# Fire my dog walker?



## hamandeggs (Aug 11, 2011)

So my husband and I both work full time, and Biscuit gets walked by a dog walker four days a week. (On the other day, she goes to doggy daycare, which is a different company.). We are paying for a 30 minute walk. 

Being a curious person, I set up a webcam to see what Biscuit has been getting up to while we're gone. I wanted to see if she's adjusting well to spending time alone in our new apartment. But lo and behold, the dog walker's visit today was only 22 minutes. Less than that if you count the time he spent putting on her leash and writing a note. Oh, and the note said he was there 45 minutes. 

Biscuit does not depend on this walk for her exercise. It's more meant to break up the day for her. But. With a dog walker, the whole relationship is built on trust. They have keys to our house! I think this wouldn't bother me so much if he hadn't lied on the note. If that was the case, maybe it was a one time thing. But now I'm questioning their honesty more generally. I'm thinking we should see how the next couple days go, keep watching the webcam, and if this turns out to be a pattern, we have to let them go. I realize this is such a first-world proble,m, but what do you all think?

Would you fire a dog walker if they weren't honest about giving your dog the full 30 minutes? How many chances would you give them? Would you talk to them about it first, then give them another chance? Or would the whole relationship be soured?


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

If the visit was meant to be 30 and had been 22, I'd probably be inclined to shrug and let is slide, because I'm an easy going person. 

When they more than doubled the amount of actual time they were there, in the note? Oh heck no. They'd be gone, and I'd tell them why.


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## hamandeggs (Aug 11, 2011)

The last thing I want to do is run around the mulberry bush finding a new dog walker. What a pain in the neck. But this kind of thing really makes me mad. 

I have a friend (in our old city) who recently had to fire a dog walker because he "forgot" to walk their dog who knows how many times...but of course kept taking their money. Their dog developed an aversion to his crate, presumably because he had been stuck in there for 10 hours so many times. How can someone like that sleep at night?


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## shannylee (Aug 8, 2013)

FIRED! I would give them NO chances if they were there for 22 minutes and wrote a note saying they were there for 45. ok...maybe if this is a daily walk, I would watch for a day or two to see what the pattern is OR I would leave him a note and say something along the lines of 'Thanks for taking such great care of Biscuit. We watched your interaction with him on the webcam and it's clear to see that he loves his 30 minutes with you.' I bet he stays the whole 30 minutes after that!!


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## Crantastic (Feb 3, 2010)

I'd fire the person. Not realizing he was only there for 22 minutes instead of 30 wouldn't be a big deal, but claiming 45? No.

And wow, hamandeggs. If someone forgot my dogs in their crates for 10 hours ONCE, they'd be done. I have a one-strike policy when it comes to the care of living beings.


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

Yeah, things happen so a 25 minute visit that is meant to be 30 minutes wouldn't bother me on occasion but lying about it? and adding at least 20 minutes to the time spent category in the note? Nope, wouldn't fly with me. 

I'd watch on the cams maybe 2 more times to make sure it wasn't just a mentally off day for the walker. Sometimes a busy person will look at a clock and see say, 11:15 and not 11:45. But not 2-3 times total (2 more would be more than enough to prove to me that the walker is shirking).

I think having a dog walker is nice, but I really don't think it is required for an adult dog if you're gone no more than about 8-9 hours per day. Heck, sometimes I get home and let Chester in the yard and he sniffs and rolls in the grass and then sunbathes for 10-15 minutes before even bothering to pee. The fosters tend to pee right away outside, but are still often laying on the couch or relaxed in a crate when I arrive home (indicating to me they aren't overly stressed). So if it takes time to find a new walker, I wouldn't worry about it.


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## MimiAzura (Jan 5, 2013)

fired! 

I've been considering hiring a dog walker for Taj so I can spend the time i usually spend with him, taking Stella out
he NEEDS his walks, but she is still nervous/reactive so I really need to start working with her more often..
But Taj is a "talker". He likes to be heard all the time and its kind of embarressing.. lol not sure anyone would want to deal with that, god knows i don't, some days


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## kcomstoc (Mar 9, 2013)

Shell said:


> Yeah, things happen so a 25 minute visit that is meant to be 30 minutes wouldn't bother me on occasion but lying about it? and adding at least 20 minutes to the time spent category in the note? Nope, wouldn't fly with me.
> 
> I'd watch on the cams maybe 2 more times to make sure it wasn't just a mentally off day for the walker. Sometimes a busy person will look at a clock and see say, 11:15 and not 11:45. But not 2-3 times total (2 more would be more than enough to prove to me that the walker is shirking).
> 
> I think having a dog walker is nice, but I really don't think it is required for an adult dog if you're gone no more than about 8-9 hours per day. Heck, sometimes I get home and let Chester in the yard and he sniffs and rolls in the grass and then sunbathes for 10-15 minutes before even bothering to pee. The fosters tend to pee right away outside, but are still often laying on the couch or relaxed in a crate when I arrive home (indicating to me they aren't overly stressed). So if it takes time to find a new walker, I wouldn't worry about it.


 I would do this, maybe they were having an off day....? but if it happened again I would say something to him, like everyone said 22/30 minutes is pretty much the whole time, but lying about it no  and I feel bad for the dog that was "forgot" to be walked poor thing


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## SydTheSpaniel (Feb 12, 2011)

I'd probably talk to him about it and then watch the cam a couple times, see if he fixes the mistake. Lying isn't a good thing though, and I'd be worried about whether he's being honest in other regards... but, if walkers are hard to come by and you really want to have a walker, then I would just ask him about it. Maybe he just spaced it.


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## Kayota (Aug 14, 2009)

Shell said:


> I think having a dog walker is nice, but I really don't think it is required for an adult dog if you're gone no more than about 8-9 hours per day. Heck, sometimes I get home and let Chester in the yard and he sniffs and rolls in the grass and then sunbathes for 10-15 minutes before even bothering to pee. The fosters tend to pee right away outside, but are still often laying on the couch or relaxed in a crate when I arrive home (indicating to me they aren't overly stressed). So if it takes time to find a new walker, I wouldn't worry about it.


Yeah, my dogs get excited when I get home but they relax pretty fast.. They go out and mess around and pee and then come back in. And that's with me being gone for up to eleven or twelve total hours some days. There's an hour and a half break between class and work and then it's off to work.


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## HollowHeaven (Feb 5, 2012)

I think I'd watch another time or two, just to see.

If this has been a consistent thing or if it turns out to be one, I would ask for my key back, say sorry it's not working out, you've got no time or money for liars and show them the door.


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## PatriciafromCO (Oct 7, 2012)

ditto to see if it was just a bad day,, and not a habit so skimming time... Happy to hear Biscuit is doing well


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## AgentP (Dec 12, 2011)

I would film and see what happens the next walk. If the same thing happens, fire the walker. I used to walk dogs and I did cut corners with some dogs while I added time with the ones I loved. Not proud of it, but I am being honest. They were not my regulars, so I felt less guilty about it; because I was always very aware that they doggies needed the attention more than the exercise. I think that the best thing you can do is to keep looking until you find someone who is enthusiastic about your dog. Like that you know that when they cut time it's something that happens infrequently and is made up for at another time.


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## aiw (Jun 16, 2012)

I would watch for a day or two more, but likely they would be fired unless they went above and beyond to make up for the short visit the next coupe of days. 22 minutes into 30 would not be a big deal to me, its the lie that puts it right over the top.


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## Spirit_of_Cotons (Jun 21, 2009)

I agree with SydtheSpaniel. I'd talk to him about it, then if he keeps doing it and keeps lying about it, then yes you should fire him. He might've made a mistake with the number, sometimes I'll say or write something down and leave. Then later, it's "oops, gotta fix that!" But maybe he couldn't. Besides 22min from 30 isn't that bad. If it was 15 instead of 30min, then yeah it's something to get angry over. 

I'd give the dog walker the benefit of the doubt first. But if he keeps doing it? Fire him and explain why; after that let everyone know this person isn't reliable.


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## hamandeggs (Aug 11, 2011)

Crantastic said:


> And wow, hamandeggs. If someone forgot my dogs in their crates for 10 hours ONCE, they'd be done. I have a one-strike policy when it comes to the care of living beings.


Yeah, they gave the guy two chances. I couldn't believe they didn't fire him after the first time. 



Shell said:


> I think having a dog walker is nice, but I really don't think it is required for an adult dog if you're gone no more than about 8-9 hours per day. Heck, sometimes I get home and let Chester in the yard and he sniffs and rolls in the grass and then sunbathes for 10-15 minutes before even bothering to pee. The fosters tend to pee right away outside, but are still often laying on the couch or relaxed in a crate when I arrive home (indicating to me they aren't overly stressed). So if it takes time to find a new walker, I wouldn't worry about it.


We work pretty long hours - we're gone from about 8:30-6:00. It's not a potty issue - Biscuit is always more interested in a snuggle when we first get home than in going outside - as much as an activity/alone time issue. But yeah, she would be OK for a few days. My parents also live really nearby and my mom said she can be a our substitute dog walker for a few days if needed. It shouldn't be that hard to find a new person in Boston, but you never know. 



Spirit_of_Cotons said:


> I agree with SydtheSpaniel. I'd talk to him about it, then if he keeps doing it and keeps lying about it, then yes you should fire him. He might've made a mistake with the number, sometimes I'll say or write something down and leave. Then later, it's "oops, gotta fix that!" But maybe he couldn't. Besides 22min from 30 isn't that bad. If it was 15 instead of 30min, then yeah it's something to get angry over.
> 
> I'd give the dog walker the benefit of the doubt first. But if he keeps doing it? Fire him and explain why; after that let everyone know this person isn't reliable.


It was like, he was there from 1:53-2:14, but he wrote 1:30-2:15. There's a digital clock right next to where he writes these notes. It's less the amount of time than the lie. How can I trust this person? What else is he lying about? 

I'm torn about talking to them about it first. My husband thinks we should just fire them without talking to them if it happens again today and tomorrow, because it's a trust issue. I'm inclined to agree. I don't want to feel like I have to look over my dog walker's shoulder every day...

I guess we'll see how today goes.


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## Indigo (Mar 31, 2011)

Ha! I'd do the same thing you did, with the camera. I'm always paranoid about people coming into the house when I'm not home. You just never know.
With all the other things we have to worry about in our lives, personally I'd just let them go. I'd give them a second chance if they didn't exaggerate the time they spent working, but in your case they did, so... bye bye! I probably wouldn't tell them about the camera unless they put up a fuss. It's too bad it's hard to find a dog walker where you live though. I should mail you some from my city; they're advertised all over the darn place.

Not dog walking, but I had to kennel my dog a few times and there was a huge difference in how much people cared at individual facilities. I don't want to have to be worrying about my dog when I'm away so I only give caretakers one chance to get it right. There has to be no question in my mind that they're getting cared for as I asked. It's their JOB to give me peace of mind, and not my job to babysit them.


