Researcher on a one-year leave looking to house sit in the Alps or France anywhere

About this sitter

This serious passport picture is a little too official but I couldn´t find any photo showing me other than that. Will change it when I find a better one ! I am posting as a single house sitter although for big properties requiring two people I could certainly house sit with my step sister.

I am a social scientist in her early forties, writing a second doctoral dissertation and a book, looking to house sit in a house in a rural location that is really quiet and silent, a good place where to write and take a year off from everything, inlcuding my own house. If you need help with internal design, restoring a house, gardening or landascaping, I am a professional decorator, a fresco painter, (you can view my paintings on an old and outdated website for which I did some crowd funding through my paintings www.wombhome.wordpress.com under “art work under commission”)and I have many years experience gardening for my own country houses throughout my life, although I haven´t done it professionally in 20 years. with my step sister who may come for company now and again.

I am looking for somewhere quiet in the countryside preferably with cats so to have the chance to look for a home to buy in France. My preference would certainly be the Alps anywhere, Normandy or Brittany but I consider any actual rural placement.

Aside from cats who are obviously the Emperors of the world and are my absolute favourite company, I also LOVE goats, and horses, I grew up having them, and big dogs, I am a dog trainer follower of the Jan Fennel dog listening method, which I really recommend for any behavioural issue, but also for a healthy relationship with your dog, which keeps into account his wolf origination. Because of my sureness and confidence in the above training method I am willing to accept placements with difficult dogs or even dogs considered “dangerous” who need help through training and rehabilitation to human interaction, so long as it´s only one difficult dog at the time with no other dogs to look after. I can handle at the moment only one big dog or two small ones unless you have a very big and enclosed garden.

I love gardening, particularly roses, and making walls of ether and ivy, which has to be my new next self learned skill.
I love taking long walks with the dogs in the countryside so long as there are areas where they are allowed off the lead. I no longer accept placements which do not allow dogs off the leash, as that´s very unhealthy for the animal. I also refuse to use those self rolling leads that are extremely dangerous, as in the event of breakage the dog would risk getting run over and unfortunately that´s not something unheard of.



A warning to dogs´owners:
Following the Jan Fennel method means I do not do certain things that you may consider considerate, like greeting the dog when I enter the room, or persistently ignoring him/her until s/he sits down and relax for at least five minutes, and a lot of other things which I will explain during the interview. This is a training choice and my manner to interact with dogs, not a lack of consideration towards the dog. You can find information about the Jan Fennel method online by googling her name or her books, e.g. “the Dog Listener”.

Why they want to house sit

I want to be somewhere quiet where to write my dissertation and look for a home to buy, while in the company of cats or dogs and other animals. I strongly prefer house sitting placements with animals and that would allow me to bring my two kittens while I will leave my older cats back at home with the house sitters.

Their experience

yes I grew up with dogs, cats, horses, hens, Will need to be shown how to milk goats or cows if needed as I don´t remember how to do it.
I am a dog trainer and a special affinity to cats which makes them trust me quickly.

What can they bring to the assignment

My experience with animals, my respect for other people´s houses, plants and gardens, and mostly my full time presence at home with them. I will also send you lots of pictures of your furry companions if desired during your holidays. I prefer assignments at least a month long up to a year.