Dog swap

Karen's dog-sitting skills have become quite well known in the Staffordshire village of Alrewas where she lives. 

"I look forward to having other people's dogs, especially if it helps them out," explained Karen, who only looks after dogs who get on with her own Labrador-cross, Millie. "Sometimes Millie gets a bit jealous but I compensate by giving her more attention. Other dogs have to fit in with her!" Karen said she understood why some people don't want to put their dogs in kennels.

"When I'm away, I don't worry about Izzy because I know she's being well looked after. It's important to me that she has love and lots of time outside.

"It doesn't hurt to ask people who you trust," she said. "However, I wouldn't approach anyone whose dog doesn't get on with your own or an owner who has more than one dog."

Always make sure your pet sitter has your dog's vet and insurance details too, just in case.

Top tips

• Research owners.

• Swap vet and insurance details.

• Ensure dogs get on beforehand.

A pet sitting service

Journalist Chris Moore, of Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, always calls in pet sitters to look after his two cats and two-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Ellie, and four-year-old Golden Retriever, Holly, when he is away.

"One of my cats gets really nervous and won't eat in a cattery so it suits us to employ a pet sitter," explained Chris. "For several years, I used a retired couple through an agency who were ideal. They'd been vetted by the agency and had references and I built up a good relationship with them.

"But then the woman died and I was faced with finding someone else." So Chris tried self-promotion to find a suitable successor. "I printed a picture of a Golden Retriever and made up a wanted poster which I put up in local vet surgeries and supermarkets," continued Chris. "A woman called up and came round to meet the animals. As a journalist, I form opinions of people very quickly and she struck me as a genuine animal lover. I was impressed with how she interacted with the cats and dogs. That was two years ago and now, every time I go away, she leaves her husband for a week and comes to live in my home." Chris said it worked out cheaper to have a pet sitter than to put four animals in a cattery and kennels, plus he believed his dogs prefer to be at home. "If I was a dog and had been put in kennels, I would be wondering when my owner was coming back." he added.

Another advantage of pet sitters is security. It's your decision who you allow in your house - someone you don't trust could be rifling through your things or having a wild party and going through an agency gives you peace of mind. A good sitter is worth their weight in gold."

Top pet sitting tips

• Choose a responsible agency.
• Advertising can be risky - make sure you are fully comfortable with the sitter and ensure you leave contact details with them.

Boarding Kennels

Boarding kennels are also an option for travelling owners. Ann Thomas, 56, from Shorne in Kent, is happy to put her dogs in kennels when she goes away - but not all six at once! "At least two dogs go to friends' kennels in Southfleet, about 10 minutes' drive away, while the others are looked after by a house sitter," explains Ann.

"We rotate the dogs each time as it's unfair to expect a house sitter to look after six at once. The dogs who go to the kennels are spoilt rotten and have acres of well-fenced land to run around in. While they are pleased to see us when we get back you can tell they don't really want to go home!

"It's a lovely feeling being able to totally trust someone with your animals. We have friends who are happy to drive two hours to kennels they trust."

Ann believes word of mouth is the best way to find a good kennels and had these words of advice: "Check to see where the dog will sleep and that the bedding is clean. If it's chilly, ask if there's heating, plus ensure the accommodation can cope with your dog's particular quirks - our Springer, for example, really likes to climb! Most importantly, do you actually like the person who runs the kennels? You want your dog to be 100 per cent happy."

It's also a good idea to leave your dog something familiar such as a blanket so he's not homesick!"

Top boarding tips

• Check out where your pet will sleep.
  
• Vaccinate against kennel cough.
  
• Advise staff on any special requirements.
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Take him with you

The ideal holiday for 33-year-old Alison Pope, of Yoxall, Staffordshire, is a camping trip with her five dogs. "I've been to Barbados and South Africa but spent the entire time thinking about my dogs and texting the pet sitter to check they were OK," said Alison, a mechanical electrical manager for a construction company. Since then, Alison's three Italian Spinones (four-year-old Tango, two-year-old Jaffa and Cio, aged nine months) plus her two Weimaraners (Hannah, aged one, and 10-year-old Sebastian) have enjoyed idyllic walks through the Welsh and Cornish countryside. "Our tent is so big it's like an aircraft hangar and the dogs have their own bedrooms," laughed Alison. "They love

camping and are really well behaved, although the tent is a state by the end of the holiday!" In fact, Alison is going one step further this August by getting the dogs passports so they can go on a camping holiday in France, Italy and Germany. "We'll be travelling on the Eurotunnel," continued Alison. "The dogs will be in their cages on our pickup, with all the camping gear in a trailer. We'll take a break every four or five hours, plus I'm investing in a special air conditioning unit to keep the dogs cool. If I wasn't with my dogs, it wouldn't be much of a holiday."
For anyone thinking of taking their dog abroad, contact the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) with any queries or concerns.

Pet travel

• Check out any restrictions on travelling with your pet.

• Ensure that you have an updated Pet Passport.

• Make sure that the injections are kept fully up-to-date.