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## ireth0 (Feb 11, 2013)

I also agree that it's the lying that makes it bad. Being a few minutes under to me really wouldn't be a big deal if it was a one time thing. Stuff happens, and maybe there would have been a reason (like something that happened on the walk) that you couldn't be aware of without asking.

If it was a regular thing though? Nuh uh.


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## Flaming (Feb 2, 2013)

I don't have a dog walker but my security system does keep a log of when people unlock and lock the door with the option of choosing passcodes for individual people so I'd know who it is and I would so use that to my advantage in your situation and do the same thing. Give one more chance incase he/she (I didn't see this specified) had a brain fart because the powers that be know that I can have them just as bad too. And then either fire and/or talk on the second day if there is still an issue. I'd lean more towards the firing if you are paying by the minute and they are overcharging you because of the "45" minutes, and more towards a talking to if they are short time on occasion. 

But that's just what I'd do, not sayin it's the best advice but I do tend to give people more chances. Though if they forgot to walk my dog and left them in the crate for 8-10 hours then that a boot out the door.


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## BellaPup (Jul 7, 2007)

I'm the type to give most people the benefit of the doubt. *Perhaps*, when he looked at the clock he *thought* it said 1:33 instead of 1:53. Maybe he needs glasses...? LOL

Anyway, I'd track it a few more times and see if it happens again. Give him the Trump exit if it does! You can always tell him one of your neighbors noticed the times he was coming and going and that it was never over 20 mins (or whatever you find out). Maybe that will make him think twice about lying to other customer's as well. 

I'd also have a difficult time trusting someone in my home who was lying and essentially stealing from me....I mean 5 minutes doesn't sound like a lot of time, but added up over weeks or months, that's a lot! if you're paying for 30 minutes, you should damn well be getting it.


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## Hambonez (Mar 17, 2012)

I agree that the lie is more the issue than the minutes. When I used to dog walk, some days were just longer than others. There were days I wasn't feeling well, or had an emergency, or things just happened, and a shorter walk sometimes happened. Some days longer walks happened. Kind of all evened out in the end, and I think most people would understand that. I'd like to be able to trust the person who has my housekeys, however. There was really no reason to lie.


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## hamandeggs (Aug 11, 2011)

OK. HE IS SO FIRED. He showed up at 1:37 and was gone at 1:53. Not only that, but I saw and heard him rifling through our liquor bottles. And he definitely unnecessarily checked out our bedroom. GOOD BYE. I'm not even giving him until the weekend.


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## Hambonez (Mar 17, 2012)

Woah WOAH! NOT COOL!!


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

hamandeggs said:


> OK. HE IS SO FIRED. He showed up at 1:37 and was gone at 1:53. Not only that, but I saw and heard him rifling through our liquor bottles. And he definitely unnecessarily checked out our bedroom. GOOD BYE. I'm not even giving him until the weekend.


WOW, yeah, fire his butt. And if he works for an agency, make sure they see that recording. Also, I suggest keeping a copy of that recording for awhile in case anything in your house turns up missing.


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## kcomstoc (Mar 9, 2013)

Shell said:


> WOW, yeah, fire his butt. And if he works for an agency, make sure they see that recording. Also, I suggest keeping a copy of that recording for awhile in case anything in your house turns up missing.


 That's awful  I agree with this exactly


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

Oh, and change the locks to any lock he had keys too (even if you get back the keys)

Had a friend who had some construction work done on his house, several weeks of remodeling so the worker had a key. Contractor finished up work, returned the key. A week or so later, he's burglarized and checks his webcam security cameras. Yep, it was the construction guy. Prefect evidence for the cops too.


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## hamandeggs (Aug 11, 2011)

Shell said:


> Oh, and change the locks to any lock he had keys too (even if you get back the keys)
> 
> Had a friend who had some construction work done on his house, several weeks of remodeling so the worker had a key. Contractor finished up work, returned the key. A week or so later, he's burglarized and checks his webcam security cameras. Yep, it was the construction guy. Prefect evidence for the cops too.


Yeah, we're going to have to get the locks changed. I swear I actually saw the guy pull a bottle out of our bin of liquor. Unbelievable.


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## mcdavis (May 1, 2012)

Wow - definitely fired. And would also fire anyone who forgot too.
What I found really interesting was the fact that he claimed to do a 45 minute walk when you were only requesting a 30 minute walk - was he paid by the minute? Also that he wrote down arrival / departure time - is that usual? We had a dog walker in the UK and we would leave notes but I never expected them to log the time they arrived / left. I would also ask them to shorten walks if it was really hot or rainy, and suggest they just play indoors for a bit instead.


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## melaka (Mar 31, 2010)

Wow, I'm glad you had the camera set up, and was able to catch him before anything worse happened.

I had an acquaintance who had a dog walking/boarding business. I never took my dog to him because I didn't quite trust his setup (would have many dogs free together, would let the dogs sleep on his bed, etc.) but I had many other acquaintances who did use his services, to the extent that he'd even go to their houses to pick up their dogs for boarding, or would go by his regulars' houses to let their dogs out occasionally without charge.

Turns out he was stealing from many of them, mostly jewelry, some of it very expensive. He acted like a friend to many of these people and was stealing behind their backs. It made me very distrustful of giving people access to my house in general. I knew him (or thought I did) for about 2 years before this was all discovered.

I know there are many honest dog walkers out there, but I have to wonder what the chances are of finding the honest ones. I'm lucky that I have family that can help me out when needed.


