The decision

Board the dog, or keep them home with a sitter.

Home wins for anxious dogs, cats, and any pet on a medication schedule. A kennel wins when the dog likes other dogs and you want people on site all day.

Find a sitter
0%
booking fee for pet owners
At home
the pet stays in its own house
$22,000
Protection Plan maximum for eligible vet costs
Side by side

Four things that actually change the stay.

Who is in the house

A sitter is one person the pet has met, in the pet's own rooms. A kennel is a rota of staff and a row of other dogs. Dogs that bark at strangers settle faster with the first.

Medication

Insulin, eye drops and thyroid pills need a clock, not a kennel round. A sitter gives the dose at the time you write down. Ask the kennel what time their round actually runs before you book it.

A week of cost

On Petme the rate on the profile is the full price, because owners pay no booking fee. A week of drop-ins is usually the smaller bill. A week of overnight boarding costs more and covers more hours. Read the kennel's own price. This page does not invent one.

What each side refuses

A kennel often refuses dogs in season, dogs that have fought, and aggressive dogs. A sitter can refuse too, and will say so before the booking. Cats, birds and rabbits are a sitter job. Most kennels do not take them.

What people pay on Petme

Sitter rates in the biggest cities. The kennel price is theirs.

These bands are the hand-researched Petme ranges, verified May 2026. Owners pay the sitter's rate and nothing on top.

New York

Boarding $65 to $110 a night. Drop-in visits $28 to $48.

Los Angeles

Boarding $55 to $95 a night. Drop-in visits $25 to $42.

Chicago

Boarding $45 to $80 a night. Drop-in visits $18 to $28.

Houston

Boarding $38 to $70 a night. Drop-in visits $16 to $26.

Miami

Boarding $45 to $75 a night. Drop-in visits $20 to $32.

Questions people ask before they book.

Should I board my dog or get a pet sitter?
Keep the dog at home with a sitter when the dog is anxious in new places, on a medication schedule, or lives with a second pet. Use a kennel when the dog enjoys other dogs and you want staff on site all day. Most dogs do better in their own house.
Should I board my cat or get a sitter?
Get a sitter. Cats are territorial, and a kennel or cattery removes them from the only place they feel safe. A daily drop-in at home covers food, litter and medication without the move.
Is in-home sitting cheaper than boarding?
On Petme the sitter sets the rate and owners pay no booking fee, so the rate on the profile is the full price. A week of drop-in visits is usually less than a week of overnight boarding. A kennel price has to be read from that kennel. Petme does not publish one.
Who gives medication, the sitter or the kennel?
A sitter gives it in the dog's own kitchen, at the time you write down. A kennel gives it on the kennel's round, which may not match a twice-daily insulin window. If the timing matters, book the sitter and say so in the request.
What if my dog does not like other dogs?
Book in-home boarding or a sitter in your house. A kennel run puts the dog next to dogs it has never met. Say "no other dogs" in the request so the sitter can confirm before you pay.
Do I tip a pet sitter or a boarding kennel?
Petme does not set a tip. The booking price is the full price, with cashback credited after the stay. A tip is between you and the sitter, and it is never required to complete the booking.
Find a sitter

Keep them home.

Verified sitters, a photo from the visit, and no booking fee for owners.

Find a sitter

The city pages.