Teen dog sitter is expected to clock in and out like a 9-to-5 employee while caring for neighbor's dog in a roach-infested house: 'She expects corporate-level timesheet tracking'

Author image for Cata Holmes
Cata Holmes • Writer
Jun 20, 2026 3:15 PM EDT

When does a simple pet-sitting favor start feeling like a full-time job?

Pet sitting is supposed to be one of those straightforward side gigs. Feed the dog, refill the water bowl, maybe go for a walk, and make sure everything is okay until the owner gets back. Most people would assume the arrangement ends there. Yet somehow, now and then, a simple favor turns into a surprisingly complicated commitment with expectations nobody mentioned upfront.

Most pet owners are just happy knowing their animals are safe while they're away. As long as the dog is fed, walked, and taken care of, that's usually enough. That's why stories like this always catch me off guard. Now and then, you come across a situation that makes you stop and wonder how something so simple became so complicated.

Then there are the conditions. It's one thing to spend extra time with a pet because you enjoy it or because the animal genuinely needs companionship. It's another thing entirely when the environment makes you want to leave as quickly as possible. Most people would struggle to relax in a house that's uncomfortably hot, full of bugs, and lacking even the most basic instructions about the pet they're responsible for.

The internet had a lot to say about this situation, and honestly, it's easy to see why. The debate quickly became less about dog sitting and more about expectations. If someone is hiring help, should they be paying for completed tasks or for time spent sitting around? And if the conditions aren't exactly welcoming, can you really blame someone for wanting to get in, take care of the dog, and head back home?

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  • Close-up portrait of a young woman standing outdoors by the water at sunset.
    via Unsplash+ (via Olha Ivanova)

    Photograph of a young woman standing outdoors by the water at sunset.

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  • I need to vent because I feel a little insane right now, and I want to know if anyone else thinks this whole setup is as weird and frustrating as I do. I (F18) live across the street from my neighbor. Ever since I was 15 or 16, she's asked me to watch her dog whenever she goes out of town. The job consists of feeding the dog twice a day, filling her water twice a day, taking her for a 30-minute walk, and cleaning/filling her hummingbird feeder daily. Sometimes I water her plants if she asks.
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  • She goes away for different lengths of time, and the very first time she asked, I was super excited because who doesn't want extra cash? But when I went over, she told me she wanted me to hang out at her house for a few hours a day to keep the dog company, and that she wanted to pay me an hourly wage to do it. She told me to keep track of my hours on a timer so we could add them up when she got back.
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  • I thought it was really odd, but I've always been kind of awkward, so I couldn't bring myself to say anything. Fast forward to now: I've done this multiple times, and she always insists on paying this way instead of just giving me a flat daily rate like a normal person.
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  • I wouldn't mind the hourly thing so much if the conditions weren't terrible, but they are. Her house has a really bad roach problem, and she hardly runs the AC (or she just keeps the thermostat set incredibly warm). It hit 108F yesterday, and her trips are always in the de d of summer, so the house turns into an absolute oven. I always turn on a fan for her long-haired dog, but a single fan barely does anything. Because I am terrified of roaches and literally had one crawl over my foot today I c
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  • On top of the heat and the bugs, she gives me ZERO information. I have asked her multiple times for a routine, or how her dog acts on a leash around other dogs/people, but she just ignores the questions and says, "feed her morning and night." Yesterday, I was super busy, completely spaced out, and totally forgot the dog's dinner. I feel absolutely terrible about it, but my brain is just fried. She provides zero structure, yet expects corporate-level timesheet tracking.
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  • Because it's so d In hot and gross in there, I've just been doing the bare minimum taking care of the animals, walking her after dark, and getting the h | back to my own AC. But under her system, that means I'm getting penalized financially because my "logged hours" are so low.
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  • Is it wrong that I don't want to hang out in her house? Am I the crazy one here, or is tracking minutes for a neighborly pet-sitting favor just a cheap, neurotic way to avoid paying a proper daily rate?
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  • ancientpsychicpug NOR That sounds miserable and I feel terrible for the animals. In my experience, pet sitting is by the day/night. Tell her no next time.
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  • Woman playing with a large black-and-white dog inside a cozy living room.
    via Unsplash+ (via Brooke Cagle)

    Woman playing with a large black-and-white dog inside a living room.

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  • k23_k23 NOR Tell her you won't do that any more, tell her your daily rate, tell ehr to take it or leave it. She is exploiting you.
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  • Master_Prune I would, personally, call animal control and report her for animal ab e/ neglect and then never have anything else to do with her.
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  • IllustriousHabits I do pet sitting for a living. I would never work under those conditions. You're allowed to say no.
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  • Stevie_sub Tell her that you require being paid by the day, and that the house needs to be clean and at a safe temperature for the dogs. If she doesn't like it, then she can find someone else. Those poor dogs.
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  • snortgiggles Why don't you turn the air conditioning on?
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  • t2jam You need to never watch her dog again and report her as it's inhumane to be in 108 degree heat for a pet and not have the A/C on. Oh and yes she's absolutely crazy making you keep an hourly pay tracking sheet. Learn from that and never do it again. And lastly, if you ever watch anybody else's pets you tell them your rate (hint it's not hourly), and always, always do a meet and greet first, then you will know what you're getting yourself into and can politely decline if it's disgusting like
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  • Pet owner interacting with a large dog during indoor playtime at home.
    via Unsplash+ (via Brooke Cagle)

    Pet owner interacting with a large dog during indoor playtime at home.

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • KingClark03 NOR. You risk bringing roaches back to your place if you keep going back there. It's possible your neighbor just doesn't know that dog sitters get paid a day rate. You could look up what other sitters are charging and tell her that's your rate now.
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  • deebay2150 You need to decide how badly you want/need the money and if it's worth tolerating everything you listed. The roaches would be a deal breaker for me as soon as I saw the first one. If you decide to quit, practice what you will say to her and don't let her talk you out of it.
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  • Secure-Corner-2096 Please, please, please, report the conditions the dog is living in. The poor animal is like an innocent, helpless baby, unable to communicate and vulnerable. Hopefully, they can force this woman to take good care of her pet.
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  • Due_Cup2867 Nor just dont do it anymore. Or is there an outside space you can play with the dog for a few hours. I feel sorry for the dog tbh. Your neighbour doesnt sound like a good dog mum
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