Pet Sitting VS. Dog Home Boarding: The Great Debate

We’re never thrilled about leaving our pooches behind, but certain situations, like holidays abroad, dictate we must. When you can’t take your dog along for the ride, there are generally two courses of action available: pet sitting or dog home boarding.

But which option is best for our furry friends? We’re going to throw you a couple of bones, if we may, as we gauge the benefits and drawbacks of both choices…

Dog home boarding – Pros

Dog home boarding is a popular alternative to kennels, giving you peace of mind that your pup is being cared for in a comfortable environment, whether that’s a friend’s house, or that of a professional dog sitter.

It’s ideal for dogs who have had bad experiences with kennels in the past, struggle with socialising, or simply require a few home comforts – especially older animals. With dog home boarding, your pet can be taken for regular walks, plied with cuddles, kept safe and healthy, and enjoy some companionship for the days ahead.

Most top-tier services (like us!) ensure you’re totally comfortable with the boarding experience beforehand; only when you’ve had a chance to meet the carer do we ask for a deposit.

Cons

While dog home boarding may sound like a luxury escape for your pooch, it’s not suited to every animal. For starters, if your dog isn’t toilet trained, or struggles with basic obedience, you could lose your deposit in the event of an incident at your carer’s home.

Plus, even though home boarding is a much nicer alternative to kennels, it can still place a lot of stress on animals with a nervous temperament, or those who are sick or injured.

Pet sitting – Pros

Most dogs take a while to adapt to a new place; they like to sniff, sleep and feel their way around a territory. With pet sitting, a committed carer will turn up at your door – armed with treats, toys, or just an overnight bag – and stay in your home for a prescribed amount of time.

By staying dry, fed and loved in a space they recognise, any dog will be calmer, mediating their separation anxiety. The pet sitter can have as much or as little influence on the day-to-day routine of your pooch as desired: merely popping over to walk them and filling up their biscuit bowl, perhaps, or camping over for a week or two. They can even water the plants…

Cons

Depending on the levels of service you ask for, pet sitting can be pricier than dog home boarding; after all, we’re asking someone to (potentially) spend every minute with your furry pal. It also requires a much greater degree of trust; while this shouldn’t be a problem with a reputable service, like ours, some people feel uncomfortable giving strangers free roam of their home.

There isn’t a single answer to what’s preferable here; it all comes down to your personality and, of course, the needs of the Main Mutt in question. Still can’t decide on the way forward? Contact Scamps & Champs Today, or delve into our range of pet care services, each of which can be tailored to you.

Pet Sitting: An Alternative to Dog Home Boarding

Although dog home boarding can be beneficial in several ways, this option might not be the best for your pet for several reasons. For example, even though your dog will be staying in a home, it won’t be the same as staying in his/her home as the unfamiliar routine and environment may cause your pet stress.

An excellent alternative to dog home boarding is pet sitting, a pawsome service offered by Scamps and Champs.

Why consider pet sitting?

Wondering why you should opt for pet sitting? Here are some amazing benefits you should know:

  • Less stress for your pet

When you choose pet sitting for your dog, your pet is going to be staying in the comfort of his or her home where all the sights, smells, and sounds say home! Since it’s an environment they are familiar with; your pet will feel safe and secure. This will help keep your dog remain calm and relaxed while you’re away.

  • Daily routine of your pet remains uninterrupted

Pets tend to get used to set routine overtime and interrupting their routine can make them anxious and stressed. A routine includes your pet’s customized diet, medication, and exercise. Pet sitters from Scamps and Champs understand the importance of a routine and stick to it so your dog can be safe, healthy, and happy.

  • Security

It’s not unusual for many pet owners to have security concerns about their home while they’re away. Pet sitters from Scamps and Champs can help ensure your home is protected from security risk by bringing in your post, turning lights on and off, bringing in and putting out recycle bins and closing the curtains in the evening.

  • No extra travel for you

With dog home boarding, you have to travel to where the host family of your dog stays to check whether the setting is right for your dog as well as to drop them off and pick them upon your return. You might be unable to make the extra trips due to time constraints or the inconvenience it can cause. But when you choose pet sitting, you can leave your dog at home, which will help save you time.

  • No travel trauma for your pet

Some pets don’t handle traveling well as they sometimes get traumatized during the trip in the vehicle or travel sick.   Even if you do all you can to make them comfortable during the trip, there’s no guarantee that they will enjoy the experience.  With pet sitting there is no travelling involved.   

  • Pet sitting experience, license, and insurance

Since you’re planning to be out of town for a while, it’s essential to hire a professional pet sitter who is experienced, licensed, and insured. An experienced pet sitter has seen it all with dogs and knows how to handle an emergency. They also have a vast network of resources at their fingertips. Similarly, they’re licensed to operate and are fully insured.

