Home From Home — Essex is owned and run by Sue and Richard Wittmack.
You can find out more on our FAQ page.
"Thank you for helping match Paddigton with the right person to look after him while I am away.
The carer, Denis, helped me to feel confident about leaving Paddington with him - and Paddington got on really well with Denis!"
— Sarah, Woodford Green
"Thank you so much for being so kind and helpful on the phone. I was so worried and you were so understanding"
- Wilhemina
Dogs we've had in our care, photographed by the carers themselves.
We have a network of approved carers across most areas of Essex, all personally checked and authorised by us. Your dog will stay in a warm home, with no other dogs, looked after and walked just as you would at your home.
Once registered, you and your dog must visit the selected carer before the date of your first booking - see our step-by-step guide for more details.
If, within five days of meeting your dog carer, you feel that we have not supplied you with somebody who is suitable, you can either meet another carer or have your deposit refunded in accordance with our terms and conditions.
This is a one-off payment, made at the time of your first booking, that registers all the details of your dog(s) on our booking system. It ensures that - at any future date - you can make a priority booking just by calling us on the telephone.
Registration of your dog(s) can be done at any time, even if you do not need to make a booking immediately, by returning the completed forms with your £10 registration fee.
The £14 per day caring charge is payable from the arrival day to the departure day inclusive. For example a Saturday-to-Saturday stay would count as an eight-day stay. The £14 booking fee includes a £4 per day booking deposit (plus £2 per day deposit for a second dog) that must be paid when making your booking.
Please note that in the event of your cancelling a confirmed booking there is a minimum £10 administration charge.
We do not accept dogs with any aggressive tendencies, dogs that are not house trained, dogs that are incontinent, that are likely to chew furniture or, in the case of large dogs, that are boisterous or not under control.
Please contact us first to discuss your requirements. You will find a copy of our Booking Form and Terms & Conditions on the contact page for further information.
Once you have discussed your requirements with us, we will need you to complete and sign the forms and send them to us along with the full deposit and the initial registration fee if you are a new customer. The deposit payable at the time of booking is £4 per day for one dog, £6 per day for two dogs.
Please note: additional charges apply over Christmas and Easter periods, please see Frequently Asked Questions.
Once we have received your completed application form, your deposit, and first time registration fee if applicable, we will call you to provide the details of your carer. Written confirmation of your booking will be sent to you. It will include details of your dog’s carer, whom you must visit beforehand with your dog.
Should you require it, we will also forward detailed directions from your home to your carer's address. The remaining balance of £10 per day (for one dog), £17 per day (for two dogs) must be paid directly to your carer when you drop the dog off on the first day of their stay.
We regret that should you indicate an intention to withhold this payment to your carer until the completion of your dog’s stay this may result in the immediate cancellation of your booking and loss of your deposit.