Some fun facts about us: Lucky Canadians immigrated to Australia in 1999. Time flies when you are having fun & our kids have grown and flew the nest. We sold our lovely QLD acreage & have been semi retired full time nomads for the past 5 years. We have always had all kinds of animals in every stage of our life & miss looking after a home, livestock, pets, plants, but also love to travel, so petsitting is working perfectly for us! A bit of history: Marnee was raised on an amazing hobby farm in Canada, which included the normal basic livestock, boarding dog kennels, exotic birds & animals. She managed her parents pet shop in the neighbouring town and that is where they met. Barry was a veterinarian assistant at the time and licensed dog groomer. That was over 30 years ago!
Barry is a jack of all trades that can literally do anything and just happens to be a technology guru. Marnee is an avid gardener, nurturing & loving being, who aspires to take care of others. We are such a dynamic duo, with many successful ventures behind us and admit that we are happiest in the company of animals!. We are very proud and love what we do, so have a large collection of some amazing feedback. We like to utilise a variety of petsitting agencies, so we have found it necessary to consolidate all of our pet siting reviews onto our own website: topdoghousesitting.com Have a look and let us know if we can help you!
Reviews (24)
I am writing this reference for Barry and Marnee, who recently provided exceptional care for our pets and property while we were away for 10 days. Their dedication and level of service went above and beyond our expectations, and we are grateful for the peace of mind they provided during our absence.
Not only did they diligently care for our cat, horses, and chickens, but they also took the initiative to tend to our vegetable gardens, weeding and tidying up to ensure everything remained in good ... MOREI am writing this reference for Barry and Marnee, who recently provided exceptional care for our pets and property while we were away for 10 days. Their dedication and level of service went above and beyond our expectations, and we are grateful for the peace of mind they provided during our absence.
Not only did they diligently care for our cat, horses, and chickens, but they also took the initiative to tend to our vegetable gardens, weeding and tidying up to ensure everything remained in good order. Their willingness to go the extra mile and engage fully in the care of our animals, plants, and property truly set them apart.
Their dedication, reliability, and proactive approach make them invaluable assets for any house & pet owner.
We are immensely grateful. Thank you
VANESSA (Tuchekoi QLD, Mar 2024 - 1 week 3 nights)
Barry and Marnee were absolutely amazing! With two high energy dogs, cattle and chickens here, there's a little care required and they gave it in spades. Our older dog is a little fragile and she was so settled on our return. The animals were all well, the house was spotless, and with regular updates throughout the trip, we all were able to really enjoy our getaway.. I just hope Barry and Marnee are still housesitting for our next holiday 🤞
MEL (Eumundi QLD, Jan 2024 - 2 weeks 2 nights)
Barry and Marnee were absolutely fantastic, they exceeded our expectations and we could not have been happier.
They took wonderful care of all of our farm animals, which included our charismatic gaggle of geese, chickens, cows and our beautiful Bull, whom I think grew quite attached to them!
In addition to looking after our animals, Barry and Marnee were both amazing around our large property. They are both very active and were very keen to be involved and help out wherever they could. They ... MOREBarry and Marnee were absolutely fantastic, they exceeded our expectations and we could not have been happier.
They took wonderful care of all of our farm animals, which included our charismatic gaggle of geese, chickens, cows and our beautiful Bull, whom I think grew quite attached to them!
In addition to looking after our animals, Barry and Marnee were both amazing around our large property. They are both very active and were very keen to be involved and help out wherever they could. They happily did some gardening and mowing, and repairs to our chook house and other odd jobs.
They were very conscientious about keeping the house very clean and tidy and went above and beyond in this respect.
We are so happy that we met Barry and Marnee and look forward to them sitting for us again.
SARAH (Cooroy Mountain QLD, Dec 2023 - 2 weeks 2 nights)
They make you feel comfortable right from their arrival.
My gardens and my dogs are thriving from their care.
NIKKI (Dirranbandi QLD, Nov 2023 - 1 week 4 nights)
Marnee and Barry were wonderful and everything their reviews promised. it was a bit of a rushed change over but M & B took it all in stride. All our pets loved them and they took excellent care of the pets. We wouldn't hesitate to recommend them.
