In the fall of 2023, Oregon’s agriculture department received more than 200 reports of sick, coughing dogs starting in mid-August, and veterinarians in other states were treating similar cases, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). These illnesses can pass from dog to dog in shared spaces, and Ohio State’s fact sheet lists kennels, daycares, and shelters as higher-risk places.
These considerations should factor into your planning if you’re choosing between in-home pet sitting and boarding this season. When a sitter comes to your house, your pets stay home and away from that crowd.
1. Pets Have Less to Absorb When Only the Caregiver Changes
A boarded dog or cat has to get used to a strange building, people it hasn’t met, and barking or yowling from nearby runs, all on the day you leave. At home, the main difference is the person who fills the bowl and clips on the leash.
Rabbits don’t tolerate heat well, according to the rabbit care guide from the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine, and the school’s guinea pig guide says a guinea pig can go off its food after something as small as a change in pellet brand. When professional pet sitters look after them at home, the cage stays where it is, and they eat what they’re used to. If you’re leaning toward a facility for a rabbit, guinea pig, or bird, call ahead and ask whether they take small pets.
2. Your Feeding and Medication Instructions Become the Schedule
A facility caring for many animals has to set one timetable for the building. For dogs, in-home dog sitting visits follow the meal and walk plan that you customize.
Pills, injections, and subcutaneous fluids are part of our visits for animals that need them, given on your veterinarian’s instructions at the hours you pick. Pets take medication with less fuss when given at the usual time, within the routine they know. If something seems off, a reliable sitter will call or text you, and you and your vet can make the treatment decisions that are right for your furry friend.
3. Fewer Canine Contacts Mean Fewer Chances to Catch Kennel Cough
What vets call canine infectious respiratory disease complex, most owners know as kennel cough. Dogs pick up from one another through the air, especially in close quarters. At home, your pet’s main outside contact is the sitter, not a revolving group of other unfamiliar pets. The best pet sitting companies include private walks, so we walk your household’s dogs aren’t mingling with others. If your pet goes to the groomer, the dog park, or daycare, ask your veterinarian which vaccines fit that routine.
4. Undivided Attention Lets a Sitter Catch Problems Early
In a kennel, a few staff members may look after an entire floor of runs at once. When a sitter is at your house, your animals get their full attention, which makes it easier to notice a dog favoring one leg or a cat that left most of its dinner. Exceptional providers keep you in the loop with photos and a few lines on how your pet ate, went to the bathroom, and seemed overall.
Look for a provider that tries to keep the same sitter with your family trip after trip. That person learns your dog’s normal habits and can tell a lazy afternoon nap from something that needs a phone call.
5. Travel Days Get Easier Without Drop-Off and Pickup
Boarding means two extra errands, one before you leave and one after you land, and both usually have to fit within the facility’s business hours. If you’re flying out of Dulles International Airport early or coming home late on a holiday weekend, check the drop-off and pickup times before you reserve.
In-home pet sitting offers flexible scheduling to accommodate your departure and arrival times. If your flight gets delayed, arrangements can be made for what remains on the calendar.
6. Regular Visits Give Your House a Lived-In Look
Anyone walking by can usually tell a house is empty from a stuffed mailbox, packages on the steps, or blinds that haven’t moved in days. Professional sitters can handle those during pet visits, and plant watering is available as an add-on. Book an overnight stay, and someone sleeps at your place. Sitters also let you know about trouble around the house, say a water heater that’s started dripping or a breaker that tripped, so a repair can be lined up before you’re home.
Standards That Go Beyond What Virginia Requires
Virginia does not license this line of work, which leaves the vetting to you. Trustworthy sitters should carry PetTech Pet Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and First Aid certification. Look for a company that is bonded and insured.
Start with a Meet & Greet at your home; it serves as an interview for both the pet and the sitter. You can see whether the sitter is the right fit and review feeding, medication, and house access. If a pet’s needs go beyond the sitter’s training, they should say so before you book anything.
Contact Paw Pals to Plan Care for Your Next Trip
Paw Pals Pet Sitting offers three ways to skip the kennel. Pups who enjoy company can go with Bed & Biscuit, where they stay with a paired host. With Pet Visits & Vacation Care, a team member makes scheduled visits, and with Overnight Dog & House Sitting, a professional sitter stays overnight.
Call (703) 345-1695 or request a service to set up your Meet & Greet. If you’re traveling for the holidays, now’s a great time to get on our schedule so your pets can meet their sitter first.
