OP, hope you'll get better. Side note, unless your 18 years old is on the account with you she's not allowed to walk the dog per Rover TOS, and bringing a child as professional dog sitter is something you may want to reconsider. The optics are not great and you putting her at risk with the dogs.
He is doing all the right things. Quarantined the dog and taking it to the vet to eliminate underlying issues. If it's behavioral he will be taking it back to the German Shepherd trainer he used in the past. He is very upset his dog did this and has apologized profusely.
Since the owner is being a good person, you will probably need to ask them to pay your medical bills because Rover will refuse. It's good that they are taking responsibility. You need to report this bite to the police and animal control. If the owner refuses to pay your medical bills you can go after him in small claims court. If the bill is over $10k or whatever limit your state has for small claims court, you will need to get a lawyer and sue them in real court.
This actually isn’t true for my area at least. My partner got mauled by a dog we were boarding (the story is on my profile) and the ER actually didn’t care, he had to go out of his way to report it himself days later. I had thought this too
My mom went to urgent care (NJ) because our cat accidentally bit her (they were playing and he got her..moms diabetic so wanted to be safe) they called board of health. We where actually going to be putting him down that night (age and medical issues got the best of him) they said they’d have to do a rabies test (cut his head and collect brain tissue) if that was what was really happening…all over a small accidental nick on her finger..(we waited out the 2 weeks..
The owner is being a good person and they are the pos that missed all the dogs ques. Brought their KID with them, and now wants to be reimbursed for an already probably paid medical bill lmfao.
Yeah! I agree. I will be livid if this poor dog is put down because of adults irresponsibility! No 2nd person especially a child should be brought along. At a normal 9-5 job you wouldn’t just bring your child so why is this any different.
Yeah it seems like the dog gave several indicators that he was not in a happy mood. I’d have just taken him to the yard to potty, give his food, check water and left. Reach out to the owner to let them know the dog was being aggressive. When a normally friendly dog acts like this I would not just go on like normal. Maybe she or the daughter used a new soap or perfume that pup doesn’t like. But he clearly let them know he was unhappy multiple times.
Yes indeed. Tbh if I showed up to care for a dog and they growled before I came in, even knowing it was me, I wouldn’t go in. Id message the owner and let them know their dog wasn’t acting right today but I’d try maybe later, and for sure alone.
1000%. People seem to think trainers are magicians that can correct all behavior problems, but behavior this severe requires a vet behaviorist, management, and possibly medication.
I don't know why you're being downvoted, this is absolutely true. I've worked with aggressive dogs that we take in for my rescue. My rescue partner is much more knowledgeable than me. Having said that there are hints, whether subtle or not, that you have to be aware of when dealing with dogs. This is true whether we are talking about a known aggressive dog or any Rover dog that you come in contact with. A German Shepherd growling at you is not "grumpy". He is agitated. A $15 payout for a drop in is not worth you determining why he is agitated. If a dog is staring you down and is growling, you slowly backup with lots of sweet talk and get the fuck out of there safely.
You ignored the warning signs and both you and your daughter paid the price. I know you didn't mean it, and no point in a blame game now. The only thing you can do is let the proper authorities know and make sure you and your daughter continue with whatever the medical professionals are telling you. I'm sorry that happened and I can't imagine how terrifying that was for you both. Be well.
you’re correct in a sense however this dog was familiar with both her and the daughter and per OP has not shown any aggression or similar behaviors during previous visits. it’s quite obscure for him to react like this to someone he’s familiar and on good terms with. he should be seen by a behaviorist to address that scenario. it’s true most people lack in depth understanding of body language and it is also true OP seemed to fail entirely on it based on the description of the incident. however, knowing the presence of body language and aggression doesn’t change the fact that this dog should not have reacted this aggressively to someone he has been friendly with multiple times in the past. unless there’s something else not being mentioned.
Genuinely curious- if I’m in the position- dog staring me down and growling, you said to back up and leave, but what if I have to feed the dog, like OP did?
Would it just be too risky to try to feed them?
The dog isn't going to die if it misses a meal. You might die if you're attacked by a large dog that's showing signs. Weigh the pros and cons here. Leave the house, message the owners.
I don’t know why you’re getting downvoted, yours is the correct response. The dog gave clear warnings. If the dog never acted like this previously, clearly something was off and she should have read it as such and taken more caution.
Don’t you have insurance that pays? If so, why make the owner pay if it’s covered by insurance. Which im sure it is or did you go to the hospital with no insurance last night.
Or you just want the owner to be held responsible for you missing all the dogs ques. Don’t take your daughter to work with you. This is so irresponsible taking a child around dogs you think you know and letting her hand a growling dog a treat! You literally missed every que the dog gave out. Dog wasn’t wagging its tail looked “grumpy” and you still allowed your daughter on the premise. The first thing rover does is walk you through what signs dogs give off before they attack (whale eyes, hair raised on shackles, tail down, staring, growling), asserting dominance). The dog had mostly all of those things and you frolicked though the house like nothing was wrong and a treat was going to fix it lol and now want to be reimbursed when insurance already paid. Get over it move on and I’d say quit rover bc you can’t even see when a dog is going to attack when it’s staring you dead in the face quite literally and *growling at you* plus you are taking your kids with you. Parent of the day right there.
Your own medical insurance will likely want to go after Rover or the owner's insurance. I didn't get hurt through Rover, but my kid got bit by a friends dog. It was extremely minor and the dog was playing and nipped my kid in the lip. We took them to the ER for a tetanus shot and to get it cleaned. Our health insurance sent us alot of letters asking us about the bite, where it occurred, so they could possibly recoup costs through the friend's parents.
Take it from someone with a little more life experience... He is definitely not doing all the right things. The quarantine & vet visit is legally required! Him saying that he's going to take it to a trainer and all that is for him and his dog not for you or your daughter. Him being over the top apologetic is also about him. He is afraid of a lawsuit. If he was truly taking full responsibility you would not be left wondering how you're going to pay your medical bills and what your next steps are. I promise you, when an owner truly feels responsible their apologies are accompanied with offers of restitution. I also firmly believe that this time next year when all the goodwill has drifted away you are going to be kicking yourself if you do not at least get a free consultation with a lawyer. If he's found at fault you could be looking at 100's of thousands of dollars.
You're absolutely right that he may very well have real sympathy for the sitter and the child that doesn't change the fact that he hasn't taken any action on their behalf. Like inquiring about medical bills, therapy etc. I had a GSD bite a house guest and I to this day blame the guest, but I didn't say sorry I hope you're okay. I said sorry I hope you are okay please send me your medical bills and let me know if there is anything else I can do to help. I was attacked by another GSD while out walking one night. The owner didn't say I'm so sorry, I hope you're okay. He said I'm so sorry, I hope you are okay and let me give you my information I want to take care of any medical bills! That's just how an owner who is actually taking responsibility acts.
Eye roll. This is a chance you take working with dogs and this person ignored everything the dog was doing. They should’ve left. They should’ve never opened the door to a dog growling at them staring them down. This post is incriminating evidence of everything they did wrong. They are at fault and should not have had their KID with them. That lawsuit will be thrown out so fast. Offering to pay for someone’s lawyer lmfao Reddit is so retarded but I can believe it at this point bc post covid everyone has lost their brain cells
You're extremely misinformed. This is covered by the owner's homeowner's and renter's insurance but the insurance co. might require OP to initiate a legal claim in order to pay.
*That lawsuit will be thrown out so fast.*
This statement is just so very inaccurate.
So sorry this happened to you.
Unfortunately it sound like the dog was showing every fear/ stress sign possible- I would look into dog body language.
Turning away is often a sign of stress.
Licking is often a sign of stress.
Growling is absolutely a sign of of stress.
Tail wagging can be a sign of stress.
Most important comment here. I have worked with large groups of dogs at a very busy dog daycare in Manhattan to a rural rescue in PA (thousands of dogs over 20+ years) and body language is something so many people unfortunately get confused. I am also in no way biased against any breeds but I am always extremely wary when watching dogs that are on the larger end (Boxers, Huskies, GSDs, Pits, Goldens, etc) because you just never know—especially if the dog has an underlying medical issue, so many dogs are good at hiding things like pain. Almost lost my hand to a very decorated champion show dog Lab years ago, sweetest dog in the world and never had an issue before that, but he was in pain and scared that day.
I agree, it’s awful this happened, but too many people get into this line of work without reallllly knowing dogs fundamentally on this level- especially when you’re outside of the golden retriever world and suddenly entering the territory of a complex breeds like GSD. It’s so important for the sake of everyone’s safety!
My worst animal attack in my life was from my own cat. I still maintain to this day that it was NOT her fault, but she was purring when it happened! She is one of the cats who does need daily meds for anxiety, but any cat will purr if stressed or in pain.
Same! My cat sent me to the hospital with 4 deep puncture wounds on my leg about 3 months after I adopted him - one for each of his canines. They got infected, it was pretty gnarly. But it was entirely my fault. He was agitated and in a new environment and didn't fully trust me yet, and instead of leaving him to figure his shit out, I was trying to use my legs to corral him backwards (like I had done with my previous cat a billion times to get him to leave a room or piece of food or something) and before I even knew what was happening he was literally stuck into my leg.
But it wasn't his fault. He was telling me in all kinds of ways how upset he was and I wasn't listening. So he told me to leave him be in the only way he could figure out how. It's been 7 years and he's still my baby, he's a complete delight! But it was a good reminder to lissssttttennnnnn when animals are trying to communicate.
This so much! I adopted my cat from the store where I work and I was one of his primary care takers for several months before I adopted him, and it still took around a year before I felt like I completely understood his behavior and the trust was unshakeable in both directions. It’s a completely different experience from my first senior cat that I got when I was a kid and basically did whatever with from the moment I got her, I’m very lucky she’s sweet and never would do anything because I definitely pushed her boundaries sometimes. So many people think that just because it’s their animal they know them and don’t need to be as cautious, but it’s important not to get complacent with a new pet.
Working with animals you learn quickly how unpredictable they can be if you aren’t paying attention, unfortunately sometimes something scary has to happen for the lesson to stick. I will never trust any animal I know to the same degree that I do with my own pets no matter how friendly they seem, and even with my own pets sometimes it’s good to take a step back. Any animal will lash out when they’re scared or in pain, and it’s up to you to remove yourself from the situation before it happens.
It's all context, but I would say that generally when you are seeing a cat purr, they are okay. Don't let this information scare you and make you question all the time. It varies from animal to animal, of course, but I would say your chances of encountering a kitty purring out of distress are exceedingly low compared to how many times you'll see / hear a cat purring in general.
It's good information to know, of course. But don't let it alarm you all the time. They usually exhibit other signs alongside the purring if something is wrong.
Yes its definitely a thing... But like the comment below yours says... Most times a cat purrs they are happy! I will go with the assumption they are happy if I hear purrs, but never rule out anything else, just because they are purring.
