Minding at Sitters Home

Minding at the sitter’s home is home dog boarding: your dog stays overnight in a pet sitter’s own home instead of a boarding kennel. Sitters on PetCloud feed, walk and care for your dog as part of their household, so your dog keeps a home routine while you’re away. If you’d rather your pet stayed in your own home, see house sitting or home visits.

Sitters on PetCloud set their own prices, shown on each listing. As a guide, boarding at a sitter’s home starts from about $45 to $85 per night per pet. Prices cover the sitter’s time, walks, clean up and care. Many sitters offer better rates for longer stays, multiple pets and repeat bookings. A 10% booking fee (capped at $40) helps fund advertising and keeps your payment held securely until after the stay.

It depends on your dog. Many dogs settle more easily in a home with fewer dogs, a familiar routine and a person around more of the day, and it suits puppies, senior dogs and anxious dogs well. Some dogs do fine in a kennel. Meeting the sitter first is the best way to judge whether their home suits your dog.

Search for pet sitters by suburb, filter for sitters who offer boarding at their home, and compare their listings, prices and reviews from confirmed bookings. Shortlist a few and arrange a meet and greet. Use our pet sitter interview questions to know what to ask.

Yes, and we strongly recommend it. A meet and greet lets you see where your dog will sleep and play, check fences and gates, and watch how the sitter handles your dog. Walk through the yard together using PetCloud’s Property Safety Checklist to spot escape routes and hazards. You’re only charged once you confirm a booking.

It depends on the sitter and their local council, which sets how many dogs can be kept at a property. Ask the sitter at the meet and greet how many dogs they host at once, including their own, and whether dogs from different families are mixed.

Your dog should be up to date with core vaccinations. Annual boosters aren’t required to book on PetCloud, but some sitters ask for them, so check the sitter’s listing and confirm at the meet and greet. Flea, tick and worm treatment before the stay is a good idea.

Yes. If you only need care during the day, book doggy day care with a sitter instead. Many sitters offer both, which is a good way for your dog to get to know a sitter before a longer stay.

Some sitters on PetCloud host cats in their home. Many cats are happier staying in their own territory, so cat sitting or home visits are often a better fit. Ask the sitter whether they have dogs, as that can stress a cat.

Yes. Many sitters accept long stays and some offer a lower nightly rate for them. Agree on the routine, feeding, exercise and update schedule before you book, and book early for school holidays and Christmas, when sitters fill up quickly.

Yes. Sitters on PetCloud post daily photo updates through the app, and you can message your sitter at any time. Let them know at the meet and greet if you’d like anything extra.

The pet owner is responsible for any vet bills during the stay, so share your pet insurance details with the sitter. For minor concerns, sitters on PetCloud can use the on-demand video vet consult. In an emergency, the sitter takes your dog to the nearest open emergency vet and contacts you.

• Enough of your dog’s usual food, plus a little extra
• Any medication, with written instructions
• Lead, collar with ID tag, and harness
• Their bed or blanket and a favourite toy
• Your vet’s details and an emergency contact

Each sitter chooses their cancellation policy, shown on their listing. For a full refund you’ll need to cancel with 1 day’s notice by midday, 7 days’ notice or 14 days’ notice, depending on the sitter. Sitters may turn away other pet owners to hold your dates, so change-of-mind refunds are limited in peak season.

Yes. You pay when you confirm the booking, and PetCloud holds the payment securely. It’s released to the sitter after the stay ends and your 24-hour quality check window has passed.