Trusted Pet Sitter

23/12/2023

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13/10/2023

Janet & George, Courtenay 2023: 6/1 - 26/1
My pet sit for Janet and George was back to back with Julie and Jason’s sit. I had to get across to the island the same day. I arrived there that night. To look after Janet and George’s two cats Mr Bates and Anna. Mr Bates and Anna are outdoor cats who come and go through their cat door. The house and garden are lovely and the location is so peaceful with the sea just down the road and the Seal Bay forest behind.

16/07/2023

Julie, Cloverdale 2022: 27/12 - 06/1
My next pet sit started after Christmas, on the 27th. I had three dogs - Murphy (Pomeranian), Griffon (Brussels Griffon), Keira (Shepard), one cat - Molly and one hamster to look after. Keira is getting old and doesn’t like walking far. Murphy gets so excited at dinner time he sounds like someone is murdering him. Molly the cat is very timid and didn’t see much of her. While the hamster didn’t not have anything to say. Fortunately the weather had improved a bit so taking the dogs for a walk wasn’t bad.

16/07/2023

Carolyn & Aaron, Lake Country 2022: 9/12 - 23/12
It has been some time since I last posted on Facebook.
Since then I have been quite busy.
On the 9th of December last year I started my house sit in Lake Country, looking after my old friends Sully and Marshall as well as the two small dogs Mango and Zeke. A new addition was a feral cat that Carolyn and Aaron rescued at the Ski Resort in Panorama. They found her almost frozen to death under their chalet.
The cat was very nervous. However, after a few days she became less scared and more friendly. The weather was very cold with a blustery wind and a temperature of -30 degrees and lower, at times. It was quite challenging giving the dogs their exercise in this temperatures. Being a Malamute Husky, Sully was quite happy walking in those temperatures. I wasn’t however.
The drive back to my home base was harrowing - driving over mountain passes with the weather throwing everything at us from driving snow to torrential rain.

01/11/2022

In my last post in August, I was sitting Meika the greyhound and Tucker the elderly cat. After this sit I was off to Langley to look after Maya and Jazz. Maya is a Mixed Chihuahua and Jazz a Mixed Lhasa Apso. Jazz is getting on a bit and can’t walk as far as he used to. Following that sit I was back in Lake Country looking after Sully, Marshall and the two puppies, Mango and Zeke for a week.
From Lake Country my next sit was in Abbotsford looking after 2 dogs - Frankie and Bella and one cat - Suzie. Frankie was struggling with arthritis, however she seemed to recover and was fine walking up and down the hill at Eagle Mountain Drive. Bella is an elderly miniature dachshund and couldn’t do much walking. Suzie is an outdoor cat and really was only around at mealtimes.
During this pet sit, my daughter joined me from South Africa.
The next pet sit took us to Qualicum Beach to look after Pepper the greyhound. Pepper is a very easy dog and enjoys his walks. He was recently attacked by another dog which was very traumatic and left a large scar. The greyhound’s skin is very taunt and not thick. This means that if they are cut from a bite or scratch it’s much worse than for other dogs. He seemed to have recovered well and was his usual happy self.
The two sits at Lake Country in October and Harrison Mills in November were cancelled due to family ill health and we have taken this opportunity to do some exploring. My clients in Lake Country were very kind to allow my daughter and I to stay in their chalet at the Panorama Resort near Invermere. This has given us a great opportunity to explore the region as well as Lake Louise, Banff and Jasper. Driving through the Rockies is absolutely awe inspiring.
December will see us back in Lake Country and then a new sit in Langley after Christmas.

04/08/2022

Last month started with another sit in Lake Country on the 11th, looking after Sully and Marshall. Being a hot time of the year, it was a bit tricky walking the dogs as I was concerned that the hot pavements were burning their paws. Marshall was quite happy chasing a ball in the garden, for his exercise. It amazes me how he can be so agile and run so fast with three legs. He also has no trouble swimming either. Sully needs more exercise so he has to go on regular walks. Fortunately there is plenty of open ground nearby so we can avoid walking on the pavement.
My Lake Country sit ended on the 18th and my next sit started on the 29th in Harrison Mills which is about 40km east of Abbotsford, bordering on the Harrison River. My job is to look after Meika, a very gentle greyhound that came from the tracks in Ireland, Tucker, a very easygoing, elderly cat, and a pond full of Koi who just have to be fed in the morning. Meika is a pleasure to walk and look after. Tucker is also easy and likes to spend his time sleeping on or under a chair outside. I am scheduled to be back here in November and December when one can go down to the river and watch the salmon spawning while the eagles fly overhead, waiting for an opportunity to catch some lunch. One has to watch for salmon falling from the sky as sometimes the eagles drop the salmon. It's a beautiful setting with mountains on the west side and the river on the east side.

18/06/2022

May 2022
My Roberts Creek sit took me into May and then was immediately followed by a month long sit in Abbotsford. This sit was certainly one of the most relaxing sits I have had. Looking after Abby, a Golden Retriever on a small farm with cows in the fields surrounding us was a pleasure. Abby was also very undemanding and affectionate. The owners had recently built their house and there was still a fair bit of construction happening.

