Dog sitting

by **cesca1** Mon Aug 27 2012, 21:32

Hi there,

Not sure where is the best place to post this so apologies if its inappropriate.

We are going on holiday on the 12th October for a week and have a springer spaniel called Watson who is 18 months and a 4 and a half month old staffy pup called Molly.

I don't want to put them in kennels and was wondering if (remote chance I know) there was anyone on here willing to take the pair in and look after them in there house? We live in Chester, UK.

Thank you for any responses!

Francesca

by **Kathy** Tue Aug 28 2012, 18:31

I hope someone can come forward to help you out with the dog sitting. Wrong area for me and I'm in a small flat, sorry.

by Guest Tue Aug 28 2012, 19:27

Personally, it is a huge resposibility for anyone to take on looking after one dog let alone two. I would need to know who my dog would be staying with real well before even considering and even then it is a big ask. You would be better off finding a good professional kennels

by **janey** Tue Aug 28 2012, 19:37

Speak to your vets about having someone come to your house and look after them if you don't trust kennels. Poss better than asking on an open forum Smile

by Guest Tue Aug 28 2012, 20:10

I wouldn't trust anyone to take in Dempsey, especially anyone that doesn't know him really well!

I would far rather find a good kennels, at least you'll know they're safe.

by Guest Tue Aug 28 2012, 20:42

Do you not have friends or family who could look after them? I'm lucky that I have a friend who will happily look after Charlie (she had him for 3 days at the beginnning of the month) She's been my best friend for the last 8 years so I know and trust her really well as does Charlie, I could only leave him with someone who knows him well.

by ***Karen*** Tue Aug 28 2012, 20:47

Google pet sitting, there's a company where individuals look after your pets at their houses whilst you are away, their people will all be checked and vetted etc.

Otherwise I really would find a good kennel, most have on call vet care and insurance etc should your dogs escape, personally I couldn't trust anyone but a professional kennel to care for my dog.

It's sad leaving them, but at least u leave them in safe, reliable care!

by simoninwales Tue Aug 28 2012, 21:56

I used to do this for my ex boss

Ok I was an employee and we had been friends for much longer.

This was not with dogs but Cats, Rabbits, Wild Badgers that expected dog biscuits every evening, Wild Foxes that also frequented said restruant and wild birds.

Now we all know Dogs have owners and Cats have servants and this was how it was. All the Cats knew me and despite my boss leaving me detailed printed instructions of when and what to feed and coming and going habbits the cats would watch me arrive and then join forces, put on their glad rags and p*ss off for hours on end and not come back for dinner, breakfast or anything including Waitrose Tuna and Waitrose prawns. The nights I have sat up half the night worrying myself sick about them.

On one occasion I did not do the pet sitting and my boss got a professional pet sitter in. One of the cats went walk about on the second day and had still not returned a week later when my boss came back despite 3 of us who were on emergancy callout in case of problems searching for him.

My boss ended up roaming all the local streets with flyers, phoning all the local vets and searching everywhere. This was very out of character for this cat even as a way of winding me up when I stayed.

He walked in 16 hours after they got back, ate 2 bowls of food and crashed out for 2 days like nothing had happened

On sorting out the rubbish for recyling it turned out pet sitter had been drinking approx 1 bottle of spirits per day.

That was the end of hiring pet sitters

Regards

Simon

by Guest Tue Aug 28 2012, 22:49

Cesca I don't know how your funds are but this place here is known to take staffies and was recommended to me my Tommy's breeder , its not too far from you

Blue Grass Animal Hotel
Blue Grass Cottage, Clatterwick Lane, Little Leigh
Northwich, Cheshire CW8 4RJ
Phone 01606 891303

by Guest Tue Aug 28 2012, 22:52

AllanG wrote:Francesca, I'm not all that far away from you as I live in Prescot - near St. Helens. By coincidence I've been a frequent visitor to Chester as my job often takes me the the Countess!

I'm retiring from full-time work at the end of next month but I'm going to be doing the odd bit of Consultancy related to my "day job". I'm also intending to do some dog walking and minding / sitting. Although I don't have any formal animal care qualifications, I reckon a total of more than 25 years of dog ownership with another 8 years of fostering which has seen 42 dogs pass through our home gives me some experience and ability. Unfortunately I don't have any Staffie-specific experience though.