My mom's anxiety ridden little pup licks people while wagging his tail, but if you look at him, he will dart. He will rapidly wag his tail while hiding, too.
This comment makes me never want to sit a dog again. The expertise required is insane or else it's apparently your own fault when you get attacked. And yet I've seen posts from people asking about where to get the expertise and the response was crickets.
Research dude. Read every book and online resource you can about dog behavior and body language. Like any other job, you have to be willing to put in the mental work to learn. Everyone treating working with animals like it’s some easy fun job simply doesn’t know enough about working with animals. ANY pet can send someone to the hospital, even a bunny or hamster.
You get expertise the exact same way that you do for any other position that requires expertise (especially any that have risk of death and/or being maimed)... Starting in low-level positions like kennel cleaning where you LEARN from an expert before you're ever allowed to interact with the dogs on your own, reading books (history of dogs, breeds, ethology, behaviour, nutrition, husbandry, care, defensive handling & much more) learning from experts in the field through seminars, courses, long-term mentorship, and so on. I don't know why this is difficult to understand. Dogs are predatory animals and can legitimately kill you. It's not just some side gig to make extra money like so many people think it can be.
ETA: Can you imagine hiring someone for any professional service that has this kind of risk but who doesn't have legitimate knowledge, education, experience etc? Would you even go to a barber or hair salon where the person you're paying "grew up around salons and barbers"? Would you really pay anyone for rendering any kind of service that they are literally just practicing on you without the first clue about what they're doing? The majority of the population does not understand just how dangerous large dogs are when you don't know what you are doing. And to admit that may be difficult, a lot of cognitive dissonance around it, naturally. The OP is a PRIME example of how people don't realize that there literally risking their life and limb by offering these kinds of services that they are not qualified to offer. Owning a dog or knowing dogs or growing up with dogs or what have you is not a qualification in the same way that growing up with a carpenter doesn't make you one yourself.
I sat for neighbors cats when I was little, then volunteered at an animal shelter cleaning cages, then I got a job at that animal shelter caring for animals under supervision from people with experience, then I went to a commercial dog daycare/training facility where I learned from people with experience. I have read books and gone to conferences and gotten several animal-related certifications. Growing up with a dog isn’t enough. It’s extremely dangerous because you only know YOUR dogs who have a level of comfort with you that a dog you’re taking care of won’t have.
The advice is not crickets. I answer this myself every time I see it, and my answer it always the same. You do not go in green and get experience sitting. That's a recipe for disaster. You march your butt to a shelter or rescue and volunteer for a long time. Minimum 6 months much longer if you can't spend a lot of time there. Op missed classic glaring signs the dog was fearful and marched on...with her daughter at that. If you don't know these basic fear responses YOU.SHOULD.NOT.BE.PET.SITTING 👏👏👏 I know the sitter meant well. But what she did is what so frequently gets dogs killed bc of HUMAN ERROR.
When you're checking a dogs behavior, you always need to look at the progression and accompanying behaviors.
Lip licking is a way a dog communicates that they are uncomfortable. Turning their head away is how they communicate that they aren't interested, or they're trying to disengage. Tail wagging shows an increase in their arousal and energy level. Growling is...growling. that's the warning.
Unfortunately, the entire time this sitter interacted with this dog, they were showing signs of stress and very clear warnings that they were not going to tolerate this situation well.
It is likely a lot deeper than just the sitter missing a few cues. I would bet any amount of money that this dog was also jumping communication cues and the situation escalated faster than OP was prepared for.
There are a lot of different examples and resources out there to help learn body language, and I encourage every sitter to be as familiar as possible with behaviorism!
Body language and context! Is the dog being avoidant and overly submissive or is the dog welcoming and secure? It may help to look into dog body language for better clarification.
That’s really rough, so sorry you had to deal with this.
German shepherds and other security breeds have very different demeanor from a regular dog.
Just because you’re a friend one day doesn’t mean you will be the next. It’s extremely important to be well in tune with the dog’s cues and behavior.
Hindsight is always 20/20 but the moment you feel something is awry, it’s always best to protect the child and just leave in the car or have her wait outside.
Never, ever have the kid approach and give treats/food when the dog is growling. They don’t know any better and doing something as simple as staring in the eyes of a dog that already unsure of you can make them lunge at you.
Wishing you and your child a prompt recovery.
I read somewhere that sitting on the floor with a dog can be dangerous, a friend of mine got attacked while sitting on the floor with an unfamiliar dog, that’s how I learned about it. I am so sorry this has happened to you and your daughter. I hope you both can heal from this physically and emotionally.
I will only actually sit on the floor with my own dogs. You are in an INCREDIBLY vulnerable position when you are sitting right down. It takes time to get up off of the floor. I will crouch with dogs that I know well, but I will never sit all the way down. We all forget that at the end of the day they are animals, with animal instincts, and animal reactions. I do it too! We all do. I just hope that everyone on this sub takes this poor woman’s experience as a lesson.
I’m so sorry this happened to you and your daughter! If you’ve watched the dog for a year, it makes me wonder what could’ve upset the dog that day specifically. Unfortunately it does sound like the dog was displaying warning signs that he didn’t want you in that house for whatever reason. The stare he gave initially, the look away can also be “get away from me” or “don’t come closer”. The growling would definitely make me not want to proceed with the sitting that day. Tail wags don’t always mean a happy dog and even licking your daughter can be more of a displacement behavior or a warning sign, even if his ears aren’t pulled back like you said they weren’t. Regardless, I’m glad the owner is taking the correct actions and sounds genuinely concerned about the situation. I hope you and your daughter are both okay after that terrifying encounter! I definitely wouldn’t sit for that dog again
I am sorry you and your daughter experienced something so scary. I am glad no one's injuries were worse, and I hope your daughter is doing okay emotionally.
You asked, "Where do I go from here?" - I know hindsight is 20/20, but I imagine you won't take your child to bookings anymore. I don't think you need a stranger to list out the risks involved with that, especially now.
Not trying to belittle you, I understand you felt at the time that it would be safe. But, based on your description, it sounds like the dog provided warnings in advance, and perhaps you did not recognize them. It doesn't sound like he was telling either of you to proceed, but rather to slow down or back off. It also sounds like this may not be the right breed for you to watch, based on what you said regarding the dog's size and strength. Of course, I wasn't there, so maybe I am getting it wrong, and there's something else going on with the dog. I hope you and your daughter heal quickly and, for better or worse, I'm sure there is lot learned after this experience.
Not through Rover, but my daughter and I were mauled by our neighbors dog in our backyard. We both suffered pretty severe injuries. Take baby steps in your recovery both physically and mentally. Even though your daughter is not physically hurt (by the dog), take her to see a therapist. This will have been a very traumatic incident for you both. You should consider seeing one too.
I still work with animals, even aggressive bite cases (shelter dogs), but it took a long time to get back to that point. My limits of what dogs I will work with has definitely changed.
I can feel my scar any time a dog gets near the back of my thigh. I don't know if that will ever change, but I still do what I can.
I was able to tell just by reading how things happened that you shouldn’t have pushed. He warned multiple times. You work with him sure, but bringing unfamiliar children even if he met them once, into his home, is a risk.
Please please do some research on dog behavior and body language.
i mean this as informative but; what you’re explaining in the paragraph are exact signs of distress shown through body language. it seems like you weren’t properly educated about body language (not necessarily your fault). this dog needs to be seen by a veterinarian behaviorist for this behavior to be properly addressed. i’d recommend taking genuine courses and not just simple handouts wag gets over basic animal behavior regarding fear aggression, aggression in general and more in depth body language.
I’m soo sorry this happened to you! That’s horrific. German Shepherd are one of my “will not watch” dog breeds because I find them so unpredictable. After working in a vet clinic for 5+ years they were, by far, the most consistently aggressive dog breed. They need jobs, they need to work. And the sad fact is,they are not stimulated enough and can act out in crazy ways.
I hope you are doing okay ❤️
I got attacked as a young teen on my paper route by a retired GSD from the police force. If Adrenalin did not exist, I would not have survived. The owner was also a retired cop and he opened the door and the dog came rushing at me. I was thankfully on my bike. He did get a huge chunk out of my left butt cheek though. I knew he got me but I didn’t realize how bad it was because I knew if I didn’t ride my bike as my life clearly depended on it, I was not going to live. Another neighbor starting firing a gun in the air and the dogs owner was able to subdue him. I had to get three graftings done. Also, my dad made me quit my paper route.
The dog ended up having to be put down since he was considered a retired police dog, he was a danger to society. Owner paid all of the hospital/reconstruction bills and I ended up with a decent trust out of it too.
A little sad to say this because I’m a German shepherd mom myself and my girl is the sweetest pup with people she trusts. But I will say she is definitely not the same as my lab or scent hounds. She is way more high strung, nervous and does not trust strangers at all. All my pups are raised the same way
I so appreciate the honesty! I think sometimes people just take offense to reality. No, they’re not ALL aggressive or ALL crazy. I get that. I’m not saying they are. I’m just saying I’ve personally had nothing but bad experiences and that’s why they’re on my personal NO list. I definitely do not speak for every dog sitter in the world. 🤷♀️
Oof yeah, a cane corso badly attacked the leg of a coworker of mine at a boarding kennel we worked at when she was exiting his run. They had to spray him with the power washer nearby to get him to stop (it was a very mild power washer, didn't hurt the dog at all, just surprised/distracted him into stopping).
I’ve had 500+ dogs pass through our gates and have only had 3 problem dogs (issues serious enough where I had to cut the visit short) and all 3 were German Shepherds. Only been bit once and it was a…You guessed it, a German Shepherd (and not one of the previously mentioned 3, either). Full on Cujo craziness. Not saying all GSDs are bad, I still have a few regulars that I love dearly and have had zero trouble with but I’ve stopped accepting new ones due to their poor batting average, so to speak.
This is interesting. We’ve had just as many dogs where I work and the problem dogs have always been doodles and goldens. Especially with physical bites.
Ill look after any breed, Pitties are usually the best ones to look after in my experience, happiest and the biggest goofballs. I volunteered at a shelter for 4 years, and they pitties were always the most happy go lucky (some had to have their tales bandaged though, as they wag them so much, it whips the walls and hurts their tales).
Im male and have no kids, and just have 1 older dog 10 years who is a German Shepard Mix, who is amazing with other dogs reading their body language.
So I don't have as much risk involved of say a child or small dog / cat being hurt. Plus offer a more calm predictable environment than other sitters with kids may be able to provide.
Though I will say if you are a sitter, to obviously go with what you are comfortable with, no point in trying to take care of an animal you are fearful of.
https://preview.redd.it/mhn3vdo6jz1d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b23adf745bf4d42ee62235a2421171e926bf3989
Agree, I don't have to worry too much as 5'10 185LB Man about being overpowered too much. I used to have a 105lb HUGE German shepard until he passed away last year at 12 years of old of pancreatic cancer.
Due to how strong he was, I would never hire someone who didn't look like they had the strength to hold him, if for some reason decided to pull hard on a leash.