  • Special services

Apart from caring for your dog, pet sitters can provide additional home services such as keeping the house clean, watering the plants, bringing in the mail and newspapers. You can even ask them to run errands for you while you’re gone.

  • Health concerns

Since your pet will be staying at home where they are used to, there’s minimal exposure to illness from other animals. And should your pet fall ill, you can rest assured that they will receive adequate TLC from the pet sitter.

  • Peace of mind

While you’re away, you can feel confident that your pet is in the right hands, and that your dog will be relaxed because they’re in a familiar environment. Your pet sitter will send you daily updates with photographs so you can monitor the wellbeing of your pet. This will contribute to your peace of mind and make you feel more relaxed as well.

Conclusion

Whether you need to go out of town urgently, take a long holiday or need some help caring for your pet because you’re unwell, a pet sitter from Scamps and Champs can help give your dog the care, love, and individualized attention he or she needs at all times.

Please do contact us if we can help in any way at all with your Pet Sitting Service Enquiries via our online form and one of the team will get back to you as soon as possible. To view our full range of Pet Care Services please visit our Scamps and Champs Website.

REASONS SCAMPS & CHAMPS DON’T PACK WALK

At Scamps and Champs, we recognize that dog walking is a huge part of a dog’s life and also an excellent way to keep them healthy and fit. It opens them to new and stimulating experiences needed for their overall well-being. Additionally, it can also help them to tire them out, and you might know, “a tired dog is a happy dog.” 

You might have noticed that that pack walks are springing up all over the U.K. as many believe it’s a fantastic way for dogs to experience strangers and other canine friends in a safe environment.  While it might appear to hold many benefits for those, it does have several downsides which shouldn’t be brushed off in a hurry. Here are the reasons Scamps and Champs don’t pack walk.

1. Supervision

Walking just one dog requires full attention to keep an eye on them effectively and to make sure they’re safe. Dogs often get easily fascinated by new sights, smells, and sounds that they encounter during the walk. If something new and interesting catches their attention, they may forget their manners and rush up to that thing or person. Consider all the concentration walking a single dog requires and then imagine what it is like trying to control five or more dogs at once! Additionally, controlling them on busy roads and unfamiliar surroundings can be quite risky during pack walks.

2. Lost Training Opportunities

Walking a dog is an opportunity to train them and reinforce what they have learned. For example, if you take your dog on a walk, you can notice their reaction to potential triggers and take appropriate action. If your dog takes a look at a scary sight and focuses on you, it’s a sign that your dog is learning some manners and should be rewarded with a treat. On the flip side, it is hard to specially train one dog at a time during a pack walk since there are about five other dogs or more.

3. Disease

Whenever dogs congregate, there’s always a high risk of them spreading diseases such as kennel cough, canine influenza, or canine parvovirus. Your dog is also at risk of coming home with fleas and ticks after exposure to a dog gathering, no matter how careful the owners are. This could cause severe discomfort for your pet and also require a visit to the vet. The chances of a dog contracting a disease is drastically reduced when we walk them individually and not in a pack.

4. Fights and Bullying

Just as in any human group, bullying can also happen among dogs leading to fights in a bid to establish their dominance. The bigger the group, the more likely it is for some dogs to break the rules of polite social interactions and make their own rules. This can lead to cases of dogs overwhelming their potential playmates with overly assertive and inappropriate behaviours. Many dog owners try to avoid situations that might trigger their dogs and result in fights as well as protect their pets from being picked on. Pack walks increases the likelihood of fights and bullying among dogs, potentially leading to lacerations, puncture wounds, and even broken bones.

5. Injuries

Although injuries are unexpected occurrences that can happen in an instant, they tend to occur more during pack walks due to divided attention of walkers and fights that may break out.   It is nearly impossible to keep an eye on other dogs while tending to one dog, and this could turn out badly in several ways. Conversely, walking one dog at a time allows walkers to give adequate attention to injured dogs without having to worry about monitoring other pets.  

6. Physics

When it comes to pack walks, some walkers sacrifice safety for management by walking five (or more) strong reactive dogs at the same time. This might appear to be easy except that the physics is wrong. Imagine a dog walker who is 11 stone and walking seven stone large dogs; it’s going to take a lot of hard work to keep them under control, and that is only possible if they’re able to resist the pull.

 Conclusion

Pack dog walks might be trending at the moment, but the disadvantages are hard to ignore. Like every dog owner that loves their canine bestie, it’s important you make the right decision, so your pet can have an enjoyable and stimulating walk with our walkers from Scamps and Champs.  

If your dog enjoys the company of other dogs, we will carefully match your dog to a dog of similar size and temperament.  

To view our Dog Walking Services and our extensive range of other
Pet Care Services please visit our Scamps and Champs Website. To ask us a question, make a booking or to simply make an enquiry please complete our Online Enquiry Form