Who this article is for: you're planning a trip and want to leave your dog in someone's care, but you care about finding the right person. You'll find concrete criteria for choosing and questions to ask. If your dog has an especially hard time with being apart, it's worth thinking this through early, ideally with a dog behaviorist.
A dog sitter is someone who looks after your dog while you're away. Depending on the model, they might keep your dog at their place, stay in your home, or drop by a few times a day. Each option fits a different situation and a different dog.
There's one thing worth knowing from the start: dog sitting isn't a regulated profession. There's no official sitter certificate, and anyone can call themselves one. Only general rules about the humane treatment of animals apply, and they don't spell out what that care should look like. In practice, that means you're the one vetting the person before you trust them. This whole article is about how to do that well.
3 dog care models
Start by choosing a model, because it has the biggest effect on how your dog feels. The table below shows how the three basic options differ.
| Model | What it involves | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Care at the sitter's home | Your dog stays at the sitter's place, often alongside other dogs | Sociable dogs, shorter and medium trips |
| Sitter in your home | The sitter stays at your place for the duration of your trip | Dogs sensitive to change, senior dogs, longer trips |
| Visits a few times a day | The sitter drops in on your dog 2-4 times a day | Short trips, dogs that handle being alone calmly |
Care at the sitter's home
The sitter usually takes in two or three dogs at a time. Your dog moves to a new environment but has steady contact with a person, and often with other dogs too. It works best for sociable dogs that feel good in a group, without strong separation struggles. It suits dogs less well if they get stressed around unfamiliar dogs, if they were recently adopted, or if they're seniors with chronic conditions.
Sitter in your home
The sitter stays at your place for the duration of your trip. Your dog stays in familiar surroundings, with their own bed, smells, and daily rhythm, which lowers stress on its own. It's a good choice for dogs that don't handle a change of place well, for seniors, and for longer or overseas trips where the dog isn't traveling anywhere anyway. The downside can be having a stranger in the home, which not everyone is comfortable with.
Visits a few times a day
The sitter drops by your home a few times a day: feeds your dog, takes them out, spends a little time with them. Between visits, your dog is alone. This works for shorter trips and dogs that handle being alone calmly. It won't work with separation struggles, for longer trips, or for dogs that need constant watching for health reasons.
Where to find a dog sitter
There are a few routes, and it's best to combine several of them and compare candidates.
Dedicated platforms. There are several dog-sitting services out there. They let you filter by location, experience, and reviews from past clients. Usually the safest source, because platforms verify sitters' identities and often offer insurance.
Local social media groups. Many towns have their own groups devoted to dog care. It can be cheaper than the platforms, but more of the vetting falls on you.
Referrals from your vet. Your clinic often knows local sitters and can point you to trustworthy people. That's a recommendation from someone who has seen those dogs in a given person's care.
Referrals from people you trust. Neighbors, friends from the neighborhood, people from your dog-walking crowd. A personal recommendation is usually the most valuable, because there's real experience behind it.
10 questions for the first conversation
Before you entrust your dog to someone, set up a conversation and ask these questions. How they answer (with specifics or with generalities) will tell you almost as much as the answers themselves.
- How many dogs are you looking after right now?
- Do you live in a house or an apartment, and what are the conditions like for a dog?
- How long and how often do you take the dog out for walks?
- What do you do in case of sudden illness or an accident?
- Do you have a trusted vet you can reach by phone?
- Can you send me daily photos or a short video?
- How long have you been caring for dogs, and do you have references?
- Do you have insurance in case of damages?
- Can I visit the place before I leave?
- What vaccinations do you require from the dogs in your care?
Warning signs - when to keep looking
Sometimes what someone won't do or say tells you more than the best offer. These signs should stop you from making a hasty decision.
- No willingness to meet beforehand. A sitter who won't meet your dog or show you the place before you leave makes it hard to do the one real check you have.
- Generalities instead of specifics. "Everything will be fine" without answers about the number of dogs or what happens if one gets sick isn't enough.
- No questions about your dog. A good sitter asks about diet, medication, fears, and habits on their own. If nobody asks anything, nobody plans to tailor the care to your dog.
- Too many dogs at once. A dozen-plus dogs under one person's care is a sign yours may not get enough attention.
- Pressure and no agreement. Rushing, pushing for a quick deposit, and a reluctance to put simple terms in writing are all reasons to hold off.
A trial before the full stay
Before you leave your dog for the whole trip, set up a short test. It's the best way to avoid a bad decision.
- A short visit. Roughly an hour, during which your dog gets to know the place and the sitter sees your dog when things are calm.
