Is your family headed for a great Spring Break vacation? How about your pet? Not long ago, many sent their pets off to a boarding kennel, but the newest trend is to find a good pet sitter to watch your pets at home.

When our family started looking for a dog...we had some rules. It must not shed, be hypoallergenic and be able to go to the kennel so we could still go on trips and vacations without the dog.

We managed to accomplish the first two, but after the first time taking our dog to the kennel...we changed our minds on the third. He is used to being the king of the castle, having free reign of the house and getting lots of attention. He hated being locked in a kennel by all these strange dogs and only getting minimal one-on-one attention.

This is when we started looking into pet-sitters for our family, but we are not alone.

In fact, pet sitting has steadily become more popular among pet owners over the last several years. Many prefer it to kennel boarding because it allows their sweet pets to remain home- in safe, familiar environment. Fido and Fluffy can have their own normal routines, their own toys and their own food. They also won't pick up any new nasty habits from other pets.

Many people are also finding it easier to find pet sitters by going online. Sites like SitterCity not only match sitters for children, but also match sitters for your house and your pets! These sitters can watch the house, water your plants, check you mail and more. Other companies like Pet-Sitters Biz and Pet Sitters Network also have very extensive lists of pet sitters all over the country who would love to care for your pet.

So if you are heading out for spring break, give your dog a break too...and call a pet sitter!