'I really thought someone had just broken in': Pet sitter petrified when a dog owner comes home a day early without warning, ends up cutting ties with the client for good

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Jesse Kessenheimer • Writer and Editor
Jul 2, 2025 5:00 AM EDT

Pet sitting is a great way to earn passive income as a dog lover. If you don't have a pet at home, or if your HOA or landlord doesn't allow dogs, it's also an awesome way to get your pup fix every now and then. Most pet sitters, especially dog sitters, will need to sleep at the house of the dog owner, becoming comfortable in the dog's space as if it were their own home. 

But the funny thing about pet sitting is that sometimes the owners want to remind you whose house it is—even if you're doing them a massive favor. 

Professional pet sitters are not strangers to the idea of living in another person's home, but it is pretty shocking and kind of scary to have a random person enter with the house key when you're not prepared. In this next story, a pet sitter was left petrified when the dog's owner came back a day early, sparking debate over client communication and the broken trust of an invaded home. 

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  • Cheezburger Image 10524485888
    via Jaromir Chalabala
  • Owner came home early I'm so ped off! The owner was not scheduled to come home till tomorrow night. I always make sure the home is picked up, bed
    via EmeraldEyes2000
  • stripped, swept, dishes put away etc. and obviously pack my belongings. I was planning on doing that tomorrow morning. I was startled by the dogs barking
    via EmeraldEyes2000
  • Cheezburger Image 10524485632
    via Jaromir Chalabalah
  • and someone coming thru the front door this morning! I jumped up, ran downstairs to find her coming in. I said "Oh I have you scheduled to come home tomorrow! Her response, "Oh
    via EmeraldEyes2000
  • yeah I decided to come home early." I quickly got dressed, gathered my things and ran out. How do I professionally tell her that I don't appreciate
    via EmeraldEyes2000
  • her not communicating with me or a heads up and how ride and inconsiderate that was! Btw I'm never going to Pet Sit for her again!!
    via EmeraldEyes2000
  • MercyBoy57 Least favorite thing ever. I'm pretty clean but I prefer to be completely spotless leaving a place. Nowadays I tend to begin the Big Tidy a day early for this exact reason.
    via MercyBoy57
  • Animals.... Sheesh! Did she reach out after you left to apologize for not letting you know?
    via Animals
  • Assuming you've already been paid for the full stay, you could send a message letting her know you were surprised by her early return. It would have been nice if she let you know she was coming home a day early so you could have tidied up etc.
    via Animals
  • Amethy... I know this is NOT the right thing to do but I lock all doors and leave the keys in the locks so they can't get in without me knowing. I've even been known to wedge a chair under a door handle.
    via Amethy
  • I do this because, twice now, family members of the people I'm house sitting for have come in unannounced and uninvited.
    via Amethy
  • One time I was in the shower and had the bathroom door open so I could hear the dog's ect. A man (the homeowners brother) came into the house and just wandered
    via Amethy
  • around. When I finally saw him, it was a dark outline moving along the hallway which scared the out of me. He profusely apologised saying "he didn't think I was in" but it was just so creepy.
    via Amethy
  • I mean why on earth come over when you know someone's there specifically to watch over the house and pets.
    via Amethy
  • I left the next day when another relative of theirs offered to house sit instead. The next time, different house sit, two of the ladies sons let themselves in. When I heard
    via Amethy
  • voices I really thought someone had just broken in. Again, the excuse was "we didn't know anyone was in"......they'd wanted stuff out of the garage
    via Amethy
  • While I've never 'house sat' for these people again, the discomfort from both situations is the reason why I lock the doors if I'm home. I understand it's a bit
    via Amethy
  • extreme but I hate the idea of not knowing when someone's in the house with me until they appear in a doorway......no thank you!!!!
    via Amethy
  • whatsgoingawnn ⚫ I would be frustrated and caught off guard too. I keep the house clean but it's definitely jarring to have them come home unannounced. I probably wouldn't sit for them again
    via whatsgoingawnn

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petsitting family drama dogs cute dogs bad dog owners dog owner pet sitter dog stories petsitter entitled people
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