DELICIA (Nambour QLD, Aug 2023 - 1 month 2 weeks)
This was our very first AussieHousesitters experience and Marnee & Barry made it a huge success! Communication was excellent and the house and garden were left in tip top condition. Nothing was too much trouble. We feel like we have made some wonderful new friends and hope our paths cross again one day soon. Unfortunately, Marnee & Barry spoiled the dog outrageously; we are sure he’s a little disappointed the holiday with them is over already 🤣
SANDY (Tolga QLD, Jul 2023 - 3 weeks)
Hey Sandy it is such a fantastic feeling to receive such great feed back and appreciate your friendship! We are feeling like Bailey and are also a little disappointed that the holiday is over. It would be wonderful to circle back and see you guys again, some day!
So good! Marnee and Barry are wonderful people who care for your home like their own. 100% would recommend them for your house sit if you are lucky to get them!
A perfect first experience with Aussie House Sitters Marnee and Barry! We arrived home not only to one very happy (in love!) sausage dog Hugo, but a spotless home and lovely gardens as well. We really appreciated the photos and messages from home while we were away, and can't thank Marnee and Barry enough for such a happy and relaxing time away, knowing Hugo was in such good, caring hands. 5 stars isn't enough, as they deserve way more! We can highly recommend Marnee and Barry to house and ... MOREA perfect first experience with Aussie House Sitters Marnee and Barry! We arrived home not only to one very happy (in love!) sausage dog Hugo, but a spotless home and lovely gardens as well. We really appreciated the photos and messages from home while we were away, and can't thank Marnee and Barry enough for such a happy and relaxing time away, knowing Hugo was in such good, caring hands. 5 stars isn't enough, as they deserve way more! We can highly recommend Marnee and Barry to house and pet sit, and would love to welcome them back to our home (and so would Hugo!).
Marnee & Barry are the absolute best house & pet sitters ever!!! I came home to extremely happy & confidant fur babies......2 old dogs & 1 (15 yr old) cat that were so well cared for. House & garden a dream (spotless) would highly recommend these delightful people!!! Can't express how great they were!!!
KAY (Hervey Bay QLD, Mar 2022 - 12 days)
Marnee and Barry are absolutely adorable. I new from the second we met them that Bella (our dog) would have the best time with them and that we could trust them 100%. From texting us a photo of our fur-baby on the second day of our hols, re-assuring us everything was going great, to arranging some flowers in vases around the house for our return - the little extra touches were so sweet. What beautiful , friendly and thorough house/ dog sitters. They felt more like friends than sitters. A big ... MOREMarnee and Barry are absolutely adorable. I new from the second we met them that Bella (our dog) would have the best time with them and that we could trust them 100%. From texting us a photo of our fur-baby on the second day of our hols, re-assuring us everything was going great, to arranging some flowers in vases around the house for our return - the little extra touches were so sweet. What beautiful , friendly and thorough house/ dog sitters. They felt more like friends than sitters. A big hit with our three year old as well. We hope they are free in the near future, for us to go away again!
FRANCESCA (Currimundi QLD, Jan 2022 - 4 days)
Aww...
Awesome Francesca ~ thanks so much and we really hope that we can be back around again to your place again!
Marnee and Barry were exceptional housesitters and are some of the loveliest people we have ever met. They looked after and weeded our gardens, mowed, cared for the animals and loved them like we do. They were extremely competent with the dogs and picked up horse care in the first day to which they are now 'old hands' with my equine loves.
Even though they had their own van they looked after our house, even taking washing off the line and folding it for us. They left the farm and all ... MOREMarnee and Barry were exceptional housesitters and are some of the loveliest people we have ever met. They looked after and weeded our gardens, mowed, cared for the animals and loved them like we do. They were extremely competent with the dogs and picked up horse care in the first day to which they are now 'old hands' with my equine loves.
