This post is brought to you by DogVacay. Please note that, as always, any personal opinions reflected in this post are my own and have not been influenced by the sponsor or compensation received in any way.
One of the many, many things I have always loved about cats is that they can safely live independently for a few days. Dogs cannot. If you’re traveling your dogs need a person to give them food and water, and let them out or walk them. Asking a friend or family member to give up their time to come to your house several times a day and let your dog out is a huge favor to ask. If you don’t have anyone willing or able to do it you’re stuck. Kennels make some people nervous. And many dogs aren’t big fans of the cages in kennels. So where do you turn to find someone reputable? DogVacay is a good place to start.
DogVacay is a community that connects dog owners with over 20,000 pet sitters across North America. The site is easy to use. Pet owners enter their zip code and they’ll see nearby hosts that are ready to welcome your dog into their home while you’re away. That’s right. Once you select a host your dog will stay in their home, like he is one of their family. Once you think you’ve found a good fit for a host you schedule a meet and greet. Once you’re sure you’ve found the right host you make reservations and pay for your DogVacay online. DogVacay is selective. They choose their hosts carefully. And, in order for a host to remain in their community they must maintain a 5 star rating. DogVacay has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, the NY Times, Forbes and The Today Show
Nervous about how your dog is doing while you’re away? Would a selfie help? I kid. It isn’t really a selfie, but it is a picture. Hosts send daily photo updates, so you can feel confident that your dog is happy and getting good care while you’re away. Along with the daily photo, all reservations include free pet insurance and 24/7 customer support. Those are all reasons for you to like DogVacay. Why will your dog like it? Dogs in the care of PetVacay hosts receive lots of interaction and personal attention. And, hosts work to follow your dog’s own regular schedule.
Wondering why DogVacay was created?
Imagine the peace of mind you’d have while on your trip knowing that your dog is safe and in good hands. While the daily rate for a PetVacay is about half that of a local kennel, the feeling knowing your four-legged family friend is being well taken care of is priceless.
Speaking of money. Being a host is a great way for dogs lovers with flexible schedules to make some extra money. DogVacay hosts find that hosting helps them do things like travel, pay for school, spend time with families, work from home and save money. Watching just a few pets each month can translate into hundreds of dollars in extra income. Any dog lover can apply to be a DogVacay host. If you’re interested you start by creating a profile, setting rates, and specifying which dogs you’ll take and when you’ll take them. DogVacay will work with you from there to get you set up and running. Hosts can feel comfortable knowing that DogVacay handles payments, and that they have 24/7 support and that each of their charges is covered by free pet insurance.
What sort of arrangements do you typically make for your pets while you travel?
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We usually get a sitter. We have two ditgs and a bird.
How fun for the owners to get photos each day? Great concept for pet owners!!!
This is such a great idea. It’s so much nicer for a pooch to be in a home instead of a kennel. They probably feel much more secure.
This is AWESOME! I’ve had to leave my dogs at a kennel before, and it sucked. The kennel was great, but I just hated leaving them there. This is a MUCH better option.
What a cool service! The dogs get to be in a loving, stress free environment, and owners get daily pictures. Awesome.
I love this idea! It’s great for dog owners and dog lovers, too! I know several people who would be perfect dog sitters.
Oh, this is fun! I wish I had more spare time. It would be so much fun to be a dog sitter! I love the puppies. =D
We have fish, so, you know. We don’t usually kennel them. 😉 But this is such a great idea! Pets deserve a holiday too, huh?
This is brilliant. We used to hate the idea of a kennel so we learned to travel with our pups. We were both uncomfortable giving someone we did not know a key to our home and we do not have any friends or relatives close enough to help.
What a great option! I’ve looked at the prices and it’s super affordable as well.
Aw, love this idea. Sounds so pampering for dogs!
We’ve taken them along, boarded them near our vacation site, boarded them near home, had someone come in, shipped them to family, paid for someone to come in, and had a wonderful daughter mostly help. Is this a hint?
We leave our dog with family. My dog is a spaz and we tried to kennel him once and it didn’t go so well.
This would for sure but a lot of dog owners at ease! Great concept!
What a neat service. We’ve always had to board our dog for vacations but I’d like the chance to hire him a dog sitter so he’s not at the kennel the whole time we are out of town or on vacation. What a great idea.
This is hilarious! What a great idea, never thought of this for animals!
I love that they have this service for pets. I have always wondered what my dog would do if I went away.
This is a great idea! I love it.