Holiday for Ella

Emily

Emily

Location
Melbourne, Australia
Whenever we've been away we've used family and friends to help with Ella.

In a couple of weeks, we'll be a way for two nights but we every single one of our tried and trusted Ella carers are away. In Aus, we have an ANZAC Day public holiday on the 25th April and this year that falls three days after Easter Monday. That means the week is a bit of a write off.

So, I've been on the Madpaws website and have found a doggy babysitter a five minute walk from home with 180 five start reviews. I was initially drawn to her profile as she states that the dogs can stay inside with her and sleep on the furniture too 🙂. She responded immediately and I'm taking Ella to meet her on Saturday morning.

I'm sooooooo nervous about the idea of leaving Ella with someone that I don't really know but hopefully I'll get a good feel for her on Saturday.

Also, if all goes well, she actually offers dog walking too so that might be a good thing to have up my sleeve.

The website has a pretty good checklist including a section where you list the top three things that you do NOT want someone to do with your dog. But, if anyone has any other questions that they recommend I ask, I'm all ears... :nod:
 
snowbunny

snowbunny

Location
Andorra and Spain
That sounds promising, although I understand why you're nervous! I don't think I could leave any of my dogs with someone I don't know (or most of the people I do know!) because they're all a bit "special needs"! :D

I would think of any "bad behaviour" that Ella is most likely to get up to, and ask how they would address it. If it's not acceptable to you, suggest your method and see how they are with taking that on board.
 
Emily

Emily

Location
Melbourne, Australia
snowbunny said:
or most of the people I do know!
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Oh yes, I understand this. I've had a few friends offer and I've had to politely decline. Don't get me wrong, they love their own dogs but they don't know my Ella, the human in disguise.

snowbunny said:
I would think of any "bad behaviour" that Ella is most likely to get up to, and ask how they would address it. If it's not acceptable to you, suggest your method and see how they are with taking that on board.
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Hmm, I like your idea. To be honest, the only real "bad" behaviour that Ella has is that she can still act like a bloomin' nightmare when meeting other dogs. Which, as she has her own dog, she'll get to see first hand when we meet on Saturday so I'll get to talk about it straight away.
 
MellowYellow

MellowYellow

Good luck; I hope this person is perfect for you and Ella! It's always an issue going away and leaving them behind... I hate it and always worry.
 
Candy

Candy

Biscuit Tin Guardian
Location
West Yorkshire, UK
Perhaps a bit like Snowbunny, I'd like to ask what she considers to be 'unacceptable behavior' and what she would do about this. If it was my GGJ I would want to be sure there would be no punishment of any sort, including raised voices and that she would be removed/protected from anything that frightened her. I'd also want her to feel loved in my absence. Not too much to ask, surely?
 
Candy

Candy

Biscuit Tin Guardian
Location
West Yorkshire, UK
Years ago we left Solstice, a hugely confident, full on dog, with a youngish man we knew quite well ( we also had known his parents for years) in our house for three days while we went away with my brother and family to scatter my mum's ashes off the Isle of Wight. We arrived home and all was completely fine. Friends in the local pub said that they had seen Solstice out on good long walks with the young man concerned, and Solstice was her usual ebullient self. EXCEPT.... Ever after that when she saw him, she completely ignored him. Solstice loved, loved, loved people, far more than she loved dogs. She went totally bananas if she saw anyone who she had engaged with before, however briefly. Neither of us ever had reason to think that the person who looked after her for those three days had deliberately mistreated her in any way, we came to the conclusion that he just wasn't really a 'dog person'. He had done the basic essentials, but not engaged with her and loved her. All my dogs (infact all dogs I suspect) are such sociable beings, that to not love them and engage with them leaves them confused and bereft. They are animals that like to be part of a pack, after all. We never left Solstice with him again. I will only leave Joy with people who I can tell she's pleased to see. What Swampy has said makes a great deal of sense to me.Good luck.xx
 
Shaz82

Shaz82

Location
Essex, U.K.
If this lady also does dog walking you could have her take Ella out a few times first, then she won't be left with a total stranger, maybe go with her to see how they are together. She sounds good though by your description.
 
Loraseal

Loraseal

Location
The Hague, The Netherlands
I found somebody from Pawshake and they stayed in our house last summer . I was a little worried(house and dog!) at first but she would pop by during the week (in the evening) to just to take Hunter for a walk to get used to him. (No money required for the walks!) Every time she came to the door Hunter went crazy for her. So the bond was there and she really made a huge fuss of him. I did take a copy of her passport just in case.:nod:
 
HAH

HAH

Moderator
Location
Devon, UK
Loraseal said:
I found somebody from Pawshake and they stayed in our house last summer . I was a little worried(house and dog!) at first but she would pop by during the week (in the evening) to just to take Hunter for a walk to get used to him. (No money required for the walks!) Every time she came to the door Hunter went crazy for her. So the bond was there and she really made a huge fuss of him. I did take a copy of her passport just in case.:nod:
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I quickly read that as “I did take her passport” and thought wow, @Loraseal ’s playing hardball :hmm:
 
Emily

Emily

Location
Melbourne, Australia
So we had our meet and greet at the lady (and her husband's) house this morning. I loved them, and so did Ella :heart:

They have a beautiful 14 year old black lab called Molly and they said that she rules the house and gets to decide whether or not another dog is allowed to stay. So, we let Ella into the back yard and introduced her to Molly. They were instantly relaxed in each other's company and Molly even tried to initiate play, even though she didn't actually manage to start playing :)

Ella was also super friendly and relaxed with the lady and her husband and instantly seemed to bond with the husband. He played a little game with her and gave her a good fuss and she was absolutely beaming. The lady was, a little rustic, but really lovely and actually reminded me of Ella's breeder. We had a great chat and I just know that they are my kind of dog people.

I'll still be nervous leaving her but I'm feeling really pleased with our new friends
 
Jen

Jen

That sounds good Emily.

I liked our dog walker from the minute I met her, she was so happy and bouncy. A bit like a Labrador.

OH is on nights sometimes when she comes to get Stanley and he said he can hear her screeching in the kitchen with him and Stanley doing a full dance 🙈

If I see her when we’re out and about he always tries to go with her instead of me as well. I take that as a good review.. even if it does hurt my feelings a little bit 😔
 
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