International Pet & House Sitters

10/01/2022

This was an unknown heartbreaking sit for us due to the owners having to relocate back to Australia. We enjoy handing back the owners pets at the end of the sit but this time we had to train Chilli to go into a crate and then he was off to kennels before his long drawn out quarantine.
Those of you that know us will understand that we took up pet sitting as we don't like to see these pets go into kennels. Pets are most definitely happier with a stranger in their own home environment, and this has been proven again and again with us, so, for us having to say our farewells to Chilli by seeing him transported off in a crate was heartbreaking, so much so that I don't mind saying that tears were plentiful.

Let me introduce you to this adorable guy. Chilli is a 3-year-old Rhodesian Ridgeback. Although he's old enough to be classed as an adult (in dog years) he still plays and acts like an overgrown puppy.

Lots of people will say that Rhodesian Ridgebacks were once used to hunt lions. Unfortunately, it's not completely true, if you read into how they were used you'll see that they were actually used on a lion hunt but only to distract the lion before the hunter took a shot. They were used because they are well suited in hot conditions and they're strong...I mean really strong, imagine a greyhound on steroids, not as fast as a greyhound but quick and agile.

I know as a sitter of many pets that I shouldn't have a favourite but if I had a gun to my head and I was forced to choose one then it would have to be this fella. Not that I wouldn't choose any of the other adorable pets that we have previously sat for but there is one deciding factor that swings the balance for me.
Chilli is loyal to his owner and the proxy owner (me) but that is not the chosen factor as many other dogs that we have sat for are loyal and protective of us.
Chilli and I had a very strong bond. I knew what he wanted and he the same for me, but that is still not the chosen factor as I have lots of strong bonds with many of our previous pets.
Chilli is a very attractive dog but we have looked after some better-looking pets than him.
The deciding factor of my choice is quite simply that Chilli would respect my downtime and not bother me to pay him any surplus attention. He was content with taking himself into the garden to explore and sniff out the strange smells. He was also happy to lay down in our presence, resting but keeping an eye on any activity.

Chilli was a true pleasure to look after and I'm so glad that the owners are now reunited with him. He's a very human-social dog and it must’ve been horrible for him throughout the obligatory quarantine.
The owners have already invited us to see him if we were ever to visit Australia.

17/12/2021

02/05/2021

https://youtu.be/K-K1PTKPvh0

9 ways to prove your dog you loved them.Here is how you to say "I love you" in dog language. You absolutely love your dog, and you’re not afraid to show it. ...

29/03/2021

Dogs be like...

22/03/2021

Summer of 2019 was another first for us as we combined 2 pet sits together through a mutual friendship of the owners.
We were left in charge of Rex, a Beagle/Corgi mix and Riley, a standard Poodle for a month.
Both dogs had very strong yet very different characters. Rex, he could make the shortest of walks last forever as he would sniff absolutely everything but if ever he got scent of anything then he'd be off like a shot. He showed us that there was lots of things to eat on our walks and he soon got to understand us yelling "Drop That!" at him.
Riley would be worthy of the aristocracy if he was human, he was pruned, clipped and cut on a weekly basis and boy! didn't he love it? His private car would come to collect him and without a word of command he would mount the car and then peer out at us the same way as the queen looks upon her subjects.
Riley was mine to have on our long walks whilst Tracy took care of Rex as he tried to keep up with us. Riley had to be exercised mentally as well as physically, if we went over the same path or road twice then he'd get bored and start to walk slowly, take him off the road and down untrodden paths and his ears would be up and pulling out in front.
Feeding time was always fun as we would have to make a plan around the neverending hunger of Rex. It worked well to divide them whilst having some common minor birds coming in for their feed as well. Rex would eat his food in a flash and then it was a game to keep him away from Riley but it would always end with Rex having to check the bowl of Riley for any lost morsels.

22/03/2021

Updated, 22nd March.

01/09/2020

Hi all,
It seems like forever that I did my last post stating that we are having 2020 off to travel and do other fun stuff...yeah, Nah that didn't happen.

In this crazy upside world that we’re having to deal with at the moment we are happy to sit back and relax with some local and national travel. We've managed to get away to a national park & Hua Hin plus a day up to Bangkok.

I'm excited & delighted to announce that the calendar for 2021 will be going live in the near future but our plans are to stay within Thailand so that we don't have to worry about getting back into the Kingdom if there was to be another lockdown.

We have also been trying to make it easier on ourselves, 2019 was almost filled to capacity and at times extremely busy. To that end, we played with the idea of 6 months solid on 6 months off, 2 months on 2 months off for a year, 1 month on 1 month off for a year but the best idea for us and everyone else is for us to cross out the time we are wanting and then fill in the gaps.

Tracy is very desperate to get back to the UK to see our grandchildren and if an opportunity pops up in 2021 then it may be the case that she goes back to the UK and I get left here to look after your babies.

There are other situations that may change on a case by case basis such as if the owners went away into other countries that it may be better for all of us if we lock up and leave before they return. Maybe we're being too cautious.

31/12/2019

To all our friends, wherever you are, we would like to wish you all the best for 2020.
If you’re stuck for a New Years Resolution then take a tip from a dog.

20/11/2019

Milo & Georgie.

We were lucky enough to be chosen to sit for these two adorable bundles of fluff. The sit had lots of ‘Firsts’ for us. First time that we had been to Phuket, first time that we took over the responsibilities from another pair of pet sitters, first time that we had to carry any pet to their walk & first time that we have sat a miniature Chihuahua.
Milo, the Chihuahua could stand quite comfortably on one of my hands and had to be carried twice daily to his stomping grounds. Once at his walking area I could put him on the ground for him to have a runabout and a good sniff of the areas. Another first for me whilst this was happening is that I would have to look out for other dangers for him in the guise of other dogs, feral cats, snakes & large birds. Never have I ever had to think “is that bird after my dog” before.
Georgie is the epitome of any cat and is about 3 times the size of Milo which she loves to play with and protect. She would come for a 10 minute fuss without fail every hour. She would sit at her food bowl having eaten the top layer meaning that her bowl was now empty and we would have to sort it out before she ate any more. So, we would then have to pick the bowl up, pretend to get rid of the old stuff, pretend to put fresh in and then present her with what she thinks is a fresh bowl of food to which she would then devour.

25/10/2019

https://www.facebook.com/1152494471596779/posts/1304327676413457?sfns=mo