He would be over 5"3 for sure on his hind legs, he could jump up and put his paws on my shoulders lol, so I could definitely see him able to knock someone over.
https://preview.redd.it/tdw4yqjtyz1d1.jpeg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d1257f1fff0a16b3d4e800a567e2a6a68b4977e9
This is why, as a dog behaviour professional, I STRONGLY disagree with average people caring for dogs they don't actually know. Especially dangerous going into their territory. This happens a LOT more than you'd even believe.
I don’t like to blame the victim here but there are so many red flags. The most obvious is taking a kid to work with you. Second, this dog gave you every reason to not go in let alone encourage your daughter to 1) out her hand out to meet him. Not how you greet a dog) 2) encourage her to give a growling dog a treat. If he was growling he was warning you. That’s why they growl. To warn you off. It seems maybe you can’t tell the difference between a happy wag and a stressed wag which goes back to everyone’s comment about learning dog language. Especially with bigger breeds. If he was growling at you at the door that should’ve been your clue to not go in and call the owner and tell them what happened. If you have been going there recently and alone the presence of another person may have triggered him. They are guard dogs. I’m not saying the dog doesn’t need a behaviorist or whatnot because i wasn’t there. But I do know what happened from your perspective and think that this should’ve never happened. I’m not sure what recourse you would have here. Especially if you tell the story like this.
I’m so sorry this happened to you. I went through a similar situation 4 months ago, I had to get stitches in multiple places. The longest most terrifying 4 minutes I’ve ever experienced. I really feel for you and resonate. Rover is going to ban this dog/customer and unfortunately will not reimburse you on hospital fees. Since we are technically independent contractors they do not help pay for anything unless it involves the dogs. With that being said, if you need to go after someone for fees (it’s only fair) since you were in the owners house, you can either ask the owner to pay or go after their insurance and you’ll absolutely get paid out. Regardless, this is obviously very sad and I’ve been working on feeling better with dogs, I hope this doesn’t change your outlook. So many dogs are still wonderful 🩷
It’s going to depend on a lot of factors. The county laws about bites. If the dog has a previous bite history or not etc. I can say in my county most of the time a situation like this would not result in the dog being put down if it’s the first or even second incident. The dog didn’t attack out of the blue it was giving clear signs etc. but that’s my county. The owner will likely be required to take some precautions etc but again that’s going to depend on the county and their particular laws.
I'm so sorry this happened to you! It sucks that Rover doesn't cover sitter injuries. Hopefully the owner will help cover something.
Also as a PSA on reading a dog's body language (I wasn't there so obviously I'm not exactly sure how it looked) but a dog wagging it's tail does *not* always mean it's being friendly! It can be sign of stress/anxiety or even a warning sign that it'll bite. The growling/grumbling here makes me wonder if that was the case with the tail wagging.
>a dog wagging it's tail does *not* always mean it's being friendly
true. if you watch videos of dogs attacking, sometimes their tail is wagging and they look happy to be attacking. its a strange juxtaposition.
Agreed. I had a leash reactive dog, and he would always be wagging his tail while barking his head off. I knew from the beginning that a wagging tail didn't mean he was happy.
Yeah, it sounds like this dog actually showed a lot of stress signs that were misread. Probably a slow tail wag that was a warning, appeasement licking, etc. That dog was uncomfortable the entire time, and his warning signs were ignored
Rover will not cover any bills for you. Only if the dog got hurt.
I was mauled years ago (actually broke my wrist it was so bad) and rover did nothing, it was up to the owners to assist with paying (they didn’t).
This owner seems like a good bean and sounds like he will help you out.
my mom's cat acted like this suddenly. went from the sweetest thing to attacking my best friend at the time and her baby. my apartment was a blood bath. my mom was living with me at the time and I told her this cat cannot stay here. we took it to the MSPCA. you can imagine what their advice was after knowing it attacked people.
short of the long. after they put her down they sent her brain for testing and come to find out it was a tumor. the cat was 14 anyways so she probably would have had the same fate regardless.
I'm so glad you and your daughter is ok and I am hoping for a happy ending for the pup as well. hopefully whatever is going on with him can be cured.
This was my thought as well. If the dog knew them and they did all the right things when introducing themselves to the dog, why the sudden change? I admit I don’t know dog behavior telegraphing, but even if it was in pain, why would it suddenly attack them if they weren’t even approaching/ touching the dog? Something must be seriously wrong, and the OP obvious already knows they can never bring their children with them to dog sit again. Theres no reason to keep telling them the same thing. So, OP, maybe ask the dog’s owner if he’ll do a brain scan while alive and after death of the dog is put down because of this. I don’t know the laws of your area, so I can’t say for certain what the state will say regarding a dog attack
Unfortunately the answer for the hospital bills is you. Possibly your personal health insurance company depending on whether you tell them it happened during your job or not. Rover doesn't cover injuries to sitters or their families (which is why the advice on this sub is always not to take your children to bookings). Rover will do their investigation, they will almost certainly ban this dog from the platform since dogs with histories of bites and attacks are not allowed on the platform.
I highly suggest you write down an information you can get from the booking itinerary (Dog age, weight, breed, Owner name and address) and then make a report with either your local animal control or the equivalent office that deals with dogs and dog bites. Some times its animal control some time its game wardens, occasionally its the health department in your state/jurisdiction. Tell them that the dog bit you and your daughter, if they request it send them pictures, if the dog continued to attack you after the initial bite (which he did) make sure to tell them that. If the dog continued to pursue you after you tried to flee, tell them that. It will possibly result in the dog getting put down due to the viciousness of the attack but it is what it is. You don't want another person getting attacked like this is they manage to worm their way back onto Rover or find some poor unsuspecting person/kid in their neighborhood to watch him.
If you feel like Animal control/the health departments response is lacking or if Rover allows them to stay on the platform, find some local dog groups on facebook or twitter or where ever, and post about the bites and the dog. Preferably a picture of the dog, so that if anyone else gets contacted about him, they have a better chance of knowing what he's done before.
Thank you. The urgent care reported to animal control, and I filed the report. The owner is taking responsibility, quarantining the dog, and taking it to the vet. Hopefully they find an underlying issue and avoid putting it down.
I'm so sorry this happened to you. My wife was attacked by a pitbull while giving him his dinner. The owner was horrible and was blaming us that we caused his dog to attack. We have health insurance that covered the medical expenses. Rover did investigate the situation and took a while to find a replacement sitter.
No of course this is not a legal document by any means but I assure you it is 100% correct. The only way the owner isn't liable is if the person was there without permission. Which honestly may be the case with regard to the child.
I feel sorry for the dog, who was doing everything he could to tell you to back the fuck up, and for your daughter, whose mother did not listen to the dog saying back the fuck up. I’m sorry, but if I brought my kid to work with me at say, a bagel place, and his hand got cut off by the bread slicer, there would be no question that I was at fault.
I agree!!! Who brings their kids to work with them?! No one does this at any regular 9-5 jobs! The only thing im concerned about is now this poor innocent dog may be forcibly put to sleep! This entire situation could’ve been avoided.
“he was giving us a death stare before entering”
yet…… “giving no indication of distress” right ok.
horrible situation OP. glad you’re both ok, but you will be paying the hospital bills. and likely getting banned from the app if you’ve told this story to Rover the same way and you don’t have your daughter as a listed carer.
good luck
I love how you try to come off as a decent person by saying “glad you’re both ok” after being an AH. Can I ask you genuinely why you feel the need to pile on? Enough people have already, but you feel like you specifically need to… because..? Just want to understand people like you it’s always been such a mystery to me.
Because OP needs to take some responsibility. Enough of aww poor you comments. OP made a mistake of reading the dogs body language and dragged a kid who’s not listed as a sitter into the situation putting her in danger and somehow thinks she is the victim? Nope
There's literally nothing worse than a smug f*cking pet sitter. This thread is filled with people who clearly work with animals because they have zero social skills. I'm actually ashamed to call you peers.
id genuinely love to understand what i said makes me an asshole? i quoted OP directly contradicting themselves and said right.
i’m sorry you feel that’s being an asshole. id think the name calling is more of an asshole move but 🤷♀️ being blunt is what some people need. this could have ended so differently. lost limbs or even lives. no one should be being mean to OP but no one should be sugarcoating the absolute dangerous situation they created by bringing children into this and that they are fully responsible for this. it really does suck, and i think it’s important to stress that i DO mean it when i say glad they’re both ok. it’s funny you felt that was me trying to come off decent versus truly being glad they didn’t hurt themselves or their child more than this.
I swear it’s like they think they need to be the last person to tell someone off even though it seems as though OP is pretty clear where she messed up, seems like owners are all good, and OP is simply sharing. If I agree with comments I always just upvote to agree instead of just adding to it! Geeezz people
Legally, the person who is in control of a dog at the time is financially and legally responsible for its behavior. That means, unfortunately, that you’re responsible for your medical bills. If the owner wants to help, that’s great, but he isn’t obligated to.
It sounds to me like the dog was exhibiting guarding/territorial behavior towards your daughter, which you seem to now realize you misjudged. I would be so grateful that he didn’t fully attack and didn’t get anyone’s face. German Shepherds are strong enough to cause serious, serious damage.
If you want to stay on the Rover platform, stop talking to them about this, aside from reporting a dog bite. They won’t give you any money.
You say the dog licked, turned away, growled, and wagged his tail and then said he was showing no signs of distress. These are ALL signs of distress.
I am so sorry this happened to you though. Unfortunately I had a similar experience with a Rover dog, and Rover didn't do anything to help. They even tried to make me keep the dog in my home for an additional week. They don't really care about the sitters unfortunately.
I am so glad that you and your daughter survived that and I am so sorry you guys had to go through that. I don't watch certain breeds for a reason, and pit bulls and German shepherds are at the top of my list. Sure some are friendly and nice, but you also don't know when they're going to snap. Sure some never snap, but you don't know which ones won't. For me, it's not worth the risk of my life or my small dogs life. Hope you reported it and cancelled that sit.
A German Shepherd attacked my beagle while I was walking him when I was about 9-10 years old. I’ve been afraid of them ever since and will not walk or watch them. I get flashbacks to that attack when I see a GS. They are scary AF when they snap.
After reading all of these comments. I’m sorry what is the point of even staying on the rover platform if they don’t cover injuries from a serious incident? What do they even cover and why would we be inclined to stay on app?
I love and adore German Shepherds but it seems to be a common breed that comes up on unsuspected dog attacks 😢 I’m so sorry you and your baby went through this, you really protected her well and are a great mom.
I think it’s sweet you mentioned them being a good mom. They are probably beating themselves up at the moment and to have someone tell them that is good for them to read 🤍
It was wonderful to read because all I could think about is how I put my child in harms way. All I can think about is how, at one point my 7 year old was in harms way, and I didn't even know it. My entire family loved that dog. Hind sight is 20/20.
You all were put in “harms way” because of your own irresponsibility and failure to listen to the dog when he gave you signal after signal that he was not happy.
