Cat Sitting High Maintenance or Low Maintenance?

People often decide to get a cat as they don’t have time for a dog and they are out all day, but is this hypothesis correct? People often think that cats don’t need much attention or care and that they simply need a meal providing twice a day, however this couldn’t be further from the truth. Whilst it’s true that cats don’t need walking daily and they are able to go to the toilet inside using a litter tray, this does not subsequently mean that cats are ‘low maintenance.’

Often cat owners will go away for a night or two, or even on holiday and leave there cats alone with a large bowl of food and water and assume that their feline friend will be alright. Cat sitting in this instance seems pretty straight forward! However, this assumption neglects to identify the sensitive creatures that cats are and how much they crave fuss and attention.

Whilst it is true that cats are extremely territorial and prefer to be at home, it is fair to say the ultimate cat combination, is to be at home with company. If this company can’t be you and you are away then you need a cat sitter. A cat sitter can come into the comfort of your own home and ensure your cat is fed at regular intervals, has fresh water and cat litter, let outside for fresh air if required and best of all have a thorough friendly fussing.

Scamps and Champs cat sitters are all DBS checked providing you with reassurance in allowing them into your home to cat sit for you. They all have experience in animal care and most of them have pets (often multiple) of their own, so they know exactly how you feel going away and leaving your cat at home with a sitter. All of our staff are really friendly and caring and thoroughly enjoy looking after your pets for you.

Hiring one of our cat sitters means you have the peace of mind of having your cat and your home checked on simultaneously and most importantly your loving high-maintenance kitty will have everything they could possibly need, whilst remaining the king of their own castle, whilst their humans are on holiday!

To check availability of our cat sitting services in your local area, to ask us a question or make a booking please complete our online form.

Dog Home Boarding Holidays – The Latest Trend to Rival Traditional Dog Kennels

dog home boarding, pet sitting, dog walking,

As summer approaches it is time to start planning our family holidays and whilst we always endeavour to take our precious pooches with us, this is not always possible. Particularly when we chose to holiday abroad. Until now we have had to either rely on a family member to take care of our furry-friends or place them into the local dog kennels for a week or two.

However, there is a new canine camp in town ready to rival the traditional set up of dog kennels! Dog home boarding holidays’ offer a fresh new perspective on dog care and place your pet best friend at the centre of its notion. It is now not merely suggested that you are taking off on your jolly holidays and having to find a ‘space’ for your dogs to go whilst you are away, completely fitting in around your plans! Now it is suggested that in fact your dog can go on their own holiday break, leaving your plans rendered almost insignificant!

Your dog is likely to be at the centre of your family life, in fact many of us admit to preferring dogs to humans! So it feels only right that your dog gets to go on their very own home boarding holiday and that it’s as big an event as our own planned break! Dog home boarding offers many benefits to that of traditional kennels such as:

  • You select exactly which home boarding family you would like your dog to home board with.
  • You and your dog get to meet your home boarding host family to ensure that everyone gets along and that you are all happy.
  • You dog will be staying in a family home whilst you are away, providing a home-from-home environment.
  • Dog home boarding allows your dog to remain in their usual routine, including walks and meal times.
  • Your dog will always have company with a home boarding family.

Our Halifax branch offers dog home boarding holidays. The best bit is if you send your Dog on Holiday with us you are in complete control of who they stay with and where they stay. It’s just like selecting their very own holiday destination!

For your peace of mind all of our dog home boarding families are DBS checked. In addition, unless your dog is crate trained and you wish them to sleep in a crate, Scamps and Champs will NEVER use crates or cages for our dog home boarding holidays.

So if you love your dog and you would love to book them their very own Dog Home Boarding Holiday get in touch with Scamps and Champs via our online enquiry form.

Dog home boarding is available from our Halifax branch only. In Stockport we offer cat visits and pet sitting in your own home. Call 0161 399 0317 to check what we can do for your dates.

Summer Sun and Dog Walking Fun

Dog, Walking, Summer

We all know that dog walking is a necessity for any of us that own one or multiple canine companions, however as the days get longer and the sunshine hours increase, there is definitely a lure to get outside walking with our dogs. But what can increasing our dog walking hours do for us and why should we get outside?

It is suggested, that on average we spend 90% of our time indoors, with millions of us working from home, in offices and in a variety of indoor environments. When we finish our days’ work, we are often exhausted and too tired to walk long distances, accompanied with the multiple other aspects of life and family that need incorporating into our routines.

Dog walking is fantastic in that it gets us out of the house once or twice a day, into the fresh air and daylight, accompanied of course by our furry best-friends. What nicer way is there to spend some ‘me time’ than with our dogs, walking around our local area. This is our time to switch off and mentally disconnect from life’s schedule, worries and stresses.

