Sharon

I am recently retired from the NHS where I worked for 26 years as a mental health nurse. I am still fit and well and want to continue to lead an active life. I have always loved all animals and since retiring I have joined a charity called Saving Strays which works to save dogs abandoned in countries affected by war. I work in a volunteering capacity to vet potential new owners of the dogs under the charity's care. I am at home everyday of the week and do not have any time constraints so thought that I would make a caring and useful dog sitter/walker. My husband is retired but goes to his workshop most days. I have my two sons living at home with me but they are working so out of the house during the day. We are all dog lovers.

As mentioned above I live on the river and my garden has a gate leading out onto Singlers Marsh which is a large open public area where many people walk their dogs. If you are concerned about your dog having access to the river we have a gate that can be used on the bridge to stop the dogs from going across it, which prevents them from accessing the river. I would add that the river is shallow about 1 foot at its deepest, so its name is rather misleading. My dogs never go in the river. I have a large patio area and have secure gates at either end of the patio. The garden is large and is fully secure.

I am experienced with small and medium dogs only, as never having owned a bigger dog. Previous to owning my two current dogs I have owned 3 pugs, although not all at once, plus a chihuahua.

I am only able to accommodate 1 dog overnight due to already having two dogs of my own. My dogs are placid and love mixing with other dogs. My dogs sleep in the kitchen so I would expect the boarding dog to do the same. It's a large kitchen with access to water at all times. However during the day my dogs and a boarding dog would be able to follow me around the house if they wish, there would be no restrictions. In the evening I watch TV and my dogs sit with me on the sofa. I would expect the boarding dog to do the same if they wanted to. I walk my own dogs twice per day so would do the same for the boarding dog.  

I can groom dogs and can administer oral and injectable medication due to my nursing background. One of my own dogs suffers with seizures so has daily medication.

I can walk 2 dogs at a time and can walk for up to an hour at each walk up to twice per day. I can do home visits to let dogs out to toilet etc and could do that twice per day too.