck,hope you find someone


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## Gracie1 (Mar 17, 2010)

Thanks for the advice - this is a real concern for me, but hopefully I'll be able to find the right person. I would definitely want them to meet Gracie a few times first and come on walks with us - that's a really good idea. We're seeing the behaviourist tomorrow, so I'll see if she could recommend someone (if the behaviourist didn't have her own dogs, I'd ask her if she could help - she's wonderfully calm, unlike me, and Gracie adores her!).


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## kaisa624 (Mar 5, 2010)

I walk dogs for people, however only walk one at a time, unless they are from the same home, in which case I walk 2 max, as you have more control over them, and you have more focus on less dogs than more


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