Recommended dog sitters in Hampshire?

Re: Recommended dog sitters in Hampshire?

Caro Laithwaite VN — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 18:02:28 GMT

Your 2 fit into psychopath catagory!!

Re: Recommended dog sitters in Hampshire?

Sal the 1st — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 17:45:36 GMT

what was that you said Carolyn? 'cat sitting possibly a bit less fraught' - will make sure the boys know that for your next visit

Re: Recommended dog sitters in Hampshire?

Caro Laithwaite VN — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 17:27:18 GMT

I agree about kennels hence going through over 20 of them until l found one on the other side of liverpool. I also put Aingy and someone else onto them and both found them excellent.

It is the only place l recommend. Part of the problem is that people do not know what to look for so what l found a disgrace even when discussing the problem with VN's explaining the problem to them. They do not see it as a problem and l am afraid that the same will be true of dog/cat sitters.

However with the amount of lost pets and ill ones that have been keep at home or a friends or someone who was "looking after it" while the owenrs are away l stick by my guns. If they are in a kennels and get ill they are 99% of the time in quicker when ill while the owner is away than if with someone. Possibly one reason is that there is a bigger outlay in a kennels . A sitter often does it for extra money and as CF and Louise have pointed out less commitment.

Bowie a person is generally with their pet all evening, ok they may not be in every evening as they may go out for the night but then they are back with generally the cat sleeping on the bed. So l disagree with your perception of care l am afraid.

A good kennels has people assigned animals and they are with them, cleaning, walking and interacting with them during the day. A good kennel hand will spot something off with the animal and it will be dealt with. Dogs should all be kennel cough vaccinated, not 100% guarantee but better than none. How do you know your dogs if they interact at a sitters or out side won't pick it up? I see you have had 2 bad experiences and understand how that put you off. However a good kennel is polar opposite to a bad one.

I will agree that if you can find the perfect place (kennel/sitter) hang onto it like gold dust though. Cause the cr*p outweights the good by a huge amount.

Re: Recommended dog sitters in Hampshire?

Louise B — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 17:01:27 GMT

Yeah, agree CF! When I see petsitting ads that advertise that dogs are happy in their own home and that they will just pop in a few times a day to check on the dog I avoid that sitter like the plague even if everything else looks good. To my mind it proves that they don't have the same attitude to dogcare that I have.

I have several sitters and they are all fab. The cost is variable:

I pay £5 for evening minding, £15 for evening/overnight and £15 - 30/24 hour period (combined cost for two dogs - I know I get a slight discount for having two).

I does limit my holidays somewhat(!) but worrying would spoil holiday anyway so something I just accept as part of owning dogs.

Re: Recommended dog sitters in Hampshire?

Louise B — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 16:53:59 GMT

Hi Cath, out of interest, what additional cover does the petsitters insurance give you/your pet if your dog already has full insurance?

I agree - there are definitely loads of not so good dog kennels around but, unfortunately, that's probably what makes them affordable.

Re: Recommended dog sitters in Hampshire?

Katy — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 16:50:54 GMT

[quote user="Caro Laithwaite"]

Back to to much being able to go wrong in between popping in. There is so many animals get lost or come in with injuries as someone was not keeping a close eye or they ran off or whatever. You can not beat a safe secure dog kennels. The problem being good ones are hard to find.
If someone is "sitting" they should be insured, police checked and have knowledge of what to do when something goes wrong.
Cat sitting is possibly bit less fraught than the dog one but even then l am a kennels person even though l know an excellent sitter a QVN and she goes in 2 times a day. Thats still a lot of times with no checks.

[/quote]
With cats it's not too much of a problem, but as members of National Pet Sitters, we are not allowed to leave dogs alone by themselves over night, hence why we do home dog boarding!

Luckily we have had no major problems with dogs boarding and can spot the nightmare dogs and nightmare owners a mile off!!!

Re: Recommended dog sitters in Hampshire?

Katy — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 16:47:52 GMT

Don't do kennels. Sorry. There are loads of rubbish ones round here.

My husband does pet sitting and dog walking, and he is a member of National Pet Sitters, www.dogsit.com Members are insured, vetted and of a very high standard.

Would rather have my dog staying at someones house than in a kennels. There are so many bad ones around, and the good ones are usually very expensive.

That is the best place to look, as you need someone that is insured, and have to be confident that they are capable of looking after your dog as well as you are!

Hope you can find one! I would start looking now, as we are nearly booked up for the summer!!!!

Re: Recommended dog sitters in Hampshire?

Louise B — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 16:10:09 GMT

I have only had one disaster. That was with the minder moving into my house. 20 year old recommended to me by a colleague. I left her looking after my 3 dogs, rabbits and guinea pigs. I was away for one week and had trouble getting hold of her while I was away.

