In-Home Dog Boarding

Rather than leaving your dog at a dog boarding house or with a host family, you’d want to have it be looked after in your own home. Dog boarding at home is a great solution as it allows your four-legged companion to stay within its territory and stick to its routines. Bear in mind that some precautions are necessary so that your absence is dealt with in the best possible way both for you and your dog.

Dog boarding: asking friends or family

Your first dog boarding option is to ask a family member, a friend or even a neighbour. You want to make sure that you can fully trust the person that you entrust your dog to.

Turning to someone close is undoubtedly the most advantageous solution of all, as your dog will not have to deal with a stranger. If your pet is shy or anxious, being with someone familiar will calm it down. On top of that, it’s the most economical dog boarding option out there as you usually won’t have to pay for the service.

Dog boarding: using a dog sitting company

If you cannot ask or do not wish to ask for someone close’s help, numerous websites now offer the possibility to find the perfect dog sitter that offer dog boarding online. Holidog, the number one pet sitting platform in Australia, allows you to find the best dog boarding services near you in just a few clicks.

The process of finding dog boarding services with Holidog is simple. All you have to do is go to their website, enter your postcode, the number of dogs to be looked after and the duration of your absence. Next, you can review dozens of pet sitter profiles, choose several of them and start discussing all relevant details with the dog sitters through their internal chat service. All are ready to come to your home to look after your dog while you’re away.

You’ll be able to pick the best one based on their profile, reviews, and fees. The advertised rates vary depending on the dog sitter, their experience, as well as the duration of your dog´s stay. At any rate, the cost for dog boarding with a pet sitter will be a lot lower than that of traditional kennels. As you’ll be letting a stranger into your own home, it’s crucial to make sure you chose the right person carefully and arrange a meeting before your departure. That way, you’ll be able to leave without feeling worried.

Dog boarding: how to prepare

You have found the perfect dog sitter to look after your pet in your own home. You might be wondering how you should prepare yourself and your dog for this.

Do not stress

As far as your dog is concerned, you must absolutely not change your habits as your departure comes close. Changes could result in anxiety that can turn into separation stress, prompting your dog to cause material damages to your home. Act as you usually do. Don’t get openly sad when you leave and don’t say goodbye. Don’t feel guilty either because you leave your pet for a few days and don’t try to make up for it beforehand as this could only make things worse.

Should your dog be naturally anxious, you can try to relieve this by different means. For instance, you can install pheromone dispensers in your living-room or leave one of your clothes carrying your smell to help calm him down. If your dog shows extreme signs of anxiety or stress, ask your vet for advice. There are medications available to lower your pet’s anxiety – please use these medications with caution and only after consulting your vet. Never use medicines intended for humans to calm down your four-legged companion!

Plan ahead

Please make sure there’s enough dry and wet dog food in your home for the period that you will be gone. Should the pet sitter need to buy more, you’ll have to reimburse him. The same goes for a vet consultation, again on the condition that a bill is provided. You should also cover travel costs between the dog sitter’s home and yours. Other expenses, such as food and drink, are not yours to cover.

Inform the dog sitter about your dog

Another essential aspect of a successful dog boarding experience is providing the dog sitter with as much information about your dog as possible.

Temper and behaviour

Describe your pet’s behaviour and temper to the pet sitter, especially if the latter doesn’t know your dog. This allows the dog sitter to better deal with some situations that could otherwise become complicated. Is your dog timorous? Dominant towards other dogs? Tends to run away? Make sure the pet sitter is aware of issues like these. Don’t forget to indicate at what times you usually walk your dog and for how long. You can even describe the route you usually take.

Food

Food should also not be overlooked. Don’t forget to note precisely the amount of dry or wet food that your dog eats per day. If you’re following the BARF diet, take the time to explain how it works.

Diseases and medicines

Don't forget to inform the dog sitter about any medical condition or sickness that your dog has. Describe its treatment, method of administration and dosage. For greater safety, note each step in detail on a sheet that you will leave to the dog sitter. Don’t forget to describe the symptoms that indicate a worsening of the condition so that the pet sitter can act quickly. Give him/her the contact details of your vet, as well as the number of someone to contact in case of an emergency.

Final reccomendations

Ask the dog sitter to provide regular updates. There’s nothing like receiving photos or videos regularly to make sure everything is going well. Receiving regular updates will allow you to enjoy your stay away without worrying too much about your four-legged friend!

Even if everything went well, a quick visit to the vet is the best way to make sure that your dog has not suffered any injury that the pet sitter may not have noticed. You can also use the opportunity to check its weight as some animals tend to lose some when they’re stressed. On the other hand, some dogs gain a few kilos from having been pampered by their pet sitter.