Abigail

Throughout my childhood, my family and I have owned and cared for multiple pets, especially dogs. I have spent over 13 years surrounded by dogs, and have actively looked after my family's dogs for the past 7 years before attending University. Back home we currently own Simba, a Jack Russel x Chihuahua, who is turning 7 this year and Scarlet, a working black Labrador, who is 2. I love to take them outdoors on hikes in the surrounding areas, and play with the box of 'squeaky' toys that we have for them. Since Scarlet is a working dog, I follow strict guidelines when walking her to comply with the training for her work. Simba is extremely affectionate, so most of my time at home is spent cuddling him and having him follow me around the house. I have looked after other dogs, also while babysitting children, from a variety of breeds and sizes.

Personally, I prefer looking after small and medium sized dogs, but I also have plenty of experience with larger dogs and dogs of all ages.

When looking after dogs before, I have also helped out with looking after other pets, specifically cats

and am happy to do so for a small additional fee so you can rest knowing all of your fur babies are taken care of. One thing I find really important when looking after pets is keeping the owners updated! Previous people that I have dog-sat for can attest that I always send through updates about their pets, and include pictures so you know what your pet is up to during the day. I'm also more than happy to look after multiple dogs at once.

A little bit about me, I've always loved animals and, although I do consider myself to be a dog person, I recently rescued a cat called Nevada from Lithuania who now lives with my boyfriend and I here in the Hague. My boyfriend Ryan and I have been together for around 2 years and both love getting outdoors. I am Scottish, but have been living here for almost four years for university. Just recently I completed my thesis for my Master's degree at Leiden, so am now a lot more free to look after dogs. Aside from pet sitting, I am a freelance group fitness instructor, meaning I work at multiple gyms and teach around one class for an hour most days. For the rest of my day, I love to get outside and go for walks all around the Hague, whether that be in some of the forests or walking to the beach.

For dog walks, I am happy to go at any time of the day and more than happy to explore different areas of the Hague like the beach. For house visits, I usually check all the necessities first like water and food, before spending time playing and cuddling with the dog(s). Finally, for dog sitting overnight I always like to discuss with the owners every detail about the dog's routine to make sure I can stick to that as much as possible to make the transition for them easier. I also like to do a home visit beforehand to get to know the environment, places to walk the dog(s), and also if there are any other pets that may need looking after as well.

I hope this tells you a little about myself and how I look after pets when pet sitting! If you have any questions please feel free to message as I am more than happy to answer and ease any worries you may have about the process.