Even though they had their own van they looked after our house, even taking washing off the line and folding it for us. They left the farm and all buildings in fabulous clean condition. Probably better than when we left. They went above and beyond and we would welcome them back at any time whether we need a sitter or not
Thanks again Marnee and Barry
BERNADETTE (Bondoola QLD, Jan 2022 - 5 Days)
We are super grateful for your kind words Bernie! You are such a knowledgeable horse lady and an excellent instructor, so our chores and loving all those furry funny faces was very enjoyable. We had plenty of enthusiasm to spare to be able to potter around your amazing place ~ very special. Thanks ... MOREWe are super grateful for your kind words Bernie! You are such a knowledgeable horse lady and an excellent instructor, so our chores and loving all those furry funny faces was very enjoyable. We had plenty of enthusiasm to spare to be able to potter around your amazing place ~ very special. Thanks you very much for the invitation back!
They need 10 stars for Marnee and Barry not just 5!
Hands down the best sitters we have ever had. From the initial phone conversation to meeting them in person they were warm and friendly with great communication. They took amazing care of our 3 fur babies and left the house spotlessly clean. I could not recommend these guys enough for your next sit
JEN AND LUKE (Beaconsfield QLD, Jan 2022 - 5 days)
Awwww shucks ~ thank you so much for that! You have happy healthy beautiful animals and a great home, so it was a really nice five day stop over in Mackay for us.
P.S. We did find the rock pool on orchid island today!
This was our first experience with Aussie House-sitters and Marnee and Barry exceeded all our expectations. We returned home to an immaculate home, well tended house plants and happy and healthy pets. While we were away Marnee kept us updated on our animals' antics, including Barry singing along with our dog, Shiloh. Marnee and Barry are such a friendly and personable couple that it really put our mind at ease while we were away. Overall, a great experience and 5 star house-sitters.
LEONIE (Armstrong Beach QLD, Dec 2021 - 16 days)
Where do we start! What a pleasure to have met two of the loveliest, kindest and caring humans we have ever met! Thank you so much for caring for our two cats, and hundreds of budgies as if they were your own including our home. We are so appreciative and hope we get to see you again. Enjoy your travels.
Tammy and Angelo
TAMMY (Lauderdale TAS, Mar 2021 - 1 week 4 days)
We really appreciate these kind words Tammy and feel so very fortunate to have the opportunity to meet you guys! Your home is absolutely amazing as is your generosity ~ we will definitely let you know next time we come over to Tassie!
Cheers,
x Marnee & Barry
Marnee and Barry looked after my home and pets for 4 weeks, its hard to put into words just how amazing this beautiful couple are. Marnee breathed new life into my tired little home and garden, the care and attention they gave to my pets especially my rescue dog Lillie was above and beyond. Barry put a heap of flat pack items together for me that had arrived plus put beds together that had been sitting for weeks. Anyone would be lucky to have them as house sitters and i for one will never ... MOREMarnee and Barry looked after my home and pets for 4 weeks, its hard to put into words just how amazing this beautiful couple are. Marnee breathed new life into my tired little home and garden, the care and attention they gave to my pets especially my rescue dog Lillie was above and beyond. Barry put a heap of flat pack items together for me that had arrived plus put beds together that had been sitting for weeks. Anyone would be lucky to have them as house sitters and i for one will never forget their time here. Myself and my pets hope to be able to have them house sit again in the future. I cannot recommend them enough, they give 110% and anyone would be lucky to have them in their home. Thank you from the bottom of my heart Marnee & Barry :) :)
ELIZABETH (Kingston WA, Dec 2020 - 4 weeks)
Your kind words are much appreciated Liz ~ We have done many, many pet sits in our time, but our stay at your home with your little fur family was one we will hold in our hearts forever!
The diverse personalities of your cats entertained us every single day. Little old lady Missy dog is one of a ... MOREYour kind words are much appreciated Liz ~ We have done many, many pet sits in our time, but our stay at your home with your little fur family was one we will hold in our hearts forever!
The diverse personalities of your cats entertained us every single day. Little old lady Missy dog is one of a kind who was so easy to spoil. We really enjoyed the walking trails & beaches with your gorgeous girl Lillie, who managed to steal our hearts and cause our eyes to leak on our last day. You are an extraordinary lady Liz!
Thank you for your kindness and your friendship,
x Marnee & Barry
The enthusiasm and care that Marnee and Barry demonstrated during the sit was exceptional. Nothing was too much trouble - they went above and beyond. We found them to be very friendly and personable. We thoroughly recommend Marnee and Barry and would welcome them back to house sit for us again.
