Jon

Hi - my name is Jon and I have very recently relocated to Malmesbury. I'm 64 years old, and have now retired from full-time work following a career in senior business and IT roles across the South West.

I'm an animal lover, particularly dogs, and owned miniature schnauzers for 14 years - now sadly passed. My personal circumstances don't currently allow me to have my own dog, but I'd like to scratch the itch by offering dog walking, home visits and house / pet sitting services.  

In addition to owning my own dogs, I am an experienced house / pet sitter. I spent a large part of 2022 doing sittings in Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and Herefordshire, prior to my relocation to Malmesbury. I've looked after all types of dogs, big and small, and a few cats too.

My domestic circumstances do not allow me to offer day care or boarding services, but based on my previous sitting experience, I honestly believe that pets are more comfortable and less stressed when in their own environment. I always found that it took only a few minutes for pets to be fully accustomed and comfortable with a sitter when in their own home, seeming to forget about mum and dad very, very quickly. This may sound a bit harsh, but isn't that the best experience for your precious pets?

I live in central Malmesbury, and for walking and home visits I'd be particulary interested in assignments that are in central Malmesbury too as it makes logistics so much easier.

As I'm retired from full time work, I have significant availability during the working week, and can be very flexible. I can be available during the morning, afternoon and evening. As a general principle I like to keep my weekends free, but I'm always happy to have a discussion to see if something can be worked out.

For dog walking I typically aim to take walks of 45 - 60 minutes, and as far as possible, will be in the countryside, away from traffic. I will, of course, follow owner's wishes with regard to on, versus off, leash. However, I will always err on the side of caution, only allowing a dog off-leash when approved by the owner, when I am confident of the dog's behaviour, and when circumstances in terms of members of the public and other dogs are appropriate. Subject to discussions and owner's approval, I may also walk a small number of dogs from multiple owners at the same time, as this can be positive in terms of the dog's experience and socialisation.

For home visits I aim to stay for at least 30 minutes. I'm happy to pick up any small tasks around the house during the duration of the visit as long as it does not detract from the quality of time spent with your pet.

For house /pet sitting I aim to spend the majority of time in your home, or out and about with your pet. Obviously, I will have to leave your pet alone from time to time, but aim to keep these periods as short as possible. You can expect your dog to be well-exercised during my stay. You can rely on me to treat your property and pet with utmost respect and consideration. In addition, if the worst should happen and there are any problems, I will draw on my considerable experience of property ownership and management, dog ownership and house / pet sitting, to resolve issues as quickly and seamlessly as possible, ideally in a way that does not interupt or compromise the enjoyment of your time away.

Finally, as an overall principle, I will never take on walking, visits or sits, without meeting the owners and the pets. All of the services I offer involve a signifcant level of trust on both sides, and both must be entirely comfortable with the overall relationship and the specifics of the task. In my experience, this necessitates at least one meeting prior to any agreement.