01Contacts & Emergency Numbers
Primary contact
Léon van de Klundert
+31 6 13 26 22 59
Secondary contact
Mijsje van Wieringen
+31 6 31 68 16 11
Neighbours
Milan & Juliette
+32 474 73 24 33
+32 497 34 64 60
Have a spare key
Regular vet
Filipa Alves
Serviços Veterinários
Serviços Veterinários
+351 282 997 055
Aljezur · Walk-in only
↗ Directions & hoursEvening emergencies
Aljezur Animal Centre
+351 914 054 760
Aljezur · Flexible hours · Emergency help evenings
↗ Directions & hours24h vet hospital
Veterinary Hospital
+351 282 418 260
Portimão · 24h · ~45 min from Aljezur
Emergency112 — General · 117 — Police (PSP)
02The House — Access & Systems
WiFi
Drop it like it's hotspot
lilfyke2020
Starlink · 3 routers throughout
Spare keys
Milan & Juliette
Next door neighbours
Pool
Pool boy
Every Wednesday ~13:00
Just let them get on with it. Any questions → call Mijsje.
Just let them get on with it. Any questions → call Mijsje.
HeatingWood stove
Wood stored under the outdoor stairs. Axes for chopping in the garage, same location.
Hot waterInstant geyser (gas)
Upstairs Gas-powered instant geyser. On windy days the flame can blow out mid-shower. If water goes cold: turn off the tap, then back on. The gas bottle is not necessarily empty.
BinsCollection points
Both general waste and recycling go to the designated collection points in the neighbourhood — not collected at the door.
Washing machineDownstairs kitchen
Use the Algodón Quick setting (top right) — ~1 hour, handles all regular washing. Drying rack in the back yard. Tumble dryer in the utility room (next to downstairs bathroom) for quick turnaround.
InternetStarlink + 3 routers
Upstairs Living room & offices · Downstairs Living room. If connection drops, unplug the relevant router for 30s.
Fuse boxTwo locations
Upstairs Little hallway behind the front door.
Downstairs Behind the painting near the sliding door on the driveway side. Handle with care — it's a bit loose.
Gas Bottles — Cooking & Hot Water
What's where
Both bottles under the outdoor tap on the upstairs patio, next to the kitchen. A spare is usually there as backup.
Orange tube — Cooking
Black tube — Water heating
How to change a bottle
- 1Find the connector on top of the empty bottle (where the tube attaches).
- 2Turn the button on the connector to "off" — red indicator shows.
- 3Press the button down and pull the connector upward while pressing — it releases.
- 4Connect to the new bottle, turn to "on".
- 5Test the tap or shower to confirm gas flows.
Out of gas?WhatsApp André at +351 968 214 697 — tell him you need a gas bottle for Vale da Telha L166. Next working day delivery.
Quirks & notes
!Always take your keys when stepping outside. The front doors can only be opened with a key from the outside.
!Upstairs taps need a firm, full close to stop dripping. Push and close firmly.
!Wind can blow out the upstairs geyser mid-shower. Turn off the tap, then back on. Not an empty bottle.
!Downstairs fuse box is behind the painting by the sliding door — handle gently, it's fragile.
—Firewood and axes are both in the garage under the outdoor stairs.
03Plants
FrequencyDaily
Outdoor plants
After direct sunlight is gone — late afternoon / evening
🌿
Herbs
Keep soil consistently moist
🍋
Lime tree
Water at the base, good soak
🌱
Plants by the front fence
Full length of the fence line
How-toThe garden hose is on the upstairs patio next to the kitchen — but it doesn't reach all the way to the plants. Fill buckets from the hose and carry them to the fence. Yes, every time. Sorry 😅
FrequencyWeekly
All indoor plants
Once a week — any time of day
—Water all indoor plants once a week. Plants with a small watering pot attached slow-water pot — just fill the pot up. No need to water the soil directly.
—For plants without a pot, water the soil directly until evenly moist — not waterlogged. Empty the saucer after 30 minutes so roots don't sit in standing water.
—Watering can is under the kitchen sink upstairs. Use it for indoor plants.
04The Dogs
Maia
~1 year · Female · High energy
Energy
—Super energetic — needs to run and play a lot or she becomes a handful.
—Cannot be left home alone. She will find something to destroy.
—Tries to escape the garden and loves jumping in the pool — watch both.
—Walk on leash in built-up areas. Off-leash in open nature if you trust her recall — otherwise keep leashed.
—Loves everyone. Gets jumpy with new people — tell her off, push her down firmly.
Medical½ antibiotic pill with breakfast & dinner — until 10 Jun.
Apply cream to armpit (bacterial skin infection) daily.
No pool or any water contact (sea, streams, puddles — all off limits).
Apply cream to armpit (bacterial skin infection) daily.
No pool or any water contact (sea, streams, puddles — all off limits).
Fyke
6 years · Male · Very calm
Energy
—Very chill. Mostly sleeps. Barks at people passing — tell him off and ask him to lie down.
—Scared of new people. Do not approach or force contact. See visitor instructions below.
—Just had emergency surgery for bloat. Recovering well — needs to be kept calm and rested.
