Woman Cuts Dog-Sitting Short After Realizing She Needs Supervision 24/7

If you’re anything like us, you absolutely love animals. When there’s an opportunity to help out a friend and look after their pet, many of you probably jump at the chance. However, it’s incredibly important that owners are completely open and honest about their adorable lovebugs’ medical needs. The person taking care of your pet needs to know what they’re in for.

Redditor u/emileemilee went viral on the AmIOverreacting online community after she asked the internet for help regarding a sensitive situation. She revealed how she was pet-sitting for a friend. However, the doggo turned out to be very stressed and anxious and required nothing less than 24/7 supervision. Keep scrolling for the full story, including a lot of twists, and the advice folks rushed to share with the sitter. Bored Panda reached out to the author of the story, u/emileemilee, and she was kind enough to answer some of our questions. You’ll find our interview with her below.

Looking after such a wonderful doggo is a dream come true for many people. However, some animals are incredibly stressed and require extra care

Black dog with pink collar sitting on a couch next to a treat, illustrating insist friend board dog concept.

Image credits: emileemilee

A woman begged the internet for advice after agreeing to look after her friend’s pet. She found herself in the midst of a nightmarish situation

Friend insists on board dog while coworker is on vacation, managing walking and feeding duties for the older dog.

Alt text: Person insists friend board dog overnight, leaving detailed instructions and feeling stressed about plans.

Insist friend board dog causing damage by chewing door trim, drywall, insulation, and electrical wire while owner was at work.

The doggo was very anxious and started destroying the owner’s home

Living room floor damaged by dog, showing removed carpet and exposed area near door with wood pieces scattered.

Image credits: emileemilee

Damaged door frame and lock after dog insisted on boarding, marked as day 1 of repair process.

Alt text: Concerned friend debating whether to insist friend board dog during extended trip to prevent injury or property damage

Text expressing frustration about insisting a friend board a dog without PTO or fair pay for dog sitting.

Image credits: emileemilee

Damaged wall and debris near door, showing aftermath of a dog-related incident with insist friend board dog visible.

Image credits: emileemilee

Exposed electrical wire with blood stains on insulation and surrounding wall materials during repair.

Image credits: emileemilee

Close-up of damaged insulation possibly chewed by dog, showing torn drywall and exposed wooden beam inside wall cavity.

Image credits: emileemilee

Hand holding bloody scraps while cleaning a dusty floor with debris and a brown bag nearby on day two.

Image credits: emileemilee

The dog-sitter shared a few more details about what happened to give everyone more context

Text post explaining care challenges and communication issues while insisting a friend board dog during work hours.

Dog anxiety is fairly common. There are lots of signs to look out for that your puppy is super stressed

As per PetMD, between a fifth to a quarter of dogs are scared of new situations, people, and dogs. “This anticipation of a perceived threat or situation is called dog anxiety. You can help your dog feel safer and cope with new or frightening situations in many ways, including through positive reinforcement, training, and over-the-counter natural supplements.”

It’s not just new situations that can lead to dog anxiety. The animal may develop it if it has any underlying diseases, chronic pain, or inflammation, too.

Some basic signs that your doggo may have mild anxiety include licking its lips, yawning, avoiding eye contact, and turning its head away.

Meanwhile, signs of moderate anxiety also include putting its ears back, furrowing its brow, fidgeting, panting, and refusing treats.

On top of all the previously mentioned signs, some of the red flags of severe anxiety in dogs include the following:

• Tucking its tail
• Slinking
• Running away
• Widening eyes, with the whites showing
• Dilating pupils
• Trembling
• Staring
• Showing teeth

Other stress-induced unwanted behaviors include things like a loss of interest in previously beloved activities, regressing in terms of training, destructive behavior, barking, whining, shaking, potty accidents, drooling, restlessness, loss of appetite, repetitive behavior, growling, lunging, and biting.

As a sitter, it’s helpful to meet the dog upfront so it becomes familiar with you. On top of that, you can see how the owner interacts with their pet

Pet Business Insurance points out that even though dog-sitting is “one of the best jobs on the planet,” you still need to prepare for it. For one, you should do your best to meet the dog ahead of time.

“Dogs are pack animals, and they have a social hierarchy, with their special human at the top. Because of this, you cannot expect to step in cold and run their pack without some resistance or confusion from the dog.”

So, you should strive to arrange a meeting with the dog ASAP. That way, you can also see how the owner interacts with and reassures their pet.

On top of that, if you happen to be dog-sitting at your own home, you should make sure that the property is puppy-proof. Meanwhile, do a bit of research about the breed you’ll be looking after so you know its needs.

And ensure that you’ve checked what food and possible medication the doggo may need. Do your due diligence about their medical conditions, as well as any allergies they might have. If you can, take the time to learn some basic dog first aid so you can take care of the pet until you get to a vet.

Good communication, honesty, and transparency are vital. They help everyone, from the owner and sitter to the pet, avoid added stress

To put it bluntly, both the owner and the sitter need to be on the same page. There has to be a match between their expectations. If your pet requires very specific, round-the-clock care, the person you’re hiring needs to know all the details.

On top of that, the compensation has to match not only the hours worked but also the intensity of the work itself. If what at first seems to be a regular dog-sitting job turns out to be a top-tier challenge, there’s bound to be tension. This can also put a dent in the relationship if both people are friends.

Sure, the sitter will do everything they can to take care of the animal, but there’s bound to be lots of tension. At the end of the day, when there isn’t enough transparency, everyone ends up losing: from the sitter and the owner to the poor pet itself. There’s no real alternative to good communication, whether you’re talking about pet-sitting or any other part of your life.