When I arrived back I found my house full of dog mess/urine, no dogsitter and my bedroom had condoms and lubricant spray lying around and it was very clear what fun my sitter had had. My neighbour said she'd moved her boyfriend in and that they had spent the evenings smoking dope in the garden.

The sitter rang me that after wanting to know when she could pop round for her pay. I told her I would not be paying her. She arrived round my house that evening with her mother to collect her stuff and her money. Her mum said that her daughter had asthma so had to leave because of the animal hair and that my bedroom had triggered a bad attack as my house was so dirty! I had to point out to her mum how her daughter had not had a problem with my bed, show her her recreational pleasures (she'd left all the offending items behind) and show her mum my house (to show that it was clean!). Turns out one of my dog's (OAP)had begun weeing in the house midweek and the daughter had got fed up cleaning it up and just assumed that I lived in a dirty house where I didn't mind dogs weeing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was mortified My dog had actually developed a urinary tract infection.

Anyway, the mum had to agree with me after seeing my house/talking to me and they left empty handed with the mum knowing a bit more about her daughter than she did before

So, there is definitely a need to be cautious.

Re: Recommended dog sitters in Hampshire?

Bowie — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 15:53:14 GMT

I catmind and usually do twice daily checks and feeds/meds, I feel this is more than enough as the owner is usually out all day at work anyway and will see their pets in the am and evening just like me!

Re: Recommended dog sitters in Hampshire?

Louise B — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 15:51:50 GMT

I also prefer to use a dog minder. Actually, from a financial point of view, I'd prefer to use kennels, but my dogs think differently. Two of the dogs that I have owned in the last 12 years (out of 5) hated kennels and would lose bodily condition and spend the duration of the time there barking/howling. One kennel said that they would not board my dog there again (after he chewed the kennel) unless I gave permission for him to be ACP'd (I worked there so knew that her local vet supplied her with ACP to dope the boarders if needs be - her other trick was a shock anti-bark collar - and I left shortly after discovering that and shopped her but she is still in business and a 'top' breeder). The other kennel (very nice, would use for my other dog) again said that they would not be prepared to board my other dog as he is a 'nutter and barked nonstop all day/night'. He has severe separation anxiety and cost me £1264 in vet bills recently after he had a setback and tried to chew his way out of a kennel at work.

I take onboard Caro's points but dog minder's are the right thing for my dogs. I have used 4 over the years who home boarded at their house and I have been happy with the service as my dogs always come back in good condition (if not a little fatter) and seem happy and unstressed. It is expensive though

I don't necessarily insist upon insurance as mine are fully insured so I am not too worried about that. I do look to see how well they interact, ask where the dog sleeps at night, how long they are left alone (I stress mine cannot be as Shadow will destroy their house if left and I will not be responsible for this), whether they have a secure garden (if they have one - I don't insist upon this - attitude is more important), etc. I also get them (and their own dogs) to meet my dogs in the minder's own environment. I don't worry too much about them boarding other dogs at the same time (but I ask their maximum number) as I know mine will enjoy it! Finally I put everything in writing in an email to them and ensure that they have replied accepting this so that I have proof.

Kennels may be more safe but the dogs get far less personal attention and far less exercise. They all advertise that they walk the dogs but if you do the sums they cannot possible give the dogs anymore than a couple of minutes or so a day, you have a greater risk of them picking up kennel cough (not something I want my dogs to have as I then cannot take them locumming with me), and they represent a much bigger change from the home environment then another, carefully selected, minder's home will be.

Re: Recommended dog sitters in Hampshire?

A Little TLC — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 15:25:36 GMT

Just a suggestion. i've done it loads of times, never had any problems. I suppose its down to personal preference.

Re: Recommended dog sitters in Hampshire?

Caro Laithwaite VN — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 12:37:40 GMT

Re: Recommended dog sitters in Hampshire?

A Little TLC — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 11:33:52 GMT

Would you consider him staying in your home and someone popping in? My sister lives in Winchester doing her Masters and is looking to be doing dog-walking etc in her spare time.

Re: Recommended dog sitters in Hampshire?

Louise B — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 14:56:07 GMT

http://www.dogsit.com/

Also, try looking on the local gumtree website (if there is one). This is how I found my sitters. You sometimes have to shift through some 'crap' but eventually you'll find a gem!

Re: Recommended dog sitters in Hampshire?

Caro Laithwaite VN — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 14:17:40 GMT

I prefer kennels. Took hunting through over 20 kennels to find a suitable one and it was miles away from my area (forget it though l am in the north west) but l felt safer with my lot in a proper kennels than in with someone at their home.