Krkonoše Mountains National Park, Czech Republic. Stunning nature, private garden, lakeside, great walkable town.
What we are looking for in a house sitter:
We are seeking a responsible house sitter to care for our beloved home, sweet cat, and happy, active dog while we are away. The best fit for this assignment is someone who is comfortable with (potentially) new languages, likes small town life and time in nature, and especially enjoys hiking with an active Border Collie on the many surrounding mountain, meadow and forest trails.
Your responsibilities will be:
1) Caring for lawn and garden by scooping poop and clearing snow.
2) Caring for one dog, including: at least 2x daily 30 minute walks, feeding kibble and providing fresh water, love and care throughout the day and night.
3) Caring for one indoor/outdoor cat, including: litter box maintenance and cleaning, feeding kibble 2x each day, providing fresh water, love and care throughout the day and night.
4) Collecting mail from house box and sign for any packages arriving (unlikely).
5) Participate in a weekly video conference with homeowners to provide updates on pets and home and an opportunity for both parties to ask questions. Participate in additional communication as needed via text, , video. (i.e. emergencies, special instances).
6) Participate in either a face-to-face transition (return keys and assess the property) with the homeowner or our authorized representative at the completion of the assignment OR a last day debriefing video conference before vacating the property with the homeowner or authorized representative to close out the assignment term.
7) Spending each night on the property – no overnight trips away from the pets.
8) Be a good, respectful neighbor to our wonderful neighbors.
9) Non-smoking house sitters, only.
Things to consider before applying for this assignment:
All offers are contingent on completing (or providing) a thorough background check. We also require house sitting and character references. Photo IDs will be required to receive house keys. We will keep a copy of your ID on file during your stay.
We are in a smaller city where most people do not speak fluent English. Because we are a town that caters to tourism, there are also many people who do speak small amounts of English, German, Polish, Russian or Dutch. If you do not speak Czech, you can definitely get by but it would be useful to learn a few phrases e and expand your language skills in a stunning environment!
Public transportation is available primarily through bus service, which is extensive. Train service is also available. Many people do not own a car or use their car infrequently as the town is extremely walkable. A car is handy to have, but not a requirement to enjoy a full life here. Because you will be caring for our pets it is not possible to go away overnight.
Some good features of this property and location are:
This is an older house, situated next to a lake with swimming and fishing, hiking trails and two popular open air restaurants. Wifi, non-smoking home. Large private garden with multiple plants and trees including cherry, apple, plum, walnut. Fire pit and firewood available for outdoor evenings. Football/soccer stadium with groomed XC ski trails in winter within walking distance. Easy access to ski lifts for winter downhill and XC skiing, and other nature-based activities. Culture Center with concerts and films. Theater for plays and musicals. Central square and castle grounds are 15 minutes walking from house. Many restaurants (incl. 2 vegetarian), pubs, cafes, shops (incl. 3 natural food stores) and amenities provide just about everything you might require. Many, many castles and other sights within a 45 minute radius! We are 132 km NE of Prague and there is bus service available with direct service to Prague.
Castles, national parks, and mountain sports are in abundance in our region. We are a tourist destination and as such there are many wellness centers with swimming, sauna, massage and other offerings throughout our area.