FAQ’s for Dogcare Services

Q: What happens if I’ve purchased miniday package x3 but subsequently decide I need a full day care for my dog?

A: It’s no problem, you can decide to upgrade a miniday to a maxiday, for a supplement of £8.00, any time you wish.  Just let us know in advance and we will check our daily availability.

Q: What happens if I need to change the day of my booking at short notice?

A: We understand that in busy lives things can change at short notice.  We will always try to be flexible and as long as we have availability we will simply change the day for you.  We just ask that you give us at least 48 hours notice of any changes to your planned schedule.

Q: Can I book your services before going through the ‘nose to nose’ assessment process?

A: We only make our services available to members of Pet Life Balance.  To become a member you must go through our assessment in advance of making any bookings.  Our members are invited to ‘join up’ after a detailed discussion covering their petcare needs, and of course, a successful introduction with their dog.  We believe we need to begin the bond with your dog through a friendly ‘nose to nose’ in home territory.  We also observe how you and your family interact with her/him and find out lots of information about your dog’s lifestyle, health and the little traits you know and love!

Q: I’d like to use you for a weekly short walk, say one hour, one day per week?

A: We don’t provide short walks to/from home base.  We’ve made this decision for a really good reason.  We aim to become an essential part of your care routine, trusted by you and your pet for support any time you need us.  Our experience is that it takes more than an irregularly booked hour’s walk to properly bond with our dogs.  Each day we work hard at forming ‘companion groups’ enabling them to get to know each other really well.  As a result, we too get to know a lot about the dogs in our care, how they interact, just as if they were part of our own family.  It would be unfair to introduce unfamiliar doggy visitors for short bursts of time.  Also, high volume one hour walks equal long periods travelling in the car from home to home.  We do not wish to expose our dogs to this type of day when they could be out playing!

Q: I notice I can only purchase a minimum of 3 minidays/maxidays with you.  What if I don’t wish to immediately book as many as 3 days at one time?

A: That’s perfectly ok.  Our minidays and maxidays can be purchased in blocks of 3 / 7 / 14 and you can use them any time you wish.  However, you must have credits in your account in order to be able to book our services.  If you purchase the minimum package of three you can make one or two definite bookings and we will keep the remaining credit (s) in reserve for you.  You will receive regular reminders about the level of credits you have left in your account.

We can also be contacted any time by using our contact form   TALK TO US

FAQ’s for Cat Petsitting Services

Q. How many times a day would you usually visit my home when I am away?

A. We would recommend a morning and an evening visit each day but this is for you to decide.   It will depend on the routine your cat is used to and what you feel comfortable with.  We will discuss the best frequency for your family cat during the initial ‘nose to nose’ assessment and also will follow up with you prior to each individual booking you make.

Q. What times do you visit?

A. There is flexibility to arrange visits to your home at any time within our working hours.  We aim to arrive at your home within 20 minutes either side of your preferred time, dependent upon our daily schedule and traffic considerations.

Q. I would prefer my cat/s to be fed later at night, after 6.30 pm, can you organise this?

A. We can offer a later visit time between 6.30 pm and 8.00 pm but this there is an additional charge of £2.00 each visit for this service

Q. My cat is used to going out and uses a cat flap, can I still allow this in my absence?

A. For your cat’s safety we prefer them to be kept indoors, that way you know they will be safe and always have access to food.  Initially, until your cat gets to know us, they will feel the change in routine and with a different person being around they may decide not to come back into the house, waiting for your expected return.  However, if you prefer to give your cat outdoor access we are happy to do this, but at your own risk.

Q. What if my cat does not return after being out, or, is not around when you visit?

A. We will as normal leave food out and change litter trays.  We will spend time trying our best to encourage your cat to return using your calls and/or treats.  We will record this information in the daily log and if we are concerned we will contact you if required.

Q. My cat is not used to being left alone and I am worried they may get stressed or not eat?

A. Cats are very sensitive to change and can react in different ways.  However we have many years’ of experience and will  know if your cat is reacting badly to your absence.  All our pet parents complete a detailed assessment form prior to us providing our services, so we will be armed with lots of information about your cat’s behaviour, likes and dislikes.  This helps us to do the best for your cat and should we have any concern we will always contact you.

Q. My cat is not very sociable/not good with strangers, how will you manage this?

A. Don’t worry this is not unusual for cats.  Even if your cat goes into hiding at the sound of an unknown person in their home, we will skilfully find them, offer treats, give their favourite food speak to them and generally try to make friends.  We do not shy away from more determined challenging cats whose first line of defence is to lash out and we are very patient with shy, timid ones too.

Q. How long will you actually spend with my cat?

A. Each visit will be approximately 40 minutes.  After feeding and cleaning litter trays that leaves us time to socialise with your cat.  This could involve playing, grooming, petting or just keeping them company and making them feel comfortable with their pet mentor.

Q. Do you provide services for multi-cat owners – I have more than two cats?

A. It’s not unusual for people who love cats to have quite a few – intended or not!  As experienced ‘cat’ people we live in multi-cat households so know the joys and the not so joyful aspects of this – the dominance behaviour the occasional fight, the ever challenging territory marking.   Since you will have completed an  assessment for each cat we will be aware of any issues and the relationships between different cats.  For caring for more than two cats in one household there is an additional supplement of £2.00 per cat.

Q. How do I book and pay for the services I require?

A. Once you are confirmed as a member of Pet Life Balance we ask you to purchase petsitting credits in advance of booking our services.  Your credits can be purchased online in packages of 3 / 7 /14 petsitting credits.  You will be given BAC’s details to enable you to make a direct transaction to make your payments.  You can then use your credits any time you wish, we will also keep you informed when you need to top up credits.  Most of our members use email to book their petsitting requirements, we always respond to booking requests within 24 hours.

We can also be contacted any time by using our contact form   TALK TO US