Testimonial: My First Pet-Sitting Assignment in Auvergne

🌋 First Assignment: A Farm at the Foot of Puy de Dôme

We didn't expect it. When we saw the ad, an isolated farm with two dogs, three cats, and an orchard, Jérémie and I looked at each other. "It's now or never."

The property was located in the hills of Saint-Genès-Champanelle, 20 minutes from Clermont-Ferrand. The kind of place where silence strikes you as soon as you turn off the engine.

"We arrived on a Friday evening in November. The light was golden on the volcanoes. The dogs were waiting for us behind the gate, as if they knew.", Elisa

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🐕 Getting to Know Hector and Margot

Hector, an 8-year-old Pyrenean Shepherd. Calm, protective, and clearly the boss of the house. He sniffed us for a good 10 minutes before deigning to lie down at our feet.

Margot, a young Beauceron full of energy. She was the opposite: in 30 seconds, she had decided we were her best friends.

The three cats, Olive, Pistache, and Noisette, ignored us for 48 hours. That's the norm.

:::did-you-know Farm dogs, accustomed to wide-open spaces, often adapt better to new guardiens than apartment dogs. Space and a work routine reassure them. :::

🏡 Lessons from an Auvergne Farm

This first assignment taught us three fundamental things:

1. Humility. You don't manage a farm like an apartment. The rhythm is dictated by the animals, not by us.

2. Observation. Hector limped slightly on the third day. We contacted the veterinarian in Royat immediately, it was a thorn in his paw, nothing serious. But without attention, it could have worsened.

3. Communication. The owners, on vacation in Portugal, received our photos every evening. One evening, we sent a video of Margot chasing a dead leaf. They replied: "That's exactly her true personality. Thank you."

"This assignment taught us that house-sitting is not babysitting. It's an immersion. You live someone else's life for a few days, and you respect it."

🎯 The Expert's Eye

Our first assignment in Auvergne was a foundational moment for Guardiens. It's where we understood that house-sitting was not just a service, it was a human exchange.

Hector and Margot taught us patience. Olive, Pistache, and Noisette taught us feline indifference (an underestimated skill). And Auvergne reminded us that France is full of hidden treasures.

Guardiens' advice: Don't limit your assignments to the city. Auvergne farms, Savoyard chalets, Provençal 'mas', each region offers a unique experience.

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🔗 Also read:

• 🐾 Our Story: From Argentina to Lyon
• 🏠 House-Sitting Guide for Lyon
• 🐕 Join the Community