Can I Pay Someone to Check In on My Dog When I'm on Vacation?

Absolutely! Asking a family member or friend to look after your pets while you’re away might be your first thought, but it’s not the best solution for everyone. Whether you don’t have anyone nearby or have a dog that requires a lot of care, there are lots of reasons to use professional in-home pet sitting. For most people, it’s the best way to care for the dogs when they’re away on vacation or other extended stays. 

The most common types of in-home pet sitting are: 

• Multiple Drop-Ins: This is what most people are thinking of when they want a friend or family member to check in on their dogs. Often, these sitters may see the dog in the morning, midday, and again in the evening. Unfortunately, for most dogs, this leaves them going for too long between care times and is not a recommended solution if you are staying away overnight. This is, however, a suitable solution if you have a long work day or work from an office with a long commute and want your dog to be checked in on and walked while you’re at work.  

• Overnight Care: This type of sitting involves, as you might expect, the sitter staying in your home overnight to care for the dogs. During the day, they may leave the home for a few hours at a time, with the duration agreed upon depending on the needs of your pet is likely the most similar to the care your dog is used to receiving from you on a day-to-day basis. 

• Constant Care: This level of care requires your sitter to stay at home with your dogs at all times, with no alone time for your dogs at all during care. This may be necessary for injured dogs, those with specialized medical needs, or extreme behavioral issues. If your dog is unable to handle being alone for more than a few minutes, this may be what you need. Note: constant care is a premium service and comes at a higher investment, as sitters cannot leave the dog even for a few minutes. 

At Grand & Graham Pets, we offer overnight care. This allows us to match our care plan to the routines that they’re used to and send you regular updates as well. 

What Do In-Home, Overnight Pet Sitters Do? 

As overnight care is the most common and most recommended service, let’s look at what is typically included. When beginning your relationship with a new pet sitter, it’s best to discuss what services they offer upfront instead of assuming. 

If you have a particular maintenance you would like done that is outside of pet care, such as bringing in the mail or watering your plants, ask your sitter if that is included in their service or available for an additional charge.  

Pet Care

This is the obvious one, but it also goes deeper than you might think. Dog sitters will ensure that your dog sticks to everything in their regular routines, including meals, medications, exercise, and whatever else you request. Most dog sitters will be alright with caring for cats as well, which will add an additional feeding and play schedule, as well as litter box cleaning. 

In-home dog sitters are an especially good option for anyone with a senior dog, dogs requiring regular medications, or those with separation anxiety. At Grand and Graham Pets, our sitters learn how you keep your dog comfortable during our onboarding process so that we can recreate those routines and coping mechanisms when you’re away. You can learn more about our services here.

Maintaining Security Systems 

Having an in-home pet sitter also means that you have a house sitter while you’re away. They can maintain any security routines and confirm any reports you get through your system about open doors, appliances needing attention, or other alerts. Make sure they also have access to any codes that they’ll need while you’re away. 

Collecting Mail 

You don’t need to worry about asking the post office to hold your mail or delay any mailed subscriptions during your vacation if you have an in-home pet sitter. They can bring in the mail daily and get packages off the porch quickly. 

Cleaning 

While pet sitters are not a cleaning service, you can expect your pet sitter to clean up after themselves while they’re in your home. At Grand & Graham Pets, we always ask that our sitters leave the client's home in better condition than they found it. That means you’ll never come back from a long trip to find the house a mess, you’ll just get to unpack in peace. 

Plant or Lawn Care 

Pet sitters can also take care of watering your plants or lawn, just be sure to leave detailed instructions on your routines. They’ll also make sure that any dog waste is properly disposed of, whether on walks or your lawn. Depending on your sitter, they may also be able to offer additional services to tend to a garden or mow the lawn during your trip. 

Keeping Your Household Running

Do you have a goldfish that needs feeding? Or maybe a sourdough starter? Is there a small leak in your hot water heater that you need to keep an eye on? There’s probably a lot that you do around the house to keep things running smoothly. While it’s always best to check first, your pet sitter can likely handle these small but essential tasks. Just ask them!

How Do I Find Someone to Take Care of My Dog? 

Dogs are an important part of our families, so it’s essential that you’re able to trust your pet sitter and feel at ease with them in your home. When you’re shopping around for the right one, look for those with great reviews that match the needs of your dog or that have certifications like the Fear Free program. It’s also a good idea to check with your friends and family to see who they recommend. 

If you’re in San Francisco, we hope you reach out to us at Grand and Graham Pets. You can check out what our clients are saying on the home page or learn more about us here. During our onboarding process, you’ll get to meet your sitter and see how they interact with your dogs. Our sitters send out daily photos and updates on how your dogs are doing, that way you can fully relax and enjoy your trip.

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