You’re planning on going out-of-town in the near future, and you’re faced with the difficult decision of figuring out what to do with your pet while you’re away. Essentially, you’ve got two options: you can board your dog at a local dog boarding kennel, or you can hire a pet sitter to stop by your home and care for your dog each day. While there’s nothing inherently wrong with boarding, there are a number of advantages you’ll want to consider in regards to hiring a pet sitter from a professional bonded and insured pet sitting company.
Keep Your Dog in Its Ideal Environment
Dogs are creatures of habit; they tend to behave best when they’re kept in a steady, stable environment. For many dogs, being put in a kennel and exposed to lots of other dogs can be a stressful experience that can lead to anxiety and behavioral problems. Therefore, if your dog is a bit shy or less social, then he or she might be more comfortable remaining in the familiar environment of your home while you’re away. Hiring a pet sitter allows this to happen.
Reduce Risk of Disease/Illness Transfer
Of course, if your dog enjoys being around other dogs, he or she might love going to the a pet resort or dog boarding kennel. However, one possible risk you pose to your dog when you take him or her into a kennel is the possibility of your dog contracting an illness or bug from another dog. While most kennels avoid this by making sure the dogs that stay there are up-to-date on all their vaccinations and in good health, there’s always that small risk. Fortunately, by hiring a pet sitter, you can eliminate this risk altogether and come home to a happy, healthy dog.
Maintain Your Dog’s Diet and Routine
Going back to the idea that dogs are creatures of habit, many of them don’t do so well with a change in their routine. If they’re used to eating the same amount of food at the same time each day or being walked at the same time each day, being boarded in a kennel may not be ideal. That’s because there’s really no way to guarantee that your dog will stay on the schedule he or she is used to. On the other hand, if you hire a pet sitter, you can leave specific instructions in regards to how much your dog should be fed and when, along with how often he or she should be walked or let outside.
Enjoy Added Peace of Mind While Away
Last but not least, hiring a reputable and trustworthy pet sitter can give you added peace of mind while you’re away. Many pet sitters are more than happy to turn lights on and off, pick up your mail, and even take out the trash to make it look like somebody is home. As a result, your home is less likely to be burglarized or broken into while you’re away and you have somebody keeping an eye not just on your dog, but on your home as a whole.
As you can see, there are many benefits that come along with hiring a pet sitter the next time you go out of town. Be sure to keep these in consideration as you decide whether a dog boarding kennel or a pet sitter is best for your canine friend.
Live in Katy, Richmond or Fulshear, Texas contact Barking Life Pet Concierge for In-Home Pet Care.