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## hamandeggs (Aug 11, 2011)

mcdavis said:


> Wow - definitely fired. And would also fire anyone who forgot too.
> What I found really interesting was the fact that he claimed to do a 45 minute walk when you were only requesting a 30 minute walk - was he paid by the minute? Also that he wrote down arrival / departure time - is that usual? We had a dog walker in the UK and we would leave notes but I never expected them to log the time they arrived / left. I would also ask them to shorten walks if it was really hot or rainy, and suggest they just play indoors for a bit instead.


No, that's usual. We don't pay by the minute, but we were paying for a 30-minute walk. Maybe he thought seeing 45 minutes on the note would make us happy. Most dog walkers seem to write down the arrival/departure time - just something people want to know. 

We were so lucky with our old dog walker back in DC. He was super trustworthy and never gave us a single problem for 2 years. I miss him!

I just fired this guy. Ughghghgh.


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## shannylee (Aug 8, 2013)

OMG! This is exactly why I refuse to let people come in our home while we are not here. I definitely agree with letting the agency know if he works for one. There is no need to be checking out your liquor or entering your bedroom when he's there to walk the dog. I figured he must be shifty if he was lying about his time there. wow...


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## Crantastic (Feb 3, 2010)

Did you tell him why you fired him? Or does he work for an agency? If so, I'd send the agency the video, for sure. 

Maybe I'm paranoid, but if I were a dog walker, I'd just assume that everyone had a nanny cam, and I wouldn't do anything that could even be construed as out of line. Of course, I wouldn't even want to look through peoples' houses anyway. What's the point? And aside from the moral issues, it would just be stupid to steal from people when you're probably one of very few outsiders in their home, and therefore a prime suspect!


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## Max and Me (Aug 19, 2011)

Wow! What a creep. I am glad that you found out about what he was doing...and not doing and fired him. Definately change the locks. If he is brazen enough to go through your bedroom and cabinets and knows your schedule he may be dishonest enough to have had a key made.


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## Hambonez (Mar 17, 2012)

Crantastic said:


> Did you tell him why you fired him? Or does he work for an agency? If so, I'd send the agency the video, for sure.
> 
> Maybe I'm paranoid, but if I were a dog walker, I'd just assume that everyone had a nanny cam, and I wouldn't do anything that could even be construed as out of line. Of course, I wouldn't even want to look through peoples' houses anyway. What's the point? And aside from the moral issues, it would just be stupid to steal from people when you're probably one of very few outsiders in their home, and therefore a prime suspect!


A woman I cat sit for (one of my old clients who happened to move upstate about a year after I did!) had a break-in at her apartment, and had some things stolen, and she called me to let me know the police would probably be contacting me because I have her house keys. No one ever did contact me, and she certainly wasn't accusing me of breaking into her apartment (five years and a new set of cats later, I still watch them for her!), but "who has/had the keys" is definitely part of investigating a break in!


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## hamandeggs (Aug 11, 2011)

Crantastic said:


> Did you tell him why you fired him? Or does he work for an agency? If so, I'd send the agency the video, for sure.
> 
> Maybe I'm paranoid, but if I were a dog walker, I'd just assume that everyone had a nanny cam, and I wouldn't do anything that could even be construed as out of line. Of course, I wouldn't even want to look through peoples' houses anyway. What's the point? And aside from the moral issues, it would just be stupid to steal from people when you're probably one of very few outsiders in their home, and therefore a prime suspect!


He works for an agency owned by a husband-and-wife team. He's the husband. I awkwardly told his wife why I was firing the agency. I did not send the video or tell them I have one - it's not great quality anyway (it only saves every few frames and doesn't record audio, probably for legal reasons).

I agree though! How can people not realize that they're probably on a nanny cam!


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## shannylee (Aug 8, 2013)

hamandeggs said:


> He works for an agency owned by a husband-and-wife team. He's the husband. I awkwardly told his wife why I was firing the agency. I did not send the video or tell them I have one - it's not great quality anyway (it only saves every few frames and doesn't record audio, probably for legal reasons).
> 
> I agree though! How can people not realize that they're probably on a nanny cam!


HA! Even better!!! Let her deal with her nosy husband.


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

hamandeggs said:


> He works for an agency owned by a husband-and-wife team. He's the husband. I awkwardly told his wife why I was firing the agency. I did not send the video or tell them I have one - it's not great quality anyway (it only saves every few frames and doesn't record audio, probably for legal reasons).
> 
> I agree though! How can people not realize that they're probably on a nanny cam!


You'd be amazed at what people do even when they KNOW there are cameras. I worked at an airport before, so cameras all over the place. Obvious cameras too, no audio because that violates the law (some states require all parties to know they are being audio recorded, this state requires at least one party to the conversation know) but clear cameras that could be moved and zoom and everything and recorded continuously.

They had to fire one of the security guards for sleeping on the job.... not just head nodding forward but pulling together chairs and curling up for a nap-- in full view of the cameras. There were other really dumb and obvious actions done by various guards who were like "no, I didn't do anything" and then they'd just sit there like fools watching themselves on the playback video.


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## GrinningDog (Mar 26, 2010)

Wowee! Good thing you caught him and got rid of him! I'd be sharing that story with all my dog owning friends and neighbors, if I were you. Is there anywhere online for you to review the agency?


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

hamandeggs said:


> OK. HE IS SO FIRED. He showed up at 1:37 and was gone at 1:53. Not only that, but I saw and heard him rifling through our liquor bottles. And he definitely unnecessarily checked out our bedroom. GOOD BYE. I'm not even giving him until the weekend.


Zoinks!!! Yeah, that guy would not be allowed back in my house again after that. Yay for webcams!!!


