When should you book a holiday pet sitter?

Book a holiday pet sitter two to four weeks ahead for most holidays and school breaks. For Thanksgiving and the weeks around Christmas and New Year’s, reach out as soon as your travel plans are set, because those dates fill first. Summer is spread out, so a few weeks is usually enough, unless your trip lands on the July 4th weekend.

The reason is simple. Most families travel on the same handful of dates, and a local sitter or small team can only be in so many homes each night. If you book early, you also have time for a walkthrough and a written care plan before you leave, instead of squeezing it in the day before your flight.

Thanksgiving: start early in the fall

Thanksgiving is short, but nearly everyone travels the same Wednesday to Sunday. Many Colorado school districts give students the whole week off, so families with kids often leave the weekend before and stretch the trip to nine or ten days.

• When to book: four weeks ahead at the latest. Early to mid October is not too soon.
• Plan for: a longer stay than you think, and the Wednesday travel day, when flights and roads run late.
• Ask about: whether the holiday itself costs more. With Hope, holiday dates carry a holiday rate, and you can see it in the house sitting cost calculator.

Winter holidays: the busiest weeks of the year

Christmas and New Year’s are where waiting costs you the most. School winter break usually runs about two weeks across late December and early January, and many trips cover both holidays.

• When to book: as soon as your dates are firm. Reaching out right after Thanksgiving is common, and earlier is better.
• Plan for: cold nights and short days. A pet home alone for a long December night is a good reason to choose an overnight holiday sitter over drop-in visits.
• Tell your sitter about: packages you expect, holiday plants or decorations to keep away from pets, and how your pet handles New Year’s Eve noise.

Spring break: check your school calendar first

Spring break is less predictable than the winter holidays. Front Range districts don’t all take the same week, and many choose a week in March, so demand spreads over several weeks instead of one.

• When to book: two to four weeks before your district’s break. Look up the dates as soon as the school calendar is published.
• Plan for: March weather. Snow, mud and big temperature swings change walks and paw care, so write down what your dog needs on a wet day.

Summer: book around the long weekends

Summer travel is spread from late May through August, so most weeks are easier to book. The exceptions are Memorial Day, the July 4th week and Labor Day, which fill up like holidays.

• When to book: two to three weeks ahead for a regular summer week, and four or more for a long weekend.
• Plan for: heat. Walks move to the cooler early morning and evening, and water bowls get checked more often.

July 4th: book early and plan for fireworks

July 4th is a holiday where your pet’s stress matters as much as your travel dates. Fireworks can run for several nights around the holiday, and many dogs pace, hide or try to slip out a door when they start.

• When to book: four weeks ahead or more. Plenty of sitters fill this week fast.
• Plan for: an overnight, not only drop-ins, if your dog is scared of noise. Someone at home in the evening matters most on these nights.
• Write into the care plan: the last walk before dark and on leash, windows and curtains closed, white noise or the TV on, and doors and gates checked twice.

The same plan works for New Year’s Eve. If your pet takes medication for anxiety, tell Hope at the walkthrough and she will tell you honestly what she can do.

What to do if you’re booking late

If you’re reading this a week before a holiday, reach out anyway. Plans change and openings come up. Have your dates, your pets’ needs and your vet’s contact ready so the walkthrough goes quickly. You can call or text, or use the contact page.

For more help planning a trip, browse the rest of Hope’s pet care guides, see every service on the services page, or read answers to common questions on the FAQ page.