Categories: PETS

I’m a dog sitter and my worst experience was with an ‘untrained ball of anxiety’ – it’s not hard to guess the breed

A DOG that took hours to feed and had several bad habits left a pet sitter reeling from their experience with the breed.

They confessed to having counted down the time until the owner collected the dog due to its “poor” behavior.

A Redditor has revealed why they refuse to sit a specific dog breed again (stock image)Credit: Getty

The now-deleted Redditor took to the Rover Pet Sitting forum to challenge users to guess the breed based on their terrible encounter.

“It is a sweet pup but in a velcro and neurotic kind of way,” they wrote.

“The best I can describe it is an untrained ball of anxiety.

“Untrained doesn’t even describe it.

“It doesn’t know a single command, is unsocialized, has no boundaries, worst walker ever, and so on.

“It walks like a cat on a leash lmao – low to ground, tail tucked, changing direction every 5 seconds, neurotic, and yanking me around.

“It gets sadder – this dog doesn’t eat, and I am talking anorexia-level refusal of food.”

The pet sitter said they were “concerned” that the owner said the dog eats once a day and only boiled chicken.

The canine is also allowed to play with its food despite being at the risk of eventually becoming undernourished.

“As a result of being allowed to build such poor habits, it takes me several hours per day to feed this dog which is insanity,” the Redditor continued.

“I am of the opinion that this owner should not have a dog.

I’m a dog groomer – the ‘madness’ for a certain breed has to stop, they’re not hypoallergenic like people think

“No boundaries, no work was done with this poor pup. After working with this pup and treating it like a dog, I made some progress with it.

“But I know that it will regress once it is back home.

“I decided not to take it back due to its poor feeding habits and the owner’s lack of acknowledgment or desire to turn things around.

“Now, why don’t you guess this dog’s breed?”

Responses to the thread were quick to recognize that the pet sitter was describing their experience with a doodle.

“Obviously a doodle,” one person wrote.

“This scenario is what the inventor of the breed said they worried about, so much so they regret ever inventing doodles!

“They're amazing dogs but extremely high-maintenance personalities that need very engaged owners.”

Signs your dog could turn dangerous

Expert advice from Dr. Sara Ochoa, who has been practicing veterinary medicine for over five years.

Ochoa told The U.S. Sun observing a dog's behavior can provide clues that they might act out.

“A dog that looks tense all over with its fur sticking up or teeth showing is more likely to snap,” she said.

“Staring real hard without blinking could mean trouble too.

“Growling is also a warning the dog is getting mad.”

She said dogs may tuck their tail between their legs when they feel scared or threatened.

“Staying calm and keeping space may help things not to escalate if a dog seems on edge,” she said.

“It's always a doodle,” another said. “I will admit I have met some wonderful doodles but they are few and far between.”

“Def a doodle,” a third added.

“Lol I feel like they are always out of control – usually bc [because] their owners don't realize how much work they are when they get them, and they don't take the time to work with them.”

According to Spirit Dog Training, a doodle is “any kind of mixed-breed dog” that’s crossed with a Poodle.

They come in various sizes, and colors, and are known for having high energy, which is displayed by jumping, humping, and barking.

Owners are advised to dedicate at least two hours every day to their dog’s exercise.

Doodles are not recognized as a dog breed by the American Kennel Club, which is a trusted registry for canines.