There are dozens of options for dog sitting services. From in-home sitting to in another home to sitting in a commercial spot, dog services are a plenty. The question is what is the best doggy sitting service for your pup.

In home sitting

The first type of sitting is in home sitting. Is it in your home or in someone else’s? If you use a service like Rover or Care.com you can easily find a sitter who would be willing to either come to your home or host your pup to in their home. There are some concerns and liability issues with both options, but using a home-sitting service through an online service provider limits a lot of those issues. If you use a friend, it can be a little trickier, but a trusted friend or relative is also preferable to a stranger, even if it’s a trustworthy stranger from a verified internet site.


There’s a really good chance your pup is more comfortable at your own home, but if your dog-sitter has a better housing situation, like a bigger yard, a quieter neighborhood, or a more dog-friendly house, it’s a good idea to screen that living situation for a good in-home sitting situation. In any case, ensure that your dog is comfortable by having the sitter home for a test visit or taking your pup to the other dog’s house to look for red flags.

Out of home sitting

Taking your dog to a commercial facility, or anywhere that’s not someone’s home, is an entirely different animal. There are plenty of facilities that are meant for dogs, but they are not all created equally. Some dog facilities are old, have poorly trained staff, and are brimming with disease and danger. Most facilities are well-maintained, have highly trained staff, and are doggie playland.


Unfortunately, it’s hard to determine which is which without visiting. And by the time you are ready to visit, it’s hard to spend a lot of time visiting other places. Unfortunately, many people don’t do the same kind of due diligence with their pups that they do with their children, even though they should. It’s important to start with Yelp and Google reviews, use referrals, and actually visit the facilities and interact with the staff before making the leap and allowing your precious pup to stay out of home in a commercial facility.