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## hamandeggs (Aug 11, 2011)

Shell said:


> You'd be amazed at what people do even when they KNOW there are cameras. I worked at an airport before, so cameras all over the place. Obvious cameras too, no audio because that violates the law (some states require all parties to know they are being audio recorded, this state requires at least one party to the conversation know) but clear cameras that could be moved and zoom and everything and recorded continuously.
> 
> They had to fire one of the security guards for sleeping on the job.... not just head nodding forward but pulling together chairs and curling up for a nap-- in full view of the cameras. There were other really dumb and obvious actions done by various guards who were like "no, I didn't do anything" and then they'd just sit there like fools watching themselves on the playback video.


I had a buddy in DC who worked in HR at the Smithsonian. He said once they had to fire a girl who, on her second day of work, got really drunk at a Jazz in the Garden event at the Hirshhorn (modern art museum) and then peed in a staff-only stairwell because she didn't want to wait in the long line for an actual bathroom. Of course it was caught on camera and she had to use her keycard to get into the stairwell in the first place. And then she showed up to work the next day.


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## JeJo (Jul 29, 2013)

I would also suggest keeping and extra eye on your credit card/bank accounts if your statements or related mailings were within easy reach of the creep. 

He's likely doing the same in his other customers' homes; glad you kept an 'eye' on him.


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## hamandeggs (Aug 11, 2011)

Kirsten&Gypsy said:


> Wowee! Good thing you caught him and got rid of him! I'd be sharing that story with all my dog owning friends and neighbors, if I were you. Is there anywhere online for you to review the agency?


Yes, such is the beauty of Yelp. Of course, that's how we found them in the first place...


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## Mixedpuppy (Aug 4, 2013)

Gee I wonder how our ancestors managed without a dog walker.


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## Jen2010 (Feb 12, 2013)

Personally, I would never allow a stranger into my house. And this is the perfect example of why! Good thing you had the camera to catch him and get rid of him. One time getting the time wrong could be forgiven, but that would be his ONLY chance and still my trust would be shaken.


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

hamandeggs said:


> Yes, such is the beauty of Yelp. Of course, that's how we found them in the first place...


If you know anyone locally with an Angie's List subscription, that can be a good source of reviews for local businesses and may have dog walkers listed in your area. If you own a house, it can be worth the fee just for finding decent electricians, plumbers etc. 

Yelp is great but sifting through the reviews for the "real story" can be hard. Not a big deal on a restaurant but so different for something like a vet or a dog care provider.

It is also hard to know HOW someone judges a dog walker or trainer unless you know that person and what they want for their dog. I mean, I doubt anyone wants a dog walker that will steal from them! but some people are good with a walker that will use corrections or that walks multiple dogs or whatever. Things that aren't criminal or anything, but that could still be a real problem for a given dog.


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## Crantastic (Feb 3, 2010)

Mixedpuppy said:


> Gee I wonder how our ancestors managed without a dog walker.


Is this question meant to mock people who hire dog walkers? Because there are a hell of a lot of variables, including the percentage of stay-at-home moms over the years, the rising number of people living alone, the move from rural areas (where people probably left dogs alone in yards or to roam free) to cities (where dogs can't take themselves outside to relieve themselves), to the increasingly long hours spent working and commuting, and many more. Saying, "Gee I wonder how our ancestors managed without a dog walker" is about as sensible as saying, "Gee I wonder how our ancestors managed without a car." Circumstances and needs change over the decades.


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## hamandeggs (Aug 11, 2011)

Mixedpuppy said:


> Gee I wonder how our ancestors managed without a dog walker.


Our ancestors probably didn't have corporate jobs that kept them away from the home that kept them away from home 10 hours a day.


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## hamandeggs (Aug 11, 2011)

Shell said:


> If you know anyone locally with an Angie's List subscription, that can be a good source of reviews for local businesses and may have dog walkers listed in your area. If you own a house, it can be worth the fee just for finding decent electricians, plumbers etc.
> 
> Yelp is great but sifting through the reviews for the "real story" can be hard. Not a big deal on a restaurant but so different for something like a vet or a dog care provider.
> 
> It is also hard to know HOW someone judges a dog walker or trainer unless you know that person and what they want for their dog. I mean, I doubt anyone wants a dog walker that will steal from them! but some people are good with a walker that will use corrections or that walks multiple dogs or whatever. Things that aren't criminal or anything, but that could still be a real problem for a given dog.


Yeah I'll look into it. I sort of think it's trial and error to some extent, unfortunately.


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## Mixedpuppy (Aug 4, 2013)

By the way I'm not mocking anyone who hires a dog walker.

If someone feels that they're responsible enough to have a pet then they shouldn't rely on others to take care of them.Simple.No different then having children.


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

Mixedpuppy said:


> By the way I'm not mocking anyone who hires a dog walker.
> 
> If someone feels that they're responsible enough to have a pet then they shouldn't rely on others to take care of them.Simple.No different then having children.



Yeah. No one uses day cares and babysitters, ever.


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## Mixedpuppy (Aug 4, 2013)

Maybe some people who post comments should read this quote.


The biggest sin that we never forgive in each other is a difference of opinion


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

Mixedpuppy said:


> Maybe some people who post comments should read this quote.
> 
> 
> The biggest sin that we never forgive in each other is a difference of opinion


Well if you hadn't stated your opinion as a hard fact....



> If someone feels that they're responsible enough to have a pet then they shouldn't rely on others to take care of them. Simple. No different then having children.


This is all opinion, of course, from relying on others to take care of them to the comparison to animals and children, but it certainly isn't stated as though you're aware that it is. 

