How much does a pet sitter cost in Seattle?

It depends on the service. Drop-in visits and walks tend to run roughly $20 to $40 each, while overnight in-home sitting is more like $75 to $150 per night, and it skews higher in dense neighborhoods like Capitol Hill, Belltown, and South Lake Union. Marketplace sitters on Rover often come in lower, with a median around $25 per night before fees, while established local companies charge more for trained, insured staff. Always confirm holiday surcharges and multi-pet fees up front.

Is in-home sitting or boarding better for an apartment dog?

For many apartment and condo dogs, in-home sitting is less stressful because they stay in familiar surroundings and keep their routine. Boarding or daycare can be a better fit for highly social dogs who thrive around other pets and need lots of exercise. The deciding factor is usually your dog's temperament, not the size of your home.

How does a sitter get into my building when I am not home?

That is the part most people forget. A sitter can have your unit key or door code and still be stuck at the lobby buzzer downstairs. Options include leaving a fob with the sitter, asking your building about a visitor PIN if it has a managed intercom, or using an app like Lowkey that forwards the buzzer call to your phone and can auto-buzz the sitter in on a schedule or with a 4-digit passcode.

Blog / Best Pet Sitting Options in Seattle for Apartments and Condos (2026)

Best Pet Sitting Options in Seattle for Apartments and Condos (2026)

By Ty · 2026-05-27

Looking for a pet sitter in Seattle? From national booking apps to established local companies and full-service boarding facilities, the city has reliable care for just about any budget and schedule. This guide compares the real options, what each does best, and roughly what they cost in US dollars, so you can find the right person or place for your pet. Prices are approximate and shift by neighborhood and season, so confirm directly.

Your options compared

Option	Best for	Typical cost (USD, approx.)	Notes
Rover	Flexible, budget-friendly drop-ins and overnights	~$25/night median; drop-ins ~$20 to $40	Huge sitter pool in Seattle. Quality varies by individual, so read reviews and meet first.
Wag	On-demand walks and last-minute sitting	Walks ~$20 to $40; sitting varies	App-based, fast to book. Less continuity than a dedicated sitter; vet sitter profiles carefully.
Strut The Pup	Recurring in-home sitting and walks with vetted staff	Visits ~$31 to $55 a la carte	Seattle company since 2009, licensed, bonded, insured, staff certified in pet first aid.
Seattle Canine Club	Daycare and boarding for social dogs	Daycare from ~$58/day; boarding from ~$82/night	Multiple Seattle locations including SoDo and South Lake Union. Daycare and grooming too.
Dogtopia of Harbor Steps	Downtown daycare and boarding	Varies by package	Webcam-monitored daycare and boarding in downtown Seattle. Second location at Roosevelt Square.
Vet-clinic boarding	Pets with medical needs or seniors	Varies by clinic	Staff can handle meds and watch for issues. Often less roomy and social than a daycare. Ask your own vet.
Trusted neighbor or friend	Short trips, simple routines, tight budget	Free or a small thank-you	No cost and your pet stays home, but no insurance, no backup, and you are leaning on a favor.

How to choose

A few things separate a pro from a coin flip, especially when you are handing over access to your home.

Insured and bonded. For paid sitters, ask directly. Established Seattle companies like Strut The Pup say plainly that they are licensed, bonded, and insured. A casual marketplace sitter may not be, which matters if something goes wrong in your unit.
Meet-and-greet first. Never skip it. A short in-person visit tells you how your pet reacts and how the sitter handles your home, your keys, and your building.
Keys and building access. Decide how the sitter gets in before the first visit, not the morning of. Know who holds the key or fob, how the lobby door gets answered, and what the backup is if a code fails.
Daily photo updates. The good sitters send a photo and a quick note after every visit. It is reassuring, and it confirms they actually showed up.

Getting your sitter into your building

Whichever sitter you pick, they still have to clear your building’s front door while you are away. This is the honest gap, and it is where Lowkey fits. Lowkey is a software app that forwards your building’s buzzer call to your phone and can auto-buzz your sitter into the building on a schedule or with a 4-digit passcode, with nothing to install at the door. It opens the building’s front entrance so the sitter can come up to your unit, not the apartment door itself, and it works with any buzzer that dials out to a phone number.

In practice that means your dog walker shows up at 1 PM, the lobby panel calls, and the building door opens on the schedule you set, no scramble to answer your phone in a meeting. If you want to set this up, see Lowkey. For the unit door itself you will still use your own lock, code, or a key left with the sitter.

Last updated June 2026. Pricing and availability change, so confirm current rates directly with each provider.