How to find the right dog sitter

Finding the right person to care for your dog when you can't be there, is a real minefield.  It seems as though every week, there's another awful incident of a dog escaping their carer or getting injured.

Hopefully the information that follows will be of some help.

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Your first decision is whether you want the dog carer to come to your home - or whether you prefer your dog to go to them.

if your dog goes to a person's home for the day, this is daycare.


If they also stay overnight, this is boarding.

Anyone offering daycare or boarding in England MUST BY LAW be licensed by their local council.


Dog sitter - strictly speaking, a sitter is someone who comes to *your* home and stays with your dog there.


However, the term 'sitter' seems increasingly to be used about people doing daycare and boarding also.


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Now, it may be tempting and seem easier to just let your dog go to 'that nice woman round the corner who loves dogs' but this choice can sadly cost you dearly in the long run.

1 - anyone offering daycare illegally runs the risk of prison time and a huge fine. 

If they are happy to risk prison, what risks might they take  when in charge of your precious pet...?

2 - anyone illegally doing daycare and boarding has no valid insurance. 

This means that if something goes awry and heaven forfend your dog ends up being injured, you not only have the worry and stress of this but you will also have to pay for any and all medical costs.

3 -  people illegally doing daycare/boarding have NO safety checks or inspections of their homes.  


Those of us who are licensed have multiple inspections to ensure that, among other things, our fences are high enough and robust, and that we have 'double barriers' at the front and backs of our homes, to reduce any risk of a dog getting outside.


We also have to show that we have canine first aid kits, that we keep proper and very detailed records of all the dogs in our care, and that we have back up plans in the case of an emergency.


Owners should also note that when illegal daycares and boarders are shut down with no notice, any guest dogs there are placed in council pounds.


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Alas there are literally thousands of people illegally offering these services and while the legislation exists to prosecute them, not all councils have the manpower to pursue them.


So don't risk your dog's welfare - always ask immediately if a person is licensed! Those who are will - I promise you! - be delighted that you care enough to ask!




Assuming you have found a legal, reputable and licensed daycare or boarder, here are some more questions to ask before entrusting them with your dog:




1 - are guest dogs ever left alone? If yes, for how long?  Are dogs left together when alone - or separated...?




2  -  how many dogs is the person licensed to look after at any one time?  




3 -  has the person taken the time and trouble to do any formal training with regard to canine communication for instance? Do they know how to tell when a dog is stressed or about to go 'over threshold'?




4 -  how many dogs do they walk together at one time?




5 - is their approach to dog behaviour an informed and reward-based one? Do they take the time to keep up with modern advances in understanding dogs?




AVOID anyone who relies upon outdated and harmful theories involving 'pack leader' and 'alpha'.


I have personally seen the harm and damage being done to dogs under the guise of 'training' by people with no qualifications whatsoever, who are relying upon these debunked notions.




AVOID anyone who recommends or uses choke collars, shock collars/e collars or slip leads.   






Anyone offering daycare or boarding should always have a contract and/or T&Cs.  Run a mile from anyone who doesn't!  These things are there for your protection as much as the dog carer.


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Strictly speaking,  a dog sitter  is someone who comes to your home and stays there with your dog when you're away from home. Some sitters will come for a few hours while  others specialise in longer stays.


Sitters should always be insured, and should always arrange a 'meet or greet' or consultation with you prior to their first time staying. They should also have a contract or T&Cs.


Entrusting both your dog and your home to someone you don't really know can be nerve wracking, so always ensure you ask lots of questions and be sure to see actual proof of insurance. Many sitters will also have a DBS check for your added peace of mind.