Sitting for Elderly Chihuahua in quiet city south of metro Denver, Colorado

About this assignment

I'm looking for a pet sitter/couple to watch my 14-year old Chihuahua near Denver, CO.

Max is pretty easy going but does have some separation anxiety and maybe a little doggie dementia so I'm looking for someone who is really patient. Being elderly and having dementia, he also has to go to the bathroom more frequently and occasionally will pee in the house if we're not paying attention or we miss his usual time to go out.

We are in a nice apartment tower in the historic downtown area of Castle Rock, so the sitter will need to be able to easily handle any other dog family encounters moving through the common hallways and elevator. Max does not want to be friends with other dogs and has no problem proactively protecting his humans during walks and has been known to try to dart out into traffic in pursuit of a big Doberman, Rottweiler or bully breed (he is stronger and faster than one might think!).

We also have strict community rules in our rental, so absolutely no smoking is allowed anywhere on the property.

What responsibilities are required of the house sitter

Max will want to sit and sleep near you as much as he can. He is used to being in the house on his own for several hours during the work day, but we are generally home other times.

Max will go on a few short (10 minutes or so) walks around our neighborhood each day. Cleaning up after him on his walks is a must but our apartment community and neighborhood are super dog friendly and have pet clean up stations throughout. There are two great little park/town squares right outside our door that are well lit and very safe at night. He can also just be taken out the front door of the apartment building for the early and late pee time.

I also have house plants that may need to be watered, but otherwise there shouldn't be any property maintenance.

What are the good features of the property and location

We are in Castle Rock, which is a small city about 20 minutes south of the metro Denver area, just along I-25. Our luxury apartment complex is in a cute, historic and vibrant "downtown" area. There are several restaurants, bars, coffee shops and boutiques literally in the bottom floors of our two apartment towers or within a few minutes walk right outside the door. Our home is a sunny, 2-bedroom, 2-bath space with a small patio. There's also a gym and heated outdoor pool and hot tub in the complex.

You can walk several trails or take a 10 minute or less Uber ride to several shopping and restaurant centers in town, including a big outlet mall with major clothing retailers. Just 15 minutes by car gets you to the southern stop of the Denver lightrail system so you can access most major Denver attractions (downtown Denver is about 35 minutes by car, traffic depending). Red Rocks Amphitheater (major concert venue) is a 45-minute drive and the Air Force Academy, Garden of the Gods and Colorado Springs are about a 30-minute drive.

What does the house sitter need to consider before applying for this assignment

Max can be an early riser (5 - 6am usually) and likes his schedule to stay about the same each day, so my ideal sitter will be okay with an early wake-up nudge and will plan any activities around the few meal and walk times. Max is older and in good health but probably isn't up for walks longer than about 20 minutes at a time. Experience with Chihuahuas would be helpful as the breed is not the typical quiet, docile small dog. Max doesn't realize he's only 9 pounds and really will often go crazy barking at other dogs so you can't be on your phone during a walk.

The weather in the Denver area can be variable in winter, so plan on anything from 60 degrees F and sunny to rainy/snowy and well below freezing (usually sunny though!).

Can I bring my own pets?

No, sorry.

Enlarge map