ROB (Carlisle WA, Dec 2020 - 6 days)
Many thanks Kaye & Rob! We feel very fortunate to have had such an awesome & unique venue to spend Christmas week. We enjoyed learning so much about these very special gorgeous birds. Your gardens are fantastic!
Cheers, Marnee & Barry
Our kitty cat could not have had better sitters. She was well looked after and content when we returned home. Our home was meticulously looked after and an added bonus was our garden being pruned and mulched. Thank you so much Marnee and Barry.
I would strongly recommend them to anyone looking for a pet and house sitter. I doubt you would find any one better.
HEATHER (Sinagra WA, Dec 2020 - 6 days)
From the moment we met Barry and Marnee they felt like family! They were so friendly and easy to talk to!
Throughout our holiday they kept us well informed with photos of our dogs and a daily report. The dogs were so sad to see them leave!
When we got back from our relaxing holiday we came back to an imaculate house and garden- they did so much that exceeded our expectation!
Absolutely recommend Barry and Marnee for you house and pet sitting and we will definitely be contacting them to see ... MOREFrom the moment we met Barry and Marnee they felt like family! They were so friendly and easy to talk to!
Throughout our holiday they kept us well informed with photos of our dogs and a daily report. The dogs were so sad to see them leave!
When we got back from our relaxing holiday we came back to an imaculate house and garden- they did so much that exceeded our expectation!
Absolutely recommend Barry and Marnee for you house and pet sitting and we will definitely be contacting them to see if they are available for our next trip!
MELISSA (Clarkson WA, Nov 2020 - 1 week 2 days)
We are so pleased to have gotten the opportunity to know your family and this was our first experience looking after Staffies ~ your two were such a great introduction and we will forever reminisce our time with Indie Girl & Buddy Boy!
Omg people we have just had one of the best ever house sitters 'ever', and I tell you all our house sitters have been amazing.
Marnee & Barry just stepped into our home with the utmost respect, love and care that anyone would ask for. Our home was theirs for 2 weeks, the updates we received were unbelievably funny on all our fur kids,. They sure know exactly how to capture their individual personalities, On returning home our home was immaculate, and cleanest we had ever had our home in ... MOREOmg people we have just had one of the best ever house sitters 'ever', and I tell you all our house sitters have been amazing.
Marnee & Barry just stepped into our home with the utmost respect, love and care that anyone would ask for. Our home was theirs for 2 weeks, the updates we received were unbelievably funny on all our fur kids,. They sure know exactly how to capture their individual personalities, On returning home our home was immaculate, and cleanest we had ever had our home in years, our gardens were well looked after, plus more and more.
What is very fortunate is, that Marnee has become a duck lover instead of a goat lover from the past. Our ducklings had a palace to live in. Barry; the Vet bench will stay forever. We would HIGHLY RECOMMEND Marnee & Barry, you are beautiful!
SHELLEY & DAVE (Dongara WA, Nov 2020 - 2 weeks)
This was one of OUR all time best adventures and we are the lucky ducks to have been invited to look after Shelly & Dave's place. Hope to swing by the next time around, you guys are awesome =D
There are not enough words to explain our gratitude for having Marnee and Barry as house and dog sitters for a month while we were away. It is the longest time we have left our two dogs for and once we met M & B we had absolutely no worries at all which does not happen often. They cared and loved our dogs so much as if they were there own and spoiled them even better than we do in terms of daily walks and adventures. Our house on our return has never been so clean and our garden and outdoor ... MOREThere are not enough words to explain our gratitude for having Marnee and Barry as house and dog sitters for a month while we were away. It is the longest time we have left our two dogs for and once we met M & B we had absolutely no worries at all which does not happen often. They cared and loved our dogs so much as if they were there own and spoiled them even better than we do in terms of daily walks and adventures. Our house on our return has never been so clean and our garden and outdoor areas had a totally amazing makeover that we are so grateful for. The only negative we have is that they don't live here so we can't have them all the time! Recommend them in a heartbeat to anyone lucky enough to have them (it's like winning lotto). Thanks guys and safe travels.