Of course dog walking is not only beneficial to us but our dogs absolutely love every second of it, it is the absolute highlight of their day! All those exciting sights and smells, the socialisation, the fresh air and best of all their special time with you. What is not to love about dog walking?

So what other benefits does dog walking have?

  • Strengthens Your Bond – Dog walking increases your bonding time with your dogs, through dog walking you are spending quality time with them.
  • Weight Control – Dog walking is excellent exercise and therefore will keep you both in shape and healthy.
  • Improves Socialisation – This is true not only for your dog but for you as well. You will meet other dog walkers and say hello to people. Dogs are excellent conversation starters for us humans and we love to chat about the breed and personalities of other dogs we meet.
  • Increases Physical and Mental Health – The vitamin D from the sunshine and the endorphins that are released from physical exercise, are all huge ‘feel good factors’ for our mental health. As well as the physical health benefits that can be experiences through dog walking.
  • Loneliness Decreases – Even if you say hello to people whilst you are dog walking and you never meet them again, it doesn’t matter. In fact even if you don’t say hello at all, just physically being around other people and by being outside, this can decrease loneliness and social anxieties.

So with all of the benefits of dog walking, why not challenge yourself this summer? If you normally walk your dogs once a day, why not walk them twice? If you normally walk one mile, why not try walking two? Increasing your dog walking hours can be beneficial not only for your dog, but for you as well. For your mental, physical and emotional health and in strengthening your bond with your dog.

Learn more about our Scamps and Champs Dog Walking Services via our Website.

Get in touch, ask us a question or check availability of our services using our online form.

Dog Home Boarding – Advice and Services in Halifax

Having a dog is great until you want to go away for a few days and then there is the dilemma of who is going to look after your dog and the even bigger dilemma of whether you trust them. If you live in and around the Halifax area we have the perfect solution for you.

At Scamps & Champs Halifax all our dog home  boarders are DBS checked and have gone through a rigorous selection process to ensure your dog is well looked after and has as much fun as you do when you are away and treat them as if they were their own.

A lot of thought goes in to matching each dog to one of our dog home boarders in and around the Halifax area. This matching process is very important to us as we want your dog to have the most enjoyable stay and you to have peace of mind in where you board your dog. All our dog home boarders are local and so you won’t have far to travel around the Halifax area. You will always know exactly where your dog is staying and you will also get to meet the dog home boarders before your dog(s) stay, so you can feel reassured your dog is going to be well looked after.

This is also the perfect solution for dogs that really struggle being boarded in a kennel environment. Some dog’s just don’t cope well with this, as they are so used to the comforts of being at home. You can rest assured they will receive all the usual home comforts they are used to if they stay with one of our trusted home boarders in Halifax, from frequent walks and lots of cuddles to sleeping on the sofa if that’s what your dog prefers.

We will take extra care to get to know you and your dog(s) prior to any dog home boarding booking, as here at Scamps and Champs Halifax we know the needs of each dog is different and knowing your dog is vital to making them comfortable during any dog home boarding stay. Our dog home boarders will keep their routine as normal as possible and will happily cater to any quirks they may have.

If you are going away and would like to use our dog home boarding service in and around the Halifax area please do get in touch and we will be happy to help.

Dog Walking in and Around Halifax

The local parks in Halifax are filled with dog owners who all want the best possible care for their dogs.

Scamps and Champs Halifax offers a premium dog walking service in Halifax and the surrounding areas. All our dog walkers are hand picked and are all fellow dog lovers. One of our team will come to your home and walk your dog/ dogs for you ensuring they have a fun and engaging walk out in the fresh air.

Scamps and Champs Halifax are here to help if you are unable to walk your dog for any reason, we offer a friendly, reliable and passionate service, which will be tailored to suite your dog’s needs.

Scamps and Champs Halifax will never ‘pack walk’ your dog as we fully understand how precious your dogs are to you. We believe in a caring service and treating each dog as if it was our own. We can offer you a flexible dog walking service which is tailored to your needs and more importantly your dogs.

We would never walk your dog off the lead unless we have your full consent and they show a solid recall.

We sign in at the start of each walk and out again once finished so you can see how long we have been walking for, the only times we would change this would be due to the weather conditions, if its too hot we would shorten the dog walk, again if its too cold we would again shorten the dog walk.

We also send a feedback report of each walk with pictures of your dog on their walk so you can see what they have been up to. You can make your dog walking bookings online with our quick and easy to use system anytime, anywhere.

For further information on our service check out the Scamps and Champs Halifax Website.

To check service availability or to make an enquiry please complete our Online Form.

Hay Fever and your Dog…

Are you dogs eyes streaming? Is your dog licking its paws? Are they itching with red sores?

