Finding a Dog Sitter in NJ

While traveling with your pets sounded like a good idea at first, sometimes it’s just not realistic. If you think your only options for pet care while you’re out of town are check-ins from your neighbors or a noisy kennel, you’re wrong.

You can have a trained professional dog sitter stay in your NJ home while you’re away, not only taking care of your pets but also watching out for your house.

Let’s talk about everything from choosing a dog sitter in NJ to why this is the best option for most pet families.

How to Choose an NJ Dog Sitter

Before you ask your college-aged niece to stay at your house for a few days, consider these qualities for a dog (and house!) sitter.

Can they accommodate your routine?

It may sound convenient to ask your neighbor to be a dog sitting while you’re away from NJ, but first, you need someone to accommodate your pets’ routines. Can they give medication at the specific time you need? Do they have time to walk your dog? Will your neighbor or friend be out working longer than you are? Some friends and family members mean well, but they are unable to be the pet sitter you need.

Choose an NJ dog sitter who will be a stand-in for you and keep everything moving smoothly.

Are they a reliable house sitter?

One benefit of dog sitters in NJ is that they are a built-in house sitter. Not only will they take care of your pets, but they make sure your house stays safe while you’re gone. Don’t forget to choose a pet sitter who will care for your house. Of course, you will leave them the instructions for your home, like the alarm codes and locks, but make sure they’re a trustworthy person who won’t invite friends over and make a mess.

When you work with a dog sitter service in NJ like Walks Wiggles and Wags, we don’t allow our sites to have friends over, and they ensure nothing comes up in your house while you’re away.

Don’t choose just because they’re convenient

Remember - any dog sitter in NJ will be convenient because they will come to your home, so you don’t need to stick to people living on your street. You won’t be dragging toys, food, and crates around before your trip, so choose a pet sitter that is the best fit for your pets’ routines and will care for your home.

At Walks Wiggles and Wags, our pet sitters are insured, they have training for all pet emergencies, and you can be confident your pets will be cared for.

NJ Dog Sitters vs. Pet Boarding, Kennels, Doggie Daycare

While there are plenty of options for watching your pets, we believe that pet sitting in your own home is the best choice for most families. It will work exceptionally well for homes with several or different kinds of pets because you need different care for each one.

Here are a few of the top options and how an NJ dog sitter can solve the problems with each of them.

Pet Boarding vs. a Dog Sitter in NJ

Obviously, Rover is a popular option for finding pet boarding in your area, but you never actually know what you’re getting into. Your dog may connect well with the sitter’s pets, but they often have overlapping stays that you won’t get to meet.

Your pet may be introduced to other animals they don’t get along with, creating issues that stress your dog the whole trip. While it may seem like they’ll have fun playing with other dogs at another house, you can’t be sure it’s going well while you’re gone.

With a dog sitter staying at your NJ home, your pets will stay in their comfortable environments and have someone to play with them in the mornings and evenings.

Kennels vs. Pet Sitting

Kennels can be safer than pet boarding because each dog has a specific area to stay in (the kennel). Unfortunately, these spaces are noisy and stressful to most dogs, and many times, the dogs won’t be let out of the kennel throughout their stay. They’ll have access to the outdoors through a doggy door, but they won’t get to play with other dogs or go for a walk unless you pay extra, many times.

Sometimes, that works for older dogs who don’t want to go anywhere, but many dogs will be bored and stressed. 

With a pet sitter, again, they’ll be comfortable at home in their routine and get to play every day!

NJ Doggie Daycare vs. Pet Sitting

Staying at your daycare facility may seem like the most logical choice because your dog will see the people they know in a place they visit all the time. But overnight stays are different. Again, you have the hassle of packing up your dog’s toys and food, but then they will be left alone in their kennel for the night while the staff goes home.

With a dog sitter or pet sitter staying at home with your pets, they’ll have someone there for them if there’s an overnight emergency.

Will your dog be comfortable with a dog sitter?

You may think your dog won’t appreciate someone in their space while you’re gone, but dogs are usually much more comfortable in their own homes than staying somewhere else.

Meet up before the trip

You shouldn’t text a friend to make the plan before they stay and spend extended time with your dog. You might think you don’t need to test anything because another dog isn’t involved, but you should let the dog warm up to the sitter. Then, when they do stay over, the dog will remember that it’s a friendly face.

Before you leave for the trip, you want the pet sitter to play with your pet and show that they are trustworthy and fun. 

Go for walks ahead of time

Have the potential dog sitter take your dog for a walk around your NJ neighborhood before they stay overnight. They need to know how to use any equipment your dog requires and see if the dog pulls while walking or anything else. You don’t want them to be unprepared and unable to manage your pet during their stay.

Keep the routine

The primary reason to choose a dog sitter is that they can maintain your pet’s routine while you’re gone. By keeping the same routine, your pet will feel as comfortable as when you’re home (even though we know they’ll miss you!). If you’re clear about the timing, their favorite routes, or their favorite time to play, your pet should be comfortable and have fun.

We recommend an NJ dog sitter who will seamlessly step into your routine and care about your pets as much as you do. 

If you want more information on preparing for overnight dog sitting, check out our recent blog post.

Why Walks Wiggles and Wags is the top choice for an NJ Dog Sitter

At Walks Wiggles and Wags, we have the best pet sitters and dog walkers, and we love to meet our clients throughout Morris County and Somerset County, NJ.

Reliability

With our team-based approach, we always have someone available for the dates you need. Whenever you’re traveling away from your NJ home, a dog sitter will be ready to care for them.

Training

Our dog and pet sitters are trained in pet CPR and other first-aid techniques, so they can address anything that comes up. They also have training in leash handling and all different types of pet equipment to keep your dog comfortable on walks.

Easy Communication

With our pet care app, not only will you be able to book services easily, but you’ll also get real-time updates about your pets’ care throughout the day. 

Our Dog Sitter Service Areas: Morris County and Somerset County, NJ

So, what NJ towns do we service? We have dog sitters across Northern NJ, focused in Budd Lake, Chester, Flanders, Kenvil, Landing, Lake Hopatcong, Ledgewood, Long Valley, Mendham, Mine Hill, Morris Plains, Morristown, Mount Arlington, Mount Olive, Randolph, Succasunn, Basking Ridge, Bedminster, Bernardsville, Far Hills, and Peapack-Gladstone.

We hope to meet your pets soon! Learn more about our pet-sitting services here.