Why should humans have all the fun? Make sure your furry—or feathered or scaled—besties are not just taken care of, but pampered while you’re away. With daycare activities, private suites and even taxi services, your very good boy or girl will find comfort whether they stay at these area facilities or enjoy in-home care.
Bark + Boarding
Owner Ryan Fochler turned a side hustle as a dog sitter into a passion project, opening this business 25 years ago. Today, he’s got a 12,000-square-foot space in Baileys Crossroads (with another location coming next month to Manassas) that offers grooming, pet supplies, pet blood drives and, of course, boarding. Doggie daycare prices start at $25 a day, while overnight boarding starts at $65 per night. Prefer to have someone check on your pet at home? The team can arrange for midday dog walking, cat checks, pet sitting and even pet taxis to and from the boarding facility. See all pricing here. // 5818 Seminary Road, Falls Church (Baileys Crossroads)
Barkley Square
Part pet spa, part pet sitter, this business has been caring for pets since 1991. A member of the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters, it offers on-call and pet-sitting visits ranging from 20 to 60 minutes or a 12-hour overnight stay at your home. There’s also an in-facility pet “bed and breakfast,” complete with a pet taxi for easy transportation. Prices for brief check-ins start at $22. Overnight stays are $100 at your home or $65 at Barkley Square. // 105 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church
District Dogs
Jacob Hensley founded this D.C.-based chain when he started a dog-walking business 10 years ago. Clarendon became home to its first Virginia location in 2022, followed by National Landing a year later. Both spots offer daytime and overnight pet care in facilities with protective flooring and special beds for naptime, starting at $75 per night. Extras include a private suite, private cuddle time, and apples and peanut butter. // 2820 Wilson Blvd., Arlington (Clarendon); 1450 S. Eads St., Arlington (National Landing)
Dogtopia
This chain of 260 dog-focused daycare centers has several NoVa locations, including in Shirlington, Tysons and Falls Church. Daycare services focus on socialization for pups and dog-safe equipment, such as compressed-rubber floors that are easy on paws and joints. Overnight boarding services include play time and scheduled rests in crates outfitted with the comforts of home, such as their favorite food and bedding. If you want your dog to have a bath and grooming before coming home, those services are available, too. // 108 W. Jefferson St., Falls Church; 1524 Spring Hill Road, McLean; 2606 S. Oxford St., Arlington (Shirlington)
Fur-Get Me Not
Tammy Rosen founded her business in 2000, operating out of her Arlington home before opening a Shirlington storefront in 2003. Today, the Best of Arlington 2024 winner has 120 employees serving more than 8,000 clients in Northern Virginia and D.C., with options for both in-home pet sitting and onsite boarding. Pet sitting for dogs, cats and other small animals is available in 30- to 60-minute home visits (starting at $26), or overnight stays ($125) that include feedings, cleaning litter boxes or cages and watering house plants. Boarding services include the usual playtime, feedings and sleeping quarters, but you can add on services such as plush bedding, nature walks, training sessions and a luxury suite that gives your pet more space than a crate. // 4140 S. Four Mile Run Drive, Arlington (Claremont)
Happy Hounds
Providing pet care to Arlington and Alexandria since 2001, this business offers pet-sitting services at your home. Caregivers can swing by for brief or long visits, or stay overnight, depending on your (pet’s) preference. Prices start at $24 for pet sitting and $75 for overnights, and the company doesn’t charge extra for medication administration or working holidays.
Happy Tails
Celebrating 12 years of caring for pets, this woman-owned business offers grooming, doggie daycare and a dog resort. The latter includes playtime with other four-legged friends, three to four trips outside and a private room at night. // 7646 Lee Highway, Falls Church
KSR Pet Care
Karen Rosenberg’s team provides dog walking, pet sitting, overnight care and puppy care. (Plus house and plant care if you need things like someone to turn on different lights each night so it looks like someone is home.) Pet sitting is available for doggos, cats, chickens and exotic and small animals. Prices depend on the type of animal and length of the visit. KSR also has three overnight stay options. The Bed & Biscuit package is for one dog, the Deluxe covers more than one household pet and two feedings, and the Ultimate covers the longest stay. Check the website for pricing. // Serves customers in McLean/Tysons, Vienna, Falls Church, North Arlington, Merrifield and Dunn Loring