You are free to have your opinion. And I get to have an opinion about your opinion. It's an awesome thing, really.


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

Mixedpuppy said:


> By the way I'm not mocking anyone who hires a dog walker.
> 
> If someone feels that they're responsible enough to have a pet then they shouldn't rely on others to take care of them.Simple.No different then having children.


Wow...wouldn't hiring someone to walk your dog be being responsible in this case?! I mean, how is that any different than paying to board your dog when you have to travel without them? It's just someone to come and take the dog for a walk.

Unfortunately, the vast majority of people do have to work outside the home and the reality of economics today is that most households have both parents needing to work outside the home. It isn't a question of responsibility. These people are doing the responsible thing by hiring someone to walk their dog while they are working.

I'm guessing your kids, then, never had a babysitter or daycare or went to school? *Of course*, you homeschooled them, because you wouldn't "rely on others to take care of them."

Most of us, though, are mere mortals. I'm lucky in that my husband works from home, but otherwise, my dog would be crated for the 8 hours I work a day, like many others. That does NOT mean I'm not responsible when it comes to his care.


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## GrinningDog (Mar 26, 2010)

Mixedpuppy said:


> By the way I'm not mocking anyone who hires a dog walker.
> 
> If someone feels that they're responsible enough to have a pet then they shouldn't rely on others to take care of them.Simple.No different then having children.


Not mocking, then. Suggesting there's something "wrong" about hiring someone to take your dog out during the work day. No offense intended, but I find that bizarre.

If you had long work days, what would (/do) you do? Leave the dog home alone for 10 hours? Never have gotten a dog?

I only see good from hiring a dog walker. Not only does the dog get an extra potty break in the afternoon, but a person is employed for providing a valued service.


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## kcomstoc (Mar 9, 2013)

Mixedpuppy said:


> By the way I'm not mocking anyone who hires a dog walker.
> 
> If someone feels that they're responsible enough to have a pet then they shouldn't rely on others to take care of them.Simple.No different then having children.


If you can afford to hire a trustworthy dog walker because you're busy working (to get that money for the dog walker) then why not do it? I'm sure the dog enjoys the time out even though it would probably be fine without the time out. It's probably a nice break up in the day


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## Crantastic (Feb 3, 2010)

Mixedpuppy said:


> By the way I'm not mocking anyone who hires a dog walker.
> 
> If someone feels that they're responsible enough to have a pet then they shouldn't rely on others to take care of them.Simple.No different then having children.


This post is amusing to me, because usually we get people saying that nobody should own a pet if it's going to be left alone for eight hours while they work. I've never seen someone claim that employing a dog walker makes one an irresponsible owner!

Also, yes. Babysitters, day cares. They exist. I don't know a single person who has never used one or the other. I guess the vast majority of people shouldn't have kids _or_ dogs.

Also, tossing some lame quotations into your signature doesn't grant you immunity from people disagreeing with your unreasonable opinions, sorry.


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## hamandeggs (Aug 11, 2011)

Mixedpuppy said:


> By the way I'm not mocking anyone who hires a dog walker.
> 
> If someone feels that they're responsible enough to have a pet then they shouldn't rely on others to take care of them.Simple.No different then having children.


Sorry but WHAT? I'm responsible enough to live in an apartment with my husband, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't rely on someone else to clean the house if I want to pay for it. Furthermore, I'm responsible enough to cook my own dinner, but I still order takeout sometimes. If you think the definition of responsibility is "doing it yourself" then you should consult a dictionary. And apparently you also think that people shouldn't have children if they work outside the home?

That's not a difference of opinion, it's just bigotry. Noted.


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## hamandeggs (Aug 11, 2011)

Crantastic said:


> This post is amusing to me, because usually we get people saying that nobody should own a pet if it's going to be left alone for eight hours while they work. I've never seen someone claim that employing a dog walker makes one an irresponsible owner!
> 
> Also, yes. Babysitters, day cares. They exist. I don't know a single person who has never used one or the other. I guess the vast majority of people shouldn't have kids _or_ dogs.
> 
> Also, tossing some lame quotations into your signature doesn't grant you immunity from people disagreeing with your unreasonable opinions, sorry.


Yeah, I don't think anyone who knows me at all (either here or IRL) would ever in a million years say I'm irresponsible. About ANYTHING. Let alone my beloved dog! 

I'll just make sure consider how _irresponsible_ I am next time I buy a bag of kibble (instead of cooking my own dog food from meat I raised on my balcony) or a new collar and leash (instead of weaving my own from homegrown flax).


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## Kayota (Aug 14, 2009)

Mixedpuppy said:


> By the way I'm not mocking anyone who hires a dog walker.
> 
> If someone feels that they're responsible enough to have a pet then they shouldn't rely on others to take care of them.Simple.No different then having children.


No, of course not. Every family has a stay at home mom! It's what women are for! Nevermind that I work to afford the dogs--if I can't get a job from home I guess I shouldn't have one!


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

hamandeggs said:


> Yeah, I don't think anyone who knows me at all (either here or IRL) would ever in a million years say I'm irresponsible. About ANYTHING. Let alone my beloved dog!
> 
> I'll just make sure consider how _irresponsible_ I am next time I buy a bag of kibble (instead of cooking my own dog food from meat I raised on my balcony) or a new collar and leash (instead of weaving my own from homegrown flax).


Ok, but then you'd have to also grow trees and mill the lumber to make that balcony to raise your cow on before then making it into dog food (can't wait to see what the other apartment dwellers think of your dog food making operation and its smell!). Cause, you know, _responsible_ balcony owners do not let home depot take care of their lumber procurement. I'm also assuming that this person does all their own medical care and dentistry, most likely involving large amounts of whiskey.