“It’s important to realize that behavioral issues aren’t something to be angry with the pet about”

The author shared some of the most recent developments about the tense situation. “I have had no contact from the owner since I dropped the dog off at her uncle’s house. Even upon her returning to work this week, she hasn’t spoken a word to me,” u/emileemilee shared with Bored Panda.

“However, she did try to badmouth me to our current and former supervisor, both of whom I’d already informed of the situation before she returned. It was disheartening to hear from them how she’d lied in multiple ways to try to make me look bad,” she said.

She added that things are better now and she is “much less stressed.”

The internet user was also happy to share some practical advice for anyone hoping to become a pet-sitter in the future.

“I would recommend going through a company like Meowtel or Rover that has protections in place for everyone involved. It’s also a job that takes a lot of patience and love because not every pet is as easy as another,” she suggested.

“I’ve had cats that absolutely hated me before, and this dog that ate holes through the wall. It’s important to realize that behavioral issues aren’t something to be angry with the pet about; a lot of times, their bad habits are rooted in improper training/handling,” u/emileemilee told Bored Panda.

What do you think, Pandas? How would you have handled the situation? What advice would you give the author of the post? Have you ever found yourself in a similarly stressful spot of trouble when looking after a friend’s pet? Let us know in the comments below.

As the story started going viral, more and more people poured into the comments, sharing their perspectives and advice

Comment discussing vet boarding options and insisting friend handle dog care during absence to ensure safety.

Comments discussing a friend who insists on boarding a dog despite damage and responsibility concerns.

Screenshot of a Reddit conversation about a friend needing to board a dog with separation anxiety for proper care.

Comment discussion about a friend who insists on boarding a dog due to anxiety and miscommunication about staying overnight.

Commenters discuss concern about a dog eating insulation, with a friend insisting to carefully monitor the dog’s health.

Comments discussing a friend insisting on boarding a dog with separation anxiety and stress from the situation.

Screenshot of a conversation where a friend insists a coworker understands her dog's needs before boarding it.

Text conversation about a friend who insists on boarding a dog and the challenges of managing the dog's care.

Text conversation about a friend insisting on not using a crate to board a dog due to beliefs about crating.

Screenshot of a forum discussion where users talk about cutting off power by closing the breaker to an electrical wire.

User comments discussing a dog's severe separation anxiety and the owner's insistence as a friend to board the dog.

A supportive message from a friend to insist friend board dog, offering reassurance during a stressful pet-sitting experience.

Reddit discussion about friend insisting to board dog due to anxiety and care challenges during pet sitting.

Conversation about insisting a friend board a dog, focusing on safety and emergency electrical fixes in the home.

Comment discussing the difficulty to insist friend board dog, with boarding places requiring dogs to get along with others.

Screenshot of a social media comment discussing parenting and a dog with insist friend board dog behavior.

User comments about a friend’s dog insisted to board, describing chaotic pet behavior and challenges faced.

Discussion about dog separation anxiety and advice to insist friend to board dog with a suitable crate for safety.

Two friends laughing and interacting while bonding over a playful dog on a wooden board.

Comment stating the dog is panicking alone and overstressed, urging a friend to insist on boarding the dog for care.

Comment advising to insist a friend board a dog for better care due to the dog's specific needs and behavior challenges.

Comment about a dog’s separation anxiety suggesting a crate, Prozac, and a behavioralist for safety and care.

Comment about a firefighter’s advice to insist a friend board a dog to prevent fire hazards from chewing wires.

Comment discussing a friend who insists on boarding their anxious dog despite care and attention concerns.

Comment urging to board dog for safety and insisting friend take responsibility for the dog's care and wellbeing.

Later, the dog-sitter shared the first of many updates about the incredibly sensitive situation

Text conversation showing an insist friend explaining dog care concerns to the dog's owner before boarding.

She added even more details as she got in touch with the doggo’s owner

Black dog resting on a couch next to a friend, showing a close bond and comforting presence indoors.

Image credits: emileemilee

Text excerpt describing insist friend board dog situation with dog owner giving instructions on dog care.

Text excerpt discussing a friend’s dog being stressed and the insistence on proper boarding arrangements.

Text describing a friend's insistence about boarding a dog due to serious hazard concerns and safety warnings.

Text describing a person insisting to a friend about boarding a dog while seeking emergency vet guidance.

A friend insists on boarding her dog on camera, talking to the dog with baby talk despite the dog's disinterest.

Text about a friend insisting to board a dog and showing gratitude by offering money for exceptional care.

Text describing a friend insisting to board the dog at the owner's uncle's house during vacation.

Text expressing frustration about a friend insisting to board their dog, describing it as the worst pet sitting experience.

Image credits: emileemilee

Comment exchange about a friend’s experience insisting on boarding a dog despite challenges and advice to stick to cats.

Comment praising a friend who insisted on boarding a dog, appreciating their dedication despite difficulties.

Comment highlighting someone being responsible and potentially saving the dog's life during a fiasco, related to insist friend board dog.

Comment expressing relief that the precious baby is safe and praising the original poster as a champion friend who insists.

Comment expressing frustration about pet damage, mentioning owner, family, and the idea of a cone of shame.

Comment praising a friend who insists on boarding a dog and taking good care of it better than the owner did.

Screenshot of a forum comment about receiving $200, highlighting an insist friend board dog context in a casual discussion.

Commenter expressing concern about boarding dog and insisting friend should handle the situation responsibly.

Screenshot of a Reddit comment expressing relief that the dog was not destroying the original poster’s home.

Comment expressing gratitude for insisting on helping a stressed dog and being a good friend by advocating for its care.

Comment text about an uptight dog created by an uptight lady in an online forum discussion.

Comment text on a white background discussing the stress visible in a dog's eyes while lying down, relating to insist friend board dog.

And here is the final update from the author of the viral story

Text showing a friend insisting on boarding a dog despite coordination issues with the owner’s uncle.

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