Any of these symptoms are associated with allergies in your pets.  The summer season and the rising pollen count could mean that your pet is suffering with ‘hay fever’. 

Here at Chichester Scamps and Champs we love our Job! Especially in the summer months.  Our Dog walking service in Chichester is always looking at where we can walk your pooches.  However, in the spring and summer months we try to avoid rapeseed fields, long grass and forests as this can exacerbate allergies in your pets.

Instead, we try to stick to the beach, it is the summer after all!  We also recommend walking your dog in the morning or evening if possible.

Treating the allergy:

Hay fever or allergies in your pets can treated with medication, but we can also do a few things to maybe stop the effects before they begin.

Dog Hay fever is more commonly known as ‘Atopy’. The classic symptoms include:

  • Itchy skin, especially the paws, armpits, and groin.
  • Seasonal itch: The dog is fine over the winter, but life becomes a misery in the summer.
  • Thickened, greasy skin: This is a complication of the obsessive licking and scratching.
  • Rust coloured paws: This is saliva staining from all that licking with any itchy dog.

Causes of itchiness include:

  • Atopy, allergens may be inhaled or absorbed through the skin Parasites.
  • Fleas, mange mites, lice, and ticks are all common causes of itchiness.
  • Yeast overgrowth, a heavy bloom of yeast on the skin’s surface causes an intense itch (the doggie equivalent of athlete’s foot.)
  • Bacterial infections, these are also itch-inducing.

How Do I Treat My Dog’s Hay Fever?

  • Bathing: This washes allergens from the fur and reduces their triggering effect
  • Essential Fatty Acid supplements: This conditions the skin and makes it a better barrier.
  • Staying indoors: Reduces exposure to allergens Antihistamines: Sadly, the results are often disappointing in dogs.
  • Staying out of certain fields and maybe during some months walk somewhere else.

We hope that you have found this helpful.  These allergies are not only common in dogs but can appear in your cat or your smaller animals.  If you currently use our cat sitting service in Chichester or our pet sitting service, please let us know if we can help.

There are a number of local vets that will assist you if you are worried about your pet. Please find the links below.

Vets4Pets Chichester   Pet Doctors Chichester  Sanctuary Vets  Waterlooville Vets4Pets

Please share your thoughts and photo’s here.  If you think that Chichester Scamps and Champs could offer their many dog walking in Chichester and pet sitting service in Chichester please do get in touch.

Horse Sitting Services Introduced at Scamps and Champs

We are excited to announce that some of our branches are now able to provide horse care services.

Having passionate and experienced horse owners within the Scamps and Champs group made us aware that it’s not just dog, cats and small animals that require caring for while owners are struggling for time during the days, recovering from illness or surgery, or away on holidays; but that horse owners have the same problems when it comes to the care of their horses.

We are delighted that some of our branches are now able to now offer a solution for horse owners.

Whether it’s mucking out, feeding, turning out and rug changes, or bringing in and grooming we have experienced people available to provide these horse care services.

Contact your local branch to find out whether they have an equine team available.

Whether horse owners are away on holiday or struggling for time during the week, our experienced equine teams are there to help.

Our horse sitting services will be provided by suitably experienced people, who have many years of being a horse owner and who may have worked on various yards and have experience of handling many types of horses. We will ensure each horse and pony is cared for by the right person with matching experiences to suit the individual needs of the horse or pony.

Horse care in Fareham is headed up by Jessicca our Fareham branch owner. Jess has worked for many years as a Freelance Groom, including work with a Grand Prix Show Jumper and Polo Ponies. Jess also used to break youngsters and also play Polocrosse. To find out more about Horse Care in Fareham Contact Jess Here

We also have an experienced equine team within our Halifax branch. Contact Katie our branch owner to find out more

Keep an eye on our Services page for further details about our horse care services.

Dog Walking and Pet Care Services in Halifax

Dog walking in Halifax is becoming increasingly popular with pet owners in Halifax. Pet owners in Halifax are becoming increasingly reliant on dog walkers to walk their dogs while they are at work. Dog walkers in Halifax are becoming more visible in the parks and other popular dog walking areas. Dog walkers in Halifax sometimes walk the dogs in their care in groups or on solo walks.

Other increasingly popular Pet Care Services are:

Dog Sitting in Halifax – pet owners are becoming more reliant on Dog sitting in Halifax. Not wanting to put their beloved dog/s into the kennels, they choose to use the Dog sitting in Halifax service. Dog sitting in Halifax ensures your dog/s gets all the care it needs at home rather than being in kennels.

Cat Sitting in Halifax – pet owners again are becoming more reliant on Cat sitting in Halifax. Not wanting to put their beloved cat/s into the cattery, they choose the Cat sitting in Halifax service. Cat sitting in Halifax ensures your beloved cat/s received all the care it needs at home rather than in a cattery.

