Dog Sitting and Boarding Rates in Raleigh (2026): What Local Sitters Actually Charge
Short answer: in Raleigh, a pet sitter who comes to your home costs about $14 to $21 an hour. Overnight kennel boarding runs $50 to $85 a night (most charge $58 to $70), and boarding in a sitter's own home starts around $85 to $99 a night for one dog. Daycare is $34 to $45 a day, and a 30-minute drop-in visit or walk is $25 to $35. We checked the published price lists of 29 Raleigh-area businesses, plus Care.com, in October 2026.
Leaving your dog? Hand your sitter one page with everything they need.
$17The price is the easy part. Your dog has 47 little rules. Your sitter probably knows 4. That gap is where trips go wrong, and it's why we built The Paw Brief (more below).
Raleigh dog care prices at a glance
| Type of care | Typical Raleigh price | Where the number comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Pet sitter in your home | $14.27 to $20.85 an hour | Care.com Raleigh rates, October 2026 |
| Kennel boarding, standard, one dog | $54 to $61 a night | Pet Paradise Cary, Camp Bow Wow Cary, Triangle Pet Resort, Hounds Town Wake Forest |
| Boarding with daycare included | $65 to $75 a night | Dogtopia North Raleigh, Dogtopia Northwest Raleigh, Dogtopia Harrison Ave |
| Boarding, private or luxury suite | $68 to $85 a night | Hounds Town Wake Forest, Dog Gone Happy, Dogtopia Harrison Ave |
| Boarding, second dog from the same family | $38 a night extra, or $110 for two in one cabin | Pet Paradise Cary, Camp Bow Wow Cary |
| Boarding in a sitter's home | $85 to $99 a night | Peak City Puppy, Great Dog Days (from $85) |
| Overnight sitter in your home | $90 to $195 a night | Pack&Pride, Urban Paws, Peak City Puppy, Phoebe's Pampered Pets |
| Doggy daycare, full day | $34 to $45 a day | Camp Bow Wow North Raleigh, Triangle Pet Resort, Hounds Town, Dogtopia |
| Drop-in visit or walk, 30 minutes | $25 to $35 | Fetch! Pet Care, Bone·A·Fide, Pack&Pride, Hooman on Demand, Amanda's Best Friend, Urban Paws |
| Short check-in, 15 minutes | $21 to $24 | Peak City Puppy, Hooman on Demand |
| Visit or walk, 60 minutes | $38 to $50 | Pack&Pride, Hooman on Demand, Amanda's Best Friend, Faith and Fur |
Raleigh sits a little above the North Carolina average ($13.91 to $20.50 an hour) and under the national average of $16.68 to $22.57, according to Care.com.
Rates in the suburbs
Hourly sitter rates move more across the Triangle than you might expect:
| Area | Starting rate | Top rate |
|---|---|---|
| Apex | $11.79/hr | $17.16/hr |
| Fuquay Varina | $13.31/hr | $21.38/hr |
| Knightdale | $13.33/hr | $16.67/hr |
| Garner | $14.70/hr | $17.30/hr |
| Morrisville | $15.22/hr | $21.22/hr |
| Durham | $15.67/hr | $24.05/hr |
Source: Care.com, October 2026.
What pushes the price up in Raleigh
- Holidays and peak weeks. Triangle Pet Resort adds 10 percent in its peak windows ($64.35 a night instead of $58.50): June 26 to July 7, September 1 to 14, November 20 to December 3, and December 18 to January 7. Dogtopia Harrison Ave adds $10 a night with a 2-night minimum, Camp Bow Wow Cary adds $5 a night per dog, and sitters add $6 to $8 a visit (Pack&Pride, Amanda's Best Friend).
- More than one dog. Two dogs in one cabin at Camp Bow Wow Cary is $110 a night instead of $58; at Dog Gone Happy it's $142 instead of $75. Sitters usually add $4 to $8 per extra dog per visit.
- Not being a regular. Dogtopia charges dogs who aren't enrolled in a daycare plan $70 to $75 a night, against $65 for enrolled dogs.
- A bigger room. A luxury suite is $68 to $85 a night, and the VIP suites at Pet Paradise Cary run $113 to $135 a day.
- Late pick-up. Hounds Town Morrisville charges $30 for a boarding pick-up after 12pm, and Pet Paradise charges $20 for an afternoon check-out.
- Extras. House food ($5 a day at Triangle Pet Resort and Pet Paradise), baths that scale with size ($55 small to $95 XX-large for a full-service bath at Dogtopia Northwest Raleigh) and nail trims ($15 to $20) are add-ons.
