Dog-Gone Crazy

(I am leaving shortly on an international trip, and I’m leaving my two dogs at home with a sitter. A few days before my trip, my dog-sitter cancels due to a family emergency and I’m left scrambling to find someone to watch them. I’ve made arrangements for a woman from a dog-sitting website to meet my dogs the same day to make sure it’s a good fit. This is what happens after she arrives at my house.)

Me: “Thanks for coming over. I’ll let you meet [Dog #1] and [Dog #2] separately, and then together. They’ll be really excited to meet you; they love people.”

(I let them each out and then let them out both together. They sniff her, and she doesn’t seem to pet them or act interested at all, so they run off to play together in my room. )

Me: “Okay, so, this is the bedroom you’ll be sleeping in. They need to be fed twice a day and walked at least three to four times a day. I’ll leave emergency contacts for you in the kitchen. Do you have any questions?”

Sitter: “Look, I just can’t handle this. I’m sorry.”

(She then starts to cry. I’m really confused because the dogs have greeted her but not growled or barked, and she looks terrified.)

Me: “Oh, I’m sorry. Was it something I said? Are you okay?”

Sitter: “No, it’s the dogs. I’ve always had a fear of dogs, to be honest, and I thought this would be a good way to get past it, but it’s just not for me.”

(Thankfully, I found a sitter that didn’t fear dogs, but I couldn’t understand why she would advertise sitting services for an animal she is afraid of.)