Dog sitting covers everything your dog needs while you’re away: feeding, exercise, medication, companionship, and monitoring for any health or behavior changes. The scope varies depending on the type of service you choose, but the core job is maintaining your dog’s normal routine as closely as possible. Costs range from $15 to $90 depending on the service format.
Types of Dog Sitting Services
Dog sitting isn’t one-size-fits-all. The three main models each come with different expectations and price points.
Drop-in visits are short check-ins, typically 30 minutes, where a sitter stops by your home to feed your dog, refresh water, take a quick walk, and spend some time playing or cuddling. These run $15 to $30 per visit and work best for independent dogs who are comfortable being alone for stretches.
In-home overnight sitting means a sitter stays in your house, sleeping there and caring for your dog around the clock. This is the closest thing to replicating your dog’s normal life. The sitter handles all daily routines in your dog’s own environment, which reduces stress for dogs who struggle with new places. Overnight sits typically cost $50 to $90 per night.
Sitting at the sitter’s home is a middle ground between boarding and in-home care. Your dog stays at someone else’s house, getting individual attention in a home setting rather than a kennel. If you go this route, ask whether the sitter has a fenced yard and whether other animals will be present.
In-home sitting tends to be the better choice for dogs with separation anxiety, mobility issues, fear of other animals, or medical needs that require close supervision. It’s also more cost-effective if you have multiple pets, since boarding charges per animal. Boarding facilities work well for healthy, well-socialized dogs who adapt quickly to new environments and enjoy being around other dogs.
Daily Responsibilities
The day-to-day work of dog sitting revolves around keeping your dog’s schedule intact. That means feeding the right food in the right amounts at the right times, providing fresh water throughout the day, and sticking to your dog’s usual walk schedule, including the same routes and duration when possible.
Beyond the basics, a sitter provides exercise and mental stimulation through play, using your dog’s favorite toys and activities. They clean up after your dog both indoors and outdoors. Many sitters also handle light household tasks to make it look like someone’s home: bringing in mail, adjusting blinds, turning lights on and off.
The less obvious part of the job is observation. A good sitter watches for changes in appetite, energy level, bathroom habits, and mood. These shifts can signal stress, illness, or a reaction to medication, and catching them early matters.
Medication and Health Care
If your dog takes medication, the sitter needs clear, detailed instructions. A medication chart should list each drug, its dosage, when it’s given, how it’s administered (oral, topical, eye drops, injection), and any special handling like giving it with food or keeping it refrigerated. Label every container with your dog’s name and the dosage.
Written instructions are a start, but demonstrating the process during an initial consultation makes a real difference, especially for anything tricky like eye drops or inhalers. Recording a short video of yourself giving the medication gives the sitter something to reference later. You should also discuss what to do if your dog refuses the medication, since many dogs behave differently with someone who isn’t their owner.
Let the sitter know about potential side effects for each medication: common ones they can expect, rare serious ones to watch for, and specific signs that mean it’s time to call the vet. This kind of preparation turns a sitter into someone who can genuinely monitor your dog’s health rather than just dispensing pills.
Handling Separation Anxiety
Dogs with separation anxiety often struggle more when their owner is gone for an extended period, and a sitter needs to know what they’re walking into. Common signs include persistent barking or howling, urinating or defecating indoors, destructive chewing on door frames or window sills, pacing in fixed patterns, and escape attempts focused on doors and windows. These behaviors typically start within minutes of being left alone.
Subtler stress signals are easy to miss if you don’t know what to look for: dilated pupils, excessive panting, yawning, trembling, and drooling. Escape attempts can be intense enough to cause real injuries like broken teeth, scraped paws, and damaged nails.
If your dog has a history of separation anxiety, tell the sitter before the sit begins. Share what strategies have worked, whether that’s a specific comfort item, background noise, crate training, or a calming routine. The sitter should also know which behaviors are normal stress responses for your dog versus signs that something is escalating and needs intervention.
Caring for Senior Dogs
Older dogs require a sitter who pays closer attention and moves at a slower pace. Mobility is often the biggest concern. If your dog uses ramps to get on furniture or into cars, orthopedic beds for joint support, or raised food and water dishes to reduce neck strain, make sure the sitter knows where everything is and how your dog uses it. Gentle exercise helps maintain muscle tone, but the sitter should know your dog’s limits and watch for reluctance to move or sudden changes in gait, which can signal pain.
Senior dogs may also need more frequent bathroom breaks, dietary adjustments, and monitoring for age-related issues like confusion or disorientation. Be specific about what’s normal for your dog at this stage of life so the sitter can spot anything that isn’t.
What to Prepare Before the Sit
A thorough handoff makes everything easier. Before the sitter’s first visit, be ready to provide:
- Feeding details: what food, how much, what time, how often you give treats
- Exercise routine: walk routes, duration, leash behavior, and any triggers to avoid
- Behavioral notes: how your dog acts when you’re gone, any aggression, resource guarding, fear responses, or issues with other pets in the home
- Medical information: ongoing conditions, allergies, current medications with dosages, and past serious health events
- Veterinary contacts: your regular vet’s name and number, plus the nearest emergency animal hospital
- Access logistics: keys, alarm codes, parking, and any quirks about your home the sitter should know
A professional sitter will ask most of these questions themselves. If they don’t ask about your dog’s behavior, medical history, or emergency contacts, that’s a red flag worth paying attention to.
Contracts and Emergency Authorization
Any professional sitting arrangement should include a written agreement. The most important clause is emergency veterinary authorization, which gives the sitter permission to seek medical care and approve treatment (excluding euthanasia) if your regular vet is unavailable and they can’t reach you. Without this, a vet may hesitate to treat your dog in a crisis.
The contract should also clarify who pays for emergency vet bills and any supplies the sitter needs to purchase. Standard language has the owner reimbursing the sitter for all expenses incurred, including transportation to the vet and any food or supplies that run out during the sit.
Insurance and Liability
Professional sitters should carry general liability insurance that includes care, custody, and control coverage, often abbreviated as CCC. This protects both you and the sitter if your dog is injured, causes property damage, or bites someone while in the sitter’s care. It also covers veterinary medical expenses that result from an incident during the sit.
If you’re hiring through a platform like Rover or Wag, check what insurance the platform provides and where the gaps are. If you’re hiring an independent sitter, ask directly whether their policy includes CCC coverage. A sitter without it is asking you to absorb all the risk.