Dog Sitters in Shacklefords Fork, VA

David

Diane and Les were excellent pet and house sitters. Jet was a very happy dog when we returned and Diane had shared many photos of their days together while we were away on holiday. The house was very clean and tidy when we returned and some milk , bread and sweet treats had been left for us, which were very welcome after our 2 long flights home. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Diane and Les as sitters for your home and pets, everything was done to a high standard and Jet was happy in his usual environment , which is all we wished for. Many thanks to you both.

Suzie

Evan and Maria were fabulous. They are experienced sitters and it shows in their independence. They sent regular updates, but not too regular and were totally self sufficient. Most importantly both the house and dog were perfect when we returned home.

Leslie

I’m sure most folks say the nicest things about their sitter, but honestly, if there were a “super star” status available then Denise would win the prize as sitter of the year!

From the start, Denise was an excellent communicator.  While we were still in the decision phase, Denise was always available to chat either by FaceTime, telephone or text.  It was so easy to choose Denise; as you can see from her countless 5 star reviews, she truly is the only pet sitter you’d ever need and the one everyone hopes to have.  

Denise came to our house eager to meet us, our pets and the quirks of our house.  Denise has an excellent sense of humor and immediately put us all at ease.  Our pets took to her as if she was a long lost friend (even our finicky Siamese cat was loving on her from the start).  

While we were gone, our dog had a non-emergency health issue come up and just like that Denise was taking her to our vet, and administered the dog’s meds like a champion (Denise is also a nurse BTW).  Additionally, Denise brought our pup to her scheduled groom appointments and even made future appointments for us to make our return home as seamless as possible.

Denise was even above and beyond helpful to our neighbors and they appreciated her giving them access to our refrigerator when theirs broke down on Thanksgiving Eve!  

When we got home we were super impressed by how perfectly immaculate our house was!  Most sitters leave the house clean, but Denise met and may have even exceeded our military standards of clean and orderly.  Seriously, our house felt like we never left it.  Everything was spotless, shinny and clean.  She didn’t miss a beat!!  Our pets were so happy to see us but honestly, I felt like our pup and kitty were disappointed when we walked in the door (I believe they were expecting to see Denise!).  Haha.  

If you are ever fortunate enough to have Denise apply for any of your sits then I can’t recommend her enough.  Seriously, you can stop reviewing applicants and just go with Denise.  She was awesome in every sense of the word and I hope she’ll come back and stay with our pets again.

Koni

Robyn was a great pet sitter and house sitter.  She  went way over and beyond my expectations!!!! She sent a photo of her and my dogs and they were looking at her like they were in love.  And my cats are not very friendly, but she won them over also.  I would highly recommend Robyn as a pet sitter and house sitter.  She is a very sweet lady.  I would love to have her watch my babies again and again.

Melanie

Cyndi was fabulous. I'd describe her as the no fuss no muss dog sitter. While some dog sitters need guidance on every little detail, Cyndi was completely self-sufficient. She left the home in perfect shape and totally adored my pup. I'd gladly welcome her back anytime!

Nadine

Katie & Kevin jumped in last-minute, as our sitters had to cancel. And what can I say: We couldn't have chosen better even if we would had more choices and time. Katie & Kevin were so easy to communicate with and the first meeting and handoff were so easy and smooth. We could go on vacation with peace of mind knowing our dog and 2 ponies are in the best hands. Katie & Kevin: Thank you so much for looking after our animals so well !!!

Anne

The two-leggeds and four-legged members of this household give Tess a 5-star rating! We think she's one of the best sitters you will find - highly communicative, friendly, competent, reliable, and great with pets. Tess was also flexible about start and end dates to accomodate possible winter weather complications. For this sit, Tess was able to bring along her mom, Cathy. Tess introduced me to Cathy during one of our Skype conversations prior to the sit. It was a bonus to have her here with Tess. Their travel to Marquette was complicated by weather. A fierce winter storm swept across Michigan just before the sit. It took Tess and Cathy two days to drive here but they arrived, as promised, in time for us to fly out early the next morning. We even had time for a lovely dinner together and to introduce them to the dogs and house. We left the next day and never had a moment's worry while Tess and Cathy were caring for our pets and home. Tess sent us regular updates and photos. The dogs immediately accepted them as great new additions to their pack of friends - even our cranky, old chihuahua, Nike! We returned to happy pets and a spotlessly clean home. We plan to invite Tess (and Cathy if available) to return for future sits. Thank you, Tess and Cathy!

