Is Leaving Your Dog with a Dog Sitter a Good Idea?

Although going on holiday is incredibly exciting, for dog-owners it can also be a time of year when we fret over how best to look after our pets while we’re away. If none of your friends can look after them, or you don’t have any family with enough experience of caring for animals, what can you do? Dog sitting is a popular option whereby somebody who has experience cares for your dog while you are away.

What is dog sitting? It is essentially a service where you pay somebody to “adopt” your pet on a temporary basis. The dog sitter welcomes your dog into their home and looks after them when you can’t. This might be while you are on holiday, a business trip, or refurbishing your home for example. It is a brilliant service for anybody who needs to briefly leave their pet but wants to ensure that they are in safe hands.

To truly ensure that your dog will be happy in his temporary new home there are several things that you can do before you leave. It is recommended that you leave your pet with an item that he is familiar with to keep him calm. Aside from his favourite toys, this tends to refer to something such as an old sock or blanket that he likes to play with; he will know that the smell is familiar to him and therefore be calm.

Make sure that your dog sitter understands what your pet’s routine is.  The best thing for dogs is to have a routine that they are used to. Maintaining this routine while you are away will keep them settled. Before you go away tell your sitter what this routine is (you can provide them with a written copy to refer to as well). This should include your pet’s feeding schedule, how regularly you check their water bowl, when and where they go for walks, how long the walks are, and any behavioural issues your pet might have. If your dog needs to take any medicine, explain their condition and how often the medicine is needed.

As part of our dog sitting services Home from Home ensure that our carers are never away from their home for more than 4 hours at a time. It is also necessary that they have a secure garden where your dog will be safe, and that the carers do not have any cats or dogs of their own. They are not allowed to have any preschool children. We are very careful about who we use as carers but we always insist that the owner meets the carer before the care begins anyway. This way both parties can exchange questions so that everybody is fully prepared and happy with the arrangement.

So in answer to the question in the title: yes, leaving your dog with a dog sitter is a very good idea. Home from Home was established in 1996. If you would like to find more information about our services please visit our website at http://www.homefromhomedogboarding.com/