Originating in Surrey and Sussex 11 years ago, Top Dog Sitters moved to the South Lakes in 2010 and offers a carefully selected group of caring, loving homes for dogs to holiday in while their owners are away. We are based in the beautiful village of Cartmel, Cumbria and have various homes throughout the South Lakes.
Caring for pets is an enormous responsibility and a hugh commitment which we take very seriously. All homes are very dog friendly, have enclosed gardens for safe exercising and sitters who are available to care for your dog all day, every day. The dogs receive long country walks, lots of cuddles and are looked after like part of the family. As only one family of dogs are accepted into each home at a time, they will always be given the upmost time and attention. The homes vary, some with and without children, and some with and without dogs. Whatever your dogs’ requirements we will match it to the sitters home and if you live in Cumbria you will find you are no more than half an hour from a suitable holiday home for your dog.
Prior to any bookings, we ask all owners to visit the recommended sitters home (with their dog). They will meet the sitter, see the home and check how their dog settles into their new environment. Some forward planning and time commitment is require for this visit but it is well worthwhile, as your dog will recognise this as a safe and comfortable place when they come on holiday and will settle much quicker. For more details please read through the rest of our pages, starting with the ’Our Service’ page.
Ours sitters
More than with any other dog breed, the bulldog’s character and personality is often misunderstood. Even his intelligence is sometimes questioned. Of course, as with all breeds, individuals differ greatly, but not all bulldogs are those lazy couch potatoes as described by the detractors of the breed.
They are wonderful clowns and will do just anything to make you laugh. They are absolutely wonderful with children and elderly. They are also very sensitive to your moods and will be delighted for you when you are happy and will be still and compassionate when you grieve.
Most Bulldogs are also brave to the extreme and will guard and defend their owner if they think he/she is being threatened. They are conscious of their own force and are therefore very self-assured. However, they ponder their decisions and evaluate each situation in order to act in the most appropriate way. Bulldogs mature very slowly and will remain playfull and puppylike well after 2 years old !!
To call bulldogs lazy or stubborn is unfair. What appears as laziness or stubbornness is in fact an incredible capacity to prioritize. A bulldog will never jump at your every command. He will evaluate each command against his own priority-setting and value system before deciding whether this is a good thing to do and how urgently this action should be accomplished. That is what gives the bulldog their wonderful relaxed personality.
Our sitters
Russell who had a passion for fox hunting and the breeding of fox hunting type dogs. Early English fox hunters used a black and tan type terrier dog, whose colouring was too similar to the foxes they were hunting, this brought about the desire for a more brightly coloured dog (white). It is thought that the Old English White Terrier was crossed with the English Black and Tan Terrier (both now extinct) to achieve the type of coat and colouring seen today in the Jack Russell Terrier. Today the Jack Russell is used for agility, to perform tricks and be an all round great family companion.
The Jack Russell is a very alert, curious and fearless little breed. This playful dog is always ready to receive affection or play around with their owners. They love to hunt and can be a chaser, therefore they should not be left off the lead in any unsecured areas. This breed is very intelligent and can be trained easily. The Jack Russell is a great watchdog, they will alert their master by growling and standing firmly towards any approaching stranger. This breed can be scrappy with other dogs (especially of the same sex) and they like to dig and search for vermin, so it is not wise to leave them unsupervised in a beautifully landscaped garden.
The Jack Russell Terrier is a very popular family pet.