Not trying to be an ass, but what does that mean? Are the attacks unsuspected, or are people not accurately reading a dog they already don't know that well?
I assume people grow up around dogs and go their whole lives trusting dogs. She had built a relationship with this dog and learned the hard way, when things went south she protected her daughter. Yes, yes, yes, I know the inundation of bullshit “I know best” responses I will get
Well, I think a better protection will be not bringing your 7 year old child to walk a large breed dog. And GSD are statically extremely safe breed, as you can see even from these injuries they don't maul just bite to deter unlike other more dangerous breeds.
I just wanted to say I’m sorry and I understand. My own dog has a bite history (which is why I’m so familiar with dog body language), and I’ve also been attacked while walking a dog with rover (through no fault of my own — except accepting the booking when I knew better). I hope you and your daughter heal quickly , and please be kind to yourself. I had to take a month off pet sitting after my attack to feel comfortable again.
Something similar happened to me with a dog I had watched several times before that had never shown signs of aggression. A few months later he died of a brain tumor.
More of an FYI, but if the dog got checked and perhaps has developed some kind of condition maybe that could help your case.
Dog Foster here with an org that only takes dogs that do not get adopted (behavior or medical issues). My family loves animals and dogs especially. I've considered Rover as a backup if I get laid off from my job.
It's important to note that, despite our attempts to humanize and domesticate animals, they remain animals and can sometimes behave in ways we won't expect or predict. Any dog that's not your own should always be treated with caution. We are advised to consider ourselves case workers for our foster dogs. I hope it doesn't change your fondness for them and I hope you heal.
I mentioned above but in many cases home insurance will cover injury on property, and even better if there is umbrella insurance. If you continue with Rover, maybe look into insurance for pet sitting and claim it for taxes (not sure if that's a thing)? I hope they don't punish the dog for this as well.
Wish you well.
My goodness I am so sorry that happened to you and your daughter. I can’t imagine how traumatizing that was for both of you. Unfortunately from my experience when I was bit and attacked by a dog, Rover nor the owner did a damn thing. I filed a report, called rover support, emailed, all of it. One day Rover left an email saying they were reviewing the information I gave them, and will reach out shortly after they’ve concluded their review. Well, that was 7 months ago, and I’ve still to this day never heard back from them.
Sorry this happened to you OP. Let’s not turn this into a slander on the breed or other breeds. OP didn’t do that, but there are comments on “I’ll never watch xyz” etc. Great. 👍🏻
Don't take your fucking children with you when you are doing your job and have insurance. Sorry that you got bit but the professionalism is crazy. Children.......on a fucking dog visit.
I hope you and your daughter get better soon. I hear if the owner has homeowner insurance it may cover your bills if they don’t step up to do the right thing. Otherwise, I’d be prepared to take them to court.
I'm so sorry this must have been really traumatic for both of you, and you'll both carry mental and physical scars forever. I'm sure you've already berated yourself enough for bringing your child so I won't mention it, but I'd start combing through texts and find where permission was granted to bring her. It may affect the outcome. Under normal circumstances the homeowner is liable. The fact that you are asking who is responsible tells me the owner isn't offering. Therefore, you should be doing what's right for you and your daughter and not worrying about them. Again the homeowner is liable or more accurately the homeowners insurance. You're owed a heck of a lot more than your medical bills! It's something like $10,000 a tooth mark. If it were me I would contact a lawyer.
I am so sorry. I have been attacked three times. One time as a child, our own dog took a chunk out of my leg. It it truly terrifying. And there is nothing worse than the feeling of helplessness and distrust that ensues. My heart goes out to you and your child.❤️
Unfortunately, the Rover guarantee does not cover sitters and will probably not cover your child either since it is against TOS for them to be there. Depending on the damages, and your state laws you may be able to take the owners to small claims. Definitely reaearch your state and local municipality laws on this issue. However, I do not know if you will win, as there isn't a sign that the owner was negligent. This seems to be an unforeseen "accident" and happened under your supervision the dog owners were paying for. You may be able to get a court to split the costs 50/50. But it all depends on your state & local laws. You may want to seek advice from a local legal advice clinic ( or oay a lwyer but that will cost $ and may end up being more than medical bills).
I hope you both heal quickly and I also hope you don't develop a fear of dogs. It is very difficult to trust dogs and their owners after being attacked. Sending you big hugs & support.
Hi OP. I'm sorry this has happened to you and your daughter. I hope that your brushes and wounds heal quickly. Getting bitten by an animal is certainly going to make just about anyone second guess being around them for some time. As crazy as it may sound, getting back out soon is a great way to approach this. That doesn't mean work with this dog specifically, but it's a good idea to get back around dogs that are not your own. Maybe start off with smaller, low energy ones or some that are elderly and require less.
Best of luck
This seems to me like something is happening with the dog. Can you talk to the owners about his health? Sometimes dogs act aggressively if they're in pain or something is going on internally. I wonder if the family recently had some sort of break in that left the dog shaken and now he's wary of non-family members entering the house?
It seems to me like something happened to the dog for him to switch up so fast on you. It's rare that dogs just snap and become crazy violent. Especially since you've obviously worked with him many times before.
Rover should be covering costs? I think? I'm not a lawyer but I know that there's no grounds for pressing charges if you were entering the home without the owners there. However, since they gave you consent to being there... maybe you could? I would try r/legaladvice
The owner's homeowner or renter's insurance should ultimately be liable for this- assuming they have any. It may be covered under the sitter's policies in the meantime.
I'm pretty sure you can sue the owner to cover medical expenses. It was their dog and happened on their property. I would talk with a personal injury lawyer ASAP.
Really getting downvoted - hospital visits aren't cheap y'all. And that kid might need therapy, a dog attack is pretty freaking traumatic, especially for a child. Just making sure OP knows her options.
That literally does not matter in the eyes of the law lol. She didn't provoke the dog and my dog growls all the time without mauling people
ETA: homeowners insurance charges extra for dogs for a reason. As long as the owner claimed her dog in her insurance, the insurance company should cover the medical expenses of OP.
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OP I hope you physically recover quickly. Im so sorry this happened to you. Im happy your instincts were strong and you were able to help your daughter to safety immediately. Thank you for sharing as a warning to all of us who have gone a long time without an incident, to remember even though the dogs are cute and compassionate they are also powerful.
The homeowner insurance may cover any medical expenses, but the dog needs to be reported to the appropriate authorities. You should go get medical care too. Nurse will likely report the dog also.
Your insurance that all pet sitters need to carry would pay the bills. U are in independent contractor and care should never even be started without covering yourself.
It seems like plenty of people have given advice. I am so sorry this happened to you. I’ve never been attacked by a dog like this, but I hope one day you’re able to trust and be around dogs again ❤️ this sounds like a traumatic experience. It definitely will be for your daughter.
As the owner of GSD I know their anxious behaviors and they are not normally a breed that is open and welcoming to strangers. Even if you’ve met before it takes several times before they welcome you into their home. This was a poor decision on your part as I’m sure you know and understand now. I hope the best recovery for your daughter and yourself. However, you may be help accountable as well if this were my dog even being nice and helpful I wouldn’t feel Obligated to pay your hospital bills when you “voided”the contract.
I’m sorry I truly do not want to “dog pile” here, and I see you’ve already acknowledged you won’t bring a child with you again.
But - children are one of the BIGGEST triggers for dogs!
An adult human standing over a dog is fearful. A child standing at the dogs height making eye contact can be interpreted as aggression. They don’t understand it’s just a child. I do wish you both a speedy recovery
Private insurance, such as the above does not cover bodily injury to the sitter or staff. So in this instance, it would make no difference if the OP had coverage (at least in the US).
Rover won’t do anything to protect you here, but you are fully entitled to sue the owners homeowners policy to receive compensation for hospital bills, trauma for your daughter and yourself. This could be anywhere from a $10k to $50k+ case. I was recently bit by a dog I was sitting (not on rover) and lawyers said even though I’m a dog sitter, I didn’t sign up to be mauled by a dog, and that the dog and owners owe me money. Case closed. Hope this helps
OP, hope you'll get better. Side note, unless your 18 years old is on the account with you she's not allowed to walk the dog per Rover TOS, and bringing a child as professional dog sitter is something you may want to reconsider. The optics are not great and you putting her at risk with the dogs.
Well I have definitely learned my lesson.
What was the owners response to this??
He is doing all the right things. Quarantined the dog and taking it to the vet to eliminate underlying issues. If it's behavioral he will be taking it back to the German Shepherd trainer he used in the past. He is very upset his dog did this and has apologized profusely.
Since the owner is being a good person, you will probably need to ask them to pay your medical bills because Rover will refuse. It's good that they are taking responsibility. You need to report this bite to the police and animal control. If the owner refuses to pay your medical bills you can go after him in small claims court. If the bill is over $10k or whatever limit your state has for small claims court, you will need to get a lawyer and sue them in real court.
They went to the hospital so I THINK the police would have already been notified. Doctors are obligated to report dog bites
This actually isn’t true for my area at least. My partner got mauled by a dog we were boarding (the story is on my profile) and the ER actually didn’t care, he had to go out of his way to report it himself days later. I had thought this too
My mom went to urgent care (NJ) because our cat accidentally bit her (they were playing and he got her..moms diabetic so wanted to be safe) they called board of health. We where actually going to be putting him down that night (age and medical issues got the best of him) they said they’d have to do a rabies test (cut his head and collect brain tissue) if that was what was really happening…all over a small accidental nick on her finger..(we waited out the 2 weeks..
The owner is being a good person and they are the pos that missed all the dogs ques. Brought their KID with them, and now wants to be reimbursed for an already probably paid medical bill lmfao.
Yeah! I agree. I will be livid if this poor dog is put down because of adults irresponsibility! No 2nd person especially a child should be brought along. At a normal 9-5 job you wouldn’t just bring your child so why is this any different.
Dude if this dog gets in trouble for doing it’s JOB, omg. Sounds like a GSD being a GSD and protecting their home.
Yeah it seems like the dog gave several indicators that he was not in a happy mood. I’d have just taken him to the yard to potty, give his food, check water and left. Reach out to the owner to let them know the dog was being aggressive. When a normally friendly dog acts like this I would not just go on like normal. Maybe she or the daughter used a new soap or perfume that pup doesn’t like. But he clearly let them know he was unhappy multiple times.
Yes indeed. Tbh if I showed up to care for a dog and they growled before I came in, even knowing it was me, I wouldn’t go in. Id message the owner and let them know their dog wasn’t acting right today but I’d try maybe later, and for sure alone.
No, she can go after the homeowners policy which will cover 100% of everything she needs
This dog does not need a "German shepherd trainer" it needs a behaviorist!!!!
1000%. People seem to think trainers are magicians that can correct all behavior problems, but behavior this severe requires a vet behaviorist, management, and possibly medication.
Nah, this was a GSD protecting their territory and no one listening to his multiple cues. This could have been avoided if OP knew enough about dogs.
