So a few weeks ago I put an ad on kijiji looking for a dog sitter for Stella for the two weeks that we're on our honeymoon. I got a few responses, and had emailed them all back just asking for some info, talking about how much they'd charge, etc. I obviously would need to meet with anyone who would be coming into my home three times a day, I want references, etc etc. I am not going to let just any wack job into our home to watch our pup.
I had narrowed the field down to five different people, and had emailed them all about wanting to meet them this past weekend so that I could make a decision. Four of them would only come and take Stella out for walks a few times a day, but the fifth offered to take Stella in to her own home for the entire two weeks. So obviously, that was the one I wanted to meet with first. It really alleviates the stress I'd feel that we'd get home and all our worldly possessions would be gone...
I drove out to her place with Stella yesterday, and ended up spending about 2 hours out there! This family was soooo amazing, the daughter who would be "in charge" of Stella is nationally ranked in dog showing, she trains dogs, etc. AND she was going to charge us the LEAST amount of money. Plus they have a dog of their own, and she and Stella made best friends while we were there. I know she's going to have an amazing time, and I'm kind of excited for her!
Sooo I got home and emailed all the other people saying thanks for their time, but we found Stella a home for two weeks. I figured I'd save them the trip to our house to meet with me, when I'd already made a decision. I just got the SNARKIEST email back.
Here it is, verbatim:
Sounds to me yr not very reliable dont bother wasting my time and those of others online
Note the awful spelling, grammar, and lack of punctuation. ROAR. I want to email her back and just tell her to fvck off. Stuff like that just makes me so mad, I in no way implied to her that she would be the one we'd choose, and how exactly am I wasting her time?? I saved her time by not having her travel to our house, etc. I am so tempted to just send her a scathing email back about her inability to formulate a proper sentence.
I obviously am not going to. But I want to. People like this burn me SOO bad.
Re: Snarky email
You can reply back and say, "thank you for confirming that we made the correct decision in whom we chose to care for our pet" or something like that. Short, simple and "F you".
I would be annoyed, too! You were doing the right thing and they have to smack you for it. Immature. It sounds like it worked out perfectly for you finding someone good.
Very classy. Yay for Stella having a home for two weeks!
We boarded Owen at a place with doggie day care. He was there for 9 days and came home Sunday very hoarse from all the barking he did while he was there, poor guy. He hardly barks now - maybe that will be permanent.
Oh, I know I made the right decision, as soon as I drove out to see this place I knew that this is where she'd have the best time for the duration of our honeymoon. We will need a sitter for 16 days, but to put her in a kennel for that length of time would cost hundreds of dollars, and we just can't afford that right now. So the ad that I put out there was for someone to come to OUR house every day, which is much cheaper (avg around $15/20 a day in this area). But Stella is a very loving and snuggly dog, and she HAS to be around us all the time...so the idea that she was going to spend over 2 weeks virtually alone except for a few visits a day pretty much killed me. It also concerned me to have a stranger coming in to our house, because we're on the other side of the friggin world, and if they decide to steal our house out from under us, we'd have no way of knowing until we got back. I just know that that would be on my mind the entire HM...this was a really really hard decision for us, because we have to weigh what we can afford with what is best for Stella, and for our piece of mind. Normally we have family or friends who take her when we go away, but this is a really long time and no one can take her because everyone is on their own vacations this month...
So for us to be able to drop her off with this family for two weeks is the absolute BEST case scenario. And it's the daughter's "job" to watch Stella, so it is her that we are going to be paying, which is why it's so cheap!! (She's too young to get a real job, so her parents encourage her to be a dog walker/sitter because she loves animals and it's her responsibility to feed, walk and play with Stella). I was just really frustrated that this older woman would send me a rude email, because I didn't do anything to put her out at all!! I just don't understand the thought process behind some people I guess. Anyway, I'm happy that Stella will be happy, and that we won't have to worry about her or our house while we're gone
I'm pretty sure there isn't a thought process; there's just a gut, emotional reaction that they've never matured enough to edit down. They're still throwing temper tantrums and calling names like bratty children every time something doesn't go their way.
I'm glad you found somewhere so perfect for Stella to go on vacation.
It's always easier for me to enjoy my trip when I know that Gulliver is snoozing on the windowsill by my grandparents' huge picture windows. It sounds like she'll be really happy there until you get back.