How much should I pay a dog sitter for a week in Ontario?
By Ellen Raven · Published
Dog sitters in Ontario charge per night or per visit, not per hour. With Lake Country Pets a week of in-home boarding near Barrie and Orillia is $315 (seven nights at $45), a week of house sitting at your place is $420, and twice-daily drop-in visits come to $308.
The three ways dog sitting is priced
Overnight boarding at the sitter's home is priced per night, and is usually the best value for a week away because your dog has company around the clock. House sitting, where the sitter stays at your home, costs more per night because the sitter is giving up their own evenings and home. Drop-in visits are priced per visit and only make sense for a dog that is genuinely content alone between visits.
With Lake Country Pets those rates are $45 a night for boarding, $60 a night for house sitting, and $22 per drop-in visit. There are no platform or booking fees on top, and giving medication is included rather than charged extra.
What pushes the price up or down
Holiday weeks such as Christmas, March Break and the summer long weekends book out first and some sitters charge more for them. Multiple dogs, puppies under a year, and dogs that need medication or recovery care can all change the rate, so mention them at the enquiry stage. Sitters found through apps set their own nightly price, and the app adds a service fee at checkout, so the number you see first is rarely the number you pay.
A kennel may look cheaper per night until you add the extras: medication, extra walks, playtime and holiday surcharges are commonly billed on top.
What you should expect for the money
For a week's stay, expect a proper introduction beforehand, a clear written agreement covering dates, price and cancellation, proof of insurance, and regular updates while you are away. With Ellen that means a free Meet & Greet at her Oro-Medonte home, a booking confirmation with the total, pet-care liability insurance, and photos through the week.
If you are comparing quotes for Barrie, Orillia or Innisfil, ask each sitter the same three questions: how many other dogs will be there, who exactly is looking after my dog, and what happens if my dog gets sick. The answers tell you more than the price does.
Ready when you are
Every stay starts with a free Meet & Greet, and payment and cancellation rules are in the terms of service. Related pages: