10 Best Dog Boarding Apps – Top Dog Tips

January 17, 2023 Kar-Bay-Inc

It can be difficult for working pet parents to leave their dogs alone at home for an extended period.

Dogs of all ages and temperaments can grow agitated, lonely, and bored when they spend too much time on their own.

No one would want that for their beloved furry friend!

Yet, there are a variety of reasons why you might need to spend some time apart from your pooch, such as an erratic schedule at work or a pending vacation.

Thankfully, there are several ways to make sure that your pet is comfortable, safe, and well-cared for in these situations.

Even better, dog owners nowadays can choose from a range of websites and apps to take care of their buddies for a few days while they are away.

This only means that families get to benefit greatly from professionally administered dog boarding services in this digital age.

In this article, we’ve ranked 10 of our favorite dog boarding apps to keep your fluffball in good hands while you’re gone.

But first, let’s define dog boarding to better understand what good service is.

Difference Between Dog Boarding and Dog Daycare

Dog daycare refers to a daycare for dogs, as the name implies.

In many aspects, it is similar to a regular child daycare. They share a similar philosophical outlook.

Dog daycare is a short-term daytime care setting, making it the perfect choice for pet owners who must leave their pets while they are at work.

But when a fur parent needs to go on a business trip or holiday, boarding is an option for longer pet care.

Hence, an overnight stay distinguishes dog boarding from dog daycare.

The kennel staff is in charge of providing the dogs with food, exercise, and care while they are boarded.

RELATED: Dog Daycare vs Dog Boarding

Understanding Dog Boarding Services

Although dog boarding has been a concept for some time, it began to take off in the latter half of the 20th century as a result of pet owners taking longer vacations and wanting better care for their animals.

Some establishments offer luxurious lodging and specialized care for a fee.

An enclosed dog run, routine feeding and watering, exercise, and monitoring for urgent medical issues are all features of a basic kennel.

In addition to providing routine medication, veterinarians offer to board animals with particular medical needs.

With the growing popularity of boarding kennels for migrating pets, owners can now provide their canine companions with a cozy place to stay while settling into their new homes.

Dog Boarding Kennels

Owners who require capable hands may entrust their dogs to kennels that specialize in dog boarding.

While their owners are away, pets staying in these kennels have a safe and secure haven to call their home away from home.

Numerous dogs will typically be housed in boarding kennels, each in their living quarters. In certain cases, boarding kennels offer communal living spaces where several dogs can live side by side.

Although some dogs perform well in this setting, poorly socialized dogs who are overly shy or aggressive will certainly not benefit from it.

The task of housing dogs may occasionally be complemented by other services, such as dog training and even pampering services like massages.

In-Home Dog Boarding

To put anxious dogs at ease, some people offer dog boarding in the comfort of their homes.

Rather than allowing their pets to stay in facilities, pet owners look for a registered home nearby, particularly through national website businesses that cater to this demand.

The majority of in-home boarding websites let you browse for free. They check the credentials of dog hosts to make sure they’re qualified to watch your pooch.

When a pet owner finds a host or sitter who is a match, they work with the agency to get in touch with the potential caregiver and make sure that the individual is a suitable fit for your Fido in terms of location, personality, and daily routine.

The pet parent brings the dog to the host’s house before they depart on vacation. Payment is then arranged through the agency.

Pet Sitters in Your Home

The benefit of having a pet sitter visit your home is that you won’t need to alter your dog’s environment in any way.

In their familiar surroundings, pets are happy and less stressed. Their diet and exercise routines are uninterrupted as well.

Pet sitters carry out several tasks during the pet-sitting appointments, including:

Providing food and fresh water for the animals
Encouraging play and physical activity (may include walking the dog)
Taking care of any pet messes, including cleaning the litter boxes
Dispensing any necessary drugs to pets
Extensive tender loving care!

Pet Hotel Services

There are premium dog boarding establishments that function as “pet hotels” for those seeking more luxurious lodging.

These facilities include a comfy bed and other amenities to stimulate a homey setting.

Like hotels for humans, pets are provided with television sets to increase their sense of comfort.

Some pet hotels feature spas where dogs and other animals can get a variety of grooming services, such as dental cleaning, nail trimming, and shampooing.

These spas may also provide extra services, including pet massage.

A swimming pool may even be available at the pet hotel in addition to these grooming services.

Our Top 10 Picks of Dog Boarding Apps

Pet boarding may be a great option for extended getaways, but finding the right service is crucial.

Imagine arriving at your destination only to learn that your dog needs to be picked up from the kennel – stressful, right?

Luckily, more and more dog boarding facilities are popping up daily, and we’ve narrowed your search down to a few choices to lessen the worry about your upcoming trip!

Camp Bow Wow

From dawn till dusk, your pup will have lots of fun in Camp Bow Wow’s spacious play yards before getting a good night’s sleep in a warm Cabin.

He’ll definitely have a blast throughout his stay!

With the Camp Bow Wow app, you can schedule a reservation for your dog at one of their many Camp locations, order in-home pet care services, train your dog, and watch them play all day via their Live Camper Cams.

Dogtopia

Using their mobile app, you can easily make reservations for dog daycare, boarding, and spa services at Dogtopia.

After setting up a profile, you can make appointment requests, look over your future calendar, and browse your appointment history.

Additionally, you can visit their webcams to watch your dog play while staying current with the news.

Fetch!

Need someone to keep an eye on your pet while you’re gone?

Fetch! can arrange for a pet-loving sitter to visit your home and provide your pet with food, water, and all the care and love he needs.

To help you make the most of your time away, they offer daily updates that include photographs and videos. They even accommodate schedule changes and last-minute requests.

