Although relocating to a new nation is an incredible experience, it is not without difficulties. especially for dog owners who, should they decide to take a trip, have no one to watch over their beloved canine companion. To help you and your pet relax, there is DogBuddy, an app and web-based platform that connects dog owners with other dog enthusiasts.
Finding a dog sitter while you go on vacation is one of the most difficult things since you don’t think about it until it’s too late. If you recently moved to a new nation and don’t yet have a support network you can turn to in times of need, that effort is considerably more difficult.
So, what happens when you go away and can’t take Fido with you? The Local talked to dog owners who were expats and had figured out how to balance their international lifestyle with taking good care of their cherished pet while they went on vacation.
Bo, the McVeys, and
Nicole McVey relocated to Paris from Miami in 2016 along with her husband John and their Golden Retriever, Bo. Their son Milo was born while they were residing in Paris.
We wanted to make the most of the opportunity to travel and see different cultures that coming to Europe provided, so we had to locate a service that would look after Bo while we were away.
The family had used a dog sitting service while they were living at home in the US, so they were familiar with them. However, their relocation to France brought with it a particular set of difficulties. Nicole and John were wary of using the internet to hire a dog sitter because neither of them spoke the native tongue.
Nicole claims that when she discovered DogBuddy, a dog sitting service operating in eight nations including France, the UK, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, and Germany, her worries were quickly allayed. Even if you haven’t fully learned the local language, paying the sitter doesn’t require any awkward interactions or language barriers because you can do it securely through the website or app.
Nicole says it gave her peace of mind to be able to go through dog sitter profiles with photographs, bios, and ratings and reviews left by other dog owners.
“I just scan profiles where I think the person appears approachable and cooperative. Because our dog is big, it’s crucial to choose a sitter with enough space. Since I spend most of my time at home with him and our son, it’s crucial that we locate someone who has assistance from a partner because he’s accustomed to our presence, she says.
According to Nicole, whose family has employed three to four different sitters from the website, none of these requirements have presented a problem.
According to Nicole, whose family has employed three to four different sitters from the website, none of these requirements have presented a problem.
Maurice and Sophie
Following their 2016 move with their dog Maurice from the UK to Sweden, Sophie Miskiw and her partner share a comparable tale.
“We didn’t know a single other person in Stockholm. We were going on our first holiday and when you don’t know anyone, it’s quite restricting. You feel like you can’t go anywhere, but DogBuddy allowed us to feel like we had a support network.”
Sophie says her dog is like her child, so safety and security are key concerns when choosing a service and a sitter.
“He’s my baby and you wouldn’t leave your child with someone you didn’t feel comfortable with. You want someone that you know is going to look after him and give him love while you’re away,” she says.
It’s not only the sitter that Sophie felt confident with. It was also reassuring, she explains, knowing that Maurice was protected by DogBuddy’s vet coverage and liability insurance.
“It’s a relief knowing that if something happens to Maurice while he’s with the sitter, he can immediately see a vet.”
Not only Maurice’s owners enjoyed a well-earned vacation. Sophie recalled getting a picture of him having a good time in the Stockholm archipelago while she was abroad.
“The dog sitter requested permission to transport Maurice to her mother’s country home in the archipelago. It was extremely lovely because I got the impression that he also enjoyed a holiday. He’s been to areas that my partner and I would want to visit with dog sitters. We’re a little envious!” She chuckles.
Sophie says that having GPS updates and photo and video messaging capabilities incorporated into DogBuddy provides her additional peace of mind because she can make sure Maurice is getting adequate exercise and having fun with his sitter.
Michael, Katie and Kona
Couple Michael Rosizky and Katie McConnell had always wanted a dog. After moving from Canada and settling in Spain, they decided it was time to make that dream a reality.
DogBuddy made it possible for the two lifelong dog lovers to adopt their puppy Kona.
“We understood the way DogBuddy worked and we knew that by moving here there would be travel involved, so we knew there was a solution out there for us if we couldn’t find a sitter. That was taken into consideration when we were deciding to choose a dog,” Michael says.
After unexpected travel plans arose just six weeks after getting Kona, they called on this support system for the first time.
“It was really easy. She was very flexible. We also went to her flat, so we could see where we were leaving him. She was also a dog trainer so that kind of made us feel more comfortable as well,” Michael adds.
DogBuddy not only caters for overnight stays, but also offers doggy daycare and dog walking.
“There was a day that we were going to be gone for over five hours and it was really simple and easy to find someone who could just walk him and take him for the day,” Michael recalls.
Although Katie and Michael have now settled into their new home and made friends, they keep going back to DogBuddy.
We knew we had DogBuddy, and in fact, we’ve used it every time just because it makes us feel comfortable, says Michael. “When you get here, you realize that you don’t have your safety net of family and friends around you,” he says.
It need not be difficult to relocate to a new nation with your dog. Visit DogBuddy to find out how it can help you travel with less stress knowing that your pet is being looked after while you’re away.