PLEASE NOTE: WE ARE UNABLE TO HOST MALE DOGS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN NEUTERED OR FEMALE DOGS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN SPAYED. AFTER LONG YEARS OF EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH DOGS, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO GUARANTEE THEIR SAFETY AND WELL -BEING (to the extent we can control) IF THEY ARE NOT NEUTERED or SPAYED. SADLY, WE CANNOT HOST GERMAN SHEPHERD DOGS, PIT BULLS or AMERICAN XL BULLIES. We are a married couple who work from home. We are home all day, so we are practically always with our (and by extension YOUR) dogs. We do occasionally go out for dinner, or to theatre, as the change of scenery is essential to our well being. If you expect us to forfeit the ability to do so in order to host your dog, (as one of our recent owners did), please stop reading and go to another sitter's page. As mature, responsible, and loving dog owners ourselves, we know how to balance our work and social lives in such a way as to ensure our dogs are well exercised and properly looked after. Oh, and we NEVER leave ANY dog in a car unattended; not our own, not yours. If you have a dog that has a history of aggression of ANY sort, please do not book with us. We find that such dogs really require a household with no other resident or visiting dogs. We have Voodoo, a female Australian Shepherd born in 2019, who entered our lives in July 2020 and instantly brought our house back to life. We also have a young male Mini American / Australian Shepherd, Cobweb, who arrived shortly after we realised that Australian Shepherds are a highly intelligent bunch, but they also feature an 'OFF' button :-). (If you are interested in Australian Shepherds or Miniature American Shepherds, ask us about our friend who breeds both...She is THE BEST!) Both of our dogs rescued us from our deep sadness at having had to wave our two longtime rescued canine companions goodbye within six months of each other in 2020. Both my husband and I have owned dogs all of our lives. We simply couldn't imagine a home without at least two to greet us in the morning and whenever we walk through the front door. We have lived with all sorts of dogs, from Standard Poodles to Yorkshire Terriers and every sort and size in between, and we have loved all of them through every stage of life, from the zaniest, bounciest part of puppyhood, to the heart-breaking decline of old age. All of our dogs have lived to great age. We like to think that is because we treat them with love and tenderness, exercising them often and NOT over-feeding them. We have a detached house in Putney with a sizeable garden which is completely fenced in and secure. We are a short walk from Putney Heath, and we walk in Richmond Park when the restrictions there allow off-lead walking. If your dog is house trained and not too stinky (You know who you are!), we'd love to have him or her come and stay. He or she will be loved as we love our own. AS A COURTESY TO US, PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR DOG & HIS/HER BEDDING IS CLEAN WHEN YOU DROP OFF. STINKY DOGS AND BEDS ARE YUCKY AND WILL NOT INCUR GOODWILL. IF WE NEED TO BATHE YOUR DOG OR LAUNDER HIS/HER BEDDING, IN ORDER TO ENSURE OUR HOME DOES NOT SMELL LIKE A BARN, WE WILL CHARGE YOU FOR THE SERVICE. PLEASE NOTE: REGRETFULLY WE CANNOT ACCEPT PUPPIES OR DOGS THAT ARE NOT COMPLETELY HOUSEBROKEN, NOR CAN WE ACCEPT ANY DOG THAT IS NOT NEUTERED or BITCH THAT IS NOT SPAYED. If you wish to collect your dog at the end of the departure day, we will charge you for the daycare. Please understand that dropping off early in the morning on day 1 and collecting in the evening of the last day constitutes one night and one day of care. Please be mindful that we have a life too, so try to be punctual. Drop off before 9am by pre-arrangement only. No collections after 7 pm please, unless there's a REALLY good story. We have a completely fenced in back garden. Our own three dogs are lively and friendly and will keep your dog company or if he or she is shy, plus there’s plenty of space for quiet time. We work from home. We have two dogs of our own. That means we keep one another company during the day, and we all go out for walkies regularly. We are on site to supervise the doggie play and to coax the shy ones out of their shells. Our guests are free to wander in and out all day in the warmer months, and during the winter, we go out for fresh air on a regular schedule. We have always worked from home, so we are not home temporarily due to the Pandemic. We are in most of the day every day, so your canine friend will have our company as well as that of our three dogs. We walk on a regular schedule. Longer walks in the cooler months, shorter when it's hot.