Have you always wanted a dog but worried you couldn’t look after it all the time or afford it? A company in Purley is giving people the chance to dog-sit while their owners are on holiday.

As we near the Summer holidays many of you will be thinking of ways to burn off those extra calories, why not become a host family with an excellent excuse to go out walking with a furry friend for company. Barking Mad lets people take in a pooch on a temporary holiday as an alternative to kennels, and enjoy the social aspect of going out walking, and joining the Barking Mad family of volunteers which meet periodically at organised events.

Tom Coombe and his father Chris started to run Barking Mad in May 2016 in the Purley and North East Surrey region. They decided to take the opportunity to broaden their skills, run their own family business and meet some amazing people and their lovely dogs. This involved Chris giving up his commute into the City and Tom his tennis coaching where he was at the mercy of the elements either roasting or freezing on court depending on the season.

They have always owned Golden Retrievers. Meg is a mischievous white retriever who has been part of their family for the past 6 years and still behaves like a puppy! Their first dog Amber was a typical Golden Retriever, everyone’s best friend. Amber was truly a globetrotting dog: she was born in Hong Kong, relocated to New York and then finally settled down in the UK. It was her experience in quarantine kennels that made them keen to find an alternative home for her whenever they went on holiday. They were introduced to Barking Mad and both Amber and Meg have had many enjoyable holidays with their wonderful hosts ever since.

Becoming a ‘host’ by looking after somebody else’s dog whilst their owners are away is all set-up and organised by Tom and Chris who take this often informal arrangement and make it fully safe, insured and easy to take part in without costing a penny. As a dog holiday host you provide a loving home environment where your visitor relaxes and feels at home.

Regular exercise and companionship is your part of the deal and the cost, administration and transport is dealt with by Tom and Chris. There is no need to worry about paperwork or dealing with the customer yourself as that is all taken care of. As the dog host, all you need to do is meet with Tom and Chris and you agree together the type of dogs you like and when you are available to look after them.

lf you would like to become a host for Barking Mad and look after a dog on a temporary basis, but enjoy the benefits of having a dog for company please contact Tom and Chris on 02086602697 or by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.