Brynja recently booked dog boarding with Komal in Boston
Komal and Jason are so approachable and warm people that I did not hesitate to leave my dog Nugget with them for a week. They are extremely easy going and relaxed and their dog Cush is obviously a very happy and well adjusted dog. We will absolutely use them again!
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Boston dog sitters were rated 5 out of 5 stars from 5,000+ reviews
Stacey's review on Aug 05, 2019
Priya took excellent care of my little dog over the weekend. She sent me photos to keep me posted and everything went smoothly!
Ian's review on Jul 15, 2019
Karen was awesome! She watched my golden for a few days while I was out of town and brought him all over town to parks, gave great and consistent updates, and just generally made it easier to be away knowing my dog was in great and carings hands. I will gladly try to book her to sit my dog again
Angela's review on Jul 08, 2019
Rocky was well cared for and enjoyed his mini holiday with Nancy. Nancy and her husband did a wonderful job with our 13 year old Golden Retreiver.
Meg's review on Jul 07, 2019
Jenn was great! She got my pup comfortable with her home and other dog before the stay and was super flexible and accommodating during a busy holiday week. My dog came home happy! Highly recommend.
Liz's review on Jul 01, 2019
Alison was very flexible and communicative. She and her boyfriend walked Kotie around Boston and sent pictures regularly. The easiest Rover experience I have had yet!
Sarita's review on Jun 30, 2019
This was our first time leaving our first dog with a sitter. Michael understood our dog's insecurities and we were super relieved and at peace!
Jancy's review on Jun 23, 2019
Ali is amazing!!! She’s just the best: prompt, kind, responsible, and so sweet with our buddy, Oliver. Wish I could give her 1 stars!!!
Kathryn's review on Jun 10, 2019
Phi was a great dog sitter and took great care of Bogie. He was very responsive before and during the stay and sent lots of updates/pictures throughout the weekend. Highly recommend trusting Phi with your pet!
Top Dog Parks in Boston
Boston Common is the oldest park in the United States, founded in 1634. The 50-acre park is right between Beacon Hill and Downtown. Its central location is perfect for dog owners to stroll through in any season. In the winter, you can ice skate on Frog Pond, and in the summer, you can attend the Parkman Bandstand for music or theater events like Shakespeare On The Common. Each year, the park is gifted a Christmas tree from Halifax, Nova Scotia. For those of you with children, make sure to visit the Make Way for Ducklings statue in honor of the famous children’s book. The 19th-century urban park, Public Garden, is right next to Boston Common.
Charles River Esplanade is a state-owned park on the south side of Charles River that provides a nice escape from the busy city. The 17-miles esplanade is a wonderful location for walking along the riverside paths, and if you are feeling adventurous, feel free to bring your dog on the canoes, stand up paddleboards, or kayaks rented through Paddle Boston. The Esplanade also includes Hatch Shell, which is the site of many popular events including the annual summertime Boston Pops Concert. The part of the Esplanade along Beacon Hill has plenty of green space and a playground for children. Because of Storrow Drive, a limited-access road, there are eight pedestrian overpasses to get to the park, so make sure to plan your route ahead of time.
Arnold Arboretum’s collections and landscapes are curated by Harvard University but maintained and owned by the City of Boston. The arboretum, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, covers 281 acres and has over 15,000 trees, shrubs, and vines. There are some beautiful gardens to explore, including Azalea Border, Bussey Brook Meadow, and Rhododendron Dell. They also have finely sculpted miniature trees in their Bonsai & Penjing Collection. It is free to the public, and dog walkers in Boston are welcome to walk their pups here on leash. You can wind through the gardens on the paved paths. The Weld Hill Research Building offers facilities for botanical and environmental research and includes Harvard University faculty. In addition, they also support research fellowships and awards.
Franklin Park is Boston’s largest park, at 527 acres. It is the site of Franklin Park Zoo, home to animals from around the world, including tigers, lions, and gorillas. It also features a gigantic 10,000 square foot playground. Franklin Park is the last component of the string of parks called the “Emerald Necklace,” designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. The park also contains the William J. Devine Memorial Golf Course, tennis, baseball, and basketball courts, and large sports fields for soccer, lacrosse, and cricket. In the summer, you can watch live performances at the open-air performance space called “Playhouse in the Park.”
Boston's Bark Score
How Boston got their Bark Score
We love crunching numbers almost as much as we love caring for dogs, which is why we came up with the Bark Score. It's all about how dog-friendly a city is, and is determined using census statistics, local business information, and our own data. Boston received a 66 out of 100 in vet availability, which includes the number of emergency veterinarians, regular vets, specialists, and the average premium for pet insurance in the area. For pet services—like groomers available, number of dog trainers, and count of Rover sitters—this city earned a 76. For the parks and fun category, Boston received a 81 for its number of dog parks, sunny days, and dog-friendly restaurants and hotels. And last but not least, for quality of dog life which includes overall dog population, average yard size, and number of dog-friendly property rentals, this city earned a 76.
