Eight Nights with Poppy: Preparing for Long-Term Care 🧳🐾

Since our first meet and greet in November, I’ve been building a gentle, trusting bond with Poppy through drop-in visits, walking sessions, and quiet moments together. From December through January, these visits helped me learn her rhythms, preferences, and little quirks. A week before the upcoming eight-night sit, we have another walk scheduled — a small rehearsal for the time we’ll soon share.

🥀 Trust Grows in Steps

Long-term pet care is about more than just being present; it’s about nurturing trust through consistency and kindness. With Poppy, each visit has deepened our connection, helping me understand what comforts her, how she likes to move, and when she needs rest or play. This gradual approach eases anxiety and makes the upcoming sit feel like a natural next step.

🧳 Thoughtful Preparation and Balance

Preparing for an extended sit requires mindful planning—honouring both Poppy’s needs and my own commitments with compassion and clarity. Over the eight nights, I’ll engage in online workshops, a volunteer social with Sheffield Museums, a volunteer session on The Ruskin Collection, and a Rover client meet-and-greet. I’ve carefully arranged my schedule to maintain Poppy’s routine with regular walks, meals, and quiet moments, while also nurturing my professional growth and community connections.

Alongside this, I’ve thoughtfully planned which essentials to pack for overnight stays: comfortable clothes, medication, self-care items like a toothbrush and hairbrush, and my spoonie essentials—mints, ginger sweets, and pain relief pills. I’m also bringing an electric heating pad and joint braces to support any chronic pain flare-ups, plus my laptop and charger, my phone charger, some nourishing food, tea bags, and my water bottle. This balance of care and preparedness helps me stay grounded and present, weaving routine and dignity into every step.

Ready for the eight nights with Poppy late February to early March!

🐾 Honouring Routine and Wellbeing

Maintaining Poppy’s familiar routine will be a priority to help her feel safe and settled. I’ll stay attentive to her cues, offering gentle reassurance and space when she needs it, always respecting her individuality and comfort.

Poppy 🥀

💡 Embracing Compassionate Care

This upcoming sit is a chance to deepen my understanding of patience, empathy, and the subtle ways animals communicate trust. Balancing caregiving with ongoing learning reminds me that compassion is a living practice—whether caring for a beloved dog or preserving natural heritage. For more about how my pet sitting connects with my Natural History aspirations, check out my blog post: How Animal Care Informs My Approach to Specimen Care 💌

🌿 Looking Ahead

I’m grateful for the trust Poppy’s family has placed in me and committed to making this sit a time of comfort, care, and connection. It’s a reminder that every act of kindness, big or small, contributes to a more compassionate world. 🐾💚

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🐾 If you are interested in similar pet services in the Sheffield Area, contact me via Rover & Cat in a Flat

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