When a pet owner says no treats/not allowed on couch/two hours walk etc etc 
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That picture is hilarious!
That reminds me, thereās a dog Iāve been looking after for the last five years. I always get a set of reminder notes about feeding and walk routines etc from the HO. One note always mentions, āWe never ever feed him any scraps or anything other than dog food.ā Perfectly understandable to write that as Iād never want to take any risks with feeding a pet a food that may not agree with them.
The funny thing was the 21 year old daughter came home briefly and saw the note sitting on the kitchen surface. She turned to me and said, āThat is absolute bol***ks. Heās always getting our leftovers.ā Talking about dropping her parents in it!
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@Chatsetchiens hahahaha yep! I almost guarantee that is the case with the majority of pet owners. So when the sitter is looking after that dog and not giving any scraps, itās like āwhat theā¦ , whereās mine?ā stare from the dog 
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Absolutely! This boy has got that look of disapproval as if to say, āDonāt be keeping all that to yourself now.ā
No wonder he shadows me right around the kitchen if heās so used to getting leftovers from the whole family!
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We almost have the same pet with the same questioning look! Follows me like a shadow asking for her share of the booty 
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That is a very cute dog but that face really says it all. The look that says, āYouād better share or elseā¦ā
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Yes, both very cute dogs and Iām sure both are being very spoilt with those big, please please eyes 
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I canāt say I blame them. Eating kibble twice a day must get a bit dull after a while!
With the last dog I looked after, the owners told me they often share veggies with him so it was fine for me to do the same they said.
I went and got various veggies for myself and even included celery, which to be honest, I donāt particularly like but was trying to be all healthy. The dog gratefully guzzled down all the carrot pieces but when it came to me sharing a bit of my celery with him, you shouldāve seen the sheer look of utter disapproval on his face.
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Oh Iām with the dog on this one re celery 
But def with you on the veggies. I have mixed veg every night and the dog does get to share a little of them. Carrots are generally quite popular to, agreed. Re the kibble, I couldnāt agree more, my own dog had fresh meat every day and lived to 14, none of that boring kibble stuff day in day out.
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You and me both with celery! Cannot take to it at all.
I have to say, Iāve only ever met one dog who doesnāt like carrots. Most seem to love them. That dog of yours sounds so well loved.
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At my last sit, the dog loved carrots and greens. My hosts showed me how theyād scatter a handful of salad mix on the ground and sheād devour it like a piranha. It was funny to watch. She got few treats otherwise. She had run of the house, except for not being allowed atop couch backrest cushions. They mustāve trained that out of her or sheās too old, because I never saw her try.
My own dog has run of the house. He sleeps wherever he wants and no furniture is off limits. He arrived house trained as a rescue and loves ripping toys to bits, but oddly has never tried to chew or destroy anything else.
Early days, heād devour any food so quickly that heād throw up. Heād been a stray and was found malnourished. He still loves to scavenge food on walks, but heās never tried to steal food at home, oddly. Heās been with us for years and now optimizes ā he eats what he prefers and will leave other things untouched. He loves treats, but we taught him āno more.ā It works surprisingly well. So does ānot for you.ā
We take him everywhere and he especially loves hotels. He gets super excited, tries to rush in, scurries about sniffing everywhere. He quickly finds the best spot and claims it, whether itās a bed, a sofa or a spot in front of the fireplace or view. Itās funny. Youād think that in a previous incarnation he was lord of the manor.
The morning after we adopted him, I came downstairs and found him propped on a velvet cushion on a chaise, with my husband giving him belly rubs.
Heād been adopted and returned, sitting unwanted for months till we came along. We joke that he āfailed upā and ended up with a better life.
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Oh the amazing amount of love we give our pets 
Sounds like you got a keeper for sure and definitely a āfail upā when you rescued your dog @Maggie8K sounds adorable. Unfortunately in Australia we canāt take dogs hardly anywhere, least of all to a hotel. No cafes, transport, aircraft, nowhere. Just off leash dog parks and minimal beach areas. Itās definitely something I find great in other countries, being able to take your dog to so many places. I had a pet rat once (my son begged me for one and of course it ended up being mine) 
I took her in a pet cage to hotels etc and kept her in the bathtub when I went out. Iām sure the cleaning staff got a shock when they came in but nothing was ever said All creatures great and small
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I didnāt realize that about Australia. Good to know.
Funny to imagine the housekeeping folks finding a rat in a cage. Sounds like a lucky rat!
Some pets are very fortunate. Itās sad and sometimes infuriating when pets donāt get the best care.
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That is very interesting to know @ziggy. Do you know if New Zealand is the same? I canāt remember taking our dog out with us but in those days we were very busy cafe owners and didnāt get much down time. I ask as we are now looking for NZ sits for Feb/Mar next year and it is something to consider. At the moment we donāt mind sitting dogs that canāt be left for long (at all) as we generally take them out with us but with only a couple of months over there then we probably wonāt want the same restrictions. 
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Your dog sounds like a real character!
I love when rescues go to loving homes where theyāre properly loved and cared for.
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@ziggy not sure what State you come from but in South Australia dogs are now allowed into Bunnings and a lot of cafes are now starting to advertise that they are dog friendly.
@Neil_and_Fiona I am in Queensland. Bunnings does allow dogs as long as they are in the trolley and on leash but itās still a grey area in some stores who still donāt allow it. Cafes definitely not allowing yet unfortunately, sometimes not even on the footpath.
@Shannon Iām not too sure about New Zealand but have a feeling itās very similar. Good question to ask any prospective homeowner you might be chatting with. Enjoy New Zealand if you manage it, it truly is one of the most beautiful countries on the planet.
@Maggie8K my rat, Custard, was pure white and absolutely adorable and one of the best pets I ever had, but yep, still a rat to some
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Thanks @ziggy, definitely heading back. Tickets are booked 
. We spent 9 years in Christchurch until 2012, then a year in Melbourne before unexpected circumstances took us back to the UK. Now we are retired we plan to go back regularly and explore both countries more. Looking forward to seeing old friends, seeing the changes and exploring the North Island a bit too. Will let folks know how dog friendly it all turns out to be 
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Yes, here in NZ you can bring a beloved doggie friend to Mitre10 & Bunnings 
. There are numerous doggie friendly cafes & always know by the water dish outside.
@Shannon if youāre coming down to the Christchurch area, give me a holler 
.
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Celery is simply a vehicle for chunky peanut butter!
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