La Canina

Vallromanes, that's the name of the town where we are. A pretty and quiet town.
If you like dogs, you like the mountains, the tranquility to rest, nature, the sound of birds, hiking and getting to know a beautiful and culturally rich city like Barcelona, this is the ideal place for you.
But if the mountains, tranquility and nature aren't your thing, perhaps you should look for something closer to the city. :)
If you also like the sea and water sports, the beach is 15 minutes by car (about 1 hour 15 minutes walking), in the beautiful town of El Masnou.

Hello volunteer! :)
I am Irene, the director and founder of La Canina.
Those of us who work here feel a very big love for animals and for nature; I think that is the best description of us.
We are dog trainers and professionals in the canine world.
Dogs spend stays of hours, days or weeks at home while their owners are on vacation.
What we are basically looking for are female volunteers who have tact with dogs, who know how to treat them without upsetting them and who love being with them. That they are not bothered by fur all over, haha, and that they want to learn more about them. In addition to people who know how to work in a team, without bad vibes.

WE DO NOT ACCEPT MEN.
We prefer to share time and space with women, as we have created a safe space and community for travelers, whether they travel alone or with companions.
Sorry, men. We are sure you will find your suitable volunteering ;)

The volunteer plan is simple:
You work 3 full days and 4 days off.
Working days start at 8am, with basic cleaning tasks for order and the group's well-being.
During the day tasks are marked on a schedule and help with the dogs, with walks and other activities.
Dogs are used to always being in company. For sleeping you always sleep with the dogs, although they sleep in their beds on the floor (or in your bed if you want and permit it)
The rest of the day you can go, stay or spend it sleeping; we do not mess with your free time. The 4 days off, obviously, are free to do whatever you fancy.
Basically those 3 days full on. Depending on the time of year it is more full on than another. But very bearable 😊

Where will you sleep?
You will have a room (shared or single, depending on availability) where you will sleep most of the days, but always by rotation there will be a day you sleep in the Agora we call it. The large dining room where almost all the dogs sleep. It is the space they know best and some day of your volunteer days, you will have to sleep there.

(Christmas and summer seasons there are many dogs and the work is more intense. The rest of the year is quieter)
(You can always leave your things at home in case you go away for a few days)

On days off, the latest time to return to sleep is 22:00 for the rest and tranquility of the dogs. This is essential, since after that hour it would be inconvenient for the rest of the fellow volunteers if they are already asleep.

* The arrival and meeting time will always be in the morning, between 10:00 and 13:00. If you arrive in the afternoon, you will have to find a place to stay until the next morning..

* It is advised to bring medical insurance.

* A 20€ deposit is requested at entry, which will be returned on the last day of your volunteering, provided you have respected the material, the people, the place and the stay commitment of worldpackers. It is symbolic.

* The washing machine we have for your use costs 2€. It includes soap and softener.

We like things clean and nice, especially because new clients come to meet the dogs.
The moment the dogs cannot or should not be alone is at night.
They sleep in the same room as you, without problem, since they only need human company. The dogs have their beds, the volunteers another. Always separated but in the same place. Sleeping with them in the same bed depends on you, but if they pee on the bed, you are the ones who take care of the cleaning cost.
The house is a masía, something typical from here in the mountains, with 12,000m2 of green area, you have a kitchen for your use, where you can cook whatever you want.
We like to cook together and have good times chatting and laughing.
You have a bathroom, wifi (although with a weak signal due to the location, but more than enough for those of you who come and work with the computer and for watching Netflix and others) Also and a couple of resting areas with television, even a Play Station for the most gaming!
There is a barbecue to cook, a swing on the mountain, several Paraguayan hammocks.
To go down to the town there is about a 1.15h walk, nicely beautiful. Many volunteers do it daily. There is also a bus that goes directly to Barcelona or to the town and is in the town of Vallromanes, about 30 minutes on foot, depending on your pace.

Temperature topic. From April to October, it is very comfortable; the months of June, July, August and September are quite hot, so it is recommended to wear light clothes and something that covers you a little for the night that cools slightly. The months from October to April are cold. Days, if the weather is good, are really nice, but if it rains it gets cold. Same for nights. The months of November, December, January and February are really cold, with some days even snow. We recommend bringing a sleeping bag or buying one in Barcelona for 10€!
We have a fireplace and stoves but it gets cold, so I recommend warm clothes and warm boots. No central heating but there are butane stoves in all rooms so you don't freeze at night, but as we say: The adventure is the adventure!

How many dogs are there? It depends on the week and time of year. To give you an idea of how many, the peak months are June to September, also December and January. In those months, there can be about 25 dogs a day arriving on weekends or peak August up to 30.
Hence you must like dogs to be here :)
Outside those months, weekends are usually more, but they usually do not exceed 10-20.

Barcelona is 24 minutes by train from El Masnou station. So you have it all: the tranquility of the mountains to rest and the crowds of Barcelona during the day :)

We are a family. We do not create problems; in fact, we try to solve them. We like friendly, awake people with a desire to live.
We are always open to meeting new people and sharing experiences and thoughts. :)

This is a calm place; we like to listen to music and chat about anything.
If you are looking for party, shouting or loud music, this is not your place.

We have lockers in case you need to store something securely. Ask when you arrive if you need it :)

Topic marijuana, NO consumption is allowed in the masía, so if you have a strong need to smoke it daily, this is not your place. No bad vibes!

We give a few days of trial to assess how well you adapt and if you are someone who knows how to work in a team. Also I think those days do you good and if in those days you see that it's not your place, there will be no drama. We understand that this is volunteering and you have to be okay and happy; otherwise it doesn't make sense.

If you crave strong sensations, you are lucky and patient, you may see wild boars in the area at night. There are also deer, foxes, squirrels and more animals within the beautiful Natural Park where we are. :)