What To Do With Your Dog When You Go On Holiday

Going away should feel exciting.

But if you have a dog, there is usually one question sitting in the background the whole time: What do I actually do with the dog?

I hear this a lot from owners in Finchley, North Finchley, East Finchley and Muswell Hill. The trip gets booked first. Then the dog plan becomes the stressful bit.

In most cases, the best option comes down to one thing. How well will your dog cope with change?

Some dogs are easy going. They settle almost anywhere as long as they have food, a walk and someone kind looking after them. Other dogs are far more affected by a change in place, routine or handler. Rescue dogs, nervous dogs, older dogs and dogs who are reactive on walks often need a calmer plan.

That is why I never think of this as a last-minute job. Good holiday care is not just about finding someone available. It is about finding the setup your dog is most likely to feel safe in.

This guide is based on real day-to-day experience with dogs who need steady handling, familiar routes and a bit more thought than a standard boarding setup.

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The short answer

If your dog is confident, sociable and copes well in new places, kennels or home boarding may suit them.

If your dog is sensitive, rescue-based, reactive, older or strongly attached to home routine, staying in their own home with a sitter is often the calmer option.

There is no one answer that fits every dog. The right choice is the one that causes the least disruption for your individual dog.

Quick checklist before you book anything

Before you confirm your holiday, check these off:

Have I thought about my dog’s temperament, not just my travel dates?

Have I booked care early enough for school holidays and summer?

Has my dog met the person who will care for them?

Have I written down feeding, walking, and medication routines?

Have I left vet details and an emergency contact in the UK?

Have I checked whether my dog is likely to cope better at home or in a different environment?

That last point matters more than people think.

Your main dog care options when you go away

1. Family or friends

This is often the first thing people consider.

It can work very well if the person already knows your dog, understands their routine and is genuinely comfortable handling them. That last bit matters. Looking after a calm older Labrador is one thing. Looking after a strong young dog who pulls, or a rescue dog who is uneasy around other dogs, is very different.

I would be honest with yourself here. A well-meaning friend is not always the right person. If they do not walk dogs often, if they are vague about timings, or if they do not really understand your dog’s quirks, it can become stressful quite quickly.

This option usually works best when:

• your dog already knows them well
• they can stick closely to your routine
• your dog is straightforward to handle
• they live close enough for the setup to feel familiar

2. Boarding kennels

Kennels suit some dogs perfectly well.

Confident, adaptable dogs often cope far better than owners expect. Good kennels can be organised, clean and run by experienced people. But kennels are still a big change. New smells, new sounds, nearby dogs, different rest patterns, different handling and less one-to-one familiarity.

For some dogs that is manageable. For others it is too much.

I would think carefully before choosing kennels if your dog:

• is reactive around other dogs
• is noise-sensitive
• is older and set in their ways
• has recently been rehomed
• struggles when routines change

3. Home boarding

Home boarding can feel like a middle ground. Your dog stays in someone else’s home rather than a kennel setting.

For some dogs, that is a much better fit. It is usually quieter than kennels and can feel more personal. But it is still a new environment with different rules, smells and routines. Some dogs settle quickly. Others do not.

I usually see this work best for dogs who are reasonably social, fairly flexible and happy to adapt to another household.

4. Pet sitting in your own home

This is often the best choice for dogs who need things kept calm and familiar.

Your dog stays in their own home, sleeps in their usual place, follows their normal routine and walks their usual routes. That removes a lot of pressure straight away.

For many dogs, especially rescues or dogs who get overwhelmed, the issue is not being without you for a few days. The issue is being without you and being somewhere unfamiliar at the same time.

Taking away the unfamiliar environment can make a real difference.

This is often the strongest option for:

• rescue dogs
• reactive dogs
• older dogs
• dogs with medical routines
• multi-pet households
• dogs who do not cope well in kennels

That is one of the reasons my house-sitting service exists. Some dogs around Finchley, Cherry Tree Wood or Highgate Woods are calm on their usual routes and very unsettled outside that pattern. Asking them to cope with a new place on top of your absence is often more than they need.

Why routine matters more than most people think

Dogs learn the shape of daily life very quickly.

They know when breakfast happens, where they sleep, which door they go out of, which route they usually walk and what the house feels like when things are normal. Routine is not just convenient. For many dogs, it is part of what helps them feel safe.

The RSPCA advises owners to meet a pet sitter in advance, check references, ask about insurance and help the pet get used to the new carer before the holiday. That fits with what I see in practice. The more familiar the person and routine feel, the easier the whole thing tends to be. (RSPCA)

PDSA also notes that a routine and a safe, comfortable space can help dogs cope better with time alone or changes around the home.

In plain terms, this means your dog is usually more likely to settle when:

• meals happen at the same times
• walks happen in the same general pattern
• bedding and favourite items stay in place
• the person caring for them feels familiar
• the home stays quiet and predictable

How I would choose the right setup for a dog

When owners ask me what I would do, I usually strip it back to a few simple questions.

Does your dog relax easily in new places?

Do they enjoy other dogs, or just tolerate them?

Do they get stressed by noise, handling or busy environments?

