Rover Dog Sitting Review

My husband and I love John Legend’s music!  I even walked down the aisle to “All of Me” from his new album, Love In The Future, when we got married on May 3, 2014.  We found out that he was bringing his All of Me Tour to Raleigh, NC shortly after. It isn’t very far from us at all and we sooo wanted to go.  Who can Simba stay with though?  The concert is in the middle of the week so a friend or family member may not be readily available.  Simba has always stayed with a family member while we were away, but this time we tried something different.

Disclaimer: I received compensation and a coupon code from Rover in exchange for writing this review. Affiliate links are in this post. I will receive compensation if you purchase via the affiliate link. We always share things that we find beneficial to our audience and the things that we love.

Rover (previously DogVacay) contacted me about sending Simba and me on a Mini Vacay for an evening.  Wait, what?  A mini-vacay for Simba and I?  Don’t mind if I do!  I knew just the perfect place to go…the All of Me Tour!  I was very excited that I would get to try a home-based dog boarding service for Simba.  This was a win-win situation for us!  Simba gets a playdate with a dog host while we go and get to have some fun.  Simba doesn’t have to wait at home BORED while we are away for a few hours.  He would get plenty of attention from a dog lover.  Like I said, win-win!

What is Rover you ask? Rover is an easy to use website and app that makes finding great pet sitters simpler than ever! Pet owners can search for pet sitters nearby, book stays and pay online, all with a couple of clicks. All Rover reservations include free pet insurance, yes I said FREE PET INSURANCE, 24/7 customer support, and daily photo “pup”dates, so pet parents can rest easy knowing that their best friend is in great hands. WOW, that sure put my mind at ease about Simba being with someone new and someone that we don’t know.  Rover seems pretty awesome right?  Well, it is!  Let me tell you all about our experience with Rover.

Since this experience was all new to me, I got to talk to a Rover concierge associate.  She was extremely helpful and made using Rover that much easier!  She was able to provide me with some helpful tips so that I could get started on finding the perfect dog host for Simba.

Finding a Dog Sitter

• Look for Hosts that have reviews, photos showing off their home and pups they’ve cared for, and a detailed description!
• Send the Host a Meet-n-Greet request or ask the host a question! You’ll want to speak to them before making a reservation.
• If your pups have any special needs, you’ll want to convey it to potential Hosts in advance. (Don’t worry – there are plenty of Hosts who specialize in special needs)
•  Sometimes you want to meet someone the old fashioned way before leaving your dog with them. Not a problem!  Choose the Host that suits your needs, and schedule a Meet-N-Greet.  Rover will share the Host’s contact information and you can arrange an in-person meeting before your stay.
• Make sure to bring your dog’s food! You should also bring his leash and any medicine he requires. If this is your dog’s first time being away from you, consider bringing his bed or an old shirt or a blanket that smells like you.

Rover Dog Sitting Review

Rover was super easy for me to use.  I simply signed up with all of my information and was able to search for a dog host immediately.  There were several surrounding hosts for me to choose from.  A lot of the hosts even had reviews which was very helpful!  I love to read about different experiences because it kind of gives me an idea of what to expect.  Each dog host profile had tons of information.  I found out their credentials with dogs, responsiveness, special skills, and what they were all about it when it came to dogs.  I even got to see photos of their home and the dogs they have taken care of and if they had dogs of their own!

Finding a Dog Sitter

After thoroughly reading each dog sitter’s profile that I was interested in, I sent each of them a message.  They all responded back pretty quickly.  The host I ended up picking actually lived super close to the amphitheater the concert was going to be at which was AWESOME!  I felt that was the best choice for us and made us even more comfortable with the dog host.  She also responded back the quickest and was very upbeat.  Plus, plus, plus!  I sent her a reservation request, she accepted, and I went through the payment process with a coupon provided by Rover.  It was super easy!

Next, I needed to get all of Simba’s things together and go over any more details necessary with his dog sitter.  We told the dog host what Simba liked to do and what kind of dog he is which is playful and totally sweet and loving!  I got all of Simba’s things ready to go.  I packed his dog food, food/water bowls, two toys, dog treats, dog wipes, dog leash, and his dog bed.  We purchased the tickets (15th row, center stage, woop woop!)  and all of Simba’s stuff was packed and all ready to go.  All that was left was to wait until the concert day arrived.

Yaaay time for the John Legend All of Me Tour in Raleigh!  Here’s a photo of us on our way to the dog host’s home!

When we got to the dog host’s home, we went inside and told her some more info about Simba and chit-chatted with her a bit before we left.  We made sure Simba was comfortable and all set.  He seemed fine and so we rushed out the door.  We were already running a little late (oops!).

The Dog host Katy took several photos of Simba while we were at the concert.  This ensured us that he was in good hands and that he was a-okay!

John Legend Concert

We were SO ready for John Legend to hit the stage.  While we were waiting we took a few photos.

Click the photos to enlarge.

While we were waiting, Simba was enjoying his time outdoors.

Marsha Ambrosisus did a fantastic job.  She sounded good and definitely kept the crowds attention.  She even performed one of my favorite songs “Say Yes” which is an old song when she was apart of the group Floetry.  John Legend was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!  He sounds amaaaaaazing live.  He sounds just like his album.  This was the best concert we’ve ever been to HANDS DOWN!  It was so great hearing our wedding song “All of Me” live.  If you haven’t seen John Legend live…you should definitely do so.  You’re missing out!  Great performance!

While we were enjoying the beautiful voices of Marsha Ambrosius and John Legend, Simba was doing more walking and smelling the flowers.  He looooves to sniff.  I bet he was having the time of his life.  He’s such an adventurer.

Once the concert was over, we went back to the dog host home.  There was no need for him to spend the night since he was only a couple of minutes away.  We picked Simba up and he was happy to see us, but he enjoyed his stay at the dog host’s home.  The host said that he was super friendly and sweet.  He enjoyed all of his walks and even made some new doggie friends.  They took a break from walking and lounged around outside and then did some more walking.  Simba really enjoyed himself and she enjoyed watching Simba for us and said she’d do it anytime!  We will definitely take her up on her offer if we are ever in the Raleigh area again!

Simba was pretty exhausted from all the fun he had walking and sniffing around town.  He went straight for his bed when we got home.

We both enjoyed our #MiniVacay and I would definitely use Rover again.  We had a really good experience!  Thanks Rover!  I found out another place I can leave my dog when I’m on vacay.   I’m also way more comfortable leaving my dog with a dog sitter when he can’t tag along with us.

Are you going on a vacation soon?  Where are you going to leave your dog while you’re on vacation?  Wanna give Rover a try?  How about$10 off of your first Rover booking (new users only) by clicking HERE!  Enjoy!

Make sure you check out my other vacation posts:  3 Places to Leave Your Dog When on Vacation and What to Pack for Your Dog When Going on Vacation

Where do you leave your dog when you’re going on vacation or out for an evening?  Have you ever used Rover?  If yes, how did you like it?  If no, would you try it?  Share!  We’d love to hear from you.