Pet Sitter versus Dog Boarding

A lot has been written and said about Pet Sitters of late. In fact we have been reporting about them of late. Pet sitters have a place based on a need. In this post we discuss the two options, Pet Sitter versus Dog Boarding. Some very anxious dogs are good candidates for more training and a pet sitter. Sometimes, dog owners fail to realize that they may be doing more damage to their dog by using a pet sitter.

Pet Sitters for the most part claim they provide a stress free solution to offsite boarding. But since dogs cannot speak English, they will not tell us how they feel. How would you feel with a stranger invading their home for different periods of the day. As it is most dogs will bark and have high anxiety when a stranger enters a home. Why would it be different with a pet sitter? There is no magic pixie dust when dealing with an untrained anxious dog. This is why we recommend working with an animal behaviorist to overcome the anxiety.

The tired arguments of pet sitters against a Dog Boarding facility such as Happy Hound Dog Resorts include the following:

Dog will enjoy the home’s safe and familiar surroundings

Dogs were not bred to sit around and sleep all day, in fact dogs often times pull their owners to get into places that the dog considers fun, such as a place where there are other dogs to socialize.

follow their customary routines

A dog not seeing their owner for a day or longer is customary? Again, who is this stranger in my house?

play with their own toys; sleep in their own beds

Dog Boarding allows all toys, treats and bedding as if the dog was at home. No crates are ever used and unlike some pet sitters, all collars are removed upon entry into the dog boarding facility as a precaution.

avoid exposure to illness from other pets

All pets at Happy Hound Dog Resorts have Bordatella, Distemper, Rabies and pass a negative fecal exam. Dogs can pickup a virus anywhere, even at home, as dogs lick themselves, and tend to eat lizards, insects and anything that moves.

avoid “travel trauma”

Travel trauma, as in going to a place that they visit for dog daycare and enjoy socializing, acting like a dog, rather than sitting at home, sleeping all day?

and receive lots of warm-hearted TLC and individualized attention to brighten their day.

How does a dog receive “warm-hearted TLC” for 30, 60 or more minutes per day as compared to a dog, acting like a dog with other dogs in a dog daycare setting receiving exercise and socialization skills?

We know that dogs dream and can show signs of stress, but we see these and react to the symptoms and work with the dog. How can a pet sitter see this 3 to 4 times a day and believe that what they do for 30 minutes to an hour is what the owners would want for their dog? Could it be more stressful to leave a dog at home, without any interaction, any socialization? Dogs were not bred to sit at home and sleep all day, they were bred to herd, to be active, to protect.

A difference at Happy Hound Dog Resorts

The Dog Daycare routine at Happy Hound Dog Resorts consists of the following each day:

Use of the 5,000 square feet of rubber flooring for the dogs to socialize. Dogs segmented to large and small sizes as well as older dogs.
On the floor and off the floor every hour with dogs being taken outside for 15 minute intervals. Then 45 minutes on the floor engaging, playing and socializing.
Working on basic commands of Sit, Stay, Down, Come, Wait, Off, Leave it and positive re-enforcement.
Instructions of how owners would like us to work with their dog are followed in Dog Daycare, but they are worked on throughout the day while the dog is with us.
With 6 to 8 sessions of on the floor and off the floor, the dog will be socialized and engaged and worked with on a daily basis. There is also a 2 hour nap time from 12-2, to help the dogs rest on a daily basis.
Free access to the video cameras to see the dogs on the large and small dog sizes of the floor.

Pet Sitter Activities (invades your house)	Dog Daycare Activities (dogs at HHDR)
– ½ hour visit – $16.50	– Try Me Out (2 hour) visit – $15.00
– 1 hour Visit – $27.00	– Full Day (8 hour) visit – $25.00
– 5 day package at $16 for ½ hour visit	– 5 day package Full Day, $22 per day
– Overnight Visit (residing in your house), $55 per night	– Overnight Visit (residing at HHDR), $39 per night and includes FREE dog daycare

Lots of solutions for a pet owner

Happy Hound Dog Resorts offers Dog Boarding, Daycare, Training and Grooming all under one roof. No need to worry about us setting off your home alarm, we have fun with your dog all day long so that your dog can sleep, soundly. Days at Happy Hound Dog Resorts are a lot like summer camp, designed to engage with your dog hourly and daily so that they can sleep well at night, then start the process all over again.

No accidents at your house, nothing to clean up while you are away. We are responsible for everything and when you have pet insurance, we are responsible for the first $100 of your deductible. There is a difference between us and a pet sitter. Come in for a free tour, they are always available and, well free.