Skip to Main Content

We use cookies to offer you a better experience, analyze site traffic and assist with our marketing efforts. By using this website you accept the use of cookies, outlined in our Privacy Policy.

January 14, 2022

How to Choose the Best Dog Sitter

  • Tips
  • What to Expect
  • Dog
Welsh Terrier getting kibble from pet parent's hand in kitchen

When you go away on a trip and have to leave your dog behind, you want to do everything possible to make sure they are comfortable while you're gone. Many people opt for hiring sitters, as boarding can be stressful for dogs.

Yet, finding a dog sitter for your furry friend can be difficult, especially when you have a dog that needs special care.

You're able to make sure that your pooch has everything they need from their healthy dog food to their favorite toys before you leave. But you can't ensure that your furry friend will be well cared for while you're gone. And nothing is more guaranteed to ruin the mood of your trip than worrying about your pet.

You can keep your peace of mind while you travel without your dog and make the experience less stressful for the both of you. If you want to learn how then keep reading to discover our top tips for finding the best dog sitter for you and your furry friend.

Ask Family and Friends for Recommendations

Start your search for a dog sitter by asking any family or friends who also have pets if they have any recommendations. When you get a recommendation from a family member or friend, you can be assured that you're hiring the best person to look after your furry friend. By getting a referral from someone you know, you can trust that their experiences and insights into the dog sitter are genuine and accurate.

If you are unable to get a personal recommendation, then the next best thing is to research potential dog sitters on your computer.
Go! Solutions logo
Go! Solutions Pet Food

Many online directories can put you in touch with professional dog sitters in your area.

Meet Your Potential Dog Sitter in Person

Once you've found your potential dog sitter, then meet with them in person at your home before you leave for your trip. By doing this, you'll be in a better position to determine the quality of the dog sitter's character and how well they interact with your dog. Meeting in person also benefits the sitter because it gives them a better idea of the layout of your home.

When you meet in person, you need to show how to do any special tasks you'll need your sitter to do for your dog while you're away. They may say that they know how to care for puppies, for example, but you never know for sure until you interact with them in person.
Go! Solutions logo
Go! Solutions Pet Food

Even someone who has experience in pet care may not know how to care for your canine friend's special needs. For example, if you feed your dog wet food, you'll want to cover how you prepare it for them. Or, if you have a senior pooch, then you'll want to make sure that the sitter knows how to properly care for them.

Make Sure They Have the Right Qualities

Qualities of a good dog sitter include flexibility, reliability, and honesty. A good dog sitter has a flexible schedule that allows them to look after your canine friend in case of emergencies. They're reliable because they provide a consistent quality of care and are also honest about their abilities as a pet sitter.

Making sure that whoever you hire to care for your pooch has these qualities is almost as if not more important than their experience and training. This is because qualities like honesty aren't something anyone can learn in a training course.

Consider Qualifications and Experience

A good pet sitter will be willing to discuss any training they may have received and their experience looking after dogs. If your potential sitter has any of the following qualifications or experience, then that's a good indicator of how well they'll be able to care for your furry friend.

Pet Sitter Qualifications

There are many accredited organizations where people can earn a certificate in pet sitting. Of course, there's no rule saying that you have to hire a certified pet sitter, but it's certainly a plus.

If your potential hire claims to have certification, then you must ensure that they got their certification from a legitimate and reliable source.

Experience as a Dog Sitter

Many professional dog sitters will list which size and age of dogs they're willing to work with on their online profiles. But, if that's not the case, then it's something you'll want to cover before you interview them. This is important because dogs of all sizes and ages have their own special needs.

In other words, just because a pet sitter says they have experience looking after dogs doesn't mean that they have the proper experience to look after your dog. For example, if you have a puppy, then you want to ask if they have experience with housetraining. The last thing you want is for your puppy to get mixed messages that impede their housetraining process because your sitter doesn't know how to properly train your furry friend.

Finding a Dog Sitter Can Be Easy

Finding a dog sitter for your furry friends is easy when you follow these helpful tips. So the next time you have to leave your pooch behind, you can rest assured that they are getting the best care.

At Go! Solutions, we believe that providing the best care for your furry friend also means providing them with the best dog food. That's why we offer healthy dog food for all nutritional needs in both wet and dry food recipes.

Browse our All About Dogs page for more helpful, dog-friendly content.


Author

Go! Solutions logo

Go! Solutions Team

A Team of Dedicated Pet Parents + Nutrition Experts

We all want our cats and dogs to lead happy, healthy lives. We’re here to help you, with easy-to-understand information about your pet's daily care and feeding.