Our trip to the Caribbean gave us one of our most luxurious house sitting assignments (as well as giving Claudia a couple of weeks’ break from house guests). We love pets and we love house sitting so Claudia didn’t hesitate to recommend us when her friends found themselves without care for their two puppies just days away from heading Northern Europe. After we met them, we didn’t hesitate to accept.

Coastal and Geronimo are two of the best trained dogs we’ve looked after. Only a year old at the time and still puppies, they were very obedient. Their owners had put in a lot of hard work to make sure they waited patiently (with pleading puppy dog eyes) until they were given a command to eat. The puppies worked for their treats, lying down, shaking hands, etc. It was great fun.

Coastal, as a beautiful white Labrador, might have been the bigger of the two but it was Geronimo, the teeny Yorkshire Terrier, who ruled the roost. We don’t think Coastal ever got to lie in his big bed.

The property was also amazing. The dogs owners are care takers of an estate on the BVI and we moved into their comfortable, cool (Barry loves air conditioning in the tropics) care takers cottage. The dogs spent most of their time wherever we were but had their own play yard and sun house for frolicking, sleeping, getting hosed off or whenever Barry and I went out without them.

Barry and I kept fit by running with the dogs every morning or afternoon on the five kilometers of trails that wound round the property. Well, Coastal ran. Geronimo got half way down the stairs then gave up and waited at the front door for us to get back. It was fabulous being able to run and walk with the dogs off the lead and not worry about losing them.

And did I mention that there were two swimming pools to choose from? We couldn’t keep coastal out of the water and it was glorious sitting in the pool watching the sun set over the point and the cruise ships head out to see.

Luxury house sitting indeed.

We’re pretty sure we did a good job, which makes me happy. We didn’t spoil the puppies training and received a  great compliment when the owners returned:

‘The dogs aren’t fat and the house is clean!’

I’d go back any time.