Dog Walkers & Vacation Care

Most of those listed below offer multiple services. So, look through all of the categories to find what you want. Please let us know your experiences with anyone listed. Here are tips to help you evaluate these businesses.

For dog walkers/sitters: 

  1. Ask for references. Make sure there will be one person walking or sitting with your dog, rather than different people each time.
  2. Ask how the dog walker/sitter would deal with specific situations, such as your dog barking at another dog or peeing in the house.
  3. Find out whether more than one dog is walked at a time.
  4. Once you have hired someone, leave detailed instructions, and go over verbally: your dog’s routines; your veterinarian’s and your own contact information; medications; frequency of feeding and treats; what is allowed and what is never acceptable, such as “We never yell or use leash corrections or other physical corrections. Use only the harness and leash I have left for you when walking my dog.

For Facilities:

  1. Visit to see if it’s clean. Notice whether dogs are barking non-stop or if you hear staff yelling.
  2. Ask about: staff experience, training and turnover; staff to dog ratio; whether someone is on the premises 24/7; if the dogs stay in rooms or are kenneled; where dogs eliminate and, if taken outside, how often; if there is contact between dogs and, if so, how dogs are grouped for play; how many dogs are together in one room; medical procedures; and methods to control the dogs, such as the equipment used to walk the dogs, how jumping and barking are handled, etc.
  3. Make your own preferences clear.

Board & Train:

We also have a Board & Train section. These are places that your dog can stay while also working on skills or behavior. Most are in the trainer’s home, and the trainers all use positive methods. You will need to continue working with your dog at home, but it could be a great option to get started on training.

In-Home Boarding

Big Foot Walking Company

Jude & Dave Evans
[email protected]
Jude: 301-325-2473; Dave: 301-370-5889

Boarding at their home in Damascus; pet walking; vacation pet sitting.

MoCoPup

Carey Benadon
MoCoPup.com
[email protected]
301-655-5757

B&B-style boarding on eight acres in Dickerson, MD. Limited number of dog families boarding at the same time. Pick up and drop off available.

Dog’s Day Farm

Matt & Kelly Brown
dogsdayfarm.com
[email protected] | [email protected]
240-449-9993

Outdoor and indoor active day care and boarding at a farm in Gaithersburg. Boarding dogs are supervised 24/7 with a variety of sleeping arrangements (mattress, raised dog bed, couch, cubicle, etc). Pick-up and drop-off service in Gaithersburg, Damascus, Montgomery Village, and Laytonsville.

Your Pet Retreat

Jeanne Lishia
[email protected]
240-565-3601

In home pet care in Silver Spring. Large fenced property, supervised play and private indoor space for each dog. Special needs dogs welcome. Supports non-profit rescue.

Your Dog’s Second Home

Lorrie Van Akkeren
301-946-0275

In-home boarding in Wheaton.

Pet Pal Services

Maureen O’Shanesy
[email protected]
301-512-8281

In-home boarding and pet visits in Hyattsville, Takoma Park and northeast DC. Accepts special needs dogs (geriatric; blind or deaf; raw or special diet; incontinent; diabetic or needing other shots).

Zen Boarding and Grooming

Sabina Poinelli
[email protected]
703-945-5301

Pet-sitting services in cage-free environment in Sabina’s home with supervised care for dogs under 20 pounds.  Specializes in boarding senior and fearful dogs.

Puppy Explorer Camp

(Laurel, MD)
Jen Boyd-Morin, CPDT-KA, PMCT1
Play & Train Dog Behavior
playandtraindogs.com
[email protected]

Boarding for puppies, 10 weeks – 5 months. Maximum of 3 puppies at once staying in residence with certified trainer and resident dog. Sniff walks and structured play, enrichment, and rest on 2 ¼ wooded acres, including two fenced yards and indoor playroom. Good behaviors reinforced throughout the day. Sleep overnight in bedroom or adjacent crates in puppy area monitored by camera.

Mostly Dog Walking/Vacation Care:

Fetch! Pet Care of Silver Spring

Jaime Deason
fetchpetcare.com/silver-spring/
[email protected]
301-850-1274

Private dog walks, pet visits, vacation services, and dog boarding (in our sitters’ homes). Serving Greater Silver Spring and Takoma Park.

Honeypaws Dog Walking

Jennifer Silvertree
[email protected]
240-242-5728

Weekday recurring mid-day dog walking and drop-in play visits in your home in Potomac, southwest Rockville and northwest Bethesda. Specializes in large dogs. Experienced with reactive dogs and positive reinforcement training.