You know...come to think of it, I think the only responsible parents and dog owners might then be homesteaders...but even they buy some things!


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

Kayota said:


> No, of course not. Every family has a stay at home mom! It's what women are for!


Isn't the reason we have hips so that the chain attaching us to the stove doesn't slide off?


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## Kayota (Aug 14, 2009)

LOL. Sure it is. I'm definitely not a trans man who never cooks in a meal himself. (because obviously I'm actually a stay at home mom and not a stereotypical college bachelor minus parties and drinking--i have boobs!)


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## ireth0 (Feb 11, 2013)

Kayota said:


> No, of course not. Every family has a stay at home mom! It's what women are for! Nevermind that I work to afford the dogs--if I can't get a job from home I guess I shouldn't have one!


I had this post e-mailed to me and had to come back to figure out wtf this thread had turned into.

Just... wow. Yea, no. Making sure members of your family (canine, feline, or human) have their needs met when you can't do it yourself is... what is expected? I'm kind of confused.


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## HollowHeaven (Feb 5, 2012)

Mixedpuppy said:


> By the way I'm not mocking anyone who hires a dog walker.
> 
> If someone feels that they're responsible enough to have a pet then they shouldn't rely on others to take care of them.Simple.No different then having children.


This is like saying if you feel you're responsible enough to have a pet then you shouldn't rely on a vet, or a groomer.
And people hire babysitters constantly.
Therefore, logic void and null.


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## HollowHeaven (Feb 5, 2012)

packetsmom said:


> Isn't the reason we have hips so that the chain attaching us to the stove doesn't slide off?


That was good XD


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

Mixedpuppy said:


> By the way I'm not mocking anyone who hires a dog walker.
> 
> If someone feels that they're responsible enough to have a pet then they shouldn't rely on others to take care of them.Simple.No different then having children.


Okay, I'm going to both agree and wildly disagree with you on this. Because it depends on how you meant it.

If someone has either a child or a pet and BY CHOICE turns over the VAST MAJORITY of the care required to raise the kid/dog to a paid employee (nanny, dog walker, etc), then it probably wasn't the best decision for them to have either the child or the kid. (I am intentionally excluding someone that for example had a child and cared for them and then became unable to care for the child and needed assistance. I mean someone that from the very start turns over all care to someone else even though they are able to care for the child)

But if someone has either a child or a dog and is responsible enough to plan for daycare/dogwalking (which can provide good socialization for kids and dogs both) and give plenty of attention when they are home with the child or dog, then I see that as being a caring and reasonable person that balances the need to work or study with the need to care for the child or dog.


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## BernerMax (Mar 15, 2013)

hamandeggs said:


> OK. HE IS SO FIRED. He showed up at 1:37 and was gone at 1:53. Not only that, but I saw and heard him rifling through our liquor bottles. And he definitely unnecessarily checked out our bedroom. GOOD BYE. I'm not even giving him until the weekend.


If he works for a company you should tell them. He is a liability. Good riddance ( I was going to say maybe he adds in time to find parking and loading and unloading the dog from his car etc.... to give him the benefit of the doubt)......


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## Jare (Aug 12, 2009)

JUST SO YOU KNOW, *I* would walk Biscuit for her whole 30 minutes. Just sayin'.

I mean, I might walk her for a whole Month if that's how long it takes me to Walk back to Alaska with her.


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## aiw (Jun 16, 2012)

Shell said:


> Okay, I'm going to both agree and wildly disagree with you on this. Because it depends on how you meant it.
> 
> If someone has either a child or a pet and BY CHOICE turns over the VAST MAJORITY of the care required to raise the kid/dog to a paid employee (nanny, dog walker, etc), then it probably wasn't the best decision for them to have either the child or the kid. (I am intentionally excluding someone that for example had a child and cared for them and then became unable to care for the child and needed assistance. I mean someone that from the very start turns over all care to someone else even though they are able to care for the child)
> 
> But if someone has either a child or a dog and is responsible enough to plan for daycare/dogwalking (which can provide good socialization for kids and dogs both) and give plenty of attention when they are home with the child or dog, then I see that as being a caring and reasonable person that balances the need to work or study with the need to care for the child or dog.


Ehhh.... I draw a distinction between dog and child here. As long as the dog is having its needs met by _someone_, they're not going to care whether that person officially adopted them. My parents essentially farm out dog responsibilities to other people (or rather used to). they both work 12 hour days and didn't have the time or energy to take the dog to a park to run for an hour daily - so they hired someone. Really all they did with the dog was feed it and spend time together in the evenings. All dogs were well-loved, well exercised and relatively well-trained - just not all by the same person. Everyone was happy with this arrangement.

Kids on the other hand, need things from _their parents_. They too can easily handle babysitting and daycare (we had a nanny growing up, parents still worked 12 hour days) but if the don't feel a tight bond with their parents (as we did) generally it becomes a problem.


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## hamandeggs (Aug 11, 2011)

BernerMax said:


> If he works for a company you should tell them. He is a liability. Good riddance ( I was going to say maybe he adds in time to find parking and loading and unloading the dog from his car etc.... to give him the benefit of the doubt)......


Oh I did. He is DEFINITELY a liability. We realized last night that in less than 2 weeks, he drank almost an entire bottle of my husband's bourbon (which he had gone looking for...it wasn't just sitting out). He was probably doing that at every house he visited. Drunk off his tail and driving around with people's dogs. Not good.



