Travelling is a fact of life, and sometimes we need to travel without our dogs. For pet parents who are preparing for a sitter, some simple steps can help ensure a positive experience and reduce anxiety—yours and your pup’s.
To help you prep and write the best pet sitter instructions, we’ve interviewed veterinarian Dr. Nell Ostermeier. Here’s a checklist for communication, preparing your dog for the sitter, and getting your home ready. Boarding your pup? No worries—we’ve got a checklist for you too.
How To Prepare Dog Care Instructions for a Pet Sitter
Even for experienced dog sitters, a checklist can be the most helpful tool for facilitating a good experience that meets everyone’s expectations. A checklist provides basic instructions for a dog sitter in a clear and concise form. According to Dr. Ostermeier, a good dog sitter checklist includes the following information:
- Feeding instructions, including how much to feed and your pup’s meal schedule
- Instructions for walks, including how long, how far, and how often you usually walk
- Instructions for play time, with notes about what toys and chews they like
- Emergency contact information
- Instructions specific to your dog, like any medications, behavioural issues, or preferences
Feeding instructions
Feeding information is one of the most important things to provide your sitter. Dogs can be extraordinarily sensitive, and keeping their feeding on its regular schedule can reduce their anxiety about you being gone.
In addition to the basics like how much and when, tell your sitter:
- If your dog has any allergies or food sensitivities
- What dog treats they can have and how often
- Anything your pup is prone to eating or getting into that they shouldn’t
If you have multiple dogs who eat different foods, make sure the containers are labelled and the instructions are specific.
Exercise and playtime schedules
Maintaining a semblance of your dog’s regular schedule can be a big help in the transition to life with your sitter. According to Dr. Ostermeier, explicit instructions about walks and playtime are a key part of that. Make sure to write instructions that cover:
- When and how long your dog typically walks
- Your dog’s lead skills and their temperament with other people and dogs
- What play spots your dog typically visits, like dog parks
- Instructions for driving with your dog
- Your dog’s favourite toys, activities, and games
The latter is especially important, since it helps your sitter not only keep your pup happy but also start to create their own bond.
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Emergency contact information
Consider whether there will be times when you may not be available on your trip, including poor mobile phone service. Designate a local alternate—and let your alternate know about their role!—so your sitter always has someone they can reach out to.
Also include:
- Your regular vet
- Your regular groomer (for long stays)
- A local 24/7 emergency vet you trust (for home stays)
Dr. Ostermeier says it’s also a good idea to reach out to your vet ahead of time to let them know what types of decisions your sitter is authorised to make in your absence, should an emergency arise.
Information specific to your dog
Use this section to relay specific instructions unique to your dog’s care. These could include:
- Ongoing health treatments
- Specific behaviour quirks or reactivity
- Your dog’s sleeping arrangements
Whatever your situation, err on the side of “too much” instead of “not enough.” To help your sitter navigate the list, structure things so it’s easy to spot headings and key details.
Ongoing training and socialisation
If you’re working with your dog on certain behaviours or in the process of training or socialisation, tell your sitter about them.
That way, they can help maintain boundaries, reinforce good behaviours, and practice getting out and about. You could include:
- Boundaries you’re working to teach your dog, like staying off the couch
- Behaviours you’re working on, like counter surfing
- Cues you’re in the middle of teaching, like stay, touch, or down
- Where you are in your puppy’s socialisation checklist
How To Prepare House Care Instructions for a Pet Sitter
If you’ve opted to have a sitter stay in your home, they’ll also be responsible for looking after your house while you’re away. Having a checklist that your sitter finds reasonable and agrees to ahead of time is essential for creating clear expectations. This checklist will likely include:
- General household tasks
- House safety
- Emergency contacts and procedures
- Extra items (that may warrant additional compensation)
General household tasks
If someone has been hired as a pet sitter and will be spending several nights at your home, small tasks are reasonable to add on. That might include:
- Watering plants
- Getting the post or newspaper
- Cleaning up after themselves
- Letting in contractors/cleaners
- Accepting deliveries
For extended stays, a pet sitter may need to use household appliances, such as washing machines or ovens, and general instructions on how to use and troubleshoot your equipment are useful. Be explicit with your instructions so that your pet sitter has the opportunity to meet your expectations. Good communication is key!
