Poppy – First Walking Session & Evening Visits 🐕🌙

Starting my new pet sitting journey with Poppy, I began with two gentle evening visits and a walking session focused on building trust and comfort ahead of her upcoming eight-night stay. These early moments from December to February are crucial for creating a calm and positive experience—for Poppy, her carers and me—helping Poppy feel safe, cared for, and supported within a familiar routine. This careful preparation lays the foundation for our longer overnight stay in late February, and I’m excited to share more about our time soon!

👋 First Evening Visit

Following our initial meet and greet, this first evening visit was a gentle step into building trust and connection. Our time together focused on the essentials: feeding, toilet breaks, and simply sharing the same space.

Poppy was understandably a little unsure at first, especially with the rain and strong winds making her uneasy. To help her settle, I played soft music to create a calming atmosphere. She found comfort chewing on her favourite blanket, the one she came home from the shelter with—small but meaningful signs that she was beginning to feel safe.

These quiet, reassuring moments marked the start of our growing bond and helped Poppy feel welcomed and secure in this new chapter with me.

🚶 First Walking Session

Our bond deepened during a walk along one of Poppy’s familiar routes. Moving together in this trusted environment helped her feel calm and secure, creating the perfect space for connection.

During the walk, I supported Poppy’s ongoing reactivity training by gently intervening when needed—positioning myself between her and any stressful triggers to help her feel safe and protected. Using her food-driven motivation, I reinforced positive behaviours with treats, which also contributed to her weight gain journey by increasing her calorie intake.

Beyond the training, I provided companionship and feeding, nurturing our growing trust through these quiet, shared moments. This gentle rhythm of movement and care is helping Poppy build confidence and feel more at ease in the world around her.

Since this first walking session, I’ve already booked another one in February, and I’m looking forward to sharing more about Poppy’s progress and our experiences in upcoming posts.

🌙 Building Comfort Through Companionship

During this evening visit, we continued our gentle routine of feeding, toilet breaks, and simply sharing quiet moments. The focus was on companionship—being fully present and attentive to Poppy’s needs, helping her to relax and build confidence in my care. These calm interactions are key to strengthening our bond and supporting her sense of safety.

✨ Looking ahead!

These sessions have made it possible for me and Poppy to bond and grow together through building trust through consistency. Leaving space and allowing her to become familiar with me and become more confident in our shared space. Letting her know that I'm not here for her to fuss me, I'm there to help her become comfortable and to socialise with new people. Which at the same time, allows her caregivers to socialise and be able to leave their home and Poppy with a trusted and respectful dog sitter.

---

💡 Enjoyed this post? Subscribe!

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

​5-star rating on Rover ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