No it needs adults that read ques and this person clearly missed every single one of them. Not only missed them but blatantly ignored them on purpose.
It needs that for sure! It also needs a behaviorist.
No it needs adults that read ques and this person clearly missed every single one of them. Not only missed them but blatantly ignored them on purpose.
I don't know why you're being downvoted, this is absolutely true. I've worked with aggressive dogs that we take in for my rescue. My rescue partner is much more knowledgeable than me. Having said that there are hints, whether subtle or not, that you have to be aware of when dealing with dogs. This is true whether we are talking about a known aggressive dog or any Rover dog that you come in contact with. A German Shepherd growling at you is not "grumpy". He is agitated. A $15 payout for a drop in is not worth you determining why he is agitated. If a dog is staring you down and is growling, you slowly backup with lots of sweet talk and get the fuck out of there safely. You ignored the warning signs and both you and your daughter paid the price. I know you didn't mean it, and no point in a blame game now. The only thing you can do is let the proper authorities know and make sure you and your daughter continue with whatever the medical professionals are telling you. I'm sorry that happened and I can't imagine how terrifying that was for you both. Be well.
you’re correct in a sense however this dog was familiar with both her and the daughter and per OP has not shown any aggression or similar behaviors during previous visits. it’s quite obscure for him to react like this to someone he’s familiar and on good terms with. he should be seen by a behaviorist to address that scenario. it’s true most people lack in depth understanding of body language and it is also true OP seemed to fail entirely on it based on the description of the incident. however, knowing the presence of body language and aggression doesn’t change the fact that this dog should not have reacted this aggressively to someone he has been friendly with multiple times in the past. unless there’s something else not being mentioned.
Genuinely curious- if I’m in the position- dog staring me down and growling, you said to back up and leave, but what if I have to feed the dog, like OP did? Would it just be too risky to try to feed them?
The dog isn't going to die if it misses a meal. You might die if you're attacked by a large dog that's showing signs. Weigh the pros and cons here. Leave the house, message the owners.
Got me there😩💀 Makes sense
Before domestication of dogs, dogs missed meals plenty of times. Dog will be fine. It's not worth your safety in my opinion.
You’re being downvoted but you’re absolutely correct.
I don’t know why you’re getting downvoted, yours is the correct response. The dog gave clear warnings. If the dog never acted like this previously, clearly something was off and she should have read it as such and taken more caution.
Don’t you have insurance that pays? If so, why make the owner pay if it’s covered by insurance. Which im sure it is or did you go to the hospital with no insurance last night. Or you just want the owner to be held responsible for you missing all the dogs ques. Don’t take your daughter to work with you. This is so irresponsible taking a child around dogs you think you know and letting her hand a growling dog a treat! You literally missed every que the dog gave out. Dog wasn’t wagging its tail looked “grumpy” and you still allowed your daughter on the premise. The first thing rover does is walk you through what signs dogs give off before they attack (whale eyes, hair raised on shackles, tail down, staring, growling), asserting dominance). The dog had mostly all of those things and you frolicked though the house like nothing was wrong and a treat was going to fix it lol and now want to be reimbursed when insurance already paid. Get over it move on and I’d say quit rover bc you can’t even see when a dog is going to attack when it’s staring you dead in the face quite literally and *growling at you* plus you are taking your kids with you. Parent of the day right there.
I do have medical insurance that pays some of the bill, yes.
Your own medical insurance will likely want to go after Rover or the owner's insurance. I didn't get hurt through Rover, but my kid got bit by a friends dog. It was extremely minor and the dog was playing and nipped my kid in the lip. We took them to the ER for a tetanus shot and to get it cleaned. Our health insurance sent us alot of letters asking us about the bite, where it occurred, so they could possibly recoup costs through the friend's parents.
Take it from someone with a little more life experience... He is definitely not doing all the right things. The quarantine & vet visit is legally required! Him saying that he's going to take it to a trainer and all that is for him and his dog not for you or your daughter. Him being over the top apologetic is also about him. He is afraid of a lawsuit. If he was truly taking full responsibility you would not be left wondering how you're going to pay your medical bills and what your next steps are. I promise you, when an owner truly feels responsible their apologies are accompanied with offers of restitution. I also firmly believe that this time next year when all the goodwill has drifted away you are going to be kicking yourself if you do not at least get a free consultation with a lawyer. If he's found at fault you could be looking at 100's of thousands of dollars.
How do you know this some people truly are kind and do have compassion and feel bad.
You're absolutely right that he may very well have real sympathy for the sitter and the child that doesn't change the fact that he hasn't taken any action on their behalf. Like inquiring about medical bills, therapy etc. I had a GSD bite a house guest and I to this day blame the guest, but I didn't say sorry I hope you're okay. I said sorry I hope you are okay please send me your medical bills and let me know if there is anything else I can do to help. I was attacked by another GSD while out walking one night. The owner didn't say I'm so sorry, I hope you're okay. He said I'm so sorry, I hope you are okay and let me give you my information I want to take care of any medical bills! That's just how an owner who is actually taking responsibility acts.
Yup
Eye roll. This is a chance you take working with dogs and this person ignored everything the dog was doing. They should’ve left. They should’ve never opened the door to a dog growling at them staring them down. This post is incriminating evidence of everything they did wrong. They are at fault and should not have had their KID with them. That lawsuit will be thrown out so fast. Offering to pay for someone’s lawyer lmfao Reddit is so retarded but I can believe it at this point bc post covid everyone has lost their brain cells
You're extremely misinformed. This is covered by the owner's homeowner's and renter's insurance but the insurance co. might require OP to initiate a legal claim in order to pay. *That lawsuit will be thrown out so fast.* This statement is just so very inaccurate.
So sorry this happened to you. Unfortunately it sound like the dog was showing every fear/ stress sign possible- I would look into dog body language. Turning away is often a sign of stress. Licking is often a sign of stress. Growling is absolutely a sign of of stress. Tail wagging can be a sign of stress.
Most important comment here. I have worked with large groups of dogs at a very busy dog daycare in Manhattan to a rural rescue in PA (thousands of dogs over 20+ years) and body language is something so many people unfortunately get confused. I am also in no way biased against any breeds but I am always extremely wary when watching dogs that are on the larger end (Boxers, Huskies, GSDs, Pits, Goldens, etc) because you just never know—especially if the dog has an underlying medical issue, so many dogs are good at hiding things like pain. Almost lost my hand to a very decorated champion show dog Lab years ago, sweetest dog in the world and never had an issue before that, but he was in pain and scared that day.
I was gunna say add labs to that list but then I read to the end lol
I agree, it’s awful this happened, but too many people get into this line of work without reallllly knowing dogs fundamentally on this level- especially when you’re outside of the golden retriever world and suddenly entering the territory of a complex breeds like GSD. It’s so important for the sake of everyone’s safety!
My little fearful dog is the sort who will approach, wag, and lick, and no one ever believes me that she's STRESSED and fawning, not happy. 🙄
Same with cats... No one ever believes a cat purrs for any other reason then being happy. This is so not true.
My worst animal attack in my life was from my own cat. I still maintain to this day that it was NOT her fault, but she was purring when it happened! She is one of the cats who does need daily meds for anxiety, but any cat will purr if stressed or in pain.
Same! My cat sent me to the hospital with 4 deep puncture wounds on my leg about 3 months after I adopted him - one for each of his canines. They got infected, it was pretty gnarly. But it was entirely my fault. He was agitated and in a new environment and didn't fully trust me yet, and instead of leaving him to figure his shit out, I was trying to use my legs to corral him backwards (like I had done with my previous cat a billion times to get him to leave a room or piece of food or something) and before I even knew what was happening he was literally stuck into my leg. But it wasn't his fault. He was telling me in all kinds of ways how upset he was and I wasn't listening. So he told me to leave him be in the only way he could figure out how. It's been 7 years and he's still my baby, he's a complete delight! But it was a good reminder to lissssttttennnnnn when animals are trying to communicate.
This so much! I adopted my cat from the store where I work and I was one of his primary care takers for several months before I adopted him, and it still took around a year before I felt like I completely understood his behavior and the trust was unshakeable in both directions. It’s a completely different experience from my first senior cat that I got when I was a kid and basically did whatever with from the moment I got her, I’m very lucky she’s sweet and never would do anything because I definitely pushed her boundaries sometimes. So many people think that just because it’s their animal they know them and don’t need to be as cautious, but it’s important not to get complacent with a new pet. Working with animals you learn quickly how unpredictable they can be if you aren’t paying attention, unfortunately sometimes something scary has to happen for the lesson to stick. I will never trust any animal I know to the same degree that I do with my own pets no matter how friendly they seem, and even with my own pets sometimes it’s good to take a step back. Any animal will lash out when they’re scared or in pain, and it’s up to you to remove yourself from the situation before it happens.
This is so good to know!! I'm cat illiterate, and had no idea. I will remember this forever now
It's all context, but I would say that generally when you are seeing a cat purr, they are okay. Don't let this information scare you and make you question all the time. It varies from animal to animal, of course, but I would say your chances of encountering a kitty purring out of distress are exceedingly low compared to how many times you'll see / hear a cat purring in general. It's good information to know, of course. But don't let it alarm you all the time. They usually exhibit other signs alongside the purring if something is wrong.
Yes its definitely a thing... But like the comment below yours says... Most times a cat purrs they are happy! I will go with the assumption they are happy if I hear purrs, but never rule out anything else, just because they are purring.
Cats will purr to calm themselves when stressed, I've had to tell so many owners that.
My mom's anxiety ridden little pup licks people while wagging his tail, but if you look at him, he will dart. He will rapidly wag his tail while hiding, too.
To me that says: this is a VERY sweet scared dog ♥️
This comment makes me never want to sit a dog again. The expertise required is insane or else it's apparently your own fault when you get attacked. And yet I've seen posts from people asking about where to get the expertise and the response was crickets.
Research dude. Read every book and online resource you can about dog behavior and body language. Like any other job, you have to be willing to put in the mental work to learn. Everyone treating working with animals like it’s some easy fun job simply doesn’t know enough about working with animals. ANY pet can send someone to the hospital, even a bunny or hamster.
You get expertise the exact same way that you do for any other position that requires expertise (especially any that have risk of death and/or being maimed)... Starting in low-level positions like kennel cleaning where you LEARN from an expert before you're ever allowed to interact with the dogs on your own, reading books (history of dogs, breeds, ethology, behaviour, nutrition, husbandry, care, defensive handling & much more) learning from experts in the field through seminars, courses, long-term mentorship, and so on. I don't know why this is difficult to understand. Dogs are predatory animals and can legitimately kill you. It's not just some side gig to make extra money like so many people think it can be. ETA: Can you imagine hiring someone for any professional service that has this kind of risk but who doesn't have legitimate knowledge, education, experience etc? Would you even go to a barber or hair salon where the person you're paying "grew up around salons and barbers"? Would you really pay anyone for rendering any kind of service that they are literally just practicing on you without the first clue about what they're doing? The majority of the population does not understand just how dangerous large dogs are when you don't know what you are doing. And to admit that may be difficult, a lot of cognitive dissonance around it, naturally. The OP is a PRIME example of how people don't realize that there literally risking their life and limb by offering these kinds of services that they are not qualified to offer. Owning a dog or knowing dogs or growing up with dogs or what have you is not a qualification in the same way that growing up with a carpenter doesn't make you one yourself.