- One night. A first overnight in the intended setup, before you head off for longer.
- Your own read at pickup. How does your dog react when you come back? Did they eat, do they greet you happily, are they relaxed?
If your dog goes through the trial under heavy stress, continuing with the full stay is a risk. It's better to look for another option than to hope it sorts itself out. One of the signs can be refusing to eat, which we cover in our article on loss of appetite under stress.
Agreement and insurance - what to sort out
Since dog sitting isn't a regulated profession, a few of the formalities are in your hands. Three things are always worth checking.
Insurance. Experienced sitters who run this as a business are sometimes insured against damages, for example if a dog escapes or gets hurt. Ask directly whether such a policy exists.
A written agreement. A simple care agreement should include the dates, the scope of duties (feeding, walks, medication), what to do if your dog gets sick, and the question of liability. It's protection for both sides, not a lack of trust.
A plan in case your dog gets loose. Agree that the sitter tells you right away and knows what to do: notify nearby shelters, check the microchip database, and contact the local animal control. While you're at it, make sure your dog has a readable ID tag and an up-to-date registration in the microchip database. That's your biggest ally if something goes wrong.
How to stay at ease about your dog in someone's care
Even with a great sitter, there's a natural bit of uncertainty: how is your dog really handling your time away. The simplest thing is to agree on daily photos or short videos, because that's a clear sign someone is genuinely spending time with your dog.
If you're leaving your dog at your own home and the sitter is okay with it, you can add a second device (a phone, tablet, or laptop) running a watch-over app. Then you can check the live view and see whether your dog is calm or getting anxious in the gaps between visits. It's support for you and for the sitter, not a replacement for the real care that a person's presence provides.
See how your dog handles your time away
A second device left with your dog turns into a camera with sound recognition and live view. Wherever the sitter agrees, you'll see whether your dog is calm between visits, and you'll have peace of mind while you're away.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know a dog sitter is trustworthy?
Lean on several things at once, not just one. Ask for references from past clients and actually call them. Meet before you travel and watch how the sitter behaves around your dog. Ask about insurance and a written agreement. Finally, run a short trial before the full stay. The more of these that check out, the more calmly you can leave.
Can I leave my dog's medication with the sitter?
Yes, but with detailed written instructions: what to give, how much, when, and how. It helps if the sitter can call your vet with any questions. Some medications take practice, injections for example, so make sure ahead of time that the sitter can handle it, and if in doubt, work out the details with your vet.
What if my dog doesn't take to the sitter?
Warning signs include no appetite for a long stretch, constant barking, or attempts to escape. That's when you need to act: switch sitters, pick your dog up early, or ask a trusted family member for help. This is exactly why a trial run beforehand matters so much, because it's easier to spot that reaction in a single overnight than in the middle of your whole trip.
Can I see how my dog is doing in the sitter's care?
Partly. The simplest option is to agree on daily photos or short videos. If you're leaving your dog at your own home and the sitter is okay with it, you can add a second device running a watch-over app and check the live view and whether your dog is calm. It's support and extra peace of mind for you, not a replacement for the care a person provides.
Does a dog sitter need a pet first-aid course?
There's no formal requirement, since dog sitting isn't a regulated profession. It's still worth asking, because some experienced sitters have completed pet first-aid courses. It's a nice plus and a sign that someone takes the job seriously, but treat it as a bonus rather than a must-have.
Summary
- 3 care models: at the sitter's home, a sitter in your home, or visits a few times a day. The choice depends on your dog and the length of your trip.
- Where to look: dedicated platforms, local groups, and referrals from your vet and from people you trust.
- 10 questions for the first conversation, plus a short trial before the full stay.
- Check the agreement and insurance - dog sitting isn't a regulated profession, so the vetting is on you.
- A watch-over app as support when you're leaving your dog at home, not as a substitute for a sitter.
This article is a guide to help you decide who to entrust your dog to. It doesn't replace your own judgment of a specific person or a consultation with a professional. If your dog has an especially hard time being apart from you, talk your trip through in advance with a dog behaviorist or a vet.
Sources and further reading
- Animal Welfare Act (Poland, August 21, 1997). isap.sejm.gov.pl. General duties toward a dog in your care. The act doesn't separately regulate dog-sitting services.
- American Kennel Club (AKC). "How to Choose the Right Pet Sitter for Your Dog." akc.org. Criteria for choosing a sitter, and the value of meeting beforehand and checking references.
- BC SPCA. "Key questions to ask a pet sitter." spca.bc.ca. Questions about experience, insurance, emergency procedures, and required vaccinations.