For most pets, their owner going out for a short while doesn’t normally cause a problem, as they know that they will return home soon. However, bring your suitcase into the equation and your dog will begin to worry and panic, as they often associate the sight of the suitcase with a visit to the cattery or dog kennels, and a longer period of separation. In actual fact, they can also suffer from stress with symptoms such as kennel cough, gnawing, loss of appetite and pining.

Allow your pet to stay in familiar surroundings

The best and kindest arrangement you can make for your dogs while you are away from home on business, on holiday, or even for a stay in the hospital, is to allow them to remain at home in their familiar surroundings and following their typical routines and be cared for by an experienced house and dog sitter. If you have an elderly dog, or if your pet doesn’t (more…)

 

Here at Finchley Dog Walker, I am often amazed as to how “last minute” people seem to leave holiday care for their pets.  Just recently I had a pet owner phone me up and inform me that they were planning on going away for half term (which was in a week’s time) and that they needed their pet taking care of in their absence.

This is the time of year people are booking summer holidays and this should also be the time of year that you start looking for your pets holiday care, to avoid disappointment, or ending up with substandard holiday care (there is (more…)

With summer on the horizon (only a few months away!) many of us are looking forward to making those summer holiday plans. A week away in the sun, a weekend visiting family or day trips during the school holidays are more than likely on your list of summer ‘must do’s’, but unfortunately not all members of the family can attend and that’s where the Finchley dog walker comes in with a range of services to make sure every member of the family is well looked after. Being proactive and ensuring that pet care is arranged well in advance gives you peace of mind and reassurance that your dog’s well looked after and there are various types of care available if your pet is unable to accompany you.

Choose well for your dog’s needs

Do consider your dog’s temperament before booking (more…)

Does you dog suffer from Separation Anxiety and what to do…

Dogs love us, if you ever find your dog staring at you then consider it a hug, If they bring you a toy to play with, they are not only after some fun, they are sharing something they value with you. To your dog,  you are more than an owner, you are family and part of, and often the leader of, the pack. When you are separated some dogs will become distressed.

The distress might show in various forms, some dogs forget their toilet training, others will damage property, some dogs will attempt to flee and some dogs will just whine.

You’ll no doubt know f your dog fouls or damages your home when you’re out, but the flight mechanic and the (more…)

Time away from the home is a great tradition that people enjoy at least once per year. If you are a seasoned traveller you already know how to leave your home and what needs to be accomplished before you leave to ensure that your house is properly cared for, but even if you know what you are doing, Finchley House Sitting would like to ensure that you have all of these things in mind. You may know most of these, but a little reminder never hurt anyone.

Folder of Information

Hotels do an amazing job of informing people of their services and all that the hotel has to offer. These folders contain a great deal of useful information and can make you trip far more enjoyable. When you leave your home in the hands of another person, even someone as experienced as Finchley House Sitting, you need to make sure that they have all the information that they need to accomplish the job in great fashion. Here are some of the things you will want to include in your own hotel style folder.

An Agreement – We live in an age where the spoken agreement is of little affect. People can forget what is contained within an agreement, but (more…)

The summer is over, the holidays have been and gone and the kids are back at school. For many of us this is cause for celebration. The only trouble is – what do we have to look forward to now?

I don’t know about you but here at Finchley Dog Walker I’m a great believer in the old adage ‘a little of what you fancy does you good’. By that I mean taking enjoyment in life where you can find it, preferably in small doses, and this applies to holidays and days away. Holidays during the summertime are great with the chance to get (more…)

Not everyone is happy, when they go on holiday or away for a few days, to place their beloved dog in what amounts to a cage in an anonymous boarding kennels and many dogs are even less happy in that environment. In unfamiliar and impersonal surroundings, with no home comforts or favourite people dogs can become anxious and stressed which can result in obsessive behaviours like tail chasing or paw chewing, a sore throat from barking or howling, continuing noisiness once home and even regression in house training. Fortunately there are alternatives…

Family or Friends

You (more…)

If you asked builders into your home, you’d do more than just get a few quotes, wouldn’t you?  You’d want references and testimonials, to see qualifications and insurances as well as getting a ‘feel’ for the company and making sure they’re singing from the same hymn sheet.  So imagine asking someone to actually live in your home and take care of your bellowed pets all while you’re not actually home… you’re going to need some pretty robust checks carried out for that.

It’s a trust thing

You need to be absolutely, totally, 100% sure that you can trust your house and dog sitter.  They’re looking after EVERYTHING (more…)

Holidays. We love them. Sun, sand, sea (or hills, snow, ski… However, there’s no denying they can actually be quite stressful – booking, planning and so on, not to mention everything at home to organise before you even consider leaving the country (or even the area) such as getting someone to water plants, keep-an-eye on the house… and what about the family pets? Maybe you travel for business too, involving similar levels of preparation. How you care for your pets while you’re away will depend very much on them and you – but here’s a few pointers for everybody on what NOT to do:

Do (more…)

Your holiday should be stress free and relaxing so how do you stop those niggling little worries from ruining your holiday? Here are 5 tips to ensure you have a worry free getaway.

Have someone check on your property

If you are concerned about the safety and security of your property while you are away then it is advisable to have a trusted friend or family member visit your home to check on things from time to time. This person can also bring post in, take bins out and make the property looked lived in during the time you are away; putting off any potential burglars.

Making sure your dog is well taken care of

If (more…)