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.

Pet Sitting Services will 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 to follow 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 get on well with other animals, or perhaps you are a multi-pet household, your ideal solution is to use a live-in or a daily pet sitter. You also have the added advantage of knowing that you have additional home security, with someone staying in or visiting your home while you are away.

Derek Chambers will be your live-in  Pet Sitter and is mature professionals, experienced, trustworthy so you can enjoy your break or holiday, knowing that both your property and your pets are in very safe hands.

Using a house and pet sitting service in the Finchley area

Before your scheduled trip, why not consider our Holiday care for dogs in your own home service and consider a  live-in pet sitter.  The initial journey begins by seeing you and your pet in your own home to discuss their routine and any other duties that are required. Whilst staying at your house, I can carry out light domestic duties in your home, such as watering the plants, feeding the fish, or collecting your mail. I can also open and close your curtains to offer additional home security and reassurance that your home is occupied.

Your pets will receive the utmost professional care and attention. Where possible, to keep to a relatively normal routine and into their schedule where possible. For a daily visit, we will visit in the morning to allow them their essential exercise period, and again during the daytime if required.

All pets will be feed and watered t to your specifications, and also exercise your dog in the local area for a short walk, should you wish us to do so. Our pet sitters are also aware of most pet illness conditions and are trained to give medication if needed.

Finchley house and pet sitting services offer far more than just dog sitting.

Whilst I have a lot of experience and skills with dogs and cats, I am also happy to discuss caring for all domestic pets – (sorry, no snakes).

By using y services as a professional house sitter, not only guarantees your pet’s happiness, it can also simplify your pre-holiday arrangements quite considerably. If you have a menagerie that needs taking care of while you are away from home, you can make provision for them all to be cared for in your absence, with just one telephone call.

The house and pet sitting service is provided by Derek Chambers of Finchley Dog Walker.  Derek is fully insured and  is fully insured with Protectivity Insurance and also has an enhanced DBS via the Scout Association.    Derek Chambers has also undergone a Pro Training Animal First Aid course. and various CPD hours

Visit our main site for more info on Holiday care in your own home.

 

Here at Finchley Dog Walker, I am often amazed as to how “last minute” people seem to leave holiday care for their pets.  I recently 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 a reason why they are not busy during prime holiday dates).

During busy holiday periods, I see an enormous surge in demand for pet care, be it caring for your pets in your home, drop-in visits, pet sitting, or dog walking. Booking early gives you the best opportunity to find a responsible pet sitter who will be able to fit in with your dates. It also allows enough time for you to meet your pet carer and to ensure that they are a good fit for you, and get on well with your pet.

The other problem we see a lot of during the summer is “pop up” dog walkers and pet sitters who appear during the summer when the weather is nice when they see an opportunity to make a few extra pounds, taking advantage of the fact that pet owners need holiday care for their pets.  However, they often lack experience and knowledge and leave pets for large amounts of time while doing their “day job”.  The other downside means they don’t have the appropriate insurance cover in place.

The number of stories we hear from new and returning clients after a bad boarding experience elsewhere has dramatically increased over the last 6 months, as more and more people turn to boarding to increase their income, often running this business around their day job and in two cases we have heard of, going on holiday whilst pets were in their care, leaving a pet sitter to pop in once a day.

Hiring a professional pet sitter will give you peace of mind while you are on holiday, and you will be sure that they will actually turn up to care for your pets when they say they will.

Please choose your dog walker/house sitter wisely, and please try and book holiday care in advance.

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 your pet care for the summer. If your dog is not a fan of change, then keeping things as ‘normal’ as possible while you’re away may mean booking a pet sitting service that looks after your pet in our home, making sure your pet is not alone, gets lots of attention and exercise and doesn’t have to leave the confines of what’s comfortable for him. Alternatively, you may prefer to opt for kennels, but whatever you do – check whoever is going to be looking after your pet thoroughly before booking. Things like insurance, NARPS membership etc should give you confidence that your pet is in good hands.

