We have a 3-bedroom house with a large balcony, wi-fi and enclosed backyard with swimming pool. The front lawn and the pool are maintained by service companies so there's no work to be done there. The pool company have key access to the backyard - another reason the dogs need to be accompanied in the back yard. Mowing the back yard is not required (but we won't stop you if you feel the urge).

Hi Everyone.

We're looking for 1 or 2 people to pet sit our 2 dogs and 1 house cat in our home in Palm Cove for 3+ weeks in September and October. We would love to welcome a retired couple travelling around Australia who are looking for a place to stop and rest up for a bit to keep our dogs and cat company while we are away. This would not suit people looking for work as the dogs need someone who wont be away from our home for more that 2 or 3 hours at a time.

The Dogs:
They are big and strong but very gentle and nervous (both are German / Swiss Shepherd with some Maremma in there too). They can be left indoors and unattended but only for up to 3 hours per day (5 hours maximum occasionally). We work from home, so this is what they are used to, We need someone the dogs will get to know and are familiar with to be in their company, so we're looking for someone who'll be able to be home with them for around 20 hours a day for the 3+ weeks, therefore this gig won't suit anyone looking for work locally.
The dogs bark when left unattended outside, which annoys the neighbours, so they need to be kept indoors most of the time, and when they are out in the back yard, they need to be accompanied. They also need to be walked twice a day, separately. That's 2 separate dog walks in the morning and 2 more in the evening. Most walks are pleasant and uneventful. They are easy to handle unless they meet other dogs. They're nervous, so they can lunge, and so the dog walker needs to be fairly strong and know how to handle nervous dogs. They are used to playing stimulating games (they hide and seek to find toys and food).

The Cat:
Bluey needs daily cuddles and will want to be with you a lot, including at bedtime. He does need daily medication, some in his food and some by syringe to his mouth, but he loves that daily ritual so it's very easy to apply. Other than that, it's just to feed him, maintain his kitty litter and keep him company. His is an indoor-only cat. He must not be allowed outside (he's 15 and totally happy inside).

The house:
It's a 3-bedroom house with a pool, large balcony and wi-fi. The front lawn and the pool are maintained by service companies so there's no work to be done there. The pool company have key access to the backyard - another reason the dogs need to be accompanied in the back yard. Mowing the back yard is not required (but we won't stop you if you feel the urge). We would like all dog poos to be bagged and binned.

The dates:
We're looking for the pet sitters to say with us for a couple of days before we leave so the dogs can get used to you, and if a short visit or two are possible before the given start date in September that's all the better.