Do they already know the person caring for them?

Do they have any behaviour or medical needs that make routine important?

If the honest answers point towards “my dog likes calm, predictability and familiar surroundings”, I would lean towards in-home care every time.

A real-world example

A common example is the rescue dog who seems fine day to day, but whose stress shows up when too many things change at once.

I have worked with dogs in East Finchley and Muswell Hill who were manageable on their usual streets, happy to sniff around Coldfall Woods at quieter times, and comfortable once they knew me. But those same dogs would have found kennels far too much. Not because anything was “wrong” with them. Just because noise, unfamiliar dogs and a different place would have pushed them over the threshold.

In those cases, keeping them at home, using familiar kit, and sticking to their normal rhythm made the holiday period much smoother.

How to choose a trustworthy dog sitter

I would always check the basics properly.

The RSPCA recommends meeting the sitter before employing them, checking references, asking about insurance, asking to see a DBS certificate and arranging introductory sessions so your pet can get used to them. (RSPCA)

From my side, I would also want to know:

How much experience do they have with dogs like mine?

Are they comfortable with nervous or reactive dogs?

Will they stay overnight?

How long will my dog be left alone?

What happens if my dog becomes unwell?

Will they follow my written routine or do things their own way?

A good sitter should answer these calmly and clearly.

If someone is vague, dismissive, or acts as though your questions are awkward, I would keep looking.

What to do before you leave

Good preparation solves a lot.

Arrange a meet and greet

Do not leave first introductions until the day you travel.

A meet-and-greet lets your dog see the person, smell them, hear them move around the house, and begin to build familiarity. For some dogs, one visit is enough. For more sensitive dogs, two or three short visits can help.

Leave the routine in writing

Even if you think everything is obvious, write it down.

Include:

• feeding times and amounts
• usual walk times
• lead and harness details
• toilet routine
• sleeping arrangements
• medications
• behaviour triggers
• emergency contacts
• your vet details

The more clearly this is written, the less guesswork there is.

Leave familiar items out

Keep your dog’s usual bed, blankets, bowls and enrichment items where they normally are.

This is not the time to wash everything, move furniture around, or change sleeping arrangements unless there is a real reason to.

Leave a couple of yur worn jumpers out that havent been wasked yet so they can smell a familar cent

Be honest about behaviour

This matters.

If your dog reacts to other dogs, guards food, hates the hoover, panics in heavy rain or needs a very quiet approach around visitors, say so. A sitter can only work safely with the information you give them.

Recommended essentials

These are the things I most often find useful when a dog is staying home with a sitter or walker.

A written care sheet in the kitchen.

A spare lead and well-fitted harness kept by the door.

A treat pouch for easy rewards and calmer transitions on walks.
I find this one from amazon (affiliate link) works well simple treat pouch

A lick mat or safe enrichment toy to help with settling before or after walks.
Lick mat from amazon

A clearly labelled folder with vet details, medication notes and emergency contacts.
A4 organisr folder (amazon affiliate link)

You do not need lots of new gear. But having the basics ready makes care smoother for both your dog and the person looking after them.

Dogs that need extra planning

Some dogs need more thought before you book anything.

Rescue dogs often need time, consistency and a handler who understands stress behaviour. Dogs Trust advises owners dealing with separation anxiety or distress when left to seek qualified support early, rather than hoping the dog will just get used to it.

I would be especially careful if your dog:

• has a rescue background
• has shown signs of separation distress
• reacts on walks
• has health issues
• struggles with visitors
• has never stayed without you before

Those dogs are not impossible to plan for. They just need the right plan.

For some, that means building up to the sitter with a few short visits first. For others, it means choosing one-to-one support over busier care settings. For a few, it may mean delaying travel or speaking to your vet or a qualified behaviour professional if the distress is more serious.

Veterinary disclaimer:
This article is based on experience and general UK pet care guidance. It does not replace advice from your vet or a qualified behaviour professional. If your dog shows signs of separation anxiety, severe distress, illness or behaviour that could put them or others at risk, speak to your vet.

My honest view on cost

Price matters. Of course it does.

But the cheapest option is not always the sensible one.

When you are choosing care, you are trusting someone with your dog, your home and your routine. Saving a bit of money does not help much if your dog comes back stressed, your instructions were ignored, or the whole trip is spent worrying.

I would always rather see owners choose the option that genuinely suits their dog than the one that only looks cheapest on paper.

And always listen to your dog and how they react with your postential sitter

Final thoughts

If your dog is easy-going and adaptable, you may have several good options.

But if your dog is sensitive, rescue-based, older, reactive or very routine-led, I would usually keep things as familiar as possible. Home, known routes, clear instructions and one calm person can make a huge difference.

That is often the difference between a dog who simply gets through your holiday and one who actually settles while you are away.

If you need calm support in Finchley, North Finchley, East Finchley, or Muswell Hill, I offer one-to-one walks, rescue-dog support, house-sitting, cat-sitting, and small-animal care. The aim is always the same: keep things steady, familiar and manageable for your pet while you are away.

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FAQ

Other questions i often get asked about house sitting can be found here