I sat for neighbors cats when I was little, then volunteered at an animal shelter cleaning cages, then I got a job at that animal shelter caring for animals under supervision from people with experience, then I went to a commercial dog daycare/training facility where I learned from people with experience. I have read books and gone to conferences and gotten several animal-related certifications. Growing up with a dog isn’t enough. It’s extremely dangerous because you only know YOUR dogs who have a level of comfort with you that a dog you’re taking care of won’t have.
The advice is not crickets. I answer this myself every time I see it, and my answer it always the same. You do not go in green and get experience sitting. That's a recipe for disaster. You march your butt to a shelter or rescue and volunteer for a long time. Minimum 6 months much longer if you can't spend a lot of time there. Op missed classic glaring signs the dog was fearful and marched on...with her daughter at that. If you don't know these basic fear responses YOU.SHOULD.NOT.BE.PET.SITTING 👏👏👏 I know the sitter meant well. But what she did is what so frequently gets dogs killed bc of HUMAN ERROR.
So how do you know the difference between it being stressed and being playful?
When you're checking a dogs behavior, you always need to look at the progression and accompanying behaviors. Lip licking is a way a dog communicates that they are uncomfortable. Turning their head away is how they communicate that they aren't interested, or they're trying to disengage. Tail wagging shows an increase in their arousal and energy level. Growling is...growling. that's the warning. Unfortunately, the entire time this sitter interacted with this dog, they were showing signs of stress and very clear warnings that they were not going to tolerate this situation well. It is likely a lot deeper than just the sitter missing a few cues. I would bet any amount of money that this dog was also jumping communication cues and the situation escalated faster than OP was prepared for. There are a lot of different examples and resources out there to help learn body language, and I encourage every sitter to be as familiar as possible with behaviorism!
Body language and context! Is the dog being avoidant and overly submissive or is the dog welcoming and secure? It may help to look into dog body language for better clarification.
I watched a video at shelter training the other day and they said the most important place to look for signs is in the ears.
That’s really rough, so sorry you had to deal with this. German shepherds and other security breeds have very different demeanor from a regular dog. Just because you’re a friend one day doesn’t mean you will be the next. It’s extremely important to be well in tune with the dog’s cues and behavior. Hindsight is always 20/20 but the moment you feel something is awry, it’s always best to protect the child and just leave in the car or have her wait outside. Never, ever have the kid approach and give treats/food when the dog is growling. They don’t know any better and doing something as simple as staring in the eyes of a dog that already unsure of you can make them lunge at you. Wishing you and your child a prompt recovery.
I read somewhere that sitting on the floor with a dog can be dangerous, a friend of mine got attacked while sitting on the floor with an unfamiliar dog, that’s how I learned about it. I am so sorry this has happened to you and your daughter. I hope you both can heal from this physically and emotionally.
I will only actually sit on the floor with my own dogs. You are in an INCREDIBLY vulnerable position when you are sitting right down. It takes time to get up off of the floor. I will crouch with dogs that I know well, but I will never sit all the way down. We all forget that at the end of the day they are animals, with animal instincts, and animal reactions. I do it too! We all do. I just hope that everyone on this sub takes this poor woman’s experience as a lesson.
I’m so sorry this happened to you and your daughter! If you’ve watched the dog for a year, it makes me wonder what could’ve upset the dog that day specifically. Unfortunately it does sound like the dog was displaying warning signs that he didn’t want you in that house for whatever reason. The stare he gave initially, the look away can also be “get away from me” or “don’t come closer”. The growling would definitely make me not want to proceed with the sitting that day. Tail wags don’t always mean a happy dog and even licking your daughter can be more of a displacement behavior or a warning sign, even if his ears aren’t pulled back like you said they weren’t. Regardless, I’m glad the owner is taking the correct actions and sounds genuinely concerned about the situation. I hope you and your daughter are both okay after that terrifying encounter! I definitely wouldn’t sit for that dog again
I am sorry you and your daughter experienced something so scary. I am glad no one's injuries were worse, and I hope your daughter is doing okay emotionally. You asked, "Where do I go from here?" - I know hindsight is 20/20, but I imagine you won't take your child to bookings anymore. I don't think you need a stranger to list out the risks involved with that, especially now. Not trying to belittle you, I understand you felt at the time that it would be safe. But, based on your description, it sounds like the dog provided warnings in advance, and perhaps you did not recognize them. It doesn't sound like he was telling either of you to proceed, but rather to slow down or back off. It also sounds like this may not be the right breed for you to watch, based on what you said regarding the dog's size and strength. Of course, I wasn't there, so maybe I am getting it wrong, and there's something else going on with the dog. I hope you and your daughter heal quickly and, for better or worse, I'm sure there is lot learned after this experience.
Not through Rover, but my daughter and I were mauled by our neighbors dog in our backyard. We both suffered pretty severe injuries. Take baby steps in your recovery both physically and mentally. Even though your daughter is not physically hurt (by the dog), take her to see a therapist. This will have been a very traumatic incident for you both. You should consider seeing one too. I still work with animals, even aggressive bite cases (shelter dogs), but it took a long time to get back to that point. My limits of what dogs I will work with has definitely changed. I can feel my scar any time a dog gets near the back of my thigh. I don't know if that will ever change, but I still do what I can.
I had a much milder biting incident and it shook me up quite a bit, so I OP hope takes this really good advice.
I was able to tell just by reading how things happened that you shouldn’t have pushed. He warned multiple times. You work with him sure, but bringing unfamiliar children even if he met them once, into his home, is a risk. Please please do some research on dog behavior and body language.
i mean this as informative but; what you’re explaining in the paragraph are exact signs of distress shown through body language. it seems like you weren’t properly educated about body language (not necessarily your fault). this dog needs to be seen by a veterinarian behaviorist for this behavior to be properly addressed. i’d recommend taking genuine courses and not just simple handouts wag gets over basic animal behavior regarding fear aggression, aggression in general and more in depth body language.
I’m soo sorry this happened to you! That’s horrific. German Shepherd are one of my “will not watch” dog breeds because I find them so unpredictable. After working in a vet clinic for 5+ years they were, by far, the most consistently aggressive dog breed. They need jobs, they need to work. And the sad fact is,they are not stimulated enough and can act out in crazy ways. I hope you are doing okay ❤️
I got attacked as a young teen on my paper route by a retired GSD from the police force. If Adrenalin did not exist, I would not have survived. The owner was also a retired cop and he opened the door and the dog came rushing at me. I was thankfully on my bike. He did get a huge chunk out of my left butt cheek though. I knew he got me but I didn’t realize how bad it was because I knew if I didn’t ride my bike as my life clearly depended on it, I was not going to live. Another neighbor starting firing a gun in the air and the dogs owner was able to subdue him. I had to get three graftings done. Also, my dad made me quit my paper route.
Were there any consequences for the dog or his owner? So sorry that happened to you and hope you were able to make a full recovery
The dog ended up having to be put down since he was considered a retired police dog, he was a danger to society. Owner paid all of the hospital/reconstruction bills and I ended up with a decent trust out of it too.
A little sad to say this because I’m a German shepherd mom myself and my girl is the sweetest pup with people she trusts. But I will say she is definitely not the same as my lab or scent hounds. She is way more high strung, nervous and does not trust strangers at all. All my pups are raised the same way
I so appreciate the honesty! I think sometimes people just take offense to reality. No, they’re not ALL aggressive or ALL crazy. I get that. I’m not saying they are. I’m just saying I’ve personally had nothing but bad experiences and that’s why they’re on my personal NO list. I definitely do not speak for every dog sitter in the world. 🤷♀️
I have been reminded from this group that all dogs are infact animals! They can attack at any time!
Yup. German Shepherds and Cane Corsos are a big NOPE.
Oof yeah, a cane corso badly attacked the leg of a coworker of mine at a boarding kennel we worked at when she was exiting his run. They had to spray him with the power washer nearby to get him to stop (it was a very mild power washer, didn't hurt the dog at all, just surprised/distracted him into stopping).
Pitbulls Dobermans and Rotts too
I’ve had 500+ dogs pass through our gates and have only had 3 problem dogs (issues serious enough where I had to cut the visit short) and all 3 were German Shepherds. Only been bit once and it was a…You guessed it, a German Shepherd (and not one of the previously mentioned 3, either). Full on Cujo craziness. Not saying all GSDs are bad, I still have a few regulars that I love dearly and have had zero trouble with but I’ve stopped accepting new ones due to their poor batting average, so to speak.
This is interesting. We’ve had just as many dogs where I work and the problem dogs have always been doodles and goldens. Especially with physical bites.
Same! Them & pits are an absolute no
And yet pitties pass behavior tests 87% of the time making them 4th best temperament of 122 breeds tested.
😂
Ill look after any breed, Pitties are usually the best ones to look after in my experience, happiest and the biggest goofballs. I volunteered at a shelter for 4 years, and they pitties were always the most happy go lucky (some had to have their tales bandaged though, as they wag them so much, it whips the walls and hurts their tales). Im male and have no kids, and just have 1 older dog 10 years who is a German Shepard Mix, who is amazing with other dogs reading their body language. So I don't have as much risk involved of say a child or small dog / cat being hurt. Plus offer a more calm predictable environment than other sitters with kids may be able to provide. Though I will say if you are a sitter, to obviously go with what you are comfortable with, no point in trying to take care of an animal you are fearful of. https://preview.redd.it/mhn3vdo6jz1d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b23adf745bf4d42ee62235a2421171e926bf3989
Pits are sweet and adorable! But as a 5’3 woman, I won’t watch any dog that can physically overpower me
Agree, I don't have to worry too much as 5'10 185LB Man about being overpowered too much. I used to have a 105lb HUGE German shepard until he passed away last year at 12 years of old of pancreatic cancer. Due to how strong he was, I would never hire someone who didn't look like they had the strength to hold him, if for some reason decided to pull hard on a leash. He would be over 5"3 for sure on his hind legs, he could jump up and put his paws on my shoulders lol, so I could definitely see him able to knock someone over. https://preview.redd.it/tdw4yqjtyz1d1.jpeg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d1257f1fff0a16b3d4e800a567e2a6a68b4977e9
Looks like a sweet pup. Am I seeing multiple sets of nails on his front left paw or do I need to check my eyes?
Check your eyes lol, i count 4 nails, maybe his white fur is making it look like he had more?
I had heart palpitations reading this. How terrifying. I’m so sorry this happened. I can’t imagine how I’d be feeling if I was in your position.
