Best options for dog sitting in San Diego
Are you planning on going out of town this holiday season?
Finding a good pet sitter can be difficult, especially if your dog has separation anxiety or other behavior concerns. Through working with local San Diego pet parents (and being one myself), I have compiled the best options for dog sitters in our area.
It’s important to discuss the different options for dog sitting as there is no one size fits all for every dog. While some dogs enjoy the company of other dogs, and do well in a day care type setting, others might feel anxious there and prefer staying in a home without other dogs.
There are also different risks and benefits to each setting!
A boarding facility may have more supervision and opportunity for exercise, but likely also comes with the risks that are involved when you have large amounts of dogs in one area. Depending on the place, you might only have 1 employee for anywhere from 10-40 dogs! Yikes.
Which is why day care and boarding facilities need to be heavily vetted with an in-person evaluation done by you. See where the dogs will be hanging out, what it looks like and how many dogs each employee is in charge of.
Also, something I recently learned is that it’s pretty common for indoor facilities to have the dogs peeing and pooping on the floor, as opposed to taking the dogs outside or having an outdoor space. Seeing as we go through a lot of work with house-training, I certainly wouldn't want my dog getting used to going inside.
It’s also good to note that some facilities may require your dog to be crate-trained.
Another option is an in-home day care and boarding, which can be similar and comes with it’s own set of risks and benefits. In-home day cares likely have smaller human to dog ratios, and may be a better option for dogs that have trouble in large group or facility-type settings.
They are also much more likely to be taking the dogs outside for bathroom breaks as opposed to letting them go freely in their house and then cleaning it up. We’d hope, right.
It’s almost more important to heavily vet an in-home day care because they have even less regulation than a facility (although THB facilities don’t have much in that regard either).
Ask a lot of questions. See the areas your dog will be hanging out during the day and sleeping at night. Ask them what “rules” they have in place, if any for the dogs. Are they allowed on the furniture and in the bedroom? If they aren’t, how is that managed? You want a very good idea of how your dog will be treated while in their care.
Green flag: letting your dog sleep in their bed
With pet care being sort-of an unregulated poo storm, it’s important to remember that there are still people using archaic and inhumane methods with dogs. It’s not nice to think about, but we need to know that if we want to protect our dogs.
Alright, so what other options are there?
For dogs that are comfortable with people in their home, a really great option is for someone to stay at your house and watch them. Dogs love routine and just like us can get anxious when they are thrown out of theirs. It can also be more stressful for some dogs to be in new environments.
Now, if your dog has separation anxiety it gets trickier because that person can’t really leave the house unless they bring your pup with them. With Door Dash and grocery pick up, it has gotten a bit easier, but still.
How do you find someone to watch your dog in your home?
Reach out to family members, friends, neighbors and even co-workers to see if they can stay at your home and watch your dog while you’re away. If you have a trainer, ask them if they offer in-home sitting for existing clients.
Ask someone to watch your dog in their home.
Another really good option is to have someone watch your dog at their house. Especially if it’s someone your dog already knows and likes. Bonus points if your dog has already been and is comfortable there!
Now, onto the list:
Top Recommendation for Day Care and Boarding Facility:
Emily, the owner is a wonderful human who is knowledgable in humane dog training methods, and is pursuing a certification with the PACCC. She has apprenticed under some of our cities best certified dog trainers and behavior consultants. The facility also has a large outdoor area with relaxing vibes. Note that your dog does need to be crate-trained for overnight boarding!
Contact: Emily, (619) 379-5039
Top Recommendation for In-home Day Care and Boarding:
Fiona and Friends Pet Care
Kathyrn, the owner is a certified dog trainer through the Animal Behavior College and lives in Ocean Beach with a fenced yard. She is well-versed in separation anxiety and other behavior concerns, as well as has an active Instagram account where you can see all the action, @fi_nomenal_friends. Your dog does not need to be crate-trained, has furniture privileges and can even go on trips to the beach or park. Note that the home does have a resident dog and cat, as well as multiple other dogs staying at a time.
Contact: Kat, (530) 383-8447
What types of dog day care and sitters would I avoid?
Generally speaking, large corporations and chains are more likely to be thinking about the bottom line, which is never ideal where our pups are concerned.
I would recommend doing a thorough search on TikTok and Google of the company and owner name, as well as requesting references from current or former clients.
When in doubt, trust your gut!
