Loving Pet Sitter

About this sitter

Hi fellow animal lovers! I am a retired but very active lady, whose favourite companions are dogs, closely followed by cats, horses, parrots, anything really. Oh, I do love people too but have always had pets & animal companions since childhood.
I live on the west coast of Scotland with my husband Mike in a friendly little seaside town on the bank of the Clyde.
Our two sons and their young families have settled abroad - Sydney and Helsinki - so we try and visit them as often as possible.to spend time with our young grandchildren.
The only downside of this is that we can't have our own pets any more.
Our last lovely boy was a springer spaniel called Max, who died aged 13 a few years ago now. Previously we had a beautiful Weimaraner called Bob, a big cuddly boy. I miss them both, but get my 'doggie fix' through walking and caring for other people's dogs (& cats, parrots, chickens...) I have had two cats, Pip and Charlie, (in between our dogs) and I have looked after other peoples' cats, sheep, ponies, ducks - you name it!
Currently I walk two cocker spaniels for a lady who sometimes travels for work, but also have been a volunteer dogwalker for the Cinnamon Trust (UK charity which supports elderly pet owners to keep their pets through illness or life-limiting conditions).
I regularly house and pet sit for friends and family too and looked after a very bouncy kelpie collie cross in Sydney for a month to let his owners go on holiday.
We have a trip to Sydney planned from end of September to early November '23 to see our grandchildren - and are lucky to have two house sits looking after dogs and a parrot for most of that time.
I love the outdoors and exploring the countryside on long walks.
I am new to this house sitting site, but am registered with another two sites.
We would love to find some house sitting jobs in Helsinki where our older son's family live. Having stayed there several times, we love to explore the city and the beautiful countryside, forests and coastline.
The costs of travel and accommodation are now so high that housitting makes it possible for us to afford to visit places we otherwise couldn't. We'd love to look after your house and your much-loved pets.

Why they want to house sit

The costs of travel and accommodation are now so high that being offered house sitting jobs makes it possible for us to visit places we otherwise couldn't. We love to explore new places as well as visit family abroad without cramping their style or their homes too much! Having a chance to experience living in someone's home also let's us get a real feel for that particular locality and feel less like tourists.

Their experience

I am experienced particularly with dogs. Having taken on rehomed dogs with some minor behavioural issues in the past I am aware of their particular needs and the importance of patience, consistency and positivity in having a bond of mutual trust between us. From childhood, I have cared for pets - dogs, hamsters, terrapins, horses, tortoises, cats etc. - and have helped out in a local wildlife rescue with hedgehogs, rabbits, crows, pigeons, bats, deer, squirrels etc. I worked as a volunteer dog walker for a UK charity, Cinnamon Trust, for over a year and recently gave it up because of other commitments. 7

What can they bring to the assignment

I can bring peace of mind for the owners of any animals I look after. I am a caring individual who will love your animals and look after them as you would yourself, and be trusted to take care of your home and garden while you are away. I know the level of trust owners must give to have someone come and look after your most precious animals, and will provide all the care, love and attention needed to let you enjoy a break away without any worries.