Reliable Pet Sitting Services? (Sarasota, Hampton: house, live in, pit bull)

[Rushmore]

We will need to go out of town for a week soon, and will need to have someone take care of our very friendly, 45 lb., goofy, smiling, harmless dog. We are debating between boarding and trying to have someone come in twice a day.

Does anyone have anyone they swear by? I think we'd prefer to have someone just come by the house in The Hamptons here twice daily or whatever, but we would also consider boarding.

Here she is now:

[SoFLGal]

I have the business card of a pet sitter on my counter. I'm not sure where I got it but I was going to "interview" them the next time we went out of town. Here's the info

Fur Nanny, Emily Morris & Myrna Collier, owners, Professional pet and house sitting, 941-315-1156, www.furnanny.com This is what is says on their business card: Fully bonded and insured. Small family owned and operated company. Provide one on one attention to your pets. Your pets remain in familiar surroundings and on their regular schedules. We treat your pets like family!

What kind of dog is your pup? She looks kind of like Grover, my daughters favorite dog in Costa Rica. She's probably some kind of mutt, right?

[Rushmore]

Grover, awesome. Another dog whose head has no business on its body. Yes, Mallory's a shelter mutt through and through. Walks like a pit bull, face like a hound dog, body of a sort of greyhound who fell off her diet.

Best dog ever.

Thanks for the info. I would really appreciate it if you could let me know how the interview goes, and, of course, any service provided.

We're not leaving until January.

Thanks again.

[SRQ14]

Rushmore,

I'm PM'ing you with the phone number and name of a terrific dog walker in Sarasota.

I'm sorry, I do not even know what her last name is. She's been walking my dog for the past 6 years, each and every time that I've traveled out of town (which is frequently).

Do I trust her with my dog? Yes, I do - let me explain.

I live in Burns Court (near downtown). A few days after the first time that I had her walk my dog, we (my dog and I) were on a walk downtown.

A valet near Palm and Main saw me walking the dog and casually said, "ahh, so your wife has you walking the dog tonight, huh?"

I didn't know what the heck this guy was talking about. I'm not married, never have been, nor have I been with a girlfriend while walking this dog downtown.

Naturally, I replied back, "you must be thinking of someone else - I'm not married."

The valet said, "well, there was a young lady walking THAT dog each night downtown last week."

Of course, then it dawned on me - he was referring to Lori. Which told me that she was taking him on some pretty long walks (which I liked - my biggest fear - before I knew her - was that she'd just take the dog 1/2-way down the block and be done with him).

She's been walking my greyhound ever since.

P.S. This is Matt (my greyhound):

[SoFLGal]

I love all these doggie pics! You're greyhound looks just like a few of the greyhounds my dad has had.

[beachymom]

Sending you a message...