Eddie is a wonderful, crazy and loving 14 year old Springer Spaniel/Pointer cross who needs some very special sitters to look after him. Ed lives in the mountains of Abruzzo, an unspoilt part of Italy in the mountains 30 minutes from the coast. Ideally, he is looking for sitters for 7 days starting anytime from the 19th June, with maybe a couple of days before to get the lie of the land (we need to be back at the end of the month). He's looking for the right people so we can be flexible.
What Ed is looking for in a sitter: Preferably a couple, someone who is experienced with dogs, someone to love him but also to be firm, and someone with previous housesitting experience. You will need to drive a car.
Ed had been abused when we took him in as a rescue dog 12 years ago and still occasionally has a few insecure moments, but everyone who meets him absolutely loves him, and vice versa. We are looking for a couple who can be patient, understanding and take great care of him. His bladder is not what it once was so he needs to take drops and tablets sometimes, and he does need to be let out regularly. He also occasionally wears 'smarty pants' (a belly band) in the house to catch any drips, but he's very good with all this and actually likes it.
We also have 8 semi feral cats and their month old kittens who need very minimal care. They have an automatic cat feeder which only needs topping up twice a week, so no actual feeding is involved. They're out and about in the olive grove most of the time and don't ever come inside the house.
We live right out in the country at the end of a long winding lane with a lake at the bottom and stunning views. The house has many original features, including a pizza forno in the living room, and an exposed Majella stone wall in the kitchen. There are 2 bedrooms, a bathroom, a modern, well equipped Italian kitchen and living room with TV. We might be remote, but we do have fast internet access all over the house as we both work from home, and this will probably come in handy for you too. Outside at the back of the house we have a large veranda with wooden furniture, a great place to sit in the heat of the day.
It's a very peaceful and tranquil place to live. You can take the footpath from right outside the front door to the lake, visit one of the traditional hilltop villages only minutes away, or take a short drive to the sea. It is truly unspoilt territory.
Getting here - The nearest airport is Pescara, an hour's drive away, flights available with Ryanair. You will need a car as the nearest supermarket is just over 5 mins in the car, and mostly uphill. Please, consider that this is rural Italy and there is amazing wildlife right on the doorstep, stunning views all round, and local restaurants are quiet but serve fabulous food. This is not a place if you like theatre, or lots of nightlife etc.