Missoula Montana

The house is in a semi-rural area in Missoula County, six miles from the city center. One 11-year-old border collie mix. Water plants once.
I live in an older, partially remodeled two-story home on 1/2 an acre located outside of the city limits in a semi-agricultural-urban sprawl neighborhood. Close to mountains and rivers, my neighborhood is only 6 miles from downtown Missoula and the University of Montana, full of vibrant cultural happenings and opportunities. Closer to home, there are ballparks, a horse arena, the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula, and a variety of small local farms complete with farm stands during the growing season
My house is a mix of old and new and very colorful, bohemian and homey. The large yard gives my dog Nick all the outdoor time he wants (he has a doggie door) and large trees for shade. Wonderful to sit out and enjoy the sounds of nature and the neighborhood for relaxation and dining al fresco. There is a restaurant, gas station, and convenience store one mile away. The house is not air-conditioned, but ceiling fans throughout help cool in the summer.
My second floor has a rental apartment with its own entrance. There is a connecting door between my living room and the apartment, with a lock on each side. The tenant occupies the apartment part-time.
The sitter date includes the first day/night handover. I will be departing the next day. A private bedroom will be available to the sitter.
Please do not apply if you are traveling with your pets. My house is not suitable for small children.
Nick is a character. He loves to be loved and thinks all humans should be his perpetual motion petting machine. Overall, Nick obeys basic commands but is sometimes slow to react as he is very smart and has a mind of his own. Nick gets fed early in the morning and 12 hours later. He has a large water drinking fountain that should be changed and cleaned about every 5 days. He has a doggie door that is kept open only during daylight hours. It is closed at night because raccoons frequent the area, and he will fight them (unbelievably bad for both raccoons & dogs). Nick is kept in his large (7500 sq ft) fenced-in yard (no walks) as there are dogs at large in the neighborhood, and Nick is reactive to other dogs. He plays and interacts nicely with neighbor dogs through the fence. Nick does not like cats, but they stay out of the yard. He gets chewy supplements as treats during the day.
He raids the garbage and my bottom-loading freezer, so those areas must be locked when he is left home alone. He will eventually get food if food is left in his reach (including counters). He will leave the yard if the gate is left open, even momentarily. He does not run but does stay well enough ahead of you to make catching him difficult. He only comes on command if he wants to - and if he's out of the yard, he doesn't want to.

I have about a dozen indoor plants that need watering once a week and raspberry bushes in the garden that need watering 2-3 times/week, depending on the weather. The outside watering is from an irrigation setup from a nearby ditch - the pump must be primed and turned on/off manually. Raspberries are free to pick as they ripen. Yard work (mowing, etc) is provided for.