Just say your on lunch break and your above her authority, by law you can do what you want on your break, bam! problem solved!

Who let the dogs out....not you.

8- I'm pretty sure there's no lunch break for babysitting.

8- That's a bit douchey don't you think?

Or maybe, just maybe, the owner is an a hardass jerk and called her the first time OP went on Facebook? The fact that he has had cameras set up in his house and is watching indicates that this might be true. Wouldn't you be pissed if you were house/dog-sitting for several days and were not allowed to check your Facebook?

...Or if you couldn't check your Internet site of choice, like, say, FML? I know I'm gonna get childish responses like "I don't have Facebook".

How the hell is "I don't have Facebook" a childish response? I don't, and that's the truth. If I can live without it, you can too.

Who's the bitch now?

Don't start it bronsrawr...

I agree with u!

It's not the fact that you don't have Facebook that is childish. What would be childish is if someone tries to invalidate my entire argument by saying "I don't have Facebook". My point was that house sitting is a 24/7 "job", if that's what you want to call it, and people are allowed to check Facebook, FML, Twitter, or whatever entertainment-based social site it may be, every once in a while. Just because OP is house sitting, doesn't mean he/she needs to tend to the dogs all day, every day. I don't know anyone with a pet who does so. Playing the Devil's advocate, I was just saying that the owner might have been really strict about his dogs, not even allowing OP to go on Facebook at all.

And, although you can live without Facebook, can you live without FML (since you've commented, I assume you check it as some point during the day)? And, even if you could "live without" it (as we do not need it to survive), would you want someone telling you that you weren't allowed to check it for several days (assuming, again, that the owners are away for several days, considering they enlisted the services of a house sitter).

bronsrawr: You just want to make this personal don't you? As a matter of fact, I can live without FML; I just choose to participate in the site. Yes I check it everyday, no matter where I am. But I don't need this site to survive; much the same that you don't need Facebook to survive. I find it humorous here, a place where I can let go of the daily grind that is my life. If you read my bio you'll know I've been following FML for over three years, and just recently started commenting. I'm anonymous on FML. You don't know my name, age, gender, and date of birth. I've heard too many horror stories about Facebook. Normally I get along well with other people, but I'll continue this all day if you want.

I think you're missing the point. I'm not attacking you for using FML; I'm defending your right to use it, or any other site, as an escape from everyday life every once in a while. You have the right to do so, even though you have a job to do at other times during the day, and so does the OP. I was asking you to put yourself in the OP's shoes, so to speak, and then ask yourself if you'd like to be told whether or not your allowed to have your escape.

Where in the FML does it state that she is getting paid?

Fine, yes, people are allowed to visit their favorite websites. But if I checked FML while at work, I would fully expect to get fired. It's part of the responsibilities of being an employee. I believe OP's employer was just pointing out the fact that OP had been on Facebook for much too long and had a responsibility concerning the pets.

Perhaps. It might very well be that OP had neglected to care for the animals and had instead chosen to spend all of his/her time on Facebook, in which case, the owners would have been more than justified in their response. Considering, like I said before, that house sitting could be a 24/7 employment contract (depending on whether or not you are staying in the house while the owners were away), I think OP had a right to check Facebook sometimes. When you work, it is usually for no more than 8 hours (by Canadian standards), and it certainly isn't for 24 hours a day. Outside of that time, you are free to check your sites to your heart's content. OP should be afforded the same freedom.

102, People here assume nobody does anything without getting paid apparently. They also can't comprehend the idea that when house sitting you will spend the majority of your time just bumming around. You're doing these people a favour, they are not your employer. That said, this person may have legitimately not been doing anything but going online, which completely justifies the call, but I can't see any reason it'd be acceptable to be watching someone without their permission.

104 - While from the wording of the caller it seems OP was on Facebook for too long, at least from the employer's perspective, I don't believe most jobs would fire you, or even take any measures against you, if you check on *your favorite site* every now and then, as long as you remain productive and perform your job well. Would you also say that if my mom calls from work to check up on me or whatever, she should get fired? It's not that much different from checking up on facebook.

107- Thank you!!! I can't tell you how many times neighbors asked favors from my father. "can you help me move?" "can you watch my pets?" "can you feed my fish?" etc... Never one dime offered.

#109: Every employer is different. Mine was extremely harsh. We weren't even allowed to carry our phones on us. Most of the employees ignored this rule, but if a phone was seen and used, yes it was an automatic write-up. Do it a few times, and you were let go. I'm not saying that checking websites during the work day is wrong. There are lunch-breaks, bathroom breaks, and such where it is possible to do a quick check. I'm talking about staying online for hours at a time when you know you have a responsibility.

That doesn't solve the problem, it just allows him to spend an hour of not doing his job that's guilt free. If he's being paid to do a job, he should do the job. Simple.

I don't think the owner meant OP can't check her fb EVER. I think he/she just wanted OP to take better care of the dogs, that's what op is getting paid for anyway.

Who said it was the owner? Op said it was a voice. Somebody could have been playing a prank on her.

It's house sitting most of the time you are doing nothing anyway. You don't need to spend all your time tending to the dogs but do your job, or if you aren't getting payed then the task. I did not.choose YDI because he is doing the job his job was to housesit ( basically dog sitting) so chances are he is staying a the house until they get back. So yes the owner is being a little harsh. FYL OP

They probably have cameras,so if they did they can see. He can't lie to get outtah that one.

It's alright to take a quick glance at your phone/computer to check Facebook, but OP wasn't even paying attention to the dogs. The dogs apparently needed to go out. If OP can't handle being off Facebook while she's doing her job or if OP can't at least stop to check on the dogs a few times then she shouldn't have accepted the job. If I had a dog I would want the person taking care of him to at least take him out when he needs to go out. Since most of the time you'll be sitting down/doing nothing it will be alright to go online but at least do the job you're being paid for.

This is 24 hour job. There is no time off

I'm sorry, but please, inform me of all the hard work and attention required in watching after dogs...

61 - if they 'look like they need to go out', for example

Even with a nanny cam the whole "they LOOK like they need to go out" doesn't necessarily mean they NEED to go out. About 90% of the times my dogs LOOK like they need to go out they really don't. It gets increasingly annoying after awhile. They'll sit at the door (like usual when they have to go potty) and wait for me to open it, so I do. Guess what, they walk out about two feet, turn around, and walk straight back in. Maybe OP knew they didn't actually NEED to go outside to use the bathroom, maybe OP just let them out to use the bathroom several minutes ago. So just because they LOOK like they have to go to the bathroom DOESN'T mean that they NEED to use the restroom.

69- That's the missing bit of information though, op never said how long he/she was on Facebook, nor for how long op was even there before the owner called. For all we know the neighbor(s) coddles the dogs and exaggerates their 'situation'. You haven't known a dog owner who is just nutty over their pets?

Where does it state op got payed? For all you know, op is just doing a favor for the neighbor

Dogs do require a certain amount of attention. They're kind of like little kids in that they want to play a lot (not all but a great number do). It's also healthy for dogs to go out and exercise and maybe socialize with other dogs. We don't know how long OP was online, but she might have been online and not paid attention to them at all or they just want OP to play with them. Even if OP is doing it as a favor, she agreed to do something so she should do it. It's more fun to play with dogs than to sit on your ass and stare at a screen. I have two parrots and I'd want the sitters to pay attention to them. I'm sure everyone with a pet wants them to be treated nicely. It's like having a grandparent in a nursing home. You'd want them to be taken care of not ignored, right?

Agreed. Why wouldn't you do your job OP? Working with animals is fun! But I guess your just too lazy to have fun.

Because dogs can make phone calls.

Well my dog can...

Wilfred!

Smart dog

7- Woosh!

7- No way he could have been joking, could he?

I was kidding too, actually.

70-You would've been better off blaming the comment on your dog. I might've actually believed you more than this. It's a very convincing argument, really.

It's not a believe or don't believe thing. The guys comment still doesn't make sense to me. I joked that dogs can make phone calls. My dog doesn't use Fml. Just twitter.

I think the original comment is pretty straightforward, how does it not make sense to you?

Orr a nanny cam but who am I kidding it was the dog.

Hello, this is dog.

What was your first hint Sherlock Holmes? sorry, had to say it... Haha.

So OP's job is to tend to the dogs 24/7, without a break, for however long the owners are away? Do you have a dog/cat/other type of pet? Well, if you do, you're not allowed to check Facebook, because that would mean you're "not taking care of it". See the logic here?

I thought they were sitting outside with binoculars. Much creepier.

Same 54

I assumed the owner of the dogs could have OP on Facebook and could see that they were appearing online. That is how I read the FML at least...

I thought that too, but then I read, "They look like they need to go out."

I read it as if they were sitting outside spying on OP.

Sherlock Holmes? kiss my ass dude.

Ahh fun drama on FML. Can be amusing.

Even without video cameras OP would have to do their job.

53, taking a break is one thing, thinking you can just sit on the Internet except just time enough to feed, water, & walk someone else's pet (that your getting paid to do VS Internet NOT getting paid to do) is being LAZY...your logic is flawed...it's obvious that OP was spending more time than just a mere "break time" on Facebook.

Very true

I would think everybody with a dog in their care would give them amazing amounts of care.

I'd keep an eye on that tissue box and bottle o' lotion too. Hell, even the shower head could be bugged! Edit: Damn, me and Noor said it at the same time! You pervy ninja, you. ;)

I always restock when I go to hotels.

OR you were watching me type from that flower pot I keep by the window, and decided to copy my comment. You ARE a ninja, after all. ;p

Notice what? Were you saying something?

I lean so far, my body is practically on the ground, so nonchalant it's like I'm sleeping.

With your picture, it actually seems like there are cats in the house OP is sitting at and they're the ones who keep ratting him out.

They must live in the walls then. Spying on the humans and vomiting in our shoes at night lol.