How We Saved Over $1,000 on Dog Boarding with Rover
We'd just returned from a two-week trip to Peru. After dropping our luggage at home, we headed straight out again to pick up our dogs.
Unfortunately, none of our friends can watch both dogs while we're away, so we've always relied on pet boarding services. And boarding two dogs isn't exactly cheap.
As happy as we are to see them again, getting the final bill at checkout is another story. Nothing says "Welcome home!" quite like a bill that dropkicks you out of your post-vacation high.
This time, though, the damage wasn't nearly as bad—even though we'd boarded them for longer than ever before.
A few months earlier, we'd discovered Rover, an online platform that connects pet owners with pet sitters. Using it for this trip saved us $1,228 compared with our usual pet hotel.
Maybe we were late to the party, but none of our friends seemed familiar with Rover. So, in case you haven't heard of it either, here's how it worked for us.
Disclosure: Rover didn't sponsor this post. I'm sharing our personal experience. If you use my referral link at the end, you'll get $20 off your first eligible booking, and I'll receive $20 in credit toward a future booking.
WHAT WE USED TO PAY FOR DOG BOARDING
We've used the same pet hotel for years because it's one of the less expensive options in our area. Unfortunately, even the budget-friendly places aren't exactly a bargain, and prices have crept up over the years.
The facilities are pretty basic: an indoor play area with concrete flooring, an attached outdoor run, and kennels where the dogs sleep at night.
Overnight boarding costs $56 per dog. We also pay an extra $15 per dog per day for 10 minutes of individual playtime.
For two dogs over 14 days, that adds up to a whopping $1,988!
To be fair, the pet hotel does have a live video feed in the communal play area and daily photos are incuded with the individual playtime. But $1,988 is more than we paid for one of our round-trip plane tickets.
It’s the kind of number that forces me to remind myself that I love my dogs. A lot.
WHAT WE PAID WITH ROVER
With Rover, our dogs stayed at a sitter's home instead of a kennel. They were treated like pets in someone's home and got plenty of attention, including walks.
We didn't have a live video feed this time, but we could communicate directly with the sitter. We also received daily photos, videos, and updates.
Knowing someone was actively looking after our dogs—and that they weren't spending their nights in a kennel—gave us peace of mind.
And the price was a lot easier to swallow.
Our total for two weeks was just $760.
That's $1,228 less than our usual pet hotel, or about 62% in savings. We paid roughly 38 cents for every dollar we'd otherwise have spent.
HOW ROVER WORKS
Rover works a bit like a rideshare app, except you're finding someone to look after your furry family members instead of driving you to the airport.
Start by creating profiles for your pets, including their breed, size, personality, and whether they're house-trained.
Then you can browse sitters in your area. Their profiles include information about their experience, the pets they accept, and the care they offer. You can also check ratings, read reviews from other pet owners, and see whether they have repeat clients.
FINDING THE RIGHT PET SITTER
Rover's search filters help narrow the options by location, price, and the type of care you need.
You can also filter by things like whether the sitter lives in a house or apartment, has a fenced yard, has children or other pets, or accepts only one client's pets at a time.
If your dogs aren't exactly social butterflies, that last option could be particularly useful.
You can also look for sitters who care for pets in your home rather than theirs.
BOOKING A SITTER
Once you've found a promising sitter or two, check their availability and contact them to discuss your pets and arrange a meet-and-greet.
You'll see the booking costs before confirming, so you can compare options instead of discovering the damage at pickup.
And that means you can enjoy your post-vacation high a little longer.
MORE THAN JUST PET SITTING
Rover also offers other services, including:
Day care
Dog walking
Drop-in visits
Dog training
IS ROVER WORTH IT?
This was our first time using Rover, and so far, we're impressed. Our dogs got plenty of attention, we received regular updates, and we saved $1,228 compared with our usual pet hotel.
Of course, every sitter is different. Rates vary depending on experience, location, and the type of care offered. In my area, I found that many sitters charged around $30–$40 per dog, although some charged more or added fees for a second pet or extra services.
So don't automatically book the cheapest sitter you find. Read the reviews, look at their experience, check the details of their rates, and arrange a meet-and-greet before committing. Your dogs can't exactly interview their prospective caregivers themselves.
We'll still need to see how future stays go, but for now, Rover looks like a keeper. We feel like our dogs got better care and it cost a lot less.
Saving money and making our dogs happy? That's a win-win.
If you want to give it a try, you can use my Rover referral link to get $20 off your first eligible booking. I'll also receive $20 in credit toward a future booking. Referral terms apply.
See you at the finish line!
Disclaimer: I’m not a licensed financial professional. This blog shares my personal experiences and opinions around money, investing, and early retirement. It’s for informational and educational purposes only—not financial, legal, or tax advice. Always do your own research or consult with a qualified professional before making any financial decisions.
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