We know a healthy and happy dog requires a certain amount of tender, love and care, but sometimes life gets super busy and there’s just not hours in the day to give Fido the daily necessary exercise and TLC they deserve. Dogs especially need to have daily walks not only for health reasons but so as to ensure that they don’t start bouncing off your walls at home! Fortunately new start-up’s like Rover and WAG offer a great number of dog walkers and sitters who will gladly take your beloved pooch off for hours of endless fun, thereby putting your mind at rest that they are getting the attention that you aren’t able to give them during the day or while you’re away.

It used to be if you didn’t have a family member or friend willing to help you out with Fido that you had to pull a sitters name from a newspaper, and back then you were lucky if more than two options were available. Today with just the download of a phone app, someone with advanced level dog handling experience is ready and waiting to care for your dog at a moments notice while you’re away.

The dog walking industry especially has been a God-send to many a busy household; it is one of those rare businesses that have actually flourished during the recession because the need for dogs to be walked during working hours is so high.

When it comes to my boy Jack a visit from a Rover or WAG sitter seems as routine as a stay at dog day-care. Depending on the situation, this is how I decide what help I will need for the day:

Daycare: If I know I’m going to be away from home (in the day-time) longer than usual, I drop Jack off at Kamp Kanine for $25 a day rate.

WAG! :If I’m only going to be away for a few hours, I’ll request a dog walker through WAG! to drop by our home and take Jack out for a walk around the neighborhood at a rate ranging $10-$25 a hour. Once signed up, WAG  send a new clients a key lockbox free of charge to grant your sitter access inside your home to pick up Fido for their walk. WAG walkers send parents updates and pictures as the service begins, during, and as as it’s ending- a customer service feature I deeply appreciate. I can honestly say I’ve never hired a dog walker through WAG! I did not like, I love them all! The walkers are trustworthy who have undergone a screening process along with being well trained, knowledgeable about dogs, and of course are natural dog lovers.

Rover: Lastly, if I know I’m going to be away for a few days and need a sitter Jack can sleep over with I turn to Rover. Rover offers a wide variety of sitters in the area that are willing to home your dog while you’re away, or come stay at your home should you prefer that instead. If you prefer your dog to stay with someone who has other dogs to keep yours entertained, that feature is available too! In fact 70% of the sitters on Rover are already dog owners to begin with, so it’s nice knowing your setting your dog up not just with a sitter but a playdate too. Rover’s sitters, like WAG!’s are extremely loving and considerate. They too will send you pictures and updates so you can keep your mind at ease while you’re way from your happy hound.

While some prefer a dog boarding facility to care for their pooch when away, others are taking advantage of great deals and services being offered by their local dog loving neighbors. If you do decide to board your dog I strongly discourage boarding a dog in a in a corporate store such as a Petco or PetsMart. This is because dogs are kept in the back of the store and do not get outdoor fresh air during their stay. They play in confined spaces with no dirt, grass, or living plants to sniff and play. The lights are bright, the echo’s are loud and the quarters look and feel more like a shelter than a hotel. Please avoid these style boarding facilities. I find they add to a dogs anxiety instead of ease it.

I do however strongly feel outdoor-indoor daycare facilities like San Diego’s Kamp Kanine, SNUGG Pet Resort, and the Camp-Run-A-Mutt franchises are dog-care option.

Whatever services work best for you and how often you use them depends on your particular situation. One simple factor being if your home has a backyard or not. I’ve noticed many parents like myself who do not have backyards, are the dog-care industries leading consumers more likely to take advantage of both daycare and dog walking/ sitting app services.

People depend on dog-care in times when they’re not able to tend to their dogs needs. We hire dog sitters because we know it’s the right thing to do in order for our dog(s) to stay happy and healthy. A happy dog is a healthy dog, and for a dog stay healthy it must get the proper dog-care no matter how much it inconveniences its owner. Get rid of the inconvenience and take advantage of the convenient services now offered by Rover and WAG! You and your dog will be happy you did. WOOF!