Top Dog Neighborhoods in Boston
Beacon Hill
Beacon Hill is one of Boston’s most beautiful, historic neighborhoods. It contains several memorials and museums important to the Revolutionary War. One stop to make is the George Middleton House, home of a Colonel in the Revolutionary War and an early leader in Boston’s early African American community. The house was finished in 1787 and is among the oldest homes on Beacon Hill. Along the Black History Trail in the area, you can also visit the Museum of African American History and Phillips School, which was among the first desegregated schools in Boston. Another Beacon Hill site is the Massachusetts State House, and the Granary Burying Ground founded in 1860, the resting place of many Revolutionary War patriots.
North End
The North End has important ties to the Revolutionary War. The Freedom Trail is a historic walking trail, first organized in 1951, that links 16 sites in order to tell the story of Boston’s role in the Revolutionary War. North End has quite a few of the stops along the trail, including Paul Revere’s house and the statue of him astride his horse, as well as Old North Church, Boston’s oldest surviving church, and Copp’s Hill Burying Ground. For a nice evening meal, there are plenty of delicious Italian restaurants, including Lucca, Parla, and Sfizi. If you feel like seafood, check out Neptune Oyster. For a nice stroll after dinner, Boston dog boarders should try the Harborwalk, which encompasses many wharves, parks, and the New England Aquarium.
South Boston
South Boston is a densely populated neighborhood of Boston that’s home to Dorchester Heights, where George Washington compelled the British to evacuate in the Revolutionary War. In honor of this event, Boston celebrated Evacuation Day with a parade in this neighborhood. In celebration of its Irish roots, South Boston is the location of the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. It is also home to the Boston Children’s Museum, The Institute of Contemporary Art, situated on the waterfront, and the Murphy Memorial Skating Rink. In the evening, leave your pup in the loving care of a Boston dog sitter and be sure to check out Lincoln Tavern & Restaurant, Mike & Patty’s for sandwiches, and Publico Street Bistro & Garden.
Fenway - Kenmore
Fenway-Kenmore is named after Fenway, the main thoroughfare in this neighborhood, laid out by Frederick Law Olmsted. Most of the homes in this neighborhood were made between 1880 and 1930, and you’ll find brownstones, brick walk-ups, and apartments. It is also home to Boston University, Harvard Med, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Fenway Park, home to the Boston Red Sox, has been here since 1912, making it the oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball. Another of the “Emerald Necklace” parklands is in this neighborhood, the Fenway Victory Gardens. The gardens cover seven acres and date back to World War Two—they were originally cultivated to help provide the city with fresh vegetables during the war. They remain intact with the goal of encouraging urban gardening.
Why do dog owners love Boston?
Boston was founded in 1630 by Puritan colonists from England. Boston quickly became the center of the New England Region and later played an important role in the American Revolution. Boston was the site of many events leading up and during the war, including the Boston Tea Party, Paul Revere’s Ride, and the Siege of Boston. Although it was heavily damaged by the war, it grew back stronger than ever, as a transportation hub and the intellectual, educational, and medical center of the nation, thanks to universities like Boston University and Harvard University. Boston remains today an important city, bringing together the past, present, and future of the United States. Boston is sometimes referred to as “Titletown” or “City of Champions,” thanks to its dominating sports teams, the Boston Red Sox, Boston Celtics, Boston Bruins, and New England Patriots. Fenway Park, the oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball, is a huge draw for tourists and residents alike. Aside from sports, Boston is perhaps best known for its Revolutionary history. Many of the historic sites are walkable, so it is worth taking your dog out on a walk and stroll along the Freedom Trail, where you will see some of the most important sites from the Revolution. You can also see important places like Faneuil Hall, the “cradle of liberty,” a meeting hall and marketplace for over 250 years. It once hosted meetings of the Sons of Liberty and was the place for famous speeches by Samuel Adams. Boston is a dog-friendly town, with some of the most beautiful parks for dog sitters and their furry friends to stroll in, including the Charles River Esplanade, Rose Kennedy Greenway, and the Boston Public Garden. There are plenty of dog parks, including Channel Center Dog Park, South Boston Dog Park, and Carleton Court Dog Park. When you are ready for shopping, check out the Pawsh Dog Boutique or the Polka Dog Bakery, a perfect place to pick out some treats and dog accessories. You can even take your pup out on the Charles River with Charles River Canoe & Kayak, and some locations have dog life jackets you can borrow. There are plenty of dog-friendly patios you can bring your dog to, like the Samuel Adams Brewery Boston, The Living Room, South End Buttery, or Moonshine 152.