Book early

It’s essential to book early for your dog’s care needs – especially in summer when more people choose to go on holiday. Don’t get caught out – it’s a good idea to book care as soon as you’ve made those holiday plans, or you risk putting your dog with whoever has space at the last minute – which may leave your dog getting less than quality care.

Day trip options

During the summer holidays many families enjoy day trips to local attractions and family days out but that means leaving pets at home. If you’re away for more than a few hours, then as an experienced north London dog walker I can pop in, make sure your dog sees a friendly face and gets a long, enjoyable walk – and to top it off, I follow your training techniques to ensure consistency in your pets routine.

Taking your pet with you

If you choose a holiday that allows your pet to join you there are lots of details to consider, therefore planning early has its advantages. When you book your holiday check with the relevant embassy there are no restrictions, such as the breed of your pet. If you’re flying to your destination each airline will have its own set of rules regarding pets so ensure you are well informed and clear of the rules. Make sure your animal meets the pet travel scheme requirements prior to booking your holiday -this includes details such as a pet passport, injections, vaccinations and approved routes.

Planning ahead for your holidays ensures peace of mind by eliminating any last minute complications for yourself and your pet. Whatever care you put in place being informed, organised and prepared will ensure your furry family member has everything they need, making for a very happy holiday indeed.

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 if it is written down and even signed by the sitter and the person they are sitting for everyone is accountable to it and there is little room for the sitter to say that they were unaware of the rules.

Contact Information – We at Finchley House Sitting make sure that all of your household needs are accomplished while you are away, but from time to time questions or emergencies may arise and therefore it is vital to have all of your contact information on hand. It is also recommended that you provide alternate contact information in the event that you cannot be reached. The alternate information can be a trusted friend or family member.

The Rules – Every home has ground rules. Finchley House Sitting ask that your write ground rules down to ensure that we do our job effectively without violating any landlord agreements or a particular room that you wish the house sitter to stay out of.

Rubbish Collection – Even while we are away, life does go on at home. That being said, the rubbish collection will come on a certain day of the week. Please inform your sitter the day that they need to have the rubbish prepared for collection and any special instructions that may come with that.

Emergency Numbers – Apart from your contact information you will need to have a written list of emergency contacts. Again Finchley House Sitters is highly proficient in preventing emergencies from happening, we need this information to ensure that in the event of an emergency we know what to do to protect your home.

The Mail – Depending on the length of your holiday, you may need to reroute your mail. If rerouting is not an issue, inform your sitter as to what exactly to do with your mail. It may not seem like a big issue, but you do not want to come home and not know where all of your mail has gone.

Let Others Know

It is an important thing to let people know when you are away. This is for your safety as well as your sitter’s. Friends and neighbours come by from time to time and if you are not at home it is a wasted trip and can be a little embarrassing for the sitter and the person at the door. In addition to informing your neighbours and friends you also need to inform any service people such as those the mow your grass, clean your home, or the gardener. You can either suspend your service for the time you are away or leave Finchley House Sitters with the information to properly allocate and pay your service people.

Clean Up

One of the biggest issues that face a homeowner when they are coming back is whether the home is clean. Some sitters do not understand the importance of cleaning up after themselves, but no homeowner wants to come home from a wonderful holiday only to find that their home is a wreck. Where others may fail to ensure the cleanliness of your home, we at Finchley House Sitting want you to come home to the exact place you left. All of our sitters are trained to clean up after themselves and keep the home as it was when you left, so there are no surprises.

Your home is a part of you and just because you are on holiday there is no reason to let that vital part of your existence become neglected simply because you cannot be there. Finchley House Sitting wants to keep your home for you and we want to keep it exactly as you wish, so you have one less thing to worry about while you are enjoying your holiday.

 

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 away from the daily grind to spend quality family and friends time and, if you’re lucky the weather will be fantastic. But there is lots of fun to be had during the autumn and winter months too.

With or Without the Dog?

Many of the major holiday camps stay open for most of the year nowadays, so you could hire a caravan or pack up the camping gear. Either way you can stay snug as a bug when the autumn winds howl or the winter frosts strike in the early mornings. You can hire a cottage fairly cheaply during the off-peak season and lock yourself away for a few days too.

