Pet Sitter Pros and Cons

When you need to travel without your furry companion, hiring an in-home pet sitter is one option to consider for care. While sitters provide substantial benefits, there are also potential drawbacks to evaluate. Weighing the pros against the cons allows making an informed decision on what's best for your unique situation and pet.

Pros:

• Less Stress in a Familiar Home Environment: Dogs experience much lower separation anxiety and disruption when cared for in their own home versus a boarding kennel. Familiar spaces, smells, toys, and routines are comforting. Learn more about how in-home pet sitting can reduce stress and anxiety. 
• Personalized Care and Attention: Pet sitters cater to each dog's individual needs with one-on-one dedicated walks, play times, cuddles, training, etc. tailored to their personality. Read more about personalized care and attention.
• Maintains Normal Schedules and Routines: Sitters can stick to your pet's regular feeding, walking, activity schedules to provide consistency and avoid disrupting their natural rhythms. Read more about boarding vs the comforts of home for your pet. 
• Supports Special Diet and Health Needs: Sitters can follow prescription food, medications, supplements that may prove difficult to accommodate in boarding.
• Provides Owner Peace of Mind: Regular check-ins and photo updates offer reassurance your pet is doing well. Seeing them comfortable at home eases worries. The Doggy Valet provides photos during the stay when requested! 
• Avoids Boarding Facility Disruption: Skipping the noise, unknown dogs, and regimented kennel environment reduces stress and risk of illnesses spreading.

What do you do if you have an exotic pet, like birds, rats, guinea pigs, fish, turtles, snake, or other reptiles or small mammals? It can be difficult to find a boarding option for pets that aren't cats or dogs.
Going over specific care with an in-house sitter can alleviate pains and worries and ensure your fish, iguanas, or parakeets are well taken care of. The Doggy Valet can also pet sit for your more exotic pets

Going out of town? We've got your pets covered! Check out our Pet Sitting Services

Cons:

• Cost Can Exceed Boarding Fees: Depending on trip length and frequency of visits, sitter fees may end up pricier than boarding in some cases. The Doggy Valet offers affordable services that are often cheaper than boarding.
• Giving Access When Away: Allowing sitters entry into your home while traveling requires trust and vetting them thoroughly first. The Doggy Valet has gone through a background check on Rover. You can book through our Rover page for your piece of mind instead. 
• Availability Limitations: Quality sitters book up quickly, especially around holidays, making last minute coverage difficult to find.
• Personality Conflicts: Anxious or shy dogs may not warm up to a new sitter right away. Personalities may clash.
• Training Differences: Sitters may use different verbal cues, commands or walking styles that confuse your pet.
• Limited Emergency Response: A sitter can't provide the same urgent vet care response as a staffed kennel facility in a health crisis event.
• Accountability When Owner is Away: You must trust sitters will follow all care instructions consistently without direct supervision.
• Separation Anxiety Upon Return: Being left again after bonding with the sitter may further upset some dogs prone to attachment issues.

Consider your pet's needs and your comfort level to determine if in-home pet sitting or boarding is better. With a properly vetted, qualified sitter, sitting often minimizes disruption, but weigh the cons against your specific situation.