—Large healing scar on belly — needs tending every evening.
—No jumping off walls or anything higher than a stair step. Must rest for 2 hours after every meal.
Post-surgeryKeep Fyke calm. No jumping from height. 2h rest after every meal. Tend belly scar each evening.
When people visit — how to handle it
Fyke — scared of strangers
1Instruct the visitor first — "please ignore him completely, no eye contact, no reaching out."
2Then tell Fyke to calm down — speak calmly and firmly, ask him to lie down.
3Give him space and time. He'll settle once he sees the visitor isn't a threat.
Maia — jumpy with new faces
1When she jumps up: tell her off firmly — "no", push her down with your knee or hand.
2Instruct visitors to do the same — do not let them reward jumping with attention.
3Once all four paws are on the ground, she can say hello.
Daily schedule
MorningFirst thing
Get Maia out of her bench and let both dogs into the garden for a quick pee.
09:00Morning walk
~45 minBest done earlier on hot days. Main exercise walk — let Maia run it off.
Breakfast after return:
Fyke — ¾ cupMaia — ½ cup
+ ½ antibiotic pill for Maia (until 10 Jun)
⚠ 2h rest after eating
13:00Pre-lunch walk
~30 minShorter midday walk.
Lunch after return:
Fyke — ¾ cupMaia — none
⚠ 2h rest after eating
17:00Pre-dinner walk
WalkGood time for a longer stretch if Maia still has energy.
Dinner at 17:30:
Fyke — ¾ cupMaia — 1½ cups
+ ½ antibiotic pill for Maia (until 10 Jun)
⚠ 2h rest — critical for Fyke (bloat risk)
21:00Evening walk
~20 minShort winding-down walk. Last pee of the day.
Before heading out: clip the little light onto Maia's collar and put the light band on Fyke — keeps them visible to you and to traffic in the dark.
21:30Bedtime
Take off both collars. Give Maia a hug and put her in her bench — close it up. Both dogs sleep in the living room with the hallway door closed.
If Maia fusses: let her out, clip her leash, walk her around the garden in silence — no talking, no eye contact. Bring her back in, give a hug, bench. She'll settle.
Food & health notes
!Maia — antibiotics: ½ pill with breakfast and with dinner, every day until 10 June. Hide in a piece of food or wrap in a bit of meat.
!Maia — armpit cream: apply cream to the bacterial skin infection under her armpit once daily. Check for redness or discharge.
!Maia — no water at all until skin infection clears — pool, sea, streams, puddles. She'll try. Don't let her. If she does get wet, dry her immediately and apply cream to the armpit straight after.
!Rest after every meal — both dogs need at least 2 hours of calm after eating. No running, no excitement, no jumping. Prevents another bloat episode.
!Fyke — belly scar cream needs to be applied every evening before bed. Apply the cream, check for redness or discharge.
—Treats are in the brown unit in the hallway. We trust you to use them wisely.
—Vet cards & passports are in the TV unit, far left side.
—Dog food top-up: spare bags at the bottom of the brown shelves in the kitchen, next to the fridge.
—They love bones and pieces of fat. Feel free to add leftover fat to their dinner.
✕Never feed: grapes, raisins, onion, chocolate, or xylitol.
05Food & Shopping
Supermarkets
Nearest
Intermarché
Aljezur · ~10 min drive
Has everything you need. Can be pricier for specific items. Butcher is excellent — buy meat and cook same day or the next. Goes off fast.
Quick fix
Roque & Filho
Vale da Telha · walking distance
Small local supermarket with in-house bakery. Great coffee, croissants, fresh OJ. Expensive — convenience only.
Quick fix
Meu Super
Vales · 5 min drive
Slightly wider range than Vale da Telha. Bakery and cash machine on-site. Expensive — convenience only.
Lagos · 45 min
For a proper bulk shop, head to Lagos. We usually do the main run at Lidl and pick up specific things at Continente. Aldi is also there.
Lidl — bulkContinente — specific itemsAldi — alternative
Local — market, bakery & pharmacy
Saturday market
Farmers Market
Every Saturday morning in Aljezur. Fresh veg, local produce. 08:00–12:00 · EMA space.
↗ Find on mapsBakery
Vale da Telha Bakery
The bakery in Vale da Telha is great — grab breakfast there. Also hosts a Thursday market (09:30–13:30).
Pharmacy
Farmácia
Closest in Vales — ~5 min drive. Backup: Farmácia de Aljezur, Av. General Humberto Delgado · ☎ 282 994 438 · 09:00–20:00.
↗ Find on maps06House Rules & Before You Leave
House rules
—No smoking inside the house. Outside is fine.
—The dogs are not allowed on the sofas or in the bedrooms.
—⚠ Always take your keys when stepping outside. The front doors only open from outside with a key.
Before you leave — tick off as you go
Empty bins and take bags to the street collection point
Close and lock all windows
Turn off all lights
Send Léon or Mijsje a message to say you're heading out
Thank you for looking after our home, our plants, and our dogs.
It means the world to us.
It means the world to us.
Léon
& Mijsje
& Mijsje
Vale da Telha L166 · Aljezur