18/06/2022

April 2022
In April, after finishing my house sit in Lake Country I was back on the island looking after Baloo and from there to Roberts Creek on the Sunshine Coast to look after Chris and Catherine’s puppy Willow, a Lagotto. She’s very cute and, like all puppies, required a lot of attention. She certainly kept me busy!

18/06/2022

March 2022
While in Sidney I received a request to sit the dog of Marilyn and John’s neighbours - Scott and Angela on the 2nd of March for 11 days. They were desperate as their planned house sitter wasn’t able to sit for them. Teddy is a very old Poodle/Sh*tzu with dementia. Probably one of the most challenging sits I have had. My next sit took me to Lake Country in the Okenhagen where I looked after my old friends Sully and Marshall - always an enjoyable sit.

17/06/2022

I have not posted for sometime - in fact this is my first post this year!

February 2022
The year didn’t start well with two cancellations in January, leaving me with no pet sits that month. February was better. It started off with a sit in Qualicum Beach on Vancouver Island, looking after Marilyn and John, greyhound Pepper. Pepper is a very easy dog to sit - very gentle and undemanding as most greyhounds are. I then went to look after Baloo in Sidney (Vancouver Island). I’ve looked after him many times and he is another easy-going dog. However he does require more exercise than most dogs.

05/01/2022

December 2021
Most of December was spent on the Sunshine Coast. Firstly looking after Grey the African Grey parrot in Roberts Creek and then Ben and Shiva, two male Bengal cats in Davis Bay, near Sechelt.

Grey is very easy. She likes to whistle a happy tune and enjoyed competing with me to see who could whistle the longest tune.

Ben and Shiva enjoy going outside, but the weather was either raining or snowing most of the time so they didn't get to go out very much. When they did venture out in the snow, they quickly decided that it wasn't pleasant and they would prefer to stay inside. Ben is a bit more adventurous and tried walking on the snow. However he soon decided that it was too cold and wet.

22/12/2021

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09/12/2021

November was quite an eventful month! I arrived in Kelowna the night before the start of my house sit on the 29th October as I wasn't able to do a meet and greet with the dogs. If I don't have the opportunity to meet dogs and cats before the start of the sit, I like to arrive the day prior to the start of the sit, to meet the pets with their owners present. It can be problematic to not give the pets a chance to meet you with the owner present.

My job was to look after two dogs and an elderly cat. The two dogs are Zeus, a 5 year old rescue shepherd cross and Sam, a 10 month old Westie. The cat, Midnight, is a shy 19 year old lady that likes the dogs to keep their distance. Sam kept Zeus and I very busy as he is a bundle of energy that never seems to get tired. It was a very pleasant stay in a lovely house on the Gallagher Golf Estate, east of Kelowna. The weather could have been better as it rained quite a bit and then we had some snow towards the end of the sit. There are lots of trails for walking and hiking near the estate which the dogs and I made good use of during my time there.

The drama started on the weekend of the 13th, a few days before I was due to leave. Torrential rain from the south hit the southwestern part of BC with floods and landslides as well as roads and bridges being washed away. This resulted in all the roads west of Kelowna being closed and the previously drained Sumas lake reclaimed its land. The only way to get to the west coast was through the US and I didn't have my passport. I was stuck until the roads were repaired!
Fortunately my client was happy to let me stay until I could make my way back. I had a number of meets and greets planned as well as my current house sit which was due to start on the 24th.

Very fortunately one route opened briefly for essential travel and I was able to make my way back to Abbotsford on the 21st. This meant that I was able to meet my pet sit commitment of the 24th in Roberts Creek, looking after an African Grey parrot called Grey who loves whistling and talks very quietly.

05/11/2021

October was a relatively quiet month as I had two cancellations. I had a pleasant week looking after Jazz and Maya. They lost their sister Sage, who was 19, earlier in the month. The weather was variable with quite a bit of rain. However, we still managed to do regular walks which they both enjoy.
My next house sit started on the 30th in Kelowna, at a golf estate outside the city.

11/10/2021

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05/10/2021

Last month I had two very enjoyable pet sits on Vancouver Island. A brief one looking after Baloo the husky mix in Sidney and then a longer one looking after two cats, Mr Bates and Anna, in the country north of Courtenay.
I have taken care of Baloo a number of times, so we know each other well. His home in Sidney is close to the town and close to the shore, so it is a pleasure walking with him along the coast there. He is also very easy going and quiet.
After being in Sidney for 4 days, I then travelled north to Courtenay and then on to my next sit a few kms north, on the border of Seal Bay Park. Mr Bates and Anna are also very easy sits. They are outdoor cats and spend most of their time sleeping or playing in the garden outside. Mr Bates is very friendly while Anna is quite shy. I have looked after them before, so they also know me. The location is very peaceful and being between Seal Bay Park, a large forest, and the beach, a few minutes walk away, there is lots of very enjoyable walks to go on. In addition the Mount Washington ski resort is only a half hour drive away.
October is a quiet month with only one house sit as I had a cancellation.