Jare said:


> JUST SO YOU KNOW, *I* would walk Biscuit for her whole 30 minutes. Just sayin'.
> 
> I mean, I might walk her for a whole Month if that's how long it takes me to Walk back to Alaska with her.


Thievery!


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## HollowHeaven (Feb 5, 2012)

Do they have a website or anywhere you can post a review? I'm sure people would love to know if someone's lying about their job, creeping in houses and stealing expensive liquor.
This guy's a nut.


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## Spirit_of_Cotons (Jun 21, 2009)

MixedPuppy--everyone needs help once in awhile. Otherwise we wouldn't have kennels or daycares. We wouldn't ask relatives or friends for help. I had to go funeral and couldn't be back in time to walk my dog, so I asked a neighbor. Stuff happens, you can't always be there to walk your dog.

hamanddeggs--good job for firing him! Also don't forget to tell people not to hire this guy so they don't go through the same thing you did. I hope you find someone worthy this time.


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## melgrj7 (Sep 21, 2007)

Wow good thing you had the cameras. I walk a few dogs for extra cash, sometimes walks end up shorter due to an emergency or if its really hot out I shorten the walks (or in the case of one dog if her arthritis is acting up badly). I've never gone through people's things or lied about the time though. And if I do have to shorten a walk one week I lengthen it on the next so that it evens out. The dog with the arthritis if its acting up then I usually will sit with her and just spend time with her after a short walk, so she is at least getting attention for the full half hour even if she can't handle a walk for the full time. And one dog, a pug with a neurological disorder, I take for a car ride instead of a walk (after she has gone to the bathroom) because she just can't walk far without falling over, but she loves car rides, so we do that.


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## BernerMax (Mar 15, 2013)

hamandeggs said:


> Oh I did. He is DEFINITELY a liability. We realized last night that in less than 2 weeks, he drank almost an entire bottle of my husband's bourbon (which he had gone looking for...it wasn't just sitting out). He was probably doing that at every house he visited. Drunk off his tail and driving around with people's dogs. Not good.
> Thievery!


 Well I am glad you got off lightly.... and quickly! Its so scarey when you have to depend on someone you dont really know.. and have to give them the keys to your house... and access to your most prized possession (your Dog!)...


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## hamandeggs (Aug 11, 2011)

melgrj7 said:


> Wow good thing you had the cameras. I walk a few dogs for extra cash, sometimes walks end up shorter due to an emergency or if its really hot out I shorten the walks (or in the case of one dog if her arthritis is acting up badly). I've never gone through people's things or lied about the time though. And if I do have to shorten a walk one week I lengthen it on the next so that it evens out. The dog with the arthritis if its acting up then I usually will sit with her and just spend time with her after a short walk, so she is at least getting attention for the full half hour even if she can't handle a walk for the full time. And one dog, a pug with a neurological disorder, I take for a car ride instead of a walk (after she has gone to the bathroom) because she just can't walk far without falling over, but she loves car rides, so we do that.


Yeah, something like that would be a totally different story! It sounds like you do a great job and care a lot about your furry charges. Honestly, I was a little worried that this guy might end up abusing my dog.



BernerMax said:


> Well I am glad you got off lightly.... and quickly! Its so scarey when you have to depend on someone you dont really know.. and have to give them the keys to your house... and access to your most prized possession (your Dog!)...


Seriously. If I have learned one thing from this, it is the value of a well placed nannycam.


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## Flaming (Feb 2, 2013)

wow, yup that guys a liability for sure.


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## KodiBarracuda (Jul 4, 2011)

I have learned two things from this thread.

1. Get a nanny cam. 
2. Quit college and my job so I can stay at home and be a good dog owner who's dog never has to be left alone ever.


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

KodiBarracuda said:


> I have learned two things from this thread.
> 
> 1. Get a nanny cam.
> 2. Quit college and my job so I can stay at home and be a good dog owner who's dog never has to be left alone ever.


You can't afford a nanny cam if you quit college.

Seriously though, a nanny cam is a great idea for anyone hiring any sort of in-home workers like nannies (it's in the name), dog walkers or maids or care for the elderly.


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## MyCharlie (Nov 4, 2007)

Crikey! Not much time online lately, don't know how I missed this. So glad you fired the no good POS! And he is one of the owners of the business? Geeeeeesh. 


/me runs back to the stove before the chain breaks....


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## Crantastic (Feb 3, 2010)

KodiBarracuda said:


> I have learned two things from this thread.
> 
> 1. Get a nanny cam.
> 2. Quit college and my job so I can stay at home and be a good dog owner who's dog never has to be left alone ever.


I actually work from home, so I guess I'm just amazing.  I've never had to hire a dog walker, but if I did... yeah, nanny cam for sure.


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## ThoseWordsAtBest (Mar 18, 2009)

Yikes. I missed this thread, but it makes me feel better my little brother dog sits for us. He takes care of them and he's like one of.. two people that aren't me or my boyfriend that Jonas likes.


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## Flaming (Feb 2, 2013)

Crantastic said:


> I actually work from home, so I guess I'm just amazing.  I've never had to hire a dog walker, but if I did... yeah, nanny cam for sure.


I do the same too.
When I have to do more day long meetings I'll be taking my outdoor drive camera and moving it to the house.


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## winniec777 (Apr 20, 2008)

melgrj7 said:


> And one dog, a pug with a neurological disorder, I take for a car ride instead of a walk (after she has gone to the bathroom) because she just can't walk far without falling over, but she loves car rides, so we do that.


Mel, that is about the sweetest thing I've ever heard. I would hire you in a heart-beat!


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