Book Review: Trials & Tribulations of a Pet Sitter

On today’s blog tour it’s my turn to share a book review of Trials and Tribulations of a Pet Sitter by Laura Marchant. An honest and often funny account of setting up and running a pet sitting service. @rararesources @lauramarchant16

Book Cover Notes

Hilarious and heart-warming true stories of a Pet Sitter.

Laura takes us on her journey describing the immense joy that the animals have brought into her life. But it’s not all fun and games. With sometimes as many as ten dogs around her home, things can get a tad hectic. Not to forget the every day challenges faced in keeping the pets happy and safe when out walking. Luckily she is not alone in her quest; her unusually dominant Golden Retriever ‘Brece’ is always by her side. Brece earns her keep by convincingly playing the part of the alpha female, ensuring harmony amongst the pack.

At times, the responsibility that Laura faces becomes overwhelming. She may think she has everything covered but that hand of fate could quite easily swoop down, creating havoc for her and the dogs. Laura has endured many close calls and teetered on the precipice of disaster may a time. The longer she continues with her pet sitting enterprise, the more likely hood that total disaster will actually strike. Is she tempting fate?

Laura Marchant is the Bridget Jones of the pet sitting world!

My Thoughts

As a dog lover and dog owner I was naturally drawn to the cover and title of this book. Trials and Tribulations of a Pet Sitter is an interesting memoir of the authors experiences of being made redundant and starting up a Pet Sitting Business.

In an open and honest account Laura shares her feelings of shock at losing her long time corporate job. On realising her redundancy money would quickly dwindle she needed a Plan B to pay her bills.

Laura writes from the heart, sharing her excitement and her fears as she plans to take on her first furry customers.

“When I started up as a pet sitter, I completely understood the responsibility that I was taking on. People love their pets, after all, they are important family members. The fear of losing a customer’s dog was always something in the back of my mind.”

Adapting from a corporate office life to an outdoor in all weathers life was not easy. Laura made some rookie errors that I found alarming to read (especially as a dog owner). Such as losing customers keys, dogs escaping or disappearing. However, some of Laura’s tales were very funny. For example, having to learn how to walk a large pack of dysfunctional, excitable hounds and the tactics needed to get them back! How do you get a hyper dog back into the car when they just want to play on the beach all day?

I also found Laura’s view of pet owners very funny and her views on pet ownerships insightful. Being a dog addict I know that I pamper my pooches. Laura makes it very clear how she feels about over pampered dogs. The story of Stodge and his adoring owner made me chuckle. Arriving for a doggie holiday, Stodge had bags and bags of dog items and his very own supply of bottled water. Stodge’s hooman thought that he may not like Laura’s tap water. 🙂

Laura’s astonished account of this scene was hilarious. But ever the professional she calmly accepted her customers crazy demands. Stodge, on the other hand was quite happy to drink Laura’s tap water. Just brilliant!

“I don’t particularly like to see a dog that has been ‘over trained’ to the point where it is void of personality”

Having lived just outside Blackpool for a couple of years in my early 20s, I enjoyed reading about life on the Lancashire coast of Lythan St Annes. I was transported back to the sand dunes and chilly beach walks I used to take after work. The Blackpool trams, South Shore and North Shores and of course not forgetting the donkeys. I found the dog walking community vs local council rules and restrictions very interesting. With more and more dog owners needing dog support with day-care cover, dog walkers are becoming a vital service and should be recognised for this.

Summary

As suggested on the book cover this is indeed a Bridget Jones style read. Honest, astonishing, funny and heart-warming.

If you are a dog walker or dog owner you will enjoy this book. I have a new found respect for anyone working in the pet industry. I will try not to be THAT annoying customer if ever I am in need of doggie day care services.

About the Author

Laura Marchant was born in 1959 in the seaside resort of Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, England. Both her parents were born in the same town, so not exactly a family of intrepid travellers! As a child Laura and her siblings were fortunate enough to own shares in the families pets. Unbeknown to Laura at the time, her love for the animals formed the blueprint for a large part of her life. In 2011 she finally found her vocation, and in the comfort of her own home, set up a pet boarding business. For the next 7 years she shared her abode with a pack of dogs. A lot of this time was spent watching over the animals and observing their behaviour, which in turn inspired her to write her first novel ‘Trials and Tribulations of a Pet Sitter’.