Autumn/Winter breaks can be incredibly therapeutic – they give you breathing space and an opportunity to just switch off the mobile and the emails and relax. We all need to be able to do that now and again – just to re-boot and de-stress. But what about the dog?
It is permissible to take your dog to many campsites, cottages and hotels but by taking your pet you still have the responsibility of entertaining and walking him, not to mention all the paraphernalia that you have to take with you.

Consider a Pet-sitter

Wouldn’t it be good to truly relax, with no responsibilities other than yourself? You could leave your dog at home and hire a pet-sitter to look after him. Pet sitting services take very seriously the safety of clients’ pets and homes. We can take care of the dog and any other small furries, water the plants, and pick up the post – all the little things that keep your home safe. Plus, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing your dog is happy in his own home, with his usual routine.

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 may be lucky enough to have a kind and animal-loving relative who is happy to have your dog living with them for a couple of weeks. If it’s someone you can totally trust, and who your dog already knows well and likes, this can be a Godsend. However, it doesn’t come without potential pitfalls. If you need to go away frequently, you may not like to impose too often, and you need to consider how it would affect your relationship if anything were to happen – what if they lost your dog? Or he became ill or had an accident while in their care?

Dog Boarders

Dog boarding means your dog stays in a professional dog boarder’s home, living as part of the family, with his own comfy bed, favourite food, best toys and all the comforts of home – albeit someone else’s home. He’ll have one-to-one care, plenty of walks and lots of attention, so this is good for dogs who prefer to be in a home rather than kennels, so long as he’s happy in the company of people who aren’t ‘his’ people. Don’t just find the cheapest though – research local options, check credentials and ask for recommendations.

Pet and House Sitters

Perhaps the Gold Standard in pet care is an experienced, qualified Pet and House sitter – with the added bonus that your house is being looked after, too (one less thing to worry about). Someone highly professional and fully insured, will stay in your home and take care of your pets as you do, so, as well as avoiding the stresses and health risks of travel and kennelling they need have no change of routine at all – they’re in their home (on the sofas if that’s what you’ve arranged), eating their usual food at the usual time, having their usual walks – the only thing that changes is who’s caring for them.

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 so you need to be confident that they’re going to do it all right for you – not just for safety and security, but also for the happiness and wellbeing of your beloved dog and for your peace of mind while you’re away.  What should you be looking for when booking a house sitter?

1. Start by asking for recommendations – ask colleagues, friends and family, at the dog training club and at the vets.  Personal recommendations are worth their weight in gold.
2. Ensure sitters have seven-day contact ability including email and mobile phone.  They may not always be able to answer immediately but be wary of someone who doesn’t return your call at this early stage.
3. Meet all prospective sitters in person and with your dog.  Observe their interactions and ascertain that your pet is happy around the sitter.
4. Ask about experience, qualifications, accreditations, skills such as first aid, and insurance and see certification – they should be happy to show you.
5. Check what back-up they have – if they’re unable to complete the assignment, what will happen?
6. Insist on an enhanced DBS check.

Instructions to leave your dog sitter

Once you’ve carefully chosen your sitter and are ready to book, do YOUR best to make certain that everything goes well for you, your sitter and your dog:

1. 1.    Give your sitter instructions as to house rules, walking, playing, feeding, cleaning, etc.
2. Provide comprehensive information about preferences and personality as well as any medical and behavioural needs.
3. Leave all veterinary and other emergency contact information where the sitter can see it easily.
4. Make sure everything your sitter will need to care for your dog is to hand.

These few simple – but vital – guidelines should guarantee that everything should go smoothly for everyone.  Shame we can’t say the same for the building work…

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 NOT take your dog. Not the right solution for everyone, obviously, but worth considering if you have a particularly nervy dog who won’t settle in a strange atmosphere or who dislikes travelling. There are plenty of alternatives if your plans or destination aren’t dog-friendly
Do NOT leave dogs home alone. Cats may well be fine for a day or two if a neighbour pops in at least daily to feed and refresh the water bowl, as would small pets such as rabbits and guinea pigs but dogs need company and social interaction. Aside from the distress being alone would cause, you’re risking damage and destruction from separation anxiety.