Sitter at home, sitter's home, or kennel?
| Option | Raleigh price | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Sitter in your home | $14 to $21 an hour, $25 to $35 a visit, or $90 to $195 overnight | Dogs who are anxious away from home, older dogs, homes with other pets |
| Boarding in a sitter's home | About $85 to $99 a night | Social dogs who like a quiet house and one person |
| Kennel or pet resort | $50 to $85 a night | Dogs who love other dogs and a busy day of play |
Raleigh weather matters too. From June to August it's hot and humid, so walks need to happen early in the morning or after sunset, and hot pavement is hard on paws. Whoever you pick needs to know your dog's limits.
The part no price covers
The walk is rarely what goes wrong. It's the text at 9pm.
"How much food again?" "Is the white pill the morning one?" "Who's your vet?"
You're paying $25 to $85 a day for someone to look after your dog. Then you hand them the most important information out loud, at the door, in a rush, and hope it sticks. Or you write a 10-page Word document they skim once.
Whether it's a friend, a $21-an-hour pro or an $85-a-night resort, they all need the same things from you, and most owners forget at least one:
- Exactly how much your dog eats, and when (not "morning-ish")
- Every medication, the dose, and how to give it
- The quirks: the gate that doesn't latch, the bolt at the front door, the toy that can't be left out
- When to call you, and when to skip you and go straight to the emergency vet
- Your vet, the nearest 24-hour clinic, and a backup contact who isn't you
The Paw Brief: one handbook your sitter can scan in seconds
The Paw Brief asks you the questions you'd forget, then turns your answers into one clear care guide. Fill it in once, update it before each trip, and hand it to whoever is watching your dog: a sitter, a boarding kennel, or your neighbor.
What's inside:
- Who is who: photos and markings for each pet, so meds and food never get mixed up
- Precise times: real times for meals, walks and meds, not "evening"
- Little rituals: the bedtime toy, the water-bowl trick, the things only you know
- Behavior, honestly: checkboxes for reactivity, separation anxiety and resource guarding, so your sitter isn't surprised
- Emergency thresholds: exactly when to call you and when to go straight to the vet
- House details: alarm, fuse box, spare key, and neighbor boundaries
What you get: a fillable PDF that works on any device, plus an editable Canva version. Instant download, no subscription.
The math is easy. One night of Raleigh boarding costs $50 to $85. The Paw Brief costs $17, once, and you reuse it for every trip after this one.
No risk: if it doesn't help, you get your money back within 30 days.
The Paw Brief is made by the team behind this guide. The prices and local listings above are researched separately and nobody paid to be included.
Raleigh dog sitters, kennels and daycares
Real local options with their Google rating. Where a business publishes its prices, we list them with a link so you can check.
Boarding and kennels
- K9 Resorts Luxury Pet Hotel Apex, Apex · 4.9★ (1010 Google reviews) · Website
- Bone Voyage Pet Resort, Garner · 4.9★ (769 Google reviews) · Website
- Ruff Housing Cary, Cary · 4.6★ (378 Google reviews) · Website
- Paws at Play of Raleigh, Northwest Raleigh · 4.6★ (352 Google reviews) · Website
- Suite Paws Pet Resort & Spa Raleigh, Southeast Raleigh · 4.5★ (424 Google reviews) · Website
- Dogtopia of North Raleigh, Northeast Raleigh · 4.5★ (400 Google reviews) · Website · Their prices: Daycare full day: $40 per day; Standard boarding, enrolled (includes daycare): $65 per night; Standard boarding, non-enrolled (includes daycare): $70 per night
- Camp Bow Wow Cary, Cary · 4.4★ (382 Google reviews) · Website · Their prices: Boarding, one dog: $58.00 per night; Boarding, two family dogs: $110.00 per night; All Day Play, 1 dog: $36.00 per day
- Dog Diggity Daycare & Boarding, Northwest Raleigh · 4.2★ (319 Google reviews) · Website
- Triangle Pet Resort, Brier Creek · 4.8★ (262 Google reviews) · Website · Their prices: Boarding: $58.50 per night, per dog suite; Boarding, holiday peak rate: $64.35 per night; Daycare full day: $34.00 per day
