From everyday work to planned vacations to unexpected medical emergencies, there are lots of reasons you may need to leave your furry friend behind. Whether you have a pet or a Service Dog, it’s helpful to have backup care in case you need it.
Pet sitting is the best possible solution for any working pet owner. It is an alternative to the dog kennel system. Pet sitting is a type of daycare where you leave your pets during work hours. But rather than going to a specific institution, you can hire possible care and support for your pet at home.
Dog Sitting vs Kennel Boarding
When you need to leave your dog behind there a lot of things to consider. While some dogs are fine staying in a kennel, others may may experience stress or emotional issues. These issues can be brought on by a lot of factors other than just training — some are natural features of their breed. For example, herding dogs such as German Shepherds may actually try to herd the other dogs in the kennel, which of course is a behavior that’s tough to train out. Other factors that can complicate boarding are medical conditions or dogs in heat or pregnant. Luckily, there’s another solution: dog sitting in the owner’s home.
Finding a Dog Sitter Has Become Easier
Luckily, finding a pet sitter has become easier over the last decade. Today, there are a lot of great services that can help you find a pet sitter. These professionals will keep your pet supervised and look after them while you’re gone. But before you choose to bestow your pets to them entirely, you must get your pets familiar with the pet sitting team. That way, the experts will be able to handle your pets professionally and efficiently without fearing any extreme circumstances.
Pet Sitting Costs Are Similar to Kennel Boarding
You might be surprised at how comparable pet sitting prices are to kennel boarding. With a kennel, there are a lot of overhead costs from the building itself to all the equipment and gear required to take care of all the animals. If you have more than one pet, you may also save money because pet sitters often don’t charge or charge very little to care for multiple pets. In some cases, a pet sitter may be less expensive.
Pet Sitting May Be The Healthier Option
Most people don’t think about dogs getting sick, but animals in groups can spread disease just like people. Providing in-home care for your animal can help reduce your chance of contracting common canine diseases or conditions including canine distemper, canine influenza, canine parvovirus type 2, external parasites (ticks, fleas, mange and cheyletiella mites), fungal infections (blastomycosis, histoplasmosis, cryptococcosis, coccidioidomycosis, etc.), kennel cough and more. For more information about specific diseases in your area, consult your veterinarian.
Drop-in and Overnight Pet Sitting
Depending on your needs, you can hire a sitter to drop in several times a day, take your pet to their house or even stay overnight in yours.
Tips For Working With a Pet Sitter
Discuss your needs and your dog’s needs with your new pet sitter and put everything in writing.
- Be sure to introduce your pets to the sitter before you leave
- Hand out treats and make sure your pet feels comfortable around them
- Start by leaving your pets with the sitter for short periods of time
- Leave the phone number and address for your regular and emergency veterinarian
- Consider installing pet monitoring cameras
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