09/09/2021

Last month was a busy month. I had the pleasure of looking after Sully the Malamute Husky and Marshall the three legged German Shepard for a weekend at Lake Country. Im always amazed at how he has adapted to 3 legs. He loves chasing a ball and is a very happy dog. I was booked to sit there at the beginning of the month but the fires disrupted the owners plans, so the sit was delayed until things got better. When I went there the air was still thick with smoke and the drive from Abbotsford was not pleasant - driving through smoke the whole way.

After spending the weekend in Lake Country, I went further east to Revelstoke and then Lake Louise in Alberta - a famous lake for its emerald green water. The drive there was still heavy with smoke. Fortunately it rained and I was able to see Lake Louise and take some photos.

From Lake Louise I went to the Panorama Ski Resort for a few days, where I had a drone video job for the owner of a magnificent house. My next trip was back to Lake Country to look after Sully and Marshal as well as the new puppy, Mango, for the rest of the month. Mango, like all puppies, was a handful - full of energy to burn. Fortunately Marshall was very tolerant of her and they played well together. Sully also enjoyed playing with her, but his playing had to be supervised as he doesn't know his own strength and can get too boisterous.

The 1st of September saw me back on my travels, this time a brief stopover in Abbotsford and then on to Sidney on Vancouver Island to look after Baloo, the Husky cross, for a few days. He loves his walks. It is a pleasure to walk in Sidney as it is right on the coast. My travels have now taken me to Courtenay - also on Vancouver Island but further north. I am looking after two happy cats - Mr Bates and Anna. They are very easy as they are outdoor cats and are usually lying around outside. I just have to make sure they are fed, have water and stay happy.

07/08/2021

Balloo, Sidney, BC

06/08/2021

I recently completed a pet sit in Langley, BC. Three small dogs - Sage, Maya and Jazz. Sage - the one whose ears look too big - is 19 and is struggling with dementia. I had to give her a small pill every day which wasn't easy! The first couple of times is difficult as one hasn't developed a level of trust. The more trusting she became, the easier it got. Maya and Jazz were very easy going and friendly.

Prior to this last sit, I was in Sidney, BC looking after my friend Balloo in June and again in last month, who I have looked after a number of times. Also, at the beginning of July I was with old friends Sully and Marshall in Lake Country, BC.

My pet sit bookings have increased substantially with most of 2021 booked and 4 bookings in 2022.

06/04/2021

I recently spent an enjoyable 10 days house sitting in Lake Country. This was the fourth time I have sat for Carolyn and Aaron. Usually I have to look after Marshall and Sully. However this time I also had Ollie, a lovely Great Pyrenees puppy (6 months old) for a couple of days. We had lots of fun together and the warmer weather made it alot easier as we didn't have snow to deal with.

01/04/2021

Sully getting frustrated

01/04/2021

03/03/2021

Amazing!

https://fb.watch/3_Muzx9uqF/

21/01/2021

I have been day house sitting for Roz who has a pack of 6 Lagotto Romagnolos. They are a very interesting breed and also very friendly, affectionate and intelligent. They also don’t shed much.
They were originally water dogs used to fetch ducks for duck hunters. Now they are used to find truffles.
If you want to know more about them you can go to https://www.petful.com/breeds/breed-profile-lagotto-romagnolo/

14/01/2021

I had the pleasure of looking after a lovely family of four dogs. The dad is a St Bernard and Bernese Mountain Dog mix and the mom a Bernese and Great Pyrenees mix. My job was to load them in the car, take them to the dog park for some play time, then load them back in the car and take them home. Initially it was quite challenging as they did not know me, having only met them once for a short time at the dog park. They soon got to know and accept me and were rushing around the park having loads of fun. They have an instagram site: if you want to find out more about them. I was also able to take some fun photos.

31/12/2020

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23/12/2020

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Carol-singers come to visit Bertie and Fluff as they complete their Christmas preparations

02/09/2020

My last sit for August was looking after Kiki the cockatiel, Koi in an outside pond and fish in an indoor aquarium. Dieter and Joyce went off visiting friends and relatives. They have a lovely home in the wine capital of Canada, surrounded by vineyards and fruit orchards. Like Lake Country, it was hot and sunny. Apart from visiting the various wineries, there is lots to do in Oliver, from kayaking or swimming in the lake to hiking the many local trails.

30/08/2020

Lake Country, BC - I spent a week looking after Sully (Malamute/Husky) and Marshall (Shepard) in their lovely home up on the ridge overlooking Wood Lake, while their family went camping. This is the third time I have looked after them, so we know each other well and they are lots of fun. Sully is quite boisterous and is good with all dogs, while Marshall can get a bit anxious with other dogs and people. He only has 3 legs, so he probably feels defensive. Summertime in Lake Country is very warm and sunny. Great weather to swim or kayak in the lakes surrounding this area.

26/08/2020

Sidney, BC in July and looking after Baloo while his parents when to see their new grandchild was a pleasure - as usual. Baloo is very easy going and loves to go for walks - like most dogs. He walks very nicely on a lead and his nervousness with other dogs and traffic noises is getting much better. Walking in and around Sidney is really enjoyable, especially in the early morning where you can watch the sun rising over the ocean while walking on the coastal pathway.