Hi there,
I’m Elaine from Edinburgh and here as a sitter. We have our own (my sons really, but here more than there) little Bulldog, Buddy who is the apple of our eye.
Our daughter and husband live in Bristol and are due to have their first baby in the summertime. We plan on being there a lot and were recommended THS as a means to do this by our friends who are also members.
What a fabulous idea. We love animals, we love travelling, we love visiting family so it couldn’t be more ideal.
We have our first sit booked for June and 2 more in the pipeline, fingers crossed.
So happy to be here, to ‘meet’ you all and to hear you’re stories of sitting and hosting.
Warmest regards
Elaine
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Wow @ellybell , you are off to a flying start as a new sitter! And congratulations on your forthcoming grandchild - you have a lot of cross-country journeys ahead of you 
I had a look at your profile and your referee mentions you have kept rabbits/guinea pigs as pets previously - please add that to your ‘our experience’ section. I know you’ve ticked the small pets box but we small pet owners are keen to know what experience you have too.
Also it might be helpful to be clear whether you are bringing Buddy with you on sits (some home-owners are OK with this, there are several sitters who take their dog with them) but some wont.
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Oh thank you so much. It never occurred to me to say that Buddy definitely won’t be accompanying us - his ‘daddy’ will have to step up to the plate when we’re away 
and yes, I will add our experience of little ones, although it does feel like a long time ago, when our children were young we had a menagerie of rabbits, Guinea pigs, hamsters, budgies, dogs and even a stick insect once 
where did I find the time?
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Hello @ellybell and welcome to TrustedHousesitters and to the Community Forum and congratulations on securing your first sit and of course, congratulations too for your forthcoming grandchild! 
You can also add your TrustedHousesitters profile on to your Forum profile on here, should you wish by following the attached link. This will then enable others to give you helpful advice and feedback.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask, we are all more than happy to help. 
Hello Ellybell, Your post caught my eye as we hope to head to Edinburgh one day and I’ve been gathering local insights from friends who have spent time there. (Have suggestions for travelers that are not tourists but rather explorers?) I’ll be eager to see if you ever consider needing a pet sitter. I was going to start by sitting but instead started by seeking a sitter. Congrats on the grandchild! Chel
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Hi Elaine, I’m a newbie too although not as a sitter but a hopeful home for a sitter to stay. How exciting to have a grandchild arriving. We relocated because we couldn’t envisage driving 7+ hours to visit our grandchild 8 years ago. Good luck. I love Bristol and Edinburgh so you’re very blessed!
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I can attest; after 47 applications sent, a small portion of these hosts are welcoming us, and many do not want or can not have a dog stay, due to:
- their dogs, I am told, are afraid of dogs,
- their dog may like dogs outside the home, but have never welcomed one into their home,
+/or - their dog is aggressive due to unhealed past traumatic attacks by other dogs.
So, taking a dog on a sit, even as a dog trainer, with an Assistance Dog, who has far in excess of 1,000 hours of training, and daily training, is not, well, …
a walk in the park.
I seek only a warm welcome for us both, which we do receive often now.
It is very understandable to not be a fit often, and I knew it would be this way.
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Welcome Elaine! I am new here, too, but having great success, after 47 applications sent. I am loving the helpful Forum, and looking forward to moving to Scotland in May, with my first Sit starting the night I land!
Trusted Housesitters is a very nice place to be, and be of service, and to connect. I will be in Edinburgh to visit my father’s grave in Morningside, and The Chocolate Tree. Have you been? Excellent artisanal chocolates and a cute café. See you in Scotland.
Aloha, Claire, + Tarkina, my Assistance Dog, a beauty!
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