do i take my dog's food to the sitter?

Yes, you definitely need to always bring your dog's food, medications (if any) as well as collar and leash to a sitter. If you are particular about what treats your dog is given, then also include those. For other requirements, you should contact the sitter to see what else you may need to bring and what the sitter has available for guest dogs. Not all sitters here have the same setup and requirements. If your dog is used to a crate, then by all means that should be taken to the sitter. You may want to pack a favorite toy or two and an old T-shirt with your scent if the dog might need a little extra reassurance while you are gone. But the best thing is to ask the sitter you have hired.

YES YES YES!!! I require owners bring food. And take extra, you don't know how people measure. I had a dog run out of food about a day and a half early and he and the runs so bad. I felt terrible for him, but I had to feed him my dog's food. It's not about money, its about happy dogs!

Yep! You'll also want to pack a bed, bowls, leash and collar.

As a sitter, I find it extra helpful to have the food already separated into labeled baggies or containers for each serving. One meal = one baggie! Labeled, because depending on the sitter, your dog's food may not be the only food in the home. Always pack at least one full day of extra meals. Of course, each sitter is different about their preferences, so what is best is just to ask! Another option is to bring a larger labeled container full of food with a scoop and instructions for how much per meal to give written clearly on the container. Yes, this is something that you and the sitter will discuss during the meet and greet "Oh, she just gets a scoop at breakfast and a scoop at dinner!" but it is SO helpful for the sitter to have the instructions accessible with the food.

You may even want to write on the food container what the brand of food is, just in case there is an emergency and for whatever reason the sitter would need to get an emergency supply of food for your pup. This is going way into the details - but details are good here!

And yes yes yes to the food bowls! Most dogs might not seem super picky about their eating at home, but in an unfamiliar environment, things come out that you might not see at home -- and even just having their own food bowl without the smell of some other dog and their food (no matter how much you might clean it!) all over it will certainly help them feel at home.

...and their bowls too!

I was surprised at the number of people who didn't bring bowls when I started. So now I remind Owners at the Meet & Greet that it is best for their dog to have their own bowls. Anything to make my home have a familiar feel is best for the dog.