Almost every pet owner will encounter the situation at some point: they need to leave home, whether for a day or longer, and must decide what to do with their beloved pet. Even for families who often take their dogs on adventures, some journeys are best made alone. That typically leaves a family with two choices: kennel boarding or overnight pet sitting.
This situation can become even more complex if you have one or more pets who experience anxiety, have age-related needs, or deal with other specific care requirements. The best way to make this important choice is to understand what these services offer. For most pet parents, personalized overnight pet sitting beats standard kennel boarding, especially for pets whose care requirements include additional elements.
Here is what you need to know.
Key Takeaways
- Many pet owners prefer overnight pet sitting to standard kennel boarding.
- Kennel boarding can lead to high stress levels that may be alleviated by allowing the pet to stay home, away from an unfamiliar environment.
- Dogs with anxiety benefit from remaining in the home around familiar coping mechanisms and predictable routines.
- Mobility-challenged animals do not need to struggle going to and from a kennel thanks to overnight pet sitting.
- Even well-managed kennels do not always provide enough time to comfortably address a pet’s medical needs, while a pet sitter offers complete focus on only that pet.
Why Pet Owners Should Consider Overnight Pet Sitting
Both pet sitters and kennel facilities can provide a space for your dog to stay while you are out of town. However, kennels require your pet to leave home and stay at a different location with unfamiliar people, other pets, and an entirely new routine. Even if your dog does not have any mobility issues that would prevent them from getting there, it is still a stressful situation, and kennels may not be properly equipped to deal with all of a pet’s needs.
Conversely, overnight pet sitting provides greater flexibility to address the specific challenges your pet experiences. Pets of all shapes and sizes can receive consistent, personalized care with an at-home sitter. Consider this type of care for:
A low-stress option
A pet’s owner leaving is already a stressful situation; there is no need to add difficulty by taking them to a kennel. Boarding facilities often require pets to interact with other people’s animals in an unfamiliar environment filled with scents, sights, and sounds that may increase anxiety. Pair this with physical demands (such as spending the daytime in a play area with other pets), and your dog may quickly become stressed.
Compare this to personalized overnight pet sitting. Your animal can stay in a familiar environment with all of their favorite toys, smells, and sounds. With a lower stress level, your dog is less likely to spiral: familiar surroundings and routines minimize the impact of your absence.
An antidote to anxiety
Many pets become anxious when owners go on trips, but for pets predisposed to anxiety, the situation can compound quickly. For many of the same reasons that dogs struggle with stress at kennel boarding facilities, their anxiety may also worsen. An anxious dog has a handful, or possibly even a dozen or more, other animals around them, and each will come with its own rules and body language to interpret. This places an immense burden on your pet to do things right, spiking anxiety that may interfere with their sleep in the kennel and progressively cause mental, physical, and emotional fatigue.
At home with a pet sitter, anxiety is much more easily managed. Pets can self-soothe using toys or retreat to their favorite hiding spots to cope in ways that are familiar to them. Once they get to know their pet sitter, no unexplained variables will interrupt their day.
Reduced mobility demands
Pets with mobility challenges often thrive with at-home pet sitting compared to kennels. They do not need to go through the ordeal of traveling to and from the facility, and their home contains supportive elements (such as soft beds) that work for them. They can rest and stretch on their own time, moving at the speed that is right for them without being hassled by other boarding attendees.
Easy medical support
Dog kennel boarding facilities are often willing to administer medication, but staff have many dogs to care for. Medical needs may not get the time they deserve. With overnight pet sitting, your dog can receive the assistance required without stress or fuss; if it takes them a little while to take a pill, that is all right. If they need insulin shots, you can rest assured they will receive them on time because the sitter’s full attention is on your pet.
Protect Your Sensitive or Aging Animal With Overnight Pet Sitting Instead of Boarding
If you need to be out of town, overnight pet sitting is often the most compassionate option for your pet. Sparing them stress, anxiety, and mobility challenges while offering easy medical support, pet sitting can make the entire experience more pleasant for your furry friend.
Contact Paw Pals to schedule a meet and greet with your new sitter!
