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That’s a really stressful situation to be put in, but the key is to stay calm and be well informed and well prepared. Talk to your co-worker and tell them that you’re having some anxiety about the fight history between the dogs. Ask if there are any known triggers that you can try to avoid (e.g., during or before/after meal times, when playing with particular toys or chewing their favorite bones, or if they get possessive over their human, like who gets pet first or gets to lay closest to you on the couch). Resource guarding is pretty common and can certainly escalate to a fight if you don’t know what to watch for. So, in the event a fight breaks out, my first inclination would be to make a sudden loud noise to startle/distract the dogs, hopefully long enough for you to get ahold of whoever was the aggressor and for the other dog to retreat (obvi much easier if the dog is wearing a collar). This should not be done by yelling at the dogs. That just adds fuel to the fire. Check out these little mini air horns https://a.co/d/01nrKRv3 Maybe ask the owner if she would purchase a few to post around the house and one for the backyard so you’ll always have one handy. You can even hook it to your belt loop while the dogs are outside or on walks so that it’s always easily accessible. Another great option for a noise distraction would be to invest in a safety whistle to wear it around your neck. This is the one that I have myself: https://a.co/d/05kgvQNJ They’re super inexpensive and highly effective. I always have mine on when I’m walking client dogs (or my own dog, for that matter) in case a situation pops up. It is also quite useful against creepy people that are harass, cat call, or otherwise make you uncomfortable 😉 If that didn’t work, I’d try the wheelbarrow method. This one is a bit tougher to do on your own, but definitely worth a go. Here’s a video that explains why it works and how it should look: https://youtu.be/a6cdnXU-Ob8?is=ZQVLqCWRjqG3gryu Now you may have heard her mention the slip lead method. It’s a bit controversial, and would be my absolute last resort, but it is highly effective. Here is another video by the same YouTube channel that does a great job explaining and demonstrating this method: https://youtu.be/jGXTW-gvVu4?is=Kr42whKmtLhUdAYR Like I said, it would personally be my last resort. But if it came down to saving a dog from serious injury or worse, I wouldn’t hesitate to employ the slip lead method. I should probably also mention that it’s also completely okay to tell your co-worker that after some consideration, you’re just not comfortable with the possibility of being injured yourself, or having to rush a bloodied dog to the ER. Your mental health is worth far more than any house sitting gig. If the owner gets upset, it’s likely more about her own feelings about leaving the dogs and she’s just projecting those feelings onto you. Like water off a duck’s back, you have to just try to ignore it 🦆 I’d love to hear how it goes! I think a lot of sitters that are just starting out with their businesses (or even some of us old timers that think we’ve seen, done, and conquered every possible obstacle) could get something from hearing how you navigate this situation, and if any trouble does pop up, how you handle it. Good luck!