Daisy’s Pet Service

Joan Rogers
daisyspetservice.com
[email protected]
240-441-1322

Dog walking and pet sitting in the Potomac area.

DogOn Fitness

dogonfitness.com
[email protected]
301-717-1026 (MD)
703-627-4462 (VA)

Active exercise or more leisurely walks; in-home boarding; vacation pet sitting or pet visits in Maryland (Bethesda, Potomac, Rockville, Kensington, Chevy Chase) and Virginia (multiple locations).

Pet and Home Care

Kira Hale
petandhomecare.com
[email protected]
855-227-3669

Dog walking and pet sitting in client’s home in Montgomery County. Boarding and day care in Clarksburg.

Wild At Heart Pet Care

Kathryn Blanco
wildatheartpetcare.com
[email protected]
202-213-1165

Vacation & overnight pet sitting; mid-day dog walking or running; pet taxi; waste removal. Serves most of Montgomery County, including Silver Spring, Bethesda, Takoma Park, Rockville, Potomac, Gaithersburg; Prince Georges County, including Hyattsville, Cheverly, College Park, Mt. Rainier; and parts of DC.

A Walk in the Park

Amy Stevens & Noelle Donati
awalkinthepark.net
[email protected]
301-654-7275

Dog walking and midday potty breaks, pet sitting, pet taxi, and pet supply delivery service in Montgomery County. Regularly accommodates last minute requests.

Pet Sitting by Patricia

Patricia Beatty
petsittingbypatricia.com
[email protected]
301-229-4774

Mid-day dog walking / running and vacation petsitting in Bethesda, Chevy Chase, northwest DC.

DogCentric

Rob Albert
dogcentric.com
[email protected]
301-275-8752

Dog walking services in northwest DC, Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Kensington, Rockville.

Forest Glen Pet Solutions

Pamela Gallo
[email protected]
240-687-8444

Midday walks, pet sitting, home boarding, pet transportation. Serves Silver Spring, Chevy Chase, Kensington, Garrett Park, Takoma Park.
Passionate About Pooches

Annette Swain
[email protected]
240-242-5DOG

Dog walking in Kensington, Bethesda and Garrett Park.

All About the Dog

Jan Ebert
[email protected]
301-547-5589

Morning and midday walks and pet sitting in the Kensington, White Flint and North Bethesda area. Last minute is ok. Good with administering meds.

Happy Canines

Kelley Carpenter
[email protected]
301-503-2377

Dog walks all over Montgomery County.  Midday, on call short notice. Okay with problem dogs.

DogWalkingDC

JJ Scheele
dogwalkingdc.com
[email protected]
202-549-3932

Dog walking and pet sitting in northwest DC. Specializes in elderly, disabled, or sick pets. Rescue dog discounts available.

Patrick’s Pet Care

Patrick Flynn
patrickspetcare.com
202-630-7387

Dog walking in northwest, northeast and southeast areas of  DC. Day care in Brookland and Columbia Heights. Fear-free grooming. Enrichment, exercise, and training walks; socialization visits for puppies and TLC visits for elderly or disabled pets. Patrick is a certified force-free dog trainer, as well as a certified fear-free dog groomer, and is pursuing a second master’s degree in clinical animal behaviour. All of the staff at Patrick’s Pet Care fulfill continuing education requirements to hone their skills and enhance their knowledge, and he gives them time and money to do it.

Colby’s Dogcare & Spa

Michael Pastreich
colbysdogcare.com
[email protected]
202-481-4848

Boarding, training, daycare, and grooming at Colby’s facility on K St, NE. Four play areas that separate dogs by size, energy level, and temperament. Staff training and supervision by a positive trainer. Could work with trainer while boarding.

Paw Prints Around Town

Lindsey Paige, CPDT-KA
pawprintsaroundtown.com
202-489-5278

Mid-day walking and pet sitting for dogs, cats, chickens, exotics, and fish in Northwest DC, Takoma Park, Chevy Chase, and Silver Spring. Red Cross First Aid for dogs and cats. Fear-free certified.

College Park Pet Sitting & Dog Walking (C-Pup)

Shannon Sanford
c-pup.com
Click for Contact Page
301-699-1133

Dog walks & overnight pet sitting. Serves College Park, University Park, Hyattsville, Riverdale, Adelphi, and surrounding areas.