Sidney & Larry

Oh my Goodness!  Where to begin.  Linda was the perfect house sitter for us and the perfect pet sitter for Olivia!  She is one of the nicest people you will ever meet.  When we returned from out two week vacation all our plants were alive, the garden was alive, the birds and fish had been fed regularly, and the dog was alive and happy!  What more can you ask for, right?  Well with Linda you get all that and more.  Updates as you request - even videos of her morning walks with Olivia.  The house as spotless as we left it, maybe even better! Even the porches were clean!  Linda is a genuine treasure and our recommendation would be 10 stars if there were that many!!

Heather

Veronica House sat for us for a month.  She cared for our two Dobermans and our cat.

Veronica is so enthusiastic about animals.  They immediately pick up on her joy and love for them.

When some bold alligators made our dogs’ normal exercise routine unsafe,  she was faced with the challenging situation of keeping two Dobermans with very different temperaments exercised and entertained in the height of Florida summer with its bugs, heat, and humidity.  She met this challenge by taking the dogs for individual outings. She drove our young social dog to the dog park, finding the times when he would most likely have other large playmates and drove our socially anxious dog to the quiet areas of town for walks.  This took a lot more time than our normal routine, but it kept our dogs safe and happy.

A lasting benefit for us is that our younger dog, once a terror in the car, now rides much more calmly and our anxious dog, once fearful of what the car ride would bring, now happily hops in.
 
Our cat was so content and well-groomed​ upon my return, it was obvious that she had been getting lots of daily attention,  too.

Veronica communicated with us on all the happenings with our pets and property every day.

I came home to happy and healthy pets and a well cared for home.

We feel so fortunate to have had Veronica as a house sitter and look forward to her sitting for us again.

Ruth

You could not ask for better house and pet sitters than Ken and Jane! 

Before the sit: Communicating with Ken and Jane prior to our scheduled week went smoothly. They were proactive about planning. They came out to the house prior to the sit and spent a couple of hours going over things about the house, meeting the pets, and getting familiar and comfortable with everything. They were delightful people to meet; I was wishing for a couple of days to just hang out and play tourist with them!

During the sit: Ken and Jane sent me daily updates and photos of their outings with my pups and with their interactions with my kitties. I appreciated how they chose the sit partly because of their love of exploring rural areas, because that's what I have here! They were perfectly suited to my home and pets. Ken absolutely loves cats and is an intuitive and experienced kitty-handler. Jane really bonded with one of my kitties; both of them made great progress with all three of my cats, each of which is pretty shy at first, and one can be a real problem child. They worked very hard to give love to each pet and ensure that each felt calm, happy, and cared for. They spend tons of time outdoors with my border collie/retrievers. The dogs had daily "spa time" after walks and outdoor playtime, having their long fur brushed on my front porch (which the dogs love!). They sent me happy photos every day. If anything came up, they just handled it. They really seemed to enjoy their adventures and the pets each day, which made my time away that much more enjoyable.

After the sit: I was thankful to have some time with Ken and Jane when I returned from my trip. All the pets were calm, happy, and healthy when I got home. Ken and Jane had left me a detailed note about that last day to make re-entry easy. They sweetly left a thank you note and a bottle of wine on the kitchen table also (a very sweet and unexpected surprise!). They seemed quite sad to leave my "kids;" Jane left with tears in her eyes, saying goodbye to my dogs. We've kept in touch since the sit. My whole house really misses them. Oh, and the house was immaculate and plants all watered (inside and out) when I got home! 

If you're looking for kind, competent, caring, organized and responsible people to care for your home and pets, invite Ken and Jane!