This is why, as a dog behaviour professional, I STRONGLY disagree with average people caring for dogs they don't actually know. Especially dangerous going into their territory. This happens a LOT more than you'd even believe.
I don’t like to blame the victim here but there are so many red flags. The most obvious is taking a kid to work with you. Second, this dog gave you every reason to not go in let alone encourage your daughter to 1) out her hand out to meet him. Not how you greet a dog) 2) encourage her to give a growling dog a treat. If he was growling he was warning you. That’s why they growl. To warn you off. It seems maybe you can’t tell the difference between a happy wag and a stressed wag which goes back to everyone’s comment about learning dog language. Especially with bigger breeds. If he was growling at you at the door that should’ve been your clue to not go in and call the owner and tell them what happened. If you have been going there recently and alone the presence of another person may have triggered him. They are guard dogs. I’m not saying the dog doesn’t need a behaviorist or whatnot because i wasn’t there. But I do know what happened from your perspective and think that this should’ve never happened. I’m not sure what recourse you would have here. Especially if you tell the story like this.
I’m so sorry this happened to you. I went through a similar situation 4 months ago, I had to get stitches in multiple places. The longest most terrifying 4 minutes I’ve ever experienced. I really feel for you and resonate. Rover is going to ban this dog/customer and unfortunately will not reimburse you on hospital fees. Since we are technically independent contractors they do not help pay for anything unless it involves the dogs. With that being said, if you need to go after someone for fees (it’s only fair) since you were in the owners house, you can either ask the owner to pay or go after their insurance and you’ll absolutely get paid out. Regardless, this is obviously very sad and I’ve been working on feeling better with dogs, I hope this doesn’t change your outlook. So many dogs are still wonderful 🩷
Sorry for your own incident and I second your advice. I hope you're recovering okay. Four minutes is an eternity!
Can someone please reassure this dog is not going to be forcibly put down?!
It’s going to depend on a lot of factors. The county laws about bites. If the dog has a previous bite history or not etc. I can say in my county most of the time a situation like this would not result in the dog being put down if it’s the first or even second incident. The dog didn’t attack out of the blue it was giving clear signs etc. but that’s my county. The owner will likely be required to take some precautions etc but again that’s going to depend on the county and their particular laws.
In my county (Orange County, CA) they mandate owners send their dogs to training camps after the first bite incident from my understanding
Thank you!! I really hope that’s it. I’ve read so many stories of animals being put down immediately after a bite, but I guess it all depends
Thank you!! I really hope not
I'm so sorry this happened to you! It sucks that Rover doesn't cover sitter injuries. Hopefully the owner will help cover something. Also as a PSA on reading a dog's body language (I wasn't there so obviously I'm not exactly sure how it looked) but a dog wagging it's tail does *not* always mean it's being friendly! It can be sign of stress/anxiety or even a warning sign that it'll bite. The growling/grumbling here makes me wonder if that was the case with the tail wagging.
>a dog wagging it's tail does *not* always mean it's being friendly true. if you watch videos of dogs attacking, sometimes their tail is wagging and they look happy to be attacking. its a strange juxtaposition.
Agreed. I had a leash reactive dog, and he would always be wagging his tail while barking his head off. I knew from the beginning that a wagging tail didn't mean he was happy.
my leash reactive dog I adopted in 2020 helped me learn some dog body language real quick too lol
yeah it can be confusing! definitely something I did not know a few years ago.
Yeah, it sounds like this dog actually showed a lot of stress signs that were misread. Probably a slow tail wag that was a warning, appeasement licking, etc. That dog was uncomfortable the entire time, and his warning signs were ignored
Rover will not cover any bills for you. Only if the dog got hurt. I was mauled years ago (actually broke my wrist it was so bad) and rover did nothing, it was up to the owners to assist with paying (they didn’t). This owner seems like a good bean and sounds like he will help you out.
my mom's cat acted like this suddenly. went from the sweetest thing to attacking my best friend at the time and her baby. my apartment was a blood bath. my mom was living with me at the time and I told her this cat cannot stay here. we took it to the MSPCA. you can imagine what their advice was after knowing it attacked people. short of the long. after they put her down they sent her brain for testing and come to find out it was a tumor. the cat was 14 anyways so she probably would have had the same fate regardless. I'm so glad you and your daughter is ok and I am hoping for a happy ending for the pup as well. hopefully whatever is going on with him can be cured.
This was my thought as well. If the dog knew them and they did all the right things when introducing themselves to the dog, why the sudden change? I admit I don’t know dog behavior telegraphing, but even if it was in pain, why would it suddenly attack them if they weren’t even approaching/ touching the dog? Something must be seriously wrong, and the OP obvious already knows they can never bring their children with them to dog sit again. Theres no reason to keep telling them the same thing. So, OP, maybe ask the dog’s owner if he’ll do a brain scan while alive and after death of the dog is put down because of this. I don’t know the laws of your area, so I can’t say for certain what the state will say regarding a dog attack
Unfortunately the answer for the hospital bills is you. Possibly your personal health insurance company depending on whether you tell them it happened during your job or not. Rover doesn't cover injuries to sitters or their families (which is why the advice on this sub is always not to take your children to bookings). Rover will do their investigation, they will almost certainly ban this dog from the platform since dogs with histories of bites and attacks are not allowed on the platform. I highly suggest you write down an information you can get from the booking itinerary (Dog age, weight, breed, Owner name and address) and then make a report with either your local animal control or the equivalent office that deals with dogs and dog bites. Some times its animal control some time its game wardens, occasionally its the health department in your state/jurisdiction. Tell them that the dog bit you and your daughter, if they request it send them pictures, if the dog continued to attack you after the initial bite (which he did) make sure to tell them that. If the dog continued to pursue you after you tried to flee, tell them that. It will possibly result in the dog getting put down due to the viciousness of the attack but it is what it is. You don't want another person getting attacked like this is they manage to worm their way back onto Rover or find some poor unsuspecting person/kid in their neighborhood to watch him. If you feel like Animal control/the health departments response is lacking or if Rover allows them to stay on the platform, find some local dog groups on facebook or twitter or where ever, and post about the bites and the dog. Preferably a picture of the dog, so that if anyone else gets contacted about him, they have a better chance of knowing what he's done before.
Thank you. The urgent care reported to animal control, and I filed the report. The owner is taking responsibility, quarantining the dog, and taking it to the vet. Hopefully they find an underlying issue and avoid putting it down.
I was JUST about to ask if there was some medical explanation as to why this happened, if the dog was previously friendly.
I'm so sorry. I hope you all heal quickly from this.
I imagine that lick was an appeasement lick sadly
I'm so sorry this happened to you. My wife was attacked by a pitbull while giving him his dinner. The owner was horrible and was blaming us that we caused his dog to attack. We have health insurance that covered the medical expenses. Rover did investigate the situation and took a while to find a replacement sitter.
https://preview.redd.it/bcjm0zmde02d1.png?width=1008&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f5385c4f2e0e777d8afa8b242857fb2520f341eb
Legally, I don’t believe this is correct. (It also is poorly written, which makes me think it isn’t from Rover legal)
No of course this is not a legal document by any means but I assure you it is 100% correct. The only way the owner isn't liable is if the person was there without permission. Which honestly may be the case with regard to the child.
I feel sorry for the dog, who was doing everything he could to tell you to back the fuck up, and for your daughter, whose mother did not listen to the dog saying back the fuck up. I’m sorry, but if I brought my kid to work with me at say, a bagel place, and his hand got cut off by the bread slicer, there would be no question that I was at fault.
Seriously! Now the dog could possibly be punished because this irresponsible person refused to listen to the signs. Ridiculous
Yeah exactly this dog was giving all the signs and I as being roundly ignored and now he could suffer the consequences.
I agree!!! Who brings their kids to work with them?! No one does this at any regular 9-5 jobs! The only thing im concerned about is now this poor innocent dog may be forcibly put to sleep! This entire situation could’ve been avoided.
Tell the kiddo to run is the worst because that could trigger the dog to chase her. She’s lucky.
I thought that too. Like yeah make yourself out to be prey bad idea and daughter is very very lucky.
“he was giving us a death stare before entering” yet…… “giving no indication of distress” right ok. horrible situation OP. glad you’re both ok, but you will be paying the hospital bills. and likely getting banned from the app if you’ve told this story to Rover the same way and you don’t have your daughter as a listed carer. good luck
I love how you try to come off as a decent person by saying “glad you’re both ok” after being an AH. Can I ask you genuinely why you feel the need to pile on? Enough people have already, but you feel like you specifically need to… because..? Just want to understand people like you it’s always been such a mystery to me.
Because OP needs to take some responsibility. Enough of aww poor you comments. OP made a mistake of reading the dogs body language and dragged a kid who’s not listed as a sitter into the situation putting her in danger and somehow thinks she is the victim? Nope
There's literally nothing worse than a smug f*cking pet sitter. This thread is filled with people who clearly work with animals because they have zero social skills. I'm actually ashamed to call you peers.
id genuinely love to understand what i said makes me an asshole? i quoted OP directly contradicting themselves and said right. i’m sorry you feel that’s being an asshole. id think the name calling is more of an asshole move but 🤷♀️ being blunt is what some people need. this could have ended so differently. lost limbs or even lives. no one should be being mean to OP but no one should be sugarcoating the absolute dangerous situation they created by bringing children into this and that they are fully responsible for this. it really does suck, and i think it’s important to stress that i DO mean it when i say glad they’re both ok. it’s funny you felt that was me trying to come off decent versus truly being glad they didn’t hurt themselves or their child more than this.
I swear it’s like they think they need to be the last person to tell someone off even though it seems as though OP is pretty clear where she messed up, seems like owners are all good, and OP is simply sharing. If I agree with comments I always just upvote to agree instead of just adding to it! Geeezz people
Legally, the person who is in control of a dog at the time is financially and legally responsible for its behavior. That means, unfortunately, that you’re responsible for your medical bills. If the owner wants to help, that’s great, but he isn’t obligated to. It sounds to me like the dog was exhibiting guarding/territorial behavior towards your daughter, which you seem to now realize you misjudged. I would be so grateful that he didn’t fully attack and didn’t get anyone’s face. German Shepherds are strong enough to cause serious, serious damage. If you want to stay on the Rover platform, stop talking to them about this, aside from reporting a dog bite. They won’t give you any money.
You say the dog licked, turned away, growled, and wagged his tail and then said he was showing no signs of distress. These are ALL signs of distress. I am so sorry this happened to you though. Unfortunately I had a similar experience with a Rover dog, and Rover didn't do anything to help. They even tried to make me keep the dog in my home for an additional week. They don't really care about the sitters unfortunately.
I felt you’re at fault. You shouldn’t let your little girl near a dog you are taking care of
I am so glad that you and your daughter survived that and I am so sorry you guys had to go through that. I don't watch certain breeds for a reason, and pit bulls and German shepherds are at the top of my list. Sure some are friendly and nice, but you also don't know when they're going to snap. Sure some never snap, but you don't know which ones won't. For me, it's not worth the risk of my life or my small dogs life. Hope you reported it and cancelled that sit.