Prance Around Pet Services

Joelyne King
prancearound.com
[email protected]
240-515-4985
Dog walking, pet sitting visits, overnight care, pet taxi, and yard waste clean-up services in Germantown, Laurel, and surrounding areas.

Jen’s Gentle Pet Sitters

Jennifer MacQuillan
JensGentlePetSitters.com
[email protected]
443-691-9319

Dog walking, pet sitting, overnight care & pet transportation in Anne Arundel County.

Unleashed Joy

Beth Joy, PMCT, CPDT-KA
unleashedjoy.com
[email protected]
410-404-6492

Pet sitting at your home most of the day (only leaving for errands) in the Baltimore/Washington area.

Board & Train

Urban Canine

(Gaithersburg, MD)
Jessica Remi Lamb, CPDT-KA
urbancaninetraining.com
[email protected]
571-338-2009

Puppy Sleep-Away Camp for puppies up to 18 months old. Your puppy will stay with a certified trainer, a select group of other puppies, and well socialized adult dogs. House training, socialization, early problem prevention, and obedience cues. For the older puppies, also impulse control, good decision making,  problem issues, and obedience.

Pawz for Health

(Silver Spring, MD)
Janet Oquendo, CPDT-KA, CDBC
pawzforhealth.net 
[email protected]
240-424-5984

Puppy training and socialization to help clients get their puppies started on crate training, housebreaking and basic puppy manners. One or two weeks living with the trainer, other puppies, and her dogs learning in a home family environment. For puppies 10 weeks to 5 months old.

Canine Lifestyle Academy

(Union Bridge, MD)
Meghan Burton, CPDT-KA, KPA CTP
caninelifestyleacademy.com 
[email protected]

Puppy Day Camp for puppies 8 weeks to 6 months of age. Pick up and drop off available within the local area (Mt. Airy, New Market, eastern parts of Frederick, Libertytown, etc.).

Infinite-Dog

(Rockville, MD)
Robin Shepherd, CPDT-KA
infinite-dog.com
[email protected]
301-580-6654

Boarding only one dog/puppy at a time in trainer’s home.

Metropolitan Dog

Missy Dilla, KPA-CTP, CPDT-KA, CBCC-KA
Potomac, MD
www.metropolitandog.com
[email protected]
301-842-8042

Boarding only one dog/puppy at a time in trainer’s home.

Unleashed Joy

(Mt. Airy, MD)
Beth Joy, PMCT, CPDT-KA
unleashedjoy.com
[email protected]
410-404-6492

For puppies 6 months and under. A minimum of two week stays with meetings beforehand and afterward to develop plans for training and maintaining the new skills. Work on basic manners, puppy behavior, and impulse control. Continued advice by e-mail or phone for up to six months. Only one puppy at a time. The puppy will live in the home and interacting with other dogs and people. Pet sitting in your home also available.

Walking With A Friend

(Gainesville, VA)
Roni Campbell, KPA-CTP, CPDT-KA
walkingwithafriend.com
[email protected]
703-975-9055

Boarding and day care with a trainer while working on needed training skills. Limited to one dog per two week session.

Puptagon

(NW Washington DC)
Eric Faulkner
puptagon.com
[email protected]
202-627-2077

Board & Train and Play & Train programs for puppies or adult dogs. Dog(s) must get along with other dogs off leash. One and two week options with private In-home session upon completion of program.

Liberty Hill Pet Resort

(Bealeton, VA)
Mary Ann Robertson, CPDT-KA
lhpaws.com
[email protected]
540-439-7297

Boarding for dogs and cats in a home environment, with training available while boarding. Outdoor play yards, day care, heated swimming pool, and grooming. Playtime with staff for dogs needing special attention. Choose a package or individual services. 50 miles west of Washington, DC.

Coventry School for Dogs & Their People

(Columbia, MD)
thecoventryschool.com
410-381-1800

Day care & boarding for day care clients. Individual “suites”; 24 hour coverage. Positive training classes & consults. Grooming.

Beechnut Kennels

(Edgewater, MD)
beechnutkennels.com
[email protected]
410-798-4304
Boarding for dogs and cats in a smaller, quieter facility. Daycare included; outdoor play yards and indoor playrooms with a large variety of interactive toys and equipment; fear-free grooming. Playtime with staff is available for dogs needing special attention or handling .  Relationship-based interactions and treat rewards used for redirection, training, and confidence building. Training can be arranged while boarding. Contact trainers Phyllis Saroff or Alexis Bond.