In different circumstances I would have offered to have your two, subject of course to a formal written agreement between us which would clearly define what our respective responsibilities would be - I'm actually composing right now the one I'll be using! (If you do manage to find someone to care for your pair, I'd strongly recommend you do this.)

I'm new to this forum so I'm not certain what's acceptable here and what isn't. I have a strong impression however that arrangements of this sort are frowned upon at best which is the reason I'll sadly not offer to look after Watson and Molly for you. I hope you understand.

Others have recommended you use a commercial Boarding Kennels. I would suggest that knowing your dogs as only you can, decide whether this is acceptable to you - and more importantly Watson and Molly. As a fosterer I'm usually asked to take a dog in precisely because it can't cope with kennels.

Good luck with whatever you decide and I hope your holiday is enjoyable and worry-free when it comes!

Allan.

Thanks for the post Allan , you are correct and we cannot promote this kind of arrangement. Whether these arrangements are made or not is not up to us , but as a responsible forum we have to recommend you look to use a good kennel or a qulaified dog sitting service as the 2 best options when a family member can't help

by densil Wed Aug 29 2012, 12:52

Not sure if we are allowed to mention specific companies on here but if you google for a dog sitting company called Bark..... M..d, we have just started using them for our dog who cannot stay in kennels. They are very professional. They will visit you at home to assess your dogs and their requirements and then will match them up with a suitable foster family. Your dogs will then go for a short mini break with the family to see how they get on before your full holiday. They will keep in touch with you with emails/photos/videos so that you know how your dog is doing. They also collect and return your dog to your home.

by **cesca1** Wed Aug 29 2012, 22:56

Thank you for everyones answers.

I didn't want to put Molly in kennels at such a young age, I appreciate that they are a secure and reliable option. I just worry as I've seen several dogs go into kennels and come out a little traumatised, I didn't want anything to offset all the work my partner and I have done with our little girl!!

by **cesca1** Wed Aug 29 2012, 23:05

And thank you to Densil Smile

Molly looks really like your profile pic staff! Have contacted the random google search.

by Guest Thu Aug 30 2012, 10:16

cesca1 wrote:Thank you for everyones answers.

I didn't want to put Molly in kennels at such a young age, I appreciate that they are a secure and reliable option. I just worry as I've seen several dogs go into kennels and come out a little traumatised, I didn't want anything to offset all the work my partner and I have done with our little girl!!

You would have to do a lot of research & choose one that maybe breeds dogs as well, as they will know how to care for a pup.

When we got Dempsey we'd already booked & paid for a holiday in Ireland & it was too late to get him all the jabs etc needed for a pet passport so we put him in a specialist kennel in Essex. They are top EBT breeders & run a boarding kennel as well. They know the bull breeds well, and Dempsey came out looking better than when he went in! Laughing

P.S. Dempsey was also only 4 months old when he went in the boarding kennels for a week.

by **Kathy** Thu Aug 30 2012, 11:10

I just rememberd about this place, dont know if they could help? It is a franchise with places all over:

http://www.barkingmad.uk.com/

by densil Thu Aug 30 2012, 12:00

Hi Kathytake2, this is the company I recommended in my earlier post. I can't praise them enough.

by StaffieTess Fri Aug 31 2012, 12:55

Hi - I completely understand how you feel about going on holiday and finding someone to look after Molly, I was in the same situation at the beginning of the year especially the thought of Tess going into kennels a happy socialable dog and come out a completely different dog. I looked at options for Tess going to a 'carer' with a number of companies but it didn't work out and I eventually found these very good kennels - it is only small but very well run and they put my mind at ease. While we was away they posted videos online so we could see Tess playing and when we returned she was the same little girl we left - even more friendly if that is possible. This is the link htp://woodlandviewkennels.co.uk/about_us.html - not sure how far they are from you.
I hope this helps and good luck Smile

by **cesca1** Fri Sep 07 2012, 13:55

Provisionally booked into the Blue Grass Animal Hotel, going to visit it a week on sat. The man said the carer for small dogs has 2 staffords of her own (so this did reassure me a little Wink

)

Thank you for everyones responses

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