“Pets are happier at home”

Sue Miller.

Katherine and Alan were recommended to us by two entirely separate local sources we’d spoken to about pet/house-sitting services, so we were very keen to see if they would be available for our holiday period in early July ’23.

On contacting them, I had a very quick response and a thorough questionnaire about our dog and cat followed shortly afterwards. They came to the house a couple of weeks before we departed to meet our pets and have a tour and run-through of where everything was and how things worked. It was obvious that not only were they very friendly and approachable, they were very professional, practical and completely at ease with both our dog and cat, who took to both Katherine and Alan immediately. Following that meeting I felt completely at ease leaving my home in their capable hands and entrusting the care of our furry family members to them.

Before we went away we’d had some plumbing issues and Katherine and Alan kindly took on responsibility of liaising with our plumber so that the problem was fixed whilst we were away. The rubbish was put out, parcels were taken in and Katherine even did some weeding to keep our newly planted flower beds looking nice.

Our ageing cat requires daily medication and this was no problem. Katherine had made some rather delicious-looking healthy dog treats, which went down a storm with our dog and was a lovely touch.

We were treated to lots of fabulous photos and videos of dog and cat capers, both of whom seemed to have enjoyed lots of attention and in the case of our dog, lots of exciting and new walks. We really appreciated the photos – especially our daughter who missed her pets.

When we got home, our house was absolutely spotless and the bathrooms literally gleamed. In fact, it was probably cleaner than when we left it! The laundry had all been done and Katherine had even made us a lovely dinner, which was a fantastic surprise and very much appreciated after a long journey home.

We couldn’t have asked for more from house and pet sitters - they really did go above and beyond anything we expected based on past experiences and we would have no hesitation in asking them to sit for us again or recommending them to others.

I am happy for Katherine to supply my telephone number to anyone seeking additional references.

Sue Miller

Claire Wright.

“Going away leaving 8 dogs, a stroppy parrot and some needy tropical fish used to be nightmarish. Most of the dogs are rescued and have had a tough start in life which has left them anxious and wary of strangers. Kennels were never up for discussion and so we looked for a dog and house sitter we could trust and build a relationship with for our trips away.

Then we heard about Katherine and her business ‘Dexter’s Home and Pets’. She arranged an initial meeting with us at our home to discuss requirements and more importantly meet our pets and we instantly clicked, she had a really natural way with the dogs and they were calm, happy and relaxed around her. Even our usually aloof parrot seemed chirpy in her presence. We discussed the fees and I selected various extra services from the menu while Katherine took some of the dogs for a quick walk. We booked Katherine for a 2 week holiday and could not have wished for a better service, her attention to detail is incredible with each dog looking highly polished and very happy on our return, the house was immaculate and just as we left it (if not tidier).

We cannot recommend Katherine enough and have booked her for multiple trips away this year, all our dogs love her to bits which is obvious from the way they greet her when she comes to stay. Finding Dexters Home and Pets has been a game changer for us and our furry family.”

— Claire

David and Joanna Partridge

We were very lucky that a friend of a friend recommended Katherine and Alan to us to look after our nervous greyhound, Ollie, when we go on holiday. Ollie had already suffered a traumatic one night trial at kennels so it was clear that he would require more personal care in familiar surroundings. One of the great things about Katherine and Alan is that they pet sit in your dog’s home, which immediately reduced a significant element of stress for Ollie. In addition, they visited several times before our holiday to get to know Ollie and to walk him in familiar surroundings.

Both Katherine and Alan are very capable and confident around dogs and Ollie quickly took to them. While we were away they sent us regular updates and photos of Ollie on WhatsApp which helped to reassure us that Ollie was OK. In addition, several of our friends who met them dog walking around the village also sent us reassuring messages.

Katherine and Alan are trustworthy (essential, given that they look after your house and dog whilst you are away!), reliable and hardworking. We returned from holiday to a spotlessly clean house, bedding and towels, and a happy and relaxed dog. As a one-off complementary gesture, Katherine had even weeded the drive and garden paths!

We can highly recommend Katherine and Alan.

David & Joanna Partridge