Sitters and daycare

In home sitter: Best for anxious dogs, seniors, dogs on medication, multi-pet homes, and any dog who finds novelty stressful - the routine and the smells stay the same. Usually the priciest per day.

Drop in visits or walker: Best for confident adults who mostly need potty breaks and a midday break in a long workday.

Daycare: Best for social, play-motivated dogs with decent manners who genuinely enjoy other dogs. Not a default, and not a substitute for training or exercise.

Boarding facility: Best when the owner travels and no sitter is available; look for individual care options for dogs who don't want group play.

Board and train caution: Vet these hardest of all - you're handing over both the dog and the training method, unsupervised. Ask exactly what happens when the dog gets it wrong, and walk if the answer involves pain or fear.

Daycare is not right for every dog, and good facilities say so themselves. A dog who greets politely on leash can still find a full day of shared space genuinely stressful, and dog tolerance changes with age - many adolescents who loved daycare at 8 months want less of it at 2 years. 'Good tired' and 'stressed flat' look similar at pickup. If they come home wired, sore, shut down, or start showing new leash reactivity, that's data: try shorter days, smaller groups, quieter days, or switch to a walker or individual day boarding.

· What is your intake process? (Good: questionnaire + temperament screening + trial day. One-and-done sign-up is the biggest red flag there is.)
· What's your staff-to-dog ratio at peak hours? (A commonly cited standard is roughly one staffer per 10-15 dogs; the specific number matters less than whether they answer specifically - vague or evasive is the flag.)
· How do you group dogs - by size, energy, AND play style? (A body-slammer shouldn't share space with a parallel-sniffer.)
· Is rest built into the day? (Good facilities enforce nap time the way a good puppy routine does.)
· What happens if there's a fight or an injury, and who calls me, and when?
· Which vaccines do you require and verify?
· What do you do with a dog who's showing stress?
· Can I tour, unannounced if I like?

· Requires temperament screening and a trial before group play
· Welcomes tours and answers specifically
· Written contract, written vaccination policy, written emergency plan
· Staff actively watching the floor, not on phones
· Quiet accessible rest areas and gradual controlled introductions
· Smells clean - not bleach masking urine; no standing water or feces outside
· Asks YOU as many questions as you ask them
· For sitters: insured and bonded, background-checked, has a backup plan if they get sick

Expect rabies (legally required), DHPP, and bordetella to be required; some facilities also require canine influenza, and some require a fecal exam. Honest note: bordetella reduces but does not eliminate kennel cough - dogs can still pick it up at a good facility, the same way vaccinated kids still catch colds at school. Puppies wait until core vaccines are complete AND the vet agrees.

· Meet-and-greet in your home before booking, always - watch how they greet your dog and whether they let the dog approach them
· Ask about insurance/bonding, background checks, and credentials (Pet Sitters International, NAPPS, Fear Free, pet first-aid/CPR)
· Get a written agreement covering dates, duties, rates, key handling, and cancellations
· Give WRITTEN vet-care authorization with a spending limit - without it a sitter may be unable to authorize emergency treatment
· Ask their backup plan if they get sick mid-booking
· Use the Rosette Pet Sitter Handoff Sheet (printables) - it covers feeding, meds, routine, fears, the do-not list, emergency thresholds, and the authorization

Facility cameras are a nice-to-have, not a substitute for policy - what matters is who is watching the floor in person and what they're trained to do.