Household safety
Be sure to include details about household safety as you create your checklist. Household safety includes things like:
- Who’s expected to come and go from the house, and when
- Ongoing repair issues
- Contacts for maintenance items that may come up
Additionally, if your house has any quirks that your sitter needs to be aware of, be sure to provide them with the details they need. If you have neighbours, it can be a good idea to give them a heads-up so they know to expect a sitter coming and going.
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Emergency contacts
When it comes to emergency contacts, be sure that your sitter has enough information to make good decisions should an emergency arise. They should know the numbers for local authorities, neighbours, and trusted people who can enter your home while you are away.
Extra tasks
If you are planning on asking your sitter to take care of additional household duties, be sure that these are explicitly agreed to ahead of time and that you discuss compensation. You want to have a successful and recurring relationship with your sitter. Help that requires additional compensation might include:
- Lawn care
- Managing any pre-planned house repairs or upgrades
- Grocery shopping
- House cleaning
Similarly, if you are going to ask your sitter to do vet or grooming appointments, or play dates that are above and beyond, be sure to communicate this clearly as you are negotiating compensation with your house sitter.
Checklist for Boarding Your Dog
If you’re getting ready to board your dog either at a sitter’s house or at a kennel, Dr. Ostermeier recommends creating your own checklist that helps you determine what to pack. Generally, this includes the following:
- Food, labelled and divided into appropriate portions
- Dog bedding and blankets, labelled
- Toys, labelled
- Medications, labelled with prescriptions and instructions (if necessary)
- Information on your dog, including their checklist, their vet, and emergency contacts
If you’re going to a boarding facility, be aware of any restrictions on what your pup can bring. Take into account supplies for any extra activities you’re paying for, like play time, pool time, or nighttime walks. Plus, consider needs specific to your dog if they’re reactive, anxious, or senior.
How To Prepare Your Dog for Their Sitter
When it comes to preparing your dog for the sitter, it’s best to tailor your approach to your dog and their needs. Dr. Ostermeier recommends that pet parents try to stay calm before leaving and while packing. Your dog will pick up on the extra activity, and if they sense you are nervous, this could heighten their own anxiety.
Some of your pre-trip activities could include:
- Exercise your dog
- Preparing your dog’s space (if anything will be different)
- Getting out any favourite toys
- Making sure to have enough food on hand, plus extra for emergencies
- Refilling prescriptions
- Spend quality time with your dog before you go
- Be sure your dog sees you and your sitter interact in a positive way and that your dog gets to interact with the sitter (consider scheduling a meet and greet ahead of time)
Tips on Preparing the House for a Pet Sitter
As you prep your house for the sitter, a checklist can help you stay organised. In general, you should think about the following things:
- Have a clean space for your sitter to stay, with clean sheets for overnight sitters
- Be sure the fridge and cupboards have the necessary items
- Set the temperature to a reasonable level and offer instructions to modify it
- Take care of necessary maintenance (lawn, repairs, etc.)
- Leave written pet sitter instructions in an easy-to-find place
- Have your dog’s toys, bedding, and food available and ready
Sitter Communication
Good communication is paramount to success before, during, and even after your dog’s stay with a sitter. Ideally, you are starting a long-term relationship with someone who will care for your pet over the years.
Prior to the stay, your sitter should have clear expectations and instructions. You don’t want to surprise them with extra responsibilities. If possible, schedule a time to meet the sitter with your dog to help them get acquainted and have a one-on-one discussion about their role. Lay out expectations and hear any of their concerns or requirements. Begin to prepare your checklists with your sitter’s input.
Let your sitter know how you want to communicate while you are away. If you want to check in daily, let them know. Similarly, let them know the situations that would warrant a phone call or text from them. If anything changes with your schedule, be sure to communicate that clearly so that you and your sitter can make additional arrangements.
After your stay, let your sitter know how much you appreciate them! A quick call or text can go a long way to establishing a good relationship. The more your sitter comes to stay, the more comfortable your dog will become having them in the house. A strong bond will help to reduce both your and your pup’s anxiety about your travel.
