Pet Sitter or Boarding Kennel? How to Choose What's Right for Your Pet

There is no single right answer. The best choice depends on your pet's temperament, health, age and routine, and on what you are comfortable with.

In-home pet sitting

A sitter visits your home on a schedule, or stays overnight, so your pet remains in familiar surroundings.

Advantages

• Pets stay in their own space with their own bed, smells and routine.
• There is no exposure to other animals, which lowers the chance of picking up kennel cough or other contagious illness.
• One-on-one attention suits anxious, senior, shy or medically complex pets.
• The sitter can also bring in mail, water plants, rotate lights and make the home look lived in.
• Multi-pet households can stay together, including cats, birds and other animals that dislike travel.

Things to consider

• Your pet is alone between visits unless the sitter stays overnight.
• You are trusting someone with your house key, so vet the sitter carefully.
• Sitters are usually booked well ahead for holidays.

Boarding kennels and facilities

Advantages

• Staff on site around the clock, and some facilities have a veterinarian on call.
• Social, high-energy dogs may enjoy group play.
• Structured schedules can help dogs who thrive on routine.

Things to consider

• New smells, barking and unfamiliar dogs are stressful for some pets.
• Most facilities require specific vaccines, including bordetella.
• Cats and exotic pets are often better in a quieter environment.

Questions to ask either one

1. What training or experience do you have, including pet first aid?
2. What happens in an emergency, and which vet do you use?
3. Are you insured? Ask what is actually covered.
4. How will you update me, and how often?
5. What is your backup plan if you are sick or unavailable?
6. May I visit or do a trial stay first?

Which pets usually do best where

• Senior pets and pets on medication tend to do well at home.
• Cats, birds, reptiles and small mammals almost always do better at home.
• Highly social young dogs may enjoy a good group-play facility.
• Dogs with separation anxiety often fare better with an in-home sitter who stays longer or visits often.

Trust your gut. The right care provider is one who asks good questions, listens to your answers, and makes both you and your pet comfortable.