JESS (Port Hedland WA, Aug 2020 - 1 month)
We are so delighted to read these beautiful words Jess & Jack & are so glad you invited us! We most definitely love what we do, especially when we feel such appreciation from extraordinary pet owners like you! All the very best for the exciting developments over the next few months and we will be ... MOREWe are so delighted to read these beautiful words Jess & Jack & are so glad you invited us! We most definitely love what we do, especially when we feel such appreciation from extraordinary pet owners like you! All the very best for the exciting developments over the next few months and we will be thinking of your little family well into the future.
Enjoy, Marnee & Barry
This is the first time I have used house/pet sitters. I can't believe what an amazing experience it has been. To say Marnee and Barry were awesome is an understatement! When they arrived my yard and gardens were not a 'showcase'.... but when I returned after a month they were certainly that and more. Both dogs, Tunsy and Yelly, had so much attention and love bestowed on them, I returned to my two dogs to find they had more manners than most people have. Barry and Marnee are more than dog ... MOREThis is the first time I have used house/pet sitters. I can't believe what an amazing experience it has been. To say Marnee and Barry were awesome is an understatement! When they arrived my yard and gardens were not a 'showcase'.... but when I returned after a month they were certainly that and more. Both dogs, Tunsy and Yelly, had so much attention and love bestowed on them, I returned to my two dogs to find they had more manners than most people have. Barry and Marnee are more than dog sitters, they were more like dog trainers for my two!
My only wish is that they were living in the area so I could have them here again.... and again! The best part is, this couple are so special, that where ever they travel, I have now made new friends and I know we will alway stay in touch.
ROBERT (CARNARVON WA, May 2020 - One Month)
Oh wow Robert, we appreciate this so much! We feel so fortunate to have been at the right place at the right time. It is people like you who make it so rewarding for us to do what we do & our time with Tunza & Yelly will be forever cherished.
Cheers to our friendship with Lauri & You =D
We would like to express our thanks to Marnee and Barry for the care they took looking after our home and spoiling our two dogs. Whilst the dogs were happy with our return I think they were pining for Barry & Marnee's company. We came home to happy dogs and tidy home and garden. It was just such a shame that we could not thank them in person due to the Coronavirus! We would happily have them sit for us again and recommend them to anyone. We wish them safe & healthy travels Sue & Peter
SUE (Beechboro WA, Mar 2020 - 2 weeks)
We were more than happy with Marnee and Barry. They looked after our pets enthusiastically, pandered to our cat's eccentricities and our dog's love of beach walks. They kept in touch with lots of news of our pets and communicated well throughout the whole process. The house was beautifully clean when we returned home and the garden looked much better than when we left home. Highly recommend and happy to provide reference.
FELICITY (West Beach SA, Nov 2019 - 1 month 1 week)
Many many thanks for choosing us...
I can't not say it enough!
Marnee and Barry were absolutely wonderful. My main correspondence was with Marnee who I found to be a lovely cheerful and bubbly personality from the emails we sent back and forth in the lead up to the sit and throughout the sit period.
I can absolutely attest to them as both being outstanding, reliable and trustworthy sitters.
On return from my short trip away, my elderly kitty cat looked well and relaxed which was exactly what you want when you leave them in care.
The house was spotless ... MOREMarnee and Barry were absolutely wonderful. My main correspondence was with Marnee who I found to be a lovely cheerful and bubbly personality from the emails we sent back and forth in the lead up to the sit and throughout the sit period.
I can absolutely attest to them as both being outstanding, reliable and trustworthy sitters.
On return from my short trip away, my elderly kitty cat looked well and relaxed which was exactly what you want when you leave them in care.
The house was spotless and in better shape than I'd left it ! [oops...my bad]. They even picked flowers from the garden and there were beautiful floral arrangements throughout the house which was such a lovely touch to come home to after a long day of travel.
I'm so happy that I was able to book Marnee and Barry to look after my beloved old kitty cat while I was away. Marnee kept me updated with emails including photos, which I know would be of comfort to many parents of our furry friends. I would highly recommend them.
Thank you so much to you both Marnee and Barry , for agreeing to stay and looking after my old girl Pixel, and the place in my absence. You guys are ACE!!! :) x Em and Pixel
EMMA (Woodend VIC, Oct 2019 - 4 days)
Happy you!
With a house sitter looking after your pets, house and garden - you can really relax. Happy days.