Missing Me/Missing You

Got a text message from my client “FYI: Treasure is in your room on the bed looking sad and waiting for you.” On one hand, I feel elated that my pet client loves me so much that she misses me when I’m gone. I know then that I am connecting and she’s enjoying my presence.  I often take a few days to recover and wake up missing my animals. 

On the other hand, how does that make my human client feel when she comes back from a trip and her beloved dog wants the pet sitter back? I’m not sure if this is good or bad????? 

Keira’s mom wrote me a day or two after I left “Keira is good today - but does not seem to want to walk. Once she did her thing, she wanted to come home. She is sleeping a lot. You seemed to get more affection from her than I do. Any hints for me? I know she loves me... but sometimes I do think I am not fun enough for her.” 

So do I stop having so much fun with the dogs? Or do I continue and know that the dogs really are enjoying a “staycation” while mom and dad are away? That is my mission - to be sure the dogs are comfy and not stressing while their family is away. 

When I’m with the animals, it’s my JOB to walk them, play with them, pet them, make them feel like all is good and not be sad that the family went away. But not everyone in day to day life has time to spend playing with a dog 3 times a day or taking long hikes or running around the yard with them. People are busy. I feel like a grandmother... I get all the good parts and then send the dogs home to their parents for regular life.  Isn’t this why people would want a pet sitter? I’m so torn.