Paradise Pet Resort & Spa

Paradise Pet Resort offers boarding, daycare, and bathing services, serving North Alabama and the cities of Huntsville, Madison, Decatur, and Athens.

Each time a pet and its owner visit, their team works hard to make sure everyone has a good time.

You may monitor your pets while they’re staying at the opulent Villa suites via webcams that are accessible via the Odoggy app.

PetBacker

PetBacker is run by individual pet lovers who like entertaining animals in their homes. Hence, it differs from other pet boarding establishments.

Since many of those providing this service also own pets, it adds a social component and creates a more “homey” boarding environment.

Your pet receives more personalized care, which lessens the stress of being in a strange setting with unfamiliar human companions.

Pet Paradise

With the Pet Paradise mobile app, you can make bookings for pet boarding, day camp, and grooming faster than ever before.

You can add services, edit your account, and register additional pets aside from having access to their cameras and other features.

You can now pay your deposit, rebook your pet’s preferred services, and access your loyalty benefits thanks to their most recent upgrade.

PetSuites

With 20 years of exceptional pet care, they have now launched an app for convenient 24/7 booking!

To ensure that both you and your pet may take well-earned vacations, PetSuites provides top-notch boarding with spacious suites and exciting activity packages.

In addition to offering a cozy refuge for short- or long-term stays, they also provide tiered options to tailor your pet’s boarding experience.

Rover

Rover is a trusted app that offers dog boarding, house sitting, dog walking, doggy daycare, drop-in visits, and dog training.

You may read verified evaluations written by other pet owners just like you while you’re looking for a sitter, allowing you to pick someone who will be a wonderful fit for you and your pup.

Book with a sitter you can trust since they have all been verified by experts, have undergone a background check, and have provided a thorough profile and personal information.

Trusted Housesitters

With an annual pet parent plan, you can meet kind and compassionate pet sitters who won’t charge for their services but rather benefit from a free place to stay in exchange for looking after your pooch.

In addition to only paying once a year to schedule as many sits as you want, you’d feel safe and secure with referenced, evaluated, and verified sitters.

Within 14 days of publishing your initial listing, you’ll get your money refunded with no strings attached if you don’t receive any applications for pet sitters.

Wag!

Wag! matches your furry family member with a trustworthy and skilled dog sitter in your area. Each dog boarder is insured and has their background checked.

You can search for and book a dog sitter with experience looking after puppies, senior dogs, disabled dogs, as well as those that require medication, have separation anxiety, and dogs who need lots of playtime.

Whether it’s just for the night, a weekend, or several weeks, choose the days you want, and their trusted local dog boarders will fit your schedule.

Finding the Right Place to Board Your Dog

Do some research.

Look the facilities up on social media and their websites. Read the reviews posted online.

Ask your loved ones if they have heard anything about the establishment, or ask your trainer or veterinarian.

Since people prefer to talk about their negative experiences, you will have a very excellent picture of how each facility operates.

Just keep in mind that there are usually two sides to every story and that not all negative reviews are justified.

Now that you’ve narrowed your search down to a few choices, it’s time to book a tour!

Any reputable boarding facility will allow you to see for yourself how openly and humanely they conduct business.

If they can’t offer you a tour, it may be a sign that they are trying to conceal something. For this reason, you should visit a few sites before making a choice.

Why Visit the Facility When You Can Use a Dog Boarding App?

Visiting a facility’s website or social media pages may teach you a lot about it, but visiting in person is always preferable.

Some facilities are quite basic, with steel kennels and little room for dogs to run about.

Others feature lavish beds and sizable play areas. They even have amenities like swimming pools and TVs in individual rooms designed for your pet’s comfort and delight.

On your tour, you get to see everything – their cleanliness, how staff members respond to different pet behavior, and how comfortable the dogs appear.

When boarded, it is common for dogs to become anxious. But if you notice that every dog there seems to be under stress, perhaps something in the area is to blame.

Common behaviors that indicate stress include pacing, trembling, shivering, bed chewing, withdrawing from the pack, excessive jumping, whining, weeping, barking, or humming.

Ask the staff about it if you notice a lot of this occurring during your trip. Do they take any action to ease the dog’s stress?

FAQs about Dog Boarding App

Is Rover a trusted dog boarding app?

Yes, Rover conducts a thorough application & screening procedure as well as background checks as part of its verification process.

This eliminates persons with criminal records and those who are simply unqualified to work in the industry.

Is Wag a safe dog boarding app?

Wag! is dedicated to the well-being and safety of all dogs in their care and the comfort of pet owners.

With careful innovation and committed team support, they consistently provide your precious family member their absolute best.

Are pet sitters worth it?

Your increased peace of mind will be the main benefit of hiring a professional pet sitter.

Because you are confident in their ability to provide your pet with the best care possible while you are away, you can relax and enjoy your trip.

Dog Boarding App: Final Thoughts

When people thought of boarding for dogs in the past, they often imagined cold concrete, steel cages, and a lack of interaction. Today, boarding for dogs has a lot more to offer.

Like dog daycares, it has both indoor and outdoor play areas.

Some dog boarding facilities even include televisions, swimming pools, and shuttle services to bring animals there and back.

Your pets will feel as though they are on vacation!

Of course, not every facility has such lavish amenities. Kennels are installing them, though, to make sure that pets are comfortable.

These services are meant to counteract the negative consequences of the occasional stress pets may encounter in a strange environment.

Finding an appropriate setting is essential when searching for a boarding facility for dogs. These days, you have more options than ever when leaving your dog with someone else.

You may either use dog boarding apps or go in person to find a boarding facility where the staff genuinely cares about the animals.