To Board or to Sit?

When people call West Hartford Pet Sitters, they often ask about the pros of boarding versus kenneling. While some may never consider boarding, it is good for some dogs. WHPS offers in-home boarding (at your house where we’ll spend the night) and even sleep with your beloved fur baby in the comfort of their bed and own home.

Many people are planning summer vacations. Your fur children need to be cared for while you are away having fun. You can choose to hire a pet sitter or board your pets. Choosing which way to go really depends on your pet’s particular needs and temperaments.

Some dogs and cats are fine at kennels and other are traumatized. For many pets, being removed from their zone of comfort to an unfamiliar place with different sights, sounds and smells can produce a lot of anxiety and stress. A stressed dog or cat is more likely to become sick as they are already stressed and their immune system is weakened and they are in close proximity to other animals who may be sick.

Pet sitting came about when people had negative experiences at a kennel, or wanted the convenience of not having to transport their pet to a facility and rush home to meet the three-hour pickup window. Anyone who has experienced picking up their dog and seeing him or her acting differently knows exactly what we are describing.

Your once energetic and spunky dog is acting meek, lethargic, has signs of weight loss and just lies down in the car when you pick him up. You wonder if he is okay and ask the kennel attendant who has only been there that day. "Oh, everything was fine in the notes." You get home and your dog won’t eat, just sleeps or is vomiting and having diarrhea or suffers from the dreaded kennel cough.

All the fun memories of your vacation make you feel guilty as you think about your poor dog or cat suffering in an environment where they weren’t happy. Granted, some people have great experiences with their pets being kenneled. The dogs and cats are fine.

Pet sitting is designed for pets who prefer the comfort of their own surroundings. Pet sitters go into the business because they love pets. A reliable, responsible, award-winning client and vet-recommended company like West Hartford Pet Sitters will make sure your pet gets the best possible care. They will go over your pet's custom routine to ensure their playtime, walking, feeding and let out schedule is as close to normal as possible. Pets with special needs such as those who need meds or fluids or extra TLC due to age or illness will be more likely to get the personalized care needed with a pet sitter than with a kennel where the kennel staff are trying to juggle multiple pets.

In addition to caring for your pets, WHPS will look after your home. They’ll take in the newspapers, adjust lights and blinds and pick up packages to give your house a lived-in look and you peace of mind while you’re away. Pet sitters even take the trash barrels and recycling to the street, bring them back in, water prized plants and veggie gardens!

While pet sitters may be more expensive (depending on the number and type of pets), you are getting a more specialized service and you can check in on how things are going without getting a voice recording or message that the kennel is closed all weekend.

There’s no greater feeling than arriving home and being greeted by your pets' happy faces.