House Sitting West Elgin

About: Hello! My name is Mike and I've been fostering dogs since 2019. I've had approximately 18 come and go, only foster "failing" (foster dogs who I ended up keeping) with two who stayed and had the best golden years. I lost my most recent boy in August, a blind Bichon, just shy of his 12th birthday and after 3 great years. He was type-1 diabetic and blind, and after so much time as a foster getting his insulin regulated, he decided I was his forever family. He had a sister when I got him, a senior Yorkie with diabetes insipidus and a host of health issues. All that is to say I'm a professional at insulin, rigid medication schedules and diet maintenance. Presently I have no dogs of my own. When it comes to your dog, I'll keep your daily routine and walk schedules too, so your pups stay is as minimally disruptive to their normal routine as possible. I've fostered dogs of many breeds from Chihuahuas and a Rat Terrier to a Golden Retriever and Saint Bernard. I've had as many as 4 dogs at once so I'm open to having multiple pups at once. I'll never accept dogs from multiple families unless both families are booking together and the dogs are socialized with each other already. And I'll never cancel a confirmed stay for a more lucrative multi-dog request. I live alone in a detached house in Wallaceburg, and I work from home so your dog won't be left alone aside from short errands. I'm not big on crating dogs, leaving them free to be where they like while I'm gone. I have a den with glass door if you tell me they need smaller quarters, or you can bring your crate for me to use. I have a large fenced yard for playing fetch or dogs who need to run. This is a total dog house. I bought it due to its flat land and not having stairs, and I built a ramp down to the yard. I installed a dog door but it will stay blocked unless having access is suitable for your pups. Dogs are welcome on the couch and the bed, and will have free roam of the house (there's no basement, and garage isn't accessible). House sitting radius: the Rover app limits a 100km radius when setting the territory I can offer the services. I've got my radius set Eastward to circle Toronto, as I grew up there and love an opportunity to take gigs that get me into the city. Unfortunately I can't draw a circle that includes Windsor, but I'm happy to take gigs there too. If you're in London, Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, Brantford, or the GTA, and you have a dog that can be left alone for 2-3hrs max, I may be willing to offer discounts on price so I can catch up with family and friends in those areas while I'm there. If you have any questions or you'd like to arrange a tour or meet and greet, don't hesitate to reach out. I work fulltime hours from home, typical office hours. I'm usually awake by 7am and bed by midnight. I don't have many friends in town so I'm home most of the time. My yard is fully fenced. I have a couple Tile tracking tags that I can attach to their collar if they're an escape artist (or you'd like to track your pups location remotely). Hazardous items like cleaning products are kept in cupboards or in my detached garage. My house is pretty dog proofed and I'm not concerned if your pup has an accident. That's what mops and upholstery cleaners are for. I think I've developed pretty good dog body language, and only correct misbehaviour by command and redirection. I'm a bit of a sucker that let's them get carried away when they're being silly, but particularly with bigger dogs I'll make sure their training is maintained (no jumping up to greet, making sure they don't assert dominance etc.)

“Sonya is great with communication and replies quickly, showed up early and stayed in touch multiple times throughout the day sending pictures of our boys. We'll definitely be reaching out again in the future!”

Amy T.

“HIGHLY RECOMMEND! Walter was kind enough to accept a lasting team booking for my 22 month old Great Dane and senior Beagle. I was super nervous leaving a 140lbs puppy for a few nights, but after meeting Walter for the first time and seeing his calm, gentle demeanor with my boys; I was instantly at comfort! It was noticeable he has a lot of experience with giant size, active dogs. Each day I received multiple pictures of Walter and my boys on walks, sniffing around, having treats, and snuggling. It definitely felt good knowing they were having as much fun as me when I was away! Walter not only took meticulous care of my boys, he also kept my place perfectly clean. He even walked them again right before I came home, which bought me some extra time to relax with them when I got back. Thank you Walter! We certainly hope you will consider us again in the future!”

Michelle V.

“Lisa is absolutely amazing! She took such great care of my pup Henry and treated him like her own. It gave me so much peace of mind knowing he was in loving and capable hands. Highly recommend her to anyone who wants the best for their fur babies!”

Tiffany D.

“Rachel is a lovely person and our dogs were immediately at ease and excited to see her. She sent us daily pictures which we appreciated and we came home to find two happy dogs who very much appreciated getting to stay home while we were away. Thank you!”

Valerie L.

“I can't thank you enough for watching our little pet family. I was a very nervous first time Rover pet parent but you put my mind at ease right from the meet and greet. I appreciated the updates throughout the stay and can't recommend you enough. Thank you Yoda!”

Rovena V.