The Best Dog Sitting Services When You Have To Leave Your Pup At Home

We can’t take our dogs with us every time we leave home, unfortunately, no matter how much we may want to.

Luckily, there are many reputable dog sitting services available across the country. And while it might feel nerve-racking to leave your dog home with a stranger, we’ve done the legwork for you to help determine the most trustworthy dog sitting services to watch over your BFF while you’re away from home.

The best dog sitting services offer a large network of qualified dog sitters (pet parents should be able to easily find background check information and recommendations) and a website that’s easy to navigate and book your sitter. And the most important feature of all? Plenty of available dog sitters who love dogs!

We’ve found seven of the best dog sitting services for you to consider:

When shopping for the best dog sitting service, you’ll want to consider whether paying for a membership plan is important to you (versus a one-time fee), its affordability, and the variety of services offered (house sitting versus boarding, if you want your sitter to handle any additional responsibilities, etc.). And once again, the pet sitter’s qualifications and reviews are most important!

We know it’s tough to leave your pup behind, but don’t worry — he’ll be in good hands with any of these dog sitting services!

Rover wins points for best overall dog sitting service for a variety of reasons. For starters, it’s so easy to navigate their website. Pet parents can search with extremely precise filters to find detailed sitter profiles for prospective help. For instance, if your pet will be boarding in their home, your sitter’s profile will include information about their housing conditions, if they have their own pets, children, a fenced-in yard, and/or allows pets on their furniture, among others.

You’ll be able to view a sitter’s background check information and reviews from previous clients, including what type of service they offer, cost, years of experience and much more to find just the right fit for your BFF. Services include everything from boarding and house sitting to dog walking and grooming, and more!

To be listed on their website, all sitters’ profiles must first be approved by Rover’s team of specialists.

We love the concept behind Trusted Housesitters. With three levels of memberships, their Standard plan at $199/year is the most popular and provides a ton of value. It includes: unlimited pet and home care from verified sitters at no extra cost, home and contents protection, money back guarantee, 24/7 free video calls with vets, dedicated member support, and the ability to boost your listing in search results, among other perks.

Meanwhile, the sitter is getting a unique opportunity to vacation affordably (with the added bonus of looking after your pet), and you’re getting a reputable sitter who loves pets to stay in your home. It’s a win-win!

Marti Trgovich, executive managing editor at The Dodo, used Trusted Housesitters’ service recently.

“I needed to find someone to care for my shy, anxious dog while I was away, and shortly after putting up an ad on Trusted Housesitters, I had about 15 vetted applicants to choose from,” Trgovich said. “I chatted over Zoom with a woman from England who would be visiting New York with her son, and I felt that she would be a great match. They ended up being awesome pet sitters and took really great care of Claude. It was a pretty seamless experience, and I will definitely use it again.”

Care.com offers a way to find caregivers of all kinds, not just pets. That being said, its pet sitting site is pretty awesome, offering a simple way to find sitters, schedule interviews, request background checks and reply to applications from potential pet sitters.

Because Care.com offers so many services, you can check to see whether your pet sitter is also available to help with tasks like grocery shopping, laundry and cleaning, if needed.

Fetch! takes the guesswork out of finding a pet sitter, which is perfect for pet parents with busy schedules. By contacting their nearest location (there are 70 locations in 24 states), a representative from Fetch! will match you with one of their pet care professionals (all of whom are background checked and insured).

We appreciate the fact that Fetch! conducts in-person interviews with potential pet sitters, really getting to know them so they can provide the best match to clients. Fetch! also provides orientation and training before sitters can begin working. Reservations include a free in-home “meet and greet” where the sitter meets your pet and you can evaluate whether they’re a good fit, in addition to a backup sitter for emergencies.

Services include overnight sitting, cat and small pet visits, safe group off-leash adventures, dog walking, a pet taxi service, and special care for puppies, seniors or pets with special needs.

Turns out your local PetSmart may offer boarding! PetsHotel Pet Boarding is a great option for safely leaving your pet in your hometown, or if you’re looking for boarding and dog sitting while you and your pup are traveling.

PetSmart’s service offers various packages for your dog or cat with add-ons like all-day play with other pups, a bath before your dog returns and his own pet suite. PetsHotel staff go through a detailed training program, including becoming safety certified, learning about dog and cat behaviors, ways to care for specific needs, and how to keep pets safe.

On-site staffing is present 24 hours a day, and a veterinarian is on call, so you can feel confident that your pooch is being well taken care of. New customers get their first night free!

Much like the other sites, PetSitter can help you find an experienced and qualified pet sitter in your area. PetSitter lets you choose a filter for sitters with negotiable rates, which is a great option for those who need to keep an eye on their budget.

Here’s one more thing we love — you can even extend the types of pets the site covers. Got a bearded dragon at home, too? PetSitter can find an exotic-animal sitter for you!

This international pet sitters directory is the world’s leading non-profit organization on pet sitting.
Essentially, if you book a pet sitter through Pet Sitters International, you know you’re getting someone who is thoroughly certified (courses are offered through the website on everything from the basics of pet sitting to first aid for animals), up to date on their credentials and treats this position as more than just a job, but a career.

If you like a more personal approach to hiring a sitter, this is the place for you. Once you locate a sitter you want to hire, you communicate directly with them to discuss rates, timing and more. This option is great if you don’t want to go through a third party and would rather find a qualified sitter on your own.

We know it’s tough to leave your pup behind, but don’t worry — he’ll be in good hands with any of these dog sitting services!