Dog sitting with a host family

Dog sitting with a host family is an intermediate solution between home care and a kennel. It allows you to entrust your companion in complete safety, with the assurance that he will be played with and pampered, but only if you make the right choices.

Dog sitting with a host family

Can't or won't ask a relative to come and look after your dog at home? You don't want to let a stranger into your home? The character of your dog does not allow you to leave him in a boarding house? Don't give up your holidays for all that! Entrusting your companion to a host family will allow you to leave with complete peace of mind, provided, of course, that you do the right research beforehand. There are several solutions for dog guarding.

There are many online companies that offer dog sitting with a host family. Holidog, the number one dog sitting platform in Australia, gives you an extra guarantee by allowing only pet sitters you can trust to advertise. On the site, you will find many pet sitters that offer dog sitting services in their own home.

By setting your criteria according to price and/or distance and comparing the various profiles for experience and evaluations, you will easily find the perfect family ready to welcome your dog. If, however, you think your dog will be uncomfortable in a new world for him, you might want to opt for dog sitting at home.

How to find the perfect dog sitting host family?

Before you leave your dog in the care of the host family and the dog sitting adventure starts, you should take your time to research your options.

Ask questions

It is of vital importance that you talk with the potential host family before you book a dog sitting service. Through Holidog, you can chat with various dog sitters before you make you decision on who to book. Ask questions. Are there any other animals? Are they sociable? Are they vaccinated and wormed? Does the house have a garden? If so, is it secure? Once the first contact has been made, you can visit the house to see for yourself. Again, make sure everything is secure.

Ask the host family where your dog sleeps. Ask them when the walks take place, how long and where. If there are several dogs, will there be several people to take care of them? If your dog is large, ask them if they are used to large dogs. How well do they know the race or type? Also think about the character of your companion. If he prefers to be the only animal in the house, a family with several animals is probably not a good choice.

Visit the family together with your dog

You can also choose to visit the family together with your dog so that he can already discover his new temporary home and meet the family members, including other animals if there are any. See if the contact passes well and if your dog is comfortable. Observe his behaviour and that of the foster family members. If everything goes well and your visit has reassured you, then you can entrust your furry friend with complete confidence.

Have a look at our overview page for more in depth dog sitting articles.

How do I prepare for dog sitting with a host family?

You've found the perfect dog sitting service near you and are about to leave your dog with his family for the holidays. A few preparations are necessary to make everything go well:

• Pack your dog's things and make sure you don't forget anything. Food, toys, basket, any medication... Everything must be there. Also add an object bearing your scent to reassure your companion during the first few days in his new environment. Specify the amount of food he should be fed, as well as the times your dog usually eats.

• Likewise, don't forget to tell the host family if your companion is sick and needs treatment. Explain when, how much and how. Describe any symptoms that point towards the illness worsening so that the host family can respond as quickly as possible if necessary. Don't forget to pack your dog's health record, the number of his veterinarian and the number of a trusted person that can function as their emergency contact.

• Describe your dog's behaviour and habits as accurately as possible. Does he tend to get scared? Is he outgoing? Does he have a tendency to run away? Does he ever get aggressive towards other people? Or on the contrary, is he sociable? This will allow the host family to apprehend problematic situations more serenely and to find a solution if necessary. Don't skimp on any detail, even the most insignificant ones.

• Make sure that your dog's vaccinations are up to date! You can even make a small check-up at the vet, especially regarding weight. Too much stress can cause your dog to lose weight, or too much pampering can cause him to gain weight. This will allow you to know where you stand on your return and act accordingly.

Ask for updates

There's nothing like receiving photos or videos of your furry friend´s dog sitting experience on a regular basis to make sure everything is going well. Ask the host family for regular updates. This will allow you to enjoy your holiday without worrying too much about your four-legged friend!

Visit your vet on your return

Even if everything went well, a quick visit to your vet can help you check if your dog has been injured without the pet sitter noticing. You can also take the opportunity to check his weight. Indeed, some animals tend to lose weight when they are stressed. Others, on the other hand, gain a few kilograms from being overly pampered by their pet sitter. Besides, its great to hear your vet say that your dog is just as healthy and happy as he was before his dog sitting experience.