- Pet Paradise Cary, Apex · 4.1★ (308 Google reviews) · Website · Their prices: Boarding suite, 1st dog: $54 per day; Boarding suite, 2nd dog: $38 per day; Small dog suite, 1st dog: $50 per day
- Dogtopia of Harrison Ave, Cary · 4.9★ (246 Google reviews) · Website · Their prices: Standard boarding, non-enrolled (includes daycare): $68 per night; Suite boarding, non-enrolled: $78 per night; Daycare full day: $41 per day
- Hounds Town Wake Forest, Wake Forest · 4.9★ (177 Google reviews) · Website · Their prices: Boarding, Townhome: $61 per night; Boarding, Luxury Condo: $68 per night; Daycare, Monday to Friday: $36 per day
Daycare
- Pup's Day Out, Northeast Raleigh · 4.6★ (96 Google reviews) · Website
- Poochparadisenc.com, North Raleigh · New on Google · Website
Sitters and walkers (they come to you)
- Peak City Puppy, Apex · 4.9★ (434 Google reviews) · Website · Their prices: 30-Minute Visit: $33 per visit; Overnight Boarding, in sitter home (24 hrs): $99 per night; Overnight Standard, in your home (7PM to 7AM): $149 per night
- Best in Show Pet Sitting, Morrisville · 5★ (140 Google reviews) · Website
- Pure Love Pet Sitting, Morrisville · 5★ (123 Google reviews) · Website · Their prices: Meet and greet: $30 one-time fee
- All Critters Petcare, Raleigh area · 4.2★ (122 Google reviews) · Website
- Raleigh Pet Sitters, Raleigh area · 5★ (101 Google reviews) · Website · Their prices: Dog Walking: $35 per visit
- Bone·A·Fide Pet Care, Northwest Raleigh · 5★ (90 Google reviews) · Website · Their prices: Dog Walking, 30 minutes: $26.50 starting price; In-Home Pet Sitting, 30 minutes: $27.50 starting price; Overnight Pet Sitting: $135 starting price, per night
- Fetch! Pet Care of Raleigh, Raleigh area · 5★ (80 Google reviews) · Website · Their prices: Dog walking, 30 minute visit: starting at $25 per visit
- Cuddles on Call, Downtown and South Raleigh · 4.9★ (76 Google reviews) · Website
- Petcare by Caroline, North Raleigh · 5★ (68 Google reviews) · Website
- Hooman on Demand, Downtown and South Raleigh · 5★ (58 Google reviews) · Website · Their prices: 30 Minute Visit: $30.00 per walk; 60 Minute Visit: $42.00 per walk; Pet Sitting (three 30-minute visits): $90.00 per day
- Great Dog Days, Cary · 4.9★ (54 Google reviews) · Website · Their prices: Dog walk/Pet drop in (30 minutes): starts at $30 per visit; Pet sitting or overnight boarding: starts at $85 per night; Doggy daycare (one on one): starts at $65 per day
- Pack&Pride, Raleigh area · 4.9★ (46 Google reviews) · Website · Their prices: 30 minute visit: $27 per visit; 60 minute visit: $38 per visit; Overnight sitting: $90 per night
Listings come from Google Maps and each business's own website, checked October 2026. Nobody paid to be listed. Prices change, so confirm before you book. Own one of these businesses? Ask us about a featured spot.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I pay a dog sitter in Raleigh?
Most Raleigh pet sitters charge about $14 to $21 an hour, and a 30-minute visit from a pet care company is $25 to $35. For a friend or neighbor, many owners pay close to the same hourly rate or a flat amount per day, plus a thank-you.
How much is dog boarding in Raleigh per night?
Kennel boarding is $50 to $85 a night; most Raleigh-area kennels charge $58 to $70, and resorts that include daycare charge $65 to $75. Boarding in a sitter's own home is about $85 to $99 a night for one dog.
Is it cheaper to board my dog or have a sitter come over?
For a full day, a kennel night ($50 to $85) is usually cheaper than an overnight sitter in your home ($90 to $195). Three 30-minute visits a day cost about $90 (Hooman on Demand), a bit more than a kennel night, but your dog keeps its own routine.
Do Raleigh sitters charge more on holidays?
Often, yes. Kennels add $5 to $10 a night or about 10 percent in peak weeks, and sitters add $6 to $8 a visit. Book early for July 4th week, Thanksgiving and Christmas through New Year, the windows Triangle Pet Resort lists as its busiest.
What should I leave for my dog sitter?
Feeding amounts and times, medications with doses, your vet and the nearest emergency clinic, a backup contact, and house rules. The Paw Brief walks you through all of it and turns it into one guide your sitter can scan in seconds.