Volunteer Dog Cuddlers Wanted!

If you’d love the companionship of a furry friend, but simply don’t have the ability to commit to owning a dog full time, becoming a Barking Mad volunteer host dog sitter could be just the answer! 

Barking Mad Dog Sitting hosts enjoy friendly dogs to visit for short stays and holidays, while their owners are away. Barking Mad organise every aspect of the dog’s holiday, which means collecting the dog from the owners’ home and dropping them off with their holiday host family. On the last day of the holiday, the dog is collected and returned back to their owner. Everything is organised so there’s nothing for the hosts to do except enjoy doggy companionship!

Existing hosts, Barbara and Andrew Buckland became Barking Mad hosts over 4 years ago, and love all the benefits that having dogs to stay on a regular basis can bring.

Barbara comments: “Having pets is a brilliant thing, and we have loved each and every one of our animals. But we are getting older now, and we felt taking on another dog of our own, from puppy age, would be a bit much for us – a full time commitment. We needed something a bit more flexible to suit our lifestyle.

“We always have a trial with the dog sleeping over for a night before their extended stay, so they can get comfortable in our home. Owners send everything like their bed, food and treats, and walking equipment like lead and collar or harness, but we always have a few spares of everything ourselves!

“It’s our job to get to know the dogs and replicate as much as possible of how their owner behaves in their own home.

“We soon get into a routine and it’s always a huge pleasure to have them with us.  When we come to the end of hosting a dog, we write the owner a postcard so they know exactly what they’ve been up to. It’s just a bit of fun but it makes a big difference.

“We get so much enjoyment out of being hosts. We receive a small amount of payment to pay for supplies, but I think that’s exactly right – we don’t do this for money, we do it because we love having animals in our life.”

With the growth in dog ownership over the past couple of years, Barking Mad are seeking to grow their host community and give even more people the opportunity to benefit from having a furry friend to stay. Most importantly, their dog sitters are true dog lovers! They are looking for people who are genuinely passionate about working with dogs and have experience looking after them.

If you like the idea of having a furry friend to stay to suit your schedule, to keep fit and healthy, and even helping to combat loneliness, why not get in touch with Barking Mad today to find out more!