The Premises
The house I’ve taken care of on several occasions now is a smaller, bungalow-style home situated on a point of land north of Toledo where the Ottawa River and the Maumee River flow into Lake Erie. It’s owned by a couple who both work in higher education, as evidenced by the thousands of books, DVDs, and CDs that load its many bookshelves. There is a large backyard that’s perfect for the resident dog and his human companions to play in.
The Job
On three occasions, I’ve taken care of a home in Point Place, Toledo and the enormous dog and three box turtles who live there. These housesits have lasted from four days to a week. The dog is a lovable 120-pound giant who is strong, gentle, and loving. The challenge in taking care of him is that he’s clumsy and doesn’t know his own strength. Unless you’re on your toes, it’s possible to get whipped by his rapidly-wagging tail, stepped on by his prodigious feet, or knocked on the head by his volleyball-sized skull. The turtles are easy to care for and require only regular feeding and changing of water in their tank. One of them has a dangerous (to him) habit of flipping over on his back and being unable to right himself, so the tank requires frequent spot checks to ensure he’s OK.
The Client Reference
It is such a pleasure to recommend Jim for a pet sitting and/or a house sitting position. Jim has watched our very wacky, sweet, hundred plus pound Pitbull every time we leave town. We wouldn’t have it any other way, and are so grateful to him for doing so.
Before Jim began watching Strider for us, we placed our dog Strider in a kennel (for the first time ever) for a few days, and the result just made us all sad. Strider came home anxiety-ridden and wouldn’t lay on the floor for days (not only was he scared in the kennel, but he was wildly uncomfortable too).
Strider is a home body, and it is wonderful knowing we absolutely do not have to worry about him, since he is in Jim’s care. When we returned from our last trip away in January, Strider was so relaxed when we got home that I texted Jim “What did you do with our dog? He is so Zen!” Clearly, Strider not only did not miss “his pack,” he got pretty darned comfortable with his new one!
When we travel, Jim stays in our home with our dog, Strider, and our three aquatic turtles. This, for us, is the ideal. I am sure we could hire someone to check on Strider three times a day, but it is not the arrangement that is right for our dog. It is wonderful knowing that a trusted friend is watching our favorite furry friend and staying with him in our home.Jim is considerate, caring, and serious, and I cannot recommend him enough for such a position. I or my husband welcome the opportunity to speak with you about Jim’s qualifications at any time.