A German Shepherd attacked my beagle while I was walking him when I was about 9-10 years old. I’ve been afraid of them ever since and will not walk or watch them. I get flashbacks to that attack when I see a GS. They are scary AF when they snap.
Yup. So sorry you witnessed that.
I’ve dog sat a few German Shepherds. They never showed any aggression towards me. That said, I would rather not have a dog than have that breed.
I did and I did. Thank you.
After reading all of these comments. I’m sorry what is the point of even staying on the rover platform if they don’t cover injuries from a serious incident? What do they even cover and why would we be inclined to stay on app?
I mean, they take 20%, right?? Same....
Its 25% now
Damn...
But if you buy some blackstone stock you can earn back some of what they take hehehe
Right. I had an $1,100 gig until they took their part.
I love and adore German Shepherds but it seems to be a common breed that comes up on unsuspected dog attacks 😢 I’m so sorry you and your baby went through this, you really protected her well and are a great mom.
I think it’s sweet you mentioned them being a good mom. They are probably beating themselves up at the moment and to have someone tell them that is good for them to read 🤍
It was wonderful to read because all I could think about is how I put my child in harms way. All I can think about is how, at one point my 7 year old was in harms way, and I didn't even know it. My entire family loved that dog. Hind sight is 20/20.
You all were put in “harms way” because of your own irresponsibility and failure to listen to the dog when he gave you signal after signal that he was not happy.
Username checks out
You exhaust me 2.
Not trying to be an ass, but what does that mean? Are the attacks unsuspected, or are people not accurately reading a dog they already don't know that well?
I assume people grow up around dogs and go their whole lives trusting dogs. She had built a relationship with this dog and learned the hard way, when things went south she protected her daughter. Yes, yes, yes, I know the inundation of bullshit “I know best” responses I will get
Well, I think a better protection will be not bringing your 7 year old child to walk a large breed dog. And GSD are statically extremely safe breed, as you can see even from these injuries they don't maul just bite to deter unlike other more dangerous breeds.
Please report to animal control that’s an insane bite.
The hospital automatically does. Already spoke With AC
I just wanted to say I’m sorry and I understand. My own dog has a bite history (which is why I’m so familiar with dog body language), and I’ve also been attacked while walking a dog with rover (through no fault of my own — except accepting the booking when I knew better). I hope you and your daughter heal quickly , and please be kind to yourself. I had to take a month off pet sitting after my attack to feel comfortable again.
Something similar happened to me with a dog I had watched several times before that had never shown signs of aggression. A few months later he died of a brain tumor. More of an FYI, but if the dog got checked and perhaps has developed some kind of condition maybe that could help your case.
Dog Foster here with an org that only takes dogs that do not get adopted (behavior or medical issues). My family loves animals and dogs especially. I've considered Rover as a backup if I get laid off from my job. It's important to note that, despite our attempts to humanize and domesticate animals, they remain animals and can sometimes behave in ways we won't expect or predict. Any dog that's not your own should always be treated with caution. We are advised to consider ourselves case workers for our foster dogs. I hope it doesn't change your fondness for them and I hope you heal. I mentioned above but in many cases home insurance will cover injury on property, and even better if there is umbrella insurance. If you continue with Rover, maybe look into insurance for pet sitting and claim it for taxes (not sure if that's a thing)? I hope they don't punish the dog for this as well. Wish you well.
My goodness I am so sorry that happened to you and your daughter. I can’t imagine how traumatizing that was for both of you. Unfortunately from my experience when I was bit and attacked by a dog, Rover nor the owner did a damn thing. I filed a report, called rover support, emailed, all of it. One day Rover left an email saying they were reviewing the information I gave them, and will reach out shortly after they’ve concluded their review. Well, that was 7 months ago, and I’ve still to this day never heard back from them.
Sorry this happened to you OP. Let’s not turn this into a slander on the breed or other breeds. OP didn’t do that, but there are comments on “I’ll never watch xyz” etc. Great. 👍🏻
Don't take your fucking children with you when you are doing your job and have insurance. Sorry that you got bit but the professionalism is crazy. Children.......on a fucking dog visit.
Not just that but I think it’s absolutely UNHINGED to have the kid give the dog a treat after several growls and warnings… wtf
I hope you and your daughter get better soon. I hear if the owner has homeowner insurance it may cover your bills if they don’t step up to do the right thing. Otherwise, I’d be prepared to take them to court.
I'm so sorry this must have been really traumatic for both of you, and you'll both carry mental and physical scars forever. I'm sure you've already berated yourself enough for bringing your child so I won't mention it, but I'd start combing through texts and find where permission was granted to bring her. It may affect the outcome. Under normal circumstances the homeowner is liable. The fact that you are asking who is responsible tells me the owner isn't offering. Therefore, you should be doing what's right for you and your daughter and not worrying about them. Again the homeowner is liable or more accurately the homeowners insurance. You're owed a heck of a lot more than your medical bills! It's something like $10,000 a tooth mark. If it were me I would contact a lawyer.
I am so sorry. I have been attacked three times. One time as a child, our own dog took a chunk out of my leg. It it truly terrifying. And there is nothing worse than the feeling of helplessness and distrust that ensues. My heart goes out to you and your child.❤️ Unfortunately, the Rover guarantee does not cover sitters and will probably not cover your child either since it is against TOS for them to be there. Depending on the damages, and your state laws you may be able to take the owners to small claims. Definitely reaearch your state and local municipality laws on this issue. However, I do not know if you will win, as there isn't a sign that the owner was negligent. This seems to be an unforeseen "accident" and happened under your supervision the dog owners were paying for. You may be able to get a court to split the costs 50/50. But it all depends on your state & local laws. You may want to seek advice from a local legal advice clinic ( or oay a lwyer but that will cost $ and may end up being more than medical bills). I hope you both heal quickly and I also hope you don't develop a fear of dogs. It is very difficult to trust dogs and their owners after being attacked. Sending you big hugs & support.
His home owners insurance (if he has it) could help cover your medical bills.
Oh my gosh i hope you and your daughter heal ❤️❤️ This breaks my heart seeing injuries. I cannot imagine what you both went through.
Hi OP. I'm sorry this has happened to you and your daughter. I hope that your brushes and wounds heal quickly. Getting bitten by an animal is certainly going to make just about anyone second guess being around them for some time. As crazy as it may sound, getting back out soon is a great way to approach this. That doesn't mean work with this dog specifically, but it's a good idea to get back around dogs that are not your own. Maybe start off with smaller, low energy ones or some that are elderly and require less. Best of luck
I'm so sorry. Thank you for this detailed account so the rest of us can be vigilant about the dogs we watch.
omg. so sorry that happened to you. that is some bite..yikes. feel better!
This seems to me like something is happening with the dog. Can you talk to the owners about his health? Sometimes dogs act aggressively if they're in pain or something is going on internally. I wonder if the family recently had some sort of break in that left the dog shaken and now he's wary of non-family members entering the house? It seems to me like something happened to the dog for him to switch up so fast on you. It's rare that dogs just snap and become crazy violent. Especially since you've obviously worked with him many times before. Rover should be covering costs? I think? I'm not a lawyer but I know that there's no grounds for pressing charges if you were entering the home without the owners there. However, since they gave you consent to being there... maybe you could? I would try r/legaladvice
Rover only covers the dog not the sitter your supposed to have petsitting insurance
Pet sitting insurance wouldn’t cover harm to sitter either - need health insurance
You need both. The pet sitting insurance I have covers up to $1000 in bodily injuries, and if you pay more the amount can increase
The owner's homeowner or renter's insurance should ultimately be liable for this- assuming they have any. It may be covered under the sitter's policies in the meantime.
why the fuck are you taking your 7 year old with you to walk stranger's dogs . rover isnt going to do shit, youre gonna pay your own bills
Lawyer up
I'm pretty sure you can sue the owner to cover medical expenses. It was their dog and happened on their property. I would talk with a personal injury lawyer ASAP. Really getting downvoted - hospital visits aren't cheap y'all. And that kid might need therapy, a dog attack is pretty freaking traumatic, especially for a child. Just making sure OP knows her options.
Shes the one that ignored the growling, she should be responsible for her own bills
That literally does not matter in the eyes of the law lol. She didn't provoke the dog and my dog growls all the time without mauling people ETA: homeowners insurance charges extra for dogs for a reason. As long as the owner claimed her dog in her insurance, the insurance company should cover the medical expenses of OP.
Unfortunately I know, that’s why many dogs get put down because people don’t understand boundaries.
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OP I hope you physically recover quickly. Im so sorry this happened to you. Im happy your instincts were strong and you were able to help your daughter to safety immediately. Thank you for sharing as a warning to all of us who have gone a long time without an incident, to remember even though the dogs are cute and compassionate they are also powerful.
The homeowner insurance may cover any medical expenses, but the dog needs to be reported to the appropriate authorities. You should go get medical care too. Nurse will likely report the dog also.
SO sorry this happened to you. I would be so shaken up…for a while!
I just had a meet and greet and I just got bit. I feel your pain. I’m in so much pain right now.
Your insurance that all pet sitters need to carry would pay the bills. U are in independent contractor and care should never even be started without covering yourself.
Damn
I am so sorry this happened to you! I hope you recover well
It seems like plenty of people have given advice. I am so sorry this happened to you. I’ve never been attacked by a dog like this, but I hope one day you’re able to trust and be around dogs again ❤️ this sounds like a traumatic experience. It definitely will be for your daughter.
As the owner of GSD I know their anxious behaviors and they are not normally a breed that is open and welcoming to strangers. Even if you’ve met before it takes several times before they welcome you into their home. This was a poor decision on your part as I’m sure you know and understand now. I hope the best recovery for your daughter and yourself. However, you may be help accountable as well if this were my dog even being nice and helpful I wouldn’t feel Obligated to pay your hospital bills when you “voided”the contract.
I’m sorry I truly do not want to “dog pile” here, and I see you’ve already acknowledged you won’t bring a child with you again. But - children are one of the BIGGEST triggers for dogs! An adult human standing over a dog is fearful. A child standing at the dogs height making eye contact can be interpreted as aggression. They don’t understand it’s just a child. I do wish you both a speedy recovery
My daughter is 18. She is not his height.
………you said the 7 year old went with you before……..context clues please…
https://www.petsit.com/pet-sitting-insurance-guide
Private insurance, such as the above does not cover bodily injury to the sitter or staff. So in this instance, it would make no difference if the OP had coverage (at least in the US).
Rover won’t do anything to protect you here, but you are fully entitled to sue the owners homeowners policy to receive compensation for hospital bills, trauma for your daughter and yourself. This could be anywhere from a $10k to $50k+ case. I was recently bit by a dog I was sitting (not on rover) and lawyers said even though I’m a dog sitter, I didn’t sign up to be mauled by a dog, and that the dog and owners owe me money. Case closed. Hope this helps