Overnight Pet Sitting in Halifax – pet owners are finding this option a popular choice. Overnight pet sitting in Halifax again means the pet owner doesn’t have to put their beloved pet into the kennels or cattery. The overnight pet sitting service in Halifax also helps keep your house safe. Overnight pet sitting in Halifax means there is someone at your property overnight. Caring for your pet and your home at the same time./

Dog Home Boarding in Halifax – is also becoming one of the most popular choices for pet owners in Halifax. Whilst you yourself enjoy a holiday the Dog Home Boarding in Halifax service means your dog also gets a holiday with one of our experienced Dog Home Boarding in Halifax host families who have plenty of experience of Dog Home Boarding in Halifax.  

All of the pet care services we offer are carried out by one of our professional insured and DBS checked members of the team. We want your pet to feel safe with us whether it be for dog walking in Halifax, dog sitting in Halifax, cat sitting in Halifax, overnight pet sitting in Halifax or dog home boarding in Halifax. Your pets care is our priority. Near or far, big or small, whatever you pet we care for all.

To learn more about our pet care services visit our Scamps and Champs Halifax webpage.

To check availability, ask us a question or to make a booking simply complete our online enquiry form.

Wedding Chaperone Service

If you can’t imagine your big day without your furry friend by your side then Scamps and Champs Dartford have the answer for you!

Our dogs become a member of the family and at Scamps and Champs Dartford we believe you shouldn’t have to leave them behind on your wedding day, which is why we offer a pet chaperone service.

Our pet chaperone service is completely tailored to both your needs and the needs of your dog. We will sit down with you and put together a bespoke plan together that fits perfectly around your wedding day. Whether you want your dog to just be a part of the wedding photos, walk down the aisle with you or maybe even be the ring bearer, we can work with you to make it happen. You just need to let us know what your dream day would involve, and we will do our best to ensure your dog can be a part of it.

No one wants the added stress of worrying whether their dog is being well looked after on their wedding day, but with our pet chaperone service you can feel reassured that your dog is being given the love and attention they deserve. This will leave you free to enjoy your special day.

After pick up by our pet chaperone we can offer various services from ensuring your dog is walked, taking your dog to be groomed to make sure they look their best for the wedding photos and ensuring they are fed and looked after, which can include an overnight stay in a loving home. We will try and keep your dog’s routine as normal as possible for them to avoid any unnecessary stress and help your special day be equally enjoyable for them.

If your special member of the family is not a dog, then don’t worry as our pet chaperone service covers all animals and we will do our best to ensure that no matter how big or small your pet is we can involve them in your wedding day. We love all animals here at Scamps and Champs Dartford and know that your wedding day would not be the same without your pet.

So, if you are in and around the Dartford area and would love your pet to be a part of your special day then please do get in touch.

NEW Dog Walking and Pet Care Services Opening in Halifax

We have some really exciting news here at Scamps and Champs!

We have a brand new shiny Scamps and Champs branch opening this Easter in Halifax!

Pet care services in Halifax will include; dog sitting, dog walking, cat sitting, dog home boarding and a wedding pet chaperone service.

Scamps and Champs Halifax will be managed by Katie and Andrew.
Andrew’s background is a senior position within the Fire and Flood industry. Katie’s background is a housewife, Mum and pet carer and recently working in admin within customer services.

We have both had pets for most of our lives. We are currently owned by a German Shepherd (Poppy), three cats (Sally, Fluffy and Henrietta), one Hamster (Mina) and our four children. We have also had mice, gerbils, rabbits, fish, ducks and a peacock in the past. As well as different breeds of dogs including; Jack Russell, Labrador and West Highland Terriers, Pugs and French Bull Terriers, to name but a few.

We are fully aware of the importance of having someone you can trust with your pets whilst you are not around. We pride ourselves on being reliable, flexible, trustworthy and we will treat your pet as if it was one of our own, whilst still carrying out your regular routine.

Katie and Andrew are working hard behind the scenes to open Scamps and Champs Halifax shortly after Easter! We for one can’t wait to see them launched and successfully in business!

Best of luck Katie and Andrew! – Welcome to the Scamps and Champs team!

It’s not too early to enquire and book pet care services in Halifax. For details of how to book; dog sitting, dog walking, cat sitting, dog home boarding and a wedding pet chaperone service, see below.

To ask Scamps and Champs Halifax a question, check pet care service availability or to get in touch, simply complete our online form.

To enquire about joining the Halifax team as a dog walker, pet sitter or dog home boarder simply complete our online application.

Check Out Scamps and Champs Halifax Webpage for More Information on Pet Care Services