I can't get home at lunch anymore, what should I do?

I wouldn’t recommend leaving a dog alone in the garden while you're out (risk of them escaping, malicious poisoning, or theft). Especially a puppy on its own, and a Shih Tzu at that—they're a prime target for thieves... I don't know any dog sitters in the Franche-Comté area (I'm based near Paris, and the sitters I knew have mostly moved down south). Take a look at this site to help you make the right choice: https://repairedesfurets.fr/faire-appel-a-petsitter-professionnelle/ So, make sure you plan ahead. It all depends on the price of a local walk or home sitting, and how far away they are. In Paris, it's about £13 an hour or £18 a day for sitting with two walks included, but I know the rates are about half that in the countryside. Regardless, you need to make sure that: - If they’re coming to your house, you ask to see all their paperwork (ID, copies of certificates, insurance, etc.—a professional will bring all that along naturally). Have a proper chat with them, go for a walk together, and see how they handle your dog as well as other dogs. Check if they know pet first aid in case your dog gets injured during a walk, etc. If you have the slightest doubt, don't go ahead with it. Afterwards, you need to be sure the person is turning up on the days and at the times you've asked for (either ask the neighbours to keep an eye out or, if you have a home or garden camera, that'll allow you to check). I once had a dog walker who came every day but at whatever time she felt like, depending on her other bookings so she didn't lose any business—well, I sacked her. - If it's for boarding: go and visit them at home, check the living conditions, see if there are other animals, how many walks a day your dog will get, and do the same check on their paperwork and suitability as mentioned before. Keep us updated!

Hi there, he’s a 6-month-old Shih Tzu. I was worried about him holding it in and that causing issues, but like you said, it must depend on the dog. Mine is still very young, so I don’t think I can leave him for 8 or 9 hours just yet :( I don’t have a garden; I live in an old farmhouse but there’s shared access to some green space, though it isn’t fenced in. Thanks for your reply! I’ll look into that! :)

Hello, It all depends on your dog’s age and potentially their breed too. As for mine, from a purely physical point of view, he can hold it for over 8 or 9 hours without much trouble (after all, that’s roughly how long they go without a wee while you're asleep, unless you’re taking them out during the night as well). In terms of their mental wellbeing, some dogs don't cope very well with being left alone. If that’s the case, a pet sitter is a good shout—or rather, a dog walker. Do you happen to have a garden? If you do, you could leave the dog outside during the day, and the dog walker would only need a key for the garden gate rather than one for the actual house. Otherwise, you can look at sites like Rover or Tailster to check out reviews for sitters, which should give you some peace of mind.

Hi there, thanks for your reply! I have a Shih Tzu. I agree with you, I think I’d rather go with someone who is properly licensed and insured; it would definitely give me more peace of mind! Do you think it would be better to have someone come round for a walk, or to drop my dog off with a registered dog sitter before I head to work and pick him up as soon as I’m finished? I’m based in the Midlands.