Do NOT book a last-minute deal and expect your dog to be able to travel with you. Six-month quarantine is a thing of the past but rules vary from country to country and there is still a lot to arrange if he’s not already got a passport- not least a microchip and rabies vaccination.

Do NOT just book any old carer for your pet – check qualifications and experience, insurances and get some impartial recommendations. Think about it – pets are part of the family and you wouldn’t leave your children with a nursery or a childminder without thoroughly checking their credentials, would you?

Do NOT assume older children still at home would be able to care for your pet like you do. Even with the very best of intentions, unless they’re in the habit of day-to-day care they’re likely to forget or get side-tracked. Plus, what with work and an active social life, will they be around enough? And you can probably forget that walk if it’s raining…

Pets are a responsibility as well as a pleasure so take good care of them even when you’re not there – you’re sure to be able to relax more knowing your dog will be well cared for. Bon voyage!

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 you are going on holiday and you cannot take your dog with you, leaving your beloved pooch behind can cause you constant worry about what they are doing and how well they are being taken care of. Asking family or a close friend to take your dog while you are away is a good idea if you can trust they will look after your pet as well as you would. If this isn’t an option for you then look into a kennel or dog sitting service well before you go away. Look at a few options and decide upon the one you think your dog would be happiest at and looked after the best.

Turn the water off

Turning you water off at the mains via the stop tap before you go away will give you piece of mind that your property won’t become flooded or water damaged while you are away. If a pipe should begin to leak then the damage will be limited as only what water is left in the pipes will leak out instead of a continuous flow of water until your return.

Timer switches

Timer switches are fab for giving you peace of mind while you are away as they can be used to turn lights and other appliances, such as radios, on and off at timed intervals. This will help your property to appear occupied when you are away and help to put off any potential burglars.

Cancelling the milk and any papers

Cancelling any subscriptions, such as newspaper or magazine delivery, and delivery of milk you may receive is another must do before your holiday. Not only do you not want to arrive home to a mountain of papers and spoiled milk stacked up on your doorstep, having these things sitting outside your house uncollected is a huge green light to anyone who may consider entering your home. It is an obvious sign that no body is in and cancelling and services or subscriptions while away, especially if you’re abroad, is a headache you just don’t want on your relaxing getaway.

A professional dog sitting company can offer you a number of benefits as a dog owner, but it can also provide advantages to your dog as well. Leaving your pet at home alone is never a good idea, but boarding kennels often pile additional anxiety on an already stressful situation. As a result, many ‘pet parents’ choose professional dog sitting services.

Dogsitting Benefits For Your Pet

• Pets are often traumatized by travelling in cars, so it is best to eliminate pet boarding kennels.
• A pet care facility may cause your dog to stop eating as a result of depression. This can have serious consequences overall, but by hiring a sitter to watch your dog, your pet can follow their customary exercise routine and diet.
• Your pet feels safe and secure at home, which is why it is always recommended to hire a pet sitter. A secure environment provides familiar smells, sounds, and sights that a foreign place will never be able to compare with.
• Kennels or home borders are a group environment where your dog will come into contact with other pets. Not everyone’s pets are friendly or play nice, and you may even find that your dog comes home with cuts, scrapes, and even bruises. Dog sitting can help eliminate this altogether and allow you the peace of mind that your pet is safe.
• The Internet is rife with stories about pets contracting diseases and illnesses as a result of opting for a boarding facility. To be fair, most facilities do their best to keep these types of problems at bay, but the fact remains that it can happen!

Dogsitting Benefits For You (The Owner)

• There is nothing better than having peace of mind that your pet is looked after. Your dog is a member of your family and deserves to be treated as such!
• If you have a multi-pet household, then this will often be the best solution
• Plants can be watered
• Rubbish put out
• lights turned on and off, the post brought in etc. for added security

As you can see, keeping your pet safe and comfortable doesn’t require a lot of thought or energy on your part. Next time you go away on holiday. let a professional house sitting company come and look after your friends