What to leave with a dog sitter
By The Pet Care Card teamUpdated 5 min read
Short answer
Leave a dog sitter three things: written care instructions (feeding, walks, medication, emergencies), the supplies they need laid out in one place, and access details for your home. Add your vet's contact information and written permission to authorise treatment up to an amount you choose.
A good handover takes ten minutes and prevents almost every awkward text message while you are away.
Written instructions come first
Verbal handovers are forgotten within an hour. Give the sitter something they can re-read: feeding amounts and times, walk schedule, bathroom habits, medication, house rules and emergency contacts.
Supplies to lay out
- Enough food for the full stay, plus two extra days
- Measuring scoop or a pre-portioned set of meals
- Lead, harness, poop bags and a spare
- Treats, separated from training treats if you use them
- Towels for wet or muddy days
- Cleaning supplies for accidents
- Bed, crate and a familiar toy
Access and house details
- Keys or door code, and how the lock behaves if it sticks
- Alarm code and what to do if it goes off
- Wi-Fi password
- Which doors and gates must stay shut
- Neighbour's number as a backup
Vet and emergency authorisation
Give the clinic name, phone number and address, the nearest 24-hour emergency hospital, and a written note authorising treatment up to a set amount. Tell your clinic who is caring for the dog so they will accept the sitter's instructions.
The details owners forget
- Which foods cause an upset stomach
- Reaction to other dogs, cyclists or delivery drivers
- Whether the dog can be left alone, and for how long
- Where the dog hides during storms or fireworks
- How much barking is normal
Do a short walkthrough
Walk the sitter through one feeding and one walk before you leave if you can. It surfaces the things you would never think to write down.
Frequently asked questions
- How much dog food should I leave for a sitter?
- Leave the full amount for the stay plus two extra days, in case of travel delays. Pre-portioning meals into bags removes any guesswork about amounts.
- Should the sitter have my vet's details even for a short stay?
- Yes. Emergencies are not proportional to trip length, and a clinic will move faster when the caller already has the clinic name, your name and the dog's details.