Join our human–animal family and help care for our 7 dogs and 5 cats in Istanbul, Turkey

Details

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  Description

  About us
  We are Günseli and Burak. I am a fashion designer . Burak is a cinematographer. Together we are working on our fashion label and independent film projects. We develop collections through field research across wild flora, culture , and craft.
  
  We work in a hybrid way—mostly from home, sometimes outside in meetings. We need to allocate more time to our work, so we are looking for someone reliable who has real experience with dogs and passionate about animals.
  
  We live with 7 dogs and 5 cats. All of our dogs are mixed breed, large, and adopted from the street. They are calm and loving at home and have a strong bond with us.
  
  Some of the dogs can get excited when they see other animals. Walking them requires attention, calm energy, and a genuine connection with dogs. Out of seven, four may pull or bark when they see small pets, so it’s important to stay focused and in connection during walks.
  
  Our home is in Fenerbahçe, 5 minutes from the sea, with a long coastal path for walking and running. It’s a central, pleasant area with easy access to all parts of Istanbul by public transport.
  
  We enjoy spending time together when possible—sharing meals or going out—
  
  Living and walking with dogs is an important part of the experience here, so a natural curiosity, attentiveness, and inner love for them makes the stay more fluid and rewarding for everyone involved.
  
  We especially enjoy hosting curious, independent people who genuinely want to explore the region, discover local culture, nature and daily life in Türkiye.
  
  As we both work from home and use the house as a creative working space, we appreciate guests who also enjoy spending time outside during the day — exploring the city, visiting the city or experiencing the local environment — rather than staying at home most of the time.
  
  Of course, shared meals, rest and quiet days are always welcome, but in general this experience works best for people with an active interest in discovering the area and engaging with the outside world.
  
  Tasks
  Animal care
  Walk 4 dogs, 3 times a day (in two groups, around 40 minutes each).
  2 main walk and 1 a short one
  
  Clean cat litter twice a day
  Observe their health and behavior
  Light house care: cleaning and vacuuming 2 times a week and general maintenance.
  
  Food - Just Breakfast
  We provide a private room. The kitchen is shared. We offer simple breakfast, tea, and coffee in the mornings. Lunch and dinner are not provided.
  
  Schedule
  5 days a week
  Morning: 08:00 – 10:00
  Evening: 16:00 – 18:00
  
  The rest of the day is free, but we expect general awareness of the animals.
  
  What we offer
  -A calm home and a private room in Fenerbahçe
  -5 minutes walking distance to the sea
  -High-speed internet (suitable for remote work)
  -A city rich in culture and history
  -Shared time, meals, and a friendly environment
  -Food expenses covered
  
  Important note
  This is not just a job. We are looking for someone who truly loves animals and treats them with care and respect. For us, they are family. Dog walking experience is a must.
  
  We value joyfull, responsible, and kind people. If you enjoy living with animals and being part of a warm, simple home, this can be a good experience for both sides. Please do not send message with chat gpt and instead use your own words and ideas. Chat gpt messages look so obvious and don’t tell much about you. We prefer real and sincere connections.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Art Projects

  Language practice

  Animal Care

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  Light maintenance

  House & pet sitting
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  Interests

  

  LGBTQ

  

  Events & social

  

  Vegetarian or vegan

  

  Sustainability

  

  Self development

  

  Pets

  

  Culture

  

  Plant care

  

  Photography

  

  Languages

  

  Art & design

  

  Yoga / Wellness

  

  Sailing / Boating
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  We are very open to different cultures and believe that we can learn from each other while enjoying our friendship. We would be happy to spend time together and exchange ideas. We are the home of a human-animal family. I think our guests will experience a beautiful harmony between humans and animals where they can be exactly friends. Rather than an owner-animal relationship, we have a family-friend type of loving and fun relationship that needs to be experienced.

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  Projects involving children

  This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.

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  Help

  Tasks
  Animal care
  Walk 4 dogs, 3 times a day (in two groups, around 40 minutes each)
  2 main walk and 1 a short one
  
  Prepare food for animals:
  Dogs: meat or chicken with rice and vegetables (prepared in the morning, split for morning and evening)
  Cats: dry food and fresh water morning and evening
  Clean cat litter twice a day
  Observe their health and behavior
  Light house care: daily cleaning and vacuuming
  
  Schedule
  5 days a week
  Morning: 08:00 – 10:00
  Evening: 16:00 – 18:00
  Late short walk: around 23:00 (for toilet needs)
  
  The rest of the day is free, but we expect general awareness of the animals.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  Italian: Intermediate

  This host offers a language exchange
  We are interested in learning languages, art, and crafts.
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  Accommodation

  Our Workawayers will have their own rooms . We can host either one person, two friends or a couple. We’ll provide the food, and cooking can be shared together in a simple, friendly way.

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  What else ...

  Istanbul is a city to see, which connects east and west. We suggest you make a good programme to see the city between the dog walks.

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  Can host digital nomads

  We have high-speed internet. Between the morning and evening care sessions, digital nomads can focus on their own work in a calm environment with a good climate — always keeping an eye and ear open to the animals.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  Two

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  My animals / pets

  

  Mata, Simba, Pina, Genet, Lila, Alp, Sansa

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