Related reading: dog sitting vs dog walking and day care vs a dog walker.
Short answer: Pet sitting (a trusted person caring for your dog in your own home, or popping in for visits) keeps your dog in its familiar routine and is usually far less stressful than boarding kennels. Boarding can suit very sociable dogs, but most dogs settle best at home.
When you go away, you want your dog happy, safe and as relaxed as possible. Here’s how the two main options compare.
Boarding kennels
Pros: constant supervision, company of other dogs, a fixed routine run by staff. Cons: a strange, often noisy environment, broken routine, exposure to other dogs’ stress and illness, and many dogs find it genuinely unsettling.
Pet sitting & home visits
Pros: your dog stays in its own home with its own bed, smells and routine; one familiar carer; no exposure to other animals; far less stress. Cons: your dog isn’t supervised 24/7 (drop-in visits are spaced through the day), so it suits dogs comfortable with some alone time.
Our pet sitting and drop-in visits keep feeding, walks, fuss and toilet breaks exactly as your dog knows them — with photo updates so you can relax too. Need transport to a vet or groomer while you’re away? Our pet taxi has it covered.
How to choose
If your dog is anxious, elderly, on medication, or simply a homebody, sitting at home is kinder. If your dog is highly sociable and copes well with new environments, boarding can work. Either way, make sure your carer is insured, DBS-checked and first-aid trained — we are. Meet Daz & Viv.
Going away? Keep your dog happy at home.
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