3 Dachshunds in the heart of Perthshire, Scotland
Introduction
Hi, my husband works for H M Forces and I'm an upholstery tutor, we have 3 grown up children who used to take it in turns to house and dog sit for us, however with growing families of their own they can no longer commit. We both have motorbikes and enjoy weekends away with friends touring Scotland. Perth and Perthshire is a beautiful part of Scotland with fabulous scenery and gateway to the highlands
Show more...Home & location
We live in an area known as Oakbank which is a suburb of the fair city of Perth in central Scotland. The area is well served by local transport, buses are very frequent, the train station is 10 mins away by taxi, 30 mins walking. Trains travel directly to Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, Inverness & Aberdeen. Perth city has the river Tay running through it, plenty of parks and walks, a museum, art galleries, independent shops and a vast selection of restaurants, cafes & pubs catering for every taste. There is a pub 5 mins walk from the house which serves local food and drink. The swimming pool and leisure centre including an ice rink is a 20 minute walk away, the theatre, concert hall and cinema are each approximately 35 mins walk. Although a car isn't required there are several car hire companies within Perth for a more convenient way to explore the area. Our home is a typical Scottish detached villa, offering a good range of rooms. We have a front and back garden, the back garden has a summer house and both gardens have plenty of sitting out areas, with no lawn - so grass cutting required.
Show more...Responsibilities
The 3 dogs all sleep in the utility room and require letting out in the garden at 6.00 am. Bentley, Dax & Georgia go for a walk for approx 45 mins, less if the weather is too warm (and not at all in the case of Bentley if its raining!) They are then given a biscuit. They have their meal approx 3.30 - 4pm and a second walk around 6pm, later if weather is too warm. House responsibilities, the bins will need to be put out, 1 a week, we will inform you of the sequence depending on the dates, hanging baskets and tubs need to be watered.
Show more...Meet the pets
Bentley
11 years
Dax
8 years
Georgia
3 years
Sitter Reviews (11)
Homeowner Reviews (0)
None
Lovely friendly dogs, warm house. Dog owners friendly though some expectations for the sit were kept silent. The dogs had high needs as Dax is a dog that needs attention a lot of the time and Winston was quite vulnerable as he was very old, which I found a bit stressful being concerned for his wellbeing and his vulnerability was not clear on the sit profile, otherwise I may not have chosen this sit. I looked after the dogs as per instructions given by the owners and made effort to give the younger dogs good exercise: running around the park with Bentley, and Dax in particular to help him release his energy and taking them for a long walk on one day too. I was careful and steady in the park walks with the older dog. I was always conscious to know where the dogs were in the house to check they were ok and giving them attention and keeping them warm in blankets and calm by playing music. We watched TV together which they enjoyed and when they were desperate to come into my bedroom and hide under the blankets I also let them. I had the impression from the owners that they wanted to go away for the weekend and enjoy it without being disturbed too much so I was only going to contact them if I had a worry or particular question. They were rather talkative people so for quiet people like myself, I did not find it so easy to raise my own thoughts. They were welcoming to the use of the house facilities and we had a meal together the night of arrival which was a nice idea, though if a good relationship is to be created between owners and sitters, perhaps some thought could be given as to how to build a good raport bearing in mind people have different personalities. They did not mention they wanted regular updates and photos of the dogs and so this was not on my mind as I was conscious to give the dogs the best care I could, so they were my focus. I did let them know when the older dog wasn't seeming so well but they sent a message first asking how the dogs were so it may have appeared that I was not going to communicate anything until they asked first, though this was not my intention. On return they were critical about communication and that I didn't send photos. So I think they need to be more upfront on their exact expectations for the sitters for things that are of importance to them. I was told when I arrived that Winston might have toilet accidents, being an old dog, though it wasn't clear that certain things, such as him not being in the utility room when I went out of the house, would stress him and make this worse. So perhaps poor communication was a two way issue. The placement of a camera in the hallway also gave the impression that sitters were not fully trusted from the start. In hindsight, this was perhaps not the most appropriate sit for myself being new to house sitting as the care of 3 dogs, 2 of which with high demands, meant I didn't feel I could relax easily at the house. So for sitters who may have an anxious disposition, this might not be the best matched sit in my opinion.
Show more...None
We loved everything about this sit. Sue and Colin were amazing hosts and we cannot say enough good things about their sweet dogs. Their home is lovely and allowed for easy to access busses and trains. Perth is a beautiful city to visit. Winston, Bentley and Dax helped make our visit so special. Every day we were met with those cute faces and enjoyed their sweet personalities. Without hesitation we would recommend sitting for Sue and Colin.
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We had such a great time sitting for Sue and Colin. Oh my gosh, what to say about the dogs, they are just adorable!! They are all so loving and affectionate, you always have at least one shadow everywhere you go. They all get along really well and it was so fun learning their little individual personalities. They made us laugh every day and were really easy to care for, despite there being four of them. Sue and Colin were really welcoming and easy to communicate with throughout the stay. It was lovely to be able to spend an evening with them when they returned home. Their place is beautiful and has everything you need for a comfortable stay. It is walking distance to Perth, which is an interesting historical city and is in a prime spot to visit lots of other beautiful parts of Scotland. I highly recommend this sit. Taking care of Winston, Bentley, Sylvia and Dax is so much fun and very rewarding (if you like being rewarded with doggy cuddles!).
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I've never felt so popular than when looking after these four little dogs - they were super affectionate, well-behaved, followed me everywhere and made me laugh pretty much all the time. Sue and Colin were really friendly, too, and polite enough to eat my cooking! ;) The house is great for walking into Perth or heading to the hills if you're driving, though not sure all the dogs would accompany you on that venture!
Show more...None
We had a great weekend in Perth in Susan's lovely home and loved looking after her dogs - they are all so affectionate and sweet! We would definitely recommend it as a great sit and we'd love to do it again.
Show more...No reviews yet.
Susan
